Dear Spectrum Families and Friends,
You should be receiving from your child’s teacher (or me for Middle School) a sign-up form for upcoming conferences (to be done virtually on February 11), as well as your child’s mid-year progress reports to discuss the same. Discussing your child’s academic and social-emotional progress is an important part of your commitment and responsibility to having your child at Spectrum School.
As I was thinking about this reminder, I decided to revisit the Spectrum School Handbook and include some highlights about expectations of parents in this message. Please see a more detailed excerpt HERE.
- A Spectrum parent understands and values progressive educational approaches which include a responsive curriculum, project-based learning, cultivation of creativity, problem-solving, and student choice and voice.
- A Spectrum parent understands and values that assessment is more than a score or a grade, but is an ongoing set of interactions related to student progress and growth.
- A Spectrum parent communicates directly with the relevant teacher or staff member if there is an issue or concern affecting his/her child.
Spectrum is not a posh, “private school” enterprise. We are more like a family, doing right by kids day-in and day-out no matter what. Even so, sending your kids to a non-public school involves explicit and implicit understanding that you support what we are doing and how we are doing it, or why would your child be here?
I have experienced a lot of disappointments in the lack of parent responses to emails, invitations, opportunities, and even to openings of this weekly eBlast. I do not endorse the view that paying tuition as a parent is “enough.” You are part of a school community and as such I believe each parent has an obligation to contribute minimally to staying apprised of what is happening in the classrooms and school, even to just have meaningful conversations with your children about it. However, research shows again and again and again that the more a parent or important adult is involved in a child’s schooling, the better that child does in school and life.
The BASIC BASIC level of parent involvement is the Parent-Teacher Conference, three times a year. Please sign up for one for this winter when you receive the link.
Dr. Mary Beth Cunat
Principal
PS: my annual query – if you read this Principal’s Message, send me an email at m.cunat@spectrumschool.org. How many will I get?
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