Parent-teacher conference
pamelamyers | February 2, 2014
We had a parent-teacher conference at Sam’s school the other day. It was really the first official conversation we have had with her school about how she is doing. In November, they sent home a progress report, but since Sam was doing pretty well, there was no need for a conference. In late January though, since the school needs to discuss placement for next year (a lot of kids are moving on to Kindergarten, making it more important for them), the parents actually have a scheduled time with the teachers. We met with Mrs. McCann to discuss how Sam is doing. In sum, she is doing great! She has made improvements in areas where she needed to (including putting on and zippering her own coat, speaking up in public, and learning to recognize her printed name). She still has some areas to improve on like learning to recognize all the letters and writing her name, but Mrs. McCann said she is pretty much right where she needs to be. She is young for her class being born late in September. A lot of the kids in her class are 6 months or more older than her. This is why we are glad she will be going to Saint Matt’s again next year for the five day program. She needs extra time to be ready for Kindergarten. She doesn’t make the cutoff anyway, so it doesn’t really matter, we couldn’t send her to Kindergarten even if we wanted to. We discussed how Sam has been having playdates with Julia and how it really has helped her open up, having a real friend in the class. Mrs. McCann said she noticed the difference.
We were able to successfully move Sam into the day program next year which will be better for her, I think. She is definitely a morning person and concentrates better earlier in the day. It is hard to believe – only one more year then she is in Kindergarten. How is that possible? Then FIRST GRADE. ACTUAL SCHOOL. This is not happening, time is not going by this fast, is it?
We are so proud of Sam and how she has truly blossomed at school. I was so worried about how she would adjust but she is doing so well. She loves school and playing with her friends. I can see how she has changed, matured, in the time she has been there. My only worry about next year is that she will have to make mostly all new friends again in her class. I think a few kids will still be at St. Matt’s, but not a lot. And they may be in the afternoon program. But, I guess she will make that adjustment many times as she goes on in school. Her schools in Springfield have multiple classes for each grade, not like when I was in my tiny little Catholic grade school. She will be ok. And her friend Julia will still be in St. Matt’s with her, although I don’t know if the same class. But it will make it easier for Sam that they are doing the same things.
Before I know it, she will be reading and doing math and all of those things that little kids do. I don’t know if I can handle it!