Can't wait to see you at Parent Teacher Conferences!

November is always such a busy, exciting month. In addition to heralding the start of a season of festivities and holidays for many families, November is also the time we pause to reflect on the progress each child here at Goodwin is making and share that good news with parents. Progress reports will be going home on Friday, November 22 and conferences begin next week. Please review your child's progress report before conferences and jot down any questions you might have. Pay particular attention to the effort and behavior grades. These are areas that are within each child's control and can make all the difference in how well your child does academically. Talk with your child about the importance of hard work and the need to do their very best. Every child here at Goodwin should strive for checks and check plusses in all areas of behavior and effort. Sometimes, a child is disappointed in a grade, particularly if the subject area is challenging for them. We have a saying here at Goodwin that we invite you to borrow when talking about grades. When a child says, " I'm not good at .... (fill in math, p.e., writing, art, etc...) We respond, "You're not good at that YET!" We believe that every child can succeed when their personal effort and the right interventions and instruction by our Goodwin team are coupled with a supportive home. The vast majority of the time, progress reports are a time to CELEBRATE. Talk with your child about how proud you are of their hard work and help them see the connection between how hard they work and their actual achievement. Goodwin teachers are excited to talk with you about your child's successes and areas for growth. We want to hear about any concerns or questions you have as well. If the conference does not give enough time for all of your questions to be answered (these tight schedules sometimes make it hard), please talk to your child's teacher about ways you can stay in touch and follow up. The Goodwin staff wants to work with you to make this a fabulous experience for your child! Teachers and staff who are not classroom teachers are also available for conferences. If you would like to meet with me, the school nurse, the school psychologist, or any of the related arts teachers, send an email to gnoffice@mansfieldct.org and we will be sure to contact you to set up an appointment. See you next week!