Welcome to our COFFEE TALK!!!! We are so glad you are here!

THANK YOU…. For being here today! We want all parents to have the opportunity to hear this information; therefore, the information presented today will be available on our website beginning April 17th. If you know of a parent who was unable to be here today, please let them know this information will be on our website.

PARKING LOT We have placed some large post-it pages on the walls titled “Parking Lot”. If you have a question that you did not want to ask in the large group, or you have a suggestion, please feel free to place your sticky notes on the “Parking Lot”.

GOAL OF TODAY'S COFFEE TALK Share our Whitestone process of placing students in classrooms for the 2012-2013 school year. Answer any questions that parents may have about our process.

TEACHER INPUT Teachers receive cards for each student in their class These cards come with: Student’s picture Student information (date of birth, address, etc.) Teachers the student had in prior years Health information/Allergies Student’s data Special programs

TEACHER INPUT Teachers write information to help guide the placement of each child in a class for the upcoming year, such as… Student is above grade level, on grade level or below grade level Student’s strengths and areas that child is working on academically, behaviorally and socially If the student is in a special program, such as QUEST, Dyslexia, ESL, SRP, Special Education How that student might learn best - when seated near teacher, benefits from structure Student works cooperatively with others Student is a leader or a follower Student is shy and might need a sensitive teacher

TEACHER INPUT Teachers do not recommend a specific teacher for students. Teachers do not write a teacher’s name on the card. The current teacher gives information specific to each child – what type of learner that child is and assists in placing each child in a class, ensuring each class is balanced.

PARENT INPUT It is very important to us that parents give us input on their child(ren). You know your child better than anyone else! Your input is invaluable and helps us to better understand things that we might not know about your child (your child’s strengths, areas of concern, how your child interacts with other children in social settings, etc.)

PARENT INPUT We ask that you please fill out the online or paper copy “All About My Child” Form. The form is different this year. Forms will be available online or in the front office beginning Tues., May 1st and due by May 18th.

PARENT INPUT Please briefly describe your child’s best grade level experience. Needs structure and organization Learns best by getting to use manipulatives (cubes/blocks in Math) or hearing the information Learns best by hearing and seeing the information Learns best when he/she can work by himself/herself Likes to work with others Benefits from positive reinforcement Is very active, needs to move around

PARENT INPUT Characteristics in a teacher that my child responds well to are: Structure Sensitivity Nurturing Energetic Firm Organized

PARENT INPUT We are asking that you give us characteristics in a teacher you feel your child will respond well to, rather than specific teacher names, as staffing changes will occur and each grade level will experience changes. All of our teachers are Highly Qualified. All instructional staff along with the administrative team, will take your parent input along with the teacher input to create balanced classes.

Involves all instructional staff and the administrative team CLASS PLACEMENT The process- Involves all instructional staff and the administrative team Takes into account special programs and creating balanced classes Is a work-in-progress until school begins

CLASS PLACEMENT What happens if we are scheduled to have 6 classes in a grade level and sometime over the summer or in August we find out that we will only have 5? We have to go back to the drawing board! We must start over and build classes again. This is why it is difficult to accept teacher requests, because this could change over the summer. This is why we ask you to trust us in utilizing your input for characteristics you would like in a teacher for your child and that we know your child as a student/learner.

If you have questions, please ask! We want to ensure that you leave here today feeling confident in our desire to create balanced classes for the upcoming school year.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING TODAY!! FEEDBACK FORM We ask that you please fill out the feedback form located on the library/cafeteria tables. We would like your feedback: Was today helpful to you? What would have made today more helpful/effective? Would you like for us to host more coffee talks? If so, what topics should we offer? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING TODAY!!