Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

[Olive]

We get reports next Friday I think, all our interviews are three way excerpt the first foundation one at start of year, we don't see specialists as it's not necessary nor offered. All our communication is via Compass which I love, we can also do payments and give permission for things through it, we have online ordering for canteen too through flexischools. The only complaint I have is not telling us when they move assembly indoors lol

DD2 is going really well, super happy and well adjusted, she loves going.

[wysiwyg]

The school is implementing an online thing - sounds like Compass - but IT will not solve anything if they don't even realize what information they need to give to parents. The first parent teacher thing is Monday morning - and I have not a clue where to tell DH to go as there is no information anywhere about where they will be held.

So Olive how did the school communicate the fact you don't need to see specialists? Do the main teacher then discuss the specialist subjects during the parent teacher interview? The specialists are Science, Music, Sports and Art, we have had a report from each teacher - all were available for us to book a session with - whether or not it is necessary or they wanted us to I have no idea. I quite wanted to speak to the science teacher, the others I could take or leave but that is a reflection of my interests not DD's necessarily so thought I should see them all.

[Khaleesi]

Ours is basically the same as Olive.
We book in with the main teacher only, we only get the option to book in with them.
They pretty much tell us anything we need to know & answer any questions we have.

[Olive]

Specialists are not offered at all, science for us is taught by classroom teacher so is part of overall teaching. Specialist reports are quiet small in comparison to classroom teachers, I don't think specialist teachers would have the time to have interviews with 600 parents �� . Interviews for us are held in our classroom.

[HotI]

A Meeting Was only offered with the main teacher. I never even considered meeting with other teachers.
Ours are promoted as an opportunity for the child to let you know about their learning, rather than traditional parent teacher style.
I have a few questions that I would probably prefer dd not to be there, but am okay to ask them if that is the format they are going for.
I am hoping we get reports before hand but I'm not sure.

[Khaleesi]

Ours is very much like Olive.
The only specialist subjets we get are, Japanese, sports & music.
Everything else is taught in the classroom.

Ours is also held in the classroom

[Olive]

Our specialists are Indonesian, music (performing art), art and PE.
Hot1 have your 3 way interview then ask if DD can step outside, we've done that in the past.

[briggsy's girl]

Have to check last weeks newsletter - we've already had parent teacher interviews last term, and have had rolling contact with DD's teacher this term regarding her eyes and progress there, so I'm not too phased about a set interview. I am pretty sure if there was an issue with any specialist teachers, she work let us know straight away so that we could address it. I know DH has had a fair bit of contact with one teacher and received nothing but positive feedback. The school is the only one locally that runs the Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden program, and DH has had a fair amount of contact with the coordinator/teacher as we have been supplying them with veggies and plants from the garden.

We know a couple of areas DD is struggling due to the thing with her eyes so we are just working on it more at home. No big drama.

[beansbeans!]

We get reports end of this coming week, no parent teacher interviews. But our school is awesome in that the teachers are very approachable and always willing to sort out any issues or concerns, and they generally keep us informed in regards to any concerns or things going on.
Dd loves school, she's had a few issues with learning but everything is starting to click now and she's starting to catch up.

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

We have the option of meeting with the specialist teachers (mandarin, perform. Arts, art, food tech and PE) but it's not compulsory. Similar to wysiwyg, ours is more us wanting to know how DD1 is going, so we'll be meeting with all of them.

We get reports this coming Friday so we have the weekend to look through them as the interviews are on Mon 21st and Tue 22nd June. We have a choice as to whether or not we want to bring our child with us to the interviews.

Our school uses the "skoolbag" app for all online communication. We get weekly newsletters, reminders for p&F meetings, specialist prep meetings etc. Like Olives, we can do canteen orders, notify them of absences, confirm permission slips etc.

[leckert]

Reports this term soon. We had interviews last term. I think term 1 & 3 are interviews with term 2 & 4 reports. Most schools I've worked in do this (at least with the option of interviews; I still write reports very term)

[wysiwyg]

This was our first report and our first set of interviews also. I saw Class teacher (x 2, the English one and the French one did a joint interview) Science Teacher and Art Teacher - DH and DD saw sports teacher and were meant to see music too but DD has been sick so they didn't make that one.

All was good, although I do have issues with the general communication at the school, all the teachers I have met I like so all good, and I don't believe there is an issue with communication between individual class teachers and parents - is just the more general school stuff.

It was quite funny because DD was concerned about how I would speak with the Science teacher because their science session is in French she didn't think the teacher could speak English! The sessions were all useful in just finding out more about what they have been doing and what they will be doing.

The only few issues I wanted to check was about switching of readers, because DD always claims they are not there in time - which is probably a fair call when she is at Camp Australia before school, and about her 'unconventional pencil grip' - just to check what their stance is on it as was mentioned in the report. They think the same as I do, that can keep reminding her but seeing as her writing is so good that don't want to put her off by going on and on about it and she will likely modify it herself when it becomes a problem - so I was happy with that.

I liked the format of the report and I thought the method was quite good, but it seems from the newsletter this week some people were not so happy. I don't know if is the system used at all schools or not? They have ABCDE and C is performing at the level expected for half way through foundation, B is performing half a year ahead, A is a year ahead, D is half a year behind, E is a year behind. So for the different areas you get a A, B, C, D or E rating.

[leckert]

I liked the format of the report and I thought the method was quite good, but it seems from the newsletter this week some people were not so happy. I don't know if is the system used at all schools or not? They have ABCDE and C is performing at the level expected for half way through foundation, B is performing half a year ahead, A is a year ahead, D is half a year behind, E is a year behind. So for the different areas you get a A, B, C, D or E rating.

If using ACARA (not IB) curriculum the ABCDE format you've described is how things should work (particularly at primary). Some secondary schools have rubrics similar to yr 11/12 marking (at least in SA)

[Olive]

Wysiwyg that's how our reports have been since my DD started school in 2012.

DD's report was lovely, she's doing really well! Super proud of both my girls.

We have three way getting to know you interviews in the first few weeks of school in term 1.
Reports and interviews at end of term 2.
Reports at end of term 4.

[wysiwyg]

Is hard to tell whether have always used that system or not - seems sensible to me, better than systems I remember. From what I can work out the complaints are around it doesn't tell you how they are performing compared to rest of class - it isn't comparative, but I can't really see that as important myself.

[Astrid]

Is hard to tell whether have always used that system or not - seems sensible to me, better than systems I remember. From what I can work out the complaints are around it doesn't tell you how they are performing compared to rest of class - it isn't comparative, but I can't really see that as important myself.

That is not important, interesting to know, but not vital to schooling. What matters is that there is growth, so the next report will be the interesting as you can see that they are progressing.

I have found as they get older that you can gauge how they are in comparison to the rest of the class. You can use that to see that if they are ahead, are they being challenged enough or if they are behind, what is being put in place to assist them.

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

DD1 did well in her report. Is above standard for all arts subjects and reading/viewing words, and is at standard for everything else, so we're happy ☺ we can ask to to see a comparison graph at the interview if we wish.

[Olive]

DD is above average in reading/viewing plus two maths ones, was a lovely report.