Home-School Connection

One of the cornerstones at Chets Creek is its proactive involvement of families in the education of our children. One of the ways that Kindergarten provides for two-way conversation between home and school is to send a home-school plastic folder each day from school to home and then back again the next day. On the front cover is a monthly calendar that has important days marked. Each day the Kindergarten teacher puts a stamp on the day of the week to let the parent know about the child's behavior. Anything except a white star gets a written explanation so that the parent can talk to the child at home about any problems or issues that the child had during the school day.

Inside the folder are the Teacher's Weekly Newsletter which informs families about classroom happenings, the weekly Connection which informs the family about school happenings and any permissions, notices, student work, or any other paperwork that the family needs to see. The family knows that all of the paperwork will be in the folder each day. Children are taught, beginning the first day of school, where to put their folders as they unpack their backpacks so the teacher can quickly scan the stack for any important messages. On the back of the folder the teacher and family write notes back and forth. Maybe there will be a note from the parent about the child not feeling well the night before or a change in how the child will be getting home. It may be a note from the teacher explaining some incident at school or reminding the family that the child needs lunch money for the next day. Often the teachers use printed sticky labels if the note is for everyone in the class such a hint to ask the child about something learned during the day or a reminder about the field trip tomorrow. The goal is to write in every child's folder at least once a week! "Catching them being good" is a favorite teacher entry! The Principal even models writing in folders by writing in at least five folders when she comes into the classroom for any kind of observation. It is this type of open and continuous flow of communication that helps parents understand that we really mean that we want to be partners in education!