Communication

• It is each teacher and staff members' responsibility to read the weekly staff newsletter and parent newsletter information in order to be informed of important information communicated from Administration and Instructional Focus team members.  Please bookmark the Staff and Parent Newsletter sites and refer to newsletters for important information. Newsletter will be sent each Friday afternoon.

• It is each teacher's responsibility to read emails from administration, parents, and team leaders within 24 hours of recieving them. Urgent emails will be flagged "Important". 

• All teachers will consistently send out a weekly newsletter/email informing parents of curriculum focus and important information.  

• Every grade level should utilize “Tuesday folders” and be consistent with sending them home on Tuesday. 

• Types of information that should be sent home in the folders include:  graded work, grade level newsletters, PTA information, Fundraisers, and other pertinent information.

•  Any information to go home each week and all flyers will be placed in your mailbox by Monday at noon for Tuesday folders. 

• Each parent should receive at least one positive phone call before progress reports.  If parents are hard to reach through a phone call, then a  positive email can be sent.

Email

• Be sure to check your e-mail periodically throughout the day (i.e.: first thing, conference period, end of the day).  Please refrain from using instructional time to check your email.  All emails should be responded to within 24 contract hours. For example, if your receive an email from a parent on the weekend, you can wait to respond until the next contract day.

• Be mindful of sending negative emails to parents. It is usually best to meet face to face or phone a parent to share negative information.  Two-way communication is aways best. If you receive an email that you are concerned about, please feel free to respond with a generic message.  "Thank you for your email. I would like to call you to talk with you about your concern and answer any questions you might have. When is a good time that you can be reached by phone?"  Please feel free to reach out to Sylvia and Kim if you need support on how to respond to a parent.

• If you receive a negative email or voice message, please feel free to reach out to the Instructional Coach or an administrator for support on how to respond.

• E-mails in “red’ or marked urgent, should be read as soon as possible. 

•  To facilitate direct and immediate communication with the parents of your students, feel free to share your school e-mail address with them.  

Parent Conferences

• Teachers are encouraged to meet with parents to discuss their child’s progress when the need arises.  A parent should not be surprised by their child's report card or progress report grade.

•  Teachers will be expected to conduct parent conferences when requested by a parent or deemed necessary by the teacher or principal.  

• There will be a parent conference day this year. This will be a holiday for students, so that teachers can schedule parent conferences throughout the day.

•  Take-Home Folders

• Take-home folders will go home every Tuesday.  l

• Grade levels should develop a method for communicating students’ behavior and homework assignments and be consistent. Please use the alert or rooms messaging through Thrillshare program and avoid using your personal cell phone for texting. 

Homework Policy

• Homework is an important part of the learning process.  It is designed to develop good study habits, review previous learning, provide practice, and build responsibility. 

•  Homework should be age & ability appropriate and should also adhere to any 504 or SpEd accommodations. 

• Any homework requirements and consequences for not completing should be age appropriate, developed by team members, implemented consistently and shared with parents.  

Mail

• Inter-office and outgoing (U.S.) mail should be placed in the indicated baskets in the office. 

•  Mail will be delivered to and received from the administration building one time each day -- usually in the afternoon.  Interoffice mail envelopes are located behind the front desk. 

• If you have critical or time-sensitive mail, please alert the principal’s secretary or make arrangements to deliver it yourself.  See the principal’s secretary if your mail requires a notice of delivery, signature, etc. Please see the secretary for postage for school mailings. We cannot sell postage for personal use.