Communication and Community Involvement

Little Harbour School encourages a partnership between school and home. We value parental input and collaboration. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s classroom teacher at any time during the academic year with concerns. Establishing an early, positive relationship and open communication between the teacher and the parent is the most productive way to resolve issues that come up during the year.   

Parent Communication/Contact During the School Day

The school schedule is designed to limit classroom interruptions in order to achieve the most effective and efficient instructional time for all students.  Parents may be invited to visit our school, volunteer, attend special assemblies/activities, and participate in school events.  However, in order to minimize classroom disruptions, classroom visits should be planned in advance with the teacher. 

When a meeting or phone conversation is necessary, it is important to remember that a teacher’s priority is to be instructing during the school day. Teachers begin their day with students at 7:55, and dismiss students at 2:30. If you need to make contact with a teacher during the school day, please call the office and the teacher will return your call as soon as time permits.  Email is also an effective way to communicate with many teachers, although it is important to remember that an immediate response is not always possible. Many teachers do not read their emails throughout the school day.

The office phone is for official use only. Students must have permission before using the phone. It is not to be used for social calls or to make arrangements, such as scheduling play dates for after-school hours. If it is critical for you to communicate with your child about a change in plans, or to deliver articles of clothing, instruments, etc. to school, please contact the office, rather than the classroom teacher.    

Parent-Teacher Conferences and Progress Reporting

Parent-Teacher conferences will be scheduled in October.  Parents or teachers, however, may request a conference any time throughout the year. If you would like to set up a conference, please contact the teacher. Occasionally, other members of the school staff, such as specialists or a guidance counselor, may be invited in for a conference to discuss a particular issue or concern. 

Conferences can be of great value to the parents, the teacher, and to the child.  They offer opportunities for mutual understanding and sharing of information that can be gained from no other source.

Report cards are issued three times per year in December, March, and June.  Report cards offer a snapshot of student progress and outline grade-level expectations. In addition to report cards, those students receiving tiered intervention supports or IEPs will have progress reports sent home.

School Notices/Communication

Little Harbour is committed to reducing paper usage and therefore will rarely share information through paper notices; paper notices will be reserved for permission slips and forms.  A Little Harbour Newsletter and updates on ParentSquare will be the primary method of communication from the school. It is important to read this digital communication for reminders and information on upcoming events or deadlines. By logging into ParentSquare or accessing it through the app, parents can select their preference for notices (in a digest format or as posted) as well as their preferred language. 

Each year when you update registration information, you will be asked to provide permission for the school to share personal information with the PTA for the purposes of the school directory and communication from the PTA directly. You may opt out of this sharing.