Report cards: An ongoing conversation

Very soon, students will be bringing home the first of three report cards for the current academic year. In the past, report cards were one of just a few formal means of communication between parents and teachers in the K-12 education system. In many homes, it meant that excitement around learning only happened at specific times of the year, as parents discussed with their child and his or her teachers how well they did and where there was room to improve. That approach has been changing in recent years, and is accelerating this academic year.
Although we’ve always encouraged parents to call or email teachers if they have concerns at any time, with new technologies for the classroom in place, it’s a very exciting time to be working or learning in schools. As a parent or guardian, the ways that you can engage with your child’s learning experience is increasing every year, allowing a more robust conversation about learning to take place between teachers and families throughout the year.

There is a lot of evidence that one of the most important things that a parent can do to improve student achievement and keep their child engaged in learning is to be involved with their child’s progress. Students thrive when what they are learning in class is understood and shared at home, and our district is on a path to make that easier by adopting some incredible technology and tools to help parents connect with learning more directly and more often.

Assessment and reporting are changing, in line with the new curriculum. As the provincial government moves towards next fall, when the curriculum will be fully implemented from kindergarten through to Grade 12, they are seeking feedback from parents and guardians on student assessment and reporting. If you haven’t already weighed in with your comments, you can do that here until February 28, 2017. In addition to the provincial consultation process, our schools have begun seeking parent feedback, with ongoing district consultation to take place this spring.