Consolidated School

April 2012

Dear Consolidated Families,

Believe it or not, it is time to begin the placement process for the 2012-2013 school year. We have completed Kindergarten Registration and are thrilled to be offering a second year of full day kindergarten for our students.  We are collecting information about students from area preschools so that we can group these youngsters into classes. Wendy and I take placement very seriously and want to share the process with you, as we do each year at this time. We truly value the support of our families and hope you understand that every child in the school is placed as the result of a long and thoughtful series of events.

The process of creating class lists varies from town to town and among schools in New Fairfield. At Consolidated, we believe that it is vitally important for classroom teachers to be actively involved. Later this spring teachers will fill out information cards on each of their current students. This form provides checklists that relate to each student’s curriculum assessments, work habits, behavioral needs and notes on any special services or allergies. Teachers can make suggestions about other children who should or should not be place in the same class with a particular child. Parental thoughts that have been shared with the classroom teacher will also be integrated into the child’s summary as appropriate. All that information is taken into account as teachers create class lists for the subsequent grade. The principal and assistant principal read every card and synthesize the information onto spread sheets that are checked and rechecked as the process continues. (In case you have ever wondered how we spend our spring vacation – this is it!) Any information that we feel is confidential remains private.  

After the cards are filled out and the information recorded, teachers meet by grade level to place students in groups for the following year. We take into account the needs of individual children and the ways they relate to various teacher styles. Factors of gender equity, heterogeneous classes, inclusion classrooms, group size, placements for multiples, behavioral needs and parent input are all taken into account. We make every attempt to place at least two students from a class together in the next grade so that there is at least one familiar face for everyone. We also want to provide the opportunity for children to establish new friendships and grow socially by meeting new classmates each year. Special area teachers and specialists contribute their insights as everyone reviews each decision through a child centered lens. Our goal is to develop classes that are balanced academically, socially, culturally and by gender. Wendy and I are actively involved with each step as the class lists are derived. We make some changes based on information that we have that may be confidential. However, we keep the bulk of decisions in the hands of the teachers who know the students best.

Meetings are then scheduled between grade levels. Teams review the lists again making any warranted changes. Before the start of the new school year teachers and specialists share information about each child’s unique needs with the receiving teachers several times in various formats. As time goes by it is difficult to make further changes without upsetting the ultimate goal of well balanced classes. While teacher match up is important, cohesive groupings are equally important and we make every effort to maintain that balance.

We encourage parents to share information that they feel is crucial to their child’s placement. This is critical as students enter the school for the first time in kindergarten or transfer into Consolidated School. It is not always necessary in the move from grade to grade within this school. A form is being sent out for parents who might want to request a certain classroom situation. We do not accept requests for particular teachers. Remember that sometimes teachers move to different grade levels. Comments that are helpful to us include traits and characteristics of your child that most affect her/his learning.

No matter what you may have heard about a teacher at the beach or in the supermarket, remember that your child may not relate to a given teacher in the same way that a neighbor’s child did, whether positive or negative. Your child is different and special. Please make any requests based on sound educational factors related to your child’s needs.

We want to ask for your trust in our work and your confidence in our deep concern for each child in our care. We strive to be fair to everyone and work hard to make a good year ahead for each of our students.

Fondly,

Lynn and Wendy