Announcements

Dear Families:
 
As delineated in our Parent Guide, a set of seven core Jewish values and ideas guide our work at Beth El Nursery School. Understood as "lenses," they help create a framework for teachers and parents for study, discussion and development of a shared vision in the classroom.
 
One of the lenses is entitled: Covenant - B'rit – Belonging and Commitment. We believe that the relationships we forge with our families are what enable each of us—parent, teacher, and child—to achieve our divine potential.
 
This Wednesday, November 20, is the date for our first Parent Teacher Dialogue. In addition to hearing from the teachers about your child’s progress, we also like to use this time to hear from you about how you and your child are feeling about school, and discuss any special concerns that you may have.
 
How to make the most of your dialogue ​time:
 
1. Come prepared - ​Sometimes, a meeting with your child's teacher is like a visit to the doctor's office. You have a lot that you want to talk about and a limited amount of time in which to do so​. The better prepared you are, ​the more beneficial the meeting will be for both you and the teachers​.
 
2.​ Write down your questions - ​Once you're in a meeting with the teacher it may be hard to remember what you wanted to talk about. Jot down your questions beforehand and bring them to the conference.
 
3. Stick to talking about your child - ​Our parent/teacher dialogues last only 15-20 minutes. Try not to use this time to ask questions about basic school policies. That kind of information can usually be found in the Parent Guide or by calling the office. This is your chance to get detailed feedback on your child, so grab it while you can. If you have a specific question or issue that doesn't come up, don't hesitate to ask. You know your child better than anyone, so take the initiative.
 
4. Take a notepad and pen - ​After the meeting is over, you may forget some of what you discussed. Jotting things down as you go along will help jog your memory later.
 
5. Share relevant information with the teachers - Let them know of any changes at home. A new baby, a divorce, or a death in the family can all affect the way your child interacts in the classroom. 
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6. Goals of the Dialogue - ​It's natural to feel a bit nervous about your upcoming ​
​meeting. Every parent wants to hear how wonderful their child is — and the teachers will tell you about your child's strengths and achievements. But an additional component of this dialogue is to point out areas where your child has room to develop. The goal of this meeting is to get an assessment of how your child is doing in school and to look for ways you can help facilitate your child’s continued progress.

We hope that these suggestions help make your Parent/Teacher Dialogue as informative and productive as possible. We look forward to greeting you as we partner to create a​ covenantal community, 

Enjoy the weekend ahead and shabbat shalom,
Ronnie and Shery