e. Teachers did want to get to know the kids first before getting all the =
nitty gritty details. Also, there are so many practical details with start=
ing school, the sense was that this time could be better used. In the past=
two years, we've moved the "transition meeting" to the end of the school y=
ear. The big change was that we only had the Grade Level Dean from the nex=
t year meet with the current teachers (6th grade teachers, Principal, Assis=
tant Principal and 7th Grade Dean as an example). This model was used from=
6th to 7th and 7th to 8th. The Dean would then gather big picture informat=
ion that teachers would need to know (family situations, learning issues, e=
tc.). It would also help us form advisory groups and avoid student conflic=
ts in classes for the next year. Our sense is that it more effectively use=
s teachers time, keeps it quick because we focus on really big information,=
and the timing is perfect in terms of classes, etc.
With all that being said, we have more people involved in the conversation =
when we're transitioning kids from one school to the next. Lower to Middle=
, Middle to Upper.
Mike Allison
Assistant Principal
St. Margaret's Episcopal Middle School
________________________________________
From: A forum for independent school educators [ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On=
Behalf Of Shelly DuBose [sdubose@graland.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 9:12 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Beginning of the year communication
Hello all-
Each year, as we head back to school, our faculty participates in something=
we refer to as Transition Meetings. During these meetings teachers gather=
in pairs of grade level teams in an effort to hear important information f=
rom each student's previous teachers...for example, the 5th and 6th grade t=
eams meet and 5th grade teachers share information about last year's 5th gr=
ade students with the current 6th grade teachers. For the past several yea=
rs our faculty has questioned the format and the effectiveness of these mee=
tings. While there is certainly important information that needs to be sha=
red, many faculty members want to get to know student on their own terms wi=
thout being influenced by the comments of others. At their best, transitio=
n meeting allow teachers to build on the previous year's successes, at thei=
r worst they can seem "gossipy" and unprofessional.
My question is...how do other schools insure that vital student information=
(academic, social and behavioral) is passed on from year to year? If you =
hold successful transition meetings I would love to hear about the format a=
nd timing.
Thanks so much!
Shelly DuBose
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