Dr. Peine's Pen - Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences.

 

October 16 and October 17 are the dates for our annual conferences. On conference days students do not come to school, but parents do. Conferences come in many formats at the Scholars' Academy. We have traditional conferences where reading levels, writing samples, and mathematics progress are discussed. Ms. Smith and Ms. Miller use a more of a tag team method since they share two groups of parents. At the upper level, conferences are student led. Each of these formats is discussed in educational research (pro and con) and we have selected the methods that best suit the needs of our families and students. Student led conferences put the responsibility for explaining progress (or lack of progress) with the student. We have revised the procedure this year so that students have more ownership of material and methods. The teachers have revised expectations so that they more closely reflect specific content areas. Parents who are unable to attend on conference days may call at a later date to schedule a make-up conference.
 
SPECIAL NOTE: Enrichment teachers will be at school during parent conference hours. If you would like to talk with any of our enrichment staff, please email the teacher through the Contact Form on each teacher's pages on the website, www.scholarsacademy.org or call the school office to set up an appointment.
 
This week marks the end of our Annual Fund Drive. The money you are donating funds the operations of the school. All of the operations - from the Apples in aftercare to the Zoology reference that was purchased for upper level science this year. These are uncertain economic times and fund raising is challenging, but I hope each of you is able to support the Annual drive in some way. We appreciate it.

 

On Thursday, October 30 we observe the 9th annual Scholars' Academy Fall Classroom Festival. This school tradition began as a pumpkin carving party in 2000. In the early years of the school every child went home with a carved (in some fashion) pumpkin. Some classes still do the carving, but the celebration has morphed into other forms in some rooms. We are glad to have parents, grandparents and other family members at the school to carve pumpkins, eat candy corn and celebrate the fall with us.
 

 
For the earth, 
Marie E. Peine, Ph.D., Director
Metrolina Regional Scholars' Academy 
director@scholarsacademy.org