Dear Upham Families,
In the next few weeks, our placement teams will convene to share and discuss what we know about each child. I share the placement responsibility with grade level teachers, teachers of students with special needs, math and literacy specialists, and our school psychologist. Critical in this process is the wealth of knowledge teachers have acquired during this school year about the conditions under which your child learns best in a school setting. We weigh many factors to determine the best placement for each child and strive to build compatible classes of similar sizes by considering gender, social maturity, special learning considerations, achievement levels and ethnicity. At times we find it necessary to cluster students with special needs or students who benefit from extension activities as this facilitates more effective service delivery.
As part of this process, we welcome your input. It is vital that you share in the process of student placement. Your input allows us a different perspective and one that is crucial to proper placement. If you wish, you may complete the Your Child As A Learner form (see attached Your child as a learner.docx ) and return it to your child’s teacher by Friday, May 5. Your comments should include specific information related to your child’s academic priorities and any social-emotional considerations.
Please know that we do not accept requests for specific teachers and I ask that you do not put your child’s teacher in an awkward position by making such a request. In the end, we feel that each child will be placed in a class where he/she will feel confident and flourish both academically and socially. Thank you for your continued support.
Dare to Dream,
Mr. Dees