1.      When will I know who my child’s teacher is? 

 

In late August, families will receive an email informing them of their child's teacher's name and their classroom numbers for the new school year.  

Students come to school on the first day and line up outside the school by their Grade/Room Number (we will have signs indicating where).   At the entry bell, students and staff enter the school and proceed to their classrooms.

 

2.      My child is very anxious about who the teacher will be.   Can I find out beforehand who it is?

 

We treat each situation on a case-by-case basis.  If a child has an Individual Education Plan, has been involved with School Services in regard to anxiety, or has had significant challenges over the previous year that have been discussed with the teacher and administration, we will, as a team, meet with families to determine the best way to support.   This may include letting the child know who the teacher will be, developing a transition plan, helping the child develop and use strategies for managing anxiety or letting the child know who the teacher will be.

 

Many students experience some level of anxiety in regard to the beginning of  school.  In most situations, this can be an opportunity for parents to teach their child skills and coping mechanisms for addressing anxiety.   If you have spoken with your child and they still feel anxious, please contact us.   We will be able to provide you with some ideas and strategies.

 

3.      My child has some social anxiety. I heard another parent made a request for their child to be with a friend.   Will all students receive the same consideration equitably?

 

Absolutely.   Each and every student is reviewed at Placement Meetings to ensure that they travel to the next grade with at least one friend.   Teachers spend many, many hours with their students over the year and they are very aware of who is friends with whom.   They use this knowledge to ensure that every student goes with a friend.   

 

On another note, we have had requests in the past for a student to be placed with a specific friend.  While we try to honour this request, we cannot guarantee it.   This can be for a number of reasons (e.g., the class might not be balanced with an equal number of girls and boys; therefore we need to move that specific friend to a different class to ensure balance). That being said, we will do everything to ensure that that child goes to a class with a friend.

 

Some students have been disappointed that their best friend is not with them.   This is an opportunity to remind your child that they can always see that student at recess, at lunch, outside of school, and during extracurricular clubs, activities and teams.   It is also an opportunity to teach strategies for making new friendships, and for strengthening existing ones.

 

We make every effort to ensure that the student placement process is as transparent and as equitable as possible.   There may be discussions in the playground or outside of the school that may contain inaccurate information.   If you have questions, please contact the school administration as soon as possible for clarification.   If other parents have questions, please encourage them to read this document on the website.

 

4.      My child is good friends with a particular child, but they distract each other in class, what can be done?

 

Friends distracting each other is a very universal classroom experience.   Typically, when the teacher intervenes, the misbehaviour will stop and the two students will refocus.   In these types of situations, we will often place two students together in the knowledge that, with teacher intervention (e.g., strategic seating, subtle reminders, parent involvement), the two students will be able to focus.

 

We certainly appreciate that there are rare times when, despite teacher intervention, the level of distraction is so high that it is having a negative impact on children’s academic achievement and the classroom environment.   The current teacher will be aware of the dynamic, and, if possible, the students will be placed in separate classrooms for the following year.   If this is not possible, we work closely with the teacher, students and families so that the students are able to learn strategies to focus appropriately in the classroom.

 

5.      Will my child fall behind in a split grade because (s)he is struggling academically?

 

Any child, regardless of whether they are in a combined or solid grade, will receive support if they are struggling academically.   This support will vary depending on the degree to which the child is struggling (e.g., informal, in-class teacher intervention up to a half-day Special Education Home School Program).   If you have concerns or would like to learn more about how we support students academically at Palmerston, please contact the school office.

 

6.      Will my child learn what (s)he needs to learn when the teacher has to teach two separate grades?

 

Some parents believe that the teacher spends only a part of their time on one grade and the other part of their time on the other grade.    Many parts of the curriculum, however, share the same concept or “Big Idea.”   Please see the chart below for examples:

 

 

   

 

There are 4 Science strands and 2 Social Studies strands for each grade.   Some parents have asked if teachers are required to teach specific 12 strands to a combined class (as opposed to teachers who have to teach only 6 strands to a single grade class).   In split grades, the teacher is able to combine many Science and Social Studies strands.  

 

 

Regardless of the grade or topic, students from Grades 1-6 focus on these essential skills:

 

• Formulating Questions
• Gathering and Organizing Information
• Interpreting and Analyzing
• Evaluating and Drawing Conclusions
• Communicating   
   

We understand that, despite proactive measures, conflicts will still occur.   When two students are engaged in conflict, we ask, “How can we ensure that they are able to respectfully co-exist in the same classroom?”   There are many different ways to achieve this goal and moving classes is not always the first, or best, response.  

There are times when it is better to help children develop strategies to resolve conflicts on their own.   When the teacher is able to intervene successfully and the conflict is resolved, we will consider sending the students to the next grade together.

 

We also recognize that there are times when the challenge is too big for children to address on their own, and interventions are not successful.   When there are been significant, ongoing issues that have been having a negative impact on students’ learning and the classroom, we will consider separating students if possible.

 

8.      Is teacher X teaching X this year?

 

Teacher assignments involve many processes. Teachers have the opportunity to change classes and schools until late in the school year.   Teachers can also retire or take a leave at any time which can cause subsequent shifts in teaching assignments. Any of these kinds of changes can occur at any given time before September and for this reason, we are not able to provide an answer with 100% certainty.