How do you sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences?
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Teresa · 10-08-2006, 07:23 PM

At the kids' old school, we sent in a note with the times we were NOT available and would get a letter from the teacher stating when our meeting was. And, we only met with the primary teacher.

At the school they are at now, the school posts sign up sheets on the walls about 10 days before the conferences and then we have to sign up for the time slot we want.
Not bad, except we are expected to sign up for EVERY teacher (in 3rd grader's case this is: Primary teacher (French), English, computer, gym, drums, music, and library)
In 8th grader's case it's: English, Spanish, French, Dance, Music, Drums, gym, Chemistry, Biology, Algebra.

And, we have to co0oridinate so that we can make it to all of them. To make it REALLY difficult, the kids go to the same school, but there are 2 campuses with 3 buildings. The teachers for youngest DD are all in the same building, but older one they are in 2 different buildings. They have the same teacher for Dance and Drums, so we'll knock out 3 classes in one meeting.

Oh, the sign up sheets are in the buildings that the teacher is located in! (so, even though DD is in the High School, her gym teacher's sign up is at the middle school where the gymnasium for that campus is!)

And, there will be 400+ other parents there tomorrow trying to do the same thing. Dh is doing it for the first time tomorrow on his own. Cross your fingers.

crystalloubear · 10-08-2006, 07:58 PM

Hope you get all you want. That sounds like a real pain in the you know what. Our DS is in 1st grade. For conferences, they send home a paper when your meeting is and if you can't make it then you can reschedule.

Happymommy · 10-08-2006, 08:31 PM

There was a sign in sheet on Back to School Night. The next week a photo copy of the sign up sheet went home with the kids to a) remind those that signed up and b) allow parents who did not attend back to school night to see what was available so that they could call the teacher and set up a time. He's in Kindergarten.

When I taught high school we had parent teacher night one night after report cards went home each quarter. Parents arrive at school on that night with the kid's rosters, and the teachers wait in their classrooms from 7pm-9:30pm. Parents can go around to their kids teachers in the classrooms during those times. Sometimes a line forms outside the rooms, and they have to wait until the teacher is free to talk to them (not sure if that makes sense). I thought it worked pretty well. You always know what teacher failed alot of kids by the amount of parents waiting in line outside the classrooms.

MickeyMAC · 10-08-2006, 08:34 PM

Wow what a nightmare of coordination. At our school we send out a letter about 2 weeks before asking you to tell us the best time. The secretary then coordinates the conferences so that when you come you can make one trip and meet all the teachers your child or children has/have. Our middle school has all the teachers in the media center and you just go from table to table. Good luck tomorrow.

loobyoxlip · 10-08-2006, 10:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Hope you get all you want. That sounds like a real pain in the you know what. Our DS is in 1st grade. For conferences, they send home a paper when your meeting is and if you can't make it then you can reschedule.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here, too.

joyjoy · 10-08-2006, 10:26 PM

I'd prioritize and skip the meeting with the gym teacher and the drums teacher and the library teacher if you have to. What a logistical nightmare. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/luck.gif[/img] When I did all that (for a bunch of different teachers) we moved from teacher to teacher and had to wait a few minutes at each classroom, but it was pretty organized.

EeyoreNeedsLoveToo · 10-08-2006, 10:41 PM

We have to go to the school and sign up for a time -- which could be a trick since he rides the bus, and we have to figure out a time that his mom can make it too as well.

graygables · 10-08-2006, 11:07 PM

[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] yikes! I hope you get it all sorted out! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/fairy2.gif[/img]

We are required to have a weekly phone conference w/ our main coordinator and a monthly conference call with the teacher/coordinator, but our schedules sometimes conflict and we have to rearrange. Usually not a big deal.

**DopeyGirl** · 10-08-2006, 11:19 PM

Oh wow! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] Hope everything works out well for you guys!

We had conferences early last month (school started in early August, so last month was mid-term) and when we went to Open House a couple of weeks before the conference days, they had a sign up sheet in the classroom. We lucked out and were the first family there so we had our pick of the list. It will be interesting to see how they do things in the schools in VA when we get settled in up there . . . [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Teresa · 10-08-2006, 11:26 PM

Okay, DD Kathryn - the one in 8th grade - just gave me a list of her teachers. I was wrong about which ones there are.
It's worse!!
She has: French, History, Spanish, Health, PE, Chemistry, Math, Computer, English, Drama, Dance, Drum, and Biology!

Dh and I have decided on the ones that are HAVE to go tos, and have figured out when I can go too. So, he'll sign us up for the same times, different teachers if need be. How do single parents do this?

boosmom96 · 10-09-2006, 01:37 AM

Teresa,
This sounds like a nightmare!! I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to do it! We're pretty lucky - we have a calendar in the classroom that we sign up on (only 7 kids, so it's not too bad). For DD's integration classes, we have to work around the teacher's prep period - but Hillsborough teachers have alot more prep than most! The upper grades have 4-5 hours a school week.

**HiddenMickey** · 10-09-2006, 08:39 AM

If we ask for a conference (or the teachers ask) we set up a time during their planning period and all the main subject teachers will be there together. I've never had a conference with an elective teacher...but I might this quarter in my son's keyboarding class....as I'm not sure how that class is graded and conducted.

**disneyknut** · 10-09-2006, 09:09 AM

THat sounds crazy Teresa!!

At my DD elementary school we are asked to give times when we AREN'T available & sign up accordingly

At my boys Middle school you simply stand outside whatever teachers room you want to see (usually in a line with other parents) & when it's your turn you go in.. no sign up times.. ( this too can be a nightmare)

Princess_Wantabe · 10-09-2006, 09:26 AM

Our middle school does it great! We go to a classroom for a specific time, the middle partition has been taken down so that two rooms are now 1 big room. All the major subject teachers are there at various tables and we have a timer set for 10min and everyone moves from table to table. If you need longer than that then you schedule more time on another day.

For high school, DD was suppose to schedule our appts...only to find out "she forgot"! Now I have her going around getting whatever times are available[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] Lord only knows what we'll be doing that night because she keeps forgetting to bring the paper home [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

MinnieMary · 10-09-2006, 11:11 AM

Good grief, could they make that any harder for you? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/luck.gif[/img] Luckily I only have 1 DD in elementary with one set of teachers. They have a sign-up sheet at the front desk. I had an advantage last time since I volunteer in the library and I got first choice as the sign-ups were just put out.