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Frequently Asked Questions by Parents.
Below are the answers to some FAQs. We want parents to partner with us in their child’s education. Please feel free to ask either myself or your child’s teacher is you have questions about what your child is learning at school.
Teachers at McGee work in grade level teams. Our staff develops yearlong plans for every subject based on the state standards. Everything that we teach is based on those standards. Teachers have planning time together, so that they can talk and discuss what they are teaching, how the students are learning and what to do if some students are not learning.
Teachers pass out Curriculum Guides to parents at our Ice Cream Social in the fall, so please plan to attend. These Curriculum Guides let parents know what their children will be learning and how parents can help them at home. We will also send them home with the final report card this year. They are always available on our website as well.
Our goal is for all students to have access to the same curriculum, no matter the teacher. This is called a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum. We understand that students are all at a different point in their learning, so our teaching strategies allow for differentiation in teaching. Our teachers are very aware of where each child is in their learning and the teachers work hard to make sure that each child is challenged with the right level of expectations.
Teachers try to keep parents informed of how children are doing in a variety of ways. They send home homework charts that the students complete each afternoon to let you know what they need to complete. Most teachers send a weekly notice about what they will be teaching. We have mid trimester reports and report cards. Attending your child’s conference is one of the best ways to see how they are doing.
Three grade levels per week meet with Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Siemon and I to discuss how students are progressing. We talk about progress on the yearlong plans, individual student needs and material needs for teaching. Students who are considered below level in literacy work with a paraeducator on selected strategies. Teachers meet with the paras every two weeks to discuss progress on students and new strategies.
Teachers are great with email. We hope that we have yours! Your child’s teacher would not be able to email each parent every night, but they are able to email and respond to your concerns. Please communicate with them in this way if you have email.
The question arose of each teacher’s educational background. I can assure that our teachers meet the qualifications for the state and federal government for being highly qualified. A teacher must complete at least 4 years of college to earn a BA. Many of our staff have also earned a master’s degree. Teachers then must continually attend classes to maintain their certificate, on their own time and at their own expense. This professional development encompasses all academic areas as well as lesson design and classroom management.
The McGee website is a great place to find the answers to several other questions that were asked. McGee did not meet AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) for the state and federal government last year, however our scores do continue to improve. We have also been recognized for the past four years as a Distinguished School. This recognition is directly related to our test scores. See the School Report Card for more detailed information. It is linked to the website.
A request was made to be more informed of activities at McGee. Please check the McGee website calendar. We will make is as up to date as possible and with as much lead time as we can. We email notices to parents and we also send flyers each Wednesday for upcoming events.
Please don’t hesitate to send questions via email to any of us at school. We are here to help your child succeed.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hay
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