Family

Family

Engagement

Self-contained special education classroomK-6

Welcome Families!

I am so excited to welcome everyone to our classroom this year! In this class, we believe every student brings their own strengths and personality, our goal this year is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and accepted, and I hope we can all make progress together.

Building our community

They say it takes a village to raise a child, this is especially true with a special needs child. I want to be apart of your village! I welcome my families to stay in communication with me and ask questions, I invite families to volunteer in the classroom, and most importantly, I think working together between school and home will create the most successful environment for these kids.

Please download the Class Dojo app

Please download the Class Dojo app and join our classroom, we will have a classroom chat as well as individual chats available. I will also be available via e-mail and phone.

Did you know regular communication between school and home is correlated to higher levels of parent involvement which equals better student outcomes?

Events

Before school starts: Open house and meet your teacherEnd of first 6 weeks: Parent teacher conferences Halloween: Classroom party, parents welcome!! Friday before Thanksigiving break: Classroom potluck/ Friendsgiving Friday before Christmas Break: Santa will come to our classroom and we will do cookies and crafts with families After winter break: Families and teacher meeting to discuss questions and concerns Week after spring break: Spring conferences We will also have monthly family engagement nights and IEP workshops. And I will contact families individually regarding IEP meetings, but will be available throughout the year for meetings as needed.

Weekly behavior reports

Weekly behavior reports ensure we are keeping families in the loop, it gives you insight to what's happening in the classroom, increases accountability, allows teachers AND families to track this data together, and also allows families to celebrate and encourage positive behaviors.

Please check your child's backpack at the end of each week, the paras and I will track your child's behavior throughout the week and report anything that needs to be addressed, but we will focus mainly on the POSITIVE behaviors to provide opportunity for praise! If you would like to discuss anything on the behavior reports, please contact me via Class Dojo or e-mail. If there are any incidents that need to be addressed promptly, I will contact you immediately so we can discuss.

"All behavior is communication."

"Every child is a different kind of flower, and all together, make this world a beautiful garden."

- Unknown

working together

At school, we will celebrate small progress in life skills, behaviors, independence, and academics. I will make sure I am communicating regulary about your child's goals, achievements, and what we are working on at school. Your child will be most successful if we are working collaboratively. At home, you can practice life skills, use visual schedules, positive reinforcement, and share with me what is working at home so we can adjust at school and support.

"When families and teachers partner together, children see that everyone believes in their potential" - Inspired by the US Dept. of Education

The research

Parents international reports:

"When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. The outcomes include: better test scores, school attendance, improved behavior, and social skills."

What can you incorporate at home?

sensorysupports

Routines

consistentlanguage

Visual schedules

family participation

• Family engagement nights
• Family home projects
• IEP workshops
• Family journals
• Family movement (i.e. walks, dance breaks, Go Danny Go, etc.)
• Family story times
• Family game nights

conclusion

If we work together this year, it will ensure families have an understanding of their child's education and behavior, and will also provide opportunities for families to celebrate and problem-solve with us.

Family engagement will be essential for you and your children this year, consistency at home and school supports academics, social-emotional growth, and behavior.

Conclusion

I look forward to working with families this year and seeing your children make progress, I hope we can make this year full of positivity for the students as well as their families. Each of your children brings their own strengths and perspectives to our classroom. Your voice in your child's education is very important, we have an open door policy here and I hope to hear from you throughout the year and stay in communication. Together we can create a positive environment and learning experience for your child.

Overview:

• Download Class Dojo and obtain my e-mail for communication.
• Attend events and family engagement nights when you're able to.
• Check backpacks for weekly reports.
• Celebrate your child's progress.
• Keep schedules and routines at home.
• Provide sensory supports for your child at home.
• Reach out any time you need to!

Thank-you!

For trusting me with your children this year and being involved in their education. We couldn't do this without you!

"When families and schools work together, children do better, families feel empowered, and classrooms thrive."- US Dept of Education, 2010