EMS:StudentLedConferences
Hello EMS Families and Caregivers!
EMS families will receive an email from their student’s advisory teacher by the end of this week with details about our upcoming Student-Led Conferences. In-person conferences will be held on Monday, November 25, and virtual conferences on Tuesday, November 26. The email from your student’s advisor will include a link to this sign-up portal. In order to sign up for a conference, you will need the name of your student’s advisor (which they should know). We use the same PTCFast sign-up portal that’s used with our elementary schools, so the process should be straightforward for most families. Please feel free to reach out if you need any assistance. Additional details are below:
EMS Student-Led Conferences: The Details
When:
- Monday, November 25 – 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (in-person) at EMS
- Tuesday, November 26 – 8:00 am to 1:00 pm (virtual)
Format:
Students will present from a reflection on their learning from the first quarter from their Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs), which they have been preparing in advance. They will share this with their family and their student advisor. There will also be an opportunity for family members to ask questions and provide feedback throughout the presentation. We introduced this approach last year and found it to be a great success.
For 6th grade families coming from elementary school, this will be a change from the Parent-Teacher Conference model you are used to. Rather than an adult-to-adult conversation about how your child is doing, this will be a conversation directly with your child, facilitated by their advisor. If you still have questions you would like to ask their teachers directly following the conferences, please feel free to reach out to them as you would at any time.
Student ownership over their education and consistent, authentic opportunities for self-reflection and assessment are proven methods to support growth for middle school students. It’s wonderful to hear their voices!
We look forward to seeing you all!
