TO: Cuyler Parents
FROM: Lynda L. Sereno, Principal
SUBJECT: Student Placement for 2006-07 School Year
DATE:
During the months of May and June,
the Cuyler staff will be devoting considerable time and energy placing children
into classrooms for the up-coming year.
It is both the district's policy and the Cuyler's philosophy to create
heterogeneous classes that support learning for all children. Therefore, the primary goal of the placement
team is to produce classes that are balanced in terms of gender, abilities,
social maturity and peer relationships, and which are likely to foster healthy
and productive learning environments.
As parents, you can assist us during
this important process in the following ways:
§
Placement
is a complex process requiring the synthesis of a great deal of information and
variables. The placement team consists
of your child's grade level teachers, specialists, special educators, support
staff and me. You can greatly help by
trusting that our knowledge and familiarity with your child's cognitive,
social, emotional and physical needs will lead to good decisions and appropriate
groupings for all students.
§
To
embrace the diversity which we value in our school, our students need to learn
to accept and relate to a variety of people.
While we will carefully consider peer relationships as one important
variable in the placement process, children who learn to relate to a variety of
children are more likely to succeed academically and socially.
§
Teachers
have been asked not to discuss placement with individual
parents. This places inappropriate
expectations on a teacher and compromises the fairness of the placement process. Conferences and conversations this spring are
opportunities to discuss your child's progress and growth during the school
year.
§
As
in the past, parents are invited to share specific information related to your
child. All information must be presented
in writing, addressed to me. I will
review the data you provide in the context of the whole placement process, and
pass appropriate data along to the placement teams. Please be concise and limit your comments to
the following topics:
o
Your
child's specific learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and/or needs;
o
A
request that a younger sibling not be placed with the teacher an older sibling
had;
o
Other
pertinent information that the classroom teacher may not have access to.
o
Requests
for individual teachers will not be accepted.
Please remember that your input is
welcomed and valued, but is only one element considered in the process. There are sometimes diverse opinions as to
what is best for each child, each class, and the school. In the final analysis, the staff create
classes which will most benefit each child, and will contribute to the smooth
operation of the school.
The placement process will begin in early
May. If you choose to contribute input
about your child’s placement, please submit it in writing, addressed to Mrs.
Sereno, no later than May 9th. Letters that arrive after that date may not
receive consideration.
LLS/jms