Teachers prepared for conversations and met with parents virtually throughout the weeks of Nov. 11 and Nov. 18 for parent-teacher conferences. School was closed Nov. 15 and Nov. 22 to allot time for teachers to complete the majority of their meetings.
Upper School Director Maggie Cenan said these conferences are held every year so teachers can talk with parents about how their children are doing in school.
“The conferences allow teachers and parents to build a partnership around the student,” Cenan said. “They also allow for the teacher to share insights into what they’re seeing in class that maybe the parents don’t know yet.”
Bella Sklaver (’29) discussed the preparation process for students ahead of the conferences. She said she created slides about projects in her classes for her parents and teachers to look over together.
“It normally depends on the class. A lot of the teachers have us make slides answering questions about what we’re learning, what has been a challenge and what has been a strength,” Bella Sklaver said. “They also ask us to talk about something we want our parents to know. My parents can’t read my mind, so [the conferences] are a good way to communicate with both my teacher and my parents.”
Sklaver’s mother, Wendy Sklaver, said she loves hearing how her child is performing in an academic setting. Wendy Sklaver said it helps her gain more insight into her child’s academic life.
“I really enjoy getting to meet with the teachers and talk about Bella and see what she’s learning and how she’s doing in class,” Wendy Sklaver said. “I love hearing about her strengths and the teachers’ thoughts about how Bella’s doing. It’s always good to see that the teachers know my child well and see how her hard work at home comes through in the classroom.”
Both Sklaver and senior Zara Khan said that talking to their parents after the conferences can be rewarding. Khan added that she thinks it is valuable her parents are able to see her growth in specific classes.
“I think that the conferences are a special thing that Archer does because it makes the parents very involved in the student’s academic life,” Khan said. “It helps the parents get to know their student’s environment. I think it’s really nice to have my parents know what I’ve been up to. It makes me proud of the work I’ve done and proud that my parents get to see my growth.”
