Keep copies of everything

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Home : 2004 : January : 29

Keep copies of everything
By Sub in Oklahoma

I see two issues here. 1) getting two students caught up and passing; 2) following procedures when a student is likely to be retained.

Solve them separately. Ask at the school office how to report the students are likely
to be retained. Remember that the parents *need* to know about academic progress and growth of their child. That is all that should be in the letter, statements of fact. How they occured, who can do what, I would keep for conference, if one ever happens.
Don't take on any blame, don't worry about what the parents should have done or should do -- only what *can* be done to help

the students. Again, save this kind of discussion for conference -- only I suspect conference will feel more like counseling for the parents, and you will spend a lot more time hearing about their lives than discussing the student.

As for getting the students to pass, you cannot force the students to get with it, grow up, and get to work. Encourage, assist, nurture at their current level of growth. If they do not reach completion of the first grade by the end of the year, I think it would be cruel to the students to inflict second grade on them when they are unready.

Luck!