1. What is the “House” Concept?
Each child is placed randomly into one of three houses
(A, B, or C in the 7th Grade and X, Y, or Z
in the 8th Grade).
Each child within a given house
will have the same teacher for each of their major
subjects.
For example, each student in House A will have Mrs.
Klimek for math.
The benefit of breaking each grade into houses is
that it allows our teachers to be free during your
child’s lunch and study hall periods so that they can
receive academic assistance when needed.
2. If I have a question about a grade my student
received on her/his report card, whom do I contact?
With any academic concern, you should always contact
your child’s teacher first. The teacher is the one who
knows your child the best and who will be able to answer
questions.
3. What is the purpose of the “team meeting”?
A team meeting would be scheduled when your child is
having difficulty in all her/his classes and discussion
with all teachers is warranted for information sharing
and problem solving. Team meetings can be scheduled
through the team leader or counselor. If your child is
struggling in one area, it is best to contact that
teacher directly.
4. What are alternatives to the team meeting if I wish
to contact my student’s teachers in regards to her/his
progress or to express my concerns?
Individual teachers will be happy to speak with you by
phone or in person (with an appointment). You are
welcome to contact your child’s counselor, but she will
usually redirect your call to the teachers; therefore,
the most direct route is to contact the individual
teachers first.
5. How do I know what my child’s homework is?
All students have an
AGENDA BOOK and are required by teachers to write homework
assignments in their plan books. Check your child’s plan
book for homework. If your child does not have anything
written down, ask her/him why! If this pattern persists,
call the teacher and ask about your student’s homework
pattern. If your
child is still not writing down their assignements; have
a consequence at home when their agenda is not filled
out. It is also a
good idea to ask your child to show you all of their
homework even when they tell you that is all done.
A final resort can be having your child fill in
their assignment notebook each period and ask the
teacher to sign it so that you know exactly what is for
homework.
6.
My 6th grader is nervous about coming to middle school.
She comes home every night distraught and overwhelmed.
What should I do about this?
Be supportive and understanding. Many 6th graders
experience stress as they make the transition to middle
school. Do not feed into your child’s stress, but
instead give your child time to adjust: usually within a
month things settle down. If your child is still
experiencing stress, please let her/his counselor know.
Remember, incoming 6th graders have summer orientation
and a 6th grade visit to the
Shiloh to help make the transition to middle
school easier. Parents have their own orientation
meeting too.
