After your parent-teacher conference, don’t
just file away the student work shared by
the teacher or the notes you took during
the meeting. The National Education
Association (NEA) website, in its tips for
parents on parent-teacher conferences, says,
“Start immediately on the action plan you
and the teacher put together. Discuss the
plan with your child and track his progress.

Stay in touch with your child’s teacher
throughout the year with regularly scheduled
‘report card’ conferences that can keep the
communication lines open.” For more tips
from the NEA on parent-teacher conferences,
go to nea.org.

Michelle Blanchard Ardillo is a freelance writer
and middle school language arts teacher who
enjoys getting to know her students and their
families better through effective and positive
parent-teacher conferences. Follow her
STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE
GET THE SCOOP ON PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES DIRECTLY
FROM YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL. THESE AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OFFER PARENTS SOME HELPFUL ONLINE RESOURCES:
• ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (ACPS):
SEARCH “A SUCCESSFUL PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE”
AT ACPS.ORG.

• D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS (DCPS):
SEARCH “PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE CHECKLIST” AT
DCPS.DC.GOV. • FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (FCPS):
SEARCH “COMMUNICATING WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS”
AT FCPS.EDU.

• LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (LCPS):
SEARCH “PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE”
AT LCPS.ORG.

• MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MCPS):
SEARCH “PREPARING FOR PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE”
AT MONTGOMERYSCHOOLSMD.ORG.

@michardillo on Twitter or Goodreads, or
ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/STEVE DEBENPORT
at her website, www.michelleardillo.com.

12 October 2018 washingtonFAMILY.com