Communication between the school and parents is essential.  Blessed Sacrament School believes that timely information delivered to parents provides them with the ability to monitor their child’s religious and academic progress most effectively.

In addition to scheduled mid-quarter progress reports and semi-annual parent/teacher conferences (October and March), there are many ways that the school and parents can work together to monitor educational progress.   IF PARENTS DO NOT SHOW UP FOR CONFERENCES AND DO NOT CALL TO CANCEL FOR A LEGITIMATE REASON, THEY JEOPARDIZE THEIR CHIlLD’S ABILITY TO SUCCEED  AT BLESSED SACRAMENT.  THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO CONFERENCE WITH THE PRINCIPAL TO LAY OUT AN IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR CHILD ENROLLED AT BLESSED SACRAMENT.

First and foremost of these is your child’s teacher.  Writing little notes back and forth to each other in the student’s agenda is the easiest way to do this.  (E-mail is used by some teachers and is being encouraged as an efficient communication system that we’re trying to promote).  On grave matters, requesting that the teacher call you is probably preferable.  An open relationship between parent and teacher is vital to the success of any school.  Often times, however, this requires vigilance with regard to ensuring that your child fulfills their role as the middleman in this relationship.  When students interfere in this process designed to help them, they will be automatically placed on Disciplinary (and, if necessary, Academic Probation).  See each teacher’s Classroom Policy on communication and what constitutes unacceptable student interference in this process (which could lead to probationary status).

Second of these are your children themselves:  homework assignments, weekly goals, and long-term special assignments will be recorded in your child’s Premier Agenda Assignment Pad.  With the help of their teachers, students should be able to increasingly explain their assignments and communicate their grades as they get older.  All teachers, either through newsletter or to the students, will provide weekly updates on concepts and assignments to be covered.  Parents and students need to work with the school in ensuring that these communications are recorded and communicated in their agenda, as necessary.  As a part of our Study Skills Curriculum, teachers will monitor student record keeping and communication and take appropriate corrective action, as necessary.

The third area through which parents can monitor student progress is through the outcomes that the diocese has outlined for each grade and each subject area (these can be provided in bulk form at the beginning of each year).

The fourth area through which parents receive information is through the many school-wide communications that are sent home during the school year from the office.  In most cases, the youngest student of each family will be appointed as the “family representative”.  This student has the responsibility of giving all school communications to his/her parents promptly.  Normally, notes from the school office will be sent home with “family rep” students only.  (On rare occasions office correspondence is given to every student to be taken home).

Finally, classroom procedure and policy statements detailing expectations and reporting practices of a particular classroom will further explain how student progress can be monitored.  Weekly progress reports and other stopgap measures to aid students experiencing serious difficulty or irresponsibility can be arranged with your child’s teacher(s).

Parent-Teacher - Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held at the end of September for 6th graders and the end of October for all others and again in February.  If you would like to meet with the teacher at another time, please send a note to the teacher or leave a phone message with the school secretary.  Please do not expect to see teachers unless an appointment has been made.

Parent-School - Students will be held accountable to deliver school communications to and from home.  The youngest children will receive school-wide communications.  Parents should set up a system (pouch) in their children’s backpack to serve as reliable communication port.  Please explain to your children the responsibility they must assume in this area.  Parents can gradually let their children own more and more of this responsibility.  However, some children need systems/routines (i.e. backpack with everything in it is always in same place, ready to go before going to bed) in order to succeed in this area.

Go over all parent-school communications with all your children.  Blessed Sacrament school uses the Premier Agenda Assignment Pad.  Communication between school (the students) and the home is almost guaranteed for academic tasks and sharing information as well as home or school chores by the use of the “write it down” method.