Provide a Welcome Sheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Ready- Set -Teach!--featured on Education World's website, October 29, 2015. 

Innovative Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences

Education World is pleased to present these professional development tips shared by author and educator Jim Gomes.

Part II: Provide a Welcome Sheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences

After welcoming parents, the student secretary should supply them with a welcome sheet that may contain:

• a warm, inviting title such as Welcome to Parent-Teacher Conferences;
• your name, subject, meeting room number, and conference time;
• an introductory paragraph that thanks parents for attending and lets them know you are looking forward to the opportunity of discussing their child’s progress with them;
• contact information such as phone number and extension (and/or professional e-mail address at your discretion), and times when you can be reached;
• times when extra help is available for any student who seeks to improve;
• information regarding tutoring programs that are available at your school—high achievers may wish to become peer tutors (see Tip 64);
• a MEMO section that provides information about policies or procedures you wish to highlight (e.g., frequency of major tests, the need for parental signatures and the meaning of the year-to-date mark), upcoming tests and assignments, and what students are currently studying; and
• a NOTES section where parents can write important information discussed during the conference.

A well-designed and informative welcome sheet demonstrates that you are organized, well prepared, and thoughtful. It also helps to set the tone for a professional encounter. As an added benefit, the welcome sheet is a huge time saver, cutting the length of many conferences in half.


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