Ready–Set–Go

Information for Teachers

Purpose:

  • Establish positive, proactive communication between home and school in order to maximize each child’s learning experience, build trust between parents/guardians and school staff, and reduce misunderstandings and/or mis-perceptions by all involved.
  • Create a working relationship characterized by collaboration and good intentions.
  • Signal to students that the adults at home and at school work as a team to support their learning and genuinely care about their success.

RSG is:

  • Focused on the child.
  • A time for teachers to listen to family / child hopes, expectations, and questions.
  • A chance for students, parents/guardians, and teachers get excited about spending the upcoming year together.
  • An opportunity for teachers to tap parent/guardian expertise in understanding and motivating individual students.

RSG is not:

  • A time for teachers to discuss their general classroom procedures and curriculum (info that is usually relayed at fall open houses etc.).
  • A time for parents/guardians to speak for the child* or discuss negative academic/behavioral info in front of the child (teachers can set up a separate conference if these emerge).

Content of the conference (suggested sequence of questions):

To adult(s):Tell me about your child.

To child:Tell me some things you like. (Sports, books, subjects, etc.)

To adult(s) or child:How can I help you/your child be successful?

To adult(s) and child:What questions or concerns do you have for me?

Staff Guidelines for Ready-Set-Go Conferences

  1. Up to 15 minutes per conference can be designated as preparation time. It may be that preparation takes less than 15 minutes, but the maximum that can be claimed for compensation purposes is 15 minutes. These 15 minutes are given only once. For example, if a conference has to be rescheduled, only 15 minutes is given for prep. There are only 15 minutes of preparation time per student, regardless of the number of staff attending the conference.
  2. Conferences are up to 15 minutes in length. Teachers will not be reimbursed for more than 30 minutes per conference (15 minutes prep + 15 minutes conference).
  3. Teachers shall be compensated for up to two parent “no shows” per student at 15 minutes per conference.
  4. Two teachers can be paid for anRSG conference, when approved by the principal. These are examples when two teachers could be paid:
  • A CC teacher attending a conference for a student on his/her caseload
  • An ELL/BRT teacher attending a conference when there is a specific need
  1. If the teachers share, they both cannot get paid for RSG conferences for the same students. They can either divide the class or if they choose to jointly hold the conferences they must then divide the compensation.

Example: Joe Smith and Angie Jones job share and are both doing the conferences. A conference lasted 15 minutes. Whichever teacher did the prep for the conference (only one) will be compensated up to 15 minutes. The conference time should be split between the teachers.