Good Communication is a Partnership:
We value the families of Nelson Christian Community School (NCCS), CHEK ABC and Balfour Community Preschool as partners in the learning process. We encourage proactive and healthy communication and interactions between our schools and homes.
Parents and guardians are valuable school supports for fundraising, volunteering, chaperoning, and participating in Parent Advisory Councils for our schools. Most important are the ways families support their child(ren) in in both classroom and at-home learning.
How do I Communicate with my Child(ren)’s Teacher?
As a parent, we encourage you to have regular and ongoing contact with your child(ren)’s teacher with any questions or concerns that you may have. Please note that teachers are busy with their educational duties, so it may take at least up to 24 hours for them to address your question.
For NCCS and Balfour Community Preschool teachers, we ask that you respect their teaching and preparation time by setting appointments with them and not approaching teachers while classes are in session.
Acceptable forms of Communication include:
- Telephone
- In-person
Not Acceptable forms of Communication
- Through a staff member’s personal social media accounts
- In-person while running into the staff member out and about in your community
What Can I expect of My Child(ren)s teacher?
Families can expect timely updates from their teacher, this includes: NCCS: Academic progress, classroom happenings and activities, attendance, in-school behaviours or behaviour concerns and volunteer opportunities CHEK ABC: Student learning plans, budgets, resources, program activity and learning centre participation, or academic progress Balfour Community Preschool: Classroom happenings and activities, feedback on child success, behaviour updates, and volunteer opportunities
NCCS and CHEK ABC issue three Report Cards per year for students in Grades Kindergarten to 9. Teachers write report card comments and issue subject grades. Report Cards are reviewed and approved by administration prior to being finalized. Please note the teacher responsible for each subject grade.
You can expect to have an opportunity to meet your child(ren)’s teacher after a report card has been issued to discuss academics, behaviour and goals.
How do I bring a concern forward?
The goal for dealing with a concern is to work towards a mutual and respectful solution. If you have a concern, contact your child(ren)’s teacher directly prior to contacting administration. It is helpful to contact your child(ren)’s teacher during the school year, and prior to any issues building up. If concerns cannot be resolved through direct contact with the classroom teacher, then families may contact the school administration.
When contacting staff please keep communication to the point, and **make sure your concerns are based on what you know to be true from your experience or your child(ren)’s experience only. **
We believe that bringing concerns forward on the behalf of another student/ family, or based on a conversation with another student/family is furthering gossip. We want direct and timely communication from those directly involved with concerns.
It is important to be patient in the process as there are several sides of a story to be heard. Respectful communication is key to resolving issues proactively. **Abusive communication will not be tolerated. **
For NCCS students and students participating in Learning Centres, we want to develop a culture of direct communication between students and teachers. Students are encouraged to speak to their teachers and/or trusted adults with concerns as age appropriate. The more we can have concerns expressed from a prime source, the better and timelier we can address the concerns. Concerns that have been allowed to lapse for months are very difficult to address.
What Can I Expect of the School and Administration?
You can expect fairness, due process and timely response while keeping student learning and a Christ-focused culture at the centre of our work from administrators of our schools.
What Can I Expect out of a Resolution?
- Plan of Action – a plan for both parties to follow to make changes in resolving the concern
- Agreement – a formal arrangement outlining in writing what steps need to be taken to resolve the concern
- Agree to Disagree – an agreement where each party understands that their perspective on the concern is different and cannot be fully agreed to – but is accepted by each party involved
