Dear Kennedy Families,
Thank you for taking the time to attend fall conferences! These conversations are such an important part of building the home–school connection. Teachers enjoyed meeting with you to celebrate your child’s growth and talk about goals for the months ahead. Your support, questions, and insights truly make a difference in your child’s learning journey.
After Conferences: Keeping the Learning Going
Conferences are just one step in an ongoing partnership between home and school. Here are a few ways families can continue supporting learning and growth at home:
1. Talk About Goals Together
Ask your child what goals they set with their teacher during conferences. Keep those goals visible—on the fridge or a family bulletin board—and check in regularly. Celebrate small steps of progress along the way!
2. Support Reading at Home – The “Why” Behind Fluency Practice
You may have heard your child’s teacher mention fluency passages or repeated reading practice during conferences. These activities are a key part of our Science of Reading approach embedded in our reading curriculum (Wit and Wisdom). When students read the same short passage several times, they strengthen their ability to read accurately, smoothly, and with expression.
Fluency bridges the gap between sounding out words and understanding what they mean. The more automatic reading becomes, the more energy students have to think about the meaning of what they read.
Here’s how you can help at home:
Listen to your child read a short passage out loud each night.
Encourage them to reread it a few times—each time focusing on smoothness and expression.
Celebrate improvement by timing how far they get in one minute or noticing how much more confident they sound.
Even 5–10 minutes of this kind of practice each day can make a big difference!
3. Build Routines That Support Learning
Consistent routines for reading, homework, bedtime, and morning preparation help students feel ready to learn each day. Setting aside 15–20 minutes for nightly reading or family discussions about the day can make a big difference.
4. Encourage Effort and Growth Mindset
Praise persistence and problem-solving, not just results. When your child faces a challenge, remind them that learning takes time and effort—and mistakes are part of growing.
5. Stay Connected with Teachers
If questions come up or you notice changes in your child’s learning habits, reach out to their teacher. Open communication helps us work together to support your child’s needs.
6. Reinforce School Expectations at Home
At Kennedy, we focus on our CARE expectations—Cooperate, Act Responsibly, Respect, and Empathy. Talking about these values at home helps students carry them into their daily interactions with classmates and staff.
Recess Reminder: Please send warm layers as the weather cools—students go outside whenever possible!
Conference donations: Thank you for the donations for the staff conference night meals.
Volunteers: We appreciate the volunteers and PTA members who helped at the Book Fair and Fun Run.
Thank You for Partnering With Us!
Our Kennedy community continues to grow stronger because of the care and commitment of our families. Together, we’re helping every student become a confident, capable learner and kind community member.
With appreciation,
Mr. Latch
Principal, Kennedy Elementary
