Dear Smith Road Families,   

Parents often wonder what procedure is used to group students into classes for the next school year.At each elementary school, a grouping committee assists the principal with this process. This committee consists of classroom teachers, special area teachers, special educators, counselors and support staff. Students will be grouped into classes with careful consideration for the combination of boys and girls and the mixture of academic needs. We begin the grouping process in May, but since many students register throughout the spring and summer, the process will not be complete until sometime in August. Once the class assignments are complete, a letter will be mailed home to you indicating your child’s room number and teacher.

Teachers have been asked not to discuss placement with parents. Individual teachers cannot guarantee the placement of any student.

While requests for a specific teacher will not be honored, you may wish to share concerns about your child’s particular educational needs.You may address these concerns in writing to me (Mrs. Clark) by June 1, 2013.

Please be concise and limit your comments to the following:

• Your child’s specific learning style, strengths, or weaknesses
• A request that your child not be placed with a teacher that previously had an older sibling in class
• Critical information that your child’s future teacher should know

It is extremely difficult to make changes in placement once the letters have been mailed home in August. If you have a concern, please do not wait until you receive your placement letter in the mail. Special cases should be handled early in the process, but without making specific teacher requests. Thank you for your cooperation in this process.

Happy spring,

Mrs. Clark