Student Classroom Assignments

The school principal makes student class assignments. Each building principal works with teachers on a daily basis and best knows the individual teaching styles of the faculty. He/she is in the best position to match student learning styles with the classroom setting that will best meet the student’s needs. Recommendations regarding the teaching style that a former teacher or parent feels would best meet the needs of the student are also carefully considered by the building principal when making placement decisions.

In the spring of each school year, the current classroom teacher gathers information about each student. This information includes student achievement levels and any special information that the teacher feels needs to be considered in making placement decisions for the next school year. Teachers have the opportunity to share recommendations regarding the classroom setting that they feel would best meet the needs of each student.

The principal considers the following factors in making class assignments:

• Student achievement levels
• Student study skills
• Student learning styles
• Current classroom teacher input
• Social/emotional benchmarks
• Services required to meet an Individualized Education Program (IEP)

The goal is to assign students so that each class has a heterogeneous group of students and a balance of academic strengths, needs, and gender. A mix of student ability levels is the desired outcome.

For ease of scheduling supplemental instructional programs, certain classrooms may have clusters of students, e.g., special education inclusion/resource reading support, individual/small group instruction, etc. The teacher assigned to teach specific clusters of students may change from one year to the next.

The best way for a parent to provide input is to share that information with the child’s current teacher. In most cases, this will be sufficient in helping the school to make the best decision regarding placement of a student.

In special situations, there may be information beyond the classroom teacher’s knowledge and/or which is confidential in nature. This information may be shared with the principal on a special parent input form (downloadable and also available in the school office). We ask that this special card be used in lieu of letters. Only requests on the parent input card will be considered due to the large number of students being placed each year. Requests for specific teachers by name will not be accepted or considered.

Parent input cards need to be returned to the school office by March 31. Information on parent input cards should include:

• the type of classroom atmosphere that would be the best match for their child’s learning style
• special family concerns
• other students the child needs to be separated from due to situations outside the school of which the teacher has no knowledge
• other information that the current teacher doesn’t already possess

Due to the mobility of our community and changes in staff teaching assignments, class placement decisions are ongoing throughout the summer and are finalized in mid-August. Parents will be made aware of class assignments close to the opening of school due to last minute registrations and changes in teaching assignments. No changes will be made in class assignments once they are public.