Incline Village Schools

Parent-teacher conferences are being scheduled this week at Washoe County elementary schools.

The conferences are meant to keep parents abreast of their child’s progress or lack of it.

Often parents are at a loss about their role in these meetings, unaware of what questions they should ask and the goals and aspirations for their child that they must express.

Educators offer this advice about preparing for the meeting.

• Parents should talk with their children before the conference. They can discuss what the teacher might say and issues the child would like discussed.
• Parents should write questions they would like to ask and note any topics they would like to discuss with teachers.
• Talk about areas of concerns; e.g.; What are some ways to help your child with spelling? Discuss homework issues, the volume and getting it done on time.
• Reading at home is very important to the progress of students in school. Teachers should discuss how many minutes per evening is appropriate for their child to be reading or be read too (or a little of both).
• You should inquire if the teacher has a system of communication that the parent is familiar with? (ie., Friday Folders, EdLine, Progress Reports, Newsletters, etc).
• Parent’s should inquire about the best way to communicate with the teacher (e-mail, notes in folders, calls at a specified time, drop ins before/after school).
• Ask the teacher what activities or habits at home would be most helpful in supporting their child’s success.

Additional Facts

Questions you can ask to improve the results of your parent-teacher conferences:

• Is my child learning at an appropriate level in reading, writing math, or showing progress in English?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of my child?
• Does my child need additional help in any subject?
• Is there any help or service available in school and in the community if my child needs help in any subject?
• What are the standard exams that my child will take and how are the results from those tests going to compare to others?
• How does my child’s performance compare to other children in his/her classroom, to the children at the same grade level, community, state, nation?
• Do you place students in groups when teaching reading and/or math?
• What capabilities or talents does my child demonstrate in class or homework?
• How are my child’s homework habits?
• Is my child reaching all of his/her potential?
• Does my child complete his/her homework on a regular basis?
• Does my Child participate in class discussions?

Source: Washoe County School District

The National PTA Web site offers some tips on how parents can prepare and conduct themselves during parent-teacher conference.

A parent–teacher conference is a time when important people in a student’s life can talk about how that student is doing in school. It’s a chance for you to ask questions about the class or your child’s progress. It is also a time for you and the teacher to work together as a team to discuss ways you both can help your son or daughter.

Whether your child is in elementary, middle, or secondary school, parent-teacher conferences are important. If your school does not schedule regular conferences, you can request them.

Teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Together, you can help your child have a great school year.

Before the conference

• Schedule an appointment: A parent-teacher conference is not the only time when parents and teachers should make contact. Parents may want to schedule a special meeting with their child’s teacher for a variety of reasons. If you need to set up an appointment with the teacher, make a phone call or write a quick note to the teacher, and let him or her know if you have particular issues you would like to discuss.
• Talk to your child: Find out which subjects your child likes most and least. Ask why. Also, ask if there is anything your child would like you to talk about with the teacher.
• Help the child understand that you and the teacher are meeting to help him or her. If your child is in middle or high school, you may want to include him or her in the conference.
• Gather input from others: If your spouse, another care-giving adult, or someone with pertinent information or insight (doctor, counselor, other guardian) can’t attend the conference, ask for that person’s concerns and questions before the conference.
• Make a list: Before you go to the meeting, make a list of topics to discuss with the teacher. Along with questions about academics and behavior, you may want to talk to the teacher about the child’s home life, personality, concerns, habits and hobbies, and other topics that may help the teacher in working with the child (e.g., religious holidays, music lessons, part-time jobs, a sick relative).

During the conference

• Establish rapport: As an icebreaker, take notice of something that reflects well upon the teacher. For example, thank the teacher for having made thoughtful notes on your child’s homework or for the special attention in helping your child learn to multiply.
• Ask questions: Questions you ask during the conference can help you express your hopes for the student’s success in class and for the teacher. It’s a good idea to ask the important questions first, in case time runs out. The teacher’s answers should help you both work together to help your child.
• If your child receives special services (e.g., gifted and talented programs, speech or occupational therapy), be sure to ask about the frequency of services and your child’s progress.
• Address problems: Parent-teacher conferences are a good time to discuss any difficulties (either academic or behavioral) a child might be having at school. When problems arise, parents will want to:
  • Avoid angry or apologetic reactions. Instead, ask for examples.
• • Ask what is being done about the problem and what strategies seem to help at school.
  • Develop an action plan that may include steps that parents can take at home and steps the teacher will take when the problem comes up at school.
  • Schedule a follow-up conference and decide on the best way to stay in touch (phone, e-mail, or letters sent to the home).
• Develop an action plan: If the student needs help with a behavioral or an academic issue, you and the teacher should agree on specific plans—that you both will work on—to help your child do better. Be sure you understand what the teacher suggests. If it’s not clear, ask him or her to explain. Set up a way to check on your child’s progress. You and the teacher can decide how best to stay in touch, such as through phone calls, notes, or additional meetings.
• Ending the conference: End the conference by reviewing what you discussed and restating your action plan. This is also a good time to set up your next meeting.

After the conference

• When discussing the conference with the child afterward, stress the good things that were covered and be direct about problems that were identified. If an action plan is in place, explain to the child what was arranged.
• When an action plan is in place, consider the following: Watch your child’s behavior and check on classwork and homework.
• Ask how the student feels about schoolwork. Stay in touch with the teacher to discuss your child’s progress. Express appreciation as progress is made.
• A good way to promote a continuing relationship with the teacher is to say “thank-you” with a note or a telephone call. Continuing to keep in touch with the teacher, even if things are going well, can play an important role in helping the child do better in school.
• When a child knows parents and teachers are regularly working together, the child will see that education is a high priority requiring commitment and effort.

Please support your children -- por favor, apoye a sus hijos...

On November 2 to 9, Lake Tahoe School will be holding a Scholastic Book Fair beginning Monday, Nov. 2, that will benefit, not only LTS students, but also the local Incline Village library, and the charity Kids In Distress Situations. There will also be a raffle held during the fair where every cash dollar donated translates to a book for Kids In Distressed Situations, and a dollar towards books for LTS. LTS is donating 50 percent of these books to Incline Village Library. For information or to make donations contact mhbroderic@yahoo.com.

The book sale is open to the public at Lake Tahoe School, located at 995 Tahoe Blvd. Incline Village, Nevada 89451, Ph (775) 831-5828, during these times:

• 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2 to Thursday, Nov. 5
• 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6
• 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday Nov. 9

As an ongoing celebration of this year’s Teen Read Week, kids ages 10 – 17 who are “caught” reading or studying at the Incline Village Library have a chance to win an MP3 player.

From now through December 31, 2009, young library patrons may be awarded one raffle ticket per day for a chance to win one of five MP3 players. Prize drawings will take place on Tuesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 31. Winners will be notified and should come to the Incline Village Library to pick up their MP3 players.

Contact:  Amy Levy
Incline Village Library
845 Alder Avenue
Incline Village, NV  89451
Phone: (775) 832-4130
alevy@washoecounty.us
Website:

It would take a pandemic among teachers and students for Washoe county schools to close because of the H1N1 virus, a school district official said today.

But if that were to happen, the Washoe County School district has a strategy for learning to continue, using both cyber technology and low-tech methods, said Steve Mulvenon, district spokesman.

“Closing schools is really a remote possibility,” Mulvenon said. “ we have not noticed a big spike of students out because of influenza-like illness.

“And teacher absenteeism is not running unusually high,” he said.  Mulvenon said that student and teacher absenteeism would have to be so high, “ that we simply wouldn’t be able to operate.”

Mulvenon said that a valuable lesson learned last spring when the virus first started to spread.

“The (Centers for Disease Control) learned that pre-emptive closure of schools did not really slow the spread of the virus,” He said. “It also had a negative impact on families with parents having to miss work."

In the event a high school or middle school student will be absent for a protracted period they can take advantage of the Edline Web site, where students and parents log on, enter a password and can get the students homework plan and finish it from home, Mulvenon said.

“For elementary schools, we have a more low-tech approach,” he said. “Home and lesson packets are prepared and parents can pick them up from the campus, and then return them or the students can we the return to school.”

Music really does matter.

This year, the Reno Philharmonic Youth Orchestra expanded its number of orchestras from two, the Youth Concert and Youth Symphony Orchestras, with students ranging in age from 12 to 18, to three, now including the Youth Strings Symphonia. In spite of financial difficulties, the youth orchestra began the third orchestra in order to expand its range of musicians to include children in fourth to sixth grades.

The youth orchestras are made up of young musicians in the Washoe County School District, including woodwind, brass, percussion and string players. Every year, the groups entertain more than 32,000 people in Northern Nevada and northeastern California.

The three groups have three different functions.

The youth concert orchestra, led by Jason Altieri, is geared toward developing players, teaching children better performance technique. Meanwhile, the symphony orchestra, also under Altieri, is for the most advanced students who want more of a challenge and can rise to the occasion.

The newest orchestra, the strings symphonia, was created as a string-only ensemble to serve children younger than 12, who because of their age, can't participate in the older groups. It is led by Carol Laube.

The group had thought about expanding the program because it had to turn away so many after the auditions. Many of these students had nowhere to go for orchestral experience.
The audition experience is, nonetheless, rather rigorous.  "They had to play for me a scale and excerpts of pieces," Laube said.  This can prove difficult, especially for younger students.

Laube originally moved here from Branson, Mo., and stayed because of the relationships she formed here through the philharmonic. Her favorite part of the new program is being with the students.  "It's one of my favorite hours of the week," Laube said.

The symphonia rehearses one hour from 4 to 5 p.m. each week, while the other two rehearse 2 1/2 hours.

"It's a sense of accomplishment with their instruments and as a group together," she said. "I do it for the thrill of sitting with an orchestra and hearing the music."

Although the symphonia is the new section and has the least experience, Laube said she has high hopes for the young musicians. They are going to perform with the established orchestras at the biannual concerts, in fall and in spring. Also, they will be performing in the Christmas concert, playing "Carol of the Bells" with the group The Tintabulations.

"It's scary for some of them because it will be their first time performing," she said.  However, Laube said she is confident in their abilities.  "I hope to have many proud moments with them," she said.

Caleb Wolz, 18, of Sparks, originally joined the symphony orchestra on the recommendation of his strings teacher, who thought participating in the group would be a good experience for him.

"I've always wanted to play in a more advanced orchestra," said Wolz, who has been playing the bass for seven years.  Now, his favorite part of the orchestra is its advanced atmosphere. He enjoys the challenge the program provides for him and the other upper-level musicians of Northern Nevada.

"I think it's fantastic," Wolz said. "I love all the music and the opportunity to play it at Nightingale Hall. It always gives you something to do."

A closer look

The symphony orchestra is made up of the best players in Northern Nevada, according to conductor Jason Altieri, 38, of Atlanta.  "They're the best of the best," he said.

The orchestras comprise the upper levels of the program.  The concert orchestra provides a training orchestra for the symphony, with both groups auditioning on the same material. The group is made up of winds, brass, percussion and strings for a total of about 70 musicians.  The symphony orchestra performs throughout Reno at community concerts and at Renown.  They are in the process of a few tours to Las Vegas and Sacramento in order to spread awareness of the group.

The two orchestras also are dealing with a new addition to their ensemble: Altieri, who also conducts the University of Nevada, Reno Symphony Orchestra, has only been with the philharmonic for one year.

"Truthfully, I've been touring for the past six years," Altieri said.  He moved to Reno because it gave him the chance to stay in one place, which was very appealing to him. "I'm basically doing everything young conductors want to do," he said.

The music

For all their similarities, the two groups have their differences when it comes down to the music. In the concert orchestra, they play many arrangements for the whole group, with one piece for strings only in order to develop their technique.

This year, they will be performing movements from Antonín Dvorak's "Symphony No. 8," arranged by Vernon Leidig; "Didon," originally by Niccolo Piccinni and arranged by Harold M. Johnson; "Psalm and Fugue," a strings-only piece by Alan Hovhaness; and "March to the Scaffold" by Hector Berlioz, arranged by Anthony Carter.

However, in the symphony orchestras, "arrangements" is an unheard of word.

They are playing mostly romantic music this year, including "Slavic March" by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky; "Academic Festival Overture" by Johannes Brahms; "English Folk Song Suite" Ralph Vaughan Williams and "Intermezzo" by Pietro Mascagni. "Slavic March" is Wolz's favorite piece.  "It involves every section, and the main melody is shared by every instrument once," Wolz said. "It's difficult, but really fun. I've always loved Tchaikovsky's work." 

As a bass player, Wolz knows that many times, the bass will simply be written off as a rhythm-keeper by the conductor.  However, he said that this is not the case in symphony orchestra.  "(Altieri) doesn't neglect the bass players," Wolz said. "If we mess up, he calls us out on it. He doesn't neglect any section."

Altieri has many excellent characteristics that are noticed and praised by his students.  "Jason is awesome," Wolz said. "He's really animated. He's up there leading the music. It exudes his energy to us."  However, Altieri doesn't view his job in such a light manner.  "My job as a conductor is to create new soldiers for the arts," he said.  His main goal is to improve the orchestra's talent and overall provide them with experience by surrounding them with other phenomenal musicians.

The performances

His proudest moment in the orchestra is the Young People's concerts. "That's four shows of trying to be as consistent as you can," he said.  "They played at a level that was very, very professional. I couldn't have been prouder."

In addition, the spring concert gave them another spectacularly professional performance. Altieri's accomplishment was very different.  "I really felt like they had begun to trust me, and that felt great. I'm really, really proud of these kids."

The symphony's current goal goes in defiance of the economic recession: Altieri wants to take them overseas.  "When you work for a goal like that, everyone wants to work hard," he said.

His goal is to shine a good light on Northern Nevada and allow the orchestra to play at an even more advanced level.  "More than (the economy), it takes a lot of will to make this happen," he said.

For more information

Nevadans Helping Natives

A Blanket andWinter Clothing Drive

The Native American Student Association (NASA) of Sierra Nevada College is conducting a two-day blanket and winter clothing/coat drive at the SNC Campus in Incline Village, Nevada.

Individuals and businesses wishing to donate may drop off (new or gently used) clean items:

Friday, November 6          (12 pm to 7 pm)
Saturday, November 7        (9 am to 5 pm)
Patterson Hall on the SNC Campus
999 Tahoe Blvd. Incline Village, Nevada

Donations are tax deductible.
California residents are encouraged to participate.
Info: 775-832-1212