Smyrna times., 1958-02-06
SCHOOLS PLAN
OPEN HOUSES
Parent Teacher Interviews
Urged in Move For Closer
Relations
FIRST MEETING FEB. 20

Teachers and administrators of
the Smyrna Special School Dis
trict are looking forward to in
creased contact with parents of
their students as a result of re-
cent decisions to put in effect sew
eral innovations. Taking a cue
from a very successful open house
in the fall, the faculty and ad-
ministration have been working
on means to improve understand
ing between parents and teachers.
The program involves an overall
open house on Feb. 10th, in CO.
operation with the Smyrna Dis
trict P.T.A.; individual interviews
with seniors and their parents; a
group meeting in the evening of
Feb. oath with parents of all Sth
grade pupils; and an afternoon
tea for parents of all third grade
pupils on March 18th. An open
house will be held in the Thomas
D. Clayton school on Feb. 19th
with DR.. Ruth Laws as guest
speaker. The open house will be
held on Feb. goth in the high
school and the Smyrna Element
airy school. This meeting will be-
gin with a regular P.T.A. meet
ing in the Smyrna Elementary
School cafetorium. Then all par
ents will be able to visit class
rooms and talk with teachers.
Parents desiring longer confer
ence periods will be able to set
the time with teachers for addi-
tional talks. All seniors through
out the state have taken a series
of tests known as STEP and
SCAT. These tests were admin
istered and scored by the Univer-
sity of Delaware. Parents of each
senior in Smyrna are being con-
tacted by post card and invited
to come for half-hour interview
to examine the result of this test.
The test covered the pupils
achievement in reading, writing,
listening, mathematics, science
and social studies. The results
have been graphed to show re-
suits compared to national norms.
All parents of eighth grade pupils
will be invited to attend meet
ing on Wednesday, Feb. "a at s
pm. in the high school library
Material will be presented at this
time concerning possible course
selections for these pupils during
their high school experience. There
will also be an attempt to present
the values of full participation in
the school program to each pupil.
Parents of pupils of grade three
will be invited to come to school
the afternoon of March 18th. Ele-
mentary teachers and pupils will
assist in serving the parents tea
and cookies. The pupils will then
return to classes and the parents
will hear a panel discussion of the
schools program, including the
testing program, the academic
program, and the recreational
program. Special reports will be
given on several innovations be-
ing tried in the third grade as the
elementary Spanish instruction.
Parents will be told of ways to
improve the child's work through
home reading, family trips, etc.
Finally the program will be turn
ed over for any questions from
the parents concerning the educa-
tion of children through grades
three-six. The entire four pro-
jects are part of a concentrated
effort to bring the parent into
closer contact with the school and
to allow the school to hear the
opinions of parents on various
matters. 1t is hoped that parents
will try to attend, because only in
that way will they show interest
in this attempt to improve the
educational opportunities of the
boys and girls in the district.
Parents in the grades concerned
will be contacted by letter con-
cerning the programs and any
changes in time or place which
= l.