The fall and spring conferences serve as two points of progress during the school year that provide an opportunity for students, caregiver(s), and teachers to collaboratively engage in strength-based conversations around a student growth plan that focuses on student strengths, student goal(s), and growth and progress.

In the first two years of the CSL pilot, the conference structure was designed in a particular format in order to build capacity and understanding in the shift to including students and working to honour their voice within these conversations. The requirements ensured that a growth plan goal was either created in collaboration with the student and family before or during the conference, and a goal(s) was discussed in a traditional sit-down format.

Moving forward it is still a requirement to ensure students are participating and at the centre of these conferences, along with the opportunity to share/discuss a student growth plan. However, the format and structure the teacher designs to engage students and families is less prescriptive and open to teachers to be responsive to the developmental level of their students and needs of their families. Conferences provide engaging opportunities for students to grow in Core Competency development

Combining an IEP Meeting with a Fall/Spring Conference

In order to consider combining an IEP meeting with a conference, the following must be adhered to: 
  • Only applicable for category A and B students 
  • The decision must be approved through a school-based meeting including the school-based team, administration, and school psychologist
  • Caregivers must have the option to choose a combined meeting or separate IEP and conference meeting
  • For elementary, the combined meeting must be held with the IEP meeting occurring between 1:30-2:30 and the conference to follow directly from 2:30-2:45

Conference Preparation

When preparing and planning for conferences, the following questions provide a guide to support designing the format and structure:
  • How can First Peoples Principles of Learning be incorporated, and opportunities provided for reconciliation?
  • Which format will be responsive to the individual needs of my students and families?
  • Which format supports the developmental level of my students to practice and grow in the core competencies?
  • How can I ensure a strength-based approach is used to focus on what the child CAN do with a goal for growth?
  • How is the format I am using child centered providing space for student voice and engagement?
Primary k-3
It is important that the conference format and structure uphold the following Early Learning Framework principles:
     • Children are strong, capable in their uniqueness, and full of potential
     • Families have the most important role in contributing to children’s well-being and learning
     • Early years spaces are inclusive
     • Environments are integral to well-being and learning
     • Relationships are the context for well-being and learning
Intermediate 4-7
The conference format and structure should provide opportunity to:
     • Engage in the intellectual, personal and social and emotional proficiencies of the core competencies
​     • Support inclusive environments and diverse learners
​     • Focus on personalized learning giving students voice and choice
Secondary 8-9
The conference format and structure should provide opportunity to:
     • Engage in the intellectual, personal and social and emotional proficiencies of the core competencies
​     • Support inclusive environments and diverse learners
     • Focus on personalized learning giving students voice and choice
Tips for successful conferences
  • Plan ahead 
  • Support students to explore, learn & understand the goal setting process
  • Develop/use examples of goal setting documents
  • Help students practice for the conference
  • Send home requests for information about students (ex. “getting to know you” sheets, conference planning sheet, student work samples, etc.) prior to the conference
  • Have difficult conversations prior to the conference so that the conference can be focused on positives and plans for growth
  • Be mindful that the number of goals is dependent on what makes sense for a student (i.e. there is not a requirement to have three goals)
  • Prepare a checklist that includes such things as work habits, day-to-day performance as it relates to capabilities, as well as social and emotional well being 
  • Start with a positive statement before you begin your discussion of the student’s performance to help set a good tone for the meeting. Ending the meeting with a positive comment is also a good idea
  • Use definite examples when explaining either strengths or weaknesses, or ways to improve to help caregivers understand how assessment is being done
  • Explain and show student progress to caregivers in relation to the standards and the proficiency scale
  • Collaboratively set meaningful growth plan goals. Ensure the growth plan is specific and realistic.  Determine what success will look like for the student
  • Suggest ways that caregivers and students can support the student growth plan. 
For online conferences, be sure caregivers have access and are familiar with the technology. 
  • Teachers can schedule a conference on a different day, allotting a minimum of 15 minutes per student 
  • ​Teachers endeavour to complete all conferences by the end of the two-week conference period ​
Gradual Release of responsibility continuum
​Note:   A conference where the adults solely discuss the concerns they have about the child does not meet the purpose or criteria for a fall or spring conference. If there are specific concerns about a child’s learning and social/emotional development that would shift the conference from a strength-based approach and consume the scheduled conference meeting time, another meeting should be scheduled between the teacher and the caregiver(s) to discuss these areas of concern. A strength-based approach and student voice are at the heart of these conferences. 

Elementary Conferences 2021-22

Fall Conferences: Oct. 28 and 29

​Fall conferences provide an opportunity to establish and build relationships where the student, caregiver and teacher collaboratively develop a meaningful goal(s) for student growth. This may be done as preparation before the conference and reviewed together during the conference or discussed and completed together at the conference
Requirements for fall conferences
  • A minimum of 15 minutes in length for each family (this includes transition time between conferences)
  • Includes an opportunity to discuss/share student goal(s) for the year with those present
  • Held in the student's classroom
    • Consultation with the principal is required should there be a compelling reason to hold the conference at a different location
  • Held in-person following our SD22 Communicable Disease Plan (CDP)
    • Virtual conferences using Microsoft Teams can be scheduled for families depending on the family circumstances/needs or request of the family
  • Only one family at a time in the classroom space during the scheduled time​

WHEN: Completed within the two-week window (Oct. 25 – Nov. 5)
  • 3 - hour early dismissal on Oct. 28 and 29
FOrmat ideas
  • A traditional sit-down conference where together the student, teacher and caregiver(s) co-create a growth plan during the conference
  • The growth plan is created in advance. Time during the conference is used for the student and caregiver(s) to explore the learning environment with stations for engagement. Time is set aside for the child, caregiver and teacher to connect and review the goal/growth plan and check-in on the social/emotional well-being of students
  • The growth plan is created in advance. Students prepare sharing with the teacher and caregiver through a portfolio around learning experiences they have engaged in and how they are feeling about the year ahead. Questions are used to review/refine the growth plan based on these student insights​

Spring Conferences:  Apr. 28 and 29

​Spring Conferences provide an opportunity to review and celebrate student growth and progress towards the student growth plan goal(s) set at the fall conference. They provide students the opportunity to engage with their family and teacher about their success in learning. 
Requirements for Spring conferences
  • A minimum of 15 minutes in length for each family (This includes transition time between conferences)
  • Should include the goal established in the fall growth plan
    • Depends on whether the child was able to reach that goal and direct communication with the family about reaching that goal occurred before the scheduled conference
  • Must include an opportunity to celebrate/reflect on a student goal/success for the year with those present
  • Held in the student's classroom
    • Consultation with the principal is required should there be a compelling reason to hold the conference at a different location
  • Held in-person following our SD22 Communicable Disease Plan (CDP)
    • Virtual conferences using Microsoft Teams can be scheduled for families depending on the family circumstances/needs or request of the family
  • Multiple families may be in the classroom space depending on the format and the guidelines of our CDP 

​WHEN: Completed within the two-week window (April 25 – Nov. 6) 
  • 3-hour early dismissal on April 28 & 29 
Format Ideas
1. A traditional sit-down conference where together student, teacher and caregiver(s) review the fall growth plan and celebrate the successes and determine next steps.
​2. A celebration of learning where the learning environment is open to multiple families with stations and student portfolios available as students guide the activities and conversations with their caregivers. The teacher circulates and interacts with families taking time to celebrate the success of the growth plan/goals created in the fall or creates a specific station to meet with the student and caregiver(s).
​3. Students prepare their learning for sharing ahead of time with the support of the teacher to share at the conference. Students might present their portfolio around learning they have engaged in throughout the year showing evidence of how they have demonstrated growth to reach their growth plan goals

Secondary Conferences 2021-22

​Last year conferences were suspended at the secondary level due to the complications the pandemic restrictions created along with moving to a quarter system. Conferences will resume this year at secondary schools with grade 8 and 9 grades following the CSL pilot guidelines and requirements below. Conferences in secondary schools will be different both in time allocation and format than elementary schools and continue to follow past scheduling and format options to accommodate the student population and scheduling challenges at the secondary level. 
Requirements for secondary conferences
  • Held in-person following our SD22 Communicable Disease Plan (CDP)
    • Virtual conferences using Microsoft Teams can be scheduled for families depending on the family circumstances/needs or request of the family
  • Students are expected to participate during the conference with their parent(s)
  • Proficiency language will be used instead of grades/percentages when communicating student growth and progress at grades 8 & 9 as they are part of the CSL pilot
  • Will have a strength-based focused on areas of strength, areas for growth, and next steps forward
  • Will provide opportunities during the conference day (beyond the meeting with the teacher) for students to show evidence of/demonstrate their learning to parents
    • This will be reviewed second semester as this does not currently align with our CDP 
      ​
WHEN: Semester 1 - October 28 & 29; Semester 2 - April 28 &29 
Note:
  • Dismissal at schools will be based on the 3-hour early dismissal at the elementary level to accommodate bussing at each high school
  • School-based Admin. in consultation with teachers will determine the schedule and format to best meet the needs of their families while following the CDP
  • School-based Administrators, in consultation with teachers, will determine how to reach out to the caregivers of vulnerable, Indigenous, or students whose proficiency is concerning, to ensure they are prioritized for conference times that work for them
    • If their caregiver is unable to or chooses not to attend the conference, teachers will be responsible for connecting with these families in alternate ways. Administrators will work with teachers to ensure all students that meet these criteria are accounted for and caregivers are communicated with
  • All other families who do not attend conferences will be formally communicated with through the Mid-Course Communication of Progress. 

Growth Plan Templates and Examples

All of the templates available below are in a read-only format.  To access copies of the templates to edit please create a copy.