"Make it up as we go along"

This Must be the Place by Talking Heads

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Hi Reader,

So, let's talk about report cards...

Today's newsletter is inspired by 2 readers! They asked: “Why are report cards so unhelpful?” and “Why are my child’s grades suddenly so low?”

Report Cards as Legal Documents:​
Report cards can impact everything from car insurance rates for teens, to custody decisions, to private school applications. Because they hold so much weight, teachers are often advised to keep comments vague.

Grading Starts Low:​
Many K-2 teachers use "progressive grading," which assesses kids against end-of-year goals rather than current progress. This means kids might receive low grades early on simply because they haven’t met those end of year goals yet. Fortunately, it all gets clearer when percentage grades come into play!

It Takes a LOT of Work:

Unfortunately report cards take a lot of time to make. Teachers need to close out their grade books, analyze data, and follow any guidelines from the school. Whether they've got 18 kids or 250 this takes a lot of time. Keep in mind they have to be efficient and often they have to include certain phrases in the comment section.

If you feel like your child's report card doesn't paint the full picture of your child- reach out!

TLDR: If Your Child’s Report Card isn't reflecting what you see at home, reach out and ask the teacher for clarification.

What's New?

🎃 Halloweeeeeen: I LOVE people watching on Halloween. I went to a costume contest last weekend and loved seeing everyone's creative ideas. What are you and the fam dressing as for Halloween?

💻 Virtual Workshop: Looking at elementary schools in Charlotte, NC? Come to a virtual workshop 10/29 or 11/5. You'll fill out a survey so we can look at schools you're most interested in.

🐰 Pop Up: I'll be hosting a mini version of the Kindergarten School Talk Workshop at The Bunny Hive. If you're a few years out from kindergarten, but still interested, this is a great, low priced taste of the workshop. $15 for guests / $10 for Bunny Hive Members. Littles are welcome to attend.

Things I Love

📚 Holiday Parties: My mentor and friend Chelsea Fagan just published her book on hosting Having People Over. Chelsea shares a fresh perspective on being the "hostess with the mostess" with a refreshing perspective that your friends still love you even if you didn't vacuum before they came over.

☕️ So Cozy: Recommending again because I'm wearing it as I write this! My cozy quarter zip is saving the day on the first cold morning in Charlotte. I have it in burgundy, but they also make it in blue and the usual neautrals. And my loss if your gain- it's on sale for $40 right now (I paid full price!)

Take care,