Midterm Notes

Dear Parent,

Winter Break, among other things, marks the winter midterm.  This is the time in which midterm notes are issued to some students in some subject areas. Please note that midterms can now be accessed through the family portal in the same way that progress reports are accessed.  If you have any trouble with the family portal, just contact Jen Gautier at jgautier@mustardseedschool.org.

As always, a midterm note is not an official transcript document like a progress report, but is an informal one that only the parent and child may read.  Midterm notes are written most often to alert parents when a child is experiencing special struggle.  That is to say, not all children will receive midterms and those that do will not necessarily receive reports in every subject or from every teacher.  A midterm note might sometimes be issued to provide information or to note a special accomplishment, but a midterm is always issued if a child's achievement and grades thus far fail to meet expectations.  So, while a progress report narrative would more thoroughly discuss a child's strengths and struggles, a midterm report is a more pointed document that primarily alerts the parent to important information or difficulties before the term closes. Though important, these midterm notes are never included in a child's transcript or permanent file.

Please be aware that there are still four school weeks before the winter term closes.  In the coming weeks, both positive and negative changes could occur.  In the next four weeks, a student may rebound and make up missed work or a student may encounter new and unexpected difficulty.  With this in mind, teachers are prepared to respond to any concerns you may have and offer suggestions about how your child may improve before the term closes. 

Please do not hesitate to contact teachers or me with any questions or concerns.  Please note that, for grades 6-8, March 28 is set aside for parent conferences (at the start of the third and final term), but all teachers in grades 4-8 are prepared to respond to parents before then by email, phone, or appointment.

Peace,

Kathy Hanson

Director of Grades 2-8