Sample Letter To Parents From Teacher Template (Page 6 of 7) in pdf

Suzy Kaback’s Letter to Parents

SUZY KABACK

Dear «parent’s name»,

I hope this letter finds you and your family healthy and enjoying the

s u m m e r. I clearly remember last summer’s rain and cold temperatures, so I’m

thankful that we’re having such a wonderful season this year.

You may be surprised to be receiving a letter from “the fifth-grade

t e a c h e r,” so let me explain my purpose. In a few weeks, «student’s name»

will find a letter of his/her own in the mailbox, but this note is just for

adults. I have some news and some requests that I’d like to pass along to you.

To begin, I’m writing to let you know my plans for the fall. As many of

you know, my husband Steve and I are expecting our first child at the end

of October. We’re thrilled, of course, but we’ve had to make some plans

about maternity leave. For the time being, I plan to teach as long as

possible. Then, when the baby is born, I’ll take a few weeks off. Mr. Russell

and I will be working on hiring a substitute in the early fall and I can assure

you that I will look for a qualified, dedicated replacement. Please feel free to

share concerns, questions, or advice(!) with me.

Thinking about becoming a mom has certainly made me more aware of

the impact parents have on the lives of their children, particularly as they

enter school and are turned over to the care of another person for eight

hours a day. I have, however, always been a supporter of home-school

communication. So, within a few weeks, you’ll start receiving weekly

updates about our classroom and your child’s progress. It is my hope that

these notes will be the basis of a year’s worth of dialogue between us. We ’ l l

discuss «student’s name», what’s happening in class, ways you can support

his/her learning at home, and ways I can extend what you do at home in

school.

My hope for this kind of ongoing dialogue leads me to my first

request: Would you take a few minutes to jot down some thoughts about

«student’s name»? I’d like your message to be positive. What shouldn’t I

wait to find out about him/her? What are his/her greatest strengths,

proudest achievements, favorite years in school? What will I notice about

«student’s name»? What are the things you like or admire most about

(continued on next page)

page 6

from “The Back to School Book” by Suzanne Kaback, Constance Perry, and Brenda Power

Sample Letter To Parents From Teacher Template Page 6