Back-to-School Open House at SWGMS

Southwest Guilford Middle School held its first Open House for the 2007-2008 school year earlier today. We usually have three Open House dates every year. Two are held on back-to-back dates right before students return to school--one for sixth-graders, and a separate one for seventh- and eighth-graders. The third one is sponsored by our PTSA and is usually held about the middle of September; it's for all three grades.

Tonight's Open House was for seventh- and eighth-grade students, and it was held from 4:00-5:30 PM. It's an opportunity for parents/guardians and students to drop by and meet the teachers.

Just slightly before 4:00 PM, our team's first family arrived. Donna Navey (math), Scott Pugh (social studies), Steve Russillo (science), and I (language arts) decided that we would each greet parents and students individually in our own classrooms. The first family to arrive stopped in Mr. Pugh's room first, and since I didn't have any visitors yet and am diagonally across the hall, I joined them for a brief conversation. Since no one was waiting behind them, we were able to visit with that family a little longer than usual.

Very shortly after that, the waves of families began arriving. Until slightly before 5:30 PM, there was no break, with a constant stream of families coming into and out of our individual classrooms. It's a chance to see the faces and hear the voices of the students we'll be teaching this school year, and it's also an opportunity for us to meet their families.

This was my eleventh beginning-of-the-year Open House, and just like all the others, it was a blur. The hour-and-a-half goes by very quickly, and for almost that entire time, as a teacher, you're talking, introducing yourself, saying "hello," answering questions, briefly discussing your class and subject, and going over the information we're handing out. I should figure out a system to track how many hands I shake and how many people I meet and talk to each year. It's important not to talk too long to individual families because you usually have a line of other families waiting to come in the classroom and meet you. I still manage to slip into longer conversations, and I have to be careful to keep that reasonably under control. In some cases, it's the one time I'm guaranteed of seeing certain parents face-to-face.

Many years, we've tried to hand out a bunch of paperwork during Open House. We made a smarter decision this year (I think). As a team, we only gave out two pieces of paper: 1) a back-and-front letter of expectations from all four teachers on our team and 2) a slip stapled to the letter, listing all of the known documents we plan to send home the first day students return to school (Tuesday, August 28, 2007).

More papers go home with students the first two weeks of school than the rest of the school year. (That's probably a slight exaggeration but only by a bit.) This year, our administrators have secured red folders for us to put all those papers in for our students. In addition to sending all of those papers home, we need to get a lot of them back as soon as possible, and hopefully the red folders will help students keep up with those papers as they take them back and forth between school and home.

The sixth-grade teachers will meet and greet students and their families between 5:00-6:30 PM tomorrow evening (Monday, August 27, 2007). Earlier, I recall wishing I had had an extra day like them to get ready for Open House. Now, I'm glad I won't have to worry about Open House tomorrow and that I'll be able to focus on getting ready for our first day with students.

These beginning-of-the-year Open Houses are our best attended. Most years, we've also had a PTSA-sponsored Open House in September. I haven't heard yet if we'll be doing that this year. Usually, far fewer parents come to the September one. I wish more would come. By that time, we've had a chance to get to know the students some, and at the September Open House, our team's teachers meet will everyone all at once for about 20 minutes. It's a chance for us to share some of what we're doing in each of our classes, as well as some of our team's plans for the rest of the year. It's also a time during which we're able to share any general concerns that have arisen and to answer parents' questions. It'd be great if more parents also chose to attend this Open House.

Thanks to all of the parents, guardians, and students who came out to tonight's Open House. It was a pleasure meeting all of you, and we're looking forward to a great year!