I teacher kindergarten. Curious what else you want to know?

We had an open house before school started. BTSN was on Zoom and was great. It was raining so we didn’t have to go out in bad weather. And no need for childcare. Our kids’ teachers presented (2 sessions about 25 min) and answered everyone’s questions. There were no prerecorded videos from the principal or school board members—just the teachers. Our school lets parents walk their child to class every morning, so I’ve seen the classrooms.

Anonymous wrote:My child started K this year and was surprised their elementary school is not having Back to School night. I guess the 30 minute meet your K teacher where parents were given a very generic overview of year was it. A little disappointed because now that the year has started I was hoping for a little more info on what would be going on.

And to add - I know B2SN sucks for teachers, I am one and have done them for many years.

Sounds like you DID have BTSN with your 30 min meeting. That's what it IS!

I have kids at 2 different elementary schools. One school did a huge combined back to school night/open house with the whole school the week before school started. It was a mad house. The other had a morning open house/meet the teacher and see your classroom, and a separate back to school night for the parents which was divided by grade - lower grades on one night and upper grades the next night. Is it possible your kid’s school just combined the open house and back to school night in one massive event and didn’t do them separately?

I dont feel Like these responses are representative of most parents. Our btsn is well attended, my spouse and I find childcare so we can both go, the teachers talk about the way they teach certain material, how they differentiate, the big projects they’ll do and field types they’ll take. It’s very informative and you get a feel for the teacher’s style.

Over the years, our school has done evening BTSN and mid-day open house, has combined them before school, has had them virtual, hybrid, and in-person. I prefer the traditional format with a separate open house and BTSN but I know other parents don't think the schedule is worth it.

I debated going, went and then regretted it. Like others, we had the entire grade level in a large room. We watched the recorded videos from the principal and school board and then the teachers did a generic presentation to everyone. They emailed it out later. I could have stayed home, skipped the videos and gone through the presentation. Next year.

OP, it hasn’t been in the individual classrooms in many years at our school.

The most important part of BTSN is the questions at the end. I suffered through the presentation and got to ask my question. It was answered and off I went.

Our school did the open house in person and did a class meeting for families on line. Way better then cramming everyone and their kids into the same room at back to school night, IMO.

The logistical presentations and materials should be recorded and otherwise made available online. BTSN should be more personal, getting to know the teacher, how they run their classroom, and other parents, etc. (and likewise the teacher getting to know and setting expectations for parents). Even if it's just cursory and high-level it's still a rare opportunity for some less-formal personal interaction between teachers and parents... don't take that away by dominating time with all the administrative crap.

Agree that BTSN is a waste of time and a good email/newsletter is much more efficient

BTSN is pointless. We went to ours. Principal and Asst. Principal was prerecorded, Melanie Meren recording, all teachers at a grade level did one combined presentation basically going over Schoology, schedules etc. so stuff your kids already know and things you already know after two weeks of school. We went to a teacher’s classroom, looked at the desk, wall and DONE. Total waste of time. They should do it earlier.

Schedule a conference since you want to learn more and there's no BTSN.

Schedule a conference since you want to learn more and there's no BTSN.

My child started K this year and was surprised their elementary school is not having Back to School night. I guess the 30 minute meet your K teacher where parents were given a very generic overview of year was it. A little disappointed because now that the year has started I was hoping for a little more info on what would be going on.

And to add - I know B2SN sucks for teachers, I am one and have done them for many years.