From the Ravenwood Office...Mrs. Gottschalk
Class Placements for 2016-17 School Year
The teachers and I will approach the class placement process as follows:
In May, the principal meets with the teachers at each grade level, the counselor, and the learning specialists. We work as a team to consider every aspect of each child’s development to ensure academic and personal/social success for the coming year. Our philosophy is that each child is a unique individual with special needs, and we strive to be sensitive to those needs when we make class placement decisions.
Teachers know what students should be separated from each other and will use professional judgment to do so. However, parent requests such as, “put my child with these children and separate my child from these children,” will not be honored because such requests control the placement of several children in addition to one’s own and are simply not possible. A specific request for a certain teacher, or teacher to not have, cannot be granted either.
Classes are constructed to be as heterogeneous as possible. Children of varying abilities, personalities, and needs are placed in each classroom. Every classroom needs students who are academically strong and students who can provide positive leadership. Students who have behavior and academic concerns are divided so that they will have equal opportunity for teacher support and appropriate peer role models. To the best extent possible without unbalancing classes, students with special needs are matched with teachers whose skills and temperament provide the best learning opportunity. We’re fortunate that we have so many wonderful teachers at Ravenwood!
As you can see a large number of variables are taken into consideration. It is an important task, and one we take seriously. We want you to know that we will do our very best to provide the environment that will help your child have a successful school year.
If you would like to give input for your child's class placement- please call or email Kathy Reese in the school office and she will send home or email the document you may complete. kreeserw@olatheschools.org or 780-7640
Academic and social environment requests must be received prior to Friday, April 29th for consideration.
kreeserw@olatheschools.org or 780-7640