Making drop-off and pick-up time count

By Charles Wohlforth

When I lead tours for prospective students, the one fact that always causes some of them to gape with amazement is the news that at Chugach we don’t give grades.

Why would children ever do their best unless trying to earn grades? How else can teachers communicate with parents? How can parents know what their children are accomplishing?

The Chugach Handbook, which is the best statement of our philosophy, states that we believe the best measure of a child’s work is the work itself. Instead of waiting for a teacher to give a grade a few times a year, Chugach parents need to be looking at what their children can do all the time.

The communication link from student to teacher to parent can be stronger and certainly richer at Chugach than at a school that relies on grades to report on children’s progress. But keeping that link healthy requires effort from parents.

The information paths are many. Conferences with students and teachers. Completed work that comes home and homework completed with parent supervision. Performances and presentations at school and work posted on the walls at school.

One of the best ways of assessing a Chugach kid is less formal than all of these: checking in when you drop off and pick up your child.

The minutes at the end of the school time when I come in to gather up my children can be the warmest and most social of my day, when I see many friends and lots of smiles and energy from happy kids. But it’s not fun only. I also use the time to touch base with teachers and find out how we’re doing. Often a few sentences can let me know where problems lie and get us motivated in the right direction.

Coming in 15 minutes early to pick up creates an opportunity to watch the classroom in action, and to see how your child fits in and works with the group.

The morning drop-off can be even better for that (in our family it’s usually not my job). Getting kids into the class, settled, and started with work can give a parent and excellent feel for how they handle the school environment and their abilities in concentrating and completing tasks, as well as particular academic strengths and problems.

What I like most is the human connection of these moments in the school. Chugach parents can know much more about their children’s progress, and know it much more deeply, by being part of the child’s world. That’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy while it lasts, during these short years.