Parents meet with their child's teacher twice a year for conferences. The next conferences are January 31 and February 1. The conferences are between parents and teachers only until the second conference during the fifth grade year. In the winter conferences, fifth graders meet with both their parents and teachers, and the students present their own assessments and goals.

Fifth graders began preparation for the conferences today by watching a video about student-led conferences and filling out surveys about themselves, what they do well and what they need to work on both as a student and person. The students will choose assignments they did well on and some they could have done better on to show their parents.

Fifth grade teacher Brenda Austin said leading the conference is good experience for the students. "Their personalities really show. Some of them are nervous, but they need to learn how to talk about their work and what kind of help they need when they begin meeting with an advisor in middle school."