South Haven News

By Claire Minor

On September 30, 2024 the junior high and high school students at South Haven Schools gave a presentation in place of Parent/Teacher Conferences, called a Student Led Conference (SLC). The students shared their goals, grades, data from assessments, learning styles, future plans, possible jobs, colleges, degrees, and majors. Many guardians and staff loved the new change because it taught them more about their kids.

The reason why the Building Leadership Team decided to have students lead the conferences that the Board of Education approved this year is so that the 6-12 students can learn presentation and communication skills, along with getting an opportunity to talk to parents about their future and giving teachers a chance to interact with parents. Ultimately, the SLCs lead up to the senior project that all students will have to give their senior year.

A group of staff members came up with the idea to hold SLCs towards the end of the 2023-24 school year and decided to make it happen in the 2024-25 school year. SLCs had a great outcome with over 90% attendance the day of the conferences. Staff member at South Haven Schools, Rheann Heater, expressed that she liked the conferences because it helped her understand her kids’ future plans and how they learned. Heater thinks that they started to do SLCs because it helps kids understand themselves better, students become more self aware, what they can do to help themselves in the future, and leads them to become more accountable.

Heater says “I really enjoyed some of the conversations that SLCs brought up between students and parents. I hope that it was able to allow for a more open line of communication between parents and students about their education.”

Principal of South Haven Schools, Zane Aguilar, said, “For the first time giving conferences, staff and students did an amazing job. I am super proud of how they worked leading up to September 30.” Overall, Student Led Conferences are a great thing for staff, guardians, and most importantly, the students to experience!