Finley’s Meet the Teacher Night Has New Spin

This month’s J. Taylor Finley Middle School Meet the Teacher night will have a different spin on it from past year’s versions.

Parents and guardians of seventh and eighth graders are invited to the school on Tuesday, September 24. “We are trying a new format that I learned about at a national conference last March,” Principal Traci Roethel said. “I would like to give a huge thanks to my staff for trying something new and out of their comfort zone. They are truly amazing.”

The schedule for the night features the following aspects:

Seventh grade:

• 6:30-7:00 p.m. - Team presentations

• 7:00-7:30 p.m. - Electives

• 7 p.m. - ENL teachers will be available

Eighth grade:

• 7:30-8:00 p.m. – Electives

• 7:45 p.m. – ENL teachers will be available

• 8:00-8:30 p.m. – Team presentations

Finley will once again utilize the concept of teaming, which was introduced several years ago. “All students on these teams share the same four teachers in contiguous rooms in block schedules,” states the course bulletin. “Teaming provides an excellent transition from the elementary self-contained classroom setting to the middle school and beyond. Teaming provides wonderful opportunities to coordinate interdisciplinary instructional efforts and better communication among parents, students and staff. This middle school innovation provides the opportunity through common planning time to better meet the needs of the emerging adolescent.