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It is important to keep accurate, daily records of phone calls, conversations, and meetings. A teacher’s daily record book, a planner/organizer, electronic notes, or other record keeping means will work. This takes time at the end of every day, but it is valuable when issues develop. Names, dates, times, and narrative accounts, can help if “selective memory” by a parent surfaces. “We had this discussion on blank date and we decided that blank would be the best course of action. I thought we were in agreement at that time” is powerful in putting all parties back on the same page.
All disciplinary records should be kept including dates, times, incident descriptions, and actions taken. Carbon copies of notices sent home, notes from parent calls, and any other relevant correspondence should be kept. It may not be a single incident that may lead to a recommendation for serious consequences such as expulsion. It may be a culmination of offenses that disrupt the educational environment, demonstrate harassment, or show that a student has problems dealing with authority figures.
Documentation is powerful in showing a parent both sides of a problem that surfaces at school. There are many cases where a combative parent became an active partner with the school when they saw the documentation from a teacher, counselor, associate principal, or principal. |
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