Following the end of the first quarter, the first half of parent-teacher conferences were held from 3:30-8:30 p.m on Oct. 15. The hallways and commons area were lined with teachers to visit outside their classrooms. The new format for conferences align with the state’s requirements for all students to have an individual plan of study.  

Students scheduled a time to meet with their seminar teachers to discuss their plans after high school. This time gave more information about enrollment, ACT preparation, scholarship opportunities and grades in general.

Students vary on their opinion regarding the importance of the conferences.

“I don’t think they’re beneficial because us and our parents can just look at our grades online so I mean I don’t really see a point to it,” senior Hunter Lujano said. “[If grades need to be discussed] my parents can email the teacher or something.”

However, some can see the value in meeting one-on-one.

“I think they are beneficial because you get to hear what your teachers like about you… and get to understand how the teachers view your work in class as compared to just working in class,” sophomore Elijah Redington said. “I like seeing the teachers and getting their point of view on things because they don’t really give that in class they give that more in the conferences.”

Students who met just with their seminar teacher gave them the opportunity to leave early for seminar on Nov. 9. If they met with all of their teachers, collecting signatures along the way, they were entered into a drawing.

The second date for parent-teacher conferences is Oct. 23.