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What is a Middle School Open House?
A middle school open house is an event held at a school to encourage introductions between teachers and parents or caregivers. The grades that are in "middle school" may vary in different school districts, but students in fifth through eighth grade are generally considered to be in middle school. A middle school open house may be held before the school year begins, or it may be held after the start of the year so that parents can receive updates on their children's progress, and learn about the environment where their children study.
Typically, a school will send out open house invitations to the family of every student enrolled at the school. The invitations will specify the time and date of the event, as well as what information will be shared, and what will take place. Sometimes students are invited to attend as well, but frequently a middle school open house is only for caregivers. It is not often necessary to RSVP to an invitation such as this.
A middle school open house will generally feature a tour of the school so parents can see where their children are spending their school days. After the tour, parents may be able to meet with individual teachers to discuss the school year. Some teachers might prepare a presentation and meet with groups of parents regarding the topics their children will be learning throughout the year. If a parent has any specific questions, he or she may be able to meet with the teacher and address those questions.
For open houses that take place during the school year, teachers will likely prepare reports including the student's grades and current outlook for the school year. This way, a parent can learn ahead of time if their child is having difficulty in a certain class, or may need extra help. After the tour and the meetings with teachers, a middle school open house may include a brief period for refreshments and informal discussion among parents, teachers, and school administrators.
If a middle school is offering an open house, it is probably a good idea to attend if possible. If students are invited, they should attend as well, in order to meet with their teachers individually and receive feedback on their performance in class. These events can be a great way for parents to learn more about the school at which their students attend, as well as to be alerted to any potential problems ahead of time.
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![Buffet-style food is typically served at a middle school open house.]()
By: Aleksey KondratyukBuffet-style food is typically served at a middle school open house.
Discussion Comments
I always looked forward to each of my kids middle school open houses. As soon as they went into fifth grade, I knew I would have their first one.
Even though we were in a small school district, this gave us a great opportunity to get to know the teachers and what their expectations and teaching style was like.
Some of my kids had the same teachers, but a lot of times they were different, so this was always a good time to meet them.
You also had a chance to see what was available for extra curricular activities and sign your kids up that night.
@Hyrax53 - That is a shame that your parents didn’t go to your open house. I always go to my children’s open house at school because I want to know specifically what they will be learning because this way I know what to expect from the curriculum.
Also, I enjoy the interaction with the teachers and I have noticed that if I develop a good relationship with the teacher it will also help my daughter because the teacher will be more likely to tell more about her than if I didn’t have a relationship at all.
I also learn about upcoming activities that they teacher is planning in which I can volunteer for as well as potential parent- teacher conference dates. They always allow the parents at the open house to set an appointment based on the timeframe the teacher has available. I also love seeing my daughter's finished assignments. It makes me proud of her.
@widget2010- I was one of those kids whose parents never went to open houses. They said it was because I never got in trouble, but I think they also just didn't really care about being friends with my teachers.
My elementary and high schools had open houses too. They were really stressful sometimes, because my teachers would make students prepare displays for parents, or my parents would want to go to quiz a specific teacher on something that confused them, or they didn't like. I guess it meant they actually communicated, but not always, because not all parents would go.
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