A Guide for Parents When Meeting with Your Child’s Teachers
Parent-Teacher Conferences are less than one month away, and the faculty and staff of the High School of Fashion Industries are eager to partner with you in support of your child’s continued growth and success. These conferences represent an important opportunity to strengthen the collaboration between home and school, celebrate accomplishments, and address areas that may benefit from additional support. When families and educators come together with shared purpose, students thrive both academically and personally.
In preparation for conferences, we encourage you to review your child’s report card, recent assignments, attendance record, and SMARTPASS data.
SMARTPASS is our school's digital hall pass system, which helps us track and support student movement throughout the day. Reviewing this data offers valuable insight into your child’s punctuality, time management, and use of instructional time. Discussing these patterns with your child before the conference can help set a foundation for meaningful and constructive dialogue during your meeting.
Before the conference, take time to speak with your child about their experiences at HSFI—what subjects they enjoy, what challenges they face, and what goals they are striving toward. You may wish to prepare questions such as: How is my child performing in comparison to grade-level expectations? What strategies can support my child’s learning at home? What enrichment opportunities are available?
During the conference, share any observations that may help teachers better understand your child’s learning style and interests. Engage in a collaborative conversation that focuses on growth and progress. Teachers may share academic updates, participation feedback, and strategies to reinforce learning. Taking notes will help you capture key recommendations, upcoming deadlines, and important next steps.
After the conference, review the feedback you received and discuss it with your child. Celebrate their accomplishments and help them set clear, attainable goals for the remainder of the term.
Continue to monitor your child’s academic progress through the NYC Schools Account (NYCSA), Google Classroom, Jupiter grades and SMARTPASS, which provides up-to-date information on attendance and movement. Open communication with teachers and counselors is always encouraged as we work together to ensure every student’s success.
As always, Principal Blank is available and welcomes any concerns from community members. He can be reached at 212-255-1235 ext. 8191 or via email at dblank@schools.nyc.gov.
At the High School of Fashion Industries, we take great pride in the partnership we share with our families. Your engagement, encouragement, and advocacy make a tremendous difference in your child’s educational journey. We thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences. Together, we will continue to nurture excellence, creativity, and confidence in every student.