February School Conferences Dates and Tips

Parent-teacher conferences create essential connections between a student’s school life and home life. ACPS conducts parent-teacher conferences twice each calendar school year to provide opportunities for families and teachers to discuss students’ social, emotional and academic progress.

In February, when school conferences are being held, the traditional school calendar has students in school for half a day during these conferences. On these “early release” days, students will be dismissed from school two hours earlier than usual, per the following schedule:

• High school students at all campuses will be released from school two hours earlier than usual on Feb. 2 and 3, 2023.
• Students in elementary school, PreK-8 and K-8 schools will be released from school two hours earlier than usual on Feb. 9 and 10, 2023.
• Middle school students will be released from school two hours earlier than usual on Feb. 16 and 17, 2023.

Each teacher will communicate with their students, staff and families regarding sign-ups for conferences.

​​To make the most of your parent-teacher conference, the ACPS Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) suggests the following:

• Get Ready: Most ACPS schools will be using ParentSquare to schedule conference times for families. Make sure you register your ParentSquare account and download the app to ensure a smooth and easy sign-up process.
• Bring Everyone on the Same Page: If your child has a special education teacher and a general education teacher, request that they both attend your conference so that your student’s support team is connected.
• Ask Questions: Parent-teacher conferences are generally 10-15 minutes. Make a list of questions in advance for the teacher before your meeting. Do not be afraid to ask for clarification at any point if needed.
• Take Notes: During the conference, write down dates, important information shared and the teacher’s responses to your questions.
• Involve Your Child (before and afterwards): Have a conversation with your child beforehand, asking them what are their favorite subjects and activities at school as well as their least favorite and why. Afterward, share what you learned and how you plan to work with the school to help your child succeed.

Many ACPS families will be able to sign up for conferences through our ParentSquare website, email link, text link or app notification. Please refer to these step-by-step guides: in English (PDF) | en español (PDF) | አማርኛ (PDF) | بالعربية (PDF)