I am in the process of making a beginning of the year parent survey and would like suggestions of things to ask. Our school already gets the basics like all addresses, phone numbers, relatives, volunteer information.

So far I have:
The kind of communication they prefer. ( phone, notes or email)
If their child has allergies.
Their child's strengths and weaknesses.

Anymore suggestions?

[missd]

I usually ask the questions you have already listed, but I also ask them which areas they would like to see their child improve/work harder in, what their child's likes and dislikes are (interesting to read the parents' perspective) and I also leave a space for anything else the parent thinks I should know about their child. This last question is where I have found I get the most useful information because it is so open ended. I learn a lot about the parents too!

[hilary]

I ask them:
- strengths
- interests
- weaknesses
- what they feel their child needs to work on
- anything else they feel important for me to know

I ask them to think about all aspects of their child as they complete it (academic, social, and emotional)

[Combow]

I send a parent survey along with my welcome letter to each household before school starts. I ask that parents return it with their child on opening day. (I use to send it home on first day, but I find this way the parents return it faster and seem to put more thought into it.)
*Describe your child's strength. (Do not limit to academic ability, please include physical and social strengths too.)
*What does your child enjoy doing?
*What do you want your child to achieve in fourth grade?
*Describe any concerns you would like addressed this school year?
*Please list any additional information about your child, which would be helful for me to know.

I re-read the parent surveys just before Fall Parent Teacher conferences as well.

P.S. It would have been easier to add an attachment, but I'm not there yet. I guess that's ok because I haven't even figured out how to add an avatar yet. I've tried but unsuccessfully.

[ashleymarie81]

I typed this up the other night. I found one online and changed it around some. You may have trouble reading it with the font the way it is (kidprint).

Ashley

[mistap]

One thing I ask them is if they have any special knowledge or talents that they would be willing to share with the class. Part of our science curriculum is studying engineers and engineering, so last year I had 2 different dads come in (one was a mechanical engineer and the other was a computer engineer) and do presentations. You never know if you have an artist, poet, writer, scientist, history professor, etc right at your fingertips.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!