Northwestern Lehigh middle school pilots student-led conferences, plans districtwide rollout

Northwestern Lehigh School District officials described results from a pilot of student-led conferences at the middle school and proposed expanding the practice to all grade levels with conferences moved to January.

At a school board meeting, seventh-grade teacher Catherine Krager summarized the pilot led by “Team Roar,” saying the approach shifts the conference model so “the student takes the lead, presenting their work, guiding discussion about progress and grades with their parents and teachers, and the teacher serves as the facilitators.” Krager and other staff described the goal as building student skills in self-advocacy, accountability and communication.

The pilot began with goal-setting in September and culminated in November conferences. Students set three goals — academic, personal and social-emotional — using SMART criteria (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely). Krager described classroom supports and a range of presentation formats the students used: “Some students created slides … some scripted; others used bullet points or a checklist,” she said.

Why it matters: District staff told the board the model is intended to develop communication and goal-setting skills that teachers said students were lacking. Administrators recommended a January rollout next year rather than November so students would have more time to create portfolios and gather evidence before presenting to families.

How the pilot worked: Team Roar reported roughly 70 student-led conferences during the pilot. Staff offered alternatives when family members could not attend — counselors or other staff met with the student and a separate Google form was provided to enable an at-home conference with the child’s support network. Teachers and specialists — including guidance counselors and learning-support staff — monitored conferences and were available to answer follow-up questions.

Plans for expansion: Presenters proposed a districtwide model with common templates and grade-level adaptations. For 2025–26, staff recommended each student have two goals (personal and academic), a team-level goal (set by teams at the middle school) and a portfolio “piece” contributed by each core and related-arts teacher during the year. The district also plans periodic check-ins between students and parents and guidance-counselor support for students who need extra help.

Accommodations: Staff said student-led conferences would integrate with Individualized Education Program (IEP) practices where appropriate. A special-education teacher who piloted student-led IEP components presented a separate example in which students monitored their own IEP goals and shared progress in IEP meetings.

Concerns from parents and board members: Multiple attendees raised concerns about implementation. A parent who spoke during public comment, Andrea Cookson of Weisenberg Township, urged the district to preserve private, adult-to-adult opportunities for parent–teacher conversations and said in middle school she had experienced “severe anxiety” with brief conferences that felt like “blank slate” encounters.

Board members and parents also asked how the district would support students who struggle with presentations, how teachers would be trained and whether the schedule and staff time needed for an all-building rollout were realistic. One parent suggested a phased or tiered approach — starting with goal-setting instruction in sixth grade and building to full student-led conferences by eighth grade.

Staff response and next steps: Presenters acknowledged the concerns and outlined supports: scaffolds and templates for students who struggle, teacher and counselor backup during conferences, and additional planning and professional development time over the summer and in-team planning time during the school year. Staff said they will continue to refine grade-level differences (sixth, seventh, eighth) and to protect confidentiality by scheduling individual conferences in separate classrooms when possible.

Direct quote: Catherine Krager said, “It is a conference where the student takes the lead, presenting their work, guiding discussion about progress and grades with their parents and teachers, and the teacher serves as the facilitators.”

Public comment: Andrea Cookson said, “This was the only interaction. And I can say in middle school, I had severe anxiety going into every single one of those parent teacher conferences … The only opportunity to have a face to face in private. Private.”

Where this goes next: The board heard the presentation as information. Staff said they will present final implementation details, templates, and a calendar adjustment (moving conferences to January) for board review as planning continues.

Ending: District staff framed the shift as a tradeoff: more student ownership and skill-building in exchange for added planning and targeted supports. Board members asked staff to bring more specific plans on teacher capacity, privacy protections and steps for students who lack a stable support person at home.