By August, the telltale signs have emerged. “Back to School” specials appear in newspaper ads. Prominent displays of notebooks, backpacks, and school supplies pop up in discount stores. And many parents start looking downright eager about the end of summer, when they can re-establish a normal routine.
Besides new school outfits and supplies, there are great ways to help your kids start off on the right foot for a successful school year, says a panel of mid-Michigan principals assembled by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP).
Steps that parents take before school starts—and during the first few days—can help smooth the transition back to school. Here are the key tips offered by the educators:
* Before buying back-to-school clothing, check the school’s dress code to ensure that your child will be in compliance.
* If it’s a transition year for your child (from elementary to middle school, or from middle school to high school), or if your child is new to the district, visit the school to familiarize him or her with the building.
* Many beginning middle-school students are anxious about their ability to master the combination lock on their locker. When you visit the school, ask if your child can practice unlocking a locker.
* If your child participates in sports, make that sure he or she has had a recent physical exam, and that the proper forms have been completed and returned to the school.
* After the “lazy days” of summer, it’s important to re-establish a more structured routine during the week or so before school resumes.
* The beginning of each school year offers students an opportunity for a fresh start. Sit down with your student and set goals. Discuss the pros and cons of the previous year, and how some things can be changed for the better.
Once the school year has begun, say Michigan principals, the following tips can help your student stay on the right track:
* Carefully review the important information that is sent home with each student at the start of the school year. Complete and return any necessary forms. Organize the rest of the material in a special folder that you can keep handy.
* It’s particularly important to update the emergency-contact information for your student, and send the form back to the school office.
* Contact the school in writing if your child is has special needs or circumstances that teachers should be aware of, such as a need to take medication while at school.
* Sit down and review the student handbook with your child.
* Finally, don’t be afraid to fill out the form for the free or reduced-price lunch offered by school districts to students who qualify. This information, say the educators, is strictly confidential, and no one in the lunch line can tell if your child is receiving this benefit.