Once again, summer has flown by in a flash! It's hard to believe that it's time to send our children back to school! Like many parents, I have gone into total "back-to-school mode" including a plethora of school supplies purchased, taking my kids shopping for new clothes and shoes, and the oh-so-important quest for the perfect new backpacks (see left, mission accomplished). The charm of the back to school shopping phenomenon is the idea that we want our children to return to school prepared and excited for the new academic year ahead. It's important to us that they start off on the right foot! Likewise, we as parents need to be excited and prepared to help our children succeed this school year. Here are a couple of "marching orders" to help us start off this school year on the right foot.1. Step Up! to get started on the right foot-
Parents, we have to step up and keep ourselves informed this year! There are plenty of resources available to help us monitor our children's grades and keep updated on important dates and events. Here are the most important ones:- The Memorial Junior High School webpage on the District 158 website has helpful links, resources, and a calendar. It includes a supply list, PTA info, and a staff directory. Make sure you check it often! http://www.d158.net/schools/memorial-junior-high-school/
- Power School is a fantastic resource for monitoring our children's progress and grades. You can connect with teachers, check attendance records, view lunch balances, and more. You received your child's username and password at registration. If you can't locate it, call the office at 708-474-2383. http://powerschool.d158.net/public/
- Go to Open House on Thursday, September 4th from 6:30-8:00 PM! This is such an important evening to visit each of your child's new classes and hear from each teacher about expectations and the year ahead. Be sure to get your child's schedule from Power School if they aren't attending with you.
2. Put Your Foot Down! to get started on the right foot
The "one day at a time" philosophy is really important as we anticipate the work ahead of us and our children to ensure academic success. We have to be committed, one day at a time, to holding our children accountable for their academic performance and healthy habits and behavior. We probably need to have a heart to heart talk with our kids as they head back to school and clearly lay out our expectations of them in this new school year. A couple of the highlights of my heart to heart will include:
- Prioritization of time- rest, homework, and limited screen time
- Middle school students, no matter how responsible, need to be reminded occasionally that proper rest and homework trump TV, video games, social media, and texting!
- Expectation of best effort- preparation, organization, good choices
- I've said it before and I'll say it again- "I don't expect perfection, but I do expect your best effort," is incredibly important to communicate to our children. Best effort probably needs a bit of defining for our kiddos. Preparation, organization, and good choices are the three things that I use to measure "best effort". On this point I would throw in the idea of, "progress, not perfection". Let's face it, middle schoolers are a wreck sometimes, aren't they?
- My availability to help- ALWAYS
- It seems odd that we, as parents, need to let our children know that they can come to us for help! But it's something we need to clearly state over and over again. As we embark on the new adventures of this school year, I'm letting my daughter know that she can come to me anytime she needs help and with anything she may need help with- that covers not only academics, but all areas of life including situations that may arise with friends or teachers.
