School starts on Aug. 30. Recently I was asked what advice I would give parents to help their children be as successful in school as possbile. I thought I would share my thoughts with you as your child starts a new year. Most of them are things you already do, but it never hurts to have a reminder.
1. Pray for your child. – Probably the most important thing you can do is to cover your child and our school in prayer.
2. Read the communications that come from the school. – Staying as informed as possible about what is going on in your child's school life will help you be as supportive of them and their activities as you can be.
3. Check the backpack. – This is mostly for elementary parents. Often your child's teacher will send home a note, a letter to the class, or homework information. If your child is like I was, this means they sometimes don't want you to find it. Check out the backpack!
4. Log on to Crusader Connection. – Jr. and Sr. High School parents should know their login and passwordand use this valuable tool which shows grades, attendance, etc.
5. Have a routine. – Research shows that children thrive in a structured environment. Establishing a routine for homework time, wake-up time, etc. will really help your child.
6. Get to know the teachers. – Knowing your child's teachers and letting them get to know you will help your child immensely. Don't be afraid to tell your child's teacher about major things going on in family life that might impact your student at school.
7. Read the Parent Handbook. – It isn't scintillating reading but there are things in it that are important for you and your child to know.
8. Monitor sleep and nutrition. – All studies point to these facts: getting enough sleep and eating right (especially breakfast)as having a direct connection to academic success.
Hope that helps. See you at school!