Parent Information

Communication is key to a parent's involvement. Your child's teacher or school has several ways to “keep in touch." One way is the grade report or report card the schools send home each grading period.  Teachers welcome the opportunity to discuss with parents their child's academic progress, especially if grades begin to vary or drop.  Other ways to stay in contact is to ask your child for graded papers, call the teacher, e-mail the teacher, visit the school as a volunteer, and by all means make every effort to attend all parent workshops and PTSA meetings. Your attitude about education will affect your child's attitude about school.  Try to speak positively about your child's school and staff members.  Always talk in positive terms about the benefits of education.  Too many students drop out of school, never realizing the missed opportunity until it is too late.  These are some steps you can take to support your child's educational development:

• Make sure your child attends school on time every day.  A missed day in school can never be made up.  Test scores will reflect absents.
• Attend open houses and parent-teacher conferences.
• Answer notes and telephone calls from your child's school and middle school.
• Volunteer in your child's school. 
• Join a parent-teacher organization.

• Talk with the principal and/or guidance counselor.
• Ask to see your child's file. 

Help your child choose classes.  This is especially important in middle and high school.  Make sure the school places your child in the correct classes that fits his or her ability.  Advanced classes can result in added stress and remedial classes can affect the classes he or she can take later.  Become familiar with placement procedures.  When there is a choice, you should be aware of those choices and help make the decision.  If your child is experiencing academic difficulty, talk with a counselor about possible assistance.  In the spring of the eighth grade year, your child will choose high school classes based on a career choice. Take every opportunity to assist your child with this most critical decision.  Career planning is a major part of selecting high school classes.  Gather information regarding career choices and high school curriculum/programs offered at your local high school, ask about the current labor market, and ask about the different educational options your child will have while in high school and after.

Stay involved, listen to your child, know your child's friends, celebrate your child's successes, encourage involvement in extracurricular activities, and if your child works, be aware of the number of hours they are working, encourage reading (take them to the library), encourage writing, and schedule time for homework are ways that you can stay involved with your child's education when he or she is not at school.

Web Resources for Parents