Prepare Your Student

Starting school can be a difficult time for children.  Every child is hesitant to go somewhere new and see people she or he have never met before.  Here are some helpful ways to prepare your child for the first day of school:

• Let your child know what his or her schedule will be like.  Tell him what time school begins and ends each day.
• Ask your child about their feelings - both the excitement and the concerns about starting school.
• Visit the school with your child to see their new classroom and meet his new teacher before school officially starts.
• Point out the positive aspects of starting school.  It will be fun and she/he can make new friends.
• Let your child know that all kids are nervous about the first day of school.
• Leave a note in your child's lunchbox that will remind them that you are thinking of them while they are at school.
• Reassure your child that if any problems arise at school, you will be there to help resolve them.
• Try to have your child meet a classmate before the first day of school so they will already have a friend when school starts.
• Arrange for your child to walk to school or ride together on the bus with another kid in the neighborhood.
• Find out about after-school activities that your child can join. 

Testing

We live in an era of comprehensive testing.  Although our instructional focus is much broader than this and all successes are not measured by these standards, it is important to prepare your child for necessary evaluations. The following are suggestions we hope you will find helpful:

• Build your child's skills and confidence everyday; then on test days, he or she will be more likely to have the resources needed to do his or her best.
• Ask your child's teacher about the purposes of different tests, how the results are used, and what specific things you can do to help your child.
• Help your child overcome test anxiety by being available, listening, and encouraging.