The Best School Year Yet!

Having been an educator at the kindergarten through the college level AND a parent of two public-school-educated children, the ups and downs of a school year are very familiar to me. As an educator, I have heard all sorts of complaints and concerns about the education system, testing, teachers, and more. As a parent, I’ve heard the other side of the coin on the very same issues.

When school starts on August 5 for students in our Questa Independent School District, children from the age of 3 to 21 will be back in their classrooms. Our children’s education should never be an “us against them” situation. Parents and school personnel must rely on each other for support.

What can parents do in order for the 2024-25 school year to be the best possible experience for their children? The following tips will help.

BE POSITIVE Especially young children will mimic what they hear from their parents. Do not criticize the school, the staff, or their teacher in front of them. If you have a problem, direct your concerns to the appropriate adults.

ASK & LISTEN Ask your child every day what they did at school. Ask open-ended questions so you don’t fall into the “How was school?”….”Okay” trap. “What did you do when you got to school? What was the best part of the day? Did you answer any of the teachers’ questions? Tell me something you learned today.” From one of our children, then a first-grader, I learned that pigs were more dangerous to people than sharks, and from the other child (also in first grade), I learned there were more than 100 types of apples grown commercially in the US. Thirty years later, I still remember their pride sharing these facts with me that I hadn’t known.

SLEEP! Establish a healthy schedule BEFORE school starts. This is important for all ages. Without adequate sleep, a child can’t perform at their best. Don’t think this gets less important as your child gets older. Research shows teens need MORE sleep than younger children and they often have a more difficult time with early morning wake-ups. They may fight you, but start with a schedule that allows 8 to 10 hours of sleep (without access to social media!) for your middle and high school child.

AFTER SCHOOL Ensure your child’s safety after school. Whether they will ride a bus, a bike, walk, drive, or ride to and from school, and whether they will return to you, a sitter, a relative, or an empty house, it is your job to make sure they are safe. Make sure they know each day what they are to do after school.

BREAKFAST My son took this one to the extreme when I learned he was eating breakfast at home, breakfast at the daycare that took him to school, AND breakfast at school when he started kindergarten! When he started complaining of stomach aches, I learned he was being fed by everyone! You just make sure your child gets a good breakfast before expecting much from their brain. Include protein and plenty of non-sugary beverages (water is GREAT!). A sandwich or dinner’s leftovers—as long as they don’t have a sugar-filled breakfast, they will do better with something in their stomachs before school.

CLASSMATES Talk about bullying with your children AND with their school. Talk about how to treat others and how to expect to be treated by others. If you are concerned about a bullying situation, talk with the teacher soon. Ask your child’s school personnel how bullying is handled. Be a part of the solution.

HOMEWORK Be aware of what is expected of your child. Establish a time for your child to complete their work every day. No homework? This time needs to be devoted to some type of learning or reading. Look over their work. Have them read to you. Make sure work gets to and from school, not wadded into a backpack. Many teachers will have a method, but if they don’t, you can give your child a brightly colored HOMEWORK folder to ensure what they have completed gets done and turned in.

LEARNING CONCERNS Talk with the teacher, counselor, and/or principal if you think your child is struggling with a certain skill or subject. I worked in Special Education and had a child who received these services. Do NOT think these services are negative for your child. It is your responsibility to make sure your child receives the instruction she or he needs. When our oldest child was tested in early elementary school and was diagnosed with learning disabilities, we were shaken at first, but then quickly got on board and became his most vocal advocates.

He received the help he needed and went from a third-grade non-reader to a perfect ACT score in language just a few years later. Now in his thirties, he still reads several books a week AND is an English teacher!

ADVOCACY As an educator, I told parents “I won’t believe everything they say about you, if you won’t believe everything they say about me!” If your child comes home with a concern about someone at school, make sure they know you will get all the information you can. Meet with school staff and hear all sides of a situation. Don’t assume before you have all the information.
Make this your child’s best school year yet!