Back to School Tips

As summer is coming to an end we find ourselves preparing for our kids to go back to school, and for us to get some time away from the kids. Here are a few ideas that will hopefully make the transition a bit easier, as well as tips on helping our children have a successful school year.

• Supplies are cheaper in August: Summer school isn't even over for some high school students, but this is the time to buy supplies for students of all ages, and the key is to stock up! Though the economy is tough right now you might find yourself not wanting to buy as many supplies as you should, but if you need some at a later date chances are you will find yourself paying up to 10 times more than you would in August. I even suggest over buying when possible. This is especially helpful if you live in parts of the country when school doesn't start until after Labor Day. By September stores are out of supplies and sales are over, just remember to keep your receipts and you can always return items at a later date.

• Agendas are a great way to start off the year: Many students have trouble being organized as well keeping things organized. Agendas are a great tool that will help students be successful in school and in life. As a high school teacher the big problem that I see with students and parents is that they want to start getting organized when it is too late. If you push your child to start off the year with an agenda, as opposed to starting one 8 weeks into the school year, they are more likely to fall into the habit of using it. Many schools are now providing one to students, but the key is that you as a parent need to make sure your student is using it.

• Stay in contact with teachers: Now that we have technology wherever we go we should be using it for more then just shopping or reading great articles, how about emailing our students teachers. Trust me; most teachers love it when parents do this. I would suggest waiting a week after school starts and send a mass email to all of your kid's teachers. Introduce yourself and simply ask them to keep you posted with how Johnny is doing in class. You can even continue to do this every couple of weeks. This will not only help you keep your child on track, but give you conversation topics, "how was your English test today?" or "are you planning on studying for your Spanish quiz?"

  Please do remember that teachers are busy so give them at least 48 hours to respond.

• Don't wait until the last minute, for anything: A big topic of conversation between my friends and I is when parents wait until the end of the school year to contact us about their child's grade in our class. Please make sure that you know when your school district sends or passes out report cards and keep up with his or her grades. Trust me most of the time if a student is about to fail a class for the semester it isn't because of the lack of work for the last 2 weeks, even if that is what your kid says.

Hopefully these few tips help you and the students start off the school year on the right track.