The First Week

· Clear your own schedule. To the extent possible, postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, extra projects, etc. You want to be free to help your child acclimate to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year.

· Make lunches the night before school. Older children should help or make their own. Give them the option to buy lunch in school if they prefer and finances permit.

· Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning schedules and bus pickups.

· Leave plenty of extra time to get up, eat breakfast, and get to school. For very young children taking the bus, pin to their shirt or backpack an index card with pertinent information, including their teacher's name and bus number, as well as your daytime contact information.

· Review with your child what to do if they get home after school and you are not there. Be very specific, particularly with young children. Put a note card in their backpack with the name(s) and number(s) of a neighbor who is home during the day as well as a number where you can be reached. If you have not already done so, have your child meet their neighbor contacts to reaffirm their backup support personally.

· Review your child's schoolbooks with them and talk about what they will be learning during the year. Share your enthusiasm for the subjects and your confidence in their ability to master the content. Reinforce the natural progression of the learning process that occurs over the school year. Learning skills take time and repetition. Encourage your child to be patient, attentive, and positive.

· Send a brief note to your child's teacher letting them know that you are interested in getting regular feedback on how and what your child is doing in school. Be sure to attend back to school night and introduce yourself to the teacher. Find out how they like to communicate with parents, e.g. through notes, e-mail, or phone calls. Convey a sincere desire to be a partner with your child's teacher to enhance their learning experience.

· Familiarize yourself with the other professionals in the building or district who can be a resource for your child. Learn their roles and how best to access their help if you need them. This can include the principal and front office personnel; school psychologist, counselor, and social worker; the reading specialist, speech therapist, and school nurse; and the after-school activities coordinator.

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