Getting Involved

Now that you are hopefully getting into the swing of things, it is a good time to ask yourself if you are investing as much as you should into your child's education? I believe the easiest way to invest is to simply get involved, and yes it is simple. Here are 5 ways to start:
READ WHAT COMES HOME- A lot of schools are trying to get away from sending so many papers and reminders home, but they do still come. Usually, these reminders have to do with volunteer opportunities, upcoming activities in the classroom, and other info. that will ensure you keep a grasp of what is going on in the classroom and school. I think it is great to set up some kind of routine for your child where they get out the papers or folder from their backpacks each night and put them in a place for you to look over them. I would not accept when my students gave the excuse that their parents didn't read the information or didn't sign the papers that were sent home. I told students that it was their responsibility to make sure the papers got home, their parents saw them, and they got back to school. Many of you would be surprised that kids as young as Kindergartners can learn these types of responsibilities, and it will make them feel "grown up". :) I would love to hear from any of you that have some kind of system like this already in place.
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE-Many teachers and schools utilize a website to share important information. For example, spelling words, field trip information, upcoming events, and the list goes on. I challenge you to go onto your child's school website and check it out. Also, a great way to stay on top of looking at the website is to set a reminder, once a week, to check the website.
ATTEND-Schools work hard to provide useful resources for parents, but it is up to you to attend. The district that I worked for provided curriculum nights to discuss the specific areas that would be taught during the current year. They also provide parent coffees and brown bag lunches to highlight a specific area, such as standardized testing and internet safety.
JOIN PTA- The PTA offers great volunteer opportunities, and I promise you that it makes children so proud when their parents are volunteering in the school. Often there are various opportunities throughout the year during the school day, at night, and even on the weekends. No excuses...make the time!!! :)
HAVE LUNCH- Students LOVE when their parents, grandparents, siblings, or any other special person comes to school to have lunch with them. Check out the lunch policies at your child's school by looking on the internet, contacting their teacher, or the front office. One tip...it may be better to make it a surprise in case something comes up and you can't make it.