Parents of elementary aged students are great about being involved in their children’s schools. They join the PTA, they volunteer in classrooms, they fundraise, they organize class outings and they show up to every single talent show, holiday program, awards night, and school play all year long.

But for many parents, as their kids get older and move into middle school and high school, they start to drift away from the school. Maybe they aren’t sure how to go about helping in the upper level schools or they think their kids should be on their own more or maybe they just get worn out, but whatever the reason, the fact is that their kids still need them, maybe even more than before.

According the National Center for Education Statistics, “studies have found that parental involvement is more important to student success, at every grade level, than family income or education.” So, it seems that even as kids get older, they continue to thrive under the support and active participation of their parents in their school – whether they would admit it or not!

Traditionally, parents of high school students have been great supporters of athletics. They do not seem to have difficulty supporting their kids on the field or court. However, they do seem to have trouble showing their support in the academic realm. Maybe it is because they are more comfortable dealing with the athletics, but parents must realize that this sort of lopsided participation can send a mixed message to kids. They may come to think that their athletics are more important than their academics.

So, if you have kids in high school and you want to get back into the school and support your child, how do you do it?