You cannot participate in your child’s school if you are uninformed. Make it
your job to learn the who’s who and how things work in the school.
Attend back-to-school night
or any beginning of the year orientations offered at the school. This is
where you meet the administration, teachers and support staff. You can
also learn about school policies on such things as attendance, homework,
discipline, grading and extracurricular eligibility and rules. Ask
questions about any areas of concern you might have. High schools have
tons of activities and programs for kids, but sometimes the kids don’t
even realize what is offered. You might be able to find things that would
interest your child through attending these orientations.
Introduce yourself to your
child’s teachers so that they can put a face with a name early on. Unlike
elementary teachers who have around 30 students total, high school
teachers can have over a hundred students on their rosters. Consequently,
they may have a hard time learning which kid belongs to whom. So, if they
meet you early and have a quick chat with you, they’ll probably remember
who you are. Once this relationship is established communication between
school and home will improve.
Check out the school’s
website, if they have one. High school students are notorious about “forgetting”
to tell their parents about things going on at school, so the website may
help you be more informed. They usually list school activity calendars,
testing dates and information, school board meeting information, and links
to school related websites. Many teachers also have links to their own
class websites where they post assignments and classroom details.