1. Purchase school supplies: make sure your child has the tools he/she needs. In addition to paper, pens and pencils, students generally need folder, notebooks, a calculator, assignment book, backpack, etc.
2. Provide a place to study: it should be quiet, well-lit and comfortable. This area should have a surface for writing and be equipped with paper, pencils, etc.
3. Insist on good attendance: your child needs to be in school on time every day unless he/she is ill. Attendance is the #1 school success factor!
4. Develop routines: having a good morning and nighttime routine makes everyone's day run much smoother. Help your child establish routines that include getting up early enough to eat breakfast, and getting to bed at a reasonable time.
5. Monitor technology use: be aware of how, and for what purposes, your child is using his/her cell phone, laptop, tablet, and/or home computer. Set limits and guidelines. Limits much include turning off all cell phones during dinner, having all phones docked in a common place at 9 pm, and/or making a computer with internet access available only in a common area.
6. Set goals: at the beginning of the year, help your child set some academic goals. Together you might determine what grade he/she should realistically be able to earn in each course that marking period, or you might focus more on study habits [e.g. have all homework completed by 8:30 each night].
7. Encourage a healthy lifestyle: with all of the changes your child may be going through, it's important that they eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. Have nutritious food at home, make sure that your child gets some exercise or does something physical on a regular basis, and insist on a reasonable bedtime.

Monitor Early Grades - Check graded homework, quizzes, and tests to make sure your child is getting off to a good start in all of his/her classes. If you have a concern about your child's progress in a class, contact the teacher.

• Student Planner - encourage your child to take his/her planner to every class and use it to record assignments, tests, quizzes, and anything else he/she needs to remember.
• Three-Ring Notebooks - using a three-ring notebook with tabs for different classes is a great way to keep notes organized. Handouts can easily be inserted, and if your child misses a class, he/she can copy someone else's notes and insert them where they belong.
• Folders - purchase a different colored pocket folder for each class. Encourage your child to use these folders for current assignments, returned assignments, and graded tests.
• Home File - have a place at home to store anything your child wants to keep or may need later - returned tests, essays, reports, artwork, etc. [Returned tests may help with preparation for future tests.]
• Phone Numbers - make sure your child has a phone number for at least one other student in each class. If your child is absent or has a question, he/she will have someone to call.
• Backpack/Locker - encourage your child to clean out his/her backpack and locker regularly. Remind your child that all papers should be put in a notebook or folder - never stuck loose in a book, locker or backpack.
• Teacher Websites - have your child bookmark teacher websites and/or progress books to make it easy to check grades.

Time Management Tips

With good time management, students have less stress and more free time. They also feel more in control of their lives.

• Use Time in School - encourage your child to use any free time in school to get started on homework - he/she will have a lot less to do at night.

• Create a Study Plan - some students want to get their homework done right after school; others want to take a break and do it later. Help your child determine the best time to do homework and help create a study plan. For example, doing homework right after dinner [before starting any other activity] often works well. The important thing is that your child start on their homework early.

1. Help organize and prioritize homework: before starting on homework, have your child decide exactly what needs to be done, and the order is which he/she is going to do it. Make sure there's enough time for the things that are the most important. Encourage your child to do difficult assignments first, while he/she is still fresh and alert.
2. Emphasize the importance of keeping up: once students get behind, it can be hard to catch up. Encourage your child to keep up on homework and reading assignments, and to start projects early.
3. Help break down large assignments: large assignments can seem overwhelming and your child may need help figuring out where to begin. Show your child how to break large assignments and projects down into smaller, more manageable tasks.
4. If your child has a question or problem... encourage your child to talk to the teacher either before or after class whenever he/she has a question or problem. Teachers are generally happy to help, but students need to let their teachers know they need it.
5. If your child is not doing his/her homework... first make sure the homework isn't too difficult, or that there isn't some problem with the class. You then need to come up with a plan in which the completion of the homework becomes your child's responsibility.
6. Be available to help - but don't do the work. All students need encouragement and support, and most middle school students need a little extra help from time to time. Be available to help if your child gets stuck, or if he/she needs someone to look over an essay, listen to a speech, or help review for a test. Don't give more help than is wanted, and don't do the work yourself. If something doesn't get done, don't come to the rescue. If you do, your child won't feel the need to be responsible in the future.

Monitor Progress - it's very important for middle school students to be successful in their classes, and for them to feel competent and capable. If you see your child struggling in a class or spending an excessive amount of time on homework, contact the teacher and discuss your concerns.