Dear parents/guardians:
Summer always seems to go by so fast and there never seems to be enough time to mentally prepare for going back to school. Yet late summer is such a huge transition time for everyone at home to get used to a more structured schedule and demands made on getting homework done, going to sports practice, and so on. In this issue, I offer some tips on how to transition to back to school, as well as some useful information about sleep and social media use,
A google search of how others ease back into the school year, here are the most commonly found tips :
1. Get some sleep: Teenagers need to adjust to getting to bed early again. It may be a good idea to skip naps after school so that when 9 p.m. comes around your child will be ready to go to sleep. As we all know, sleep is critical for teen mental health. It may also be a wise - albeit unpopular decision - to take the phone away at night. I attached more information on useful pointers for parents.
2. Make time for breakfast : During the summer when students sleep late their "breakfast" may be midday, or just skipped entirely. However, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It will give students the physical and mental energy needed to sit through over six hours of class.
3. Discuss social media : Throughout the course of the school year, students will often experience negative experiences with social media. Our school climate office and school counselors spend a lot of time helping students navigate painful situations that boil down to miscommunication or not being very sensitive to others on social media. The beginning of the school year may be a good time to sit down and discuss the pros and cons of social media and helps kids use it responsibly. I also attached some pointers in this issue.
4. Get organized : Organization is one of the most important skills that high school will ask of your child. We often suggest that students get a wall calendar or personal planner. They receive a free student handbook each year that has a calendar in it. Students can mark down the dates of midterms, finals, and assignments. .
5. Ask for help: We talk a lot about self advocacy, especially for freshmen, and to learn how to ask for what you need if you need help. This is a learned skill, and especially at the start of a new year it's a good time to start practicing. It's also about moving away from the shame if you don't immediately understand a direction - very few do! - and to know that teachers are happy to answer a good question.
Wishing you all a good start to 2022-2023 !
Ms. Fairclough
School Adjustment Counselor
