Page 6 - Ohio Family Magazine Aug13

BACK TO

SCHOOL

PREPARATION

FOR ALL

AGES

by Laurie Hurley

f you have children, late July, August
and early September represents more
Ithan summer ending, cooler weather and
fall foliage. School begins once again for
millions of kids across the country. Getting
your child prepared, regardless of whether
they are in Kindergarten or a senior in high
school, is a must. Here are some tips to make
the transition from several weeks of summer
fun to school days and homework easier.
Children in Kindergarten -
5th grade
1. About a week before school starts, have two or three days before school begins (or more so in middle school, to have all the
your children go to bed at the time they will drive if they take a bus or you will be driving school supplies ready, especially an orga-
when school begins. Set their alarm or wake them). This helps acquaint them with what nizer. Some schools make it mandatory for
them up early. It’s difficult for some kids to they will actually be doing that first day and the students to purchase an organizer directly
adjust to going to bed and getting up earlier can work wonders for alleviating the first- from the school. Get in the habit from day
after having an entire summer of sleeping in day jitters. If your child is especially anx- one of checking it and being sure homework
or staying up late. Many young children need ious, ask if you can let them visit their new assignments are recorded. Visit the school
to be on a schedule and preparing a week or classroom for five or ten minutes the day website and see if homework and grades will
so earlier will pay off, especially if you have before school starts. Many principals will let be posted on the site. This is an excellent way
a night owl or late sleeper. the Kindergartners come to the campus prior to stay involved with your child’s progress
2. If you have a school supply list (many to school starting. throughout the year.
school districts post them on their website or 3. If your student struggles with the ba-
hand them out the last day of school), buy the Middle School sics; math or language arts, consider hiring
supplies early. For the child who is not orga- 1. Many sixth graders will be attending a tutor for some review sessions before and
nized, this is a good way to begin the school a new school for their middle school during the first semester. Also, it is quite
year off on the right foot. Label ev- years. Oftentimes, the campus is common in middle school for students who
erything and get the backpacks much bigger and can be intimi- are excelling to be moved to Honors classes
ready the night before school dating. Of course pre-teens may sometime during the year. Being in an accel-
starts. Buy some extra supplies not admit they are nervous, but erated class is a good way to prepare a stu-
to keep at home if your child most parents are. Suggest a dent for Advanced Placement (AP) classes in
is one to lose or forget their bike ride over to the school high school, which count as college credit.
pencils or markers at school. sometime during August
They will probably need just to look around. Many High School
some basic supplies for middle schools conduct ori- 1. Find out when the PSAT and SAT ex-
homework time. Nothing entation anyway a couple ams will take place. If your student is not a
is more frustrating than sit- of days before school actu- good test taker, consider enrolling them in a
ting down to do homework ally begins, but an extra trip test prep class. As colleges become more and
and discovering the basics without all of their peers more competitive, test scores make a differ-
are missing. might be worthwhile. ence. One can take the exam more than once
3. If you have a Kin- 2. Just as in elementary if they are not happy with the score, so plan
dergartner, walk to school school, it is important, if not ahead and register early.
6 OFM • August 2013 www.ohiofamilymagazine.com