Assistant Principal's Corner

Working with Teachers and Schools - Helping Your Child Succeed in School

Q:  What do I do first?
Learn everything that you can about your child's school.  The more you know, the easier your job as a parent will be.  Ask for a school handbook.  This will answer many questions that will arise over the year.  If your school doesn't have a handbook, ask questions.  Ask the principal and teachers, for example:  What classes does the school offer?  Which classes are required?  What are your expectations for my child?  How does the school measure student progress?  Does it meet state standards?  What are the school's rules and regulations?

Q: When should I talk with my child's teacher?
Early and often.  Contact your child's teacher or teachers at the beginning of the year or as soon as you can.  Get acquainted and show your interest.

Q: What if my child has a problem, such as with homework or not understanding what's happening in class?
Contact the teacher as soon as you suspect that your child has problem with his schoolwork.  Schools have a responsibility to keep you informed about your child's performance and behavior and you have a right to be upset if you don't find out until report-card time that your child is having difficulties.  On the other hand, you may figure out that a problem exists before the teacher does.  By alerting the teacher, you can work together to solve a problem in its early stages.

Q: What if I don't have time to volunteer as much as I would like?
Even if you can't volunteer to do work at the school building, you can help your child learn when you're at home.  The key question is, "What can I do at home, easily and in a few minutes a day, to reinforce and extend what the school is doing?"  This is the involvement that every family can and must provide.

If work or other commitments make it impossible for you to volunteer in the school, look for ways to help at home.

Thank you for your time, and see you all soon!

Eduardo Gomez
Assistant Principal