7 Things To Do Before School Starts
It’s that time again! The school year is rapidly approaching us and summer is winding down. Besides the obvious tasks of purchasing school supplies and making sure your teen has wrapped up their summer reading, there are seven things you need to make sure you and your teen do before he or she begins their high school adventure.
Top 7 Things To Do Before School Starts:
- Scout the school! Has your teen walked through their schedule to find each of their classes and figured out the best route from one class to another?
- Practice their locker combination so they don’t have to do it on the first day, especially if they are nervous about getting to each class on time.
- Find out if there are any friends in any classes. Don’t forget lunch! Having even one friendly face in a class can make all of the difference.
- Choose an system of organization together. Determine your teen’s biggest organizational challenges and come up with a solution before school starts.
- Place a calendar somewhere where everyone in the family can see it. List after school activities, appointments, etc. If you prefer to use a digital asset, try a shared Google calendar.
- Meet the guidance counselor. If you haven’t already done so, stop in to say hi and introduce your teen. Your teen should know who their counselor is and where their office is located.
- Find the list of extracurricular activities that are available at your teen’s school. Go over the list together to see if your teen has an interest in joining any. If they are interested, have them listen for announcements about the activity, talk to a guidance counselor, coach or advisor or a student who has already participated in the activity to get more information.
While of some these may be items that are covered in your teen’s orientation for high school, some may not or they may feel more comfortable doing them with you present. It’s important for you, as a parent, and for your teen to have a good understanding that there are resources there should they need anything throughout their years of high school and also that there are outlets for them to get involved.
Set your teen up for success! Complete this list and prepare for your teen to have the best year yet.