Helping Your Child Navigate School: Supporting Your Child at Home

The start of twice monthly sessions for helpful information, discussions and socialization on the First and Third Thursdays, starting October 2^nd.

Time will be from 6-6:45. Child care and snacks will be provided.

First Up: HOMEWORK

October 2 – Math facts/expectations by grade level; some practice time; Math games for fun at home

October 16 – Reading with your child; Common Core expectations; fun ways to provide extra support for your child.

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Next Up: Parent Choice

Week 3’s topic will be selected from ideas you provide.

We hope this will become a regularly occurring get together that will provide staff and parents with a place to share ideas and help each other.

Plan for starting informational meetings for parents – Dawn Bissonnette and Mary Axworthy – We would like your input

Meeting time: 1^st and 3^rd Thursday each month from 6 to 6:45

Child care provided by High School Student Volunteers

Healthy snacks provided by Dawn and Mary to start

Dawn and/or Mary will be at every meeting. We are hoping that other staff will volunteer to help with the break out groups or the presentation when the topic interests you.

Open House: Publicize via flier and discussion. Send home survey (to be created) with parents.

First meeting: October 2 – Covering Math Facts and expectations. Start with the district homework policy presentation by Carolyn Millham; Grade level expectations and focus for the first 3 months hopefully presented by teacher from each grade level; break into grade level groups for answering questions and providing help, extra support from other staff much appreciated (maybe do presentation in grade level groups as well); Ending presentation – Math games and how to use.

Second meeting: October 15 – Reading with your child; Common Core and how to help your child learn to examine the books you read – grade level groups if possible; Ending presentation – where to get extra support (hopefully Marie Hayes can help with this presenting games, etc.) Burnham Library information.

Hopefully, parents will return the survey with ideas for topics they would like to hear. We hope to have a list of suggestions for topics that they can rank as well as space for their ideas. Here are some ideas from Dawn and Mary, but please add to the list for us and comment on our ideas:

·        How to have healthy vacations and holidays, including why routines help even when not at school.

·        Time for play. Discussing research about how unstructured play helps children learn.

·        Hiding vegetables, healthy snacks and meals with extra vegetables added.

·        Getting to sleep. Routines that help a child wind down and rest well at night.

·        Dealing with playground issues. Making friends and solving problems.

·        How to ask for help. Support for school work, school problems, even support for at home issues.

·        Changing families

Any ideas for topics or presenters would be welcome.