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Get Involved – It's Worth It!

9 Ways to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Child's School

By Raymond J. and Eileen Huntington

Ask to be kept informed if things are going well and, especially, if they are not. Make sure the teacher knows your name, has your phone number and knows what time is easiest to reach you. If problems do arise, it is so much easier to handle them if you already know your child's teacher and have a comfortable relationship with him or her. There are many ways to be involved, including joining parent groups such as the PTO/PTA, attending parent/teacher conferences or volunteering for a school event or field trip. When a parent offers to help the school in any way, it tells the children, the teachers and the school administration that this adult cares about the education of his or her child. Ask guidance counselors to explain what course work is needed to meet college requirements, what standardized tests children should take and when to take them and what the results of these tests mean. Ask the school to sponsor an information session for parents on course selections and college or career planning.

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