As the school year draws to a close, here is the ultimate list of advice, tips, and tasks for parents to complete.
It is mid-April and in Florida the end of the school year is rapidly approaching. As a parent, you may have a mix of emotions as you watch your child complete an orbit through another school year. Like a ferris wheel rotating, with its speed ebbing and flowing as seasons come and go, the end of the school year seems to accelerate to a crescendoing end.
Depending on their grade, your child may just be starting their school journey, and you have many years of milestones and celebrations ahead. Or, perhaps you have a high school student, who, like a magnet, has been more attracted to their friends and social obligations than you and your home.
Whichever end of the spectrum you are on – or perhaps you are traversing the turbulent middle school years, which places you literally in the middle – the end of the school year requires a parent’s attention to detail to help your child finish the school year strongly.
And wouldn’t it be nice if there were a master list of tasks to complete? Like someone scoured the internet and curated the best tips and tasks for parents to complete before the end of the school year.
You are in luck because Engage the Brain did just that! What follows is a comprehensive list of advice, tasks, and tips for parents to complete as their child’s school year comes to a close.
Tasks to complete
Add end of school year events to calendar
The end of the school year may bring school concerts, play performances, graduations, and or other special events. Be sure to add them to your family calendar (you have one these, right?) to avoid conflicts with other obligations.
Maintain a schedule
Encourage and perhaps even demand that your child maintain a schedule. Enforce bedtimes, homework times, and meal times to ease the hectic nature of the last month of school.
Motivate/reward (bribe) to end school year strong
Spring fever can hit kids hard, and motivation and interest in school can wane quickly. While internal motivation is always best to cultivate, combatting and treating spring fever may require some external encouragement. Whatever motivates your child, perhaps this is the time of year to offer up incentives to ensure your child finishes exams, projects, and papers with the proper attention and effort.
Return all school property
Begin gathering all the items that need to be returned to school. Library books (do those still exist?), athletic equipment, text books, etc. all typically need to be returned to avoid a fine or replacement cost.
Review community service hours for teens (if required)
If your child is in high school, they may have a service hour requirement. These can be required for scholarships and graduation, so ensure your child is making the appropriate progress towards the service goal.
Review child’s accommodations (IEP/504)
If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, typically the school will hold a meeting to review the accommodations listed. Discuss these with your child. Is the school providing the accommodations? Are they working? Should you add one or change one? Be prepared for the meeting or request a meeting if necessary.
Apply/extend any financial aid or scholarships for next year
Make sure you complete any paperwork or visit any websites required to apply for or extend any financial aid or scholarships (Family Empowerment Scholarship, McKay, Gardiner for example) your child receives. Most have firm deadlines, so review the requirements and act now.
Firm up plans for next school year
Is your child returning to the same school? If so, you are all set. If not, ensure all details all taken care of for the new school so your child can seamlessly matriculate into the next school year.
Ease anxiety (about next school year if child is making a jump from elementary to middle or middle to high school)
Going along with the previous pearl of wisdom, if your child is switching to a new school, make plans to visit the new one either at the end of the current school year (if possible) or even during the summer. Perhaps chatting with siblings or friends with siblings who attend the school can ease jitters and concerns.
Thank you’s and or gifts for impactful people: teachers, coaches, …
As the year winds down, plan which impactful people at your child’s school – or other locations – you would like to formally thank. Purchase thank you cards or other tokens of appreciation in advance so you are prepared to acknowledge those important people.
Plan summer learning activities
To avoid the summer slide, plan what enrichment, remediation, and/or therapies your child will need to address this summer. Professionals who work in these fields fill up their respective schedules quickly, so act now to reserve your child’s spot.
Enroll in summer camps
After two summers of uncertainty due to COVID-19, many camps will be open and ready for children. Plan which one(s) your child will attend and reserve your spot(s) because they will fill up.
Plan job opportunities for teens
Summer jobs are great opportunities for teenagers to learn (or practice) responsibility and earn a few spending dollars. Not sure if your child is ready for a “real” job? Family Education has some information for parents to consider.
Celebrate
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate! Successfully navigating another school year ought to be honored. Perhaps dinner at a family favorite restaurant or some other reward to acknowledge your child’s (and your) hard work.
Bonus activity
It would be a wonderful tradition to start by holding an end of year interview with your child. With video capability on most smartphones, recording the conversation would be easy and a fantastic keepsake.
Possible questions to ask your child could include:
What is the most important thing you learned this year?
What is your favorite memory of this school year?
How have you changed this year?
What is something hard you did?
Who was your favorite teacher?
What was the best gossip this year?
Final thoughts
The end of the school year is a hectic and busy time of the year. Like a planet orbiting around the sun, your child is completing another important journey as they finish one more grade. While emotions such as pride and nostalgia (or anger and bewilderment) may bubble up to the surface, remember to complete all the necessary tasks to ensure your child finishes the school year with effort and confidence.
If you have any questions about your child’s end of school year tasks, summer plans, or academic needs, please contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain.