Back to School Guide for Parents

The back to school rush has begun as summer nears its end. In addition to the return to the traditional school supplies, here are some guidelines to make the most of the school counseling services available to your child and family.

Back to school can create stress and school counselors are trained to help students to manage their stress and cope effectively.  As a parent, you may have your own anxieties and concerns about the beginning of school, particularly in the aftermath of the recent nation-wide gun violence.  There are many resources in the school system to assist your family including a school counselor, school principal and your child's teacher.

Helpful Guidelines: 1) Know your resources! 2) Reach out to your child's teacher to introduce yourself and wish the teacher well in beginning the new school year. This is a great way to begin a positive relationship to launch the beginning of the school year. 3) Be open and honest about your concerns and any changes your child has experienced during the summer break and how they may impact their transition into the new school year. 4) Contact the school counselor to share your worries, concerns and details about personal issues your child may need support with. School counselors have advanced training in working with school age children and can collaborate with the teacher, parent and student to support a successful transition at the beginning of the school year. If additional supports are needed, the school counselor is the professional to provide it! 5) To manage your own anxieties, review your school's safety plan. a. How will I be notified in the event of an emergency? Phone call, text or email. b. Where should I pick up my child in the event of an emergency? c. What safety drills will my child learn? Fire drill? Lock-down drill? d. What is the lock-down policy of my child's school district? e. What is the visitor policy in my child's school?

The transition back to school can be tricky, particularly if your family has undergone a transition itself. The transition may be a divorce or marital separation, a remarriage and blending of families, a move,  job loss,  an illness or death in the family, the birth of a sibling or an older sibling leaving home for college. There are ways to support your child to navigate the transition with ease and your school counselors are a great resource to help.