Welcome Back to a new school year!

I love the first day of school. I love seeing students that I haven't seen since May and hearing about their summer. I love meeting all of our new students, especially our new 6th graders. I love welcoming back my teachers and staff. The school is filled with excitement and energy as students come back ready to greet old friends and make new ones. As educators, it is our favorite day of the year. It is the day that we have all the hope and faith that we will make a positive difference in our students' lives. Our mission for Deerpark is to be an exemplary school. My faculty is very focused on that mission. It will take the support of our parents to insure that all of our students have a successful academic school year. As a principal, I often have parents ask what they can do to help their children succeed in school. There are so many things that parents can do from insuring proper nutrition to helping students make the right academic choices. Here are five specific things that parents can do to help support their child's education:

1) Encourage your child to read. Reading is the single most important thing that a child can do to further their academic career. Students who read on a regular basis out perform their peers on standardized testing, and they are are more prepared for college courses. Encourage your child to read every day. Students can read books, magazines, newspapers, computer news or entertainment sites. Encourage them to read for pleasure as well as for learning. Ask your child to stop frequently and engage in the text--make predictions, define words they may not understand, and look at the style of the genre. Nothing is more important to your child's education than reading.

2) Talk with your child about their learning. Engaging in a conversation with your child about what they are learning is very important. Ask your child questions about what they are learning in school. Be specific about your questions: "What are your reading in class?" "What are you learning in history?" "What experiments are you doing in science?" "What did you learn in math today?" With middle school students, you may have to pry more because they will often say, "Nothing." I can assure you that our students learn something new every day in school. If they can tell you what they are learning, then the learning becomes part of their memory, and it also shows them that you value their education. Learning also occurs outside of the school setting. Have your child assist you in preparing meals or repairing something that is broken. Ask them to help you measure ingredients or hand you the correct tool. When you watch television programs or movies, ask your child questions about what they are watching--why they think something occurred or if they liked the movie--why or why not? The more we engage our children in conversation about learning, the more we place an emphasis on the value of learning.

3) Monitor Homework. Homework is also important to your child's academic success. At DMS, our philosophy is that homework is practice--it reinforces the learning that occurred in class. When I talk with students about homework and its importance, I always use the analogy of an athlete or a musician. I ask students if they wanted to play a sport or an instrument, and if the only time they practiced that sport or their instrument was in class, then how good do they think they would be? We can not expect our students to grasp new material and difficult concepts if they don't "practice." Our students need to complete their homework so they can reflect on their learning, apply their learning, and commit their learning to their memory. Just as an athlete practices so they can perform well on game day, or a musician practices so they can perform well at a concert, our students also must practice so they can perform well in class. To help your student do better on their homework assignments, remove distractions, such as the TV or cell phones. Also, check teacher websites for updates on what homework a student may have.

4) Encourage your child to be responsible. Parents need to set the expectation for their child that education is vital for their future success. Education is the key to opening doors for our children--it gives our children hope for a bright future. Support your child's teachers and the school. Hold your child responsible for any behavior that interferes with the learning process. Hold them accountable for setting goals, doing their classwork, and performing their best. Help them understand that they need to take responsibility for their actions both at home and at school. Monitor what your child does after school and on weekends, and be aware of your child's friends and peer group.

5) Stay active in your child's learning and have high expectations. It is imperative that parents stay involved in their child's education. Parents can volunteer at the school, chaperone field trips, or join PTA. However, the most important thing to do is to understand what your child is learning, what courses they are taking, and how this will help their future. It is never too early to begin having conversations with your child about college. It is important for you to understand where your child is going so you can support them along the way. I have seen many students that have the dream of going to UT or A&M, but they didn't take the right coursework in school to be admitted. If your child's dream is MIT, Harvard, Princeton, or any ivy league school, then start researching these schools to understand admission requirements--especially high school course requirements. Help your child set a goal and then formulate a plan on how to get there. Your child is the single most important person in your life---hold them to high expectations, believe in them, and help them achieve their dream.

I hope these suggestions help. You can also learn more by visiting http://www.ed.gov/

I look forward to a great school year where our mission is: "FOCUS ON EXEMPLARY."