By Mimi Doe

It's important to be a partner with your child's teacher.

Many teachers have written to me over the years, frustrated with how unprepared their students are—and they don't mean academically. Chris, a kindergarten teacher, wrote what many teachers have expressed, "I would love it if you could write a 10 tips for parents to help us teachers do our increasingly demanding job. Many parents of children I teach have left the job of spiritual, character, and social/emotional education to me. I can't do it all in addition to teaching academic skills. I'm getting burned out and pretty soon won't have the energy left to nourish one child let alone 25."

So here goes—my 10 tips:

1. Create a smooth takeoff each day. Give your child a hug before she ventures out the door and you head to work. Look her in the eye, and tell her how proud you are of her. Your child's self-confidence and security will help her do well both in school and in life.

2. Prepare for a happy landing at the end of the day when you reconvene. Create a predictable ritual such as 10–20 minutes listening to your child talk about his day—before you check phone messages, read the mail, or begin dinner. That way you are fully present to listen, and your child has a touchstone he can count on between school and home.

3. Fill your child's lunchbox with healthy snacks and lunches. Have dinner at a reasonable hour and a healthy breakfast. A well-balanced diet maximizes your child's learning potential.

4. Include calm, peaceful times in your children's afternoons and evenings. Maintain a schedule that allows them to go to school rested, and if they are sick, have a system in place so they are able to stay home.

5. Remember it's your children's homework, not yours. Create a specific homework space that's clutter-free and quiet. Encourage editing and double-checking work, but allow your kids to make mistakes, as it's the only way teachers can gauge if they understand the material. It's also how children learn responsibility for the quality of their work.

6. Fill your child's life with a love for learning by showing him your own curiosity, respecting his questions, and encouraging his efforts.

7. Fill your home with books to read, books simply to look at, and books that provide answers to life's many questions. The public or school library is an excellent resource.

8. Be a partner with your child's teacher. When you need to speak to him or her in reference to a specific issue with your child, do it privately, not in front of your child. Make a point never to criticize your child's teacher in front of your child.

9. Set up a system where routine items are easily located—such as backpacks, shoes, signed notices. Create a central calendar for upcoming events to avoid the unexpected.

10. Tuck a "love note" in your child's lunch bag to let her know how special she is. Knowing they are loved makes it easier for children to be kind to others.

Research proves that when parents are involved in their children's education, they achieve more. Schools perform better. Teacher moral even improves. Ultimately, communities are stronger when parents get involved. PTA offers a number of annual events encouraging parent involvement. 

 With your membership contribution of $10.00 per family. The PTA is able to sponsor important programs like school assemblies and field trips for our students, as well as providing teachers with needed classroom supplies. 

Demonstrate your commitment to the life or our school by becoming a member today. You can join in any one of these quick and easy ways:

Contact us by pta@upperschools.org or download the form below and send it in your child's backpack in an envelope marked PTA Membership. 

Upper Township School District is part of the Sahara Sam's Oasis discount tickets Online Discount Program. As a member of this program, you are able to buy discounted tickets for Sahara Sam's Oasis with the added convenience of printing your admission tickets from your computer and presenting them at the entrance turnstiles bypassing ticket booth lines. Purchasing admission tickets has never been easier!

You may purchase tickets immediately by visiting our exclusive Sahara Sam's Oasis Online Store in one or both of the following ways:

#1: Clicking on the following personalized online store web link (URL) on our employee Intranet site: https://tickets.saharasams.com/affiliate.asp?ID=C98A6473-51EB-427D-B8FF-E27461FF0F11

#2: Go direct to our online store 24/7 at https://tickets.saharasams.com and enter this personalized Store Name: UTSplash

50's Doo Wop theme

Print out the collection sheets and glue box tops to it. Or just send in box tops in a bag with your teacher's name on it!