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Tips to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School

Set expectations - Communicate high expectations. Make sure your student understands that you expect him or her to complete homework, study for tests, graduate from high school and continue learning after high school. But also make sure that your child understands that failure is necessary for growth. Ensuring that your child has a growth mindset will help when there are struggles in life.

Grades - Take advantage of online information in Skyward and Google Classroom for your student’s grades, missing assignments and attendance. Contact your son/daughter’s counselor or the main office for assistance with the Skyward program.  There is also an "app" available for Skyward to be installed onto your smartphone.  This feature would allow access to your student's information while on the go.  Once the app is installed onto your device, you will be one click away from viewing your student's attendance and academic progress.

Contact your child’s teachers - If you have questions or concerns about your son/daughter’s academic progress or classroom behavior, contact his/her teachers by e-mail or by phone.

Daily work/homework - Daily work and homework is extremely important for academic success. Middle school students sometimes still need homework checked for completion and may also need to be reminded to turn assignments in. Please contact your child’s teacher(s) concerning questions about specific homework assignments.

Be an advocate for yourself - Encourage your son/daughter to ask questions during class or before/after class if he/she doesn’t understand something or needs clarification about an assignment.

Prepare - Be sure your son/daughter prepares for school the night before and gets a good night’s sleep. Choosing clothes the night before and placing everything for school in one spot makes mornings less chaotic.

Get involved - Your school offers several opportunities for parents to get acquainted with the school and the school staff. Attend open house and parent meetings, talk with teachers during parent teacher conferences, or volunteer to chaperone extra-curricular activities. Middle school students do better in school when parents are actively involved.

Homework Tips for Parents

Kids are more successful in school when parents take an active interest in their homework — it shows kids that what they do is important.

Of course, helping with homework shouldn't mean spending hours hunched over a desk. Parents can be supportive by demonstrating study and organization skills, explaining a tricky problem, or just encouraging kids to take a break. And who knows? Parents might even learn a thing or two!

Make yourself aware of the school’s and individual teacher’s homework policies.

  • Students have access to Google Classroom which lists due dates of assignments.

  • Set up a specific time and place for your child to do homework and review daily class work.

  • Try to be available during homework time.

  • Avoid unnecessary distractions such as phone calls, TV, or music during homework time.

  • Have school supplies available (pencils, pens, paper, dictionary, ruler, etc.).

  • DON’T do your child’s homework for him/her! If there is a problem, work through an example with them.

  • If your child is having continued problems with homework, make an appointment to meet with the teacher(s).

  • Look at your child’s returned papers or Skyward to check progress and give praise for a job well done or signs of improvement.

  • Provide reading materials or extra work in needed areas if no homework is given.

  • Estimated daily homework time = 10 minutes of homework X grade level of student.