Summer is coming to an end, and that means your children will soon head back to school — if they haven’t already.
School supplies are a must, along with memorizing the teacher’s name and knowing what time the bus pulls up.
But educators say parents should also help their children prepare to return to school by adjusting their schedules before the first day of school and getting back into their routine.
The first Johnson County school district started classes last week, and most other local schools will head back to school this week.
One of the big steps parents can take to get students ready to go back to school is to start closely aligning their routine to the same one they will have in school, educators said.
For example, bed times should be moved up gradually each day until students are in bed at the time they would be when school starts, said Greg Moore, owner of Sylvan Learning Centers.
And parents should think about moving their child’s meal times to when they will eat when school is in session, allowing their bodies to adjust, he said.
Families should also work together to get children ready mentally.
Parents might consider going over the school calendar together and allowing students to make goals on what they want to achieve during the school year and when, Moore said.
“Get those goals on the calendar and then you can hold the child accountable,” he said.
Leading up to the first day, parents should talk positively about school to help ease anxiety students may feel about returning, said Sandy Wooton, principal at Isom Elementary School.
And parents are encouraged to go to any back-to-school or meet-the-teacher events so students can find their desk and classroom before the first day of school. Parents should also know details about their child’s day, such as what bus they ride, she said.
Families should also read throughout the summer and especially in the days and weeks leading up to the first day of school, said Stephanie Dunn, second grade teacher at Creekside Elementary School.
“Teachers say that every time, but having them read is one of the most important things you can have them do,” she said.
Reading is the foundation of everything and is key to easing students back into an academic routine, Dunn said.
Throughout the first week of school, teachers are working with students who need to catch up. Students who spent time getting back into the routine have an easier time, she said.
“It is harder for those kids who have not been exposed already to catch up,” Dunn said.
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Here is a look at when local school districts head back to school:
Greenwood: Tuesday
Edinburgh: Wednesday
Center Grove: Thursday
Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson: Thursday
Franklin: Aug. 8
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