Dear parents and guardians, we are so excited to welcome you to our Parent Power newsletter. We're thrilled that you’re interested in learning more from our dedicated team at EBR Schools and can’t wait to start sharing with you.
Inside this Issue
1. Preparation and Organization
Create a Schedule: Start setting daily routines now to help your children adjust smoothly. This is a key step in preparing for back to school.
School Supplies: Prepare a checklist and shop early to avoid last-minute rushes. This makes the back-to-school preparation for parents much less stressful.
Label Everything: Make sure all school supplies and clothing are labeled to prevent loss. This simple step saves time and avoids confusion later on.
2. Establishing a Routine
Bedtime and Wake-up Time: Gradually shift bedtime and wake-up time to align with school hours. This helps kids adjust and reduces morning chaos.
Morning Routine: Develop a consistent morning routine to reduce stress and ensure a smooth start to the day. This is one of the essential back-to-school tips for kids.
Homework and Study Time: Set a specific time and place for homework and study to build a habit. Consistency makes it easier for kids to focus and succeed.
3. Healthy Habits
Nutrition: Plan balanced meals and snacks to provide energy throughout the day. Good nutrition is a key part of back-to-school health tips.
Sleep: Ensure children get adequate sleep for their age group. Proper rest is crucial for learning and development.
Physical Activity: Encourage regular physical activity to keep children active and focused. This is one of the best back-to-school strategies for overall well-being.
4. Emotional Support
Open Communication: Talk to children about their feelings and expectations regarding the new school year. This helps them feel heard and supported.
Encouragement and Positivity: Reinforce positive attitudes and build confidence. A positive outlook makes a big difference in their school experience.
Dealing with Anxiety: Provide strategies to manage back-to-school anxiety and stress. Simple relaxation techniques can be very effective.
5. School Involvement
Meet the Teachers: Attend orientation meetings and get to know the teachers. This is one of the helpful back-to-school ideas for parents.
Stay Informed: Keep up with school communications and stay involved in school activities. Being informed helps you support your child better.
Volunteer: Offer to volunteer at school events or in the classroom when possible. Volunteering is one of the great back-to-school tips for families, fostering a strong school community.
6. Setting Goals and Expectations
Academic Goals: Help children set realistic academic goals and create a plan to achieve them. This keeps them motivated and focused.
Behavioral Expectations: Discuss and set clear behavioral expectations both at home and school. Consistency helps children understand what is expected of them.
7. Technology Management
Limit Screen Time: Establish rules for screen time during school days to ensure it doesn’t interfere with homework and sleep. Balance is key to managing technology effectively.
Monitor Usage: Keep track of your child’s online activities and ensure safe internet practices. Monitoring helps protect them while they learn and explore.
8. Extracurricular Activities
Balance: Encourage participation in extracurricular activities while maintaining a balance with academic responsibilities. This helps children develop well-rounded skills.
Interest Exploration: Support your child in exploring new interests and hobbies through school clubs and activities. It’s a great way to discover new passions.
Time Management: Teach time-management skills to juggle school work and extracurricular commitments. Effective time management reduces stress and improves productivity.
9. Social Skills and Friendships
Encourage Socializing: Facilitate opportunities for your child to make and maintain friendships. Strong social connections are vital for emotional well-being.
Role-Playing: Practice social scenarios and role-play to build confidence in interacting with peers. This can help ease social anxiety.
Conflict Resolution: Teach conflict-resolution skills to help your child navigate social challenges. Effective communication is key to resolving conflicts peacefully.
10. Transportation and Safety
Travel Plans: Plan and discuss the daily travel routine, whether it’s walking, biking or taking the bus. Clear plans are essential back-to-school safety tips.
Safety Rules: Reinforce safety rules for traveling to and from school. Ensuring your child knows these rules is vital for their protection.
Emergency Contacts: Ensure your child knows important contact information and what to do in case of an emergency. This is crucial back-to-school advice for parents to keep their children safe.
By following these back-to-school tips for parents, you can help your child have a smooth and successful start to the new school year. Remember, preparation and support make all the difference.
As Baton Rouge area leaders, we support the growth and education of local aspiring entrepreneurs. Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge (YEA BR, www.yeabr.org ) is a national after-school program that transforms area high school students into confident entrepreneurs.
Starting in the fall, the weekly program teaches eighth to 12th-grade students how to start and run their own businesses. To assist students in identifying their own business ideas, instructors from the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business help them connect their talents and interests to business opportunities. Students do not need to have a business idea before applying!
Throughout the academic year, students create business plans, file their companies with the Secretary of State's Office, pitch their plans to a panel of judges for seed funding at the annual Community Pitch and launch their own startups. Moreover, high school students who graduate from the academy qualify for LSU credit.
Student referrals can be made at www.yeabr.org/refer
The application deadline is Aug. 18.
Help YEA BR unlock the potential of young, aspiring entrepreneurs, contributing to a culture of innovation throughout the Baton Rouge Area. Please spread the word!
"Empower Your Child, Empower Their Future"
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the Parent Power Pledge campaign! As parents, you play a vital role in your child's education and development. By actively participating in their school life, you can help create a supportive and enriching environment that promotes academic success and personal growth.
Take the Pledge to:
Stay Informed: Regularly check school communications and stay updated on my child's progress and school events.
Be Engaged: Attend parent-teacher conferences, school meetings and events to support my child's learning and the school community.
Volunteer: Offer my time and skills to help with school activities, events, and programs.
Support Learning at Home: Foster a supportive environment for homework and learning while nurturing my child's curiosity and passion for education.
Advocate for Education: Support initiatives and policies that enhance the quality of education and advocate for resources that benefit all students.
How to Participate:
Sign the Pledge: Fill out the attached pledge form to commit to the Parent Power Pledge.
Share Your Commitment: Share your pledge on social media using the hashtag #ParentPowerPledge to inspire other parents to join the movement.
Get Involved: Look for opportunities to volunteer and participate in school activities. Contact the school office or visit our website for more information on how you can get involved.
Benefits of Participation:
Enhanced Academic Performance: Studies show that children whose parents are actively involved in their education tend to perform better academically.
Stronger School Community: Active parent participation fosters a sense of community and support within the school.
Positive Role Modeling: By being involved, you demonstrate the importance of education and community service to your child.
Contact Information:
For more information about the Parent Power Pledge campaign, please contact:
Andrea Simmons
Community Liaison
225-963-8373
Asimmons2@ebrschools.org
Together, we can empower our children and help them achieve their fullest potential. Thank you for your commitment and support!
Parents and caregivers, you may find the tips below quite useful when developing good homework and study habits:
Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework starting at a young age. Children need a consistent workspace in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions and promotes study.
Schedule ample time for homework; build this time into choices about participation in after-school activities.
In high school, it's not uncommon for teachers to ask students to submit homework electronically and perform other tasks on a computer. If your child doesn't have access to a computer or the internet at home, work with teachers and school administration to develop appropriate accommodations.
Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.
Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.
If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with your child's teacher for recommendations on how you or another person can help your child at home or at school. If you have concerns about the assignments your child is receiving, talk with their teacher.
If your child is having difficulty focusing on or completing homework, discuss this with your child's teacher, school counselor or health care provider.
For general homework problems that cannot be worked out with the teacher, a tutor may be considered.
Some children need extra help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.
Some children may need help remembering their assignments. Work with your child and their teacher to develop an appropriate way to keep track of their assignments – such as an assignment notebook.
Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, over the Internet or through mobile devices like cellphones.
When Your Child Is Bullied
Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.
Teach your child to be comfortable with when and how to ask a trusted adult for help. Ask them to identify who they can ask for help.
Recognize the serious nature of bullying and acknowledge your child's feelings about being bullied.
Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to: 1. Look the bully in the eye. 2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation. 3. Walk away.
Teach your child how to say in a firm voice. 1. "I don't like what you are doing." 2. "Please do NOT talk to me like that."
Encourage your child to make friends with other children.
Support outside activities that interest your child.
Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.
Monitor your child's social media or texting interactions so you can identify problems before they get out of hand.
Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.
Help your child learn empathy for other children by asking them to consider how the other child feels about the way your child treated them. Ask your child how they would feel if someone bullied them.
Be a positive role model. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.
Use effective, nonphysical discipline, such as loss of privileges.
Focus on praising your child when they behave in positive ways such as helping or being kind to other children as opposed to bullying them.
Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, school social workers or psychologists and parents of the children your child has bullied.
When Your Child Is a Bystander
Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying. Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.
Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.
Parents are a child’s first teachers and the home is a child’s first classroom. As key resources for learning and growth, parents help to shape a child’s social, emotional and physical development so that he/she can thrive in school and beyond.
Supporting student success starts with a shared agreement among families, schools and the community to work together, and it involves committed actions to make it happen.
10 Tips for Parents
As a parent, you can do your part at home to reinforce this important family-school partnership. To help prepare your children for school readiness to stay on track and expand their learning opportunities:
Set up a daily family routine, including healthy eating and sleeping habits.
Provide a place and time at home for homework.
Check on assignments, homework and projects.
Talk each day with your child about their activities.
Promote literacy by reading to your child and by reading yourself.
Limit and monitor TV watching, gaming, social media and computer time.
Express high expectations and standards for your child’s learning.
Attend parent-teacher conferences, open house and back-to-school events.
Participate in decisions that affect your child’s education.
Tap into community resources with visits to a library, museum, zoo or theater and encourage participation in after-school clubs, sports and art activities.
Engaged parents are a key factor in helping students and schools succeed. With families, schools and communities working together as partners, student achievement is enhanced, and children are better prepared to do well in school.
Keep in the Loop
With preteens and teens, staying connected with student learning remains critical. Yet, studies show that family engagement in school drops as students move from elementary to middle and high school.
With this transition to higher grades, parents often face new challenges, including figuring out ways to best support student success at home.
Parent involvement in middle and high school takes many forms. Whether it’s checking homework, talking more about college and career choices, attending open house, or volunteering for PTA and booster clubs, your engagement makes a difference.
By knowing what’s happening in the classroom and on campus, you can help your student focus on coursework and school activities to ensure college and career readiness.
Organization is the thinking skill that helps a child take a systematic approach to problem-solving by creating order out of disorder. Organization involves learning how to collect all of the necessary materials to complete a task while being able to step back and examine a complex situation. For example, a child is using organizational skills when they take time to gather all of their notes before starting to study for a test.
Listed below are links to some websites and articles that may assist your child with organizational skills:
During the summer, school day schedules go out the window. From vacations and camps to staying up late playing video games, your kids are probably staying up late, waking up late and abandoning any sense of typical meal times.
As the first day of school looms ever closer, your kids might be trying to squeeze in the last bit of freedom while they still can. However, trying to go from no schedule to rigid routine overnight is impossible.
Starting the school year with the right regimen is vital. Establish your school routine before the fall semester begins. Phase into it in the weeks preceding the first day.
2) Schedule a Nighttime Regimen
You can’t have an effective school day routine without an effective bedtime regimen. Some tips for developing a good nighttime schedule include:
Eat dinner together as a family as often as possible.
Limit screen time for television and video games.
Set a time for heads to be on pillows and stick to it.
Allow plenty of time for showers, brushing teeth and getting ready.
Consider allowing for some unassigned reading (novels, biographies, etc.).
Make sure lights are off and heads are on pillows in plenty of time to get enough sleep.
3) Wake Up Early Enough to Feel Less Rushed
Do you dread busy school day mornings? Have you tried to set alarms only to find everyone is hitting snooze until a few minutes after the last possible moment? It is important for your attitudes and mental health to find a way to make your mornings more relaxed.
Waking up earlier gives everyone more time to get ready for the day, eat breakfast, potentially exercise and enjoy the mornings. The key, of course, is establishing an effective and efficient nighttime routine.
4) Establish a Family Calendar
Gathering all assignments and putting them in a calendar allows your student to get their minds around the work they have to do. It lets them see their school year from start to finish.
Create a large version and hang it in their study or somewhere everyone can see it. Develop a digital version as well. Here are some calendar suggestions:
Think about assigning different colors to different types or subjects of work.
Tasks should be accompanied by learning objectives and objectives for subject mastery.
When tasks are completed, and learning objectives are attained, it is important to mark them on the calendar and celebrate their completion.
Studying for subjects is a vital part of the plan. Your students will be able to retain information more effectively if they are studying along the way, not just cramming before a test.
Schedule breaks and time for fun.
5) Make Sure Your Routine Involves Exercise
Students need to exercise. Everyone needs to get moving. Make sure daily routines allow kids to get outside or at least be active inside. Signing up for sports is a great way to ensure physical activity while students will also be learning teamwork and growing in character.
6) Schedule Self Care
Burnout always seems like it is creeping just around the corner, ready to strike anyone in school. There is always pressure to keep up with schoolwork, study, maintain relationships, perform on the field or court, honor family and so on. Your kids need to take care of themselves. As parents, you can help facilitate self-care for your students.
7) Ask Friends, Family, and Teachers for Help
What is working for your family and friends? What have teachers and administrators seen to be effective? There is no better source for advice than those who have gone through this season of life before and experienced all the successes and failures.
COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID SEMINAR
Come and learn everything you need to know about getting college financial aid for your student in Louisiana, including hot topics such as TOPS and FAFSA at the Main Library at Goodwood at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22. Dellarisha Ventress, a comprehensive advising officer with the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), will present and answer your questions about state, federal, military and outside financial aid for college. Registration is required. Call 225-231-3733 or register online at www.careercenterbr.com/events.
RESUME SEMINAR
Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m. A certified professional resume writer from the Career Center will lead a workshop on how to write a great resume.
• Learn to structure your resume so that it showcases your most valuable skills.
• Learn formatting techniques that will make your resume look clean and professional.
• Learn the biggest red flags that employers look for on resumes and how to avoid them.
Registration is preferred. Please call 225-231-3733 or register online at www.careercenterbr.com/events.
Do you need a website for your small business? EBRPL Small Business presents a beginner-friendly class on building a basic website with WordPress, an online web content management system. Join us at the Main Library at Goodwood on Saturday, August 17 at 2 p.m. as we walk through the steps to build a free website dedicated to your small business or personal brand. For more information, call 231-3750.
Parent Power is a publication of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System and all of its entities (including career and technical education programs) do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability or gender in its educational programs and activities (including employment and application for employment); and it is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of gender by Title IX (20 USC 168) and on the basis of disability by Section 504 (42 USC 794). The Title IX coordinator is Andrew Davis, director of Risk Management (ADavis6@ebrschools.org, 225-929-8705). The Section 504 coordinator is Danielle Staten-Ojo, (dstaten@ebrschools.org., 225-326-5668). The Title II coordinator is Dr. Sandra Bethley, administrative director of Federal Programs (SBHorton@ebrschools.org, 225-922-5538).
All students have an opportunity to participate in career and technical programs of study, including but not limited to areas of health care; construction crafts and trades; automotive technology; IT computer technology; culinary programs; criminal justice; and agriculture. Admission requirements for each course can be found in the student course guide/schedule packet of the individual campus where the course is being offered. Please contact the guidance counselor at the specific school for additional information, program requirements and/or any questions you may have.
Lamont Cole, Superintendent of Schools
lcole@ebrschools.org
Marlon Cousin, Interim Administrative Director of Communications & Public Relations
mcousin@ebrschools.org
Andrea Simmons, Community Liaison
asimmons2@ebrschools.org
1050 South Foster Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
