From the desk of Penelope Martin

Dear Families,

Welcome back to another great school year! It has been a short summer, but that has not hampered the enthusiasm of our incredible staff. They have already been working preparing lessons, materials, and classrooms. Their dedication and willingness to do “whatever it takes” to make sure that each child succeeds is inspiring. Of course, being a parent is the most important role anyone can have. You are your child’s first and most crucial teacher. If education is a priority for you, so it will be for your child.

Often times, prior to the beginning of the new school year, parents ask for advice in helping their children get off to a good start in school. Surveys show that an overwhelming number of students felt their teachers do a great job teaching and that schools do a good job teaching subject matter. However, we all know that schools cannot do it all. Parents can play a vital role in helping youngsters develop strong study skills.

The following ideas come from several articles and I believe they will provide some useful suggestions:

• Help children use a planning calendar and notebook to keep track of weekly, monthly, or long-term projects.
• Encourage children to break down large, complex tasks into manageable pieces.
• Complete homework tasks in some order of priority. Sometimes, it is best to do the least favorite task first.
• Encourage children as they read, to use all the clues available to them while reading headlines, pictures, captions, charts, tables, and graphs.
• A discussion with children after reading a book or article helps with comprehension. Ask your child to tell you what the story was about, why or why not it interested them, and perhaps how it might relate to their own lives.

Should you need more in depth information, you can always talk to your child’s teacher. He or she can provide a clearer picture of your child’s learning style, strengths, and weaknesses.

Don’t forget to join us as we host “Back to School” activities. Back to school nights will be held on Thursday, August 21st at 3:30 p.m. for 6th graders, and September 3, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. for 7th and 8th graders.

As we begin the school year, remember ongoing communication is key. Please do not hesitate contacting your child’s teacher, guidance counselor, grade level administrator, or myself if you have any questions or concerns. To optimize communication, please join the parents’ email distribution list by sending an email to pmartin4@bcps.org, indicating you would like to be included.

We are all looking forward to the first day of school on Monday, August 25th, and beginning another great school year!

For the Children,

Penelope E. Martin
Principal