Please have children at school well before the bell!

It is a familiar sight at schools everywhere. A car screeches into the parking lot just as the late bell rings. A parent and child jump out and run to the front door, frantically zipping up the child’s backpack and giving a quick goodbye kiss. The child goes into school, and the parent heads back to the car, looking like they just finished working a 12-hour shift. Yep, they were late. As parents, we know how those simple five minutes can throw us off for the rest of our day, but what about the kids? How does being late to school really impact a child? Is everything OK once he or she gets settled in the classroom? Probably not.

It may seem like 10 minutes isn’t really that much, but for the typical school day of 6 hours, a student who is only 10 minutes late every day will miss 30 hours of school time that year. If a child is 10 minutes late getting to school, it is more like 20 minutes until they are actually learning. The impact on the class as a whole is even larger. If two kids are late, one by 5 minutes and one by 10 minutes, then the class schedule might get pushed back. That means the teacher will need to alter something else during the day to account for time the class lost helping a late student catch up.

Some helpful hints to ensure a great start to the day

1) Pack backpacks/lunchboxes the night before. The last thing you want to be doing as you are rushing out the door is trying to find lost homework. Make sure everyone’s backpacks are ready to go and prepare home lunches as much as you can. Also fill their water bottles ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.

2) Lay clothes out. Seems too simple to make a difference, but hunting down matching socks or pants without holes in the knees is quite the time consumer. 

3) Set up a “last stop” area. Pick any available area near the door you typically leave through and put everything there for the day: backpacks, phones, homework, and especially coats and shoes. 

4) If all else fails, wake up earlier. Not the most enjoyable solution, but sometimes drastic measures are needed.

(The Mother List)

End of the Day Early Pick Ups

Picking up your child before the end of the school day can seem like a convenient way to get a head start on after-school activities or appointments, but those last few minutes of the school day are surprisingly important! It's a key time for students to hear important notices about upcoming events or special school activities. This is also when teachers often wrap up the day's lessons, review what was learned, and make sure everyone is on the same page for the next day. By staying until the final bell, your child gets the full benefit of their education and won't miss out on important information that helps them stay on track and connected to their school community.