Welcome SYSD Families

Here are suggestions for getting involved in your child’s education. > Attend back-to-school nights or other orientation events. Get to know your child’s teachers in the beginning of the school year. These events are also a great way to meet other families. Attending parent-teacher conferences throughout the year ensures you are on the same page. > Ask your teacher how they would like to communicate. For each teacher, find out whether phone calls, emails, or texts are the best way to stay up-to-date on progress and communicate if a problem arises. > Demonstrate a positive view of education at home. Parental school involvement does not only occur inside the schools. It is also about communicating your larger values and attitudes regarding education and the hopes, dreams, and expectations you hold for your children. Communicating these values motivates students to be persistent when faced with challenging educational tasks. > Encourage reading. Helping your children develop a love of reading is the single most important thing you can do to help them succeed in school and in life. Show them the importance of lifelong learning by reading books on your own. Even better, read the same book with them. Taking it one step further, discuss the book together afterwards! > Help manage the homework process. Let your child know you think education is important and that homework is a priority. Set aside a special place to study and establish a regular time for homework. Help your child stay organized, ask about daily assignments, and monitor their work. Always remember to notice and praise effort. > Attend school events. Go to games and concerts, student exhibitions, and award events that your child is involved in. Your involvement in school-wide events helps build a community at large. You’ll meet other members of the school community and show your support for ALL kids. > Attend parent organization meetings. At most schools, parents meet regularly to discuss school issues. Join the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) or PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) to work with other families to improve the school. If you can’t attend the meetings in-person, ask to join the meetings virtually or ask for the notes to be emailed or sent to you. > Volunteer in the school. Schools often allow volunteers to chaperone trips or dances, help in classrooms, or run a school event. If your work schedule doesn’t allow you to volunteer in the school building, there are other ways to offer your time. Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities and share your special skills! > Let the school know what groups, classes, or guidance you would like them to provide. Schools are a great resource to improve your own learning. If you want to know more about the school’s new math curriculum or any other topic, let the school know! Chances are if you want to learn more about a topic, other parents do as well. > Encourage active learning. Young people need to be encouraged to ask and answer questions, solve problems, and explore their interests. Have frequent conversations about what they are learning and be prepared to ask questions. When you encourage this type of learning at home, your child’s participation and interest in school may increase. > Learn about your rights. It’s important to know what your rights are as a parent when it comes to special services such as English instruction, immigration status, individualized education plans, and more. Learn more in Your Rights as the Parent of a Public School Student.