School Involvement

Encouraging your child’s involvement in school is one of the most helpful things that you can do for him. When children feel attached to their school, they are more likely to be engaged academically and socially, both of which are crucial for school success. Try some of the following things to help your child bond to his school.

Encouraging School Involvement

• Encourage your children to participate in before- and after-school activities to maintain school involvement outside of the school day. These programs are not always well-publicized, so check with your school office to find out about opportunities.
• As kids start to become more aware of their school colors, consider investing in school T-shirts, sweatshirts, and pajamas (if you can afford it). Another option is to buy plain t-shirts in your school’s colors, or to get shoe laces in those colors from your local craft store.
• School involvement isn’t limited to just students. Show your support of your child’s school by reading the school newspaper, attending concerts and sporting events, and encouraging your child to attend social events, such as prom and homecoming dances.
• If your child enjoys school competitions, celebrate big events such as state championships, music festivals, speech tournaments or other less traditional forms of school involvement.

• Stay involved in your child’s education by participating with her in service projects (such as food or book drives), attending parent-teacher conferences, and volunteering in the school district.

It’s easy to be much more focused on your kids’ school success than helping them with bonding to their school. However, it’s important to encourage them to establish a connection; it will benefit them, both socially and academically, in the long run.