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Schools start means learning curve for students and parents

Spring Creek Elementary scheduled to open Oct. 14 Myrtle Philip Elementary School will be a hotbed of activity when classes start this September.

Spring Creek Elementary scheduled to open Oct. 14

Myrtle Philip Elementary School will be a hotbed of activity when classes start this September.

Not only will students and teachers from that school be busy in the classrooms and halls so will the staff of Whistler’s new Spring Creek Elementary School and, of course, the Francophone School.

All three schools will be operating out of Myrtle Philip until Spring Creek opens Oct 14, after the Thanksgiving Day long weekend.

"It is looking good," said Principal Ron Albertin.

"The flooring is going in. It is getting painted and the interior of the school is looking good, so it is getting close."

While the majority of students and parents are returning to a tried and trusted friend in their school others are entering a new stage of their lives.

Kids entering Kindergarten can offer suffer from separation anxiety, and so can their parents.

"It’s a tough time when your students go to school," said Albertin, offering a few sage words of advice.

"It is a tough time when they move out from school. But you have to learn to let go and you have to learn to let go when they come to Kindergarten too.

"Build it up to be a really positive experience. If the students are having a bit of trouble then go into the class with them and meet some of the other students and the teachers.

"But parents must also reach a point where they have to say, ‘OK, you can do it on your own,’ to their child.

"The teachers are all very good in terms of welcoming the students. They recognize that this type of separation anxiety occurs and they are very good at dealing with it."

There are other strategies to try in the next week or so as well.

Get some books out of the library. A few good ones are Franklin’s First Day of School, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, and Amber Waiting, which explores the feeling of abandonment a child can experience even though they love class.

Try and arrange some play dates with kids you know will be in your child’s class before school starts, so that on that first day of school there are some familiar faces.

And involve children in the upcoming adventure by getting them to help pack their snack, for example. Go over how to do up buttons, and so on, as well so these challenges are easier when they are on their own in school.

If students are walking to school go over all the safety signs as you walk and teach them safety on the school bus too.

Children will have their hearing tested in kindergarten as well as their oral health.

Check your children’s health record as they need up to date vaccinations for Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio and Pertussis. Special clinics have been set up if you child needs these shots. To find out more call 604-932-3202 in Whistler and 604-894-6367 in Pemberton.

Reassure you children that you will be back at the end of the day, no matter what.

By now kids should have been in a school sleep routine, going to bed at a regular time, experiencing proper waking-up rituals and eating a good breakfast. Kindergarten kids need 10 to 12 hours of sleep.

Reading to your children at every opportunity and encouraging them to read to themselves as well is a great way to help them succeed in school.

And when that first day is over and every other day too, spend some time at mealtime or bedtime talking about the day. Ask them "What was the best part of their day? What didn’t you like?"

By starting all these routines now you are setting the pattern of involvement for the next 13 years of school.

Whistler Secondary Principal Ken Davies is a big believer in the power of parent involvement.

"Studies have shown that direct involvement by the parent, that is being engaged in their student’s learning, has a dramatic positive impact on the child’s learning," he said.

"Parents should get into the habit of sitting down with the child and reviewing the days activities in a regular routine type of situation.

"Not just simply to ask how is it going, but to see, for example, their agenda book. Parents should be checking to see how the child is using the agenda book, which is essentially their bible for writing down the stuff they are doing and the stuff they need to do. Parents should be doing this on a regular basis."

Davies is also encouraging parents to phone teachers during the year and keep in touch about their children.

And volunteer.

"A parent could, for example, help and assist on field trips," said Davies.

" I think those experiences could be invaluable in gaining insight into what their child is doing."

A great way to accomplish this as well is to get involved with the schools’ Parent Advisory Councils. Myrtle Philip’s PAC will have its first meeting Sept. 16 and Whistler Secondary parents will meet Sept. 23.

To succeed in high school, kids need to set goals for themselves and they need to dream about their future.

They also need to feel secure and prepared. A good way to get a head start is to go to the school before it opens and find lockers, classrooms, washrooms and other must-know facilities.

For Whistler’s Grade 7 students it will be the first time they have moved from class to class and had multiple teachers, so a tour is great idea.

Also introduce yourself to the teacher on the first day – that goes for both parents and students.

Parents should learn the names of all the teachers their kids will encounter in the year and make an effort to touch base with them.

Bookmark the school’s Web site and make a note of all the teacher’s e-mail addresses.

But let school settle down first before contacting staff, as the first little while is hectic for the school as well as the student.

Make time to talk about homework, student’s agenda books and the social life of the school too.

And students will need a quiet uncluttered place to study at home.

But fall doesn’t only mean school – it’s the season parents sign their kids up for extracurricular activities.

Before you do it think about last years’ experience and learn from it. Cut back if things were just too harried previously.

And talk to the kids about what they want to do.

Before signing up for anything really investigate what type of commitment it means.

It may not just be ski camp – it may be clinics, practices, out of town trips and so on.

Above all support your children, believe in them and encourage them to succeed at their own level.