Getting your children off to a good start in the new school year involves more than simply stocking their backpacks with the proper school supplies and enforcing earlier bedtimes. In fact, parents have two important "back to school" events coming up that can help set the stage for a successful school year.

This issue of Elementary Edition looks at ways families can get the most out of open houses and parent-teacher conferences. It also suggests four important ways parents can support their child's learning all year long.

Back to school-for parents, too!

Open house is an annual event that gives parents the opportunity to meet the school administrators, special area teachers, librarians, school social workers and others.

But most importantly, open house is the time to meet your child's classroom teacher, learn what your child will be studying and what will be expected of him or her in the coming year. It's also a good time to find out about opportunities to volunteer in the classroom and other school settings.

Keep in mind, open house is a time to listen and ask big-picture questions. Save questions or concerns about your child's individual performance for a private follow-up, like the parent-teacher conference.

Getting the most out of your parent-teacher conference

Parent conferences are private meetings with your child's teacher, and sign-up generally takes place at the open house. The annual fall/winter parent-teacher conference is a prime opportunity for you to talk about your child's personality and anything else you think will help the teacher gain insights about him or her. These conferences are also an important opportunity to hear about your child's academic performance, how well he or she gets along with classmates and if there are any areas of concern.

The following tips can help you get the most value from upcoming parent-teacher conferences:

• Have some advanced discussions with your spouse and your child before the conference to brainstorm questions or concerns. For example, do you have questions about the amount of time your child should be spending on homework or nightly reading? Are you wondering how to help your child prepare for the new state tests in grades 3-8 this year? Make a list of questions and bring it with you to the conference. If you run out of time, make a point to follow up later.
   

• If a problem area is identified, think positive. Talk about possible underlying causes that might be at play, such as social or emotional stresses-in school or at home. Ask for advice about how you can work together with the teacher to resolve any problems. Don't be afraid to ask about school-based resources to help your child be successful, such as academic intervention services (AIS) or help from a school counselor or social worker.
   

• Once the conference is over, take a few minutes to jot down some notes. Make a list of any ideas that the teacher gave you that will help your child be successful in school. At the same time, make a record of any actions you agreed to take (e.g., checking homework nightly) and write down any questions you may still have. If you'd like another meeting to discuss details, call or write the teacher to set it up.
   

• Let your child know what you talked about in the conference. Knowing that adults were talking about them out of earshot makes some children a little anxious. Let your child know what kinds of things you talked about. Stress the positive points. If there are any problem areas, get your child's perspective as well. Then be prepared to talk about what each of you - parent, teacher and student - can do to make things better.
   

• Start a school folder for each of your children. Include past conference notes, notes from the teacher and school staff, standardized test results and any notes you have made in the time between conferences. Then when conference time rolls around again next year, you'll have quick reference materials to draw upon.

Working as a learning team all year long

Other than open house and parent conferences, there are other important ways to stay involved and up-to-date throughout the year. Here are four important suggestions from veteran elementary parents:

Learn the best way to contact your children's teachers and check in regularly. Whether it's a note sent to school with your child, a phone call or an e-mail, establish a system for checking in with teachers between report cards.

Look through your child's take-home folder daily. Most teachers use "backpack mail" to communicate about topics that affect the entire class, such as field trips or health concerns, and deadlines, such as those for registering for after-school activities.

Set a consistent time for homework and check that it is done nightly. Homework is designed to reinforce important lessons started at school. If the teacher recommends that families practice a specific learning task at home, make a commitment to invest the time. It will put your children that much further ahead academically.

Offer to volunteer at the school. This can go a long way toward improving the educational environment for all children. Parent volunteers get to see, first-hand, how their children learn and interact with teachers and classmates. They also gain important insights about their child's friends and often meet other like-minded parents. Volunteering also helps parents to forge friendlier relationships with teachers and other school staff. This can go a long way toward building trust and softening the tension that can arise if problems develop down the road.

For permission to reprint this article, please contact the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service by e-mailing dbushsuf@gw.neric.org.

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