Ways to Help Students Prepare for the Upcoming School Year

The school year is quickly approaching, and CIS Jax wants to make sure you and your student(s) are prepared for the upcoming school year. Getting back in the swing of things can seem overwhelming so here are some items to consider when planning for August as well as some important tasks to have checked off.

Engage in Different Reading Opportunities
Literacy can be one of the most challenging subjects for students and even more challenging when they haven’t been reading over summer break. One way to get students ready for the upcoming school year is to start having them engage in different reading opportunities around the house or in the real world. If you are going on a road trip, have your student read different signs as you are traveling. When you are at the store, have your student read different products around the store. If you are cooking, have your student help you with the recipe or read any ingredients you are using. Bedtime is another opportunity for reading. Let your child engage in a bedtime story by letting them read or taking turns reading the pages.

Start Getting in the School Year Mindset
Rest is important to a child’s development as well as productivity in class. During the summer, kids stay up longer and sleep in more which can make it challenging for them to restart the schedule of waking up earlier to get to school on time. A few weeks before the start of school, have your child start going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. Along with changing sleeping patterns, have your student start getting into the morning routine of getting dressed and ready for the day in the morning. This will create a habit and make it easier for students to ease into the school year schedule.

Get School Needs in Order
To prepare for a successful year, there are many forms and applications that must be completed as well as required school uniforms and school supplies.
• If your school requires uniforms, make sure that the uniforms from the previous year fit or you have some that fit your student for this year. Any good condition uniforms that don’t fit your student anymore can be given away to a different family in your school that may not have the funds to get new uniforms.
• Start buying school supplies. Many local stores will have lists of basic needs depending on your school, but make sure you are double checking to see what may be in your household from the previous year that your student can use to cut down costs. Many local nonprofit groups are also collecting school supplies to be given to students and families in need.
• Confirm that your records and applications are in order. If your student plans on riding the bus, make sure your student is registered for bus transportation and they know the correct bus number for pick up/drop off. Free/reduced lunch is another important application to file to prepare for the school year. Make sure your application for this school year has been filed.
• Check the district calendar to make sure you know when your student(s) have school and when they don’t so you can accommodate accordingly.

We are wishing you and your student(s) a great 2022-2023 school year!