by Cheryl Abney

Created on: September 10, 2010

Exposure, preparation and organization can help students transition from middle school to high school easier. Planning can alleviate the fear and anxiety of attending a new and strange environment. There are a number of things parents and teachers can do to help students transition smoothly from middle school to high school. 

Exposure:

Parents should watch the newspaper or mail, and contact the high school if necessary, to learn when parent open house will be held. Make attendance at open house a priority to meet the teachers and learn of school procedures. Obtain a school map and walk your student’s schedule with them, or allow time for them to walk the route with their friends. 

Preparation:

Discuss with your adolescent how they will be getting to school. Learn the bus number and pickup location if they are not driven to and from school. Enquire about dress codes, school supplies, backpacks, purse size limits, and fees early enough to make your school shopping easier. Review the school handbook and discuss any pertinent information with your child, such as their policy on cell phones, tardies, and excused absences. If your child has special concerns such as ADD/ADHD, a 504 plan for a physical or mental disability, or an active Individual Education Plan (IEP), it would be advantageous to make an appointment and meet with the teachers within the first couple of weeks. Although a 504 plan and IEP are to be reviewed annually, you don’t want to wait until its due date that may fall at the end of the year. Do not leave this important information to the discretion of the school administration and guidance office. Be proactive in getting your child’s needs met from the beginning of the school year.

Organization:

When your child entered middle school, he or she was introduced to having several teachers rather than one for most their academics. The teaching team stressed self-discipline and organization skills to students who graduated to the middle school level. However, high school teachers do not caudle or mother ninth graders. They expect students to come prepared for high school and get on with the business of learning. They do realize that high school is new territory that demands greater organization, and some teachers may still instruct ninth graders in organizing their class work. 

Your child needs to have a school planner and pocket folders for each class. Encourage them to put completed assignments in the left hand pocket; graded return work in the right hand pocket for later review. Note taking pages are in the center tabs. Some spiral notebooks may be found with a similar design in lieu of folders, and accommodate several subject areas. 

A prescribed study time at home is still to be encouraged and initially supervised. If your teenager is applying himself or herself under your supervision, you may give them the freedom of choosing when and where to study. The important thing is to encourage good study habits. Do not leave home study to chance.

If you have exposed your child to the high school campus and helped them organize their materials and study time, they have the advantage of knowing you are there to help and listen to future concerns. Though you cannot be with your child all the time as they mature to become productive citizens, you have provided them the tools to succeed. As you send them off to high school, remind them that if they have questions, they should feel comfortable asking any school staff member. The faculty and staff are there to teach, protect and help new students transition to high school.

Learn more about this author, Cheryl Abney.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.