Developing Positive Relationships with Your Child's
School from the Start

Unsharpened pencils, brand new backpacks, sealed stacks of writing paper -- it's back-to-school time!  Just as you replenish your child's school supplies for a fresh start to the new term, now's the time to develop positive relationships with teachers and staff to help ensure your child has a strong start and a successful school year.

You'll likely be working with new school staff members who might be unfamiliar with your child's disabilities, needs, and IEP or 504 services, but you may also find yourself working with returning staff members who could just use a "refresher course" about your child.  Either way, this is the perfect opportunity to open the lines of communication that will help your child all year long!  Here are some helpful tips to encouraging a successful start to the school year. 

Create a Back-to-School Packet

Putting together a packet of materials for each member of your child's IEP team will help everyone start the year on the right foot. Address your child's area of disability and offer suggestions on how you can work best together. You can include:

• A friendly welcome-back letter.  Express your interest and commitment to working in partnership with your child's teacher. You may also want to include a reminder about when the next IEP or 504 team meeting is scheduled. Include your contact information and provide an open invitation for discussion's your child's particular needs.
• One or two photos of your child (which provides a personal connection for them);
• Brochure(s) about your child's disability, such as NCLD's LD Checklist or LD At-a Glance;
• An article that may help a teacher understand how to make specific (and easy!) changes in the classroom that will support your child's needs, such as NCLD's "Accommodations, Techniques and Aids for Learning."

Maintain the Connection that You've Established

Now that you've established a connection, nurture it!  Suggest ways that you and the teacher(s) will communicate on a regular basis about your child and follow through with your plans — phone calls, emails, or face-to-face lunches or meetings over coffee.

For a classroom teacher at the elementary-school level, try to make one or two simple connections each week. At the middle- and high-school level, one or two connections each month should be sufficient. For additional tips on how to stay connected throughout the school year, read "Building and Maintaining a Good Relationship with Your Child's Teacher."

Show Your Appreciation

Remember — teachers are people, too.  They work hard and have busy schedules, and would always appreciate an extra hand or even a simple "thank you" at the end of a long day.  Now is the time to plan how you will proactively communicate this year with your child's teacher and the rest of the school staff.  Consider what fits with your individual style and  schedule, but whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that you are the most positive and supportive partner in your child's education! 

For more information on supporting your child, sign up for Parent News.