Can you answer "yes" to ALL of the following statements? 1. I monitor my child's homework daily. 2. I know where to find out what my child's homework is. 3. I know the name of all of my child's teachers. 4. I know how to contact my child's teachers and have done so at least once this six weeks. 5. I know what novels or textbooks my child is currently using in class. 6. I know when major projects are due. 7. I expect my child to read regularly and monitor it on a consistent basis. 8. I know my child's schedule. 9. I am aware of classroom and school policies. 10. I know what websites my child frequently visits. In order to help your child be successful in middle school, you should be able to answer yes to all of the above statements. Also, please keep the following in mind: * Middle school is not elementary school. There will be an increase in homework and the level of work studied in class may seem daunting. However, please remember that Walsh is considered a top-tier school. As such, students are expected to work hard and stretch themselves academically, intellectually and socially. In return, your child will receive one of the finest levels of instruction in the district. * Remember this --- Organization, Organization, Organization!! Help your child become organized FROM DAY ONE!. Students who stay on top of notes, assignments and books are less stressed than those who are constantly looking to find their work. Nothing is worse than a student who is doing poorly simply because he cannot find his assignments. * Encourage your child to read nightly. The only way to increase reading ability and enjoyment is to read. Take family trips to the library and send the message that reading can be fun, as well as informative. Modeling for your child is also a good way to demonstrate to him/her that reading can be fulfilling. Share details about what you are reading with your child. Ensure that your child does not wait until the last minute for assigned readings. This will only lead to stress and frustration. * Ask your child to share his/her notebook and/or bookbag with you to familiarize yourself with your child's grades and assignments. Taking the time to understand what your child is studying in class will give you a better understanding of problems he/she might be having or potential problems he/she may encounter. * By now, you should notice that your child has homework regularly. Sometimes homework will be studying for a test (which is a skill in itself), while other times it will include reading, writing journal entries or completing literature circle work. Please sit with your child to keep up with the assignments he/she has for each class. This way there are no surprises when progress reports come out. As a rule, I try to avoid giving homework over the weekend. However, there will be times when this is unavoidable. Help your child set up a reasonable schedule to complete assignments, especially if he/she is involved in out-of- school activities.