Providing Parental Support

The High School years are extremely important in the formation of your children as successful lifelong learners and humane and significant members of our global community.  Yet, there are no codified instructions that help parents understand how best to motivate a teenager and parenting is far from an exact science.  In the interest of developing a solid team that works together to guide your children, we offer the following suggestion for your consideration:

1. Provide an academic environment – Besides creating a quiet study area, parents can help to foster a positive academic attitude by engaging their children in dinner discussions about what transpired during the day’s classes. Having resource materials handy, such as a dictionary, thesaurus, etc., and limiting T.V. viewing and non-academic computer use can also help. Encourage your children to read for pleasure. Take time to share responses to books and articles you have read in common.

2. Check your facts first – Students sometimes distort the truth in order to avoid taking responsibility for their actions or to try to circumvent policies and procedures.

3. After conversation with your child, it is always a good idea to go to the source, whether it’s a faculty, an advisor or a coach, before making an assumption that could be incorrect.  When students make comments about parents or about having your permission to do something, we promise to do the same.

4. Insist that your children do their own work.   You will be tempted to jump in to help your children complete a project or assignment when they panic because they have waited until the last minute, or when they don’t feel like spending a little extra time to figure out a concept.  It is extremely important that you insist that your children do their own work.  Though we do not encourage the practice of tutoring, if your children have a tutor, make sure that the tutor never does your child’s work for him/her. Turning in an assignment completed by a parent or tutor is cheating and works against the building of confidence and integrity.

5. Regulate after-school time – Both academically and behaviorally, this is a very critical time for your teenagers.  Know where your children are after school. Unless they are participating in a scheduled activity after school, students are expected to leave campus at 3:45 in order to complete their homework.  Students who are not in an activity or attending a school function are not supervised and could very well leave campus without our knowledge, only to return to catch the late bus.  Unfortunately, we have no way of monitoring their activities.

6. Don’t make excuses – Students do not learn self-reliance or resilience if someone is willing to excuse their inappropriate actions.  With so little time remaining to prepare your children for adulthood, we need to make every moment count.  Please do not send notes asking that they be excused from doing their homework.  Students in the Academy are expected to use their Google Calendar on-line, or another calendar they choose, to plan ahead.  Going to bed late, oversleeping, or not being able to find a taxi are not valid excuses for tardiness at work, nor should they be for your teenagers at school. Similarly, having a bad day, not liking someone, or being overly tired are never excuses for inappropriate or disrespectful behavior. Of course, ACS Athens is a place of learning and, while we will consistently discipline inappropriate behavior, we believe that discipline should spring from a desire to instruct, rather than just to punish.

7. Remain vigilant – Your teenagers are probably at the point where they have become quite persuasive about how self-reliant they have become.  It is not uncommon for students at this age to demand privacy and to be reluctant about keeping you informed.  This is obviously an important step in their growth towards independence.  As you try to play a less active role in the development of your children, however, we want to reassure you that there are checks and balances, some of which are listed below, that can help you monitor their progress behind the scenes.

   • Faculty members ask students to note assignments in their calendars, which reflect not only homework expectations, but also upcoming topics, projects, tests and quizzes.  An additional source to find student assignments and other material is to visit the school’s Moodle site; your child has access to this.

   • Check Skyward for homework/ attendance/ discipline.

   • Get to know your children’s counselor.  This can be your first contact if you have any concerns about their behavior or attitudes.

   • Never hesitate to contact a faculty member if you have a question about performance or behavior in a particular class.  Faculty can be contacted by email:  {lastname}{firstinitial}@acs.gr

   • Don’t hesitate to contact the counselor, and/or school nurse if you notice a significant change in your children’s attitude, behavior, or physical health.  We live in a very challenging society today, where alcohol, illegal substances, and eating disorders are far more prevalent than they were when we were young.  

Peer Pressure

Unfortunately, research indicates that, at this age, peer pressure plays a far more important role than the family in shaping teenagers’ behavior and attitudes.  You would be wise to observe your children’s friends and to communicate with their parents. Know where and with whom your children spend their free time.  Set reasonable curfews.  If you have any doubts or concerns regarding the choices your children are making, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our professionals.

1. Stay informed – Please keep track of important dates and remind students to bring home all notices.  Check the Academy Bulletin on the ACS Athens website daily. Back to School Night and Parent Conferences are especially designed to keep you informed about your children’s programs and progress.  Be sure that you also note the dates when progress reports and report cards are sent home and contact the counselor if you don’t receive them.

2. Take another look at your teenager – The fact that you have chosen to send your children to ACS Athens demonstrates the importance you place on education.  Certainly our children are beneficiaries of our best dreams.  As educators, however, we sometimes find ourselves dealing with over-stressed students who can be obsessive about grades.  We ask that you take another look at your children.  Are you honoring and nurturing who they are or who you would like them to be? Are you encouraging them to pursue their own dreams and aspirations or yours? What are their real talents?  Are you encouraging them to develop these talents?  Being aware of your children’s strengths and weaknesses and supporting them to become the best they can be is the best gift you can give them as parents.

3. Make sure that you read this handbook carefully – some important changes in school policy have been made so it is important for you and your children to understand its contents.

Parent Communication with Faculty

In the ACS Athens Academy we encourage students to talk directly with their teachers and communicate needs or questions.  The year will feature a Back To School Night when parents will be able to meet the teachers and Parent Teacher Conferences twice a  year for one-on-one feedback.  Finally, parents have access to Skyward Family access for ongoing feedback related to class performance and grades.  If parents would like to contact a teacher, they may request an appointment through the main office.  Emails may be sent to faculty with the recognition that email replies will not occur outside of the work day or on weekends or holidays.  Faculty will strive to respond to emails within 48 hours during working hours.

Disrespectful Behavior Towards Professionals

According to Greek Law (Article 33 law 5090/23-2-24), those entering the school premises and disrupting school life by arguing loudly, using inappropriate language towards teachers and staff, cursing, or creating noise will suffer the consequences of imprisonment of up to one year and a monetary penalty.  Those who also exhibit physical aggression will suffer the consequences of imprisonment for a minimum of two years and financial repercussions.