Dear Parents:
Welcome to Rosa Parks Middle School! We have developed an outstanding program of classes for our students this year, and we are always working hard to make it even better. We have high expectations of our students. We plan to challenge each student to achieve at his or her highest level, and we want each student to go on to high school having mastered important skills and developed good work and study habits. We will be asking you as parents to help your son or daughter to reach these goals.
We believe that parents are the key to a child’s success. Working together, we will accomplish what is best for your child--but we need your help and support. If your child has not been doing well in school, we will be asking for more of a commitment from you. The things that you do at home can make a difference in your child’s performance! Many years of experience have shown us that students who are achieving in school have parents who are actively involved in their child’s education. Research has shown that parents are their children’s most influential teachers. What you as parents do to help your children learn is more important to academic success than any other factor. The following strategies, when used by parents, have proven successful in helping children to achieve.
1. SHOW YOUR CHILD THAT YOU THINK EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT
Make sure your child is actively attending all Zoom classes and engaging in the learning every day.
Discuss the importance of school with your child often, teaching him/her the value of hard work and personal responsibility. Explain why your child should always do his/her best!
Stay in touch with your child’s teachers. Email is preferred.
Set a good example by reading and writing yourself.
2. PROVIDE GUIDANCE
Make sure your child has a quiet place with adequate lighting and necessary supplies to attend virtual classes and study.
Help your child get organized. Even though your child will not be bringing home handouts from school during virtual learning, there will still be assignments and supporting materials that he/she will need to keep organized either digitally or via printed copies in a binder.
Talk with your child about his/her school work, checking to be sure that he/she understands the assignments.
Ensure 1½ to 2 hours of homework and study time each evening, with no TV, radio, video games, or texting.
Understand and respect your child’s style of learning.
Encourage your child to develop good study habits (e.g., scheduling enough time for big assignments, following directions, and making up work missed due to absences).
3. MONITOR ASSIGNMENTS
Check myMCPS Classroom / Synergy at least once every week.
Check your child’s homework for completion.
Ask to see all graded work, reading the teachers’ comments.
Do not allow your child to make excuses for not doing homework.
Encourage your child to store documents on his or her Google drive and to have a system to keep files and documents organized.
4. TALK WITH SOMEONE AT SCHOOL WHEN PROBLEMS COME UP
Talk with the teachers early in the year before any problems arise. Even though we are not physically in the building for the first semester, we can arrange a phone call, Zoom conference, or a Google Meet to make sure your child's needs and your concerns are addressed promptly.
Contact the teacher immediately if a problem comes up. Given our current situation with all learning happening virtually, email is the quickest way to connect with your child's teacher.
Cooperate with the teacher to develop a plan to help your child.
Follow up with the teacher and with your child to make sure the plan is working.
We know that this school year is going to be challenging since we are all virtual for the first semester, but we are dedicated to doing everything we can to make sure the high expectations, rigor, and engaging experiences continue in the virtual setting. We need your support more than ever to make sure your child gets the most of his/her virtual learning experience. Below are some ways you can support your child during virtual learning:
Help your child create a space for virtual learning. Make sure there is adequate lighting, a desk, pens/pencils and paper, and any other materials that will help your child feel comfortable in his/her learning space.
Post your child's schedule in multiple places - in his/her room, near the desk/computer station, on the refrigerator, etc.
Consider hanging a calendar near your child's workspace, so that your child can post his/her assignments and daily schedule.
Help your child set alarms to remind him/her of when classes begin.
Make sure your child attends all of his/her classes.
Encourage your child to stay engaged during Zoom sessions and turn his/her camera on.
Ask your child about his/her classes every day.
Make sure your child uses the breaks outlined in the schedule to stand up and move. There is a lot of sitting that occurs with virtual learning, so encourage your child to take advantage of the downtime to take a walk, get up and stretch, and get the blood pumping.
Remind your child that this is school and to be in charge of their learning. It is important students complete work, understand material, and make connections. Their learning must continue.
Above all else, don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any concerns. We are here to support your child's success!
Our e-mail addresses can be found on our school website: