Confronting the first hardships of high school

Parents in the high schools

Opportunities for parent involvement in school decrease at the highschool level, and maybe that's as it should be. Teens need a place to call their own and high school is as good a place as any. Although parents aren't needed as often to volunteer in the classroom or to help with fundraising, you may find that the parents' council requires your services, or that your contributions to career day may be solicited.

To get to know your teen's high school and to signal your interest, attend several of the events that the school sponsors or that your teen participates in. Buy tickets for the school play or a musical event. Even if your teen isn't a member of the cast, all classes likely have a certain number of tickets to sell. Your own child may want to sit with his friends rather than his parents, but at least you'll have shared the event and be able to talk about it at home. Don't miss open house or meet-the-teacher night. Showing your own school spirit sends a clear message to your teen about how important his school and his education are to you.

When you do visit the school, make an effort to meet the school principal and other key staff, even if it's only a brief introduction. You'll be glad you can put faces to names. Talk to your teen's teachers to get to know who they are and to make connections beyond the fifteen-minute parent-teacher interview.

Parents, welcome!

Parents have made themselves more welcome in some schools than in others. At Cumberland Junior Secondary School on Vancouver Island, each sports team has a parent rep who serves as a link between the team coach and the parents of team members. The school also has nine other parent volunteer committees. Parents are a common sight in the hallways as they make their way to the Parent Office, the school's unofficial headquarters for them, several days each week. It has a meeting room, a resource library, and the planning centre of their school lunch program. Parents who can't attend a meeting can check the council's Web site, which is chock full of the information kids always seem to forget to tell parents.