A Guide for Students and Parents to be distributed first week of school

A newsletter for parents/guardians will be sent home with Rainbow students the first week of school in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin. Rainbow Schools encourage parents/guardians to keep this publication handy as a reference throughout the school year.

"A Guide for Students and Parents" contains important information about Rainbow District School Board’s programs, policies and services. It also includes a directory of schools and key contacts, information about parental involvement in schools as well as a calendar of school holidays, provincial assessments, professional activity days, secondary school examination days and open houses for the 2006-2007 school year.

"The Rainbow Schools newsletter is part of our ongoing efforts to build two-way communication between the home, the school and the communities that we serve," says Director of Education Jean Hanson. "By developing a strong link between school and home, students, teachers and parents/guardians form a powerful partnership dedicated to maximizing a student’s potential inside and outside of the classroom."

Parents/guardians, as the first teachers in the home, are a key ingredient to a child’s success in school. Parental involvement improves student achievement.

Parents/guardians can positively influence their child’s success in school in many ways:

• Ensure that your child attends school regularly and arrives on time.
• Work in collaboration with the school to see that homework is completed on time.
• Limit the amount of time your child spends watching television.
• Ensure that your child gets enough sleep.
• Make time to talk to your child’s teacher or teachers.
• Encourage your child to realize personal and career goals.
• Regulate the amount of time that your child devotes to a part-time job.
• Support Rainbow District School Board’s Discipline Policy.
• Talk to your school about any concerns that you may have.
• Work with the school to resolve any conflicts that may arise.
• Praise your child for good work and good behaviour at school and at home.

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Media Contact:

Jean Hanson, Director of Education,

Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 215.