Parents and guardians play a pivotal role in their child's education, and their involvement as partners is crucial for fostering a supportive and enriching learning environment. We understand that collaboration between parents and educators is beneficial in promoting student success, nurturing a holistic approach and creating a positive school culture. From Junior Kindergarten all the way to Grade 12 at SMUS, we want you to be involved in your child’s education. We all share common goals for the children of happiness, growth, and preparation for life.
When thinking about the partnership between home and school, ongoing and open communication is imperative. We always ask parents to share valuable insights into their child’s strengths, areas of growth, interests and passions as we work together to support the whole child. At the Junior School, we invite supportive adults to be involved with their child’s learning in many ways. Our goal is to provide parents with insight into our program to help support the learning, academically, socially and emotionally. We begin the year with opportunities to connect as a community, with the parent information night, family BBQ and coffee mornings which help to establish relationships that will be fostered during the current school year and for years to come. During the remainder of the year, we communicate through parent-teacher conferences, formal and informal reports, student-led conferences and grade celebrations of learning. Google Classroom is also a wonderful way for parents to feel connected, and up to date with what is happening at school academically.
Parents/guardians are their children’s first teacher and serve as an essential link between the school and home environment. By fostering a culture of learning at home, parents reinforce what is being taught in the classroom and provide enriching experiences beyond school hours. Encouraging regular reading, discussing school work, and engaging in creative, playful activities help children develop a love for learning and enhance their natural curiosity. Many parents will ask “how much do I help with homework?” Parents/guardians can be supportive, encouraging and offer guidance when needed. Asking questions that encourage critical thinking and problem solving are also beneficial. Hints are good, but parents/guardians should avoid over-helping and remember that time management is a skill that needs to be developed with children. Helping by removing distractions, breaking tasks down into manageable pieces and setting a timer, are helpful. Parent involvement in the learning allows students to feel supported and confident in their abilities.
SMUS is a special place where the community works together to ensure we are an amazing place to play and learn. The parent/guardian involvement goes far beyond just supporting their own children, but is also supporting the community as a whole. The Junior School recently held an appreciation assembly where we spoke about the importance of service, and honoured our parent/guardian volunteers. SMUS has a strong Parents’ Auxiliary committee, and volunteers at the Junior School help with hot lunches, library, iLab, the musical, and outdoor education. We also have Welcome committees, used uniform sales, buddy families, class representatives and guest speakers. The list goes on. Parents/guardians contribute their skills and talents in so many ways and help to create a vibrant school community.
We thank all the parents/guardians in our community who continue to prove that they are invaluable partners as they work alongside us to create a supportive and enriching educational experience for children.
