The end of the school year is a busy time filled with activities, events, appointments, deadlines, and celebrations. As the final days creep closer, it’s easy to lose track of your routine and become stressed. Staying engaged and focused can be simple if you plan with some fun tips in your arsenal.
Check out these end-of-the-school-year tips for parents you can use to make the transition from school to summer seamless and fun.
1. Create a Countdown Calendar
With the last day of school quickly approaching, it can be easy to let some assignments and deadlines slip away. You can keep yourself and your child on track by creating a countdown calendar. Have your child mark all of the upcoming tests, activities, and events coming up. With a countdown calendar, you can plan celebrations and family time while your child remains on track with their schoolwork.
2. Celebrate Accomplishments
The end-of-school-year assignments, exams, projects, and other deadlines can be stressful for your student. As you get closer to the last few days, take the time to celebrate their accomplishments and the hard work they’ve put in. Spending time with your young learner can give them the confidence boost they need to finish the academic year strong. Identify the small steps your child takes to complete tasks and visualize all the work they’re doing.
3. Don’t Fall Out of Routines
It can be easy to lose sight of the working routines that keep your child moving and grooving, from classes to homework to extracurriculars. If you start slowing down, your child will, too. When changing their routine, they may miss critical due dates, forget to complete coursework, or feel stressed and disorganized.
Keep your routines on schedule so you and your child can keep powering through until the last day. Ensure your child gets the proper amount of sleep each night, so they can keep a positive attitude, stay focused, and feel their best every day. Fill their plates with wholesome foods that energize them for the day ahead, and make sure your student dedicates the time they need to complete all the work they need to.
4. Pick a Summer Reading List
Many students make the mistake of mentally checking out over summer vacation. While it’s a great time to relax, students can benefit from keeping their minds active by finding interesting stories to explore. Meaningful summer reading can make the transition to the next year easier and encourage your child to keep learning outside of school. Find a fun reading list and challenge your student to finish as many as possible before the summer ends.
5. Get Outdoors
The end of the academic year brings warm days, and your child might want to spend some time soaking in the sun. Make sure you encourage your child to get outside to relieve stress and stay physically active. You can take a family walk to the park, try a new sport, go on a weekend hike, or play games in your yard. Either way, you can encourage your child to escape outside while staying focused in school.
6. Take Time to Reflect
Reflection offers an excellent opportunity to determine where your child excelled and where they still need to improve. You can make this an activity your child does alone, or you can sit down with them and discuss their feelings about the school year. Address what they could have done differently to make the year easier or things they enjoyed that they would like to do again.
You can also make this a fun activity by asking your child to write a letter to themselves and give advice they wish they had received when they started the year. This strategy can be an excellent way to address any underlying concerns and encourage your child to move into the next grade with a new outlook.
7. Start Planning Summer Activities
Your child may be counting down the days until they get to sleep in and stay awake later in the night. Although some relaxation and alone time is well-deserved, planning for summer activities can help your child stay consistent with their healthy habits and encourage them to foster a learning attitude. From fun activities at home to exciting travel plans, you can encourage your child to stay active and refreshed by planning summer activities to engage their bodies and minds.
8. Sign up for Summer Camp
Signing your student up for a summer camp is an excellent way to ensure they socialize with peers and make fun memories over the break. Summer camp has tons of benefits, including building friendships, strengthening social skills, and teaching leadership and independence skills. You can find plenty of sports, art, science, and socialization camps, so you can always find something your child will enjoy.
9. Go Over the Final Report Card
Taking one last look at your student’s final grades is an excellent opportunity to ensure they are taking the courses they need before getting their schedule for the upcoming year. Evaluate whether your child is experiencing healthy challenges or if they should take a different course level. If your child is feeling bored in their classes, they may benefit from taking something more challenging, but if they encountered many stressful challenges that were hard to face, you might want to consider finding success resources to help your student in the next year.
10. Prepare for Next Year
It’s never too early to plan ahead, and the end of the school year means another one is around the corner. There are many reasons you will want to prepare for the upcoming year. The classes your student takes and the support system they have to guide them will be defining aspects of their academic success. You may want to:
- Research gifted programs: If your child is looking for additional challenges or has some remarkable talents, you may want to consider a gifted-and-talented evaluation. If you get an early jump on it, you can ensure your student can dive right into their coursework on day one and stay on track for the rest of the year.
- Request a teacher: If you’re hoping your child will be in a particular teacher’s class, now is the time to start requesting. Some institutions may not meet your recommendations, but you can discuss your preferences with the principal.
- Discover new classes: Filling your student’s schedule with classes they’ll love can help them stay engaged in their studies. Browse through your school’s offerings and have discussions with your child about what they would look to see. You can introduce them to new topics over the summer so they can dive head-first into classes when they walk through the doors.
Finish Strong at Commonwealth Charter Academy
CCA has been delivering high-quality online education to Pennsylvania students for more than two decades. Our unique academic program aligns with student interests and goals to craft a personalized learning experience that guides each student to success. Request more information to discover if CCA is right for your family and what we can do for your student.
