Students and teachers are not the only ones who should be preparing for a new school year. With classes beginning in the coming weeks, parents must do their homework, too.
A successful school year, experts say, begins at home. Students should be adjusting to appropriate bedtimes and wake-up calls in the weeks leading up to the first school day. Among the recommendations from the Mayo Clinic: “Reduce exposure to screens at least an hour before bedtime to promote better sleep quality and remove screens from the room at bedtime.”
In addition to adequate sleep, nutrition is a significant factor in being ready to learn. The Mayo Clinic reports: “A balanced diet is fundamental to a child’s physical and cognitive development. Proper nutrition helps children maintain energy levels, concentrate better in school and support overall growth and development.” That includes drinking plenty of water and limiting sugary beverages and snacks.
A standard early-morning routine can help ensure that children have time for a nutritious breakfast and are mentally and physically prepared for school.
“Make sure kids are getting back into the breakfast routine,” Dr. Brittany Bassitt, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente, told The Columbian. “Starting their day off well is going to help with focusing and setting up their emotions to be at their best for handling knowledge and just the learning process in general.”
Those suggestions should seem obvious. But it is easy for the bustle of a busy morning — kids getting ready for school and parents preparing for work — to get in the way of healthy habits. Establishing those habits from the beginning of the school year can construct a framework for success that will carry through until June.
The time to start is now. Some private schools in Clark County begin classes next week. Evergreen Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools — the two largest districts in the area — open the following week.
For some students, particularly young ones, the return to school or the transition to a new school can create anxiety. Experts recommend visiting the school ahead of time and rehearsing the dropoff routine for young students.
As parents fret over shopping for school clothes and school supplies, they also should ensure that their children’s vaccinations are up to date. For kindergarten through sixth grade, for example, students in Washington must have records of two doses of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella). Additional vaccines also are required for school attendance, but not those for COVID-19 or influenza. Requirements can be found at your school or the state Department of Health website.
State law allows vaccination exemptions for medical or religious reasons, but not for philosophical or personal reasons.
As Bassitt said: “We’re getting back into the school year, and that means we’re around other kids. We’re getting exposed to things. Make sure kids are washing their hands regularly and understanding those good hygiene practices as best they can. If you’re sick, stay home. Make sure you’re allowing your body the time to heal, and you’re preventing the spread in the community.”
A sense of community is one of the strongest benefits of formal schooling, a tradition that in the United States dates back to the 1630s. As students — and teachers — prepare for another school year, we hope that everybody has a healthy, productive and educational experience.
