My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the Pope." Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.' Pablo Picasso

The "Evans Top Ten" of School Success

As parents, you can help make your child's year a successful one by setting the stage for learning. Please review the following "Evans Top Ten" for school success:

• Get a schedule. Most kids need more sleep. Have a regular time when your child goes to bed...and gets up. Once on a regular schedule your child will be ready for school each day on time. 
• Start Strong. Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast before school every morning. Kids who eat breakfast are ready to learn.
• Keep track. Encourage your child to use his/her planner each day. Make it part of the schedule to check the planner each day with your child.
• Hit the (study) spot. Make sure your child has a regular place and a regular time to do homework and study every day. It can even be the kitchen table as long as it is quiet and has good lighting. In front of the television set does not work regardless of what he/she says.
• Manage time. Is there time for school in your child's schedule? Someone once said, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." School needs to be a priority and helping your child manage their time so that assignments are completed by the due date is critical for success.
• Redecorate. Keep the television and video game console out of your child's bedroom. More and more research is indicating that a television in a child's bedroom can cause real problems. A television or video game console in a bedroom allows a child to either play video games or watch television without a parent knowing. Bedtime routine is affected and sleep patterns are also affected making a child less able to focus at school.
• Ask questions. Encourage your child to ask his/her teacher questions if he/she doesn't understand or know the answer. Call, email and/or visit the teacher yourself if you have a question, concern, suggestion, idea.
• Study in style - Learning Style to be exact. Not all kids learn the same way. Help your child figure out how he/she best learns. Celebrate the fact that he/she is unique and remind him/her that out of the more than 6 billion people in the world today, no two people have the same fingerprint. One of the greatest motivators for a child is knowing that he/she alone has something to offer the world.
• Pack it in. Each night, make sure your child gets into the habit of packing his/her book bag with everything that is needed for school the next day.
• Talk it up. Every day ask your child questions about what he/she is learning in school.