We value family involvement and look forward to the strong partnership that we can help form between the school and the families we serve. We recognize that families play a vital role in their children's education. We are not only present as your child's teachers, but a vital resource for you. Please read the helpful hints below listing a few ways that you can help your child develop independence.

1. Read to your child.
2. Listen to your child read.
3. Play games with your child.
4. Help your child get a library card from the public library nearest you. Encourage your child to go to the library as often as possible.
5. Go to the library with your child. Help him or her pick out interesting books to read.
6. Find out about activities for children that take place at your library.
7. Talk to your child about subjects that are interesting to him or her.
8. Listen to your child.
9. Set aside a special "reading time." Let your child know that you look forward to and enjoy your time together.
10. Give your child his or her own place to keep books.
11. Write notes to your child.
12. Help your child write letters and notes.
13. Encourage your child to keep a scrapbook about a subject that interests him or her: stamps, dogs, birds, trucks, etc.
14. Limit your child's television watching. Select certain shows to watch. Turn the television set on for the show and turn it off immediately after the show is over.
15. Read and discuss your child's schoolwork.
16. Provide materials such as crayons, art paper, and paints for creative projects.
17. Give your child a calendar so he or she can write down special events and mark off each day.
18. Help your child make a telephone directory with the names and phone numbers of his or her friends.
19. Ask your child to add a sentence or two to letters you write to far away relatives. (Young children can dictate a sentence for you to write.)
20. Give your child specific duties to perform on a regular basis at home.
21. Let your child help you prepare dinner.
22. Subscribe to a children's magazine (in the child's name).
23. Bring books for your child to read in the car while he or she waits for you to run errands.
24. Look up words in the dictionary with your child.
25. Encourage your child to start a collection of rocks, stamps, etc.
26. Encourage your child to show his or her schoolwork to your relatives and friends.
27. When traveling, read road signs with your child. Discuss what they mean.
28. Show your child how to use a yardstick, ruler, and tape measure for measuring objects around the house.
29. Provide counting experiences for your child.
30. Show your child how to count change.
31. Give your child a special place (box, dish pan, etc.) to keep items he or she must take to school each morning. (This ends last minute searching for library books, papers, bike keys, etc., all of which can cause your child to be late for school.)