Has your child recently graduated from middle school? Perhaps, you’re currently undecided where to send your son or daughter to high school. If you can relate to this situation, consider carefully investigating and weighing all of your options before making this important decision. For instance, you might wish to research all available alternatives on the internet before visiting them in person. Determine the availability of clubs and organizations, sports teams, tutoring services, and campus police at each school. If your child wants to take college courses while in high school, you’ll need to find out which high schools in your area offer dual enrollment options. On this blog, I hope you will discover the characteristics of a great high school. Enjoy!
The high school that your daughter attends shapes her future by giving her the opportunity to fully develop her academic and social understanding. At an all-girls Catholic school, young women thrive in a supportive environment that builds their confidence as they progress toward college. While your daughter may be looking forward to the benefits her new learning environment provides, she may also be apprehensive about moving to a new high school. As your daughter's first day approaches, use these tips to help her prepare for the transition.
Encourage Questions
Teenagers may not always come to you with their concerns like they did when they are younger. However, your daughter is likely to be forthcoming with her thoughts if you ask the right questions. Talk to your daughter when she seems open to conversation such as during a meal or a shared activity together. Then, ask open-ended questions that encourage her to tell you how she feels about going to an all-girls Catholic high school. For example, you could ask her what she is excited or worried about. Alternatively, you could set goals together for the upcoming year. Tapping into her feelings about moving to a new school gives you a starting point for addressing any concerns.
Take a Tour
If possible, take a tour of your daughter's new school before her first day. During this tour, your daughter can be shown where all of the important areas of the school are such as the cafeteria, library, and gym. You can also be asked to be shown to common classrooms that your daughter will likely go to during the day. Being familiar with the school before her first day helps to calm your daughter's fears about getting lost.
Explore Extracurricular Activities
While your daughter's academic learning is the most important thing, extracurricular activities give your child a chance to develop their interests and make new friends. At an all-girls Catholic high school, your daughter may have opportunities to participate in music, sports and science activities that all help her to stand out on college applications while also connecting with other students at her school. Help your daughter pick out a few activities that she can get excited about as she enters school this year.
Transitions in life always require some adjustment, and moving to a new high school is often a major change for a teenager. Now that you've found your daughter the perfect high school help her prepare emotionally so that she can walk through the doors with confidence on her first day at a new school.