Things around our schools have been so busy that it is difficult to believe that this is only the 12th day of the school year! Students and teachers enjoyed their first dress down day yesterday, everyone has shown off their comfy and crazy footwear and we are even starting to take student photos as the Mentor high school students say “cheese” today. And even though we are only in the 3rd week of school, our new students are pretty comfortable in their surroundings and have adapted to the new routine. I read an article yesterday that a new school year is your child’s equivalent to starting a new job and that parents and teachers need to remember how we felt in that situation! One way to get a better idea of how the year is going is to come next week to our “Meet the Teachers” night.

It is always a great evening because the youngest students are not only eager to show parents their classroom and some of the work they have been doing but they are equally proud of their parents and their teachers. Just as they want to show off their work, they want their teacher to see how wonderful their parents are (and vice versa, of course). Not every parent does a morning drop-off or an afternoon pick-up so it gives the grown-ups the opportunity to put faces to names. Because the regular phone call comes from the homeroom teacher, this is one of the few times in the year when parents get the chance to speak with the rotary teachers and visit those classrooms as well.

As for high school students, if they tell you that no parents or students come to “Meet the Teacher” night then you might also believe them when they say they study best while they are listening to music/watching TV/playing video games/texting/Skyping, etc.! If they say they have too much homework to attend themselves (you can always ask the teachers!), they should at the very least should provide you with a copy of their timetable schedule so you can visit the teachers. The Main Campus especially can be a bit of a labyrinth for even a long-time parent so the staff members in the hallways need to have a classroom number and teacher in order to get you to your destination.

TEAM School parents, we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday, September 25 and we welcome our Mentor families to the Primary and Main campuses on Thursday, September 26.

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College/TEAM School