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You bought the clothes, the school supplies and that new lunch box, but is mi’ja or mi’jo ready for escuela?  With the 2007-08 school year starting Monday, Aug. 20, educators shared with MÁS a few last-minute consejos to help parents prepare themselves before the first bell rings.

Juan Avila, executive director of the Parent Institute for Quality Education, recommends parents practice a routine to make sure their children will make it to school on time.

The scheduled routine should involve los niños going to bed earlier and getting up at a regular hour to get ready for school, eat breakfast and make it out the door with time to spare.

“Parents need to prepare and get their children excited about going to school, especially for the younger ones, who aren’t comfortable with leaving their parents for the first time. Have them help pick their school supplies — once again, this will help them get excited about going back to school and they won’t be buying the wrong things,” said Avila. “Sometimes, if they’re not comfortable with school, the little ones will cry for hours or until their parents come to pick them up. This will help them be OK on the first day of school.”

Parents should also review the information packets that are mailed to them or given to them before school starts, Avila said.

He added that if it’s a student’s first year at a school site, it’s a good idea for parents to take their children on a campus tour. The tour should include important locations like the office, cafeteria, their classroom(s) and restrooms. 

Julissa Moreno, a first-grade teacher at Voorhies Elementary School, suggests parents make sure their children are going to bed early and eating a healthy breakfast.

Since most students use summer vacation as a break from reading and doing homework, parents should make sure they’re ready to transition into classwork and studying, Moreno said.

“By the first grade, they should be reading, so get them used to reading again,” said Moreno. “Reading and practicing their numbers will get them ready for the first day of school.”

To register your child for kindergarten in the Bakersfield City School District, your child must be born on or before Dec. 2, 2002.

For first grade, they must be born on or before Dec. 2, 2001.

To register for school, your child must have:

• A birth certificate or a passport to verify the child’s age.

• Proof of address is required- a rental agreement or a utility bill addressed to the home may be used.

• All children entering the first grade at a California public school for the first time are required by law to have a physical. However, BCSD requires students to have a physical before entering kindergarten.

Avila said it’s a good idea to have your child’s annual physical exam right before school starts to make sure your child is healthy physically and mentally.

“You have make sure everything is OK, especially with students who are going through adolescence,” said Avila. “They have to have healthy minds and bodies to succeed in school.” 

Besides a physical exam, parents must have their child’s immunizations up to date. BCSD has immunization requirements for students in kindergarten through eighth grade:

• Polio — 4 doses

• Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT) — 5 doses

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses

• Hepatitis B — 3 doses

• Chickenpox — 1 dose or documented disease or immunity

For the first day, Avila recommends parents to accompany children to school who are in kindergarten to eighth-grade.

For students who have more than one teacher, parents should visit each one individually. Parents need to ask the teacher questions like what are their expectations for the school year, what school supplies are needed for the class and ask them how they would like to be contacted — phone calls, appointments or e-mails.

It’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your child’s teacher before Open House or Back to School Night, according to Avila. 

“Parents with high school-age children should become friends with their children’s counselor and schedule appointments to meet with the counselor four times a year,” he said. “Parents need to pay closer attention to their children’s moods, especially during the first week of school.”

If possible, parents should put off scheduling appointments or outside activities to make sure they can interact with their children and make sure they are adjusting well to school, classmates and teachers. If there’s a potential problem, parents can usually spot it early.

“Stay in contact with the teacher, know your child’s progress and what they’re  learning,” said Moreno.  “Make an effort to talk to your child’s teacher. Most times, teachers and parents come into contact when the child is in trouble. It’s a partnership between parents and teachers to make sure the student learns. ”

Both Avila and Moreno suggest a room or area designated specifically for homework.

If there’s not enough room in your house, they said to use an alternative space —  a kitchen table, for example, is a good place for homework.

Also, make sure your student has all the right supplies to do their homework and someone there ready to help.

School supplies should include the following:

Elementary school age
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Paper
• Crayons
• Color pencils
• Markers
• A ruler
• Glue
• Scissors
• A folder

Junior high and high school age
• A backpack
• Pens
• Pencils
• Erasers
• College-ruled paper
• Color pencils
• Markers
• A ruler
• Folders
• Binder(s)
• A calculator

Moreno said teachers are like students — they have first day of school anxiety, too.
“We can’t sleep the day before the first day of school. We wonder what our students are going to be like,” she said with a laugh.  “This year, they’re going to have fun and learn a lot. We’re looking forward to seeing them.”