On Tuesday, Aug. 26th, parents arrived at the West Ranch campus to peek into what the new school year has in store for their students. Back to School Night provides parents an opportunity to interact with their students’ teachers, visit their classrooms and get an overall idea of what their students’ fresh academic year will entail.
The evening opened with all guests being guided toward the amphitheater. After an opening performance from West Ranch’s jazz band, cadets of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps took the stage for a presentation of the colors and the national anthem. From there, West Ranch Principal Mr. Fisher kicked off the night with a welcome speech before inviting parents to proceed with the program for the rest of the night.
For the remainder of the night, parents were directed to follow the schedule of their students. They were given the chance to visit each of their students’ classes in 10 minute periods to experience the daily routine of the classes that their children attend.
ASB director Mrs. Priske emphasized the importance of parents attending Back to School Night: “It’s very valuable for parents to see what their students do each day to get a small glimpse of what their student goes through.” The event allows parents to get a personal connection with the experiences of their students.
During each period, teachers opened with a brief background of themselves, shared fun facts to break the ice and were able to show some of their personality to the parents. After their introductions, teachers gave a quick presentation, going over their course description, goals for the students and plans for the year. Audra Hindes, mother of Logan Hindes, expressed, “It’s nice to hear what’s going on from his new teachers and plan for the year.”
Some teachers also used the time to provide advice on how parents can help their students succeed. For example, West Ranch English teacher Mr. O’Brien voiced that an indicator of student success is parent involvement. Thus, what he tries to focus on is drilling the importance of sleep. “What I ask of them is mostly making their kids sleep. If they can do that, everything else falls into place,” Mr. O’Brien explained.
As the night came to an end, parents were able to leave the campus with more knowledge on their students’ daily life and routine at West Ranch. As an added benefit, Mrs. Priske shared that she hopes the evening helps students to “feel supported when their parents come and show that they are interested in their child’s education.”
