Back to School Tips to Start The School Year on the Right Foot.

As summer draws to a close, parents are gearing up to send their children back to school. To help with the transition from summer to school, here are some tips to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Transition to 'School' Mode
Kids are used to later bedtimes and sleeping in during the summer. Adjusting to a school schedule can be challenging, so it's beneficial to reset their sleep patterns before the start of the school year. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that children aged 6-13 should get 9 to 11 hours of sleep, while teenagers aged 14-17 need about 8 to 10 hours. By starting early, children will be more accustomed to the new schedule, reducing stress when school begins.

Shifting the Mindset
To help kids get into “scholar” mode, explore educational activities, either online or in person. Encourage them to read at least one book before school starts. While it's important to foster learning, avoid spending the last weeks of summer reviewing last year’s curriculum. Kids need downtime before school begins, and last-minute drills can increase anxiety.

Scheduling Physicals
If your student has recently had a physical exam, it is considered current within one (1) year on the exam, (for example, a physical exam taken in April of 2024 is good until April of 2025).  Students cannot start on campus unless their health records are provided and complete. The only exception is if the date of an upcoming doctor's appointment is provided by email to our Healthcare Social Worker, Mrs. Lila Yewchuk, and the relevant health forms are submitted immediately following the appointment. All health records can be delivered in person to our Main Office or emailed to lyewchuk@damien.edu. 
For student-athletes, an athletic pre-participation examination is required. This can be downloaded from the sidebar, “participation requirements.” It tells the athletic trainer if there are any previous medical conditions (e.g., asthma, heart conditions, epilepsy, etc.) so they can properly treat your student-athlete in the event of an emergency. If you can't schedule an appointment, consider urgent care or a walk-in clinic. Click here to download the athletic forms.

Changes to Our Dress Code
DRESS CODE REQUIREMENTS: The uniform expectations apply to all new and returning students. All female students are required to wear the purple or black DMS polo shirt and plaid skirt/skort, khaki shorts or black shorts. All male students are required to wear the purple or black DMS polo shirt with Dennis Uniform khaki shorts, slacks, or black shorts. Any deviation from this basic dress code will be permissible only with the approval from the office of the Assistant Principal/Dean of Students.LITURGY DRESS CODE REQUIREMENTS: On days when we have all-school liturgies and other dress-up occasions, boys are required to wear approved Dennis khaki slacks, Dennis white dress shirt with DMS logo, a black tie (or DMS tie) and a solid black or brown belt. All female students are required to wear the plaid skirt/skort with the Dennis white, collared blouse with DMS logo. Families may purchase white liturgy tops from Dennis uniform.

Staying Organized
Hold weekly meetings to review your kids’ schedules. Set clocks forward by 10 minutes to improve punctuality. Create a family calendar to track everyone’s activities. Set a daily alarm to signal the start of homework time.

With these tips, you can help your children smoothly transition from summer to school, ensuring a successful start to the new academic year.