Raising the Bar: Ways to help your middle or high schooler get back on course

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Many parents have experienced that panic when their middle or high schooler has fallen behind in class as the end of the school year nears.

There are many reasons students fall behind and some issues can be easier to fix.

In this week’s “Raising the Bar” segment, 13News’ Valerie Cavazos speaks with Linda Reusch, the remediation and acceleration coordinator for Vail Unified District, who offers some quick tips to help get your child back on course.

So usually kids really do know whether or not they’re falling behind. They may not want to tell their parents they are falling behind and think they can tackle it themselves. What are some suggestions for parents?

“I would stay on top of the grades and the assignments that your child is doing,” Reusch said. “Talk to them and encourage that self-advocacy. If they are not understanding something during the lesson, encourage them to speak up and ask questions from the teacher and request help when needed.”

The key point here is that the school is there to help, they want the kids to succeed, and it’s just a matter of asking.

“The parent and teacher partnership is so important and key to your child being successful,” Reusch said.

As far as attendance is concerned, how big a factor is that?

“Attendance is so important,” Reusch said. “We have seen nationwide that schools have seen an increase in the amount of students who have been absent since the pandemic. And, of course, if a child is sick, they should stay home, but research has shown there’s a strong correlation between attendance and academic achievement. So, when children are absent, they do fall behind. So, it’s so important to have that regular attendance to help students fully engage with their learning every day.”

That might even be a first step – just get them in the class so that they’re learning.

Cavazos will bring these local “Raising the Bar” segments on various topics every Monday to help you kick start each week with expert advice on education.

To watch last week’s interview with Reusch on helping elementary students who’ve fallen behind, click here.

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