It’s the season for back-to-school Open House events: 8 reasons why you should go.

Photo above by Nico Smit via Unsplash.

Open house, let’s get acquainted night, curriculum night, celebration of learning– whatever the term your school uses, that annual fall visit to your child’s school is a valuable parent’s rite of passage. Even for those who have “been there, done that” with older siblings, it’s worth taking the (usually two-hour) opportunity to attend.

“There are always new things going on whether it be new initiatives or a new teacher,” says David Radcliffe, assistant principal at the Brentwood Borough School District Middle-High School.

Many school districts prioritize community and the importance of partnering with parents throughout their child’s educational journey. (We definitely see this at the schools participating in Parents as Allies.) And this is especially as the lines of communication have changed from a phone call or note home to emails, homework portals and weekly classroom newsletters. The event is usually the first of many occasions for staff and guardians to meet in person.

“Any parent who’s available to be at open house – I think it’s always a great thing to do,” Radcliffe says.

Here are some reasons why:

• You get to meet the teacher (or teachers), putting a face to a name. It opens that first door to building trust and being able to ask questions. And you get to introduce yourself to the teacher, letting them know that you are interested in your child’s progress.

“That makes it easier for the teachers to reach out (in the future) because they know that you want to hear from them,” said Radcliffe.

There is usually time for a brief individual comment, said Amy Kern, principal at Hampton Township School District’s Central Elementary School. “We want to know everything that a parent might want us to know,” she said.

At Keystone Oaks, elementary students and their parents are invited a couple days before the start of the year to find their classrooms, meet their teachers and even stock their lockers. “It’s a nice way, especially for new kids, to know where they are gong on that first day,” said Dave Thomas, principal at Fred L. Aiken Elementary School.

• You get to meet other professionals working in the building. Special subject teachers – art, music and physical education – are usually available at these events. You can also meet counselors, special education and speech teachers, and other enrichment facilitators, who will share about the services they offer. “If parents have a concern, it’s good for them to know that these people are servicing kids in our building,” Kern said.

• You can learn about ELL services. Families of students in English as a Second Language programs can discover what is offered at their school and learn how their needs will be met by school staff.

• It calms those beginning-of-school-year nerves. Franklin Regional designates a special night before the first day of school, less geared toward introducing curriculum and more designed to help reduce anxiety for kids, parents (and teachers!). “We focus on things parents need to know to prepare for the first day and what they are going to know for the start of the school year,” says Tina Gillen, director of communication and innovation at Franklin Regional.

• You can learn about your child’s curriculum, including the core subjects like ELA (English Language Arts) and mathematics. It’s a great way to learn what is expected of your child and the amount of time they should be spending each night on homework. “At the elementary level, parents can ask the teacher if there are certain skills that they can help their children work on,” says Radcliffe. And at the middle and high school levels, you can learn about courses your student might take next semester or next year.

• You get a snapshot of your child’s school day. If you have younger kids, what will their routines be like? What will their planner and “take-home” folder look like?

• You discover the communications portals. Teachers and administrators will likely share about the school’s use of tools like Canvas, Google Classroom and/or Schoology, or whatever may be used by your district, and how parents and students should access them.

• You can sign up to help with activities. At many open house events, representatives from the parent/teacher organizations (PTO/PTA) will be set up at a table to actively recruit help with future events like activity nights, field days and clubs. And at many districts, including Keystone Oaks, PFO (parent faculty organization) members are on-hand to guide parents on how to apply for the necessary state clearances.