As of Thursday, September 13, PA students had been back to school for nearly two weeks. But for parents, Back to School Night marks the real beginning of another academic year. It’s the time parents and teachers take to sit down to talk about what’s ahead for students this school year.
Parents often enjoy going; as Mrs. Veronica Albee reflected, “it allows me to understand my students’ workload and the expectations of the teacher.” Albee enjoys following her daughter’s schedule for an evening.
PA students enjoy this aspect as well. Students of all grades agree that back to school night offers a great time for parents and teachers to communicate and “It gives the parents a taste of what we do every day,” said Lauren Heim ‘20. Back to school is especially helpful for new students to learn the expectations of their new teachers. Even if the student has been attending PA since Pre-K there are still benefits of communication between student, parent, and teacher.
Teachers also view back to school night as incredibly valuable. “It’s beneficial for parents and teachers which then, in turn, is beneficial for students,” stated Upper School French teacher Mrs. Heitzman.
Ms. McCulloch, PA’s new Upper School religion teacher, noted that it’s especially useful for her to get to know her students’ parents and to communicate what she expects of her students. Ms. McCulloch notes that she can understand her students better by getting to know their parents.
Back to school night offers a low-stress opportunity for parents and teachers to communicate about the education their child is receiving and set the tone for another great year.