Year-End Goals

With June just around the corner, parents of elementary school-age children are readying for the end of the 2024-2025 academic school year. There will be presentations, awards, graduation ceremonies, and preparation for the summer ahead. Many have enrolled their children in summer sports, day, and overnight camps where children will experience new opportunities to meet their peers, make friends, and learn new skills. Looking ahead is important!

Equally important is the opportunity to reflect on the learning that has taken place over the past ten months. Where many students entered the classroom with mixed emotions, generally, they exit with a shared sigh of relief. In unison, they shout, “Schools out for summer!”

Parents, this is a great time to celebrate with your children. Remind them of the challenges they faced, the hurdles they overcame, and the goals they achieved. Point out moments when the learning seemed insurmountable, and how with perseverance and a change in mindset, they solved problems and acquired new skills.

Decades of research have shown that when students believe they can learn, they work harder and achieve more. Now that is a step worthy of celebration.