Start Of The School Year Is Upon Us; Ways To Prepare For The Challege

WALLED LAKE (WWJ) - With Labor Day in sight, the quest to squeeze in a little more summer adventure as well as get ready for the new school year can be hectic. One award-winning teacher has some advice for getting students and parents to be thoughtfully and emotionally prepared for the upcoming school year.

Melody Airbo, a third grade teacher at Keith Elementary beat out more than 200 other teachers in Michigan to earn the title of Teacher of the Year, reports Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis.

She says it's important in August to make that summer and school connection.

"Most schools do a back to school kick-off," Airbo noted, "or a curriculum night or a meet your teacher night, and it's so important for families to attend those so that they can get some information and also so they can have the kids start to feel comfortable and relaxed."

And to help kids get into that school mode, have them read at night, and add some math exercises on the computer.

Her biggest concerns are with returning students.

"With returning students I feel - it's just that anxiety level - that a lot of them feel, and even kids that love school, like my own daughter, it's still a change, it's still a transition, they are coming into something new," said Airbo.

It's back to school time -- and all this week, WWJ Newsradio 950, as part of our Back to School series will bring you stories about new programs, changes and information to help you prepare for that first day of class.