Ready? Set? High School! guide prepares students, parents for transition

Parents play key role in helping students achieve academic, personal excellence, says director

MISSISSAUGA, June 11, 2012 /CNW/ - Can my teen leave school property at lunch? How many credits are needed for a diploma? How many hours of community service must be completed before students can graduate? All common questions parents and students starting secondary school have are answered in the board's new Ready? Set? High School! Parent Guide. This resource, funded by the board's Parent Involvement Committee (PIC), is intended to help parents and students with the transition to secondary school.

"Peel secondary schools offer an extraordinary learning experience for students. Each school is unique as it unlocks the passion and potential of students and inspires success, confidence and hope in each student," says Tony Pontes, director of education. "We expect nothing short of excellence and set high expectations for achievement. Our students consistently achieve academic and personal excellence. Research tells us that parent involvement plays a key role in student success. This guide is a great support to the work schools do to involve parents during this important transition."

The guide includes information for parents about:

• how to get involved in their teen's education
• leaving school property during school hours
• the school year calendar
• attendance
• student safety and well-being
• assessment, evaluation and reporting
• who to contact with questions
• student resources like Homework Help, an online math tutoring website

Printed versions of the guide in English are being distributed to families in June. Translations are also available in the board's top 10 languages (Arabic, Chinese - Simplified and Traditional, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tamil, Urdu and Vietnamese). They are available electronically on secondary and middle school websites. The guide is also available on the Peel board's website at www.peelschools.org. Look for the Ready? Set? High School! link in the Spotlight section of the home page.

PIC supports, encourages and enhances meaningful parent involvement within Peel schools and across the district to support student success. To find out more about PIC, visit the "Parents - Get involved" section of www.peelschools.org.

The Peel board serves more than 150,000 students in kindergarten to grade 12. Operating more than 230 schools in the municipalities of Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga, the Peel board is the largest employer in Peel.

Media contact: Carla Pereira, Manager of Communications (acting), 905-890-1010 (or 1-800-668-1146) ext. 2814, [email protected]

Note to media: Spokesperson available to talk about preparing students and parents for the transition to secondary school.