August = Back to School
by Susan Bell

When we think of August, we usually think of those hot, steamy days of summer fading into the cooler days of fall. Every parent also thinks of August as the hectic time to prepare for school as the back-to-school sales start earlier and earlier each year. Whether you are the proud parent of a kindergartener or trying to see a teenager through the last years of high school, we have some tips for you. 

School Physicals
           

An important issue that requires early attention is obtaining a physical examination. Your school district may require your child to have a physical examination prior to enrollment as a kindergartener or new student or before you can enroll your child in any sports activities. The Missouri State High School Activities Association requires that students have an updated physical prior to participating in extracurricular activities.
           

In the event that this matter needs immediate attention and your child’s physician doesn’t have an opening, you do have options. Downtown Urgent Care provides examinations with no appointment necessary for $29, (314) 436-9300  (www.downtownurgentcare-stl.com). St. Louis County Dept. of Health (www.co.st-louis.mo.us/doh) and Peoples Health Center (www.phcenters.org) offer exams at minimal price or free of charge based on financial ability at its locations throughout St. Louis. Logan Chiropractic Center also offers physicals for $15 at six locations throughout the metropolitan area. Visit www.logan.edu for locations. 
          

In addition, the Missouri Child Vision Law (SB 16) requires that every child enrolling in kindergarten or first grade receive one comprehensive vision examination by January 1. A complete eye examination must include “subjective refraction to best visual acuity.” Most pediatricians do not have the equipment in their office to complete this part of the examination.  
           

Crown Vision Centers (www.crownvisioncenter.com), Pearle Vision Centers (www.pearlvision.com) and America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses (www.twopair.com) all offer comprehensive vision exams, ranging from $45 to $59. In addition, Volunteers In Service In Our Nation (VISION USA) is a program offered through the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the AOA Foundation to provide basic eye health and vision services free of charge by participating AOA member optometrists who donate their services. For more information, visit www.aoa.org/visionusa.  
          

 Although the intent of the law is to identify vision problems early in children, it is not the intent to exclude children from school. According to the Missouri Optometric Association 60 percent of students identified as problem learners have undiagnosed vision problems.  
           

Parents or guardians have the option to request, in writing, that their child be excused from the requirement. In addition, school districts will be required to provide vision screening for each student, once before the end of first grade and once before the end of third grade.

School Clothes and Supplies
           

Before you shop the back to school sales for school clothes, start by checking out your child’s closet. Know what your child has that still fits and whether it can be mixed and matched with existing items before making any purchases. Then, create a list of items needed to supplement what your child already has in his/her closet.  
           

Avoid spending money on expensive clothing for kids — they will either outgrow it or their preferences will change before you receive your money’s worth. If your child is concerned about fashion, consider checking out the fashion scene at school prior to shopping for clothes that might not be worn. 
           

One method of determining the value of a piece of clothing is to divide the price by the estimated number of wearings. For example, it may make sense to buy new jeans for your children if they practically live in them as opposed to the homecoming dress or other dresses that are worn only a couple of times.  
           

Check out resale shops, especially if your child prefers designer labels. Many resale shops are gold mines for designer clothing.  
           

One option to consider is providing your older child with a clothing allowance. This allows him the option of choosing the latest designer jeans or several pairs of jeans purchased from a discount store or resale shop. The list of resale shops abound and it is fun to see how far you can stretch a clothing allowance.  
           

If your child is required to wear a uniform to school, outfitting your child may be slightly easier and the decision may be whether to buy new uniforms or add some gently used ones to the wardrobe mix. Resale shops are great places for basic school trousers and shirts. 
           

The state of Missouri offers a back-to-school sales tax holiday this year on August 7 to 9, whereby certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, personal computers and accessories including software are exempt from sales tax for the weekend. There are some restrictions on both the value and what is allowed. Exemptions from the clothing definition include watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands and belt buckles. School supplies do not include radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable and desktop telephones, copiers and other office equipment, furniture and fixtures. An article of clothing cannot exceed $100. School supplies are not to exceed $50 per purchase.   
           

Some cities have opted to not participate in the sales tax holiday. Check out   http://dor.mo.gov/tax/ business/sales/taxholiday/school/ for further details on restrictions and limitations.

School Routines 
           

As the start of school approaches, consider adjusting the bedtime routine to the school time schedule. It may be a rough adjustment for children who have become night owls, but it is much easier to make adjustments several days earlier in the process than the day before school begins. It is helpful to establish consistent bedtime guidelines to ensure children get adequate sleep in order to be successful in school. 
           

Parents may also want to establish rules at the beginning of the school year regarding when homework is to be completed and any restrictions on extracurricular activities based on school performance. Consider establishing a curfew for school nights and limit the amount of time that is spent at a part-time job or in sports, especially if time management and study skills are not your child’s strengths.  
           

Maintaining a master family calendar in a central location is helpful in tracking extracurricular activities, sporting events, due dates on major projects and important social events.  This also prevents overbooking children or the parents when all the activities can be seen by the entire family.  
           

Another item to consider is a chore list to establish a routine for after school. It is helpful to determine where the backpack and homework will be placed after school to avoid school work being strewn around. You may also want to establish some guidelines to ensure the dirty laundry makes it to the laundry area so that school and sport uniforms are clean when needed.

After School Care & Activities
           

Parents who work outside of their homes need to secure not only after-school programs for their kids that provide care, but an enriching experience as well. Check with your child’s school for available after-school activities.    
           

The YMCA offers many programs for youth and is the largest provider of childcare in the State of Missouri. The YMCA provides these services at many school districts. 
           

Rockwood School District’s Adventure Club before and after care program, for example, is an enrichment type program that allows parents flexibility in choosing how many days a week they utilize the service. It provides developmentally and age-appropriate activities that are relevant and reflect the background and culture of the children enrolled.  
           
It is also important to know whether or not the program you choose screens and performs background checks of its potential employees. Inquire into the specifics of the screening process. 
           

Other options for before- or after-school care include in-home care by relatives, friends or neighbors. If this makes more sense for your family, line up those resources now. You may even want to share the responsibility with another parent. Two part-time employed parents may decide to share responsibility for the benefit of each family.   
           

Your child may also choose to join extracurricular activities to fill some of the time after school. These may include various clubs at school or sports teams.

Meal Planning
           
Meal planning is a great way to save time and ensure that your child eats healthy, well-balanced meals. Quick and easy meals are also helpful for the evenings when extra curricular activities conflict with meal time. Preparing extra meals on the weekends to freeze for future use makes great economic sense as well.
           

Determine what your child would like for lunch. Some schools allow parents to pay for school lunches online, in advance, and to monitor what the child is eating. It is also helpful to print out the school lunch menu in advance and let the students decide if they want to buy or bring their lunch. 

Transportation 
           
If you have a kindergartener or your child will be attending a new school, walk or drive to school two or three days before school begins. This helps to acquaint them with what they will be doing that first day and can work wonders for alleviating first-day jitters. You will also want to find out the closest pick-up point and time for bus riders. If your family will be ride-sharing, work out the schedule in advance.

Practice Run
           
If your child is especially anxious about the first day, ask your school if your child can visit the classroom prior to the start of the school year. Many school districts have orientations for kindergarteners that include riding a bus and learning the rules of being a safe school bus rider.

Tutoring
           
If your child struggled in school with a particular course during the previous year, you might consider hiring a tutor or enrolling your child in one of the many learning centers available throughout St. Louis. In addition, if your student will be taking the SAT or ACT and is not a good test taker, consider enrolling them in a test preparation course. Students can take the exam more than once if they are unhappy with the score, so plan ahead and register early for an SAT or ACT test preparation course.
           

Sending your child to a private school will require that you be ready to apply for enrollment and scholarships in November. The deadline is February for applications, but apply early. The process for parochial schools begins with high school open houses in September and October, prior to the application process that starts in November. Visit www.independentschools.org or  www.archstl.org for more information. 

Be Involved
           
The last bit of wisdom to start the school year is to get involved in your child’s school. With so many parents working, many Parent Teacher Organizations have their meetings in the evening so more parents can attend. There are school activities that need volunteers that do not involve daytime hours such as calling parents for a fundraiser or helping with a weekend car wash. It is easy to get acquainted with the many programs available at orientations or the initial parent open house held early in the school year. In addition, these gatherings are a great way to meet other parents who may share your same concerns.   
           

Plan early to make it a great year in your child’s education.