Back to School for Davis Students

by Susan Lovenburg

Hear that?  It’s the sound of alarm clocks ringing all over town.  This morning the 8,500 (give or take a few) students of the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) return to school.  Some anticipate the day with pleasure, others with something more akin to dread.

I always listen incredulously when other parents tell me their children can’t wait for school to start.  I have three children.  Between them we have experienced 29 first days of school together.  Never – not once –  did they eagerly anticipate the event.

We’ve had our fair share of separation anxiety on those first days.  One year my kindergartner had to work so hard to keep from crying that her chin wobbled all morning.  Her teacher pronounced her a trooper, but said she couldn’t look at Emma too long or she would cry herself.  My oldest came home from her first day of junior high and announced she felt like “seventh grade roadkill.”  And as I drove away from her college dorm last September, we were both in tears.

These first days have been as hard on me as they were on my children, but they taught us to trust our resiliency and the teachers, paraeducators, secretaries, custodians and principals at our schools to provide the support my girls need.  We have never been disappointed.

After the jump, find a wealth of information to help you and your child settle into the new school year.

For those of you experiencing some of the angst we’ve felt over the years,  the PBS Parents website offers some tips on helping settle your child at school.

To kick-off the new school year, I’d like to share a few resources that may help you navigate the waters of the Davis Joint Unified School District, starting with the website www.djusd.net.

On the home page, Superintendent James Hammond describes some of the highlights and challenges of the 2009-10 school year in his welcome back message to the community.  You can subscribe by clicking here to receive his e-mail messages throughout the year.

The Davis Community Network provides two wonderful resources for DJUSD families.  Davis Multi-school Resources pulls together all public school websites, staff lists and parent leader groups.  Each school has its own website, e-mail listserve and newsletter for communicating with families.  Take full advantage of the information they provide.

The Davis Multi-school Calendar lists important dates for all schools on one calendar.  If your school isn’t using this calendar, encourage the PTA to contact www.dcn.org for more information about this free resource.

For policy wonks and those interested in learning how the district works, the Davis School Board meets the first and third Thursday of each month in Community Chambers at 23 Russell Blvd.  These meetings begin at 7:00 pm and are open to the public.  Agendas with supporting documentation are available online.  Meetings may be viewed on cable channel 17 or at www.djusd.tv.

One of the surest indicators of a student’s success is parental involvement in their education. Stay informed and participate.  Your kids are worth the effort.  Best wishes for a wonderful school year.