Parents & Families

• Set goals for the school year together
  Sit down as a family and decide on a few clear academic and personal goals. Revisit them often to help stay focused and motivated.
• Review school and program calendars
  Go over important school dates together (tests, breaks, events, deadlines). Add them to a shared digital calendar or post them somewhere visible at home (like the fridge) so everyone stays on track.
• Create a weekly check-in routine for schoolwork
  Set a consistent time each week to review assignments, grades, and upcoming work. Use your school’s parent portal to stay updated and celebrate progress early while addressing concerns quickly.
• Talk about clubs and activities
  Discuss ways your student can get involved beyond the classroom. Clubs, sports, and programs like AVID help students build confidence, friendships, and a stronger connection to school.  Learn about the benefits of extracurriculars. 
• Schedule a meeting with school staff
  Plan a check-in with your child’s school counselor and program advisor. Use this time to talk about course selection, college and career interests, and opportunities to earn college credit while in high school.

• Start learning about paying for college
  It’s never too early to begin exploring financial aid, scholarships, grants, and other ways to make college affordable. Learning the basics now will make the process much easier later.
• Talk about your student’s future goals
  Have conversations about careers, colleges, and life after high school. Encourage your student to dream big while exploring different paths that match their interests and strengths.
• Plan next year’s classes carefully
  Meet with your student’s school counselor to choose courses that are both challenging and aligned with college and career goals. Taking rigorous classes now can open more opportunities later.  Research high school classes that colleges look for.
• Explore opportunities to earn college credit
  Learn about programs such as Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment, or other college-level courses available through your school. Earning college credit in high school can save both time and money.
• Continue checking in on academic progress
  Review grades, attendance, and assignments together. Celebrate accomplishments and make a plan to address any challenges before the end of the school year.

• Begin exploring scholarship opportunities
  Create a folder to save scholarship information, deadlines, and application materials. Building good scholarship habits now will make senior year much easier.
• Start building a college list
  Research colleges together and discuss what matters most to your family—location, majors, campus size, cost, student support services, and extracurricular opportunities.
• Talk about college costs and savings
  Discuss ways your family can prepare financially for college. Every contribution—big or small—can help reduce future expenses.
• Learn more about earning college credit
  Continue exploring opportunities like AP, Dual Enrollment, or Early College programs that allow students to earn college credits before graduating from high school.
• Make meaningful summer plans
   Encourage your student to participate in Eagles in Flight activities, summer programs, volunteer opportunities, internships, camps, or employment that helps develop new skills and interests.  Explore ways that students can stay motivated.
• Visit a college campus
  Take advantage of college tours or open house events whenever possible. Visiting campuses helps students picture themselves in college and better understand what they are looking for in their future.
• Reflect and celebrate the school year
  Take time to recognize your student’s accomplishments, growth, and hard work. Celebrate successes and set new goals for the coming school year.

• Celebrate your student’s ninth-grade accomplishments
 
  Completing the first year of high school is an important milestone! Take time to recognize your student’s hard work, growth, and accomplishments throughout the year. 
• Reflect on the year and set goals for sophomore year
 
  Talk together about what went well during ninth grade and where there is room to grow. Use that conversation to set a few academic, personal, or involvement goals for tenth grade.
• Encourage summer learning and enrichment
 
  Summer is a great time to explore interests and develop new skills. Encourage your student to read, volunteer, work, attend a camp or summer program, or participate in other meaningful activities. 
• Stay connected with Eagles in Flight
 
  Participate in EIF activities and other educational opportunities available throughout the summer. Staying engaged can help your student continue building confidence and preparing for the next school year. 
• Explore interests and possible careers
 
  Your student does not need to know exactly what they want to do yet! Encourage them to use the O*NET Interest Profiler to discover their interests and explore careers that might be a good fit. 
• Research careers together
 
  Once your student identifies a few careers that sound interesting, use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to learn what people in those careers do, the education or training typically required, typical pay, job outlook, and similar occupations. 
• Connect college majors with future careers
 
  Help your student begin making connections between their interests, possible college majors, and future careers. Explore UMW’s Center for Career and Professional Development to learn more about how college students explore careers, develop professional skills, gain experience, and prepare for life after college. 

Remember: Your student does not need to choose a career right now. Career exploration is about discovering interests, strengths, and possibilities. Their interests may change as they learn, grow, and experience new things.