Welcome to our Parent Newsletter. Attendance Matters, make sure your child(ren) are present every day! Each month we will highlight a skill(s) in Reading, Math, Speech, and Gifted. Also, in this newsletter you will find additional resources via links. If you are not able to locate a resource or would like additional information, please reach out to your local school. We are getting ready for another round of Assessments for the Winter. Please read the Parent Tips on helping your child with test taking. You will also find information for our 11th and 12th Grade students to help prepare them for their future. I want to thank you for all that you do to make your child's education possible, we could not do it without you!

Thanks,

Dr. Bruce Prescott

Click link: The Center for Parent Information & Resources (CPIR) is the central hub of valuable information and products specifically designed for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities.

When students are evaluated for special education services, the team should consider all areas of suspected disability for the child who is being evaluated. In Alabama, there are 13 areas of disability in all. Over the next few months, we will give a brief overview of each exceptionality and some of the criteria considered during the eligibility process. Full information about each exceptionality can be found at https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AAC-290-8-9-11-4-2013.pdf

Multiple Disabilities: concomitant impairments, the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.

o Criteria: the child must meet all eligibility criteria for two or more areas of disabilities as defined in Alabama Administrative Code.

*There are some specific exclusions, refer to Alabama Administrative Code for complete information regarding these exclusions.

Orthopedic Impairment: a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease, and impairments from other causes. If a medical diagnosis is presented, the medical diagnosis alone is not enough to justify being identified in the area of Orthopedic Impairment. The impairment must adversely affect the educational performance of the child.

o Criteria: vision/hearing screening, evidence of an orthopedic impairment, performance measures that document how the child's disability affects his/her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum, a statement providing evidence that the orthopedic impairment adversely affects educational performance, and for initial referrals evidence of interventions/accommodations that have been tried in the regular education setting, but were deemed unsuccessful.

*If a child has an intelligence score of 55 or below, the adaptive score must be 77 or below

💟February💟

1-28 Black History Month

3-7 National Counselor Week #NSCW25

14 SPE Olympics Bowling

17 President's Day: No School (Inclement Weather Day if needed)

18 REGULAR SCHOOL DAY

28 SPE Olympics Gymnastics

🍀March🍀

1-31 Youth Art Month #YouthArtMonth

1-31 Music in Our Schools Month

2 Read Across America Day #ReadAcrossAmericaDay

2-8 National School Social Worker Week #SWWeek2024

3-7 National School Breakfast Week

14 Pi Day

10-14 Spring Break

21 Report Card Distribution

Future Special Olympics Event Save the Date

🎳Special Olympics Bowling: Friday, February 14, 2025 at Bowlero

🤸🏻‍♂️Special Olympics Gymnastics: Friday, February 28, 2025 at TASPA 9:00-12:00

🎽👟Special Olympics Track and Field: Friday, May 2, 2025 9:00-2:00 at Central High School

*Look for information coming from your Child(ren) School.

The purpose of Postsecondary Transition Parent Engagement Night is to improve the postschool outcomes for students with disabilities by having informed and active parents who know what adult support services are available for their child upon graduation. We are planning to have multiple adult agencies, among others, present to speak with parents about their programs and how to access their programs. Some programs have a long waitlist, so it is imperative that parents know and complete the necessary documentation to get on these waiting lists. Moreover, our goal is to debunk any misconceptions about our students' capabilities.

Postsecondary training begins in elementary school and earlier according to research. The more transition skills students have prior to leaving high school, the more likely they are to sustain employment, graduate from college, and effectively utilize community resources. When students learn skills, have self-knowledge, and possess certain attitudes and dispositions, they can successfully navigate community resources, live as independently as possible, obtain employment of their choosing, and attend community colleges and universities and/or seek vocational training. Parents are a large part of supporting postschool outcomes when they are actively engaged in the process.

We would like parents to attend their feeder zone high school engagement night, but if you are unable to attend on that date, you can certainly attend any of the other dates.

March 20, 2025 at Paul W. Bryant High School at 6:00 pm

March 26, 2025 at Northridge High School at 6:00 pm

March 27, 2025 at Central High School at 6:00 pm

Westlawn Middle School is thrilled to host Our Night to Shine, a magical evening dedicated to celebrating the incredible Special Education students of the Tuscaloosa City Schools!

Date: Friday, March 28, 2025

Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Theme: "Be a 'RAINBOW' in Someone Else's Cloud!' (Formal Attire)

Location: Westlawn Middle School

1715 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

✨ Online Pre-Sales: March 1st – March 21st on Westlawn's GoFan (https://gofan.co/app/school/AL73176)

🎟️ Ticket Prices:

Adult Tickets: $8

Student Tickets: $5

Door Tickets: $10

Westlawn's Our Night to Shine is a prom-like event designed specifically for students with special needs, giving them a royal experience with a red-carpet entrance, dancing, food, and an atmosphere of celebration. This event is all about honoring their unique worth and value—and we want every student to feel like a STAR!

Key Reading Components:

• Phonemic Awareness: Recognizing and manipulating sounds in words.
• Letter Recognition: Identifying letters and their sounds.
• Pre-reading Skills: Understanding story structure, concepts of print.

How Parents Can Help:

1. Read Aloud Daily: Choose age-appropriate picture books, ask questions, and point to pictures and words.
2. Play Sound Games: Make up rhyming games, emphasize the first sounds of words, and play with word families.
3. Introduce the Alphabet: Sing the alphabet song, point out letters in books, and match letters with objects (e.g., “A” for apple).
4. Talk About Stories: Before and after reading, discuss the title, characters, and what happened in the story.

Resources:

• Reading Rockets (Preschool Reading)
• PBS Parents: Early Literacy

Key Reading Components:

• Phonics: Connecting sounds with letters and blending them to read words.
• Fluency: Reading smoothly and quickly.
• Vocabulary: Understanding and using a wide range of words.
• Comprehension: Understanding the meaning of the text.

How Parents Can Help:

1. Practice Phonics: Use flashcards, rhyming books, or phonics apps to reinforce sound-letter connections.
2. Read Together: Take turns reading aloud to build fluency, and re-read favorite books for better speed and expression.
3. Discuss New Words: When you come across unfamiliar words, talk about their meanings, and use them in sentences.
4. Ask Comprehension Questions: After reading, ask your child questions about the story’s characters, setting, and plot.
5. Use Interactive Tools: Play online reading games or apps that focus on phonics and vocabulary building.

Resources:

• Reading Rockets (K-5 Reading)
• Starfall (Phonics and Early Literacy)
• National Center for Improving Literacy (Reading Strategies)

Key Reading Components:

• Vocabulary Expansion: Learning and understanding more complex words.
• Fluency and Expression: Reading with correct intonation and expression.
• Comprehension: Analyzing text and making inferences.
• Critical Thinking: Understanding deeper meanings, themes, and author's purpose.

How Parents Can Help:

1. Encourage Daily Reading: Set aside time for independent reading of both fiction and nonfiction.
2. Vocabulary Building: Keep a vocabulary journal where your child writes new words and their meanings.
3. Discussion & Critical Thinking: After reading a chapter or book, have a discussion about the main idea, character motivations, and themes.
4. Practice Summarizing: Ask your child to summarize what they’ve read in a few sentences or paragraphs.
5. Use Graphic Organizers: Help your child organize information from a text using mind maps, Venn diagrams, or story maps.

Resources:

• Read Write Think (Middle School Reading Strategies)
• CommonLit (Free Reading Passages and Resources)

Key Reading Components:

• Advanced Vocabulary: Using academic and domain-specific words.
• Comprehension and Analysis: Understanding complex texts and interpreting themes, symbolism, and literary devices.
• Critical Reading: Evaluating arguments, biases, and perspectives in various texts.
• Writing & Synthesis: Writing coherent essays that analyze and synthesize multiple texts.

How Parents Can Help:

1. Support Independent Reading: Encourage your child to read challenging novels, textbooks, and scholarly articles.
2. Discussions and Debates: Discuss the themes and key points of books, articles, or historical texts. Encourage them to express opinions and provide evidence.
3. Help with Writing: Guide your child through writing essays, focusing on clear thesis statements, supporting arguments, and proper citation.
4. Introduce Literary Criticism: Help your child explore different viewpoints or critical theories when analyzing texts.
5. SAT/ACT Preparation: Use reading comprehension practice tests from official SAT/ACT prep materials to improve reading speed and accuracy.

Resources:

• Scholastic (High School Reading Strategies)
• Khan Academy (Reading and SAT Prep)
• College Board (SAT Reading Practice)
• ACT Official Practice: ACT Test Prep

1. Khan Academy (Preschool – 5th Grade)

• Resource Type: Website, App, Videos
• Subjects Covered: Early math skills, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and word problems
• Link: Khan Academy

2. ABCmouse

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Basic math skills (shapes, counting, patterns, addition/subtraction) for preschool through early elementary grades
• Link: ABCmouse

3. IXL Math

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Extensive practice across all math topics, including operations, fractions, geometry, and data analysis for all grades
• Link: IXL Math

4. SplashLearn

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Math games and activities for early learners focusing on counting, addition, subtraction, and other elementary skills
• Link: SplashLearn

5. Prodigy Math

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Math skills from kindergarten through 8th grade, with personalized game-based learning
• Link: Prodigy Math

6. Math Seeds

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Early math skills for preschool through 2nd grade (counting, basic operations, shapes, patterns)
• Link: MathSeeds

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Interactive math tools (such as virtual manipulatives) for elementary and early middle school
• Link: Math Learning Center

1. Khan Academy (6th – 8th Grade)

• Resource Type: Website, App, Videos
• Subjects Covered: Pre-algebra, geometry, ratios, proportions, data analysis, basic statistics, and more
• Link: Khan Academy

2. Desmos (Graphing Calculator and Activities)

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Algebra, geometry, and graphing for middle and high school students, interactive graphing tools
• Link: Desmos

3. Study.com (Middle School Math)

• Resource Type: Website, Videos
• Subjects Covered: Pre-algebra, basic geometry, ratios, proportions, and word problems
• Link: Study.com Math

4. CK-12 Foundation

• Resource Type: Website
• Subjects Covered: Interactive lessons and exercises in algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics
• Link: CK-12

5. Math Help (Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry)

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Pre-algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry with video lessons and practice exercises
• Link: MathHelp

6. BrainPOP Math

• Resource Type: Website, App, Videos
• Subjects Covered: Math topics for middle school such as algebra, geometry, ratios, and more with interactive videos
• Link: BrainPOP

1. Khan Academy (High School Math)

• Resource Type: Website, App, Videos
• Subjects Covered: Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Statistics, SAT math preparation
• Link: Khan Academy

2. Paul's Online Math Notes

• Resource Type: Website
• Subjects Covered: Advanced high school math including Pre-calculus, Calculus, Algebra, and more
• Link: Paul's Online Math Notes

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Probability, Statistics, and logic with interactive learning and problem-solving
• Link: Brilliant.org

4. Desmos (Advanced Math)

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Calculus, Algebra, Pre-calculus, Graphing Calculators
• Link: Desmos

5. Wolfram Alpha

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry, and more; an advanced computational search engine for solving math problems and visualizing data
• Link: Wolfram Alpha

6. PatrickJMT

• Resource Type: Website, YouTube Channel
• Subjects Covered: Algebra, Calculus, Pre-calculus, and other high school-level math topics explained through step-by-step videos
• Link: PatrickJMT

7. Art of Problem Solving (AoPS)

• Resource Type: Website, Books
• Subjects Covered: Advanced topics in math (Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus, and Olympiad level problem-solving)
• Link: AoPS

8. Mathway

• Resource Type: Website, App
• Subjects Covered: Algebra, Calculus, Statistics, and more with problem solvers for students at all levels
• Link: Mathway

Pre-K - 2nd Grade (Early Elementary)

1. Starfall

   • Website: Starfall Writing
   • Starfall offers free interactive activities that help early learners develop their reading and writing skills through fun exercises focused on letters, sounds, and simple sentences.

2. Storybird (Free version)

   • Website: Storybird
   • Storybird allows students to create illustrated books. While there are paid options, students can still create stories and develop writing skills with the free version.

3. PBS Kids - Writing Games

• Website: PBS Kids Writing Games
• This collection of fun writing games for younger kids allows them to practice writing through creative prompts, characters, and stories.

3rd - 5th Grade (Upper Elementary)

1. Read Write Think

   • Website: Read Write Think
   • Provides free lesson plans, printable graphic organizers, and interactive tools that help students develop skills in writing stories, reports, and more.

2. Time4Writing - Free Resources

   • Website: Time4Writing
   • Time4Writing offers free writing tips and lessons that help children improve their writing skills, from writing clear sentences to constructing well-organized essays.

3. Writing Prompts (Teachers Pay Teachers - Free Section)

• Website: Teachers Pay Teachers
• This site offers many free downloadable writing prompt resources for elementary students. Parents can search for specific topics or grade levels.

6th - 8th Grade (Middle School)

1. Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

   • Website: Purdue OWL
   • This comprehensive online resource offers free guides on everything from grammar and mechanics to writing research papers and essays, making it an excellent resource for middle school students.

2. Grammar Girl

   • Website: Grammar Girl
   • Grammar Girl provides free, easy-to-understand grammar tips, which can help middle schoolers improve their grammar and writing style.

3. Write and Improve (Cambridge English)

   • Website: Write and Improve
   • This free online tool helps students of all ages practice their writing. It provides feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and writing quality, offering a chance to improve by submitting drafts and getting suggestions.

4. Storybird (Free Version)

• Website: Storybird
• Allows students to create stories with beautiful illustrations. While there are paid options, the free version still offers plenty of opportunities to practice creative writing.

9th - 12th Grade (High School)

1. Khan Academy - Writing

   • Website: Khan Academy Writing
   • Khan Academy offers free video lessons and exercises on writing techniques, essay structure, and grammar. Students can learn how to develop an argument, organize ideas, and write with clarity.

2. Grammarly (Free Version)

   • Website: Grammarly
   • Grammarly’s free version provides real-time feedback on spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. It’s a helpful tool for high school students who want to improve their writing clarity and correctness.

3. The Writing Revolution

   • Website: The Writing Revolution Blog
   • Offers free articles, strategies, and resources for high school students to develop strong, structured writing. The site provides free downloads for students to practice sentence structure and argumentation.

4. Read Write Think

   • Website: Read Write Think
   • This resource includes free lesson plans and writing guides for high school students on topics such as argument essays, research papers, and analysis.

5. The Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill

• Website: UNC Writing Center
• Offers free resources on various writing topics, including writing thesis statements, developing essays, and organizing research papers.

General Resources for All Grades

1. Daily Writing Prompts

   • Website: Notebooking Pages
   • Provides free daily writing prompts that help students practice writing skills across various genres and topics.

2. Writing With Colors

   • Website: Writing With Colors
   • A free, interactive online tool that teaches students how to structure their writing. It uses color-coding to guide the writing process.

3. Writing Prompts (Writing Forward)

   • Website: Writing Forward
   • Offers a variety of free writing prompts that can help students practice creative, narrative, and personal writing at all grade levels.

4. Storybird (Free Version)

   • Website: Storybird
   • Students can create free illustrated stories. The platform helps children develop creative writing while providing a medium to showcase their stories.

We have a partnership with The Achievery from AT&T. It is an online platform with videos and activities aligned to national standards for grades K-12. The videos are divided into core content areas, SEL, Technology, Engineering, Digital Literacy, and Digital Arts. Teachers, students, and parents can sign up for accounts. Parents could use it at home for some additional practice. Here is the link that parents, teachers, or students could use to sign up for an account: https://bit.ly/44HWEHY

Introduction

The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Team makes many important decisions regarding programs and services available to students eligible for special education and related services. One important decision involves a determination of how a student will participate in the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP); either in (1) the general education assessment with or without allowable accommodations, or (2) an alternate assessment for students unable to participate in the general assessment, even with allowable accommodations, due to significant cognitive disabilities.

The IEP Team should begin this decision-making process with the understanding that all students, including all students eligible for special education, can learn grade-level content and should participate in the general education assessment to the maximum extent possible. However, there are times in which the IEP Team can determine that an alternate assessment is necessary and appropriate for a relatively small group (approximately 1%) of the total tested population. For example, if the total tested population in a school district is 4,000, then 40 students would represent 1% of the total tested population.

This document is intended to help guide IEP Teams to determine whether the ACAP Alternate, an alternate assessment program based on alternate achievement standards, is the appropriate assessment for a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The ACAP Alternate was developed to ensure that all students can participate in an assessment that is a measure of what students know and can do in relation to the grade-level state content standards.

General Criteria

The decision about how an eligible student participates in the ACAP is an IEP Team decision, not an administrative decision. The IEP Team should use the following criteria for determining the extent to which a student can participate in the ACAP Summative, with or without allowable accommodations, or whether the student should participate in the ACAP Alternate:

1. The student must be eligible for special education and must have an IEP in effect at the time of the decision.

2. The IEP Team decisions regarding a student’s participation in the ACAP Alternate must be based on both current available data and consideration of historical evaluations and instructional data relevant to the student.

3. The IEP Team’s decision should be based on the student’s present levels of educational performance, need for specially designed instruction, current annual goals, learner characteristics and access to the general education curriculum.

4. The IEP Team’s decision regarding a student’s participation in statewide assessments must be made at a scheduled IEP Team meeting that precedes administration of the statewide assessment. 5. All decisions must be timely and current; switching assessments at the last minute, right before testing, is disruptive to the student and the administration of the assessment.

Avoid the Following as Criteria for Participation Decisions

Other issues may affect a student’s learning experience and his or her ability to learn that are NOT appropriate to consider during the decision-making process for the ACAP Alternate.

These are:

1. A disability category or label

2. Poor attendance or extended absences

3. Native language/social/cultural or economic difference

4. Expected poor performance on the general education assessment

5. Academic and other services student receives

6. Educational environment or instructional setting

7. Percent of time receiving special education services

8. English Learner (EL) status

9. Low reading level/achievement level

10. Anticipated disruptive behavior

11. Impact of test scores on the State’s accountability system

12. Administrative decision

13. Anticipated emotional distress

ACAP Alternate

Federal law requires the use of an alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities receiving special education services who cannot participate in the regular state assessment program. Each state is required to establish the state’s definition of “significant cognitive disabilities.” In Alabama, the definition of a student with the most significant cognitive disability is a student with an intelligence quotient (IQ) of three standard deviations below the mean, which is an IQ score of 55 or below, that significantly impacts intellectual functioning and that exists concurrently with deficits in adaptive functioning (defined as essential for someone to live independently and to function safely in daily life). As a rule, a student having a significant cognitive disability is not solely determined by an IQ test score, but rather by a holistic understanding of a student. The IEP Team should use this definition as part of the determination for a student to participate in the alternate assessment program. As determined by the student’s IEP, a student receiving instruction on the alternate achievement standards, an extension of the grade-level state content standards, meets one part of the eligibility to participate in the alternate assessment program.

Additional criteria for a student with a significant cognitive disability references students who require intensive or extensive levels of direct support that is not of a temporary or transient nature. A student with a significant cognitive disability may also require specially designed instruction to acquire, maintain or generalize skills in multiple settings in order to successfully transfer skills to natural settings including the home, school, workplace, and community.

For students with an IQ measured in the 55-70 range, additional factors related to the severity and impact of the disability must be taken into account. Neither the special education disability category nor a given standardized IQ score can be the sole factor considered when determining instructional standards and participation in an assessment.

For a student to be considered as having a significant cognitive disability and therefore eligible for the ACAP Alternate assessment, the student’s IEP Team should carefully consider ALL the following statements:

• The student’s demonstrated cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior in school, work, home, and community environments are significantly below chronological age expectations even with program accommodations.

• The student requires extensive direct instruction and/or extensive supports in multiple settings to acquire, maintain and generalize academic and functional skills necessary for application in school, work, home, and community environments.

• The student demonstrates complex cognitive disabilities concurrent with deficits in adaptive behavior that are below chronological age expectations, which prevents the student from meaningful participation in the standard academic core curriculum or achievement of the appropriate grade level expectations.

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) provides preemployment training services to students in grades 9-12 at no expense to families. By now, you should have received a VR Letter for PreEts and Transition Services consent form from your child's IEP case manager. If you have not received this consent form, the form is attached for your convenience. Please read, sign, and return to your child's IEP case manager. If you received the form but have not returned it to your child's case manager, please sign and return the form immediately. If you have any questions, please contact your child's IEP case manager.

Self-determination is a cornerstone outcome for students with disabilities. Research indicates that the more self-determined students are prior to leaving high school, the more likely they are to achieve their postschool goals. Self-determination is a mindset influenced by the ability to make choices and decisions for oneself and the belief that these choices and decisions will positively impact one's life. Parents can help their children build self-determination skills including, choice-making, decision-making, problem solving, goal setting and attainment, and self-advocacy by providing opportunities for students to utilize these skills. For example, your child can assist with meal planning and preparation; setting, monitoring, and adjusting daily, weekly, and/or monthly goals; ordering from a restaurant menu; and talking through situational issues where solutions are needed. These are just a few examples, but you can google self-determination videos and have a wealth of resources at your disposal.

Parents of high school students in grades 11 and 12 should contact the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services(205-554-1300) for the purpose of completing an application for adult support services. I also recommend that parents consult with ADRS about postsecondary service possibilities and procedures.

Transportation services may be available through Handi-Care (https://www.handi.care/). Handi-Care is a new for-profit transportation company in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas. They take medicaid, which may help with the cost.

Transportation services may also be available at Tuscaloosa Transit Authority. Parents are encouraged to go to the website: Tuscaloosa Transit Authority; click on Demand Response Services; click on ADA Application and Rules to learn about how to access the services; click on Reasonable Modifications to learn more about requirement.

Helping middle and high school students develop strong homework and study habits can make a huge difference in their academic success. Here are some tips for parents to support their kids at home:

1. Create a Consistent Routine

• Set a specific time and place for studying: Designate a quiet, distraction-free area for homework, and try to keep this routine consistent each day.
• Break down the time into segments: Consider using a timer (e.g., Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes of studying, followed by a 5-minute break). This helps students stay focused.

2. Encourage Time Management

• Use a planner or calendar: Help your child keep track of assignments, tests, and projects with a physical planner or digital calendar. Break larger projects into smaller tasks with deadlines.
• Prioritize tasks: Guide your child to tackle the most difficult or time-sensitive assignments first and save easier ones for later.

3. Limit Distractions

• Reduce phone and screen time: Encourage your child to turn off their phone or put it in another room while studying to avoid distractions.
• Social media and video games: Set clear boundaries about when and where they can use social media or play video games.

4. Promote Active Study Techniques

• Use flashcards: These are great for subjects like math, history, or vocabulary. Flashcards help reinforce concepts in a quick and interactive way.
• Summarize or teach the material: Ask your child to explain what they learned in their own words, as if they are teaching someone else.
• Use practice tests: Taking practice quizzes or mock tests can improve retention and give a feel for the format of upcoming exams.

5. Set Realistic Expectations

• Focus on effort, not just grades: Praise the effort your child puts into studying, even if the grades don’t always reflect it. This builds a growth mindset.
• Don't over-schedule: Make sure your child isn't overwhelmed with too many extracurricular activities that take away from study time. Balance is key.

6. Be Available for Support

• Offer help when needed: Be available for questions or to clarify instructions, but avoid doing the work for them. Encourage independence while providing guidance.
• Check in regularly: Have regular check-ins to discuss what homework or studying your child has left to do, and help them stay on track.

7. Encourage Healthy Habits

• Ensure proper sleep: Sleep is vital for memory and focus. Ensure your child gets enough rest (8–10 hours for teens).
• Promote healthy eating and exercise: Encourage nutritious snacks and physical activity to boost energy and focus.

8. Celebrate Achievements

• Reward progress: Small rewards for completing homework or studying (like a favorite treat or an extra 10 minutes of screen time) can motivate students to stay consistent.
• Highlight progress: Acknowledge improvements in organization or effort to boost confidence.

9. Provide Emotional Support

• Be patient and empathetic: If your child feels stressed or frustrated, validate their emotions. Help them break down tough assignments and provide reassurance.
• Encourage positive self-talk: Teach them how to stay positive and resilient when things get tough. A good mindset can make a big difference in motivation.

10. Foster Independence

• Let them take ownership: As students get older, they need to take more responsibility for their own studies. Gradually back off, allowing them to manage their own schedule and workload.
• Promote self-advocacy: Encourage your child to communicate with their teachers if they are struggling with an assignment or need clarification.

Tuscaloosa Public Library

Get a Library Card

Calendar of Events

WHAT IS DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY?

Success By 6 of United Way of West Alabama is proud to provide Dolly Parton's Imagination Library books FREE to children from birth to 5 years of age living in Bibb, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties. Once a month, your child will receive a new book by mail. You only need to do two things: register your child and pledge to read the books to him/her. Please, climb on board Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!

Special Education FAQs

Special Education Process

Special Education Services

Email: webmaster@tusc.k12.al.us
Website: https://www.tuscaloosacityschools.com/
Location: 1210 Almon Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, USA
Phone: (205) 759-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TCSBoardofEd
Twitter: @TCSBoardofEd