School bells are ringing this week in the Natchez area, and educators have a message for parents &045;&045; get involved.

&uot;Parents are our best resource and our best partners,&uot; said Karen Tutor, principal at McLaurin School, where youngsters from second to sixth grade are enrolled. &uot;And the most important thing they can do for us is to be sure the children get here every day &045;&045; and on time.&uot;

Poor attendance can be a serious problem. And it holds back a school and its students, Tutor said.

Often a few simple changes in routine can make a difference &045;&045; getting homework completed early, having a nutritious meal and getting to bed early.

&uot;They need down time. We work hard to be sure the homework load is appropriate. They shouldn’t have more than 30 minutes to an hour,&uot; Tutor said of students at her school, which is a part of the Natchez-Adams County School District. &uot;Then let them play and feed them a good meal. They need to be in bed by 8 or 8:30. Their day starts early.&uot;

The carefully monitored routine can do wonders to make the school day begin smoothly; so can positive attitudes.

&uot;Parents need to be positive in front of their children,&uot; Tutor said. &uot;If they have a problem, we want them to call us. We want to have a positive, open relationship with them.&uot;

Lorraine Franklin, principal at Frazier Elementary School, agreed. &uot;Instill in them that they should feel good about coming to school,&uot; Franklin said.

At Vidalia Lower Elementary School in Vidalia, La., principal Doris Polk said a push is on there to get parents more involved during the coming year.

&uot;We’re looking forward to a good year,&uot; Polk said. &uot;We send progress reports every three weeks. And we have homework notebooks as a way to communicate between teachers and parents.&uot;

A school Web site, found under the official Concordia Parish site, keeps parents informed about activities at the schools, Polk said.

Kelly Baroni, a first-grade teacher at Frazier, said parents can make a big difference by scheduling time to read with their children. Frazier students range from pre-kindergarten to grade two.

&uot;Sometimes they forget things during the summer. There are so many opportunities at home to help them remember their letters and numbers,&uot; she said.

Further, just expressing interest in their activities is important to the youngest students. &uot;Ask them what kind of day they had. It takes so little time, and it lets the child know you’re interested,&uot; Baroni said.

At Lewis Middle School, principal Betty Bell said parents should feel free to visit their children’s schools.

&uot;We need real involvement,&uot; she said. &uot;And number one is making sure students attend school daily.&uot;

Middle school includes grades seven and eight. And, as with other grades, there are clear competency objectives and benchmarks. And, as with younger students, routine is important.

&uot;The kitchen is an exceptional place to teach such things as measurements,&uot; Bell said. &uot;Or you can have your children collect data from a newspaper, practice reading graphs. Let them learn about money when you’re buying groceries.&uot;

Bell wants parents to know the middle school teachers.

&uot;If we could get parents to come to school and sit in the classroom and see how the lesson is presented, it would give them an opportunity to sit down with the teacher and say, ‘this is what I’d like you to look for in my child.’&uot;

Teachers and parents can work together when problems arise, whether in behavior or in academics. Bell said middle school years are difficult. &uot;They are going into a transition and coming out of a transition,&uot; she said.

If a child frequently complains of not feeling well and not wanting to go to school, parents should contact the school, Bell said.

&uot;Kids will bottle up,&uot; Bell said. &uot;Parents can check with the counselor and let the teachers and administrators know what’s going on.&uot;

Parent resource centers at the schools are important resources for enhancing academics. At McLaurin, Tutor said, the resource center there &uot;has good grade-level resources&uot; to help parents help their children.

Bell said the schools’ resource centers and the district’s parent center offer &uot;a wealth of information. Our district does a great job of saying, ‘here is the help. Come and get it.’&uot;