Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am asking for your help. Please stay in touch with me throughout the school year, not at the first sign of trouble or only at Back to School Night and Open House. By staying informed, you know what’s going on in the classroom and you and I can develop plans to help your child become more successful in school.

Please provide a quiet place for your daughter or son to study, with a desk, calendar, and proper lighting away from any distractions such as the phone, television, or the family computer. Help reinforce how to

1.      Manage time (e.g., how to estimate how long a task will take)

2.      Track assignments (esp. with homework and project due dates)

3.      Read a textbook and newspapers to promote critical thinking

4.      Take notes

5.      Organize a binder and

6.      Other useful academic skills

Please encourage your student to use math and writing skills to relate to the importance of government and economics in daily life. When you reinforce these skills and help your daughter or son to see the value and meaning of what they are studying, then you have built life-long learning skills for them to move forward to higher education.

Richard Gahr High School provides a number of career, college, and academic resources for its students. We have an outstanding career center, counseling staff, tutoring program, and series of workshops for college financial aid, SAT preparation, writing college essays, and other programs that may be of interest to you. You therefore need to stay informed about what’s going on at school in order to take advantage of Gahr’s opportunities. Make sure you know who your child’s counselor is and how to contact her/him.

I am more than happy to talk with you over the phone, by email, or at school at any time. By working together, we can help your child succeed in the classroom, at school, and in the community.



Respectfully,


Larry Natividad