Parents, welcome to the summer months. This is the time of year you learn how important your child’s school is to your family.

You may be the type of parent who understands and appreciates the job teachers do for you and your children, but now is the time to become a true partner in your child’s education.

We teachers have worked very hard over the last 9-10 months teaching and preparing your children for the next grade and overall success in life. We ask you, the parents, to keep up the momentum we have built. Even if you feel it was very little.

Some parents advocate for a school to be in session all 12 months and to teach your children year round. Just because your local school district is closed doesn’t mean your children can’t continue their education.

My question to the parents who want a 12-month school year is: Do you really want year round education or is it so you don’t have to worry about your child for 2-3 months? If that’s the case it sounds more like you are not advocating for better education, but instead taxpayerfunded babysitting.

For those parents who want the best for their children and want to not only be a parent to their child, but a partner in their education, take advantage of the educational opportunities available.

Don’t let the summer months go by without reinforcing the ideas and lessons taught to your child by their teacher. Take day or weekend trips to museums, science centers, and culture/history spots. It can be across the country or, if your budget is tight, across town.

We teachers can only do so much. We can’t be expected to teach and raise your children for you. We also have our own children to worry about. So we have done our turn for the last 9-10 months, now we need the parents to be our partners and take the reins for 2-3 months so we can focus on our own children and family.

I just ask, as a teacher and a parent, before you come to the school to complain about how a teacher, school administrator or coach failed your child in any way, look into the mirror and take account of everything. Then ask, what you did with the time you had with your child to make them better?

A VETERAN EDUCATOR and musician, B.C. Tozer is also the author of “Scales for Band: Major and Minor,” and his newest book, “ The Four C’s of Successful Teaching: Consistency, Contingency, Compassion and Courage,” which empowers readers to take control of their teaching situation, take ownership of their actions and align the results with success for themselves, for the community and their students.

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