Advice for Starting the School Year Right

With the start of school just around the corner, students seeking advice to make sure their year is a great one need only look to their front offices.

Principals from the Land O’ Lakes area have a wealth of knowledge they’re willing to share to help their students get off on the right footing.

While you might think the advice would vary from elementary and middle to high school, it really doesn’t. Goal setting is a common recommendation among the principals from , and . So, too, is making sure kids take personal responsibility for their educations.

Here’s what some of our Land O’ Lakes area principals had to say to students in advance of the 2011-12 school year:

Getting Ready for Elementary School

Oakstead Elementary Principal Tammy Kimpland is preparing to welcome hundreds of youngsters back to her campus. Kimpland says a good school year is created by taking each day one at a time.

“Each day, get a good breakfast and a good night’s rest,” she wrote in an email. “Remember, that coming to school is your job and you need to be ready each and every day.”

She also recommends making reading a priority to build abilities in all subject areas.

“Read 20 minutes each night and set a reading goal,” she said. “When you reach that goal, set another goal to reach. Be the best reader you can be.”

Attitude is everything, she added.

“Come each day with a positive attitude and an ‘I can do it’ frame of mind,” she said. “Believing you can be the best you can be will get you where you want to go.”

The Middle School Years

The middle school years can be tough ones, but Rushe Principal David Salerno said students can make them great ones if they try.

“(The) most important thing for students is to have goals for themselves — attendance, behavior, academics,” he said. Parents and educators can assist students greatly. “Come up with strategies to help them be successful in these areas,” he said.

Salerno is making teaching strategies and goal-setting a priority for all of his students this year. He recommends students “start off the year to be successful by doing a self-analysis” to see where they might want to improve.

Make High School an Experience to Remember

Land O’ Lakes High School Principal Ric Mellin said high school students can make the most out of their experience by putting an emphasis on both academics and extracurricular activities.

“I always tell student to get the full experience they need to be involved,” he said. This means joining band, getting active in sports, taking part in drama — doing something to enhance time spent in school.

On the academic side, Mellin said attendance is crucial, and so are setting goals and being prepared.

“There’s so much data (that connects) success in high school with good attendance,” he said, adding that students should come prepared.

High school students can’t do it alone, Mellin said.

“Having family participation is essential for success; even if it’s just coming to events,” he said.

High school memories are those that last, he said.

“These four years will make a lasting impact on your life.”

Pasco County schools open to students Monday, Aug. 22.