Setting Up Your Student for Success

This article suggests key information for parents and guardians to know to best support their child.

In order to best support your child, it's important to be informed and have knowledge of key information.

Identify whom to contact at your child's school if you have questions, including the virtual/online program coordinator or special education/IEP coordinator, if applicable.
Identify your child's teachers, how your child can contact them, and their office hours.
Note the start and end dates of your child's course(s).
Note the school's grading scale and assignment expectations.
Identify any necessary materials and how to collect them (i.e., the school will provide all materials; the family is responsible for finding the needed materials, or a combination of both).

Parents and guardians should be familiar with their student's curriculum to support their child's learning and communicate effectively with teachers about progress and challenges. Review our Knowing Your Student's Curriculum resource for more information.
A learning management system (LMS) is the online environment for the delivery of academic courses and the documentation, tracking, and reporting of a student's course performance. Each LMS is unique in the features it provides. Review our Knowing Your Student's Learning Management System resource for more information.

Clearly communicate with your child what is expected of them while completing their courses.
Consider creating a reward system for meeting agreed-upon milestones (e.g., achieving a certain score on an assessment, staying on pace for a particular timeframe, etc.).
Help your child establish an appropriate workspace, whether that be their own desk in a bedroom or a designated space in a common family area, like a dining room or family room.
Create a schedule with appropriate breaks based on the age of your child.
- Older children may not require as many breaks as younger children.
- Review the sample schedules for each grade band in our Empowered Curriculum subcategory.

Depending on the type of help you're seeking, consider these options:

If your child is in kindergarten through fifth grade, reference the Parent and Teacher Guide available in their core courses.
If your child is in kindergarten through second grade, reference the Social and Emotional Learning Guide available in their core courses.
If you have a question or comment about a specific course, email your child's teacher with relevant and specific information. Include the course name, module, and lesson number.
If you have a general inquiry about your child's online program, email the school's virtual/online program coordinator.
If your child has an IEP/504 plan, email your questions to the school's special education/IEP coordinator.
- If your child's course is taught by a Lincoln Learning Solutions instructional staff member, see the Student Support Services Overview resource for more information regarding accommodations, procedures, and policies.

The following Lincoln Learning blogs offer suggestions and ideas to help you and your child in their online courses.

Please note the images found in this resource may not match your screen. Access and/or features may vary based on client contract.