Each year, Meridian welcomes an influx of new students and families. As parents/guardians are an important part of a child’s school life, whether that be organizing special accommodations for their children, or working with their teachers to check up on grades and assignments, they need to be informed of all the happenings in their child’s school.
Every February, Meridian hosts Prospective Family Information Sessions, for both the Primary and Middle years program. It entails meeting the teachers, visiting admin, learning curriculums, gaining info of the International Baccalaureate Program, and more.
#1:Background of Family Info Nights.
The tradition of holding these information nights for new students often occurs during February, a time where families are making the decision of where to send their children to school. The learning of the curriculum and the expectation of spreading the info has also always been the standard.
“I think it’s important that families are given an easy way to have access to information for the following year, especially for families who haven’t been through the process yet” said 10th-12th grade English teacher Mrs. Cullen.
According to roundrockisd.org, Family Info Nights also recently began to cover after school clubs and other afterschool activities, allowing parents to learn about what kind of extra fun activities they would want their kids to participate in. Family Info Nights have become more prominent thanks to modern school systems, making them much more efficient in their effect on the school environment.
#2: The Purpose of Prospective Family Info Sessions.
Parents and students can walk around and visit various classrooms to meet their teachers, and at the end of their session, they can feel free to ask questions about their visit.
“I believe the purpose was to help the students and families with the transition from elementary to middle school”, said 11th-12th grade science teacher Mr. Morales.
According to schoolstatus.com, these info nights can also be used to see how a future student will handle the technology used at the new school, as well as how they interact with their future teachers. They also serve as a good social event as well, allowing teachers to learn the names of future students, and get to know them before the school year begins, allowing for an easier learning experience once their education begins, and a smoother transition to a new school.
#3:Engagement at Prospective Family Info Sessions.
According to edweek.org, proper engagement requires inclusion, empowerment, and affirmation, so parents can walk away with a good impression of the school before they send their children off to have them be educated. Without this engagement, parents may find themselves unable to support their children once the school year starts, which can create some major barriers in the young students’ school life.
“It forms a community so it doesn’t become a student’s thing alone, there’s a moment of parents and students working together, sharing their thoughts and ideas” said 11th-12th grade special education teacher Mrs. SB.
Prospective Family Info Sessions are an important part of a school’s system, as it allows the staff to teach and show off their curriculum to parents in preparation for the school year. Without them, students would likely be confused as to what they are learning, which can lead to a lot of major problems later down the line.
So if you hear about a prospective family info session coming up, don’t be afraid to attend, because you might learn some interesting things about your new school that could improve your learning experience in the future.
If you know any prospective families, make sure to let them know to save the dates for;
PYP – Kindergarten – 5th Grade – February 3, February 26, and March 31, 2026
MYP – 6th – 9th Grade – February 5, February 24, and April 2, 2026.
