Retrieved February 1, 2017, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/01/22/18wilhelm.h33.html?tkn=MQUFqhUCsvUWniI5ngO3YYoaxH0Z1YSwy419&cmp=ENL-CM-NEWS2

The last United States Census reported that young adolescents spend the majority of their waking hours in the care of someone other than their parents. Couple this with adolescents’ growing need for independence, and it is easy to see how many parents lose touch with their kids as they traverse the middle grades. Teachers, coaches, and mentors fill in the information gaps that gradually appear as kids begin to disappear from their parents’ view. Don’t wait until Back to School Night to make contact with your new group of parents. Get off to a good start by using some resources to help foster positive encounters and build bridges with families.