...you are closing in on the end of the school year. Though this statement is normally not completed this way, I want to assure you that it is as true as the original statement. And while time sure flies when you are having fun, I dare say that some facing May are finding that time is flying, but would not attribute it to fun, but to pressure, frustration and stress.

Follow up:

The end of the school year is drawing neigh. Like a great movie, with lots of drama and plenty of rises a falls. Parents all over are on the edge of their seats, waiting for the conclusion to live up to their expectations, confirm our suspicions, or present to us the unexpected. Like the movies, we watch in anticipation, hoping the best for the lead character, our student, who has undergone the pressures of life, and have battled through the conflict presented.

I'm sure some of us have experienced the tension of watching our character excel and underperform, leaving much to be desired. Our hopes for the main character often leave us exhausted, even though we are mere spectators, and with a few scenes left, we wonder what’s next. I want to encourage our parents who are hoping for their students to remain on the Dean's List, Maintain Scholarships, Rank in the Top 3%/10%, Pass the Exit Level TAKS test, and Maximize their full potential.

I am always amazed at what can be accomplished in the last scenes of a movie. Despite the struggle of the first 3/4 of the movie, the reward and pride one feels when the lead character begins to sum up the story line by learning lessons and showing the growth and maturity expected and desired by the audience leaves even the viewer inspired and encouraged.

Parents, we are watching the last scenes, and unlike the movie, we can affect the outcome of the movie. We have the power to write into the script the things our student needs to become successful. In these last scenes, we need to pour into our child a variety of resources that include: verbal, emotional, financial, and physical. I am sure that offering these resources to our students will insure that they achieve the desired results for the 2009/2010 campaign. Hold on parents until the credits roll. Don't lose hope. Keep pressing and encouraging your student to work hard until the director yells “cut; that’s a wrap”.

Johnny O