Back to School Basics

Summer is in full swing, but it's time to take a break from the slip 'n slide and think about the things you need to do to get ready for Aug. 20, the day school starts in Cupertino.

Patch will have more Back to School articles as the days of summer roll by.

Things to know about your district:

• CUSD School Bus information
• CUSD Calendar
• FUHSD Calendar
• First day of school for elementary, middle and high school is August 20

Back to School reminders

• The Huffington Post has an excellent article on back to school shopping tips.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics has a great list of tips ranging from tips to making friends to tips to stop bullying.
• If you don't have class supply lists, buy the back to school supplies your student will need regardless (pencils, paper, binders) now while the sales are on, and sometimes given away for free. And stock up on your needs as well.
• And, if you can afford it buy a little extra school supplies for the people who are struggling financially by donating at Staples. DoSomething.org and Staples teamed up with teen actress/singer Bella Thorne in the Staples for Students National School Supply Drive for kids in need (www.staplesforstudents.org). All school supplies and donations will be given locally to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley to ensure they get into the hands of disadvantaged youth just in time for the new school year.

Things to do before school starts

•  Stop Separation Anxiety

This is possibly the hardest part of school for both children and parents is separation anxiety. It can affect children even into their pre-teen years. The National Institute of Mental Health has said that 25.1 percent of 13- to18-year-olds suffer from some form anxiety. Try these tips to limit anxiety stemming from separation.

• Be well rested—this applies to both parents and children, as feeling tired will increase stress.
• Develop a "goodbye" ritual—according to helpguide.org, "Rituals are reassuring and can be as simple as a special wave through the window or a goodbye kiss."
• Let the child bring a piece of home—the piece could be something as small as a toy or as large as a backpack, but the familiarity it brings with it will help greatly.
• Don't give in—like many things in life giving in is the end. This applies to both children and parents. Don't let a child delay going to school, or claim being sick, but parents have to also keep their distance and not hover.

For more information on separation anxiety visit the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and for more information on Cupertino Union School District, its website is http://www.edline.net/pages/Cupertino_Union_SD and Fremont Union High School District's website is http://www.fuhsd.org/HIGHschools