Katy ISD students are meeting their teachers for the first time this week. Emotions during this time are exaggerated as students anxiously await that initial meeting, finding out who will be in his/her classes, and getting all their supplies in order. The unknown is scary to even the most self-assured.

To help your student with Back to School Jitters, consider some of these ideas:

• Write his/her teacher a letter
• Host a "So Long Summer Party"
• Prepare! Have your child pack his lunch, lay out his clothes and shoes, and have all necessities in his/her backpack for the first day.
• Read Back to School books and talk about your child's emotions
• Make sure your child gets a good night of sleep.

Parents are often overwhelmed during the first days of school, as well. Lunches, paperwork, new clothes, new shoes, paperwork, scheduling, and oh, did I mention paperwork? Ugh! If you happen to have more than one child you might as well block off an entire night (or two) to do nothing but fill in discipline forms, lunch forms, safety forms, schedules, etc. The paperwork alone can put any sane person over the edge.

Here are some helpful tips for not only getting everything done, but staying sane in the process:

• Organize a paperwork party. Invite a few friends to bring their paperwork and a dessert to share. Provide the drinks and enjoy a night with friends as all of you get those mundane forms completed.
• Start filling them out as soon as you get them. So yes, right there in the classroom during Meet the Teacher. Getting them done there and leaving them will keep them from getting lost in the shuffle.
• Have one specific place where all school papers will go. Take 10 minutes each day to go through them. Put all dates on your calendar with the info needed and then either return the form or toss the paper, depending on the information given.
• If you have older children, allow them to fill out their own forms and just check for accuracy when they are done.

FreckleTown hopes that you have a great start to a new school year. Here's to hoping that your kids' teachers are all amazing, your kids' friends are in their classes, your paperwork gets done (and you remain sane in the process), and you actually enjoy the beginning of the year. Goodluck!

It seems like just yesterday when the kids came home from school, threw their back-packs on the floor and chanted, “It’s summer!” But as the hustle and bustle of back-to-school quickly approaches, Sam’s Club wants to remind you that it’s never too early to start collecting Box Tops.

This year, Sam’s Club and Box Tops for Education can help you prepare for the fall when you shop their back-to-school event.

• Earn more cash for your local school at Sam’s Club this August with the 6 Box Tops on a Pack promotion.
• When you purchase participating Box Top items, you can collect even more Box Tops on some of your favorite General Mills brands such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, Totino’s Pizza Rolls, and more!
• Sam’s Club has your favorite back to school items from computers to clothing, and at the best values.
  
  One lucky FreckleTown member will win a $25 Gift Card to Sam's Club.
   
• To enter, simply leave a comment either on this post or on FreckleTown's FaceBook page. The winner will be announced on FaceBook (so join if you're not a fan) Friday, August 12, 2011 to that you can get in on the August Box Tops promotion going on at Sam's. Goodluck!

*The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Families in Katy will be getting back into the school routine all too soon. Getting back onto a schedule can be difficult for everyone. Going to bed earlier and getting up earlier is just one of the changes that back to school brings.

Here are some helpful tips from Katy Moms (maybe something here will help your Katy family survive the transition):

• I teach my children to pack their own lunches the night before. Each child has a tub with his/her name on it in the frig for the cold items and all nonperishables go in the lunchbox.
• I have my daughter put out her clothes, shoes, and socks the night before school. It saves the drama of having her change her mind in the mornings.
• My kids love cereal for breakfast so I have them set out their bowls, spoons, and cereal boxes on the breakfast table the night before. In the morning all they need to do is get the milk out.
• We have a big family and the paperwork can be overwhelming. As soon as each child comes home they put their folder in a tray and then get a snack from the "snack tray" (healthy snacks on the bottom shelf). While they are eating I go through and read or sign the papers for the next day. If it's a date I need to remember I put it on my computer calendar then and then throw all the papers away.
• I installed hooks for each of my children's backpacks. It keeps them from putting them all over the house and potentially losing something important.
• We have a write-on/wipe-off calendar on our refrigerator. All important family events are posted so that everyone knows what is going on for the week/month.
• I used chalkboard paint to paint a kitchen cabinet. I write reminders, dates, or my grocery list on it.
• Our children can only participate in one extra-curricular activity per season. This keeps our schedule from getting too full and allows us to have family time.
• Last year we started using an alarm clock in our kids' room. It has been helpful in teaching them time management.

Have a helpful tip from your family? Comment and let The Town know!