Considerations for parents and schools

Considerations for Parents and Schools:

Awareness of the Cycle of Transition (as established by Pollock and Van Reken, pgs. 66-73) and how to support your child as they move through the process is paramount. Acknowledgment of grief and feelings of loss associated with leaving is an especially important consideration.

The Five Stages of the Cycle of Transition include:

1. Involvement         
2. Leaving
3. Transition
4. Entering
5. Re-involvement

How can parents support their child?

• Understand the Cycle of Transition and how these stages can be supported
• Encourage connection through social media or other outlets to allow “leavers” to stay in touch with important people from the life they are leaving behind
• Establish connections to the new school/life that the family will be entering into
• Important to help “bridge” connections between the life they are leaving and the life they will be entering into

How can schools support their students?

• Create a team of staff and students aware of the Cycle of Transition
• Design a transition program that works within the structure of your school to include (at minimum):

1. Transition team comprised of staff and students
2. Introduction and welcome for new students and families (entering families)
3. Creation of ongoing support structure (staying families)
4. Departure program for students and families (leaving families) 
5. Ongoing assessment of program effectiveness 

• Embed transition supports into curriculum

Regularly monitor the effectiveness of programming through student and staff interview (“leavers” are an especially important voice)