School Update + Check-In Guide

Use this when the child needs school support during a family change, rough week, or conflict spillover.

What school usually needs:
- attendance changes
- pickup or dismissal changes
- who may contact the school
- transportation changes
- major routine disruption affecting behavior, sleep, homework, or regulation
- whether the child may need counselor, nurse, or teacher check-in

Keep the note short:
1. Name the change.
2. Name the child impact.
3. Name the practical ask.
4. Name the right contact path.

Examples of practical asks:
- Please let us know if attendance changes become a concern.
- Please route pickup questions to the listed adults only.
- Please let us know if the child appears unusually distressed, withdrawn, or dysregulated.
- Please send home missed-work information through the normal channel.

Avoid:
- accusing the other adult in a school email
- sending the whole family conflict history
- asking staff to become fact witnesses for adult conflict unless the school independently needs to document child-impact events

Keep close:
- current pickup list
- emergency contacts
- counselor/nurse extension
- attendance line
- one weekly check-in plan if the child is struggling