Now that school has started, parents are encouraged to attend their child's back-to-school night.

Several Natrona County elementary schools - Manor Heights; Mountain View; North Casper; Bar Nunn; Fort Casper and Mills - had back-to-school nights this past week, school community relations coordinator Nell Pederson said Wednesday.

The meetings give parents and teachers an opportunity to meet and discuss any general issues regarding teachers, children or the school, she said.

Formerly a teacher at CY Junior High, Pederson said back-to-school nights are often held the first two weeks of the school year for several reasons.

First, the delay gives administrators at each school a chance to get a feel for how the school year is going to go.

"And it gives you a sense of who the kids are, so that when you meet the parents you can sort of match the kids with the parents," Pederson explained.

Depending on the size of the school and the number of students who attend, some schools can only accommodate parents at a back-to-school night, so the kids might not be invited, she said. For instance, Dean Morgan Junior High has 900 students, Pederson said, and the school might not be able to accommodate the students and their parents in one area.

Parents who wish to talk to a teacher regarding individual issues concerning their child are encouraged to make a separate appointment.

There's no standard format in place for back-to-school nights, said Pederson. "It's pretty much decided at the school site."

The only commonality, she added, is that most Natrona County schools try to schedule their back-to-school nights on Tuesdays or Thursdays before the end of September.

Back-to-school night attendance varies depending on the school, she said.

University Park and Oregon Trail elementary schools held their back-to-school nights before the school year began, Pederson said.

Information on a particular school's back-to-school night is available by calling the school office.