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Archive for the ‘Back to School’ Category

Celebrating Our Environment

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Tomorrow is Earth Day! In honor of Mother Earth, here is a compilation of posts Parentella has done about the environment.

In Our Schools:

The Science Club at Bloom High School in Illinois is doing amazing things in terms of teaching students to be leaders in environmentally friendly science.

Parents and teachers communicating online helps protect the environment while simultaneously increasing learning time.

The Alliance for Climate Change offers free seminars to schools teaching about global warming and how to stop it.

Teachers may want to consider a “school supplies closet” where kids can donate leftover supplies for the next class coming in.

Food

Bento box lunches are not only fun for kids, they are good for the environment, too!

Fundraisers:

Recycling programs at schools not only bring in money, the kids that run them learn important leadership skills.

Fundraisers at schools should reflect our values, and one of our values should be protecting the environment.

At one school, re-selling used prom dresses made the school a lot of money while saving the girls a lot of money, too.

At another school, re-selling used Halloween costumes also brings a lot of money to the school, while simultaneously saving parents money on new costumes.

Crafts & Books for Kids:

Earth Day flower craft & “Let’s Celebrate Earth Day” book

Spring Sun Flower Craft & “One Little Seed” book

Recycle used strawberry baskets into fun and useful baskets.

For back to school, make your own book covers out of grocery bags.

Make your own Halloween costume rather than buying pre-made.

At Christmas time, recycle old boxes into fun crafts.

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Compiled by Christi Grab, Parentella’s Editorial Director and author of The Unexpected Circumnavigation: Unusual Boat, Unusual People Part 1 – San Diego to Australia.

Tags: Alliance for Climate Change seminars, bento box lunches, books, boxes, crafts, eco-science education, eco-science leadership, fundraisers, global warming, grocery bags, Halloween Costumes, increasing learning, leadership skills, online communication, Parent teacher communication, prom dresses, recycle strawberry baskets, recycling programs, reducing paper waste, Technology
Posted in Ainslie Hunter, Allison McDonald, Aparna Vashisht, April McCaffery, Back to School, Christi Grab, Dawn Huntington, Food, Guest, Holidays, Learning Activites, PTA, Parent teacher communication, Parentella Social Networking, Sarah Auerswald, Schools, Steve Franklin, Teacher Perspectives, Technology, Wendy Copley, arts and crafts, extracurricular activities | 4 Comments »

Can’t Wait for 2011-12 School Year!

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

We are incredibly excited that the girls have been accepted into their first choice schools for middle school and high school!

The middle school is a charter school. I am aware of the pros and cons of charters, but here’s the thing: when we went to the info session, it felt like home to both of us. Their educational philosophy makes sense to us, they have middle and high schools and they even have an advisory program that will be available to her for her first year of college. My daughter is as thrilled as I am.

My older daughter will be going to my alma mater, a public arts high school as a Visual Arts major. While it’s no surprise it felt like home to me, my daughter also felt it when we went on the tour. These are students that care about the same things she cares about, these are teachers that understand the “creative” brain, and she will get to spend three hours a day learning about and creating art. I know from experience that she will make life-long friends, and that in the end, no matter what career she ends up having, she will understand the basic tools to get her through anything.

What makes me most excited about the coming school year is how excited my girls are. I don’t think I’ve seen them this excited about school since they were kindergartners. The novelty wore off, and they know that it’s not always exciting to learn, you’re not always going to be the teacher’s pet, and that, as much as we hate to say it, school can sometimes be tedious and/or boring.

The benefit of those experiences, however, makes it all the more likely that they will be able to get through any of the challenges that come up because overall, they will still enjoy school more every day and have so much to look forward to every day. The things they don’t love will just be small prices to pay for the opportunities these schools will afford them. Simply having a more positive attitude always makes problems seem so much smaller.

It’s a long road ahead to be sure, but their enthusiasm makes me feel like we’ve already won half the battle.

April McCaffery is a single mother to two daughters, in 5th and 8th grade.

Tags: April McCaffery, Back to School, Charter Schools, middle school, school, Visual arts
Posted in April McCaffery, Back to School, Charter Schools, Parent Perspectives, Schools | 2 Comments »

School Anxiety (AKA School Refusal or Avoidance)

Monday, February 28th, 2011

School anxiety can be a complex issue because of how it affects your child emotionally and/or physically. It also can affect you as parents, your entire family and your child’s grades. Learning the exact cause of this anxiety can take time, especially if this condition starts suddenly. Finding a treatment plan can be an endeavor for the student, parents and the school staff.

School anxiety is common when a child first begins school (in Kindergarten, as well as the first few weeks of a new school year), or after an extended period away from school (such as winter break or a long illness). When it continues for a prolonged period, or becomes too difficult to handle for the student, parents or teachers, it needs to be addressed. This issue is not the same as test anxiety, which only occurs before or during tests.

Behavioral Symptoms — Some children outright refuse to go to school. They throw tantrums, won’t get dressed, or won’t get on/off the bus. They may act out in school. Sometimes they won’t socialize with other students or do their school work.

Physical Symptoms — Your child may get sick before or at school, but not on days off from school. There are complaints of headaches and stomachaches – things that cannot be detected easily. Some children do have panic attacks, including palpitations, dizziness, feeling faint, etc.

Emotional Symptoms — Some children are able to express how they feel about going to school. Depending on their age, they may say that they are “scared,”“afraid,” “embarrassed,” or “worried.” Your child may tell you that they hate school, but not be able to tell you why. You may hear your child complain that “no one likes them” or that “their teacher is mean.”

What to Do: (more…)

Tags: school anxiety
Posted in Back to School, Guest, Schools | 14 Comments »

Parental Thoughts on School Info Sessions

Friday, February 4th, 2011

Both of my daughters will be graduating from their respective schools this year, so the search is in full force for next year’s middle school and high school. So far, I’ve attended three info sessions on potential schools. I will not name the schools because I don’t want to appear as if I’m plugging or bashing any school; these are just my thoughts and impressions.

Before anything else, there’s the website. A website is my first impression of a school. Do they seem like all they care about is athletics? Is it easy to navigate? Are there multiple ways to contact people at the schools? Can the site answer my most basic questions, and provide resources for my more detailed ones? I’m less inclined to think that the school will be the right fit if their site is confusing or lacks information, particularly on admission.

The first physical impression. At one school, they had a bunch of tables set up for their clubs and extra-curricular activities. Unfortunately, they taped the signs to the edge of the table so that they ran to the floor. As people crowded around the tables, it was impossible to see what the subject matters were at the various tables. I had to fight my way through the crowds to learn just what it was they were about! There was no help in navigating the throngs. (Not to mention, it was cold and dark.)

Have grown-ups available. Once I made my way to the tables that interested my daughter, there was no teacher available to answer my questions. The kids were simply not informed enough to be able to handle me! I wanted to know what the fees were for certain clubs, what kind of time commitments they would require, the specific training of their teachers, and how we “fundraise” the fees for the clubs. When the students knew that they were out of their league, they would point vaguely to where I could find the teacher in charge. I lasted 20 minutes at this school.

A positive atmosphere. At one school, administrators, teachers, (more…)

Tags: choosing schools
Posted in April McCaffery, Back to School, Parent Perspectives, Schools | 4 Comments »

Choosing the Right School Informational Series

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

In many school districts, applications for a magnet school for the 2011/2012 school year are coming due soon. The actual due date varies by school district, but I know of at least one district with a due date in early December, and it seems like the majority of districts I am familiar with have due dates in January or February.

Even though the 2011/12 school year seems so far away, many parents are already contemplating which school to send their child to. We wanted to remind everyone that last year Parentella ran an informative series on the pros and cons of all the different schooling options. We invite parents to read the entire series to help you make an informed decision.

How to Choose a Pre-School by Sue Adair

Is the Local School the Right School? by Christi Grab

Is a Magnet School the Right School for Your Child? by Christi Grab

What, Exactly, Is A Charter School? by Christi Grab

Is A Charter School The Right School For Your Child? by Christi Grab

Is a Private School the Right School For Your Child? by Christi Grab

The Pros of Homeschooling by Christi Grab

The Other Side of Homeschooling by Christi Grab

Here are some posts we have put up over the last year that give more information and perspective on Charter Schools:

The Best and Worst of Our Charter School Experience by April McCaffery

Charter Schools From a Business Perspective by Lindsay Maines

Why I Chose a Charter School by Sarah Auerswald