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Capital Region BOCES
Elementary
Ten years ago they were all the rage. Backpacks with wheels topped the list of supplies for anxious parents everywhere responding to media warnings of a generation suffering bad posture and back pain from lugging around heavy school book bags. Today, it is hard to find these tricked-out rolling bags on school campuses. Perhaps their […]
With only three weeks until the start of another school year, my two sons are relaxing on the couch, basking in the air-conditioning and watching television. Having just returned from swimming, there is not a thought in their heads about boarding the bus and going back to school in less than a month. I, on […]
As parents, we want to instill in our children the joy of learning. Yet, we can make a mistake by allowing their world to be carved into “school” and anything “not school.” Artificial barriers that segregate “learning time” from other parts of our children’s lives can squelch their natural curiosity. Kids are born curious. They […]
Learning can happen anywhere and everywhere – at home, in the grocery store, at the library or on a walk through the neighborhood. Take advantage of summer months to reinforce basic skills before your early learner heads to kindergarten this fall – or to brush up on skills with your elementary student. Encourage reading Help […]
The students filed excitedly into the cafeteria, choosing seats near friends as they waited for the presentation to begin. The end of school was just around the corner, but that’s not what had these fifth graders abuzz. They were about to hear a preview of next year – the start of middle school. They had […]
Few people argue against the value of a good education, and when it comes to the local school district, almost everyone has their opinion. Yet, in just a week, news media will likely report the record-low voter turnout for the annual school budget vote and school board elections. Statistics from the New York State Board […]
From the hundreds of thousands of parents who refused to have their children participate in standardized testing over the past two weeks in New York, it’s pretty clear that people have issues with testing. But that doesn’t mean we should get rid of standardized tests. According to most school leaders, these tests are part of […]
For many grade 3-8 students, launching into state English Language Arts (ELA) and math tests immediately after spring break may be a bit unnerving. Sharing a few helpful test-taking strategies with your children can ease anxieties and help them perform at their best. In the days before the test, help children prepare by getting a […]
The following story was first printed in Parent Today in March 2013. When our daughters were young, we had no questions about kindergarten readiness. Both girls were born in March, and my husband and I knew that by the September following their fifth birthdays they’d be more than ready for the half-day program offered in […]