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Parents can help now ease the transition to kindergarten

Parents can help now ease the transition to kindergarten

August 11, 2017 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

I quickly learned that little fingers have a tough time manipulating buttons – after I bought several pairs of jeans for my son who was entering kindergarten. Every day that he wore jeans to school, he came home with unbuttoned pants. His teacher sometimes buttoned them for him, but most days he didn’t ask for […]

An organized student is a successful student

An organized student is a successful student

August 10, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

So long sweet summer. It’s almost as if overnight the back-to-school clothing sales have popped up and the school notifications, like class placements and supply lists, have made their way into homes. Even if you’re a parent who finds the laundry list of items needed for your child’s new school year tedious (they need how […]

The college supply list ain’t what it used to be

The college supply list ain’t what it used to be

August 9, 2017 | Posted in: High School

August is here. Our last month to enjoy warm summer evenings and extended family time before the school year begins. August also shifts our attention to back-to-school shopping, especially for college students whose classes typically begin before the end of the month (if not before). The college back-to-school list has changed drastically since I went […]

Dog days: School therapy dog programs promote social and academic skill sets

Dog days: School therapy dog programs promote social and academic skill sets

July 21, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary

A few days after my family recently welcomed a puppy, I watched as my 7-year-old son held the fuzzy bundle on his lap and read one of his favorite books out loud to the dog. He pointed out things for the dog to look at in the illustrations and talked to the dog about what […]

Slip Slidin’ Away: Help your child avoid the dreaded summer slide

Slip Slidin’ Away: Help your child avoid the dreaded summer slide

July 6, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

While the summer is meant to be a time for school-aged children to recharge their batteries before the start of a new school year, learning loss, sometimes referred to as “the summer slide”, can affect students when they’re not engaging in educational activities over the summer. According to a study by the National Education Association, […]

‘I’m bored!’ Why summer boredom can be a positive for kids

‘I’m bored!’ Why summer boredom can be a positive for kids

July 3, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

I saw something funny on Facebook the other day. It said, “Parents…tag, you’re it! From, Your Child’s Teachers.” Aside from holidays that involve time off, and birthdays, for school-aged children there’s not much on the excitement meter that rivals summer vacation. But for the parents scheduling the activities, camps or even just childcare to fill […]

Making the transition to middle school more manageable

Making the transition to middle school more manageable

June 14, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

Middle School. A bigger building. New faces. A bell schedule?! Students of all ages go through transitions during their academic career. For children and parents alike, it can be overwhelming moving up to a new school. Being a “little fish in a big pond” can be intimidating, but according to researchers, of all the academic […]

Pets enrich classroom experience; provide opportunities for pro-social development

Pets enrich classroom experience; provide opportunities for pro-social development

May 24, 2017 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

When I was in elementary school, one of the teachers had an incubator with chicken eggs set up in her classroom. The whole school would buzz when the eggs hatched and the adorable, yellow, fuzzy chicks made their debut. Everyone wanted to be in that class since the students helped monitor and care for the […]

A history lesson on New York school budgets

A history lesson on New York school budgets

May 12, 2017 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

On summer days when I was my children’s age, I spent a lot of time outside in the yard of our rural New York home. It was not unusual for cars to drive by our house slowly. The driver or the passenger, who looked to be as old as my grandparents did then, would gesture […]

School nurses prepare students for success in the classroom

School nurses prepare students for success in the classroom

May 9, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The first time I took cupcakes in to my son’s class to celebrate his birthday, I was surprised when the school’s main office secretary asked me to stop in the nurse’s office first. The nurse pulled out a list of my son’s classmates and immediately caught one who had an allergy to an ingredient in […]