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How to Help...your
child succeed!
added on June 9, 2008
Now that the summer break from school has
arrived
I thought you
might find this article by Jessica Pegis helpful and something your family will
use.
Tim
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Recommended Summer Reading List
Announced
Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith recently announced the Just
Read, Families! Recommended Summer Reading List. The reading list
encourages students to continue their reading efforts during the summer
vacation months. Research indicates that children who do not continue to
read while on vacation risk losing progress made during the school year.
The Just Read, Families! suggested reading list can be found at
www.justreadfamilies.org .
The site offers parents the tools they need to nurture a
reading-friendly environment at home during the break. Resources include
links to county and municipal public libraries, tips for parents on
reading with children and a list of recommended books for each grade
level.
Summer Activities For Kids Who Hate To Read
By
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Pegis
Jessica Pegis
So you've got a non-reader
on your hands, and you want to ensure those print skills don't slip
during the summer. What can you do to practice reading and writing in a
fun way for a few months?
Here are some ideas to try.
Books They Can't Resist
Find the most enticing books you can for your child at the local
bookstore or library. How-to books that capitalize on a current interest
such as star-gazing or jewelry-making are often good bets. Look for
titles that provide the craft supplies right with the text (extremely
handy and often cost-effective). Avoid selecting what interests you;
select what your child finds interesting.
Don't forget the local science store, where they stock great titles on
the yuck factor. True, the science of human gas may not be your thing,
but it may be irresistible to your child. Hold your nose and get out
your wallet: it's all reading and it's all good.
Visit a How-To Website Together
I'm amazed at the quality of how-to sites out there right now. Many
provide step-by-step instructions on doing most everything from making
your own standee to announcing that you're adopting, and they usually
include instructive photos or video. Find an online activity your child
would enjoy doing and encourage her to read the instructions with you.
Headline/News Article Generators
These websites allow kids to create their own headlines and write their
own brief news stories. Hit a button and presto! Your child receives an
authentic looking newspaper clipping with his own wacky headline, and a
URL to send to friends and family members.
This one simple activity combines writing, spelling, and e-mail skills
and introduces your child to the basics of media literacy. And because
the articles are short, this writing task is not too onerous. Challenge
your child to come up with the most intriguing and effective headline
possible!
Board Games
Lots of board games involve reading, so clear off the coffee table and
have family game night once a week. You can ask one child to be the
designated "card reader" when playing Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, CSI, or
other popular board games.
Kitchen Science Activities
Many online science activities for kids can be done in your kitchen or
living room, and most involve free downloadable instructions. Encourage
your child to do some of these activities with friends--there's some
nice reading involved. (Same goes for cooking.) NASA, for example, has a
great downloadable on making your own 3-D glasses, complete with glasses
template.
Food Literacy
Speaking of food, many family restaurants have extensive menus. Read the
menu together and talk about the words and ingredients that are
unfamiliar. Instead of having your usual meal, read the Appetizer
section and order a bunch of new dishes with new names.
The World of Lists
What does your child want to do? Buy? Give away? Dare to dream about?
Ask her to make a list over the summer and share it with you from time
to time. Lists can be word-processed and decorated digitally or printed
and decorated with foil papers, stickers, and decals.
Reading and writing are considered fundamental skills because you need
these skills to do most everything else. By providing a variety of
reading and writing activities this summer that keep your child in a
high-interest zone, you can have fun and ensure those skills stay
razor-sharp.
Jessica Pegis is an author and
consultant specializing in learning resources [for] kids. She is the
mother of Simone, her sternest critic and loudest cheerleader. Sign up
today for KidSmart, her FREE e-zine, by going to
http://www.talkplaythink.com!
Tips, games, and other fun (and brainy) stuff to do with kids.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Pegis
http://EzineArticles.com/?Summer-Activities-For-Kids-Who-Hate-To-Read&id=1197723
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added on March 20, 2008
As we approach the
summer break from your child's formal education
(but not from education in their home) I trust you
will find this article by Sheryl Wood helpful and something your family will apply
.
Tim
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- Help Your Kids Learn All Summer
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sheryl_Wood] Sheryl Wood
School may be out for summer, but the learning doesn't have to stop there. In
fact, the real challenge of summer is to let your kids relax, enjoy their
leisure time with friends and family and still keep their minds sharp and their
curiosity piqued. How can a parent help make that happen? Read the tips below
and find all kinds of activities, some that the entire family can enjoy, that
will keep your child learning all summer.
1. Encourage daily reading. Kids don't have to read textbooks or the classics to
maintain reading skills over the summer. Summer is for fun. Take them to the
library or the bookstore and let them choose anything that interests them. If
you are going to the beach or to visit relatives for vacation, somewhere you
know they won't have the distractions of home, they might even welcome reading.
Give them a fun novel about kids their own age. Young girls still love the Nancy
Drew Mystery series. It builds curiosity, problem-solving and strategy skills.
If comic books are all they will read, indulge them.
2. Summer is the perfect time to visit a museum with your kids. Have your family
decide together on a place you would like to visit. Look up information about
the area. Map out the route together. If you need to be more subtle, stop by a
museum spontaneously on the road to somewhere else! If your young child is
enraptured by dinosaurs, scour the web for special showings that you could make
a trip to. In preparation for the trip, have your child explain to you all about
his or her favorite dinosaur. Discuss with your child what they might see, learn
and get to do at the museum.
3. Help your child to learn about their surroundings. Do you pass a historical
marker on the road every day, but have never stopped? Stop and read it with your
family. Go home and look up more about it. Is there a famous homestead near you;
maybe a president's birthplace. Take the tour and learn more about it.
4. Plan a trip to an artist's studio, a jewelry maker or local factory. Feed
their curiosity in how things are made and how they run. If your child has a
special interest, check the web and yellow pages and see if they can stop by for
a tour or a work shadow day.
5. Choose day or overnight camps with learning in mind. Camps that teach about
nature, wildlife and conservation do double duty. Many state fish and wildlife
departments run summer camps and there are many others. Again, your web is the
best place to look. You may have missed out for this summer, but plant the seeds
of interest in your child for next year. Make it a goal for next year. Plan,
read and discuss what the experience will be like.
6. Catch fireflies and look up with your child what makes them light up. When
your child catches a snake or other creature from nature, have them research how
to care for it. Build a fort and teach your kids about angles and construction.
Create the habit of using reference materials to learn more about everything
around them.
7. Encourage activities that broaden your child's perspective of the world. Ask
them to volunteer to help an elderly neighbor with their lawn or garden. Set an
example and sign everyone up to volunteer at a community dinner or charitable
event like a bike-a-thon. For each new toy your kids get, ask them donate one to
charity. Caring about others and spending time in service to others is one of
the best lessons your child will ever learn.
8. If your kids spend hours with video games, barter with them. And the younger
they are when you start this, the better. Provide them with educational software
and require that some of their computer time is spent using any of the learning
software that's now available. Not all educational software is going to put your
kids through the rigors of learning algebra, although if they need the extra
help, that is certainly an easy source. There are numerous computer learning
games out there that teach problem-solving, critical thinking and strategy
building that are disguised as fun, adventure games. Surf the web for
educational software with your kids and let them tell you what interests them.
They will be learning without even realizing it. There are even clever
educational software games that use cartoon characters like Spongebob to teach
kids to type.
It is by exposing your child to sights, sounds and smells that they don't get in
school that their horizons and interests are broadened. Creating and feeding a
healthy curiosity in your child will give them a thirst they will never outgrow.
Sheryl Wood is co-owner of All Educational Software, an online store with a wide
selection of software for learners of all ages. Find software the entire family
can use to learn to type, learn a language, help with homework and more at All
Educational Software. http://www.alleducationalsoftware.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheryl_Wood
http://EzineArticles.com/?Help-Your-Kids-Learn-All-Summer&id=624716
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added on September 16, 2007
Know Your Child's Learning Style
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sheryl_Wood] Sheryl Wood
Asking an tactile learner to learn in a classroom lecture setting is like asking
him to learn a foreign language by reading it. Some education is best delivered
by a particular route and some learners receive information best by a particular
route. Successful teaching depends on recognizing students' learning styles and
creating a learning environment that encompasses the needs of all.
First of all, let's review some of the basic learning styles:
1. Visual
Visual learners create a mental image they can recall later. To create the
mental image, they must first either see the problem or situation. Sometimes,
words on a computer will help with recall, but more often the vision must be of
an actual learning experience, such as seeing how one kneads dough or repairs an
engine. These learners are often good map and chart readers and may enjoy art.
Visual learners often can put a toy or other item together without reading the
directions because they can "see" how it goes together.
2. Auditory
Auditory learners have a good ability to mentally compartmentalize information
they receive. They can organize information they hear, relate it to other
information they have already gathered and retrieve it later. These learners are
often good verbal communicators, have good verbal processing skills and may
enjoy reading. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a
tape recorder.
3. Tactile or kinesthetic
Tactile learners prefer to be part of the action. They learn best not by
observing, but by doing. They are the hands-on learners. These learners excel in
situations where they can see and participate in immediate application of the
information. They may appear bored and inattentive in a traditional classroom
and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.
4. Interactive or iterative learners
Although not one of the traditional learning styles, this category deserves some
attention. Interactive learners need give and take. They need reinforcement,
correction and guidance. They may need to have the information repeated, or
re-demonstrated. They may need to ask questions, seek elaboration or more focus
on a particular element. This category includes both the concrete thinkers who
seek all the details and the abstract learner who takes in information through
analysis, observation, and thinking.
How can a teacher possibly teach students across the spectrum of learning
styles? Most teachers are very aware that every child is different and plan
their curriculum to motivate all students to learn. Teachers don't just know
subject material, they know how to teach it. And most teachers strive to
accommodate the various learning styles represented in their classroom.
Teachers use graphs, charts, maps and board games to create patterns for visual
learners. When printed material is used, the teacher offers discussion,
emphasizes visualization and encourages illustration. Auditory learners may do
well in the traditional lecture formatted classroom, but deserve additional
stimuli to broaden their learning skills and to create a richer environment.
Auditory learners may enjoy discussion or debate groups. They may excel in music
or a foreign language course. Science experiments, art and building projects,
cooking projects or math manipulatives all contribute to the successful teaching
of tactile learners. Self-esteem is promoted in tactile learners by asking them
to demonstrate techniques or activities for the rest of the class.
Parents must be aware of how their children learn and seek situations or
classrooms that will facilitate their success. If that is not possible, then
supplemental learning material and experiences have to be sought. Fortunately
for parents, there are multitudes of resources for their kids, both at home and
in school. Parents should start with the techniques teachers use above and they
will quickly see what their child responds to.
Encourage a visual learner to read. Computer software with creative animations
or graphics will provide the visual reinforcement that will make learning easier
for these students. The interactive quality of educational software helps to
reinforce the written word with the visual cues.
Give an auditory learner a tape recorder and audio books. Exploit that fact that
this child may learn a foreign language with ease. And even a foreign language
can be learned at home on a computer that has speakers. Engage your auditory
learner in conversation. Strive to encourage complex thinking and discussion,
analysis of situations and problem-solving. Discuss books, movies, feelings and
facts. Encourage them to watch the nightly news and discuss it with them.
Tactile learners need to get their hands into the learning experience. Budding
archaeologists and scientists love to get their hands in their work and will
enjoy specialty camps and discovery museums. They might enjoy any activity from
cooking to creating models of working volcanoes.
It is the students that need the extra explanation or additional reinforcement
of concepts and skills that present the most challenge. Time alone is the worst
enemy of this learner. There is only one teacher and one school day. The
interactive or iterative learner will benefit from material that supplements
classroom learning, such as homework or educational software. This may take the
form of a tutor or parent who can reinforce classroom concepts and provide
additional instruction. Subject-specific educational software may be helpful
here, due to its self-paced quality.
The most beneficial teaching technique that any parent or teacher can employ is
to recognize and acknowledge that each child has a different learning style,
each of which is valid. Teachers and parents who provide rich, learning
environments for their students' varied learning styles will produce confident,
successful kids.
Sheryl Wood is owner of All Educational Software, a store where all learners can
find software to help them learn according to their personal style. [http://www.alleducationalsoftware.com/]http://www.alleducationalsoftware.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheryl_Wood
http://EzineArticles.com/?Know-Your-Childs-Learning-Style&id=634990
added on July 25, 2007
Parental Involvement
Below you will find an article by Jennifer Johnson expressing the importance of
parents being active participants in their child's education. I trust you
find this information helpful and something your family will apply in the
education of the children in your home.
Tim
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- The Education Triangle: Why Parental Involvement is Pivotal By Jennifer Johnson
We are all concerned about the state of education. From declining test scores and
under funding, to high school dropout and illiteracy rates, it can sometimes seem as if the nation is on the brink of an educational crisis. If our children do poorly, we often lay blame on teachers, educators, and leaders. If our children do well, we often complaisantly breath a sigh of relief that at least our school, our community, and our teacher, has somehow escaped the quagmire of incompetence.
Whether our child's academic performance is poor or exceptional, as parents we must turn to ourselves to shoulder both some of the blame or the credit. While we are often powerless to afford any immediate changes to the funding or facilities, we do control our homes and our hearts. With a mind towards active parental involvement in our child's education, we can make a difference. A review of over sixty studies (Henderson (1:23-152) examining parent involvement and student achievement concluded that when parents are involved in their child's education at home they do better in school. When parents are involved at school, their children attend school longer, and the schools they go to are better.
Involvement in your child's education can mean:
Read, Write, and Discuss
Read to your child. Read in front of your child. Discuss what you read, and ask questions. Write letters, play word games, storytell, and generally create a print-rich environment. An environment that fosters critical thought and creative expression, is an environment ripe to create a naturally curious child, and a good student. You need not be a natural academic to create these changes in your home; simply focusing books and discussion on subjects that are naturally of interest to you and your child. Whether it's science, sports, religion, or fashion, reading can create a love of learning that your whole family can be passionate about.
Be Homework Savvy
Stay aware of your child's homework situation, especially if there is a problem. If your child's teacher doesn't utilize tools such as website assignment updates, homework logs, or teacher conferences, be proactive. Teachers are often overwhelmed, burnt-out, and discouraged by the apathy common in so many parents. Review your child's homework every night (though don't do it for them) and discuss the work. If necessary, arrange for conferences, make your own homework log, or ask for resources if you need assistance in helping your child.
Talk to Your Child's Teacher
Be diligent about attending back-to-school-night, open house, teacher conferences, and other school events. Touch base with your child's teacher on a regular basis. If a problem arises, it is much easier to approach your child's teacher if you already have an established relationship.
Make School a Priority
By making school a priority, you are sending the message to your child that education matters. Minimize missed school and help your child arrive to school on time every day. Emphasize the role of educator as one worthy of the highest honor and respect, similar to that of a parent. Set a consistent bedtime and restrict activities such as television, outings, and video games on school nights, and make sure you serve balanced, nutritious meals to assure a sharp mind for school. Treats can wait for the weekend.
Be an Education Advocate
Remain aware of issues that affect public education, both locally and statewide. Vote in school board elections and attend PTA meetings, and participate in district or school fundraising efforts to help supplement
under funded schools. Even schools in more affluent areas can suffer the results of budget cuts, which can affect arts programs, athletic programs, facility improvement, and class size.
Finally, just stay connected. Even inquiring [of] your child about their school day, each and every day, will help send the message to your child that education matters. While some parents are able to be involved in several facets of their child's education, others may only have time for one or two activities. Just letting your child know you care, and
[are] willing to sacrifice your own time and effort for their education, can make a difference. Whatever your level of personal involvement, do so with a spirit of dedication and commitment. It can make a huge difference in your child's life.
Reference:
Henderson, Anne T. and Nancy Berla. A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement. National Committee for Citizens in Education (1994).
Jennifer Johnson is a mother of two children, and the daughter of two veteran teachers. She also is a contributing editor of http://www.kideas.com - a web site with free craft ideas, activities, and resources for parents and teachers, including a free printable homework log.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Johnson http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Education-Triangle:-Why-Parental-Involvement-is-Pivotal&id=252151
added on February
26, 2007
Parent/Teacher DVD: Your Child, Your Public
Schools
The Florida Department of Education, together with Florida educators and
parents, produced a DVD to help parents, students, and educators better
understand Florida’s public education system. The DVD offers information on a
wide range of topics from family involvement and school choice to annual testing
and school grades. The DVDs have been sent to each district for distribution.
You may find it is a helpful tool for answering parent and student questions. To
obtain your copy of the DVD, simply contact your local district volunteer
coordinator. For online access to DVD content via the internet, please visit:
www.fldoe.org/justforteachers
added on January
20, 2007
FamilyFun.com
A Parent's Touch
by Barbara Rowley
Seven families give tips for school success
It's every parent's wish to give
a child every advantage he'll need to successfully make his way in the
classroom. But what's the best way to help? Seven families found innovative ways
to help their children in school.
To access the remainder of this article go to
www.familyfun.go.com/parenting/learn/school/feature/famf97helpchild
added on January 8, 2007
Jamaica Gleaner -
Helping your child in school
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published: Monday | September 6, 2004
THE EDITOR, Sir:
CHILDREN ARE special: An extra special gift from God. "The purpose of the child
is to live, to feel the mysterious presence of life in every limb, and in so far
as he does this he is happy..." says Holbrook Jackson. While Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow echoed the sentiment that "A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard
words bruise the heart of a child".
In a book I read entitled PLAYFUL PARENTING by Denise Chapman, it underscores
the point that ...
For the remainder of this editorial letter
please go to
www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040906/cleisure/cleisure3.html
added on November
29, 2006
Reprint from the Florida
Parent Educator's Association's
Almanac
January-February 2002 edition
Are You Tired
of Being Your Child’s ATM?
Kids and Money
By
Jean Sandberg
Can you put yourself in this
scene? Harried mother checking out of the grocery store locked in verbal debate
with a whining child who has been captured by the lure of candy bars,
strategically placed at his eye level. What may have been a pleasant shopping
trip up until this moment, ends in: the stony silence of deadlock, a crying
child being physically removed from the store by an irritated mother or a
victorious child munching candy next to a defeated mom. Been there? Done that?
At one point or another we have all found ourselves in this position. The
danger is that if we don’t learn better strategies, the potential conflicts over
money issues tend to escalate as our children grow and the price of the desired
object increases exponentially.
As parents, we don’t want to be the
bad guys when it comes to saying “no” to the things our children want. But
always saying “yes” isn’t in their best interests either. So how do we take
ourselves out of the money battle? The best advice is to start early and
strengthen your children where money is concerned! Give them the authority over
making and spending their own money and you don’t have to be the bad guy saying,
“no” to them all the time.
Ways
to Eliminate Money Battles With Kids
Encourage Problem Solving
It is
important for people, not just kids, to know that there is no fixed cap on the
amount of money that they can create. Money does not come from jobs, though
most people believe that it does. It originates in good ideas that may, in turn
create jobs, when those ideas are brought to the market. But money itself comes
from a creative and original idea not from a job. By telling a child, “We can’t
afford that” we are shutting down the creative problem solver within him. “What
can we do so that we can afford that?” turns on his mind and allows him
to participate in figuring out a way that the desired item may be obtained. You
also find yourself on the same team with your child instead of being his
adversary! Your child quickly learns the two methods to gain excess money,
which are to: 1) reduce spending in other areas or, 2) generate more income from
other sources. If this is the only lesson we teach our kids about finance, they
will stand head and shoulders above most adults in fiscal understanding!
Foster
Your Child’s Entrepreneurial Spirit
You shouldn’t be your child’s only
source of money. Kids are naturally creative (remember in Whose image they were
made?) and they have wonderful ideas if we don’t squelch them! My 5 and 6 year
olds wanted to make some extra money one day so they decided to start an art
business and got busy drawing colorful pictures and set up shop in our
driveway. Imagine their delight when they closed up for the day with $8
clutched in their little hands! Since then they have done this whenever they
are either bored or need extra money!
Teach Them to Look For Opportunity
We have
two ways of looking at changes in the world. We can choose to see either crisis
or opportunity. This is best exemplified by the September 11th
events. Some people sat motionless in front of the TV for days. Others went
out and printed American Flag t-shirts, bumper stickers and pins thereby
creating a source of income for themselves. The same event triggered two
diametrically opposed reactions. If we teach our children to look for
opportunity, they will see it!
My 9
year-old son noticed that our local arts festival was denying entrance to anyone
who had brought a dog. He decided that he would start a dog-sitting business.
He printed up business cards and gave them to the gate attendants and he was in
business! He did so well that this spring will be his 4th year as
arts festival’s official dog-sitter!
My
daughter, age 8, following her brother’s lead, decided that $2 a drink inside
the Festival Gates was too expensive. So she bought cases of soda at K-mart for
16 cents a can and resold them for $1 a can. She made money and her customers
saved money. This attention to the presence of the win/win scenario is a
crucial skill when putting any kind of business deal together.
The point
is that both of these children have been trained to look for opportunities and
then to take steps to act upon them to bring about the desired result.
Encourage Kids to
Write A Business Plan When They Start Businesses
I’m sure you can anticipate having to
help a child deal with a business failure but have you thought about the
problems of a business that succeeds beyond either of your wildest dreams?!?!
Writing a business plan will help him focus on what he is doing and why and will
also spell out exactly what will happen in the event of failure or success.
Some of the things we always include in a business plan are; a mission statement
(so that we are very clear on what the goal of the business is), an idea of the
start-up costs and where that money will come from, a time frame for the
business’ life and how it will be dissolved or sold, and finally what happens to
the earnings (% saved, %tithed, %left as discretionary income). I was very glad
that we had done this when my 13 year old started an animal care business one
summer and was bringing home $80-$100 per week!
As a mom, I was thankful that he had predetermined and put into writing
what percentage of the money would not be blown on video games!
Teach Them to
Work Smart Not Hard
Once a child has a basic
understanding of his business, teach him to take it to the next logical level.
If your child has a lawn mowing or babysitting business, show him how to hire
and train other kids to work for a percentage of the compensation. Your child
then graduates from the manual labor to the mental labor and is earning money
even when he is not personally working (passive income). True financial freedom
is obtained once your passive income exceeds your expenses, for it is then that
you can choose whether you want to continue to work or not. This should be the
goal behind every business!
~
Once you have allowed your kids the power to create and
spend a portion of their own money, you have removed yourself from the position
of being the bad guy who says “no”. Instead of being your child’s adversary,
you become a partner whom he sees working with him to get the things he feels he
needs. If children expect to spend their own money they will look for ways to
make more money, ask you for things much less frequently and will ultimately
spend less as well. That makes for a win/win scenario which is VERY good
business!
* * *
* *
added November 2006
ABC's of Helping Your Child In School
Just Remember your ABC's to help
your child in school this year...
A- Ask your child about school each day.
B- Bedtime is important. Make sure your child gets...
Continue reading this list on The Homemaking Cottage website at
http://www.homemakingcottage.com/school/abc_school.htm
for more tips on how to help your child succeed in school
* * *
* *
Helping and getting involved:
the PTA is a good way of
helping your child in school and keeping in touch. If you can not attend each
meeting why not volunteer as an occasional helper? Schools are always seeking
volunteers who can give an hour or two each week.
* * *
* *
How to help with homework if the subjects are
unfamiliar or language is a problem
Latino, Asian and African American
parents understand that home involvement is crucial to their children's success
in school, according to a New America Media poll released in August.
As the new school year gets underway, how do parents,
grandparents, foster parents, [or] babysitters help students with homework when
language is a barrier and subjects are unfamiliar?
You may wish to visit the website of the Latin
Voice of California's Central Valley to see the eight concrete tips
offered by parents and teachers to enable you to better help with homework.
Their site can be viewed at
http://www.vidaenelvalle.com/ap_news/english/story/12934240p-13590731c.html
* *
* * *
I urge the parents and citizens
of Polk County to attend a school board meeting this year and get to know your
board members. We are serving as your representatives.
Your child will benefit when you
visit with and get to know their child's teachers and administrators. All of us
working together to help a child find their way in life will improve their
chances for success. |