Parental Involvement from K-12

The start of a new school year can bring a mix of emotions for both parents and children - from excitement and anticipation to anxiety and fear of the unknown. It's also a time when parents have to buy school supplies, clothes, uniforms, smart devices, and more. This article, however, will focus on the transition from being away from school to resuming the structured routine that is the essence of a public school education.

With a little preparation, navigating this transition smoothly and setting your child up for success in their new grade is possible. Here's how to tackle the 'back to school' season, regardless of your child's grade level or your family's circumstances.

""With fears and potential adaptations still ahead for parents and children, return to school is always a time when parents and teachers revisit what is important for children and how to best support their positive development. Marilyn Price-Mitchell

PK-Kindergarten

Building a Routine

For many children, starting pre-K or kindergarten is their first taste of a structured daily routine. Establishing and practicing routines - like a consistent bedtime and a morning routine that includes getting dressed, brushing teeth, and eating breakfast - can help your child adjust more easily to the school day. Creating a visual schedule or using alarms and reminders can be valuable in maintaining consistency for families with single parents or busy schedules.

Reading Readiness

Strengthening pre-literacy skills can set the foundation for academic success. Simple activities like reading to your child

The nation got a new Suicide Hotline on July 16, 2022. All somebody has to do is dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor. 24/7

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States.

When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Source: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Before we discuss suicide in more detail, please print out the logo above and pin it to your kitchen noticeboard. Then, tell your children what 988 is and what it is used for, so they can help somebody in need the same way they do by knowing how and when to call 911.

This video explains how the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline works.

Suicide: The Subject Nobody Wants To Talk About

Suicide knows no age limits. It is shocking and tragic, no matter how or when it occurs. It scatters guilt widely as the friends and loved ones of the deceased wonder what they could have done to prevent somebody from taking her life. What subtle warning signs

After a long and difficult year, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. With over 60% of the U.S. population having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, things are looking up. COVID restrictions are being lifted, businesses are reopening, and children are returning to school. Though we have much to be thankful for, the scars left behind by a dark and challenging year won’t soon fade.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the state of the American public education system in deep and sometimes disturbing ways. Existing disparities between affluent children and low-income students have grown and it may take years of hard work and massive change to overcome them. What many educators are focusing on now as the world starts to return to normal isn’t catching students up on lost education in core subjects like math and science – it’s helping them cope with the stress of a year-long pandemic.

Millions of children around the globe have suffered from a year of isolation from friends and sporadic education. In this article, we’ll explore the subject of pandemic-related stress and provide helpful tips for parents and educators to support their children in the upcoming school year.

Traumatic Stress Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Adam D. Brown, PsyD, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Longone discusses the notion of traumatic stress in children and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of children

The coronavirus pandemic has made its way around the world, changing the lives of millions all in the span of a few months. In the United States, many state governors issued stay-at-home orders that not only closed nonessential businesses and limited travel, but closed schools as well. Parents and teachers alike were forced to suddenly navigate the challenges of remote learning, some with more success than others. As things start to get back to “normal” in many states, parents are left wondering what the upcoming school year will look like and how they should prepare.

In this article, we’ll explore the subject of the upcoming 2020-21 school year and what it might look like. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of homeschooling as well and provide some tips for protecting your children if you choose to send them back to school.

Will Schools Be Open in the Fall?

Most Americans expect schools to reopen in the fall, but even if they do your child may not be returning to the same school they left in March. In a USA Today poll, 1 in 5 teachers revealed that they are unlikely to return to the classroom if their school reopens in the fall.

It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic upended our way of life, but even as many states begin to reopen we may be feeling the effects well into the next year. When it comes to the upcoming 2020-21 school year, there are

Children learn from each and every experience they have. Before they set foot in school for the first time, you as the parent are their very first teacher. Education is not something that ends at a certain age but something your child should pursue throughout his life. If you want your child to become an informed individual, it’s time to start taking their education more seriously, both in and out of school.

If you develop in your child a hunger for knowledge, each and every day will become an opportunity to learn something new. In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways you can help your child maximize his education in 2020 by adapting to his learning style and supplementing his education at home.

Understanding Your Child’s Learning Style

In the early years of public school, there was an assumption that all children learned the same way or, at the very least, material was taught in a specific way. More recently, it has become evident that there are a number of different learning styles and every child is unique. By learning more about your child’s learning style, you can work with his teacher at school and with your child at home to help him maximize his education.

Here is an overview of the 7 different learning styles:

1. Visual (Spatial) – This style learns best when they have an image to help them process the information or the opportunity to write out their thoughts.
2. Aural (Auditory-Musical) – These