main content starts here

Tag: school success tips

Easing the transition: How parents can make moving successful

Easing the transition: How parents can make moving successful

September 6, 2016 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Enrolling at a new school can be a challenging experience for students at all grade levels, as well as for their parents. There are new faces, hallways and classrooms and often divergent approaches to learning from school district to school district. The organization of the school day and classes themselves, especially for students who are […]

Don’t infect your kids with your back-to-school stress

Don’t infect your kids with your back-to-school stress

September 1, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

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 […]

The road to school is paved with learning opportunities

June 30, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

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 […]

Moving up to middle school can cause butterflies

June 24, 2015 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

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 […]

Six qualities to set you apart from the crowd

May 14, 2015 | Posted in: High School

We know, graduation is still several weeks away, but we got thinking about tidbits of good advice accumulated through the years that might benefit high school students getting ready to step out into the world. With all the talk about the value of 21st century “soft skills” for college and workplace success, this handful of […]

Seven skills every child should master, and the value of testing to make sure they have

May 14, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

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 […]

Learning opportunities are around every corner

May 14, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The question sounded like the lead-in to a bad punchline. “What do you call it when a starfish loses its leg and it grows back?” asked our 17-year-old, who was sitting in the back seat of the car with her two siblings. We had taken a wrong turn that would get us to our destination […]

Keep calm and test on

April 1, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

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 important stuff not found in books

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Some of the most important lessons students learn aren’t found in textbooks. They come from life experiences – in the classroom, with family and out in the real world. As parents, we want our children to succeed. Equipping them with life skills now will better prepare them to navigate their school years and beyond. Which […]

Toys that teach prove valuable long after the holidays

December 8, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

A look of alarm crossed my son’s face when I suggested there would be only learning gifts under the tree this year. “That’s a horrible idea,” he said, as visions of flash cards, “boring educational books,” dictionaries and maps danced through his head. I assured him he had nothing to fear – most of the […]