Getting the Whole Family Ready for Back-to-School
By Alexandra Mayzler
It is back-to-school time and with the excitement of new teachers and classes, new notebooks, and new responsibilities, the planning stages to a successful academic year are sometimes lost in the shuffle. Here are a few key planning strategies for the whole family to try to help start the year off on the right foot.
Create a family routine. As a family, discuss evening backpack-pack-up and morning out-the-door routines. Make sure that each child knows what his or her responsibilities are. For example, middle school students might be encouraged to set their own alarm clocks in the morning.
Get the right materials. Even before school starts, it is important to discuss preparedness and organization. Families should make sure to have a "study zone" for each child – either in the child's room or in a common area. Get the "study zone" prepped with all the necessary materials for the school year. Studying can happen just about anywhere, as long as the location is consistent and is conducive to your child's study habits.
Set a plan of action. In addition to having a "study zone," it is also important for students to adopt a study routine. Parents can model to-do lists and calendars. In the early weeks of school, parents can teach kids to break down big goals and manage time. You might want to practice planning and time management with everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning. By practicing these skills at home children will have an easier time breaking down assignments into time frames and smaller goals.
School year goals. Each new year brings excitement and anticipation, but it can also bring the pressures of new challenges. Before the first day of school, families should sit down and discuss goals – academic, extracurricular, and family. Older students can create goals independently and discuss these goals with parents while younger children may want to create goals as part of a family activity. By discussing expectations and hopes parents and children will be ready for a year of learning.
Anticipate trouble spots. Although many students hope to "do better" in the new school year, it is important to keep in mind areas that presented difficulties in the past. For example, if October has always been a "slump" time of the year, plan to be extra aware this year: schedule an extra check-in with teachers and plan to evaluate how things are going during the tricky time. For students who are entering a new school, consider the new challenges such as navigating a new building or adjusting to new responsibilities. Students entering middle school often have a hard time staying organized and keeping track of assignments and tests. Help your child adapt to new responsibilities by having a weekly materials check-in to make sure nothing is falling through the cracks.
The best way to ensure a smooth transition is to be ready as a whole family. By helping your child get ready for school, he or she can focus on the important aspects of school: learning, friends, and personal growth.
Alexandra Mayzler is the founder and director of Thinking Caps Tutoring.
Get Involved! Contribute to Million Hours of Power
National PTA's MORE™ (Men Organized to Raise Engagement) Alliance and the National Fatherhood Leaders Group have teamed up to launch a Million Hours of Power, an initiative to inspire 350,000 American men to dedicate three hours of service to the education, health, and well-being of children. Learn how to contribute your volunteer hours.
Three hours of service from 350,000 men totals more than 1 million hours of true power to the lives of children. This will produce educational, social, and physical benefits to kids across the nation. The Million Hours of Power campaign runs through the 2010-2011 school year. Working with the National Center for Fathering, National PTA has a tracking tool that allows you to log your hours and watch the campaign's progress toward 1 million hours. If you have volunteered recently and would like to log your hours, go to Fathers.com to record your efforts toward a Million Hours of Power. For more information, go to PTA.org/millionhours.
Help the Million Hours of Power Campaign Win $250,000!
Vote everyday throughout September on the Pepsi Refresh Everything website
National PTA has the opportunity to win $250,000 in the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project. During the entire month of September, you can vote at RefreshEverything.com/millionhoursofpower to help National PTA rise in the daily rankings. If National PTA is among the top two winners in the $250,000 category by September 30, the money will be used to support Million Hours of Power.
Remember to vote once a day throughout September and tell friends to vote for National PTA!
Healthy Classroom, Healthy Kids Webinar Features Chuck Saylors
Wednesday, September 15, 1 p.m. EDT
Learn how you can improve each child's health every day. Get helpful hints on the small, simple changes you can make in your home and in your community to combat the obesity epidemic. The "Healthy Classroom, Healthy Kids" webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 15, at 1 p.m. EDT. Join National PTA President Charles J. "Chuck" Saylors; childhood obesity expert Dr. Joanna Dolgoff; childhood development specialist at kaBOOM! Danielle Marshall; and three-time Olympian, gold medalist, and co-chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Dominique Dawes as they provide language and tips to provide children with the tools they need to be healthy. Register online.
To learn more about this topic and other amazing stories tune in to Discovery Health's Adventures in Parenting Week starting Monday, September 13.
September Safety Tip: Recalled Computers
National PTA and Consumer Reports have partnered to provide you with monthly safety tips and product recalls alerting you of possible dangers in your school or home. Now that everyone is back to school, be sure to check your classrooms and homes for recalled computers.
On September 2, Toshiba announced a recall for 41,000 T series Notebook Computers worldwide. The notebook computers can overheat at the notebook's plug-in to the AC adapter, posing a burn hazard. Toshiba has received 129 reports of the notebook computers overheating and deforming the plastic casing area around the AC adapter plug. If you think you may have one of these computers, check for the following:
- "Toshiba" is printed on the top of the notebook computer.
- The model name and number are printed on a label on the bottom of the notebook computers.
- The recall includes certain Satellite T135, Satellite T135D, and Satellite ProT130 Notebook Computers.
Be sure to check the computer you and your child are using and for more information on this recall and additional recalled products and foods that could be in your homes or schools go to clickcheckandprotect.org.
PTA Briefs
Back to School Central Provides Parent Resources
Backpacks, paper, and pens, oh my! It's back to school time and PTA wants to make sure you and your child are prepared for a year of success. Check out our Back to School Central page on PTA.org. Back to School Central is a comprehensive resource of information for the back-to-school season. Content will cover topics such as preparing your child for school, adjusting from a summer schedule, evaluating schools and more. Stories and articles will be added throughout the school year.
Content is arranged in four categories:
- Back-to-School Preparation
- Nutrition
- Homework Help and Study Skills
- Parent Involvement and Communication.
You can also find resources and ideas in National PTA's Great Idea Bank, an online community of parents and PTA leaders sharing ideas on parenting, being involved in PTA, working with schools, and more.
Support National Arts in Education Week, September 12-18
As we prepare to go back to school, please be sure to keep arts in the picture. Everyone recognizes that the arts are essential to teaching children the skills necessary to succeed in school and beyond, but did you know that young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week through at least one full year are:
- 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement?
- 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools?
- 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair?
- 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance?
(Source: "Engaging All Families Through the Arts" by Professor James S. Catterall and Lynn Waldorf, Imagination Project at UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies.)
Be sure to engage your children in the arts in the classroom and beyond by participating in the upcoming National Arts in Education Week September 12-18.
For 40 years National PTA has dedicated itself to making sure that all children have access to the arts through the Reflections Program. Download the National Arts in Education PDF for tips and suggestions on activities to help inspire your budding artists throughout National Arts in Education Week.
PTA Partners with NBC Universal on Education Nation
National PTA is proud to support NBC News on an exciting, unprecedented week-long event to examine and redefine education in America. Education Nation will take place during the week of September 26, 2010, and will feature a nationally broadcast, in-depth conversation about improving education in the United States. The initiative will begin with an interactive summit on Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.
The summit will shine a spotlight on education and will open a national dialogue regarding the gap between how we perceive education and the actual results that are being produced today. Education Nation will include more than 300 big thinkers in government, politics, business and technology — as well as school administrators, teachers, parents and students from across the country — to tackle the challenges in education and highlight exciting opportunities and big ideas in education reform. The goal of Education Nation is to provide clear information on how schools are performing, re-imagine what education in America can be, build on national momentum within the policy and reform communities, and inspire changes that enable our nation to prepare a skilled workforce to meet the demands of the future. National PTA President Charles J. "Chuck" Saylors and CEO Byron V. Garrett will attend the summit and will share the value of family engagement as an effective solution to support academic achievement.
Special news coverage and programming airing across all NBC News programs and platforms will extend beyond the two-day summit. For the entire week, "Nightly News," "Today," "Meet the Press," "Your Business," MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, msnbc.com and nbclearn.com will highlight educational success stories, uncover staggering truths and myths about education, and demonstrate how poor education cripples our economy and society.
As a part of Education Nation, a Teacher Town Hall will be hosted by NBC's Brian Williams and will be aired live on MSNBC at 12 pm EDT on Sunday, September 26th. If you are a teacher and would like to participate in a live online chat during the Town Hall, click here to register.To find out more, visit educationnation.com.
Money Matters Quick-Reference Guide Correction
A correction has been made to the PTA Money Matters Quick-Reference Guide regarding the requirements for filing Form 990/990-EZ.
The error occurs on page 24. As of the 2010 tax year, for returns filed in 2011 or later, PTAs with an annual gross income of more than $50,000 (formerly $25,000) must file Form 990 and Schedule A. If a PTA's gross receipts are less than $200,000 and total assets are less than $500,000, the PTA may file Form 990-EZ instead of Form 990. If gross receipts are $50,000 or less, the PTA must electronically submit Form 990-N, also known as the e-Postcard. Download the updated PTA Money Matters Quick-Reference Guide online version, as well as updated pages to insert into the print version of the guide.Please inform your local unit treasurer of this correction.
PTA Parent Digest
| Worldwide Day of Play | Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play will be Saturday, September 25. Join thousands of local PTAs, families and communities and plan your own Day of Play. Register your event at www.nick.com/thebighelp. PTAs who register their projects by 9/17 will be featured on a scroll on Nickelodeon on the morning of Worldwide Day of Play! |
| Education Nation | National PTA will be part of the Education Nation event starting September 26. For more information, go to the Education Nation website and watch PTA.org for updates. |
| Free Teacher Resources | Spread the word to your child's teacher...Verizon Thinkfinity has provided a collection of free, standards-based resources for teachers to help get their students excited about the beginning of school. The site also features parent-friendly resources, in-class activities and homework help. |
| Great Idea Bank | Join discussions on this growing social network to share ideas and answer questions related to parenting, family engagement, PTA activities and more. |