In his weekly address on January 30, 2016, President Obama launched an initiative called Computer Science for All. As the President noted in his address, computer science (CS) is now a basic skill. It is something that nine out of ten parents want taught in their children’s schools, but only about a quarter of our … Continue reading Computer Science for All—Families and PTAs Have a Role, Too
Take Your Family to School Week—February 15-19, 2016
PTAs across the country celebrate Founders’ Day, February 17th, in recognition of the legacy and work of Alice McLellan Birney, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, and Selena Sloan Butler to improve the lives of children. As part of this celebration, National PTA has designated the week that includes Founders’ Day Take Your Family to School Week. Family … Continue reading Take Your Family to School Week—February 15-19, 2016
Destination: Family-Driven Care
Today we feature a guest blog post from the Family Consumer Specialists of the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Mental Health (DMH) Child & Adolescent Services, on family-driven care. At the end of the article is a list of Parent Empowerment Calls offered free to all parents in Illinois who have a … Continue reading Destination: Family-Driven Care
Overcoming the “I’m Bad at Math” Myth
I’m bad at math. I’m not a math person. I just don’t have the “math gene.” Long before Barbie complained that “math class is tough,” students have bought into the idea that they can’t do math. A survey of Americans found that three in ten report that they are not good in math. Over half … Continue reading Overcoming the “I’m Bad at Math” Myth
Kick off the New Year with The Smart Talk and Win a Summer Vacation to Disney World!
There’s nothing more thrilling than receiving your first smartphone! With so many kids receiving smartphones and tablets for holiday presents, it’s especially timely for parents to sit down with their kids and set some smart ground rules for technology use. What are they allowed to post on social media? What should their privacy settings be … Continue reading Kick off the New Year with The Smart Talk and Win a Summer Vacation to Disney World!
4 Videos to Help You Understand Why and How Math Has Changed
You have probably seen it in social media, heard about it from friends, and maybe even felt it yourself—parents are finding themselves at a loss with the math homework their child is bringing home. Why does it look so different? Why don’t they do it the way that we learned? (Actually, they still do.) Here … Continue reading 4 Videos to Help You Understand Why and How Math Has Changed
10 Questions Your PTA and School Should Ask Before Buying Technology
First, it was computers in the classroom; next, it was Smartboards; and now it is iPads and Chromebooks. Schools often turn to their PTA to help bring technology into the classroom, and families wanting the best for their children often step up to help do so. But a Smartboard used only as a digital chalkboard … Continue reading 10 Questions Your PTA and School Should Ask Before Buying Technology
10 Common Mistakes Parents Make During the IEP Process
When you begin the process to get your child an Individualized Education Program (IEP), it can be an overwhelming, emotional, confusing, stressful, and frustrating time. While Illinois does provide a guide to help parents navigate special education services, you still may feel lost while everyone else involved has been through the process many times and … Continue reading 10 Common Mistakes Parents Make During the IEP Process
Key Student Leaders Can Help Reduce Bullying
Schools typically deal with bullying by creating policies, training teachers, and then implementing programs for students. A new study by researchers from Princeton University, Rutgers University, and Yale University in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that a better approach might be to start with the students themselves. Researchers focused on groups … Continue reading Key Student Leaders Can Help Reduce Bullying
President’s Corner
I encourage you to participate in the great opportunity for our most talented youth ages 13 and up to join congress in the “App Challenge”. This challenge is a available for the entire state. The Congressional App Challenge was created in 2013 by the House of Representatives to engage students in STEM-related career fields. It … Continue reading President’s Corner
Seven Ways to Increase Your Child’s Early Literacy
There is plenty of research that shows that a child’s economic status is a key indicator of how they will do in school. Many students are already behind national literacy benchmarks on their first day of kindergarten. But a landmark study identified a key cause of early literacy problems for low-income children—words. When we think … Continue reading Seven Ways to Increase Your Child’s Early Literacy
The Secret Apps that Parents Need to Know About
We covered teen sexting after the Cañon City, Colorado case. One of the questions asked during that case was how hundreds of students could have hidden nude photos on their phones with no parent finding a single one for so long. The answer is photo vaults, which are also known as ghost apps. Photo Vaults/Ghost … Continue reading The Secret Apps that Parents Need to Know About
New Video Series Helps Families Understand Assessments
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the results of the 2015 Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) on Friday. Last week also saw the passage and signing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB). While NCLB brought in universal assessment of students … Continue reading New Video Series Helps Families Understand Assessments
President’s Corner
Today while meeting about breakthroughs in parent engagement and early literacy at the Erickson Institute, Libbi Doggett, Deputy Assistant Secretary from the Department of Education announced that the President signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as it was taking place. We would like to give a sincere thank you to all of … Continue reading President’s Corner
New Free Guide on Puberty for Parents of Children with Autism
Puberty. It’s a word that can worry parents about how to discuss physical changes and intimate topics with their child. Parents of pre-teens on the autism spectrum may find themselves even more lost about how to address this transition with their child. The Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) and the Autism Intervention Research Network … Continue reading New Free Guide on Puberty for Parents of Children with Autism
Understanding Your Child’s PARCC Score Report
Illinois will be releasing the final results of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment shortly. As part of this release, families will be receiving a report on their student’s individual results. There has been a long delay in releasing results this year due to the need to determine what … Continue reading Understanding Your Child’s PARCC Score Report
How to Talk to Your Child About Sexting
Last month, parents in Cañon City, Colorado were shocked to learn that hundreds of students were being investigated for taking, possessing, or sharing nude photographs of themselves or a classmate, also known as sexting (sending sexually-explicit pictures via text, e-mail, or other apps). The potential consequences for these students include child pornography charges and having … Continue reading How to Talk to Your Child About Sexting
PTA Supports the Bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act
Yesterday, a U.S. Senate and House of Representatives conference committee released the final text of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind (ESEA/NCLB), the primary law governing the federal role in K-12 education. The bill will now be considered by all members of … Continue reading PTA Supports the Bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act
What to Do When Your PTA Gets a Bad Check
Every PTA that takes in money ends up having a check that was written to the PTA returned by their bank for non-sufficient funds (NSF). When NSF checks are part of a fundraiser that includes merchandise, the costs can be significant as the PTA is liable for full payment on all of the fundraising products … Continue reading What to Do When Your PTA Gets a Bad Check
Helping Your Child Deal with Stress
Children are often stressed about school, whether it is an upcoming test, not understanding a homework assignment, or something mean that a friend said to them the day before. For students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or other learning disorders (LD), stress can often make school issues worse. The magazine ADDitude has published an article … Continue reading Helping Your Child Deal with Stress
One Voice Illinois 