Teachers at Christa McAuliffe Middle School and American Life Publishers are partnering to produce a book, “A Parent’s Guide to Middle School Academics.”
American Life managing editor Patricia Mavo said the book would be written over the summer and that 12 teachers from the school, 6500 Le Chalet Blvd., would give input and help write certain chapters.
Mavo said the inspiration for the book came from her own experiences as a parent of three children who entered and are in middle school almost consecutively at Christa McAuliffe.
Mavo’s daughter, Katie, entered middle school in 2006, and Mavo’s two boys followed. She said one of her main problems was understanding how the teachers assessed her children and keeping her children motivated.
“The information out there is just so scattered,” Mavo said. “We will be talking to Palm Beach County administrators directly for content and the 12 teachers will also write content.”
Mavo said, as of now, 18 chapters are planned. The goal is to compile the scattered parent resources found in multiple booklets and Web sites into one user-friendly guide for parents of middle school students.
Some topics to be covered include how students learn and how teachers assess, resources for homework help, strategies for student success, FCAT testing, ESE and gifted classes, student health, sex education, PTSA and SAC, student and parent services, and how to apply to choice programs.
Christa McAuliffe Principal Faith-Ann Cheek said first and foremost, the guide would be user-friendly.
Cheek said the book would help parents adjust to the many changes that students experience when they transition to middle school.
“By perception only and I want to emphasize that, elementary school is looked on as more nurturing,” Cheek said. “When you get to middle school, there is a greater level of self responsibility for the students and the academics are harder.”
Cheek said among the 12 teachers signed on to write the book, some are special education and nationally certified.
Twenty percent of the proceeds from the book will benefit each middle school that sells the resource.
Plans include an accompanying Web site to provide online resources for parents to just “point and click” on the topics covered in the book.
Chapters cover topics such as how students learn, how teachers assess, and a variety of local and state resources for homework and testing assistance.
For information, call Patricia Mavo at 561-254-1883, or e-mail her americanlife@bellsouth.net.