Lost in the unfamiliar territory of 16th century English, my 15-year-old sought help on the Internet and found it: a translation of Shakespeare into contemporary language.

At first, I scoffed, insisting that if I had to struggle through Shakespeare, so should she. But as I explored the website, "No Fear Shakespeare," from SparkNotes, I decided it was intelligent and effective.

Here is their translation for Hamlet's famous soliloquy ("To be or not to be, that is the question"): "The question is: is it better to be alive or dead? Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that luck throws your way, or to fight against all those troubles by simply putting an end to them once and for all?"

If they read only the translation, kids would never know where famous expressions like "To be or not to be" came from. Still, if they read it side by side, as they can on the website, they may find Shakespeare more approachable than they had expected.

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The Pride Center at Equality Park, along with other supportive agencies, is seeking to open up an exchange of ideas and solutions to help the community understand the needs and social circumstances of gay, lesbian and transgendered youth in Broward County.

So, this Friday, the GLCC Pride Center is hosting a conference from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at their new location: 2040 N. Dixie Highway, in Wilton Manors.

Co-hosts include SunServe, the YMCA of Broward County, Safe Schools South Florida and Equality Florida. “Trapped in the Margins: Challenges of Meeting the Needs of Broward’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth,” will highlight issues and challenges; provide information and create dialog as a way to assist our GLBT youth.

Medical and clinical professionals, elected officials, youth service providers, business owners[ legal and protective service professionals and the general public will present case studies and speeches.

For more information about the symposium call 954-463-9005. To learn more about The GLCC Pride Center and their programs visit www.glccsf.org

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Now that the Palm Beach County school superintendent is giving principals leeway in the district's testing program and protests have quieted down, I've been wondering what effect the hostilities have had on our kids.

At several events organized by angry parents, kids were carrying signs and chanting slogans against the school system. I couldn't help but think they were learning that this is a proper way to act toward adults, such as teachers and principals, to whom they have been taught to show deference at all times.

The kids still have to go back to school and take a lot of tests. What will their attitude be? How they will feel about their teachers who have to give the exams? About school in general?

It's impossible for us not to pass along our beliefs to our kids. I'm just wondering whether they should attend rallies against a system they still have to participate in when the protests are over.

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We are in the 10th week of school in Palm Beach County, but it's only the third full week.

There has been something to interrupt almost every week, including four teacher work days/professional development days/"learning team meeting" days.

I have always wondered if teachers are actually working on these days. I once saw one of my daughter's former teachers getting a manicure on one of these "work days."

These days off are a big disruption for working parents. Looking ahead at the coming weeks, there will be another "teacher work day" on Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. Ugh.

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Michael Brewer lies in excruciating pain at Jackson Memorial with second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. He is 15.

Five other boys have been arrested for dousing him with rubbing alcohol and setting him on fire. Four are 15, one is a 13-year-old sibling.

And now we condemn – the boys, the parents and the culture that bred such heinous behavior. Where were the parents? Why are 15-year-olds in seventh grade? The bully – how did he get that way? There are so many troubling questions about this horrible situation, it’s almost paralyzing.

A lot has been written about the “boy crisis” in America, as well as the inevitable “myth of the boy crisis.” But I don’t know if this incident should be reduced to an academic discussion.

My only real question is: Where are the safety nets? Where are the after-school programs for kids with a variety of interests? Sure, there are sports – but only for those kids who are superior athletes. What about the vast majority of kids? What’s out there for them? I’m really curious …if you know, please comment.

The Broward schools have an aggressive anti-bullying agenda . Do these programs work? Are there other intervention programs that actually succeed?

And what’s out there for parents who may be struggling under the responsibility, who maybe don’t know how to deal with boys in crisis, how to teach right from wrong. What’s out there for them?

At a time when budgets are being cut across the board, when advocacy groups are struggling, this should be a wake-up call that as a community, we have a grave responsibility to address some of these questions.

What’s your suggestion?

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I didn't think it could happen, but pressure from parents succeeded in modifying the Palm Beach County School District's new policy of testing students every three weeks to make sure they had learned all their lessons.

Now it's up to each principal to decide how often to administer the computerized tests. An amazing new movement of parents can take credit for this accomplishment, but I see from their Facebook page they see this as just the beginning of an uprising against the drastic changes the district made to schools this year, including departmentalization, in which elementary school kids have to change classes like they are in middle or high school.

I was skeptical that parents could succeed against the district's entrenched bureaucracy, but clearly board members and the administration heard the outcry and responded. Power to the parents!

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Earlier this week, it was announced that Broward public schools, and the county health department, would vaccinate students against H1N1, for free. This is quite a convience for parents.

But I wonder how many will opt out?

A recent AP-Gfk poll revealed that 38 percent of parents nationally would not give permission for their children to be vaccinated at school. Some are concerned about the side effects; some say the swine flu threat is no greater than any other flu.

There are those who eschew any kind of vaccination for fear of all sorts of terrible things; and then there are the germ phobes who would vaccinate their children against other humans if possible.

I'll probably let my kids get vaccinated, but that's mostly because I'm lazy. It's free and I don't have to schlepp them to the doctor. What's not to love about that?

What are you going to do? Take our poll here.

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Sometimes, the real world intrudes in a way that really makes you question your ideals.

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about kids walking to school by themselves. I wrote about how I believe kids need to be gradually given some freedom to get out in the world alone.

But yesterday, a Pembroke Pines girl, walking from school, declined a ride from a stranger, only to be surprised by him when she got home. This is simply terrifying.

The girl did the right thing. She didn't accept the ride, for starters. And she must have been alert enough to note his face. Then, she ran SCREAMING from her home when she found the man there.

We don't know much about her -- her age, or whether her family situation is such that she has no choice but to walk home. So I'm not about to judge her parents.

But I will commend her for being a quick thinker and being well-schooled in what to do in a terrifying situation. Yes, something horrible could have happened. But I still say, we can't insulate our kids from the real world, and we have to equip them with life-saving skills.

I wonder: Have I done that? Have I really prepared my kids well?

They don't walk to school, but they are in any number of potentially risky situations, at the park or the mall or a Friday night football game.

I think it's time to have another talk.

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Recently, a friend of The Kid asked if he had his driver's permit yet.

Needless to say, the question gave me pause - and I did everything in my power not to slam on the breaks - not out of anger or anything - more out of worry and shear horror.

I was driving the children at the time.

Gosh - these kids are younger than the blades of grass in our yard for cryin' out loud!

And what's the rush anyway?

Isn't it kind of nice to be chauffeured? Sure, our "passengers" are a captive audience as we adults drive them everywhere--the service comes complete with lectures and conditions.

And we get to spend time together. I get to meet his cohorts - in person no less!

But at some point, kids-my son included, are going to be in the driver's seat. And the best we can do, short of never, ever letting them out of our site, is to empower them with the right tools, starting with good driving instruction.

You can download AAA's Choosing a Driving School pamphlet here.

It's a guide for parents of beginning drivers. There is a check list of questions to ask, things to look for in a driving school. There are tips on how you can supplement what they'll be learning with additional information and experience.

It seems like only last year, I let him ride his bike - as long as he's wearing the helmet, knee pads, has reflectors, lights....

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Protests against Palm Beach County schools' new policies are getting pretty intense.

The city of Boca Raton is considering converting schools in the city to charter schools so they can be free of the Palm Beach County School District. Websites and Facebook groups are popping up all over the place, including For Our Kids, United, Palm Beach County Parents for Educational Reform, and Testing is not Teaching. Parents are dressing their kids in orange this week to support teachers and show their disapproval of district policies.

The protests stem from several radical new practices implemented this year, including "embedded assessments," or frequent testing of skills learned, and "departmentalization," in which elementary school kids change classes like they are in middle school.

My kids are tired of all the testing, so I hope these parents can get the school district to allow schools more autonomy. Why not give principals the discretion to decide what's needed for their students? Unfortunately, I have little hope my fellow parents will be able to rock this bureaucracy.

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If your child was out sick from school, home with a cold, or flu, maybe a fever, would you insist they do their school work?

I did.

The Kid is under the weather. We baby him when that happens. It just one more excuse to spoil him even more.

Homemade chicken soup is just the beginning. He’s been reading, sleeping and relaxing. His house chores are on hold.

Still the biggest worry – probably more for us than him – is his getting behind in his school assignments.

Life goes on: when he gets better – he’s going to feel worse about all the homework that piled up.
Class work will become homework. Homework will be added to homework. And he has a few projects coming up.

So we give him a cup of warm soup, hot tea, crackers to much on – and pen and paper to get cracking on his studies.

Nice, huh.

What’s your philosophy when the kid is down and out with the occasional bug -- Do you give them the total spa treatment – or keep them on task with school work?

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Much has been made lately about kids getting themselves from one place to another by themselves. There's the mom who let her 9-year-old ride the New York subway alone. That set of a fire-storm last spring. Lenore Skenazy, the mom, has become something of a stop-the-madness voice for children and families who don't want to live in fear all the time. Her blog is called Free-Range Kids -- "Give our kids the freedom we had without going nuts with worry."

The New York Times followed up with a story on Sunday about how parents struggle with letting their kids walk to school. One mom in the story relates how a neighbor DROVE her 7-year-old child home, five houses away. That's just crazy, and lazy.

My kids started walking to their friends' house down the street at a young age. I'd stand in the driveway and watch them go. Then retrieve them later (I didn't DRIVE!). Eventually, they were doing it on their own. There were lessons learned along the way: "No, you cannot walk around the block." "No, it's too dark." In time, the rules loosen, the parameters grow.

We live close enough to stores and restaurants that the next step was inevitable. This summer my son would hop on his bike with friends to grab some lunch somewhere. They'd walk to Blockbuster to pick up a video. Once he called me in a panic before a trip that he needed socks. I told him to ride his bike to the store and buy some.

Next will be driving. And college. And, hopefully, studying abroad. All of the little steps along the way have been preparing them for that.

So yes, whenever possible, parents should let their kids walk down the street and to school and beyond. What do you think? Are you a free-range parent?

Photo: Forum Publishing Group

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Let's talk about Obama's speech to schoolchildren today.

First, I have to get this off my chest. There is no way I would pull my child out of school to avoid a 20 minute speech by the president -- any president. But if a parent wants to keep the kids at home, that's their right.

Parents send their kids to school with a lot of faith that they will be safe and that they will be educated. We entrust our precious babies to strangers who, in the best of situations, become our allies. Between the first and the last bell, a lot happens that parents can't control -- and I know that drives some parents crazy. I've met them.

Here's my question: Can one speech change a child's outlook either way? Or is a family's influence stronger? At what point does a child begin to see the world in their own way? Third grade? 7th grade? Senior year?

My siblings and I think differently from our parents, politically, though we share many many values. But my sibs' grown children tend to think like their own parents. Why is that?

I have no idea whether my kids will be watching Obama's speech today. Either way is fine with me. If their teachers feel they have the time to spare and can turn the speech into a healthy discussion, great. If they have other curriculum to teach, even better.

Today, my daughter's more concerned with finding a good science fair project and a big math test later this week. My son has benchmark testing. This curiculum is far more important to me than a presidential speech.

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No more homework, no more books...

Half of that familiar childhood cheer may be coming true faster than many of us thought, but not in the way most kids wanted.

As one way of dealing with the state's budget crisis, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is resorting to greater use of digital textbooks. No more lugging around a bagfull of oversized tomes: digital texts weigh nothing, cost less and can be updated instantly with the latest information (what's that? Pluto's not considered a planet anymore? No, sweat. I'll just hit "delete").

There are drawbacks. As pervasive as computers are, not every family has one. About one out of every four Americans does not have Internet access. What do they do? Yes, you can give them physical textbooks, but in doing so, aren't you telling the entire school population which students have Internet at home and which do not? Are you, in effect, calling out the poor?

I don't mean to reject the idea of digital textbooks. Broward County is starting to use them in some classes, and as far as I'm concerned, it's just a matter of time before they become the norm. Is now the right time?

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What do you do when your daughter’s new college roommate is John?

According to an Associated Press article I came across recently, there are about two dozen colleges and universities in this country that allow young men and women to share a room on campus.

Dubbed the mixed-gender housing movement, students have a choice to room with the opposite sex. Officials at most of these colleges reportedly say romantic relationships among these roommates are discouraged. And some say having a choice is just another example of how they are tearing down walls.

But as if dealing with a new roommate, a total stranger, isn’t hard enough, I can’t imagine wanting to make the situation even more complex by having to live with a roomie in college who is of the opposite gender.

Back in my day (which was not that long ago) we couldn't dare think of sharing a bedroom on campus with the opposite sex. Back then having a co-ed dorm seemed like a big deal. And although we had coed dorms, men and women were separated by floors.

While I have no qualms with adults rooming with whatever sex they choose, I have some doubts about these arrangements on a college level, especially among young college students.

While some say they’re just roomies, get over it, the parent and former college student in me, has second thoughts.

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When I was a kid, I heard about presidents. We read about presidents. We saw them on the news. Some presidents were republican, some democrat.

We had civics lessons, learned about the value of voting and learned about the value of, well, people having different values!

But one value is important to most parents regardless of politics – and that is getting an education.

Next Tuesday at noon on C-SPAN and broadcast through the White House Web site, President Obama will give a speech telling children that succeeding in school is important. He'll stress they are responsible for taking an active role in their learning and education.

Oddly, some parents are opposed to having their children watch/listen to Obama’s talk.

I wonder, do those same parents cut out the portions of or hide pages of the newspapers and magazines on which Obama’s name or image appear?

Do they change the channel or turn off the radio or television when news mentioning the president of the United States is mentioned? Censorship sure takes a lot of energy, time and focus.

Getting good grades, working hard at learning and being a responsible school student also takes a lot of time and focus, and isn’t anyone party’s political agenda.

First Lady Nancy Reagan promoted the “Just Say No to Drugs” program. I think she was addressing both republicans and democrats, and everyone in between.

Visit the Dept. of Education to read about Obama’s upcoming speech.

Some parents say this is brainwashing – but if that includes inspiring, instilling and reinforcing being a good, responsible student-- then brainwash away.

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We wrote yesterday about the Mailman Segal Institute's free class for newborns and their parents, held at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. Today we present a guest post from the institute's dean, Dr. Roni Leiderman, an educator, author, speaker and consultant in the fields of child development, early brain development, family relationships, work/family issues, parenting, and autism. Leiderman shares her memory of sending her little girl to preschool for the very first time, and she reminds us that there's more to the experience than just the first day of school:

I can remember the first day that I took Rachel, then almost 3 years old, to preschool.

I still vividly remember that anxious feeling when Rachel’s hand slipped from mine to her new teacher’s and the pride in my daughter’s budding independence. I can also recall the reflective emotions about my little girl growing up and leaving me plus downright panic and fear that her well being was, for the next 3 hours, in the hands of others.

We have prepared our children with shiny new shoes and fresh new hair cuts and have been there to cheer them on those first weeks. What do we need to do to support ourselves and make the upcoming year the best it can be for the entire family? Here are some ways to make sure that that the school year is a great experience for everyone:

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Teachers, grandparents, anyone who appreciates folk tales -- this one's for you.

Follow this link to Tell Me a Story -- folk tales from around the world -- brought to you by the Sun-Sentinel's wonderful Newspapers in Education program.

For years the Sun-Sentinel ran this feature in print. But you can still find it online, complete with the beautiful illustrations.

Over the years, I heard from a lot of grandparents who sent this feature to their grandkids up north.

And many many teachers, who used this weekly feature in their classrooms. Elementary teachers use it to teach about cultures and fables. Young kids really like how each story has a problem or obstacle that is overcome. Teachers of older students use it in English or Literature classes. And teachers of English as a Second Language use it because the language is simple and many of the stories are familiar to people from a variety of cultures.

A new story is posted every week. This week, it's the Greek myth about Scylla and Charybdis, when Odysseus (or Ulysses) finds himself "between a rock and hard place."

Amy Friedman is the nationally syndicated writer who adapts the stories; Jillian Gilliland's beautiful illustrations accompany each story.

Go to Sun-Sentinel.com/nie for this and other helpful teaching tools. Or find it at Sun-Sentinel.com/features/your-kids. We'll post a new story every Monday.

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Our biggest challenge the first week of school was --getting The Kid to school.

Well, it really wasn't our challenge - it was the bus driver's. Alternately, the bus was early, on time, or very very late. But by Friday morning, the bus was waiting for him for a change.

That pretty much sums up our week because that was the most unpredictable part.

The Kid got up each morning at 5 a.m. on his own - except for one time.Another time, he had to wake us up.

I think teamwork played a big role in our success. We support one another. As much as we love to spoil him - we also make it clear that it's up to him to stay on task, to be a self-starter, to go that extra mile.

The next step is the extra activities - should we wait to start up martial arts again? How will he manage homework and after school club stuff? He also has to find the time to volunteer.

We're looking forward to a weekend of downtime. Yeah, right. We'll be back to the store shopping for lunch food. We have to get The Kid some long pants - he grew out of every pair over the summer. He has to get a few more school supplies.

Oh, he has to review his assignments to see what projects he has to begin - and he'll hang out with his friends at some point. For that, he always manages to find some time.

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My daughter starts first grade today. She shared with me a few things she plans to do differently now that she’s a BIG girl.

Her thoughts led me to thinking that mommy could make some changes also. So here’s my back to school pledge.

• I pledge not to hold up the car line at my daughter’s school. I will not brush my daughter’s hair, search for her socks or sign permission slips while other anxious parents waiting to drop off their kids are behind me.

• I pledge to read every piece of paper that comes home and not wait until the night before her school project is due to comb the stores looking for glitter.

• I pledge to be a more stringent enforcer of bed time, so that we can both wake up more cheerful in the morning.

• I pledge not to become an over-involved mom, who wants to hold her daughter’s hand every step of the way, but to let her grow and learn by experience with some things. (notice I said “some.’’)

• I pledge not to over schedule my daughter’s after-school life with too many extra-curricular activities and to cherish the down time when we’re doing absolutely nothing.

Have you pledged to do things differently this school year? After all, the great thing about the first day of the school is that it's a new beginning for parents too!!!!

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Don't automatically dismiss your child's jitters about returning to school, one child psychologist warns. They might actually be suffering from bonafide anxiety.

Wendy K. Silverman, a psychologist at Florida International University’s Child Anxiety and Phobia Program (CAPP), says parents might just dismiss child anxiety and that it could mushroom into depression, severe behavioral problems and even substance abuse later in life.

And really, would you want that pinned on you? I wouldn't!

Silverman and colleague William Kurtines are in the midst of a $3.3 million study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to develop state-of-the-art techniques to diagnose and treat children with anxiety.

(If you think your kid has had anxiety for at least six months, call the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program at 305-348-1937.)

Click on the jump for Silverman's tips for getting children ready for the school year:

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There I stood, in the courtyard outside my son's PreK class, sobbing. He was fine inside the classroom. He'd been a full-time daycare baby since he was 3-months-old, so it's not like I wasn't used to saying goodbye to him every morning.

But I was a mess. It was hot and I was sweaty. And to top it all off, I was holding my 5-month old, whose diaper had exploded in a dramatic, vivid way -- all the way up her back.

Yet I stood there, tears and sweat streaming. Pathetic.

Three years later, I sent my baby girl off to the same PreK fate. And, because she's a victim of second child syndrome, I don't really recall any drama.

Good thing I snapped this picture. And I've been snapping ever since.

This year is a big one. He starts high school, she starts middle school. I will take a picture and try to coax a smile out of them.

I suspect there will be a few tears (mine). But I guarantee: no exploding diapers.

To share your first day of school photos, go to SunSentinel.com/firstday.

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Guest blogger Tom Kent has already had his fun in the sun. He's got to hit those books now. To his mom, the new ninth-grader seems pretty cool and calm about the whole deal - going into high school and all.

Well, high school really is approaching fast. What I truly mean is… summer sure is ending fast.

I’m looking forward to high school – I don’t have much to worry about. I’ll be earning college credits as a freshman. How cool is that? I am very lucky to have the opportunities my high school offers me.

Which high school is that, you ask? Well none other than South Broward High School. The programs at South Broward are very interesting to me.

I went to New River Middle where I took the marine science program. (I love the water.) It just so happens, that South Broward also has a marine science program which I will continue to follow! In college I plan on majoring in Journalism with a minor in Marine Science.

When I grow up (no joke) I want to work at the Sun Sentinel in its Science and Health section; just like my mom, Cindy Kent (only she works in the business section).

Well, my expectations for high school should be just as I anticipate because I have already been there sixteen times! I participated in a marine science camp, called the Summer Beach Program and already earned 35 volunteer hours. Go Reefdogs!

I will definitely have a good four years at South Broward.
--Tom Kent

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Lots -- and lots -- of books cross my desk. But this one really caught my eye:

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School.

Bingo! My daughter Erika is starting sixth grade. That's a big enough deal. But she's also going to a school with absolutely nobody she knows. (Except her dad, who teaches there.)

Sixth grade. Big school. No friends. Ugh.

As I flip through this handy guide, I see all kinds of useful advice: "How to Play It Cool When You Don't Know the Answer." "How to Survive a Massive Mess-Up." "How to Survive Mean Girls." "How to Survive a Crush Without Getting Crushed."

I really wish I had had this book back when I was that age. Maybe I would have known how to actually, you know, talk to boys. Maybe I could have avoided that haircut (there's a chapter in the book). Maybe...sigh. It's too painful to even think about middle school.

So I give the book to Erika with instructions to mark up the parts that are particularly handy. She flips through it. Gives it a good look. And yawns.

Anything helpful? "No," she says. "It's all so obvious."

Uh-oh. The girl must be deluded. Have I sheltered her? Have I not given her the skills she needs to find her way through the trecherous hallways of .... middle school?

Or maybe, just maybe, she's .... confident. She's always had a pretty thick skin -- a byproduct of having an older brother.

But I'm going to keep the book handy in case she ever has a crisis of confidence. Or in case, you know, she needs my advice.

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Creed's first day of high school is Monday.

A big deal, to me. I was waiting for a letter from the principal welcoming me as a parent, embracing me as we work together to help my son succeed, holding my hand as we step across this threshold together, nervous yet eager.

It came in the mail Saturday, from the principal of South Plantation High School, where Creed will begin his journey to adulthoood.

"I would like to set the record straight and ease any anxiety you may have,'' it said. Yes, Mr. Principal. Tell me more!

I read on: "As you may or may not know, our school grade is a 'D.''

Oh. No, I didn't know that. Thought it was higher. Um, keep going?

"How did we become a D?'' The letter went on to explain that the lowest quartile of students didn't make enough progress in reading and writing, and that instead of going up a percent, they went down. "That's it,'' the principal wrote, like we should be comforted by the reduction in progress. Well, Creed's not in the lowest quartile, but I am quite sure the parents of struggling students would not get a warm feeling from this letter. And neither did I. I was crestfallen, actually.

I wasn't fixated on the school's grade, until I got his letter. I've always been a supporter of public schools, and I continue to be. But this is disturbing. I have friends sending kids to St. Thomas or American Heritage or even Pine Crest. Am I accepting mediocrity by allowing him to enter a school whose grade would draw a severe grounding if it showed up on his report card?

Maybe I can send a letter to colleges when he's applying, saying, "I want to soothe your anxiety that my son's grade point average is a D. You see he just didn't do well enough in school.''

Click here to see his welcome letter.

And click here to see the grades of all Broward County high schools. There are very few A-rated high schools in Broward County's public system.

Click here to read our schools blog, about changes in the way high schools are "graded.''

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It’s time to get serious now, we’re talking school lunches.

Bring ‘em or buy ‘em, either way, school lunches deserve a parent’s focus and consideration.

I’m as interested in packaging as I am ingredients.

On most occasions, I pack The Kid’s lunch in a brown paper bag. He folds it up and closes it between pages of a book after lunch, that way, he isn’t carry a bulky empty object. He re-uses the bag til the thing basically dies – up to a month or more sometimes. I wrap his sandwich in wax paper sheets. (I love the wax bags but can never find them.) Sometimes his drink is a water in a bottle he re-uses, or box drinks.

Whole Foods Market even partnered with the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Science and Discovery by providing nutritional snacks with environmentally low-impact packaging to summer camp attendees.

When I shop for food, just about everywhere you look, there are great simple recipes using produce, fish, meats, grains and dairy products.

For some upfront investment in prep and cooking time – you can send your kid packing with fresh, cool (as in hip), filling and healthy snacks and lunches.

If you rely on school-provided lunches, this just-released news today about another Whole Foods initiative might interest you:

Renegade Lunch Lady” Chef Ann Cooper will partner with Whole Foods Market to launch the Virtual Lunch Box Web Portal, which will enable administrators and like-minded “lunch ladies” throughout the country to reform their meal plans by offering the necessary tools and resources. The portal will serve as the most comprehensive, easily accessible, and free set of resources available, offering scalable recipes, training resources and educational tools.

Links to the joint projects enlighten us parents to the daunting task of what’s involved in the planning and feeding a mass of kids in a smart yet affordable manner.

The School Food Project – Boulder, CO

Sundance Channel: Grains of Change

If you’re on Twitter, follow other concerned parents to ask questions, share ideas and resources beginning with @SSParents and @lunchboxbunch and @WFMFtLauderdale

Follow Cindy Kent on Twitter @mindingyourbiz

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ForbesWoman just released it first examination of the “Best Cities For Working Mothers.” Why am I not surprised that Miami/Fort Lauderdale came in at No. 43 out of 50? New York (New York!) topped the list.

It's so easy to explain away the results -- we are transient, a party city, lots of retirees, lots of immigrants with families back home. "This list fairly reflects how the rest of the country views Miami," said ForbesWoman writer Heidi Brown, who edited the list.

What? We're not family friendly? Maybe so. Although most of the families I know are friendly enough.

To come up with the list, ForbesWoman ranked 50 of the largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (that's Miami/Fort Lauderdale) by categories: earnings, unemployment, cost of living, violent and property crimes, healthcare, per-capita expenditure per pupil, the number of daycare and preschools, and park acreage. They used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dartmouth Atlas and other reliable sources.

Surprisingly, Miami/Fort Lauderdale ranked No. 3 in the child care category. But keep in mind that quantity, not quality was evaluated. Brown said that in the population area of 2.4 million, we have 709 daycare centers. That doesn't sound like a lot to me. "Perhaps this shows how dismal daycare is around the country," she said.

Another surprise was our low rank in parks: No. 48. Really? In the sun and fun capital? (Jacksonville ranked No. 1.) This data came from the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, as well as the various cities. Come to think of it, I know that recreational sports teams are always competing for limited practice space throughout Fort Lauderdale.

Other notable rankings: No. 12 in the number of pediatricians, No. 20. in school quality and No. 20 in per pupil spending. Not bad.

But there's women's income: No. 43. Cost of living: 43. Violent crime: 48. Property crime: 49. Ouch.

Making matters worse, Miami/Fort Lauderdale is actually the highest ranking Florida city. Jacksonville is 44 overall, Tampa, 46, and Orlando is 49. Las Vegas is No. 50.

"Maybe this is a wakeup call to city leaders," Brown said. I couldn't agree more.

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I’m referring to the summer reading lists schools post on their websites or at local bookstores.

Hopefully, your child is taking the time to crack open a few books – you might have to re-direct them away from their iPod Touch, video games and computers.

My son selected a book from his school’s list.

He’s not thrilled about the book he selected either-but it was his choice. He had the opportunity to pick from several authors and titles. I’d like to think that rather than just being critical, he’s practicing critical thinking.

The author’s writing style bothers him and he shares those examples. He thinks the plot is slow-moving and discusses where he feels the author doesn’t deliver.

Still, he is sticking to reading the book to its finish. And I’d like to see him read at least another book from the list.

My son was so completely unenthusiastic about getting a book from the list, it was like pulling teeth. Frankly, I don’t get why students dread or sneer at the idea.

But a USA Today opinion piece by an English teacher gives insight on why some teachers empathize with the students’ "pain."

An in depth Christian Science Monitor article discusses the modernization of summer reading lists. Students have to make selections from books they might not otherwise – well, select. They expand their horizons by looking beyond their interests.

There’s also value in the tangible experience of holding a book.

Reading and turning it’s pages and placing a bookmark between chapters gets kids out of their “myspace” mentality.

Of course if they’re going to read books from a Kindle or other electronic book reader, that’s a different story.

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I wanted to take this time to impart my wisdom on being fashion savvy when it comes to high school students. But I realized I have no fashion sense – none. Nada.

This is the cleverest thing we came up with at home: We’re not shopping for back-to-school clothes yet – The Kid is spouting like Jack’s beanstock!

Even though school is around the corner, we’re waiting until a week or two after school has started to refresh his wardrobe. Of course, if there is some emergency must-have fashion, we’ll take that under consideration.

But even he thinks waiting is good because he’d get a better idea of what to wear, in high school. Being that it will be his first year, that’s not a bad idea.

I could sew him some new clothes – no, really I couldn’t. Hand-me downs are out – for one, he’s taller than me now!

So, between now and then, I’m pretty much open to suggestions. Only, I’m looking for humor, because it’s the most affordable [free].

Share you’re ideas here, along with your donation for our Buy The Kid Some Clothes Fund. Kidding about the fund.

But looking forward to your funny experiences, advice and tips; on the lighter side of getting your kid wardrobe-ready for their first big day as a kindergartner; or middle schooler or high school student.

Personally, I’ll appreciate it, even if my son doesn’t.

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Today's guest blogger is The Kid, Cindy Kent's son. He's a good guy, and a busy one.

In between participating in South Broward High School's Summer BEACH program and finishing the rest of the day in martial arts, he took a few moments of his free time to jot down these notes, mostly because his mom made him. But for the record, after the task, he said he enjoyed it and he's up for being a guest blogger in the future.

Whew! Done with the middle school legacy, time sure goes by fast. In middle school I matured a lot, I also gained a ton of knowledge, friends and life skills.

Too bad not too many of my friends are going to my high school. I am lucky if ten of my friends are going to my high school. Most of my friends are going to South Plantation High, only because they want to be with their friends that are going there.

I am going to go to South Broward because I am really interested in marine science and they have a great marine magnet program. I really do care about my education and want to become successful.

I am going to be a freshman and have to start all over again as I work my way up to "The Top Dog."

As I am going into 9th grade I really do hope I can continue to do as well as I have done in middle school. I am an A and B student NO C's. I'd say that's commendable, and I am not over-complimenting myself.

Math is definitely my weakest point. The only grade I got in it this whole year was a B, still a good grade though, right? I even got an A in Spanish every quarter except the third quarter.

High school shouldn't be any harder as long as I continue to keep up with my assignments. I will surely be going into high school with a positive attitude!!!

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I had to look at the lead of this Miami Herald story several times yesterday to make sure I was reading it correctly:

A 15-year-old Hialeah boy who had a months-long romantic relationship with a teacher at his religious school must end the affair, a Miami child welfare judge ordered Wednesday.

Where do we begin?

It was a religious school. It took place over months. A judge had to order them to stop!

Is there a loophole in the statutory rape law that I'm not aware of, one that says it's okay until the judge orders an end to it?

As you read further into the story, you can see why the judge felt a need to step in:

The mom, Hialeah police say, consented to her son's affair with 32-year-old Maria Guzman Hernandez, and allowed the couple to travel together for a weekend getaway at Disney World.

At the hearing, the mother's attorney, Roberto Villasante, said she is disputing some of the allegations against her by DCF and the police.

''She is in disagreement with some of the items in the affidavit,'' Villasante said, ``particularly certain knowledge she had of what was going on.''

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My 9th-grade daughter is about to dissect a pig in biology class.

I remember dissecting a frog in high school and learning a lot about anatomy by picking through its body. But for some reason, the idea of dissecting a pig has made me a sudden animal-rights activist.

In our computer-assisted age, it seems so antiquated to be killing animals for high-school dissection purposes. There are excellent Web sites, such as this one, that my daughter's bio class used to dissect a computerized frog.

There's probably no comparison between the real thing and the computerized version. But I say save the real animals for medical students.

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I'm already late posting this, so here's the deal: UPromise is offering three $10,000 scholarships to someone deserving, clever and convincing. Like maybe this Miami teenager, Torrance Klimoski:

You can vote for his entry, or submit your own by following this link. But you only have until Sunday to submit your video.

The videos will be judged on creativity, quality, and a demonstrated need for college aid in three categories: Saving for College, In College Now and Paying it Back.

Keep reading for the official promo info:

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This hurts.

Read this today in MassLive.com:

SPRINGFIELD - Hundreds of people filled the Alden Baptist Church Monday for the funeral of Carl J. Walker-Hoover, the 11-year old boy who hung himself last week after complaining of bullying by classmates at the New Leadership Charter School.

"Our prayers are that this crisis will make Springfield a better community," said the Rev. Hugh A. Bair, who delivered the eulogy that capped the 2.5-hour service.

"The name calling must stop; the bullying must stop," he said, resulting in applause from the overflow crowd.
...
His mother said he suffered taunts and threats from other students who made fun of him, insulted the way he dressed and called him gay since he began attending the school in September, Walker said. Read the rest here.

I had a very difficult time reading this article because it’s so senseless and painful, to know people can be so unenlightened and cruel.

I am sorrowful for the mother, for young Carl. I'm sad for all of us. In the death of this 11-year-old boy, a victim of harassment and bullying, who hanged himself, we're all victims, regardless of our sexual orientation.

There are untold numbers of victims in this case: Those who fear coming out about their sexuality; those who fear helping; those who have LGBT friends and family members. Those who just want to ask questions.

This month, a local church is hosting a workshop that many people can benefit from.

Riviera Presbyterian Church is hosting “Gender Identity and Our Faith Community,” a public workshop from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 26.

This is Riviera's promotion about the event:

Do you know what 'gender identity' means to you? Have you ever wondered what struggles transgender people face? Do you have questions about where our ideas of 'appropriate' gender expression stem? Do you feel called as a person of faith to stand with those who are marginalized, but are not sure how to advocate politically from a religious voice? If you answer yes to any of these questions than we have a FREE workshop for you!

Please join Riviera Presbyterian Church on Sunday, April 26th from 1 pm to 4 pm for a moving discussion on 'Gender Identity and Our Faith Communities' sponsored by the Religion and Faith Program at the Human Rights Campaign. We will be joined by HRC staff member and transgender educator, Allyson Robinson, who will lead us from acceptance to advocacy on issues of gender identity and LGBT equality. This workshop will challenge us, liberate us, and help us grow as a community committed to justice for everyone.

Address: Riviera Presbyterian Church, 5275 Sunset Drive, Miami. The free workshop is open to the public. RSVP: Phone: 305-666-8586. E-mail: rivierachurch@bellsouth.net. Website.

There are resources all over the country as well as locally.
Volunteers and experts are dedicated to getting the word out about nonviolence, LGBT issues, mentoring and more.

Pridelines Youth Services

YES Institute

Parents, Family and Friends of Gays and Lesbians

Compass Community Center, Palm Beach.

Gay, Lesbian Community Center, Fort Lauderdale.

There are many opportunities to embrace, to learn, to understand issue that surround sexuality and gender orientation.

People of all ages can learn a thing or two –and they should. It’s OK to reach beyond what you know, beyond your comfort zone.

Sometimes that might mean hearing what you don’t want to hear. It might be being with folk that aren’t like you.

But nothing is quite like making yours and your child’s world bigger – through understanding and knowledge.

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When I was in school, we never had a "Pull Up Your Pants Day." Never needed one.

But today, Plantation High School made such a designation.

Seems the trend of young men wearing pants barely above the hips began in the 1980s as a way for gang members to indicate they'd spent time in jail. It caught on as way to show "coolness," independence and defiance.

Broward County public school officials stated their mission in this news release:

“In an effort to reach out to young men and increase their self-esteem and self-image, school administrators and teachers are following President Barack Obama’s call to, 'Men of America – Pull up Your Pants.'"

The program included community leaders, mentors, and alumni handing out belts donated by WalMart to students. Guests attended a luncheon with students involved in the Mentors for Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, followed by a forum and panel discussion facilitated for students and staff. My colleague Gregory Lewis wrote about the event here.

It’s good to put a spotlight on what many people see as a negative message, and the behaviors that accompany it. It was clever and wise to create this program off of current events. Hopefully kids listen.

Rod Hagwood shares his fashion sense on the matter here.

And DetentionSlip has his take on the issue.

Still, I’m a little disturbed – students are rewarded by the attention of good people for what is essentially dressing badly.

When I mentioned the designated day to my son, he said, “Wow, that’s good, because to dress that way is so lame.” I asked him what he meant by that. “Kids don’t even know what that means,” he said. "It’s just stupid. They don’t know why they are even wearing their pants like that.”

Let me be clear, my son has lots of friends who wear their pants low.

I’m thinking now, which is dangerous.

I should give a few community leaders a call and ask them to go have lunch with my son.

They’ll recognize him by how well-dressed he is – he wears his pants around his waist. And he's never gotten any attention for following the rules. That would be nice for a change!

But instead of donating a belt, (he has one, and uses it) maybe they could hook him up with a new backpack — a few zippers are busted on his old one from carrying lots of school books and folders.

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At last. At long last.

It seems there are some people in Tallahassee who actually look at a plastic utensil used to spread Cheese Whiz and think: That's not a knife.

Too often, zero-tolerance laws have resulted in students facing charges that are so patently absurd that it's a challenge to cover these stories with a straight face. Invariably, when school officials are asked to explain why a child should face expulsion for violating the strictest possible interpretation of "carrying a weapon to school," they fall back on, "It's a zero-tolerance policy."

Sounds more like a zero-discretion policy, and it's refreshing to see officials putting discretion back where it belongs: in the hands of those who witness these alleged violations and enforce the rules in the first place.

According to the Associated Press article:

Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, said his bill (SB 1540) would save money and prevent children from having criminal records by requiring that schools handle such disciplinary matters administratively. “Throw an eraser and they want to call it throwing a deadly missile, which is a felony,” Wise told the Senate panel. “When you get into the juvenile justice system everybody thinks your sins are forgiven when you turn 18, and I will assure you that doesn’t happen. It’s a blemish on your record.”

In 2005 an 11-year-old Hernando County girl was arrested for allegedly bringing a plastic butter knife to school. She was handcuffed, taken to jail and charged with a third-degree felony. A 15-year-old boy at the same school that year received three weeks of house arrest for throwing a pencil that hit a custodian on the shoulder.

In 2003... a 13-year-old Brandon student was suspended because his calculator had a knife-like gadget.

What's your take?

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As the mom of a high school freshman, I've learned it's easy to find out your child's class rank.

At our school, your kid is given a printout of the past semester's grades, which include a rank calculation. Needless to say, all the kids are asking each other what their ranks are.

Of course they all want to be as high as possible, and the frustration begins early. I began to wonder how important rank really is when colleges are looking at your application. I asked Lynn Lubell, publisher of InLikeMe.com, a self-help college admissions Web site based in Boca Raton. Here's what she said:

"While a high class rank is impressive, admissions officers tend to be more focused on the entire picture, including rigor of academic schedule, grades in specific classes, entrance exam scores, intellectual curiosity, activities, recommendations and what positively differentiates the student from other applicants."

So I will try not to obsess too much about the fact that my daughter is not in the Top 10. Until next semester's rankings come out, that is.

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Did a Miramar teacher overreact this morning when he had a 17-year-old student arrested for chest bumping him?

According to our article by Macollvie Jean-François, the teacher ordered the male student to go to class, and the student ignored the instruction. The teacher repeated his instruction and approached the teen, and the student responded with the chest bump heard ‘round the county.

Now the teen is charged with one count of battery.

Good.

I say this, admittedly, not knowing the full details of what happened. I can imagine a scenario in which the teen felt threatened by the teacher’s behavior and responded in a self-defensive posture. So yes, I can imagine the teacher possibly being in the wrong here. Then again, I have quite an imagination.

Easier to picture is a teacher giving a simple instruction and being ignored by a rude teen with an obnoxious sense of entitlement who thinks it’s okay to try to intimidate an authority figure whose only job is to make sure the kid has a decent shot at a better life. It shouldn’t take courage to tell a kid in a school to go to class.

I agree with the notion that chest bumping is not the same as taking a swing at someone, but it’s not as innocuous as responding with a nasty attitude either. I call it an act of pre-violent defiance. A kid willing to bump your chest is ready to do worse, and he should be dealt with accordingly. At first glance, I commend this teacher for responding with restraint and having the presence of mind to call school officials and the police rather than react in a way that would get the teacher arrested!

The teenager has been suspended, and police and school officials are reviewing surveillance tape of the confrontation. It’s a shame they have to, but it’s a good thing they can - for everyone's sake (including the accused student's). In the meantime, my gut as a parent is to stand with the teacher on this one. We should be teaching our teens to respect their teachers, not to threaten them with words or other means of intimidation.

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How ironic that the county where parents lobbied the Legislature so hard to make school start dates later has it taken away from us, thanks to our own county school administration.

As reported today by the SunSentinel's Marc Freeman, the state Board of Education accepted the Palm Beach County School District's request for a waiver from the state's rule that school can't start earlier than two weeks before Labor Day. The district says it wants semester exams to be completed before winter break and couldn't squeeze them in with an Aug. 24 start.

I don't know why Palm Beach County can't do what the rest of the state does, or the rest of the country. Everywhere else, kids come back from winter break and take their exams, and they do as well as or even better than our kids.

I wonder if the state Board of Ed realizes they are opening a Pandora's Box with this exception. It will be interesting to see if other counties make similar requests, making the state law parents worked so hard for irrelevant.

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What’s wrong with a few drinks during Spring Break? Plenty if you’re under-age.

And youth ages 14 to 20 have lots to say about it in the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s 2009 “Why Not?” Spring Break Video Contest.

Participants submitted videos on why they choose not to make alcohol a part of spring break plans: It’s unsafe, is the prevalent theme.

Using YouTube.com and SchoolTube.com, the initiative provided peer-to-peer communication through the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco’s education and prevention efforts. The partnership also incorporated the Department of Education that encouraged educators throughout the state to share the contest with students.

The emphasis is a good year-round topic: after all, we have holidays, weekends and summers too!

Make it a family time moment when you check out the 30-second spots at MyFloridaLicense.com.

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Broward County schools are trying to get parents more involved in their kids' academics.

They've launched this website, which is pretty cool. Among the material on there is a flow chart on how to deal with what you think is unfair treatment of your child by their teacher. There's also advice about how to deal with a child who hates school and thinks it's stupid. (Besides saying, 'Congratulations, you're human!'')

The district also has parent involvement meetings. Here's the schedule. The next one is March 23. Download file

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Upperclassmen at my daughter's high school visited freshmen last week to get them psyched about taking Advanced Placement, or college-level, classes.

They touted the advantages, mostly that the freshmen will impress colleges and potentially can get college credit in high school if they do well on the final AP exam. Needless to say, these classes are very challenging, with lots of reading, homework and constant difficult tests.

My daughter, a freshman, already takes one AP class, Human Geography (it's a geography/culture/population patterns class), and wants to take two and possibly three next year. She's a great student, but I think three is too many for a sophomore.

Behind this push is something the schools don't publicize: They get extra money for every kid who passes the final. The Palm Beach County School District expects to collect more than $6 million, or $659 per student who passes, this year. The money goes to teacher bonuses, training and exam fees.

I'm not begrudging teachers their bonuses or schools some extra money, but do we have to pressure the kids this way? I want my daughter to be challenged but not at the expense of her sanity.

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Parents of gifted kids: If you want to join the email chain of the Broward County gifted advisory council, send a blank email to BrowardCountyGifted-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

You'll find out things like this: On April 18, students can attend a review session for the AP exams (Advanced Placement) that are given in May.

The school district's review session will be led by AP teachers and will help kids with "critical test taking tips and practice questions'' designed for the AP test.

It's free, and takes place on April 18th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Western High School in Davie.

Seating is limited. To register or find out more, visit this website: http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/advancedacademics/

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Headache, schmedache - send the kid to school.

Or should you?

There's times we send our 13-year old to school even when he complains of a headache, stomach ache - or might - just might have an ever so slight fever.

I know. That's so cold. KidsHeatlh has some good pointers, tips and advice on the matter.

Still - we don't want him to stop the world just because he isn't feeling 100 percent. And only this week, we actually did let him stay home two days.

After all, how many times do we go to work when we'd rather be home because we feel a little "under the weather?"

So, which is it in your house: pamper him or her with their favorite blankey, hot tea and cozy pillows?

Or like me, pack 'em up and ship 'em out with a pat on the head for encouragement? (Wouldn't want to kiss them in case they're contagious!)

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On other SunSentinel.com blogs today:

Cell phones are great for emergencies and as a way to stay constantly connected to your child. But children may abuse the privilege by browsing the Web too long, sending out too many texts or talking on the phone too much, all of which could run up your bill depending on your plan.

Want more control? Check with your carrier.

For instance, AT&T recently added a new feature to its menu of wireless parental controls. It allows parents to put more parameters around a child’s use of the mobile Internet. They can set a monetary limit or a megabyte or gigabyte limit for mobile Web browsing for the month, as well as set time of day restrictions on mobile Web use.

Read the rest on Consumer Talk with Daniel Vasquez

Working parents might shudder at the notion of a four-day school week for their kids, but I actually think it could be a good idea for high school students.

But only for high school students.

For elementary and middle school kids, it’s a terrible idea.

That’s because having a permanent free day during the workweek would be too nettlesome for working parents, who’d have to scramble for child-care alternatives.

But a four-day week for high school kids, who are older and more independent, could be a money-saving idea that has other benefits for society.

Of course, it could also lead to trouble, if kids don’t have anything productive to do.

Read the rest in Mayo on the side, the blog of Sun Sentinel columist Michael Mayo.

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When the state Legislature approved a law preventing schools from starting more than two weeks before Labor Day, I thought we were safe.

But the Palm Beach County School District is now seeking a waiver from the law, as SunSentinel reporter Marc Freeman explained in this story.

If the district followed the law, school would start Aug. 24. But the district wants school to start a week earlier.

Officials say teachers, parents and students want the first semester to end before Winter Break. They say students don't like the stress of having to worry about the exams they will have to take when their two-week vacation is over.

But I am skeptical of this excuse. Do you know any kids who have complained about it? The majority of school districts across the country finish their first semesters after Winter Break.

I think the district wants more time to drill for FCATs. Can't think of any other good reason why Palm Beach County would have to be different from the rest of the country.

I hope Save Our Summers-Florida, the group that pushed for the law, revives its campaign and makes sure Palm Beach County does not get this silly waiver.

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I think the idea of a four day school week is great -- if you're a teenager. But I'm thinking there are some serious ramifications here. Imagine your teenagers at home one day a week, unsupervised. Is this really feasible?

Looks like they're seriously considering this in Broward.

Kathy Bushouse reports:

Add four-day school weeks for high school students to the list of options the Broward County School Board is weighing to save money.

Board members during a Tuesday workshop directed schools Superintendent James Notter to study the idea to prepare for up to $160 million in possible budget cuts from the state for the 2009-2010 school year.

Such a move would take more than a School Board vote. Changing all Broward high schools to a four-day week would require negotiations with the Broward Teachers Union, though an individual school could make the switch if two-thirds of the school's teachers and staff agreed, Notter said.
...
Notter said as part of its review, the district would look at four-day weeks for elementary and middle schools as well. But he said he'd have concerns with moving younger students to a shorter school week.

Some board members approached the idea of a four-day school week with caution. "I think we ought to approach the reduction of days in school very, very judiciously," said School Board chairwoman Maureen Dinnen. "That really, really bothers me academically."

But board member Bob Parks said the idea should be considered. "If you're in a crunch time, tough decisions have to be made,…It may be a controversy, but everything is on the table," Parks said.

Weigh in: would a four-day school week be worth the savings?

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Wow, homework is a hot topic.

We’re only looking out for our kids’ interests, from many points of view.

My last blog entry This just in: Kids assigned too much homework? elicited a lot of reaction from South Florida parents.

Eliza felt strongly that teachers are overly micromanaged: “We tie teachers' hands and continually lower the bar for our kids regarding their education.”

And Julie presented another perspective: “Yes, they need to learn discipline to enter the workforce, however, do adults spend most weekends and evenings doing work? or do adults go home from work and golf, ski, hike, go to movie, etc? I work full time, but I don't work every night for 2 hours and every weekend for 6 hours.”

Somewhere in the middle is balance - and truth. An elementary school student bringing home two hours worth of homework begs the following questions: Why? What happened in class that day? Does the student have difficulty paying attention? Is it really class work that was not completed? Is it really a 30-minute assignment but you are having trouble keeping your child on task? Maybe there is some fessing up to be done.

And teachers just might possibly appreciate the guidelines. I’d love to hear from some. Is every homework assignment graded? What's the value in giving homework - it's just more work for you too.

I agree trips and getaways are tricky to plan when there is homework to be done.

So, what grade would you give the Broward County School Board for this initiative:
Broward County School Board sets homework limits.

What do you like about it, what would you change?

[UPDATE:] Take a look at today's March 20th story by Akilah Johnson: Education Debate Bringing home too much work?

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Let me get this straight: parents are complaining about the amount of homework their children are assigned.

Apparently the Broward County School Board is expected to vote on homework guidelines that instruct instructors to: provide increased academic challenges in a more coordinated assignment of homework and projects. Oh – and none over holiday breaks and weekends. It will become an actual policy. We paid taxes for this discussion!

I think teachers have their [home]work cut out for them on this one. I see more teacher-planning and staff meetings ahead. I guess teachers will have to add some teacher planning days to the school calendar. The more the better - that would be one less day of homework assignments, per planning day!

Of course I think most students can handle the homework load they get.

Parents overbook their kids in after school programs like dance, sports, clubs, etc.

Sure, some kids, maybe many, many kids have the drive to do 1,483 things after school. How many of those things include chores – that’s homework too.

But, what happened to the reward system? How about telling your future ballerina or football star that school matters?

Kids need to communicate what’s on their plate and plan. We do it as parents in the big-people’s world, and they’ll be a part of that one day.

Not too long ago, it was proposed that students get paid to attend school and do their school work. Wow!

Now, we’re asking the teacher to be considerate of weekends and holidays. How much of that valuable time will the kid spend in front of a TV, text-messaging friends, e-mailing and playing video games? Please.

I’m wondering: while we’re asking teachers to be so considerate, think I could get a couple over to my house to wash a few windows?

[UPDATE: The Broward County School Board approved today new homework guidelines that urge teachers to assign academically challenging work while also being considerate about not assigning too much homework over religious holidays and weekends.

While the policy is careful not to assign time limits for homework, the district's guidelines suggest 10 minutes of work for each grade level. So a first grader would get an assignment that takes about 10 minutes to finish, while a high school junior's total homework load would take 110 minutes to complete.]

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We're starting to talk up school to my daughter, Ana Isabel, who turns four in August. Just in time to enroll in pre-kindergarten.

Aside from getting her ready, it seems her parents have a lot to do to get ready. I have to take a day off of work so that we can go get a Voluntary Pre-K voucher. Then we need to bring it to our first choice of three programs that we've think fit Ana best out of hundreds in the county. Of course, we whittled the list down by asking for recommendations from friends.

After that, we wait and see if she gets in. If not, then we have to take the voucher to our second choice and pray she gets in there.

My wife already has gotten her medical records. But Ana won't have all her shots until after her birthday, which gives us very little time to get that information to whatever program has room for her. And we haven't even gotten to school supplies yet.

This is just the beginning, I know. But to me, it seems like we're not ready. I'm not ready! Ana just got here and already she's off to school.

Check the Broward County Early Learning Coalition for a list of all the sites and information on voluntary pre-K, which by the way, is paid for by the government.

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Let's see, if you tally up all the extra-curricular events that have been going on in and at schools around here lately, it adds up to a lot of mayhem. And you should be concerned, rightfully so. But how do you show that without teaching fear?

There have been shootings, stabbings, teachers accused of inappropriate sexual conduct, teachers assaulting students, students ambushing teachers and yesterday's giant fight at South Broward High School.

Schools everywhere are potential venues of turmoil at one time or another over one thing or another. Even death and murder. No one intentionally puts their child in harm's way because of the school they are attending.

Last night, one of my son's friends called so they could chat about the incident. At the end of the conversation, they both said they are looking forward to going to S. Broward next year anyway. Sometimes things happen that are out of an individual's control.

But what if your kid expresses they are nervous about going to school because of these incidents?

Do you discuss this stuff with them? What about those classic rumors like, there is going to be a big fight at the bus stop, or so and so is going to beat up someone at lunch time? How do you encourage your child to be alert but not afraid; to be safe and have a plan, but not overly worried?

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So what if the kid gets good grades? That's his job. He's supposed to. If he gets bad grades - he's grounded until his next report card. It's a hardball philosophy, but we stick with it.

He's set up for success. He has his own room, a desk, a computer and good lighting. He has shelves full of books, paper and pencils. He gets three square meals a day. He has time and space to do his study and homework. He has free time, friends and sport activities.

We acknowledge his good work and grades with a dinner or by going out somewhere special. He'll get a little surprise like a t-shirt or a few bucks so he can by something. I don't think any of that is overly extreme. It's consistent, which is what we are teaching him - constancy.

But what about kids who seem to need extra motivation? I know of one person who would give their child about $200 for a report card with no "Cs" on it. But since the child did get Cs this quarter, there was no reward. It kind of produced a "don't matter" result.

To me, there is so much wrong with that kind of dangling carrot: it devalues the teacher and the spirit of personal growth. It certainly goes against the idea of constancy.

It's an age-old question, with answers that come from various angles. A Kiplinger's Newletter columnist says it's a slippery slope.

A blogger at Queercents.com agrees its a bad deal. Comments for and against the practice follow her post.

Listen to an NPR interview that features Mocha Moms on the topic of cash incentives schools are beginning to implement.

Assuming you checked in with everyone involved in your child's education, but your child were still performing poorly - grade-wise - in school, what motivational push would you give?

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From SunSentinel.com schools reporter Kathy Bushouse

The Broward County School Board on Tuesday approved the school calendar for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Classes will start Aug. 24, and the school year will end June 9. Winter break is set for Dec. 21, with classes resuming Jan. 4, 2010. Spring break starts March 29, 2010 and runs through April 5, 2010, with classes starting again on April 6, 2010.

For the full calendar for 2009-2010, including when report cards will be sent home, early release days and other information, Click Here.

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I found a way to help my middle-schooler son get homework done. It was a lot more expensive than a tutor. But it's a one-time expense. It's called a table.

Adults have grown used to working in cramped, uncomfortable quarters. They have learned to adapt to a cubicle habitat.

But kids have a long way to go before they learn to love office furniture. At this point they're not even getting paid to do the work, so something about the experience needs to be pleasant.

A comfortable, roomy place to spread out the work. A place with relative silence. An official "assigned seat'' and maybe even an assigned time.

If you research the best studying methods, experts and non-experts alike seem to agree that one important factor in getting homework done is to find the right place to do it.

It's obvious that doing homework in front of a television set is a bad idea. Yet I've allowed my son to do it; I measured the results. If he was getting his work done there, I reasoned that maybe it was just they way he functioned best.

Yeah, right. I've come to realize what a bad idea that was. But you have to offer a good alternative.

I bought my son a desk; he doesn't sit there. I led him to a seat at the dinner table, he didn't take to that well, either. No spot seemed conducive to getting science fair projects done, algebra, sociology, Spanish.

Over the holidays, we bought a large, square table for the kitchen. In moments, it became clear that I'd just accidentally purchased the Great Homework Solution. Everyone immediately gravitated to this large table to work.

As I write this now, we're all three sitting at this table working. No one is allowed to speak (within reason; I'm not Mommy Dearest).

In here, the only distraction is the refrigerator.

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Contributed by Cindy Kent, SunSentinel.com

Bullying is bullying. And today's news provides another distressing example.

"A former Pembroke Pines Charter High School student filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the school's principal, alleging that he violated her first-amendment rights by suspending her for creating a Facebook page that criticized one of her teachers."

Let's face it - I don't know all the facts here. Students can be cruel. Teachers can be cruel. Classrooms have lots of personalities and factors that make school a good or bad experience for both teachers and students.

But I know some basic rules:

You have to get along with people in the real world, even if it's difficult.

Treat others as you would like to be treated. Could you imagine if teachers had Facebook pages for every student they disliked?

Two wrongs don't make a right - even you feel you were the one victimized. If the student felt her teacher failed to do a good job, did she take it up with the teacher, with her parents or with the school administration?

It's basic really -- call it Respect 101. I wonder whether the parents of this student are involved or assisting in the lawsuit.

As a parent, what are your thoughts about this student's actions and the school's reaction?

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Okay, confession: I don’t know how to help my kids with their homework.

There are plenty of reasons. A big one is that I’m a stepfather; I wasn’t around to watch or influence the development of their study habits. And helping a kid with homework is a major bonding experience. I suspect it develops over time: they learn how to work with me, and I learn how to work with them. We didn’t have that, and in some ways, I think it shows.

My wife, who is a teacher, exhibits a superhuman amount of patience. I, on the other hand, lose my cool at the slightest hint of a lack of effort. I hear what’s being spoken, but I don’t hear what’s being said. I remember one time, I asked one of the girls what a steamboat was. She answered that it was a boat. I just about lost my mind. “If you don’t want my help,” I snapped, “don’t ask for it!”

That showed her. Yeah, it showed her that I lack the patience and understanding to really help her. I learned, way too late, that I should have been listening for the unspoken words. You know, words like, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to get at with that question. Please clarify. Are you trying to ask how it is powered or how it changed commerce in the 1800s?”

My wife hears those unspoken questions and answers in ways that I envy. Our girls don’t like admitting they don’t know something. They’d much rather take an educated guess or, more frequently, a wild guess. I find that frustrating, but I wouldn’t if I spent more time helping them and less time taking their responses as a lack of effort.

So the bottom line is that I need help being a better parent when it comes to homework. And there is help available locally.

The Learning Tools page on the Palm Beach County School District Web site is a treasure trove (one problem: their link to “Helping your student get the most out of homework” seems to be broken. You can find it here). [UPDATE: The school district fixed the link on its page. Many thanks!]

The Broward County School District has a nifty parental involvement page that includes a link to another good article, Homework strategies for busy families. It also links to a list of the Top 10 things teachers wish parents would do. Here’s a shocker: number one on the list is “Be involved.”

I’m finding that one of the benefits of helping them with their homework is how much I’m learning.

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Contributed by Cindy Kent, SunSentinel.com

Every holiday I count my blessings. I know how lucky I am. It's a cliché, I know. But I am truly appreciative. Not everyone is so fortunate. And many people count on the good will of others and their volunteerism within the community to get help.

It's a great feeling to pass it forward. And it's something I am looking forward to my son doing as part of his requirements for high school graduation.

In Broward County, students who wish to earn a Standard Diploma must meet the graduation requirement of 40 service learning hours plus a written reflection.

My son, who will be entering high school next year, will begin to participate in the Broward County Public School's Service Learning and Volunteer Service Program.

He can simply accrue the required volunteer hours needed for graduation, or he can go the extra mile by working beyond the requirements.

There's a lot of need in our community - and a lot of opportunity. And if your child is about to enter the brave new world of public high school in Broward County, he or she just may end up alongside my son as they better the lives of others!

CLICK HERE for more about the volunteer program.

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Contributed by Cindy Kent, SunSentinel.com

My son has attracted magnet schools in the area. Along with fellow students, he will be visiting one school and another will be visiting his.

It's obvious there are some great resources available to public school students. A lot of time, energy and passion goes into teaching our children. I truly respect education professionals. The magnet programs allow students to get a taste of interesting careers and jobs through science, medicine, environmental studies, arts, sports and so much more.

So we're taking a field trip of our own.

We'll be going to the Magnet Showcase, Wednesday, Dec. 3rd, at the Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., in Fort Lauderdale from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. We’ll see over 40 Broward County public schools highlight their magnet programs. Demonstrations and interactive displays will educate parents and students about their specialized programs.

But it won't be just a free show for my son. I expect his participation and feedback. It's about him buying into the next step, the next level in his job as a student. It's his opportunity to experience this as a mini career fair. He has to take notes. Even though we are supposed to bring his report card and test scores, I am requiring him to bring a pad and pen. I’m going to ask lots of questions and collect material about the programs. But I also expect him to ask questions too and engage in conversation.

To view a video about choosing a magnet program, and get more information about the upcoming Dec. 3rd Magnet Showcase go to browardschoolsmagnetprograms.com or call 745-321-2380.

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Contribution by Cindy Kent, SunSentinel.com

So my son brought his report card home yesterday.

It was really wonderful; great grades earned him a dinner out to the Melting Pot. After all, he's also earning some high school credits even though he's still in 8th grade. And we celebrate everything together, little achievements and big ones.

But now he's being wooed by area high schools for their magnet programs. It's kind of cool, but daunting too. We must consider the possibility that he might go to a high school that is farther away from home. And we value, as he does, his current friendships, staying in touch with the kids he's been going to school with since elementary school.

However, a good education is a priority too, and positioning himself to be at the doors of opportunity when they open is just as important. If he doesn't go to the high school we thought he'd be going to all along, then are we responsible for transportation? That will a definate concern.

Regardless of the school he goes to, isn't it all about what the kid himself makes of it, himself, in the end?

There is a lot to think about: Friends. Transportation. Exposure to educational opportunities. Learning environments. These considerations will give him, and us, practice on managing the options when it's time to pick a college.

Each issue is important. How would you rank them?

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One of the earliest issues that came up on Wednesday when the Sun Sentinel began covering the shooting death of a student at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale was whether the school had metal detectors.

As it turned out, the school uses hand held metal detectors on occasion, but it's not as if every student has to go through a metal detector to get onto the campus.

This raises a number of campus safety issues, some of which are explored by our colleague Kathy Bushouse in this article (Click Here).

One Dillard High parent said this morning that metal detectors may be an inconvenience, but they're also necessary to help guarantee safety.

"You need metal detectors," said Marion Stevens, whose son, David, is a junior at Dillard. "They have them everywhere.They have them in the courthouse."

Not to mention airports.

Is Stevens right? Are metal detectors worth the cost and inconvenience? Local columnist Mike Mayo thinks not. If the charges against Teah Wimberly (pictured left) are true, would a metal detector have stopped her from bringing a gun on campus to shoot Amanda Collette (right)?

Do you think your child's school needs a metal detector? What lengths should we go to in order to ensure safety in school?

And in case you missed it, this post by Lois Solomon (Click Here) talks about a counseling resource for teenagers. This came out about two hours before the shooting.

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You know FCAT training has your child brainwashed when she starts insulting people in well-organized essays.

I'm going to change the name of the insulted, to protect her from knowing. But here's what my six-year-old first-grader said yesterday in the car. She was talking out loud, but to herself I suppose.

"I hate Shanna. She's a horrible person. First, she has the worst cafeteria manners. Next, she's the meanest person in the world. And last, she's a bad person. In conclusion, I hate Shanna.''

I wasn't sure whether to be impressed, or horrified.

I've told her it's not right to "hate'' anyone. But I do want her to pass the FCAT!

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We’re considering a new day care for our 11-month-old. Here’s why: My wife’s office moved to Tamarac, and mine is about to move to Deerfield. Without getting into great detail, there is a lot of schlepping going on these days between Delray Beach and Fort Lauderdale -- with more to come if we don’t adjust. (Our 2-year-old attends a Montessori in Boca Raton.)

So I’m looking for recommendations for day cares in Tamarac or thereabouts. The I-95 corridor up to Deerfield is also an option. We may stay where we are, but it’s worth seeing what’s out there. Suggestions?

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I got a little bit of helpful advice from my son's middle school principal. I had just shelled out $35 or $40 for a new backpack. And she suggested I buy one or two more.

Great idea!

The principal advised in a letter to parents that our kids could really have their crap together if they color coordinated their backpacks to the classes of the day. And I quote:

"Parents have found it helpful to have two or even three different colored backpacks to maintain organization at home, especially in th emornings when everyone is in a hurry to get out of the house.''

Hmmm, I thought. Did principal Kris Black read this in a Martha Stewart magazine?

The school, Seminole Middle in Plantation, is on block scheduling, so on Tuesdays and Thursdays they have four 85-minute classes, and on Wednesdays and Fridays they have four different classes, and on Mondays they have a short version of all eight classes.

I asked Creed what he thought of the idea.

"Creed, do you want me to buy you different colored backpacks for your odd and even days?''

"No,'' he said indignantly.

"Why not?' I asked.

"I'm not organized!,'' he said, as if the word "organized'' was a disease.

"Yes," I said, picturing his messy closets, "I know.''

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There is no good reason that high school starts each day at 7:28 a.m.

Anyone with teenagers knows how difficult it is to rouse them out of a deep sleep at 6 or 6:30 a.m. That's because their puberty-loaded body clocks have shifted, not letting them fall asleep until 10:30 or 11 p.m., according to the Mayo Clinic. Studies show teenagers need at least eight, and preferably nine or 10 hours of sleep a night.

Obviously, it's impossible for them to be alert and performing at their maximum when they're sleep deprived. But local school districts refuse to change the schedules, citing after-school jobs, extracurricular activities and bus driver complications. Give me a break! What's more important?

Middle school start times around 9:30 a.m. are similarly absurd. Many kids I know, just out of elementary school, have to leave their empty houses and walk themselves to the bus stop because their parents have already left for work.

Can we do something about this? How can we get the school districts to take a serious look at this?

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Some college presidents believe 18-year-olds are mature enough to make rational decisions about how much to drink.

More than 100 have lent their support to the Amethyst Initiative, which theorizes that the drinking age just encourages those under 21 to binge and break the law with their fake IDs. If 18-year-olds can vote, enlist in the military and serve on juries, they say, why can't they order at a bar?

Some big-name universities have signed on, including the presidents of Dartmouth, Duke, Ohio State, University of Maryland and Syracuse.

Do you think the drinking age should go down to 18? Or do you think the higher age prevents car accidents and stupid decisions?

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I'm about to enter a new era in family chaos: three kids at three different schools, elementary, middle and high.

Each school starts at a different time (7:28 a.m. high school, 8 a.m. elementary school, 9:30 a.m. middle school), which means I will be making sure a different kid gets off at the right time for about two hours each morning, at least in the beginning. I will also be giving up my morning exercise routine until I figure out how to squeeze it in amid the comings and goings.

But on my mind even more is how to divide my volunteer time. I can't volunteer at three schools. Or can I? I am already besieged with e-mails from each school asking me to help out at back-to-school events. I have not responded to any of them, feeling like I am being disloyal to one of the kids if I pick their sibling's school.

How have you handled having kids at different schools and divvying up your volunteer efforts?

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I was pretty dismayed when I read my letter from Seminole Middle School Principal Kris Black. It welcomed parents to an exciting school year, and listed "upcoming important dates.''

And once again, the at-home moms are favored above all. The school is holding its parent
meeting for its DECAL program (Division of Enhanced Communication and Law for advanced and gifted students) during work hours on Wednesday. It's at 3 p.m.

I called the school to ask why they're holding it during the day and to register my discontent. They always hold it during the day, I was told. "Unfortunately, the teachers aren't here in the evenings,'' I was told.

So once a year they can't accommodate the parents by holding the meeting at 5:30 p.m.?

Or do they not want the parents to be able to come?

I might be able to get off work for two to three hours in order to drive out there, attend the meeting, try to address my son's schedule (he said they put him in Sign Language II instead of Spanish II) and return to work downtown. But how many other working parents will be able to? What if they work in Miami or Palm Beach County?

Black tells us in her letter that research shows that "when the home and the school work closely together'' children benefit.

I agree. But I've noticed over the years that the schools cater to the parents (usually moms) who don't work.

Moms who work have it tough. We labor all day, and then we go home and have to take care of housework, homework and everything else, crammed into the few hours until bedtime. It takes a lot of effort to be an involved parent in your child's school if you work full-time. I'll bet the kids of working parents are the ones most at-risk of failing in school. These are the kids and parents the schools should be trying harder to reach.

It sure would be nice if principals like Black faced reality and tried to make it a little easier for the working parents to be involved.

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Ana Isabel turns three next month. And all the talk among the parents of the three-year-old set is whether to send their children to Pre-K 3.

First off, Ana seems a bit young to me to be going to school. For Pete's sake, she's not even potty trained yet. (But that's a question for another post).

I don't see the benefit of sending Ana to what's essentially glorified day care. She's a bright child already reciting the alphabet and counting up to 12 in English and Spanish. She gets to 20 with a little prodding. She speaks in full sentences, albeit short ones she repeats all the time like "I don't want to!"

I know there's an argument to be made for socializing children at this age. Ana gets along well with other children, shares and plays well with others.

The certified teacher that runs the Mommy-and-Me program that Ana attends told my wife that everything Ana would learn in Pre-K 3, can be taught at home with simple lessons.

So can someone please explain to me the benefits to sending my child to Pre-K 3?

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Here’s an interesting Sun-Sentinel story for parents who would like their kids to speak another language. I fall into the category of a “parent who doesn’t speak another language but would like my kids to be bilingual.” Of course, I’ve studied lots of French and Spanish over the years, but I’m a long way from bilingual.

But it’s hard work to teach kids a language you don’t really speak. Georgia East's story offered some good suggestions. Two stuck out: join or start a playgroup to focus on the language; and use books and videos to help the process along. Along those lines, I’m looking for recommendations. Anyone know a good children’s book in Spanish? And how about children’s music in Spanish?

There’s also a bigger question to ponder: What are the drawbacks of dual-language schools? I’m not talking about traditional bilingual education for kids who don’t speak English at home. That’s a different debate, full of politics. I’m thinking about schools we would seek out that would immerse our kids another language. Oftentimes, these schools follow the educational model of another country. Everyone seems to love them. That kind of consensus usually makes me nervous. So what are the concerns?

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Can you picture our kids refusing to take the FCAT? Some eighth graders in the Bronx refused to take a practice exam for their end-of-the-year state social studies test and now their teacher may get fired.
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According to this story in the New York Daily News, the entire eighth grade at Intermediate School 318 handed in blank exams and petitions that listed their grievances, which included "constant, excessive and stressful testing."

There seems to be a question about whether their social studies teacher coaxed them into doing this. But I was intrigued by the teenagers' courage. It's hard to imagine our Florida kids taking a similar risk, and I'm not sure I'd want them to. Still, I give the Bronx kids credit for taking a stand.

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Attention, students.

This is not
a good outfit
for the prom.

I know you thought it would be a good idea, but please do NOT WEAR PAJAMAS to the FORMAL DANCE!!!

Apparently there is enough real danger of eighth-graders doing just that, yes, wearing their p.j.s to the high school f-o-r-m-a-l, that Seminole Middle School felt the need to send an alert in the school newsletter.

And it says, after noting a formal dress code, that "the following is NOT ALLOWED!'': Jeans, sneakers, slippers, PJs, underwear that's showing, low necklines, bare midriffs, strapless dresses.

Am I the only one surprised by this? Don't 13- and 14-year-olds know that an evening gown is not the same as a night gown? Don't they know that Cinderella's "slippers'' were made of glass, not fuzz?

I know fashions do change over time, but come on!

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I thought I knew it all regarding teaching my kids about who is allowed to touch them and how they should report it. But I have to admit I learned a lot while covering a presentation last week to kids by the Diocese of Palm Beach.

Kit Johansen, who directs the diocese's Office of Serving Children, offered several tips beyond the standard "tell an adult if someone touches you," including:

Don't make kids hug or kiss adults, even if they're relatives.

Have your child make lists of adults they feel comfortable with and adults who give them the creeps, and then have a conversation about these people.

Be familiar with the adults who hang out in community gathering places, such as parks, playgrounds, ball fields, swimming pools. These grown-ups could be casing out us parents to see how much attention we're paying to our kids.

Tell the kids to blame us if they want to get out of an uncomfortable situation. "My mother doesn't want me to" is a fine excuse.

The diocese, and all the dioceses across the country, are doing these presentations to make people more aware of sex abuse. It's in response to the priest molestation scandals that made big news in 2002. Although the seminars may not get to the core of the problem, at least they're getting parents to think about the many opportunities there are for kids to encounter creepy adults.

For more information and tips, go to this Web site: http://virtusonline.org/virtus/preview_pgc.cfm

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The Contra-Costa Times wrote about the new reality TV show that features students at Cypress Bay High School in Weston.

Here's a sample of what they wrote: " God bless Amanda Lorber, a senior at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla., who says "Journalists are the most important part of the world."

It doesn't stay all rosey, though. The writer eventually comes to this conclusion: "Just one problem: "The Paper," while certainly worthwhile, has yet to live up to my lofty hopes. For one thing, Amanda's a bit of a dork — a power-hungry, show-tunes-loving Pollyanna who fails to see that she doesn't have the respect of her staff. Seizing upon this dynamic, the producers seem obsessed with turning her into one of those caricaturized love-to-hate-her females that TV thrives upon.''

Read the full story here.

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When you were in school, if you launched a mouthful of profanity in one of your classes, and your teacher overheard, could you have just paid the teacher 25 cents and been done with it?

If you said, "no, I would have received a painful paddling with a piece of wood'' then you are not a recent student at Cypress Bay High School in Weston.

Two of the teachers there apparently have "curse cans,'' where quarters are collected from students who use profanity in class.

I am judging a high school journalism contest and that's how I found out about this. Student journalist Emily Miller wrote about it for that school's newspaper, The Circuit.

One student was quoted saying "I have probably paid over $15.''

!!!!

That's 90 curse words that flew out of her mouth!

By the way, this is the same school and paper that are the subject of their very own MTV reality show.

This swear jar seems unfair. Why should rich kids be able to curse more than poor kids?

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I got a thick envelope in the mail from the Broward County School Board.

Must be important, I thought.

Inside was a packet of advertisements. The Miami Herald, Huntington Learning Center, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Vonage phone service, Dish Network, Proactiv, ADT Home Security systems, Payless Shoes, Sears, and oh, a newsletter from the school board.

They might as well not bother throwing the flimsy newsletter in there. Most people probably don't get to it before they toss the packet in the trash.

I sure hope they're making lots of money selling out the parents to a bunch of advertisers.

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Baby's daycare is holding picture day later this month.

For a mere $35 or $60, 1-year-olds can appear as hula girls or sailor boys.

I was not prepared for the onslaught of school portraits to begin in daycare.

What has been your experience?

Did your child's daycare offer professional photo shoots? How did you handle it?

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Apparently a large percentage of kids get picked on at school.

Lily, my 6 year old, regularly complains of being bullied, usually at the hands of a boy who likes her. At Spring Break camp, a 5-year-old boy actually used the "F'' word in telling her "F--- you.'' I was quite surprised to hear this come out of her mouth. This same lad also told her that her mother (that's me) is ugly. I found that much more offensive than the first thing he said.

I find it really telling that boys start in kindergarten driving the females they love insane, as a way of showing love. Hmmm.

Anyway, our sister paper in Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel, has an interesting post about bullying on their parenting blog. Check it out by clicking here.

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A boy came into the peer tutoring class at my daughter's middle school looking for help on his Spanish I homework. The teacher turned to the two native speakers in the class and asked them to help. They happily agreed.

"What do you need?" one of them asked.

"Well," said the boy, "I don't understand how to conjugate these irregular verbs."

"Say what?" the two answered. "We have no idea what that is."

My daughter, who is making an A in Spanish II but is far from fluent, took a look. "Oh, yeah," she said. "This is what you do. Basically, you just have to memorize these ones that aren't like the others."

And that's how she became this boy's Spanish tutor. This made me laugh. Kids who speak Spanish can't teach it, but a kid who doesn't speak Spanish can?

We don't teach speakers of Spanish how to write, read and speak correctly in their native language until maybe high school or college -- if ever.

And apparently, we don't teach them enough about conjugating verbs in English that it makes sense to them in Spanish, too.

I've been told that this lack of correct Spanish is a pretty big issue for Spanish-language media, which often ends up passing over American employees in favor of people who have studied Spanish in their home countries the way that we study English.

It's too bad that schools in the United States can't teach native Spanish speakers about the structure of their own language while also teaching them English. Maybe if we did that, we could also teach Spanish to the English-only masses while they are still young enough to absorb new languages -- in elementary and middle school, not beginning in high school.

Ours is one of the few countries in the world with such poor instruction in foreign languages. Don't you think that should change?

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My oldest is only in eighth grade, but I am getting panicky about my kids getting into college, and us affording it.

There seems to be an endless barrage of news stories about the highly competitive nature of college admissions today, the constantly rising costs, the difficulty of getting into places like the University of Florida, and on and on and on.

The latest one that increased my anxiety said Florida's state university system may need to cut $92 million, which would include limiting the number of kids who get accepted.

Maybe the situation won't be as desperate in a few years when it's time for my kids to apply. But then again, it probably will be. Are you getting nervous, too?

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Since I am often quick to critcize the school lunch program -- particularly in light of the horrendous choice the program made with its beef supplier -- let me also be the first to praise when school lunch goes right.

Today Broward County Public Schools announced that it will offer a vegetarian lunch option starting next week. Unfortunately, only three schools get the privilege of choosing a Gardenburger: Everglades High, Driftwood Middle and Eagle Point Elementary.

I have to hope that these schools are just a test to see if students will choose a Gardenburger. I know mine would. I'm still hoping for other vegetarian choices beyond a salad bar or cheese pizza -- lentil soup, vegetable soup, black beans and rice, or perhaps a nice bean and cheese burrito?

But the Gardenburger is a great start. It's a far better choice than beef, even when the beef is not from a questionable source. Gardenburgers have no saturated fat, no transfat, no cholesterol. They are high in protein, so they fill kids up. The production of Gardenburgers uses no methane (a byproduct of cattle that contributes to global warming). AND they taste good!

Altogether, a better choice. Thank you, Broward Schools.

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OK! I made a mistake! I admit it!

I messed up my 11-year-old daughter's application to Don Estridge High Tech Middle School in Boca Raton, the computer-friendly and trendy magnet school that every fifth grader in Palm Beach County is dying to get into! I am ashamed!

I applied on-line and in my haste to get it done and get to the next thing on my to-do list, I checked the box next to the one I was supposed to. I found out last week, two months after I applied, when I got a confirmation postcard and it had the wrong school on it.

I called immediately and was told there was no possibility of changing it.

So I had to tell Rachel she could not attend Don Estridge, where she believes all her friends are going to be accepted (they won't; it's a random lottery and there are 1,000 kids competing for 420 sixth-grade spots). I told her the truth and admitted it was all my fault. She was crushed, hurt, depressed and angry.

Fortunately, this only lasted a couple of hours. I hoped she was watching the way I came clean and apologized.

Have you ever had to admit to your kids that you screwed up?

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Good for the South Florida's school boards for taking quick action to pull the beef from school lunch menus in the wake of a USDA shut down of one of the meat suppliers to the National School Lunch Program.

I never thought school food looked edible, appetizing or, in fact, very nutritious even before I read this appalling report. (In defense of school lunch, I will say that South Florida Parenting's longtime nutrition columnist, in whom I have utmost respect, tells me the nutrition quality of school lunch is actually pretty good.)

Still, I would never eat that stuff and could never force my kids to eat it either, even on those days when it would be so much easier to hand them money than to scrounge for something to put in the lunch box.

Now I'm really glad my kid packs her lunch every day. She may not eat everything in her lunchbox. No doubt there's a fair amount of food-trading going on at her lunch table, just as at any other. But I'm pretty sure she'd trade carrots for cookie, not meatballs or beef patty.

I don't know why school food is so awful. I know they have to feed a lot of people in a short time on a limited budget, but is that any excuse for serving meat from abused cows to children? And why do they bother, honestly, with slopping a pile of slimy, smelly spinach on any kid's plate? Can't there be some way to serve fresh, healthy, antibiotic-free, disease-free food to children at school?

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Just kidding. Of course Evan, my 4-year-old, is a delightful child. I'm just coming off the high of our first parent-teacher conference, where my husband and I were informed that Evan is a "delightful child" who loves to play with the computer and with blocks.

I had been looking forward to this conference, our first-ever sit-down meeting with Evan's teacher to discuss his progress. Of course, he's not even in Pre-K yet so I realize the ramifications of this conference are pretty much non-existent. Still, it would be a treat to get time with his teacher solely devoted to talking about Evan without any distractions.

We sat down and she said, "Well, what can I tell you about Evan?" She went on to explain that she usually writes a positive and a "needs improvement" type of comment on each child's report but that she could think of nothing negative to say about Evan. In fact, she marked every single category (jeez, there must've been a couple dozen at least) with a "goals met" checkmark, making me a proud mom. He shares, he does what he's told, and never has to be told twice what to do.

Can I take her home? Because although I'll be the first to say that my child is one of the sweetest boys ever, I'd like to see this sharing and obedience for myself. What is it about school that makes him behave like an angel? Not that he's a brat at home -- far from it. He's loving and helpful. He just could use some help in the listening department, and he has a long way to go when it comes to sharing with his little brother. Is it the structure, the fact that we're not there? Do I need to take some cues from Ms. Jody?

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I can't wait to hear about how Beth's day went today, after all the excitement of yesterday when the English teacher spent the entire day telling the students how angry she was with them.

For what?

Because they did not write their FCAT practice essay when they had a substitute teacher the day before. In the students' defense, the substitute, I'm told by my daughter, didn't find the correct "prompt" -- the question that they were supposed to write about -- until halfway through the class.

These eighth-graders, all honors students who have been subjected to non-stop FCAT writing prep since August, decided not to write the essay in the remaining 20 minutes of class.

The next day, which was yesterday, the teacher was "livid" with them. She accused one child of hiding the prompt from the substitute teacher. She grilled several students about the behavior of others.

When some of these kids felt enough remorse to write an apology card and enclose their finished essays with it, the teacher TORE UP the essays and the card in front of them. Or, that's what I'm told she did.

It sounds so awful. The poor woman is over the edge.

As far as I can tell -- and I'll admit I'm likely not getting the whole story -- the kids weren't all that bad for the substitute teacher. They were just acting like 13-year-olds do when they don't want to do something.

I guess that is enough to make a middle-school teacher livid. Think about how often she encounters 13-year-olds who don't want to do what she asks. That would be daily, I'm guessing.

It would be enough to drive anyone crazy.

Still, wouldn't it be better to give these students a break? Let them read and discuss some short stories or write some poetry or read a play out loud, or do something other than writing FCAT essays three times a week?

Maybe they wouldn't be such a challenge if their teacher let them enjoy English class for a change.

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I love the cold weather. My three-year-old son loves it too. But every year, around this time, we have a confrontation over clothes.

This morning it went something like this:

Slip on long-sleeved shirt: “What’s that? I don’t like it Mommy,” he says with a look of desperation. “Take it off!” I ask him to think of it like a pajama shirt for school.

He looks at me funny.

Slip on pants: His reaction is delayed somewhat because I was clever enough to call the dog into the room to distract him. Thirty seconds later: “It’s too long,” he says tugging at the pants. “I can’t walk.” "Let me put on your shoes," I tell him. "You’ll see you’ll be able to walk just fine."

He looks at me funny.

I hold off on the hooded jacket until I step outside to check if it’s really, absolutely, 100 percent necessary. Snap. It is.

“OK, Danny, we need to put on your jacket,” I tell him. Before he can turn to give me a look, I’ve already got one arm in the jacket and working on the second. I zip him up. He doesn’t move. It’s as if I’ve wrapped him in a straight jacket.

He eventually takes a step toward the car. And then another. Finally, we’re on our way to school. Once there, though, we enter a practically empty classroom.

“Where are all my friends?” my son asks.

“They’re probably all wrestling with their parents to put on their winter clothes,” his teacher explains.

I find comfort in knowing I’m not alone.

Then my son chimes in: “Mommy, take off my jacket.”

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My daughter brought home a letter from her school yesterday informing me that since she received a 4 or a 5 on last year's FCAT in reading and math, she will not have to sit for any additional rounds of the district-required Benchmark Assessment Tests.
The reason, according to our new school superintendent James Notter: It's a first step in reducing the FCAT frenzy.
Hooray!
The paper did include a form I could fill out to require my child to take these additional tests. I promised her that I would do that if she doesn't behave herself.
Thanks, Dr. Notter. That works much better than grounding!

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I was skeptical when I read Akilah Johnson's story (which I will paste into the bottom of this post) reporting that the Broward County School Board wants to de-emphasize FCATs.

Johnson wrote: The board's two student advisors said the all-FCAT, all-the-time mentality
is both distracting and draining. From the first day of school until the tests
are over in March, schools focus on teaching students ways to pass the test.

Well it took the school board a lot longer to get fed up with FCAT mania than it took the parents, but still, I give them credit for noticing that our kids aren't getting a well-rounded, traditional education anymore.

Still, I was doubtful there would be any noticeable change.

And then, while doing my daily search of Creed's backpack, I found this letter.

And now I think I believe it. They're serious about cutting out the FCAT mania.

"As a first step in the School Board's commitment to decrease the FACT frenzy,'' my letter from Superintendent of Schools James Notter read, "the Benchmark Assessment Test (BAT), our district developed assessment, will not be administered to all students this year.''

Kids like Creed who scored at level 4 or 5 on the FCAT in reading or math will not be required to take the assessment test in that subject area this year.

Parents who still want their kids to take it are given until Nov. 14 to notify the school.

But naturally, Creed, my 7th grader, does not want to take the test, if he doesn't have to..

Now, I like to see his scores on major assessment tests, but I'm pretty impressed that the board isn't just giving lipservice to the concept of cutting down on this testing craze.

"As a second step,'' the letter said, "an FCAT Prep Task Force has been convened and will work over the next four months to address the extent of test preparation in our schools and classrooms, and how to move from test preparation to improved teaching and learning.''

I have only one thing to add to that:

AMEN!

If you want to see Akilah Johnson's article about the school board's concerns, keep reading:

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It's "Red Ribbon Week" at my kids' schools. This is one of the silliest undertakings I've ever seen.

Red Ribbon Week is sponsored by the National Family Partnership and is designed "for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs."

At our elementary and middle schools, the kids are supposed to have different activities each day to remind them to take a stand. On Monday, they were supposed to wear red.

My nine-year-old forgot. "Ooooh, you take drugs!" a friend chastised her. I'm sure the girl immediately ran to the principal's office to report my daughter the drug-taker.

At our middle school, the kids were told to give each other "hugs, not drugs." However, as my 13-year-old reminded me, they are told on the first day of school they are not allowed to hug each other.

I'm so tired of these "just say no"-type slogans that are really meaningless when it comes to the reality of whether a teenager is going to try cocaine or meth or any drug. Does anyone really think campaigns like these prevent teens from caving in to peer pressure or deciding to experiment?

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At my son's new school, parents have access to every single grade through an online system called Pinacle. I mean....every quiz, every test, every homework assignment, every classroom participation point that is to be had.

Sounds like a wonderful thing, right? Good parents are "involved" in their kids' education, right? This way I can make sure that Alec is turning in assignments and meeting the standards that we expect him to meet.

But geez. I can't help feeling that here is yet another thing to fret about. Another thing to pressure him about. Another way to be a "helicopter parent."

The first couple weeks was kinda cool, got to feel in touch with his day, got to gloat a bit about the 100s and the 97s and the 94s. We all gathered around the warm glow of the computer and patted him on the back. And then....I can't even say it. But there was a mark that was off the charts (the wrong way) on a math test. A TEST!

Apparently Alec and my husband kept this information from me for a few days (they thought I might react poorly). So when I stumbled on it one night -- and after the initial shock -- I did some soul searching and I have decided that there is such a thing as too much information when it comes to grades. That it probably causes more harm than good to have a parent hovering and harping all the time, especially with an overachieving perfectionist kid.

So I have vowed that I WILL NOT COMMENT on his grades. I will only look at them occasionally and only when he is not around. I will wait until the report card comes out to offer any opinion. (It's going to be very very hard to keep my mouth shut, but I promise....)

I know these tools are there for good reasons. If I had a kid who didn't turn in assignments or didn't always try, Pinnacle would be extremely valuable. But that's not the case with Alec -- quite the opposite. At a certain point, parents of "good kids" have got to let go. Let them fail. Let them figure out how to pick themselves up and keep going. We put so much pressure on kids these days and I know I'm as guilty as anyone.

The last thing Alec needs to worry about is what I will think about every single last little grade. There are too many other things to deal with when you are in 7th grade.

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I don't know why it took me this long to figure out that the best way to keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to your child and his or her schooling is to keep your hands in their
backpack.
Over the years as Creed headed toward the 7th grade (that's where he is now, though I think I just made it sound like that was his ultimate goal in life, making it to 7th), he has not always been the best about letting me know that projects are due, that he was supposed to have been reading a book for a report, that he has picture day coming or yearbook money is due, etc. Matter of fact, at Open House the other night, all the other parents were holding a map and schedule that had been sent home via the backpack the day before. EXCEPT ME!
[I asked Creed why he hadn't given it to me, and he said something like, "I didn't know you wanted it." !! Fortunately I had made a copy of the school map and his schedule on my own, and that was a fine substitute.]
But I resolved at the beginning of this school year that I would prowl through his backpack every day. (Obviously I missed a day, hence my showing up without the Open House materials.)
Creed didn't object. I mean, what would be private about a bunch of school papers?
I have found this immensely informative. I find out way ahead of time what long-term project deadlines are coming up, and I actually knew a week ahead of time when the school pictures would be taken.?

I also rifle through his notebooks and papers to see what he's working on. I found this item in his composition notebook:
"One time I experienced conflict with someone last year. I didn't like this kid and he didn't like me. He was getting on my nerves. So I threw him on the ground a couple of times. Then he punched me. So I punched him like six times in the face, then threw him on the ground. That was how I resolved the conflict because now he never messes with me.''
Do you see what I'm saying here? By snooping in his backpack, I am getting a peek into his mind and soul! He thinks punching someone in the face qualifies as "conflict resolution''!!!
If you think about it, what does a child do with privacy? They hide things from their parents!
Invade the backpack!

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What are we trying to accomplish with education in Broward County? Do we want our children to be able to get jobs here and to communicate with their fellow man, in Spanish if need be? Or do we want to continue with this English-only emphasis and expect our kids to just point to an American flag when someone tries asking them something in Spanish?

My son enrolled in Spanish I at Seminole Middle School in Plantation, where just like most schools in this melting pot, there is a substantial Hispanic population. Spanish ONE.

Spanish UNO.

Parents, if you saw that your child was taking Spanish I, would you assume that there was a Spanish ZERO where students learned Spanish for an entire year?

My son is the only student in his 7th grade Spanish I class who hasn't already had an entire year of the language.

Concerned about his grade, he asked me to help him get placed in a more basic Spanish class. Sure, that's reasonable, no problem. They must have made a mistake, I thought.

I called the 7th grade guidance counselor. He had no sympathy at all and instead lept to the idea that maybe my son should be removed from all his advanced classes. He suggested I meet with all 8 of my son's teachers to see if he's having trouble in all the classes!

Hello? Are you and I speaking the same language, Mr. Guidance Counselor?

I told the gentlemen my son is not having difficulties in all of his classes, nor does it indicate a learning disability that he hasn't picked up a new language in three weeks.

The man said there is no easier Spanish class, and if you don't take 6th grade Spanish at that school, you essentially have no choice but to enter the new language in 7th grade far behind.

The class qualifies for high school credit, so the man kept telling me, "this is a high school class.''

Hello? Does high school Spanish I start on some higher plane and assume the participants are well versed in Spanish?

Somehow, I think not.

And what if you move to the school in 7th grade? You're just screwed?

Um, well, the guy replied, we've nver really encountered this situation. And you could take sign language, he offered.

SIGN LANGUAGE. Yes, at that moment I thought some sign language might actually help me convey my thoughts.

However, I wondered, is sign language the skill that local employers are seeking when they advertise "language skills preferred''? If a Spanish speaking customer walks in, what is the hand sign my Creed could use for "I only know one language?'

Turns out that unless you are in the top of the academics at my son's middle school, you are not even eligible for Spanish class.

Am I alone in thinking that if our children are going to stay in South Florida as adults, they will need Spanish speaking skills?

Spanish should be required and should start in middle school. At the very least it should be an elective open to all kids, not just the academic elite.

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My daughter Abby runs errands, charts school bus arrivals and cleans graffiti off lockers at her middle school in Boca Raton.

She is a "Student Aide," a middle school elective that I allowed because the rest of her schedule is extremely challenging. But as she tells me what she does each day, I am starting to see this elective as a way for the school system to get free labor, which they used to pay adult aides to do.

She is assigned to one of the assistant principals, who is in charge of discipline and bus problems, among other things. Among her tasks is filling in bus arrival times each morning so the AP can see which buses are consistently late.

She runs around the school a lot to find kids the AP needs to talk to, usually about a fight on the bus or on campus. She also listens to the attendance hot-line and writes down who will be absent that day and what their excuse was.

She likes this elective and will get a grade in it. She is definitely learning about the inner workings of her school. But she also is doing work formerly done by grown-ups whom we no longer have the tax money to pay.

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Great news, everyone! When it comes to your child's next reading assignment, you might not even have to go to the library. Just have your kid turn on the television and enable the subtitles.

Turn down the volume, heat up some hot cocoa, wrap up in one of those soft, microfiber blankets and read a good television sitcom.

At my son's school, Seminole Middle in Plantation, the students have been informed that this is a suitable alternative to reading something that is on the printed page.

Last week I wrote about the disappearance of books, supplanted by books on CD.

Well now you don't even need a computer -- most of you do have a tv or two or three or four, don't you

If any one of you can tell me how to enable the subtitles I will do so for my son, so he can read this season's episodes of The Simpsons.

I think I'll ask the teachers if he can read that crawler on CNN instead of clipping an article from the paper for his Current Events assignment, too.

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So it’s finally happened. This year, my daughter has teachers who have thrown out all pretense of teaching anything other than FCAT.

Last night at her school’s open house, I sat, stunned, as her English teacher explained that there would be no curriculum other than FCAT practice until after the writing test in February. This is for a class of the most advanced students in the school. “I don’t teach any literature at all until after that time,” the English teacher said. “I’m sure you all understand.”

I don’t understand. Not at all. I’m speechless.

The principal pops her head in the classroom to cheerily tell us parents that this teacher was responsible for ten children scoring the top score of 6 on the FCAT writing exam last year. She’s just great, the principal says. The best in the school!

You know what? I don’t care what my kid gets on that test. I’d prefer that she enjoy expressing herself writing. I’d like for her to be challenged to think creatively. I wish her teachers might at least try not to suck the last bit of pleasure she takes in learning right out of her.

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Do you still make fun of nerds who create Power Point presentations? You and your child will be one soon.

We parents who grew up pre-computers have a rude awakening in store when our kids get into middle school. Get ready to help your kid with their homework using a CD, instead of a textbook. Be prepared to help your child create a Power Point presentation as part of a class project. Help your kid with the software to produce a tri-fold pamphlet that could pass for a tourist brochure.

Get your kid's homework assignment online, at the district's homework website.

Don't say you'll leave all that to the kid. I expected my 7th-grader to know far more than I do about computer tricks and software by now, considering they start in daycare and are all walking around with cell phones and handheld video game systems with online capabilities.

However, I've since learned that kids don't get on the computer to tool around making tri-fold pamphlets. (And for the record, neither do I.)

My son doesn't even know what a BLOG is yet! (Whew!)

So, again, it's Parent Homework.

I have no idea how to make a PowerPoint presentation, nor does my son. But I can guarantee that in a few months, we'll both know the basics.

I found out this morning that Seminole Middle School doesn't have enough books for the kids to use at home. So parents were complaining that they couldn't figure out the math homework, with no book to refer to. Can you imagine how maddening>? What are you supposed to do, go to the library on Labor Day weekend and find a general mathematics book and do some research?

The principal's response was that they're "burning CDs'' for the kids to use at home, since they can't afford to buy enough books.

[Mind you the kids have books in the classroom, but they might teach three classrooms so there isn't one book for each student.]

I think this means you all will need a good computer and you better brush up on your skills downloading photos and scanning images and stuff.

I've said it a bunch -- when your kid is in school, so are you. This is what I've learned. I had no idea. My parents didn't help me once with anything. And if you can't do this stuff, your child's grade will suffer.

So now I have to get with the (PowerPoint) program.

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My 7th grader started a new school yesterday, and I was a nervous wreck. How would he get along? Would anyone talk to him? Would he be sitting alone in the cafeteria? The fact that it's the school where my husband teaches was only small comfort. Sure, Dad can show him around and all his teacher friends will look out for Alec. But what about the other kids? That's the real test.

But Alec survived, and even seemed upbeat after the first day. He managed to negotiate a lunch schedule snafu on his own. He said he was too busy to talk to other kids much. He vaguely knows one other kid in the whole school, and they happen to be in three of the same classes. So that's a lucky break.

My friend says Alec's a survivor and so adaptable it'll be no time at all before he's comfortable. I hope she's right. I've always credited daycare for making my kids adaptable. Alec started daycare when he was 3 months old and has been plowing through life ever since.

We make so many choices for our kids, but there's only so much we can control after a certain point. I guess it's really up to them whether they sink or swim.

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Lily was not crying and was not sitting in Time Out when I picked her up from her first day of Kindergarten. That means she is already on a better footing for her primary school career than her brother was.

The same teachers were in charge of Aftercare as back in Creed's elementary days. He's in 7th grade now. Gone, but not forgotten, from Plantation Park Elementary.
Needless to say I am not going out of my way to tell Lily's teachers that she has an older brother they might know.
But we didn't even make it across the parking lot before Coach saw us and said, "Not another Norman!''
Lily didn't cause any trouble, though. She did tell on a boy who was eating with his mouth open. And some bigger kid said to her in a menacing fashion, "In your face!'''
And she didn't enjoy taking a nap while sitting in a chair with her head on a desk. Where are those cozy mats they used to have?!
But I've decided this year will be different. We are going to strive for teacher's pet status for both kids.
Thus I advised Creed not to put "math' as his least favorite subject on a form that was handed out by his math teacher!
If I have to bake cookies, I will. We even sent tennis balls to school with Creed, as requested by one of the teachers, for the bottom of the chairs.
I might even show up for one of those School Landscaping Days.
The tide has turned. Either this will help us gain more understanding from the teachers, or I will be such a pain in the neck that I will have them all saying "Not another Norman!''

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When she was in elementary school, my daughter thought the first day of school was a holiday.

“Really?” I said, wondering how I could have missed that. “Why did you think it was a holiday?”

“Well, everybody gets dressed up. And you get new things. And it’s very exciting. It’s a beginning. You’re going to learn new things and have new people in your cla