Would Schools Be Safer With Armed Officers?

After the Newtown, CT school shooting, Maryland legislators are looking at a number of ways to make schools safer.

According to Annapolis Patch, delegates from Anne Arundel County are introducing legislation on Tuesday, Jan. 22 in hopes of increasing security and mental health services at public schools across the state. The proposed bill would also pay for an armed resource officer at each school. "If you really understand public schools in Maryland, you know this: They are becoming increasingly more difficult for classroom teachers because discipline is lacking at home and teachers are spending an increasing amount of time maintaining discipline in the classroom," said Del. Nic Kipke (R-Pasadena). In Montgomery County, Councilman Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, a vocal advocate of school resource officers stationed in schools, told a room full …

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Calming Kindergarten Orientation Nerves

Mother and daughter began their journey toward kindergarten.

As of last week, I’ve officially begun my foray into public education. Little Miss S and the rest of the family attended her kindergarten orientation. We’ve talked about kindergarten quite a bit, in order to prepare her. She was a bit unsure about being at school all day since her preschool is only half-day. Hand in hand, Little Miss S and I walked up to her future elementary school’s doors. Her hand squeezed mine harder as we approached closer to the front door. “I’m nervous, Mommy,” she announced, as if I couldn’t tell. I, too, felt nervous. I had scrambled to get all the appropriate paperwork in order and hoped I filled out everything correctly. I’ve joked quite often that I’m ready for Little Miss S to start kindergarten because I just…

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Dawn Mooney

7:50 am on Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I hear you on this one!! My middle child will be heading to kindergarten in the fall, too, but since she'll be at the school where I teach (for just the one year), I won't have to cry (too much...). When she starts first grade- now that will be the BIG transition for us!   more ›

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Home Schooling Isn’t For Me

Parents have many options when it comes to schooling their children, but home schooling isn't one for me.

When Little Miss S starts kindergarten in the fall, she’ll be one of the older kids in her class. Her birthday is a couple of months past Montgomery County Public Schools’ cut off date. She’s precocious and was hyper-verbal at a young age. I worried that she would be bored in school. So last year, I considered home schooling her. In Louisiana, where I grew up, the home-schooled kids were known to be a bit socially inexperienced. During the course of my research for Little Miss S, I learned that it was a myth. In fact, Montgomery County has several home schooling co-operative groups, both secular and non-secular. These groups meet often. They play team sports together and attend field trips as a group. The parents also trade off teaching. …

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Thien-Kim Lam

10:17 pm on Sunday, March 27, 2011

Since Little Miss S loves science, I know that is one subject I will be supplementing to her public school education. That's exciting that your children love wizards, astronomy and cooking.   more ›