Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Did your kids have a Valentine's Day party at school last week? See how you do on our quiz about the joy that is the classroom party.
Valentine's Day came and went last week, which means that sugar-fueled Valentine's Day class parties have come and gone as well. After attending two of them last week, I got to thinking about these parties. I have been to something close to six million and four of them, so I feel like I am something of an expert. Are you? Take the quiz! 1. Classroom parties should consist of: (a) a snack, an activity, and some mayhem (b) goodie bags and organized activities (c) at least one child under a desk chanting, "more sugar, more sugar, more sugar..." Answer: (a) If we're being honest here, you could also have answered with option (c) and I would have counted you right. I've seen it happen at more than one party. 2. Snacks at a classroom party …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
One of the great joys of sending your child off to school is volunteering in class so you can find out what they're up to. If you're really lucky, you might get to help them learn as well.
Because I am mostly a stay-at-home mom, I am lucky enough to be able to volunteer in my kids' school classes. This is nice because I get to spy on them at the same time that they think I am there just because I love them. I started volunteering when my kids were in a cooperative preschool and part of the deal was that I had to help in the classroom two or three days a month. It was a pretty easy gig, mostly involving reading to kids, cutting apples for snacks, and trying to be out of the room when someone in the 2-year-old class needed a diaper change. Once I started volunteering at elementary school, the teachers would tell me what to do and I would do it. Sometimes I would help kids at reading centers while the teacher taught small …
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The first day of school could well be my favorite day of the whole year.
Is it just me, or have the last couple of days been especially wonderful? That's right; it's back to school time. MCPS students headed back to class on Monday, and parents across the county breathed a sigh of relief. My husband and I were out with our kids on Sunday night. We were getting into our car in a parking lot, and the woman getting out of the car next to ours had a bunch of kids and a huge smile on her face. She saw the joy on our faces as well, and we spent about a minute high fiving about school starting on Monday. The joy in the air was palpable last weekend. It's not that I don't love spending time with my kids. I do. I really do. It is just that we have had a lot of togetherness over the past couple of months. We could all …
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Social media service will allow community to follow his progress.
Superindent Joshua Starr has switched his Twitter account to @mcpssuper so parents, students and members of the community can get instant updates on his activities. Starr views the social networking service as “a great way to share my experiences with the community” and “one more way I can communicate with our families, staff and students." On July 1, Montgomery County Public Schools welcomed its first new superintendent in 12 years. Joshua Starr, who served the Stamford, Connecticut public school system in the same role for the past five years took the reins from the retiring Jerry Weast. According to his welcome message posted on the MCPS website, Starr “will be spending the next few months listening, learning and meeting with staff, …
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Maryland State Assessment began this week for students.
As parents in Colesville, White Oak, Burtonsville or any of the other East County neighborhoods, we're presented with special challenges unique to our region. And then there are other parenting questions that are so universal we're convinced mothers and fathers all across the globe face the same issues. Every Wednesday, MomsTalk will tackle just one of modern parenting's conundrums. (Don't let the name fool you: dads, grandparents, step-parents and just about anyone involved in child-rearing are invited to participate.) This week we want to know: Is standardized testing worth the stress subjected to our students and teachers? MSAs, or the Maryland State Assessment, began this week for Montgomery County students. It’s not required for …
Monday, August 30, 2010
Pedestrian safety gets much attention, as children head back to school today.
The sound of screeching brakes and of small feet hitting the pavement in the early morning would make any parent's heart skip a beat. As school starts Monday in Montgomery County, school safety — and particularly the safety of children walking to and from school — is on the minds of many. In anticipation of the start of school, the Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger stressed on Aug. 26 that it is important for parents to remind their children to use crosswalks and to look both ways before crossing the street. The department has also responded to multiple requests from residents about their concern for their children and just installed 25 new speed cameras, many of them next to schools. This idea comforts Suzan Jenkins who …
Jean Winegardner
8:10 pm on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
It does get complicated when you have to dash around to more than one class, doesn't it? Especially for things like parties, where they happen at the same time. more ›