How to Get Your Child Ready for Back To School

How to Get Your Child Ready for Back to School

(from www.wikihow.com)

1) It's that time of year once again, a time when parents rejoice and kids groan. That's right - it's back to school time. But before you breakout the backpacks and the pencils, ask yourself this question - are you and your child fully prepared for the year ahead? Here's how to get you and your child ready for back-to-school.

2) Find out about your child's school - Whether your child is returning to the same school or starting at a new one, it's always a good idea to get the lowdown on any changes at the school. Is there a new principal? Who are your child's teachers? What's going on with the curriculum? What tests will be administered to your child? As most school districts start in September, schools tend to be open a month before. You can call the school directly and speak with an administrator or visit the school for information.

3) Get your child into the back-to-school routine - During the summer, staying up late and sleeping in are the norm. But as the start of school draws near, children need to get back into a routine. About three weeks before school starts, have your child go to bed 15 minutes earlier at night and get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning. When school is two weeks away, have your child go to bed 30 minutes earlier at night and get up thirty minutes earlier in the morning. When your child is about to start school in a week, have him go to bed an hour earlier at night and get up an hour earlier in the morning. By developing a bedtime routine, your child will be less resistant to the early morning wake-up calls to get ready for school. In addition, if you're not already doing this, have your child lay out his clothes before he goes to bed. That will teach him to get organized and be prepared in case you are running late in the morning.
 
4) Go over the three R's - Regardless if you're a teacher or not, we all have knowledge to pass on to our kids. What were your strengths in school? Reading? Writing? Science? Math? Whatever your favorite subject, use what you've learned in school and in life to go over some of the basics with your child. In essence, you can "play" school with your child. It should be in a room without distractions (i.e. no TV or video games) and geared towards learning (i.e. den, family library or home office). A run through of the basics should take no more than 30 minutes to an hour and should be done 2-3 times a week. This is an excellent opportunity to see where your child needs help and to pass that information on to his teachers.


5) Prepare the supplies - Depending on your child's grade level (K0-12), the type of supplies needed will vary. Some schools sends a list out a couple of weeks before the school year. If no such list is provided, what your child needs for school can be determined by a trip to OfficeMax, Staples or Wal-mart. Every August, those stores provide free school supply lists for their customers. They're pretty concise and arranged by grade level. You can again contact the school directly to see what supplied your child will need.

6) Plan to meet and greet - The first day of school has arrived. This is a big day for you and your child. This is the time to go with your child on his first day and introduce yourself to the teachers. As your child settles into his classroom, you can have a quick sidebar with the teacher to find out who he is and what he's planning to teach your child. Be sure to exchange contact information with the teacher. The teacher should provide you with a copy of a lesson plan or syllabus that gives you the gist of what will be taught in class. Don't be afraid to ask questions of everyone you meet. You and the teachers should work together for the benefit of your child.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

The smartest card in your wallet is a Library card. 
The Warren Library staff helps students to find age-appropriate materials to read for pleasure and Web-based resources for homework help.  By motivating children to read, librarians create lifelong readers.  The most important school supply of all is a library card!
The library offers free programs for children and adults, tailored to meet the local community needs and interests.
There's a lot happening at the Warren Twp Library, and the best part for both children and parents is that it's all free with a library card.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month.  Stop by Warren to replace your worn-out card or get a new library card.

It's free and it's worth it!

Nominate a Warren Twp Library librarian for "I Love My Librarian" award

Librarians in our nation’s 123,000 libraries make a difference in the lives of millions of people every day. If a librarian has made a difference in your life, now is the chance to tell your story.


The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community.

Nominations will be open from August 2 to September 20.

Up to 10 librarians in public, school and college, community college and university libraries will be selected to win $5,000 and will be honored at a ceremony and reception in New York, hosted by The New York Times. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library. Winners will be announced in December 2010.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.

For more information and to nominate a librarian, visit www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian. Or click on this link to access the online nomination form.

The award is supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.
It is administered by The American Library Association (ALA), the oldest and largest library association in the world, and The Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign about the value of libraries and librarians.

21 Ways to Squeeze Every Last Drop Out of Summer Before It Ends

21 Ways to Squeeze Every Last Drop Out of Summer Before It Ends

Written by Christine Kane

There’s always a weekend when it hits me. It’s usually mid-August. It’s usually hot. And the cicadas are singing like there’s no tomorrow. I wake up and realize, “Ohmigod! Summer’s almost over!”

If you’re at all like me – you still want to live summer to the fullest! Here are 22 ideas for how to be more present to this amazing time of the year when summer turns its volume up right before disappearing into cool thin air.

1 – Wake Up Early

The days are still lighter longer, so it’s the perfect chance to wake up and be present to the sunrise. Take a walk in the early hours while it’s still cool outside. Don’t forget to bring your dog!

2 – Create the Ultimate Summer Song Playlist

Visit iTunes and download 20 of your favorite summer happy songs, and take a sunset drive with the windows down. Sing loud!

3 – Get a Last-Minute Beach Deal

If you don’t have kids who are heading back to school, it’s a great time to find deals at the beach! Plus, it’s a quiet and peaceful time to be on the shore.

4 – Listen Up

Depending on where you live, the end of the summer is a feast of healing sounds for your ears. Cicadas, tree frogs, wood thrush and songbirds – to name a few. Take some time to sit still and listen. Pure attention is creativity at its finest.

5 – Visit your Local Tailgate Market

I often wish I still had my organic garden. I loved growing my own vegetables. But the truth is, I don’t have the time (or sunlight!) to create a thriving garden. This is why I’m so happy to visit the local tailgate market this time of year. This is when harvest is at its most decadent. Stretch yourself and purchase a few new veggies you’ve never eaten before!



6 – Catch an Outdoor Concert

Some of my very best concert memories are from the many concerts I’ve seen while sitting on a blanket in the grass. From Latin to Lillith, from ballet to Buffett – outdoor performances are a renewal for your soul.

7 – Fire Up the Pit

If the nights are getting cooler in your area, it’s a great time to light up a fire and have friends over for some intimate conversation by the outdoor fire pit or chiminea.

8 – Call in Lazy

Okay, I’ll go ahead and admit it. When I had a “real” job, I called in lazy a few times. (Of course, I never actually used those words!) My friend Diane and I would sometimes call in lazy together and use those days to drive to the Chesapeake Bay for a quick getaway from our city lives. Take off for a day of total summer immersion. Don’t wait til you’re sick to pamper yourself!

9 – Outside More than Inside

Sometimes I present myself with the following weekend challenge: Be outside more hours than inside. (In fact, as I write this, I’m sitting by the falls on the river.) Nature revives us. Our bodies get in tune and in touch when we surround ourselves with the natural rhythms of the earth. Challenge yourself to see how much time you can spend outside!

10 – Catch a Great Summer Movie

Talk to me all you want about Netflix – but there’s something special about going to a theater and seeing a movie on the big screen. There’s always a few good summer movies in each genre – so don’t wait for the DVD! Experience a fun evening out!

11 – Watch the sun set

One of my mantras is this: “Above all – reverence.” One of my favorite ways to experience the awe and wonder of life is to sit quietly and watch a sunset. It’s free. It’s easy. And there are always lots of great spots in any city or region to make an occasion out of it.

12 – Slice a tomato.

The end of summer is tomato time! My favorites are the big purple red heirloom tomatoes – not just because they taste so good, but because they are so completely beautiful when you slice into them. Each one is a work of art. Slice a tomato, cover it with fresh dill, and a little bit of salt. Enjoy!

13 – Go ahead. Get trashy.

There’s nothing better than indulging in that slightly embarrassing book you’ve been meaning to read. Don’t worry about hiding the cover behind a National Geographic magazine. Just enjoy it!

14 – Shed the Excess

The heat of summer is a great excuse to get rid of the excess. If you’re weighed down by lots of clutter and stuff you don’t use, toss open your windows, crank up the music and de-clutter. You’ll feel so much lighter when fall arrives.

15 – Dig in the Dirt

If you have a garden, it’s a great time to divide your plants, add some compost, mulch it up, and gather seeds. In my shade garden, it’s time to divide the hostas! Just plunging your hands into the earth will awaken your heart to what’s real!

16 – Go for Gazpacho!

If you haven’t done it yet, this is the best time to make gazpacho soup. It’s healthy, and it uses all the ingredients readily available in abundance right now.

17 – Take an After-Dinner Walk

Before you know it, it’ll be dark outside as you make your dinner. Take advantage of these last days of late sun – and take a simple quiet walk after dinner.

18 – Swing on a swing.

Swinging is the happiest activity in the world. All you have to do is keep your eyes on the lookout for a great swing – in a park, on a tree by the river, at a local farm. Don’t roll your eyes! Get out there and swing. Your mood will thank you!

19 – Adopt a pet.

It’s the time of year when the spring babies are ready for adoption. What better way to prepare yourself for winter than to bring a furry bundle of love to your home?

20 – Take a shade gardening workshop

One of my favorite blogs is A Way to Garden. Margaret Roach is the coolest smartest woo-woo garden blogger out there. She and Bob Hyland are offering a day-long shade gardening workshop – which I would totally sign up for if I weren’t so far away. (Note: This will sell out very quickly. Take advantage of the low price!)

21 – Make Pesto

Basil is, quite simply, the best thing EVER. Or maybe pesto is. I can never really decide. Anyway, pesto is heaven. You can find many great recipes on the web. Or, do like I do, and use your intuition. Either way, pesto will keep you happy through the winter – and it makes a great gift for your friends and neighbors! (And by the way, you can make an awesome vegan pesto too. The cheese is totally optional!).

(Contributed by Catherine DeBerry - Reference Librarian - Warren Twp Library)

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