2011 Back To School

The Times-Herald

Back to School

Sunday, July 31, 2011 — 1D

COWETA COUNTY SCHOOLS

Poplar Road Elementary School first-grade teacher Melissa Baker readies her “question word tree” for the new batch of students.

Darrel Beedles, Steve Whitney, Kenya Newson, and KJ Corbett help unload new batches of math and writing journals for the students at Welch Elementary School.

Teachers, administration throughout Coweta prepare for new school year

By JEFF BISHOP jbishop@newnan.com Third-grade teacher Loren Hawkins said polka dots are the way she likes to make her new students at Newnan Crossing Elementary School feel at home.

“I’m a polka dot fan,” said Hawkins, a 10-year veteran, as she prepared her classroom for the coming tide of new faces. She is one of many

teachers who have spent part of the summer coming in to unpack boxes, re-load staple guns, and stare at blank bulletin boards until inspiration strikes.

“I love the challenge each year of getting to know my kids’ strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out the best way to give all of them the chance they need to succeed,” said Hawkins.

“It’s a different set of

challenges and experiences every year — no year is the same,” she said.

She said the most rewarding moment for any teacher is when the “little light bulb” goes off in a child’s head, showing they really understand something for the first time.

“When they demonstrate that they know something new, that they are f inding things out for the first time,

when they begin to show an interest in something, when they begin to really get it — that’s the joy of teaching, right there. That’s what it’s really all about.”

At Welch Elementary School, Principal Becky Darrah has been looking at the stats from last year to help ensure an even more successful year this year.

“Basically, we’ve planned out the whole year,” said Darrah.

A big part of this year’s

approach will involve math and writing journals, which were being unpacked and loaded on carts last week.

“The enthusiasm of our faculty and staff is very contagious,” she said. “The children know that we love them and that we love being here for all of them.”

The kids and teachers will doubtless enjoy a thoroughly scrubbed-down school building, she said.

“We were committed to go down really deep in our cleaning effort this summer,” said Darrah.

“It’s almost like a brandnew school.”

She said Welch Elementary is expecting more than 900 students this fall.

“And we’re all ready to go,” she said. “We’re excited! I feel like this is going to be the best year ever.”

Coweta superintendent plans for school growth With Coweta County’s population expected to double by 2040, according to some estimates, and with millions of dollars of new business and community development on the way — especially in the health care field — Dr. Steve Barker had a lot of planning to do when he assumed the position of school system superintendent last April.

Growth has been the norm for Coweta County for decades now, and all indications are that — now that the recession is f inally winding down — the school system will have to continue to keep pace with the county’s relaBarker tively rapid pace of growth for years to come.

“There are some indications that the economy is returning,” Barker said.

“Locally, we have Piedmont Newnan’s new hospital facility being completed, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America is beginning work on its site here in the near future,” said Barker.

“There are other projects moving forward, like West Georgia Technical College’s new Coweta campus, which will have a tremendous impact on the county and on our school system,” he said.

“We will continue to plan for growth,” said Barker.

Luckily, the school system now has the tools in place to make those plans, since the voters have approved an extension of the education sales tax, or “E-SPLOST.” “The community has given us the ability to plan and respond more effectively by approving E-SPLOST for five more years,” Barker said.

“We look forward to working with the Chamber of Commerce, the Development Authority, Coweta County government and city authorities in Newnan, Senoia, Grantville and other municipalities as we move forward,” he said.

The types of projects that can be funded with E-SPLOST include new school

construction or classroom additions to keep up with Coweta's growth, the purchase of equipment such as school buses and school technology, and improvements to existing schools.

A large portion of the funds from E-SPLOST are used for improvement projects at existing schools such as painting, roofing and flooring replacement, heating and air systems, and major renovations at older schools.

Projects currently identified on the school system's fiveyear construction plan current are: ■ Technology improvements (system wide) ■ School bus purchases ■ Textbooks/digital media ■ New high school and high school classroom additions ■ New elementary school ■ Transportation facility ■ Paving (26 schools and system locations) ■ Painting (14 schools and system locations) ■ Floor covering (13 schools and system locations) ■ Evans Middle School addition ■ East Coweta High School renovations and improvements ■ Northgate High School renovations and improvements ■ Newnan High School renovations and addition ■ Canongate Elementary School renovations and improvements ■ Newnan Crossing Elementary School renovations and improvements ■ Arnall Middle School renovations and improvements ■ Thomas Crossroads Elementary School renovations and improvements ■ Jefferson Parkway Elementary School renovations and improvements ■ Winston Dowdell Academy renovations and improvements ■ Turf athletic fields (high schools) ■ Air-conditioning at elementary multi-purpose buildings ■ Air-conditioning at middle school and high school gymnasiums ■ Land acquisition for future school sites.

You can add to that list a major renovation/replacement of a rusted-out and aged Drake Stadium.

But beyond all the obvious construction and capital needs a growing school system faces, there are many other challenges, Barker said.

“Beyond construction and growth, we are going to continue our focus on improving academic achievement,” Barker said.

“Over the next year, we will work on meeting state

requirements for our academic plan, and that involves a great deal of community engagement as we develop a vision for education in Coweta County,” he said.

“In fact, we’ve already begun meeting with groups throughout the community, and will continue to do so for the next several months,” said Barker.

“We are going to be focused on

that planning throughout the next school year.”

One thing the school system will need to decide soon is whether to become a charter school system or an IE2 system, as defined by the state.

Mark Whitlock has been put in charge of assessing the pros and cons of each alternative.

"The board has to decide," said Barker. "We have to move

down one of these paths before 2013."

Either choice will allow the school system to operate with much more flexibility than it has before, with regard to state rules, he said.

"We have to decide what's best for the district as a whole," said Barker. "The board is

See GROWTH, page 2D

Newnan High renovations will continue

By JEFF BISHOP jbishop@newnan.com Some Coweta County schools will have a decidedly new look when students return this fall.

“The Newnan High School renovation has been kind of unique because NHS is basically on a city block,” as opposed to off the road, in a parking lot, which is the case for most other local schools, Coweta County School Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker said.

“This has presented us with a challenge” this summer, said Ronnie Cheek in a recent presentation to the Coweta County Board of Education.

He said it was especially difficult to stage the renovations with so limited a space. The contractors had limited options when it came to placing supplies and equipment.

“So all of this has had a huge impact on the front of the school,” Cheek said. “And that extends the full length of Newnan High School.”

The front lawn is going to need to be re-sodded, he said.

“And we’re going to have to keep water on it, to keep it alive,” he said.

“A lot of work has been done in a short time-frame,” said Barker.

Site work is now substantially complete on the front of the campus. New kitchen equipment was delivered to the school on July 13. Re-roofing has also been completed.

Work has also been done on the NHS gym. Crews planned to wrap up their work by the end of July, except for work on the upper level of Wing A, which will carry over into the start of the new school year.

“This is all coming to a

Newnan High School has been undergoing a number of renovations this summer, and renovations will continue in some parts of the school into the fall.

close,” said Cheek. “There’s still a good bit of work to do, but I feel confident we’ll have it all wrapped up shortly.”

As for the Newnan High stadium, preliminary plans have been completed. Final drawings were to be delivered

by Aug. 1, with a bid date on the work scheduled for Sept.

6. Demolition on the current stadium is slated to begin at the end of the 2011 football season.

“We should be ready to start demolition as soon as the football season is over,” said Cheek. The new stadium will be completed by midMay 2012.

There have been a number of other renovation projects this summer, including: East Coweta Middle School — Torrance Construction Co. renovated classrooms and the kitchen area. New heating/air conditioning units were also installed.

Thomas Crossroads E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l — Work on the school is on hold until all easements for the off-site sewer connection have been finalized. “We’re still waiting on the final easements, and that’s beyond our control,” said Cheek. “If necessary we can do work during the school year,” as opposed to during

the summer as originally planned, he said.

P a i n t i n g p r o j e c t s — East Coweta High School, Smokey Road Middle School, and Willis Road Elementary School all received fresh coats of paint.

F l o o r c o v e r i n g — Poplar Road Elementary School’s floor covering project is 95 percent complete, East Coweta is at 85 percent, portions of Northgate High are 90 percent done. All projects are set for completion this summer. Gym floor covering is complete at Northside Elementary and Arbor Springs Elementary.

2D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, July 31, 2011

BACK TO SCHOOL

Registration requirements for school enrollment Coweta County students go back to school for the 2011-12 school year on Monday, Aug. 8.

Pre-planning for all teachers begins on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

Parents and students can visit schools on the day before school starts, on Friday, Aug. 5.

Teachers will not be available for formal conferences during visitation days, but orientation allows parents and students a brief time to visit school before the first day of class.

Orientation times are: ■ Middle schools: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (all middle schools) ■ Elementary schools: 12-2 p.m. (all elementary schools).

■ High Schools: 2-4 p.m. (all high schools) School bus routes for the new year will be posted on the school system’s website at least one week before school begins, and on The Times-Herald’s website at www.timesherald.com. A representative of the transportation department will be available at each school on Aug. 5 and on the first day of school on Aug. 8 to provide information on bus routes for the new school year.

Parents who wish to sign their children up for the school

system’s tuition-based After School Program will be able to do so on Aug. 3, 4 and 5, on a space-available basis.

To register a child for school, contact the Central Registration Center for an appointment by calling 770254-5551. New students are registered at the Registration Center, which is located at 167 Werz industrial Drive in Newnan, off the Millard Farmer Industrial Boulevard/ Highway 34 bypass near Bullsboro Drive.

More information about registration and printable registration forms can be found online at www.cowetaschools.org/registration.

Students must also attend the school for which their home is districted. To find out what elementary, middle and high school districts serve an address, call the Coweta County School System Transportation Department at 770-254-2820.

Students already enrolled in a Coweta County school — including in a preKindergarten class during the 2010-11 school year — do not need to register again.

Georgia law requires that students must be 5 years old by Sept. 1 in order to enroll in kindergarten and 6 years old by Sept. 1 to enroll in first grade.

Parents who have not yet registered their child for school are urged to do so as soon as possible before the start of the new school year on Aug. 8. The Central Registration Center is open during the summer, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parents can call the Central Registration Center at 770254-5551 to make an appointment or to get more information. Registration information and printable registration forms can also be found online at the school system’s www.cowetaschools.org website.

To enroll a new student in school, parents will need to provide the following items: 1. Birth Certificate – A stateissued, certified copy is required (hospital certificates are not accepted).

2. Social Security Card.

3. Proof of Residence – two items from the following list are required for address verification:

■ property tax records, which indicate the location of the residence; ■ mortgage documents or a security deed, which indicates the location of the residence; ■ apartment or home lease or rent receipt indicating the current address; ■ current electrical bill or application for electrical service showing the current address (please bring the entire bill, to show electrical service and address); ■ voter precinct identification card or other voter documentation indicating the current address.

4. State ID or Drivers License – Must be current (not expired). Students may only be registered by a biological parent or legal guardian. Proof of custody or guardianship is required if the registering adult is not the birth parent.

5. Custody papers (if relevant) - If parents are divorced they must provide a copy of custody papers. Legal guardians will also have to provide a copy of custody papers, and must live in the appropriate school district.

6. Last Report

Card/Withdrawal/Transfer Form with Grades – This information is required at registration to facilitate records requests and class placement.

7. Immunization Certificate – Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) immunization certificate form 3231 or a signed 30-day waiver.

8. Hearing-Dental-Vision Certificate on Georgia Form 3300 or a signed 120-day waiver.

9. Authorization for release of Individual Educational Plan (IEP) or student records – This is required if a student is receiving Special Education or Gifted services. If an IEP or other information that establishes eligibility for services is not presented at the time of registration, services in the Coweta County School System may be delayed until the records are received by the school.

10. Emergency contact information – Students must have a contact name and number on file at the school by the first day of attendance.

Immunization and HearingDental-Vision certificates can be obtained from the Coweta

County Health Department (770-254-7400), or from a family physician.

Students transferring from another Georgia school should already have the certificates available from their previous school.

Short-term waivers may be requested during registration to allow parents time to obtain the certificates, but students may be withdrawn if the certificates are not filed by the end of the waiver period.

Since punctual and regular school attendance at all grade levels is important to a child’s educational success, all parents are urged to make sure that their child begins class at the start of the new school year on Aug. 8.

Coweta County high schools operate on a block schedule system, which allows students to complete a full course earning one Carnegie Unit in one semester. Therefore, missed classes at any point during the semester will result in significant lapses in instructional time, which can seriously jeopardize a student’s success.

Rules guide children and set the foundation for life Making rules, establishing boundaries and setting routines can be challenging for both parents and teachers. But children need rules to guide them, boundaries to give them a sense of safety and routines to give daily life predictability, according to a University of Georgia child development expert.

“Rules are the biggest foundation of guiding children’s behaviors,” said Diane Bales, a UGA Extension specialist with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Children want the security of knowing what is expected of them.”

One way children establish security and determine boundaries is by testing the rules.

“They are trying to find out if you are serious, if you are going to follow up,” Bales said.

“Reinforce the rules every time. It is much harder to stop the behavior if children are inconsistently dealt with.”

It is easier for children to follow rules, and for adults to enforce them, if there are a few rules that are easy to understand. Bales suggests making as few rules as possible to cover as many things as possible.

A rule that says “no hurting

other people” covers hitting, biting, pushing and using hurtful words. It is easier for kids to understand specific meaningful rules than vague rules that leave room for interpretation.

For example, “Don’t hurt other people’s feelings” is too vague.

Bales also suggests phrasing rules in the positive.

“Rules should not be all negatives,” she said. “If you can phrase a rule that points out what they should do they are more likely to know what to do.”

If a rule requires children to walk in the hallway instead of run, say “walk in the hallway” instead of “no running in the hall.” To encourage children to communicate their feelings before using violence, make a rule that says, “Talk, don’t hit.”

“Rules serve an important purpose so there needs to be an important reason to have them,” Bales said. A rule that states no one plays with Legos except on Wednesday afternoon is not a good rule.

Elementary school children can be involved in the rulemaking process. Ask students to share ideas about how to get along and make each other happy. Then post a list of the

agreed-upon rules where everyone can see them.

Teachers and parents can combine similar rules to cut down on the number of rules a child has to remember.

Rules also need to be developmentally appropriate.

Consider the attention span and physical ability of the children. Rules should not be impossible to follow. Expecting a 2-year old to “clean their room” may be too difficult for them because it is vague. But asking them to put their toys back in the box when they are finished playing may be easier for them to follow through with.

Bedtime, mealtimes and mornings are sources of mayhem for many families. There are a lot of tasks to complete in a short period of time. Set expectations, plan ahead and warn children of an upcoming change.

Younger children can benefit from a chart outlining the routines for the busiest times of the day.

“Have photos or stickers they can use to check off tasks as they complete them so they can see how they are moving along the journey,” Bales said.

ACADEMIC CALENDARS Coweta County Pre-K Calendar 2011-2012 Aug. 24-31 — Pre-K teacher work days Sept. 1 — Pre-K first day of school Sept. 5 — Labor Day Oct. 10-11 — Student holidays Nov. 21-25 — Thanksgiving break Dec. 21 — Students’ last day, first semester Dec. 22-Jan. 3 — Christmas/winter Break Jan. 4 — Teacher work day Jan. 5 — Second semester begins Jan. 16 — MLK Jr. holiday Feb. 20-24 — Mid-winter break Mar. 16 — Student holiday April 2-6 — Spring break May 23 — Pre-K last day of school May 24-25 — Pre-K teacher work days

The 2011-2012 Coweta County School Calendar Aug. 3-5 — Teacher work days Aug. 8 — First day of school Sept. 5 — Labor Day Oct. 10-11 — Holidays Nov. 21-25 — Thanksgiving break Dec. 21 — Students’ last day first semester Dec. 22 — Jan. 3 Christmas/winter break Jan. 4 — Teacher work day Jan. 5 — Second semester begins Jan. 16 — MLK Jr. holiday Feb. 20-24 — Mid-winter break Mar. 16 — Holiday April 2-6 — Spring break May 25 — Last day of school May 28 — Memorial Day May 29-31 — Teacher work days

“Children get to the point where they can manage those steps with less intervention because that is what they do every day.”

To make mornings less stressful, do as much as possible the night before. Make lunches, plan breakfast and pick out the next day’s clothes.

“Having enough rest makes a huge difference with routines,” Bales said. “Elementary school-aged children need at least 10 hours of sleep.”

To transition children into an earlier bedtime, Bales suggests pushing the time back by 15 minutes a week until you get to the time you need. Be

sure to build in time to wind down, too.

“Give kids some time to slow down their energy level,” she said. She suggests books or another low energy activity.

“Routines are good for children of any age,” she said.

“They give kids security of what is going to happen.”

Superintendent planning for more students

GROWTH Continued from page 1D already getting some facts together.

A top priority for Barker will be getting new technology into the hands of local students.

That is based on a recommendation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which recently reaccredited the school system.

"We want to put a new focus on the student use of technology," Barker said.

There's plenty of technology available in the schools, Barker said, but it's usually in the

!

E E R

F

hands of the teachers, rather than the students.

"We already have a lot of technology in place," Barker said. "The real challenge is getting that technology into the hands of the students."

A technology committee is working to address this problem, and some preliminary plans are already in place, he said.

Another priority will be narrowing the "achievement gap," Barker said, by increasing the number of students who enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The school system would like to see the SAT scores go up, he said, and "using best practices should help us do that."

Barker said he wants to continue to "strengthen business and community partnerships," especially partnerships that allow local students to gain college credit while still in high school.

Barker said he will also continue to examine broader problems in society in general and think about ways that the educational system can "be a part of the solution for all those challenges we are faced with.

"I do think you can rest assured that we will continue to work every day to meet the needs of the students in this county," Barker said. "Doing what is best for the kids — that's what drives me."

Plan to attend

KID’S DAY

Friday, August 12

WI BRAVN TICKE ES (For 4TS! )

Any child under the age of 18 or who is a dependent is eligible for lots of FREE services and activities at FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC on FRIDAY, AUGUST 12!

• FULL CHIROPRACTIC CONSULTATION, examination and necessary x-rays included with computerized foot exam for postural balance and a follow-up consultation of findings.

• CAR SEAT INSTALLATION CHECK – Georgia car seat laws have recently changed. Make sure your child’s car seat is installed correctly!

ce Scoliosis Screenings Police Fingerprinting Identification n u o B n o o M

FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

6703 Shannon Parkway, Suite 14 • Union City, GA 30291

CALL: 770.964.3334

www.okunchiropractic.com

Get relief from chronic low back pain!

We offer BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT: NON-SURGICAL SPINAL DECOMPRESSION THERAPY www.okunchiropractic.com

CALL

770.964.3334 to schedule a FREE consultation

Sunday, July 31, 2011 — The Times-Herald — 3B

BACK TO SCHOOL

Banishing head lice easy, but can be time consuming Drop the chemicals and grab the metal comb: A little elbow grease is the best way to get rid of head lice, says University of Georgia insect expert Paul Guillebeau.

Whether a child picks up head lice from school, a friend or a family member, the key to controlling and eliminating the pest’s population is with a metal comb and consistent brushing. Chemicals are available, but some head lice populations have built up resistance to ingredients — like permethrin and pyrethrin — commonly found in head lice shampoo.

“The best organic method by far is combing head lice out with a lice comb,” said Guillebeau, who is a UGA Cooperative Extension insect pest management/pesticide coordinator. “Depending on how long and curly your child’s hair is, getting rid of lice can be easy but time consuming.”

Guillebeau’s daughter had head lice while she was in elementary school. He and his wife got rid of the lice by combing her hair every day for several days. They also used mousses and baby oil to help find the nits (the egg stage of head lice) in her hair.

Head lice are highly adapted to one host – the human body. Once they fall or are swept off a person, they only have a few hours to live unless they find another person’s head to call home.

The pests are most commonly seen in pre-kindergarten- and elementary-aged children. Outbreaks tend to die out once students reach middle and high school age.

And head lice are seen very rarely on adults.

One theory for why younger children catch head lice more than any other age group is that “when you get into

middle and high school, you have your own place for your coat and hat,” Guillebeau said, repeating what he had discussed with some teachers.

“In elementary school and at daycares, the children’s hats and coats hang together. Lice can’t fly and can’t jump.

They’re also so tiny that they can’t possibly crawl very far, so it seems like a good theory.”

Having head lice doesn’t mean a child is dirty, or has dirty hair. In fact, the opposite is often true.

“Head lice don’t prefer dirty, nasty hair,” Guillebeau said. “It has nothing to do with personal hygiene. They prefer nice, clean hair.”

As an insect, head lice are more of a nuisance than anything else. They don’t harbor or spread diseases. But many people, unless they’re recent transplants to the United

States, tend to be bitterly mortified about head lice.

“Sometimes people who come here from other countries, where maybe head lice are not considered to be such a catastrophe as they are here, don’t understand what all the hoopla is about,” he said.

Guillebeau once helped a principal who had a head lice problem at her school. At the root of the problem was a family who recently immigrated to Georgia. The principal visited the family at home, and when she was talking to the father, “a louse climbed out of his hair and took a stroll across his forehead,” Guillebeau said. “Being new to the country, the family didn’t understand that to be pariah.”

The principal explained the situation to the family, and after they understood how strongly head lice are feared

CEC students volunteer at park Sixteen students from the Central Educational Center (CEC) spent time blazing trails, clearing campsites and setting up the visitors center at the newly-opened Chattahoochee Bend State Park this summer.

The students worked with Park Manager Trint Wicklund and Friends of Chattahoochee Bend volunteer Dave Smith during the week of July 11-15, as a part of a Work-Based Learning internship. The students are also currently working to compile a history of the land that is now the state park.

Team members will also complete two individual summer projects with other community service organizations.

The Chattahoochee Bend experience was part of summer work-based projects through the charter school’s “WorkBased Learning: Service Learning and Leadership” course.

The course allows seniors planned and meaningful community service experiences in conjunction with beginning their college application process and individualized career plan (ICP).

Last summer, the group service learning project involved the use of Pearson Early Learning’s “Get Ready to Read” program. The free program was aimed at assisting parents and the general public with methods to enhance preschoolers’ abilities to come to school ready to read, and was accomplished with the help of Mercer University, the United Way, and the support of the Coweta County Health Department.

Work-Based Learning directors Mrs. Regina Jackson, Dr. Steve Humphrey, and Dr. Susan Mullins recruit juniors from all three Coweta County high schools. Juniors apply for the course, are interviewed, and then selected based on their desire to participate in service learning, their school record and their interest in researching their desired careers in depth.

“Colleges, universities, businesses and community organi-

■

Ensuring backpack safety School may be a figurative pain in the neck for many children, but what about a literal pain in the neck and back?

These days, the answer is yes, and backpacks are to blame. Or more specifically, the improper use of backpacks.

“The average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman,” says Dr. Rick McMichael, president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). “Growing children should only be carrying 10 to 20 percent of their body weight.”

Heavy backpacks can negatively affect your child’s health by pulling on ligaments and muscles that cause neck and back pain and can possibly cause deformity of the spine, according to the ACA. Parents who want to protect

See PACKS, page 4D

in the U.S., they took care of the problem.

Combatting head lice requires special tools, and the first is a metal comb. “They do a better job than plastic combs,” he said. The second is mousse or baby oil to help make nits easier to see.

Elbow grease is the next most important tool. “For a few days, comb through the hair every day,” Guillebeau said. “Then after doing it two or three days in a row, wait for about f ive days and do it again.”

Make sure to comb a child’s hair from the scalp to at least three or four inches out to get all of the nits and lice.

Also, look for a shampoo that has a higher fatty acid content, such as a shampoo designed for people with damaged hair. “I’m not saying it’s a cure-all, but certain kinds of regular shampoo you can buy have a higher fatty

acid content, and there is some evidence that those do a better job of killing head lice,” he said.

For parents who do buy a head lice shampoo, it’s important to remember that one application is not enough.

“Lice lay eggs that are cemented to the hair shafts,” he said. “There’s not really any way to get rid of head lice in one treatment, and it may take more than two times.”

Ultimately, Guillebeau said, don’t use dangerous home remedies. He’s heard of parents who use kerosene and pesticides not meant to be sprayed near children, much less used on their heads.

When in doubt, call the pediatrician, he said.

For more information on head lice, visit headlice.org.

UGA Cooperative Extension also has two publications on head lice, one for parents and another for schools.

NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL

Come see why we are the pioneers of the child care industry!

Open Enrollments for 6 Weeks – 4 Years with Free Registration through July!

Sixteen work-based interns from the Central Educational Center spent part of their summer working at the newly-opened Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County. At the visitors center – following a day of trail-blazing and clearing – are, left to right, front row, students Zach Ponce, Brock Dorman, Kenny Johnson, Jesse Stearns, Jimmie Reid, Ethan Blevins, Mitch Knabe , Sam Lasater; back row, Gabriela Bump, Alex Palacio, Haley Johnson, Ashley Davis, Sidney Sowerbrower, Olecia Witt, Alison Walker, and Kyle Sorrells.

zations value service learning,” said Mullins. “Service Learning and Leadership focuses on community service learning, a completed college application portfolio and preparation of an Individualized Career Plan along with organized job shadowing experiences. Team members have the opportunity to get a head start on the college application process and the college portfolio.”

Mullins said that data collected from last year show that parents and team members value

the individualized career planning, the in-depth authentic job shadowing and interviewing experiences, and the early completion of the college admissions process.

All of last year’s participants had been accepted to at least one post-secondary institution of their choice by October of their senior year of high school.

Data also show that team members understood the value of service learning within this community, she said.

• Lower teacher/pupil ratios • FEMA designed storm shelter • NASA filtration technology • State-funded Pre-k • Tutoring Services Available

6:30am - 6:30pm 55 Willis Road • Sharpsburg, GA

www.campkidsacademy.com • 678-326-4000 - Tina

Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia

Get Ahead OF FALL SINUS, ALLERGY AND ASTHMA SYMPTOMS!

Come See For Yourself What a Local Christian Education Can Do For Your Child • Christ-Centered Education • Ranked Top 5% on National Standardized Test Scores • Nurturing Teachers • Small Class Sizes • Financial Assistance • GAC Accreditation • Summer Camp

Openings in Mother’s Morning Out on Monday & Wednesday

Band/Chorus, Computer Lab, Spanish, Art, Athletics, Middle School Clubs and So Much More...

BACK TO SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Fri., Aug. 5 9AM-NOON

MMO PRE-SCHOOL K-5 MIDDLE SCHOOL Educating the Mind, Serving the Body, Shaping the Spirit

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN SCHOOL 700 ARDENLEE PARKWAY • PEACHTREE CITY 770-486-3545 • www.stpaulptc.org

Providing the Highest Quality and Most Comprehensive Care for Patients of all ages with Allergies, Asthma and Related Illnesses Eugene S. Hurwitz, M.D. Sonia Kamboj, M.D. Randy S. Stoloff, M.D. Board Certified Allergy & Asthma Specialists 37 Calumet lumet Pkwy Pkwy., Blvd Blvd. F F, Suite 201

19 Eastbrook Bend

NEWNAN, GA

PEACHTREE CITY, GA

770.683.4050

770.487.2218

OTHER LOCATIONS:

Bremen • Carrollton • Emory-Midtown • Hiram • Smyrna • Villa Rica

No Waiting For Appointments

www.CAAWG.com

4D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, July 31, 2011

BACK TO SCHOOL

EAST COWETA MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER ONE OF 26 CHOSEN

Hyder selected for teacher program in Costa Rica

Tammy Hyder

East Coweta Middle School gifted science teacher Tammy Hyder has been selected for the 2011 Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica.

Hyder was one of 26 applicants selected from among almost 400 applications from across the U.S. for the program. She will visit Costa Rica Nov. 19 through Dec. 3 to experience the Costa Rican rain forest first-hand and to interact with Costa Rican

teachers and students.

This is the fifth year of the Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica, which is sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and administered by the Institute of International Education. The program is for U.S. educators and teacher-librarians (grades 7-12) who teach in U.S. schools throughout the 50 states and District of Columbia.

Teachers explore the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica

and learn about environmental and cultural preservation.

Teachers also explore themes of sustainable resource use and biodiversity conservation through site visits, discussions, lectures and hands-on activities.

While in Costa Rica, program participants meet with local experts, visit schools and museums, and experience the rainforest first-hand.

Participants get exclusive access to Costa Rica's premier

scientists as well as environmental and cultural organizations. School visits highlight the trip, and participants are invited to rural Costa Rican primary and secondary schools to spend the day observing classes and interacting with teachers and students.

Participants are selected through a competitive application and selection process.

Since the program's inception in 1998, 635 teachers nationwide have participated in

Toyota International Teacher Programs to Japan, Costa Rica, and the Galapagos Islands.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. will cover all expenses specific to the program. This includes costs of program materials, transportation, meals, and lodging. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. will also issue each participant’s school a stipend to help defray the costs of participation during the school year.

Piedmont supports schools with donation Piedmont Newnan Hospital Hospital has renewed its sponsorship of the Coweta County School System for the 2011-12 school year. This sponsorship, totaling $10,000, includes a number of direct contributions to all 29 Coweta County elementary, middle and high schools for programs covering student health and wellness, academic, athletic and artistic programs.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital COO Nathan Nipper presented the donation to the Coweta County Board of Education at its regular meeting on July 12.

The $10,000 grant includes a number of direct donations to all 29 Coweta County

elementary, middle and high schools for programs covering student health and wellness, academic, athletic and artistic programs. It was the second year that Piedmont Newnan made the large donation to the Coweta County Schools System.

“The education and development of our community’s children is extremely important to our hospital,” said Nathan Nipper, vice president and chief operating officer for Piedmont Newnan Hospital, who presented the hospital’s contribution to the Coweta County Board of Education at its regular meeting.

“We hope that our

sponsorship, which is focused on health and wellness-related school programs and initiatives, will positively impact our school children’s lives and ultimately improve their health and wellness. We also hope that many of these students develop an interest in the field of health care, and that they might join our organization in the future.”

In addition to all county schools, other related programs and organizations within the Coweta County School System will benefit from the hospital’s sponsorship, including Stepping Stones of Coweta County, the Coweta County Special Olympics, the Centre

for Performing and Visual Arts, as well as football, baseball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, cheerleading and band booster clubs at all three high schools.

“Piedmont-Newnan Hospital has been an educational partner that has for years contributed to the success of our school system through their generosity,” said Steve Barker, Superintendent of Coweta County Schools.

“Our community is fortunate to have the support of local businesses and organizations such as Piedmont-Newnan Hospital. We greatly appreciate their partnership, and their generosity to our schools and students.”

Piedmont Newnan Hospital vice president and COO Nathan Nipper, right, presents a sponsorship to the Coweta County Board of Education and School Superintendent Steve Barker in support of Coweta County schools and a wide range of student athletic, artistic and educational programs. The amount includes direct contributions to all county schools for the 2011-12 school year, as well as educational organizations including Stepping Stones of Coweta County, the Coweta County Special Olympics, the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, and high school football, baseball, soccer, tennis, softball, lacrosse, cheerleading and band booster clubs.

Author shares tips on how parents, teachers can inspire pupils Ron Clark, author of “The End of the Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck,” mines the wisdom gained through building a school from the ground up to share 101 of the most effective ways to challenge, motivate, and inspire students. The book is an indispensible guide for parents who want more for their children and for teachers who need strategies for re-energizing classrooms and helping students achieve success.

Principles for parents include: ■ Be prepared to work hard.

If you want your child to succeed, show them what it means to spend hours immersed in a book, and to do extensive research beyond what is required. Nothing you can watch on TV is more important than spending time together reading, going over homework, or even playing Monopoly.

■ Don't be a helicopter parent. You can't come to their rescue forever. Parents who want to fight every battle with the school system and question every decision by their children's teachers harm the educational system as a whole.

Wearing "perfection blinders" creates students who do not know how to handle life's inevitable failures.

■ See the potential in every child. Children become what you see in them. If you say over and over that they aren't good at math, they will label themselves a bad math student and grow to hate the subject.

See greatness, tell them the wonderful qualities you see in them, and avoid statements that will place a negative label in a child's mind.

■ Don't allow a video game system unless you are prepared to be a prison guard. Even if a child is polite and doing well academically, spending countless hours in front of a screen is not okay. Having the game do so much of the thinking robs them of the opportunity to use their own imagination.

■ Make studying fun. Tape key bits of information on the milk carton, underneath the sofa, or in the sock drawer.

(RCA student Cameron's mom "fires up" big study nights by relocating the entire family to coffee houses, parks, and even an old historical church.)

Approach learning with a fun, confident attitude and children will follow suit.

Tips for teachers include: ■ Not every child deserves a “cookie.” Only reward excellence, whether the "cookie" is a passing grade, a field trip, or even an actual cookie, a favorite in Ron's classes. Young people must learn the value of personal effort. Giving praise that isn't earned only sets students up for failure in the long run.

■ Use music to excite, motivate, and inspire. Playing classical music during a test, singing songs that tie in with the curriculum, or even staging an all-out academic musical makes learning fun. During the 2008 election, RCA students became Internet and national

Ensuring backpack safety PACKS Continued from page 3D their children from these painful injuries can follow these tips: Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back. They should be adjustable so the backpack can be f itted to your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.

Encourage your child to use both straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause a disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and back spasms.

Pack light or at least smart.

A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively, keeping pointy objects away from the back.

Check to see if your children’s textbooks are available on e-readers — it’ll save their backs, as well as paper. Or consider buying a second set of textbooks for your student to keep at home, perhaps

used ones. Learn some backstrengthening exercises to build up muscles. Sit-ups are great since strong abdominal muscles can share the load and take the strain off back muscles.

Encourage your child or teenager to tell you about any pain or discomfort he or she may experience. Do not ignore any back pain in children or teenagers simply because they seem too young.

If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic, who is licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages. In addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits.

You can find more backpack safety tips and learn about treatment for back pain at www.acatoday.org/patients.

And lastly, examine your own backpacks, handbags and diaper bags. Parents are as likely to suffer back pain from excess weight or improper carrying as are their children.

television sensations when performing their original song.

"You Can Vole However You Like!"

■ Love what your students love. Whether it's iCarly, “Twilight,” or the NFL, if you want to get closer to a child, you have to be able to talk about the things they care about. By redecorating a restroom with teenybopper

posters, RCA teachers showed the appreciative eighth-grade girls an understanding of who they were they were in their lives.

Open your doors to the parents — RCA parents spend an entire open house day at the school, sitting with their child, participating in lessons, and doing everything the kids are expected to do, even Phys Ed.

It’s a great way for teachers to convey expectations and bond with parents.

Realize that kids need to move. From acting out lessons on Greek mythology to creating educational chants and moves to the tunes of popular songs, the engaged students at RCA are frequently out of, and sometimes dancing on, their seats.

■ Resolve to find your own Red Button. A red button in Ron's classroom cues strobe lights and pounding music.

Other RCA teachers have been known to jump upon desks, rap lessons, and dress up in costumes to inspire children. Find your own clever way to add a spark of energy, fun, and surprise to the classroom.

Make sure students up to date on shots As the start of the school year in Coweta County quickly approaches, parents of students are reminded to get their children up to date on immunizations.

Coweta County Health Department Nurse Manager Alice Jackson is urging parents to take care of this as early as possible.

"New students require two certificates, either from their family physician or the local health department," said Jackson. "If you don't take care of this in advance, obtaining certificates at the last minute will be very busy."

One mandatory certificate is for hearing and vision, and the other is the immunization certificate (32-31), which stipulates that the student has gotten all the immunizations necessary for school, according to Jackson.

Jackson reminds the public that the health department

exists to serve the county's uninsured or underinsured.

The staff asks anyone with adequate insurance to visit their primary care physician.

"We ask because of the quantity of vaccines we receive — we probably don't have an adequate amount," said Jackson.

For those planning to visit the health department to be inoculated, Jackson encourages parents to call and make an appointment as soon as possible. The department is asking the public to continue calling their temporary phone number, 770-683-0497. The new health department facility is located at 70 Hospital Road, near the Newnan Crossing Bypass.

Also, patients should bring their inoculation records, if possible. New students to the Coweta school system should get a copy of their immunization record from their last

practitioner — "or there could be a long delay," Jackson warns.

"We can't evaluate what they need if we don't know what they've had," said Jackson.

The health department staff has access to Georgia's immunization registry online, which is for providers. The health department is required by law to keep it current.

New students should first visit the school system's

central registration center at the central office, 167 Werz Industrial Drive in Newnan.

Dean Jackson, school system public information officer, said the office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

"Registering parents should come by 4 p.m. to be sure the process is completed in the same day," said Dean Jackson.

Contact the office by phone, 770-254-5551.

We Help to Get People Back into Action

For Children who Learn Differently

Scott R. Arrowsmith, M.D. The

Bedford

Affiliated with Piedmont Fayette Hospital 24 Hour Emergency Service • Workman’s Comp

School

Grades 1-9

Ability Grouping • Sports • Challenge Courses Small Classes • 45 Acre Campus in Fairburn

The Bedford School is approved to accept the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship The Bedford School is accredited through the Georgia Accrediting Commission and SACS. For more information contact Dr. Betsy Box.

5665 Milam Road office (770) 774-8001

Fairburn, GA 30213 (770) 774-8005 fax

The Bedford School maintains a non-discriminatory policy concerning admissions, employment, use of facilities or scholarships on the basis of sex, race, color, religion or national origin.

www.thebedfordschool.org

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY AND CARE Joint Replacement • Trauma • Arthroscopic Surgery

770-631-9991

130-Governors Square, Suite C Fayetteville, GA 30215 Directions: From Newnan take Hwy. 34 East to Hwy. 54 Peachtree City. Stay on 54 past Publix - make a right onto Governor’s Square (just past Ace Hardware Green Top Building) third building on the left.

Scott R. Arrowsmith. M.D.

Sunday, July 31, 2011 — The Times-Herald — 5D

BACK TO SCHOOL

22 out of 28 schools earn Adequate Yearly Progress Twenty-two of Coweta County’s 28 schools made “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) this year, but six did not — including all three local high schools whose graduation rates weren’t high enough to meet the standard.

One of those high schools — Newnan High — will now be considered a “Needs Improvement” school. Because 2010-11 is the second year that Newnan High School did not meet AYP, the school will be given the “Needs Improvement” designation, which will result in additional services offered to students.

More information about those services will be forthcoming, according to school system officials.

The Coweta County School System as a whole did not make AYP as a system because of the graduation rate of the system’s overall population and among some subgroups. The system-wide graduation rate was 80.6 percent for 2011, while the AYP performance bar rose to an 85 percent graduation rate in 2011.

According to the Georgia Department of Education’s annual Adequate Yearly Progress report — released on July 21 — East Coweta, Newnan and Northgate High School, Lee Middle School, Poplar Road and Ruth Hill Elementary Schools did not make AYP in 2011.

Ruth Hill and Lee Middle School are expected to make AYP when test passage rates are recalculated this September using students’ retest scores on the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT).

Following a significant 2011 increase in the minimum measures of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), 37 percent of Georgia schools did not make “Adequate Yearly Progress.” 70 percent of all

Georgia high schools did not make Adequate Yearly Progress in 2011 under the rising passage and graduation rates required under the federal law.

Local school system officials said that this year’s local results followed state and national trends. While six schools didn’t make AYP this year, all Coweta County schools made AYP in 2009, and only one did not make AYP in 2010.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was developed to encourage uniformly high curriculum standards and to establish a method of accountability for each school and school district. Schools are required to meet required pass rates on high stakes tests in English and math, and must meet requirements set for test participation and either attendance (in elementary and middle grades) or graduation rate (in high schools).

Under NCLB, the required success rate is called the annual measurable objective (AMO). Meeting this requirement is sometimes called “making the bar.” The requirement is a measurement applied to groups of students rather than to individual student performance.

To make AYP, every school must meet the bar in its overall school population, and in a number of student subgroups.

Under current legislation, the bar rises each year for all schools until, by 2014, 100 percent of students must pass math and English tests, meet other academic requirements, and graduate.

For example, high school graduation rates (for the overall population and subgroups within the school) had to exceed 80 percent in 2010 to make AYP. Those rates rose to 85 percent in 2011. Required graduation rates rise to 90 per-

cent next year, and to 100 percent by 2014.

Required math passage rates for high schools also rose this year, for all students and subgroups, from 67.6 percent last year to 75.7 percent this year.

They rise to 83.8 percent next year, and to 100 percent by 2014.

In many cases in Coweta County, schools would have made AYP under last year’s passage rates but did not make it because the bar was raised for 2011. In most cases, Coweta schools not making AYP in 2011 met the bar among students overall, but did not make AYP because of performance within one or more subgroups.

Coweta Schools not making AYP: ■ East Coweta High School – Did not make AYP because of subgroup passage rates for math and English/Language Arts graduation tests and overall graduation rate.

■ Newnan High School – Did not make AYP because of overall graduation rate.

■ Northgate High School – Did not make AYP because of subgroup passage rates for English/Language Arts graduation tests. Overall school population met AYP bar, and may make AYP under recalculated scores.

■ Lee Middle School – Did not make AYP because of subgroup passage rates on CRCT math. Overall school population met AYP bar, and the school should make AYP under recalculated scores.

■ Ruth Hill Elementary School – Did not make AYP because of subgroup passage rates on CRCT math. Overall school population met AYP bar, and the school should make AYP under recalculated scores.

■ Poplar Road Elementary School – Did not make AYP because of subgroup passage rates on CRCT math. Overall

school population met AYP bar.

Coweta’s performance under NCLB in 2011 reflects state and nation-wide trends. Because of rising performance criteria, schools that do well or make significant gains in one year can still not make AYP. Newnan High School, for example, saw an increase in math Graduation Test passage rates from 2010 to 2011 (94 percent of students overall passed the graduation math test in 2011, up from 74.7 percent in 2010). The school as a whole — and all subgroups — met NCLB academic standards in 2011, but did not meet graduation rates under the 2011 bar.

With continuously rising bars for all subgroups, high schools also tend to be affected before other schools. Coweta’s three high schools have larger student populations than its elementary schools, so they have a greater AYP challenge.

Middle schools also face the challenge of large testing groups, because all middle school students test.

For high schools, and for school systems as a whole, calculation of graduation rate also poses a higher risk for schools to be labeled as not making AYP. Students who might need more than four years and one summer semester to graduate can complete their education with a high school diploma.

However, these students do not count as graduates. They are calculated as dropouts for the purposes of AYP/NCLB. Students on Special Education diplomas are not counted as graduates, even though they might have met and exceeded their IEP goals.

Students who successfully earn the 28 required credits to earn a diploma but who have not passed all five graduation tests also do not count as graduates.

They are calculated as dropouts.

To address these difficulties, educators in Coweta County are working diligently to provide opportunities for student success. Credit recovery programs and remediation are being offered before school, after school, and at lunch. Staff members are involved in professional development, and numerous research-based teaching methods are being employed in classrooms.

However, because of the rising bar of high stakes testing as a measure, a school may receive a negative label even when students are being more successful than ever before.

As a result of the many challenges created by NCLB, the Georgia High School Graduation Test will no longer be used for AYP determination after the 2010-2011 school year.

This test, administered to juniors, is two years removed from much of the content that is taught during the freshman year. Beginning next year, specific End of Course Tests will be used to calculate AYP. The Georgia Department of

Education, education agencies from other states, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, have said that current NCLB legislation is in need of adjustment. Secretary Duncan has said that he is prepared to give public schools relief from federal mandates under NCLB if Congress does not pass the law’s long-awaited overhaul and reauthorization, which is four-years overdue, according to Duncan. Duncan has warned that as many as 83 percent of U.S. schools could be labeled as failing next year based on current NCLB rules.

"We have many great schools in the state providing a highquality education to all students," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge.

"But the rate at which the academic bar and the graduation rate requirement increased this year prevented more schools from making AYP. We knew we were up against the proverbial wall because this bar increases each year, and it appears that we have begun to hit it.”

What will your child absorb today?

Fall Enrollment Visit us to discover more www.discoverypoint.com

At Discovery Point the possibilities are endless.

• 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

• Ages 6 Weeks to 12 Years • Modern Facility • Age Appropriate Curriculum • Before/After School Programs • Georgia Pre-Kindergarten • Nutritious lunch & healthy snacks • Three Separate Playgrounds • On-site Owner

Community service builds character Child Development Ce Centers ente erss

Getting kids involved in community service is a great way to teach them about the world around them. To be successful, start by including children in activities that interest you, learning what they care about and connecting to other groups with similar interests, says a University of Georgia child development expert.

“There is a natural tendency in young children for empathy,” said Diane Bales, a UGA Extension specialist with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “We see a pro-social behavior to do for others as children get older.

Elementary school is a good time to expand on that natural desire.”

When choosing an activity, go with the child’s interest. If your child is interested in helping fight hunger, organize a food drive. Have the child go to the store with you to pick out food for a family who needs it.

“Children are very concrete,” Bales said. “Collecting money for things is the hardest thing for young children to understand. Collecting a physical thing is better for children.”

Making thank-you cards for school workers can help children understand the importance of connecting with people and showing appreciation.

Cleaning up a local park will

educate them about litter and the natural world. Walking or running for a cause is something they can do to increase their awareness.

“For very young children understanding something outside of their own experience is very hard,” Bales said. “They may not understand a life other than theirs. It is not a bad idea to expose them to it, but it may be difficult for them to take away.”

Pick causes you are passionate about. Your excitement will spread to your children. In contrast, going along with something you are uncomfortable with could create a bad experience.

“The kids will sense that you are nervous about the activity or not interested and it is likely to be less of a positive experience,” she said. “But, if the kids are passionate about it, you should try to find a way to make it happen.”

Connect with community groups, agencies and non-profits to participate in community service. These groups will already have some structure in place and will make your project more successful.

As in everything, personalities are different. Some children may be drawn to service, while others may not. Bales warns not to try so many

different activities that children become burned out on the idea of service.

“Children seem to be drawn to responding to crisis,” Bales said. “They see images and want to help the victims.”

Collecting supplies for a cause is easier for children to understand. Filling a shoebox with toys at Christmas or books for a hospital are two ideas.

Whatever activity you do, preparing children for what they will experience is a good idea. If you are headed to a children’s hospital, prepare them for what they might see.

Describe the smell of a nursing home or explain that some of the patients may not understand who they are.

“Describing what they can expect makes it a lot less scary when they are there,” Bales said.

Have an activity planned for the visit. A craft project, singing songs or handing out cards are a few examples Bales suggests.

Talk to children about their experiences after a service project. Helping someone else makes people feel good.

“If kids recognize the positive feelings they have about doing something they are more likely to continue,” Bales said. “(Community service) is good

for them. It gives them exposure to experiences they may not have had otherwise and it broadens their view of the world.”

SummerGrove

Thomas Crossroads

11 Market Square Rd. Newnan, Georgia 30265

3052 Sharpsburg-McCollum Rd. Newnan, Georgia 30265

770-252-2166

770-254-1880

THE HERITAGE SCHOOL imagine the possibilities

Now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Call for a personal tour today.

Is your career headed in the right direction?

The

MBA

for Working Professionals

CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY *FAYETTE COUNTY

*MORROW

*ROCKDALE COUNTY

http://business.clayton.edu/MBA/

Accredited by SACS and SAIS

2093 HIGHWAY 29 NORTH • NEWNAN, GEORGIA 30263 770-253-9898 • www.heritagehawks.org

6D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, July 31, 2011

BACK TO SCHOOL

Veteran teacher offers tips for middle school success Veteran teacher Robert N. Walrond says parents have a huge impact on how children behave and whether they succeed or fail.

“It’s not all about just getting A’s,” he said. “Your child’s future is at stake. Success is really dependent on what you the parent do.”

Middle school is where children begin their transition to adulthood in earnest. Walrond sees a whole range of common problems, including disengagement, emotional distress, lack of attention, low achievement, negative peer pressure, risky behavior, distractions caused by mass media and hormonal development and involvement with cliques, bullies and gangs.

Walrond has been a public school teacher for almost two decades. He teaches middle school — seventh and eighth graders — and has worked with hundreds of students and their parents.

Walrond says that the first mistake parents must not assume a child has a learning disability or a mental problem.

Some children genuinely do have medical problems that lead to difficulties in learning.

But most simply are having difficulty figuring out their ever changing body and the ever increasing complexity of the world around them.

The next biggest mistake is thinking that school is for the

child and that the parent is free to stay away.

“School is not daycare.

You’ve got to commit to learning what’s going on, paying attention to what’s happening, getting involved and jumping on news and events good and bad, and behaving well no matter what happens,” he said.

His book, “Every Parent’s Guide to Middle School Success,” offers simple and practical strategies for helping your child succeed in middle school. Here is some of his best advice: ■ Recognize that while success in middle school is a team effort with the parent, the teacher and the student, the parent is the most important part of the team. Parents have influence with the child and the teacher. Parents should acknowledge their role and take the responsibility for what happens.

■ Talk in the morning. Talk in the afternoon. Talk in the evening. Talk by phone. Text the child as frequently as appropriate to coordinate where they are, what they are doing next and what they and you will be doing together next.

■ What is really going on in school? Find out. Go to the school and get all the information the school has available.

Search the Internet. Study the school web page. Learn about

the extracurricular programs and opportunities for student and parent involvement. Get the calendar identify the events. Learn what is planned and talk to the teachers, coaches, and other parents and place these events on your calendar.

Learn and think about what your child is doing, with whom and when from morning to night.

■ Get your children into clubs, sports, music, theater and other sponsored and monitored after school activities.

Encourage them to develop interests, skills and the desire to perform and develop in all sorts of ways. Support them to the maximum degree in whatever they decide to be interested in even if it is a financial sacrifice that needs to be budgeted and carefully managed.

■ Go to events with your child. Be an avid fan and cheerleader. Be a coach. Be a helper.

Be a fundraiser. Offer to chaperone, to cook, to help clean up. Volunteer to be a teacher’s aide. Even just sit in class and watch the teacher sometime if it is allowed.

■ Read the school newspaper regularly. Read the school newsletter. Jump on the news of opportunities for new activities and involvement. Pay attention to what’s new. Read progress reports carefully.

■ Make the back-to-school night and all student parent

Nurses offer suggestions for a safe, healthy school year New backpack? Check.

Class schedule? Check.

Binder, notebooks and pens?

Check. Emergency information card?

It is the time of year when kids all over the country return to school, ready for anything the new school year will bring them — new classes, new teachers, new information, new friends. But they — and their parents — may not necessarily be ready to handle a health or medical emergency at school or to avoid a potential health problem.

“Even if your child has a perfect bill of health there are still precautions you should take when they go back to school,” said Emergency Nurses Association President Diane Gurney, RN, MS, CEN. “We know that parents don’t want to see their child end up in the emergency department so, as nurses, we strongly advise you to take the necessary measures to ensure that the school year is a healthy and safe one.”

THe ENA is urging families to take simple precautions to ensure that children are safe as they head back to school, by following these tips: ■ A child who lives within walking distance of school should always walk in a group, never by themselves.

Children should know not to accept rides from people they don’t know, even if the person says the parent asked them to

pick the child up.

Exchange a phone call or a text message if transportation plans change. Parents should wait with their children for the bus in the morning, especially if the children are elementary school age. Make sure they understand the busriding process.

“They should know what to do when they get off the bus in the afternoons,” says Deena Brecher, MSN RN ACNS, BC, CEN CPEN, emergency department clinical nurse specialist at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. “Are they expected to stay there and wait for you? Do they walk home by themselves?”

Look both ways before crossing the street and be cautious when crossing in front of a school bus or other vehicle where the driver may not be able to see you.

■ Parents should fill out a new emergency information card every year. “Make sure there are real, working phone numbers on those cards,” Brecher says, “and make sure the secondary contact you list is someone who is reliable and knows how to get hold of you.”

Emergency departments need consent from a parent or guardian to treat a child, so you should be accessible by phone or have gone through the proper steps to give someone else the power to make medical decisions.

Know the school’s policy about medication. Often, a child will need to leave medication in the care of a school nurse or other official instead of carrying it around, but policies vary by school and by state.

A child with an allergy or a medical problem should be educated about his or her condition.

For instance, they should know if they’re allowed to share food with classmates.

■ Attend back-to-school night and get to know the teachers, principals and guidance counselors. They’re partners in keeping your children safe and healthy. Don’t hide things from school officials; always disclose medical problems or special needs.

Bullying is a problem in a lot of schools, Brecher says, and it can escalate to violence. Teach children to stand up for themselves, but also to recognize when they’re in an unsafe situation. They should know who the “safe adults” are at the school and be willing to share information with them.

■ If youngsters are involved in sports, make sure they have gear that’s appropriate for the season and fits well. They should always wear sunscreen, and reapply it often.

It’s also important to wear breathable clothing and appropriate shoes, and stay hydrated.

teacher conferences a mandatory event. Learn what is being taught in each class. Look at the books and materials being used to teach. Look at the rooms and facilities where your child will be spending each day. Put names to faces and learn how to contact teachers by phone and e-mail if you have questions. Contact teachers and ask questions. Be active and follow up if you do not hear back in a timely fashion.

■ Do not drop into classrooms unannounced. Check in with the front office. Schedule visits with the teachers and staff. Enter classrooms as a neutral observer. Behave yourself and do not draw attention or disrupt the teacher or your

child. Be positive and make the experience a good one for all involved.

■ Grades are important but they are not everything. Is your child happy? Does he or she do what is necessary with a good attitude and an open mind? Is the child suddenly withdrawn, frustrated or angry? Pay attention to the clues. Listen and think about what is going on.

Ask questions gently and learn what you can. Do not take rash actions.

■ Problems may arise in middle school: assignments late or not turned in, low grades on quizzes, projects not done, unexcused absences, problems with other students.

You must go to a teacher conference with an attitude of

helpfulness. You and the teacher are there to help your child help themselves to be more successful. Make it easy on the teacher.

■ Expect changes to be resolved slowly over time and not overnight. Let your child know you are informed.

Understand that students stretch the details and embellish the facts. Realize that their hormones are changing and that the drama and emotion are often times what is governing their reality. Do not be judgmental or automatically rush to their defense or take sides. Stay in tune. Be there when they need you.

Walrond lives with his wife and children in Antioch, California.

Coweta students exceed state on EOC testing Biology The State of Georgia released results of the spring Coweta – 72% administration of high school Georgia – 70% End-of-Course Tests recently.

End of Course Tests Physical Science (EOCTs) are administered at Coweta – 78% the end of the applicable subGeorgia – 76% jects taught in Georgia high schools, and count for 15 perUS History cent of a student’s grade in the Coweta – 75% course. Student performance is Georgia – 66% categorized into three levels: Does Not Meet Standard, Economics Meets Standard, and Exceeds Coweta – 82% Standard.

Georgia – 72% During the same spring administration, a higher perMath I centage of Coweta County high Coweta – 70% school test-takers met or Georgia – 61% exceeded seven of eight EOCT’s than the state average Math II passage rate, and tied the state Coweta – 61% on one test (9th Grade literaGeorgia – 55% ture.).

The percentage of county The purposes of the End of and state students Meeting or Course Tests are to assess stuExceeding End of Course Tests dent achievement of the for Spring, 2011, are: Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) in the designated core courses and to pro9th Grade vide data to assist in the improvement of instruction Literature and learning. The EOCTs also Coweta – 82% provide data to evaluate the Georgia–82% effectiveness of instruction at the school, system, and state American Literature levels.

Coweta – 92% Georgia – 88% Beginning next year, specific

End of Course Tests will be used to calculate Adequate Yearly Progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, replacing the state’s high school graduation exams, which are being phased out.

In April 2011, the State Board of Education approved a plan to phase out the Georgia High School Graduation Test, beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time in the 2011-2012 school year.

Starting with these students, the EOCTs will count as 20% of the final grade, an increase from the previous 15% level.

“Math EOCT scores are lagging behind the other content areas, in part due to the implementation of the new math curriculum,” said Dr. Steve Barker.

“We are continuing our efforts to provide all students with high quality instruction in content areas,” he said. “As we look to next year, with End of Course Tests counting for 20 percent of a student’s final grade, and being used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress for our schools, preparing our students for these tests will be more important than ever.”

Go green for school year with careful shopping and planning It takes a lot of textbooks, paper and pencils to make good grades.

There isn’t just more homework in September, there’s more waste, too. Jodi Helmer, author of “The Green Year,” suggests these tips for making the return to school more ecofriendly: ■ Try to purchase paper with the highest post-consumer waste recycled content possible, and always choose chlorine-free paper.

Avoid notebooks with plastic covers. Look for card stock or durable paper, especially made from something with a high level of post-consumer waste recycled content.

Look for crayons that are

made with soybean oil instead of paraffin, a petroleum-based product. Try to find pencils that are made from recycled materials and that come in light-weight packaging.

When you can, get refillable pens or, an ideal option, pens made from recycled materials and biodegradable cornstarch.

■ Stock backpacks with notebooks, binders, paper and printer cartridges made from recycled materials. Choose school supplies with as little packaging as possible. Thirty percent of the waste in U.S. landfills comes from product packaging.

Buy in bulk, if possible.

Go through last year’s school supplies to see which items can

be used again this year.

■ Over 10 billion yogurt cups and 3.6 billion drink pouches end up in the landfill every year. Try packing a waste-free lunch. Seal sandwiches in reusable containers, fill a thermos with soup and pack it all in a reusable lunch bag.

■ You can have a huge impact on the environment if you use public transportation or arrange a carpool.

Depending on how far it is to school, you might want to consider letting your kids ride their bikes. A walking buddy is also a good option, especially if you can pair younger kids with an older student at the same school.

Ga. end-of-course test results show big improvement The results of the Spring 2011 Georgia End of Course Tests (EOCT) show student improvement in seven of eight tests. In comparing the results to Spring 2010, students demonstrated significant improvement in Biology, Physical Science, and U.S. History. EOCT scores also improved for Ninth Grade Literature, American Literature, and Economics.

The percentage of students who met or exceeded the standards for Physical Science (76 percent) improved four percentage points over last year.

Likewise, scores for Biology (70 percent) and U.S. History (66 percent) also improved by four points. In April 2011, the State Board of Education approved a plan to phase out the Georgia High School Graduation Test, beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time in the 2011-2012 school year. Starting with these students, the EOCT will count as 20 percent of the final grade, an increase from the previous 15 percent level.

“We are very pleased with the improvement Georgia’s students have shown on the EOCTs,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge.

“I have always believed the

EOCT is a better indicator of a student’s grasp of the content, and this year-to-year improvement is encouraging.”

The percentage of students who met or exceeded standards for Mathematics I (61 percent) decreased three percentage points, while the percentage of students who met or exceeded standards on the Mathematics II EOCT (55 percent) increased three percentage points.

In March, the State Board of Education approved Superintendent Barge’s recommendation to allow local districts to teach mathematics using either the integrated or discrete delivery method.

“Our Mathematics EOCT results are showing us that some students are struggling with the more rigorous standards, which underscores the need for different instructional delivery methods," said Barge.

"While our Mathematics II results increased, those scores are still significantly lower than other content areas. The rigor of the Georgia Performance Standards, however, positions us well as we transition to the Common Core State Standards that contain the same level of rigor found in our existing standards."

DYSSEY

Today’s School For Tomorrow’s World

Now Accepting Applicatio ns for Fall 2011

State Public Charter School • No Tuition • Grades K-8 • Total Enrollment Under 325 • Strong Parental Commitment Excellent Academic and Co-Curricular Programs • Athletic, Band and Choral Programs

Additional 6th Grade Class planned for Fall 2011 14 St. John Circle, Newnan, GA 30265 | 770-251-6111 admission@odysseycharterschool.net Additional information and admission forms are available from our web site:

www.odysseycharterschool.net

Sunday, July 31, 2011 — The Times-Herald — 7D

BACK TO SCHOOL

Students should learn to guard their privacy online Some 37 percent of American 10 to 12 year olds are active members of the social network site Facebook, according to a 2010 study by McAfee. To help Georgia teens stay safe on the Internet, Georgia 4-H specialist Cheryl Varnadoe teaches youths to make wise decisions when posting information to social network sites like Facebook and MySpace.

“Our kids are growing up in public. Youth create lasting records of their lives whenever they post something online,” she said. “In a world where anything can be copied, pasted, altered and distributed in the blink of an eye to a vast invisible audience, kids must understand that they hold the key to what kind of reputation they create for themselves.”

As head of Georgia 4-H’s youth technology team, Varnadoe educates youths across the state on what is appropriate material to post on

social networking sites, and what is inappropriate.

“Parents have to help their children learn to think longterm about posting pictures that could eventually come back to haunt them in their future,” Varnadoe said. “The user name ‘Biggreenjawbreaker’ may be cute in grade school but it won't be so adorable at that first job interview.”

To help parents guide their children, Varnadoe offers a few rules of the road for the virtual highway.

Students should never post personal information, such as a cell phone number, address, or the name of their school or school team. Nothing is private online. Anything posted to a social networking site can be copied, pasted and forwarded to others.

“Students should learn to guard their privacy,” she said.

“What people know about you is up to you.”

She recommends putting all personal information behind password-protected “walls” where only friends can see it.

Protect your reputation. Selfreflect before you self-reveal, Varnadoe said. What’s funny or edgy today could cost you your tomorrow.

Information posted in blogs could also put you at risk of victimization. People looking to harm you could use the information you post to gain your trust. They can also deceive you by pretending to know you.

“Assume everyone is watching. There’s a huge, vast audience out there. If someone is your friend’s friend, they can see everything you post,” she said. Varnadoe also shares the following tips for online safety: Students should be warned to never give their password to anyone other than their parent or guardian.

Only allow people to be your “virtual friends” if you know

them in real life.

Never meet in person with anyone you first met on a social networking site. “Some people may not be who they say they are,” Varnadoe warns. “Think about what you see. Just because something is posted online doesn’t make it true.”

Think before posting photos.

Personal photos should not have revealing information, such as school names or locations. Look closely at the backgrounds of your pictures to make sure you are not giving out any identifying information without realizing it. “The name of a mall, the license plate of your car, signs, or the name of your sports team on your jersey or clothing all contain information that can give your location away,” she said. “It is also a good idea to blur or morph your photos a bit so they won’t be abused by cyber bullies or predators.”

Never respond to harassing or rude comments posted on your

profile. Delete any unwanted messages or friends who continuously leave inappropriate comments. And, report these comments to the networking site if they violate that site’s terms of service. Don’t say anything online that you would not say offline.

Check the privacy settings of the social networking sites that you use. “Set it so that people can only be added as your friend if you approve it,” Varnadoe said. “And make sure people can only view your profile if you have approved them as a friend.”

Remember, posting information about your friends could put them at risk, too. Protect your friends by not posting their names, passwords, ages, phone numbers, school names or locations. Don’t post plans and activities on your site. “Apply the Golden Rule,” she said. “If you don’t want it done to you, don’t do it to someone else.”

Check your friends’ posts and make sure they aren’t accidentally putting you at risk.

Review your profile and your past blog posts and remove information that could put you at risk. Remember, anyone has access to your blog and profile, not just people you know personally.

“I always tell our Georgia 4H’ers, unless you’re prepared to attach your page to your college, internship, scholarship, job or sports team application, don’t post it publicly,” she said.

To request a Georgia 4-H program on social/Internet safety or cyber bullying prevention, contact Cheryl Varnadoe at cv4h@uga.edu or call the Georgia 4-H State Office at 706542-4H4H. (Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Millennial generation more connected than any before The Millennial Generation — those born between 1984 and 2002 — is now larger than the Baby Boom Generation and three times the size of Generation X. At roughly 80 million members strong, more than onefourth of the U.S. population, the annual direct and indirect spending power of Millennials is estimated to be $200 billion and $500 billion, respectively.

As noted by CampusAuction, "Right now is a moment of unprecedented opportunity because the backto-school period is the most intensified period of spending by this most critical group...”

But where is all of this money going?

Millennial marketing expert Tina Wells, CEO of the youth-focused Buzz Marketing Group and author of "Chasing Youth Culture and Getting it Right," offers the following financial figures about this new cultural force: ■ Millennials are more

involved than any generation before them in the purchasing decisions of their parents.

■ Millennials have grown up with a greater degree of affluence than any generation before them, leading to very high spending expectations throughout their life.

■ Millennial spending habits are projected to increasingly heighten as this generation ages and becomes even more affluent.

■ Millennial spending shot up 13 percent from $270 billion in 2009 to $306 billion this year. More significantly, discretionary spending increased 10 percent, accounting for about 22.5 percent of all spending. Within this figure, discretionary spending is set to increase 10 percent from $62.7 billion to $69 billion, making college consumers an even more desirable demographic for marketers. (Source: CampusAuction.com) ■ Tweens spend $43 billion

annually, which translates to about $2,047 per tween (Source: Research and Markets) ■ Young people in droves are using the Internet for shopping: a whopping 84 percent of respondents in our survey claim to shop online regularly (Source: Buzz Marketing Group survey) ■ 61 percent of teens hear about new products online, while 15 percent still hear about them from friends (Source: Buzz Marketing Group annual Teen Study) ■ 99 percent percent of teens have a Facebook page (Buzz Marketing Group Study “What Teens Want") ■ 36 percent of high school students claim that they would delay or forego college due to costs (Source: TD Ameritrade Study ‘2010 Teens Percent Money Survey") ■ Why high net-worth Millennials define luxury brands much more in terms of loyalty programs, experiential

factors, and unique offers than do their older wealthy consumers (Source: LuxuryInstitute.com) ■ The top brands millennial deem as “luxury” — and those surprisingly not on their radar, and why (Source: LuxuryInstitute.com) The Millennial Generation is growing up during a confounding time rife with technological advances and unprecedented sharing and collaboration against an omnipresent backdrop of political tension, international conflict and economic uncertainty, Wells said.

At the center sits Millennials, controlling their world via cell phones, laptops, iPods, and iPads.

“More wired, interconnected and aware than any generation before them, Millennials hold great power to launch and sustain brands that impact America’s cultural landscape — and the economy at large,” said Wells.

243 Summerlin Blvd.

Newnan, GA 30265 770-253-8104 Experienced ennced child care pro professionals ofessionaals als committed t d to providing quality care lity car re to the children en in our community.

F R E REGISTRAE T

WITH THIS ION AD

Infant • Toddler • Pre-School • Before & After School Program

Enroll Now! E Private Pre-K Don’t miss the Pre-K experience, space is limited!

Coweta’s Greatest Generation Now Available in a Limited Edition Hardcover Book

As the kids go back to school, make being healthy your new habit!

Stop by today and pick up your copy!

Back To School Special

Recently The Times-H Times-Herald s-H spent over a year highlightingg the th sstories of surviving local World World d II veterans vet in a project called “Our “Ou Greatest Generation.”

Join Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s Wellness Center during the month of August, and initiation fees for new members will be waived. New members will receive a free fitness assessment.

This award-winning award-winn series presented the over 120 local men and stories o off o women men and w was a favorite of readers young oung and old. Since the series ended, ended ed we have had countless re req requests to reproduce this collection of stories so they may be preserved for future generations and enjoyed time and again in their entirety.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s Wellness Center offers members state-of-the-art fitness equipment, as well as group classes including Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, SilverSneakers®, step, cycle, power hour classes, lunch time express classes and more!

We are p pleased to announce the entire serie series has been published in a limited editi edition hardcover book with 288 pages that tel tell the stories and feature photographs of these proud men and women.

For more information, please call 770.254.3550.

The savings for waiving the member

Pick up your copy today at The Times-Herald, 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan, GA 30263; order online at times-herald/store; or fill out the form below and mail with your payment to: The Times-Herald, c/o Book Order, P.O. 1052, Newnan, GA 30264

initiation fee is $75.

Coweta’s Greatest Generation Book Order Form Limited Edition Hardcover $42.95 each

Number of books ordered:

@ $42.95 per book = $

Shipping charges:

@ $ 7.00 per book = $

Tax Included

ORDER TOTAL = $

SHIP TO: Address:

City:

State:

Daytime Phone:

Visa

Zip

MasterCard

Discover

Amex

Check

Name on Card:

Address card is is billed to (If different from shipping address):

Card Number:

CVV Code:

Exp. Date:

Mail to: The Times-Herald, c/o Book Order, P. O. 1052, Newnan, GA 30264 For more information, call 770.253.1576

00714-0711

Name:

26 West Court Square Newnan, Georgia 30263 770.254.3550

piedmontnewnan.org/wellnesscenter

8D — The Times-Herald — Sunday, July 31, 2011

Semesters are here!

FALL REGISTRATION JULY 18-AUG.4 This fall,West Georgia Tech joins hundreds of other colleges and universities across the country on a semester calendar.

There’s never been a better time for you to get started!

Semester schedule starts Fall 2011 Seven locations across West Georgia Day and evening classes Lowest cost in higher ed Scholarships and grants Student-centered faculty Golden Knights athletics Hands-on training for today’s hottest careers

Go Golden Knights!

770.755.7440 www.westgatech.edu Carroll | Coweta | Douglas | LaGrange | Murphy West Georgia Technical College is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia