ParentInfo, Oct. 15, 2007

Last Updated on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:00 PM

In this edition:

*Kentucky Virtual High School spring registration

*Kentucky PTA convention

*Great Kids Summit

*Online resources

*Halloween safety tips

*TV show an education tool for parents

KVHS Spring 2008 registration

Registration for spring 2008 for the Kentucky Virtual High School is now open. Online registration is open until Dec. 7 for the spring semester.

KVHS is open to all Kentucky students with the permission of their local schools and districts.

KVHS offers spring courses in Advanced Placement, career and technology, electives, English, health and physical education, mathematics, science, social studies and world languages.

Kentucky PTA Convention July 10-12

Over 300 Parent Teacher Association and Parent Teacher Student Association leaders, volunteers and others interested in education, health and welfare issues of children and youth will be on hand at Kentucky PTA Convention/Leadership 2008, set for July 10-12.

This is the second year Kentucky PTA will have a combined Convention/Leadership. Several workshops, which have always been offered during Leadership, will be scheduled, and there will be general meetings and PTA business conducted. All meetings and workshops will be held at the Holiday Inn Fern Valley in Louisville.

KCN summit for students and adults

Kentucky Child Now! is hosting the fifth annual Great Kids Summit Feb. 25-28 at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort in Lexington. This unique leadership opportunity for both youth and adults will offer renowned speakers, interactive workshops, training, entertainment, celebration and recognition.

KCN, the state affiliate and lead agency for Colin Powell’s America’s Promise, is a national leader in the work to guarantee that all of our youth have access to the fundamental resources they need to succeed in life.

Online resources

NCLB Parent University online

The Kentucky Parent Information and Resource Center has announced the launch of its online learning component to the No Child Left Behind Parent University Curriculum. These free distance learning courses have content in the following areas:

Session 1a: NCLB Parent University: What Parents Need to Know
Session 1b: Continuation of NCLB Parent University: What Parents Need to Know
Session 2: A Parent’s Guide to Improving Student Achievement
Session 3: State and Local Accountability Systems and AYP
Session 4: A Parent’s Guide to State and Local Report Cards
Session 5: A Parent’s Guide to Rights and Opportunities for Public School Choice
Session 6: Supplemental Educational Services
Session 7: A Parent’s Guide to the Parent Involvement Policy

These sessions are designed to be parent-friendly and provide information that will help parents support the academic success of their children.

Web site helps find college information

The Department of Education College Opportunities Online (COOL) Web site has a successor. College Navigator offers consumers even more college information in an easy-to-use format.

The Web site is free and provides a consumer information tool designed to help students, parents, high school counselors and others get information about nearly 7,000 postsecondary institutions in the United States. It offers a wide range of information previously found on COOL, such as programs offered, retention and graduation rates, prices, aid available, degrees awarded, campus safety and accreditation. Users also can now:

search by programs offered, degrees offered, institution type, price, selectivity, distance from home, school size, institution mission (historically black colleges and universities, single-sex), extended learning opportunities for adults (weekend and evening degree programs) and intercollegiate athletics programs offered
modify or change their search from anywhere within the Web site
use a simple and intuitive way of selecting keywords to search among programs at a general level (communications, journalism and related programs), drill down through a menu to a moderate level of detail and identify highly specific courses of study (health communication)
make comparisons of up to four institutions in one view and maintain a list of favorite institutions from different searches
save their sessions and receive an e-mail with a link taking them back to where they left off
export search results to easily used formats such as Excel

The College Navigator was developed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the Institution of Education Sciences. NCES plans continuing improvements in the content and function of the site, and there are plans for a Spanish version in the coming months.

Make this Halloween a safe one

Halloween is fast approaching, and while children are getting excited about costumes and candy, parents need to be cautious when it comes to their children’s safety. Parents should talk to their children about safety issues while also being on the lookout for potential dangers. That way, a night of trick-or-treating will indeed be a treat for everyone. Here are a few Halloween safety tips provided by the National Safety Council.

Motorists

Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

Parents

Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know the names of older children’s companions.
Establish a return time.
Pin a slip of paper with the child’s name, address and phone number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from the group.

Costume design

Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes.
Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard.

Face design

Masks can obstruct a child’s vision. Use facial makeup instead.
When buying special Halloween makeup, check for packages containing ingredients that are labeled “Made with U.S. Approved Color Additives,” “Laboratory Tested,” “Meets Federal Standards for Cosmetics” or “Non-Toxic.” Follow manufacturer’s instruction for application.

Accessories

Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible materials. Do not allow children to carry sharp objects.
Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if children are allowed out after dark.
Carrying flashlights will help children see better and be seen more clearly.

Rules children should follow

Don’t enter homes or apartments without adult supervision.
Walk on sidewalks, not in the street. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.

Treats

Give children an early meal before going out.
Insist that treats be brought home for inspection before anything is eaten.
When in doubt, throw it out.

Show offers education tools to parents

“Education News Parents Can Use” is a television program produced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Communication and Outreach.

The monthly TV series focuses on schools, learning and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. On the third Tuesday of each month during the school year, “Education News” airs live via satellite, offering parents and anyone else with an interest in education vital information about getting involved in children’s learning.

The show features segments, including interviews, how-to discussions, video and graphics, and brief conversations with parents, educators, community, business and religious leaders, and education experts. Past guests have included Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Nye the “Science Guy.” Every month, the broadcast explores a scientific subject such as reading, technology, school safety, special education and preparing for college.

“Education News Parents Can Use” airs on TLC Tuesdays at 4 p.m. ET four weeks after the original airdate. It can also be viewed on Dish Network’s channel 9411 or via Web cast.

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