Page Eighteen
N/Warren Town and County News
Thursday, April 1, 2010
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OVIATT ELEMENTARY
By Dr. Laura Sivadge
Preschool-ist Grade Principal
and R0dney Martinez
2nd-3rd Grade Principal
Three Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in School
By: Robert Needlman, M.D.
I started with the question, "What are the three best ways to help a child succeed
in school?" But I ended up making a top-ten list. Why not make up your own list and
let me know what I missed?
1. Set a regular bedtime, so your child gets a good night's rest. Successful children
are well-rested children. Create a bedtime routine to get your child ready to fall
asleep. Turn off the TV well before the bedtime routine begins.
2. Give your child a good breakfast; not just cereals and starches, but also proteins
and fats. My favorite: cold pizza; second favorite: saut6ed tofu. Proteins and fats get
metabolized more slowly, so they tend to last longer. When children "run out of
fuel" at midmorning, they may have a hard time staying focused on schoolwork.
3. Make mornings peaceful. Choose another time to yell about the dirty clothes
left in the bathroom or the toys all over the living room floor.
4. Set a regular time and place for homework that's free of distractions such as TV
or little brother. Help your children organize their work spaces, so that supplies are
there when they need them.
5. Set a good example. Let your child see you reading and writing. Subscribe to
newspapers and magazines, and discuss interesting stories from time to time. Show
enthusiasm for new knowledge.
6. Talk about education. If you've had lots of it, talk about how meaningful it was
and is to you. If you haven't had a lot, talk about how important it is for your child to
have more than you did.
7. Show respect for teachers in general and your child's teachers in particular. If
you disagree with a particular teacher, do it out of your child's earshot.
8. Read to your child; start as early as you can and keep going as long as you can.
Reading aloud nurtures school success even after children know how to read on
their own, because it connects children with a wider range of ideas.
9. Explore together. Walk through the city and talk about the architecture; go to
museums; take walks in the woods and bring a guidebook; go bird watching; go to
concerts and poetry readings; go to the library. Show your child what an exciting
place the world is.
10. Don't let school get in the way of your child's learning. Sure, good grades are
important. But it's more important for children to love learning and to find things
they truly care to learn about. In the long run, that's what will make your child a
success in life, not just in school.
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www.2thecrossroads.com
515-287-8580
q SCHOOL AND SPORTS PAGES
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*COMMUNITY STATE BANK
285-4900
*FOUR SEASONS AUTO WASH
981-4454
*DR. DONNA GRANT FAMILY DENTISTRY
256-9000
*HASKIN CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
981-0556
*JJ DESIGNS CUSTOM embroidery/screen
print - 953-6306
*EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS
Kevin Pearson - 285-1838
*MAID RITE SANDWICH SHOP
981-1031
*NORWALK INSURANCE SERVICES
981-0434 or 981-4293
*NORWALK LIONS CLUB
981-0432
*OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATES
981-0224
*SCOTT'S FOODS
981-0606
*NEWTON STANDRIDGE
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229-5310
*N/WARREN TOWN & COUNTY NEWS
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LAKEWOOD ELEMENTARY
By Jill Anderson, Principal
Dave Oleson, Dean of Students
ITBS Testing: If you ask a roomful of educators which word or phrase best sums
up No Child Left Behind (NCLB), some would say accountability. Others might say
student achievement, proficiencies or raised expectations. Probably the most accu-
rate word to describe the NCLB legislation is testing.
April will be the month that the students at Lakewood will be taking the Iowa Test
of Basic Skills. The teachers have been working hard on developing the skills within
the curriculum that were deficits on previous tests. I know they are anxious to ana-
lyze the scores to see if the strategies and skills taught were retained. Standardized
tests are a fact of life for our children. In a current copy of the national Association of
Elementary School Principals, there were some keys to help your child.
• Get familiar. Knowing the format and seeing the types of questions that will be
asked could help build your child's confidence, i know that the formative tests that
are given weekly have given the kids practice at the ITBS format as well as given our
teachers an opportunity to practice test taking skills.
• Encourage, Don't Pressure: Exerting too much pressure can cause test anxiety and
lead to worse test scores. We try to create a relaxed atmosphere that enables the child
to simply do their best. We emphasize their best effort rather than their best score. I
encourage you to do the same!
• Give them Brain Food! Each child needs to start each day with a good breakfast.
During ITBS, the nutrition staff will provide free breakfast during testing week.
• Sleep: For most elementary school children, ten hours of sleep every night will give
them an opportunity for the most success.
Secretary of Education often remarks, "What gets measured gets done." If noth-
ing else NCLB has launched an unprecedented focus on data and specific subgroup
achievement.
End of the Year Activities: As a building leader, my paramount responsibility is
to speak out for kids. Many times, I have to remind both teachers and parents that
my responsibility is to each of the children in this building. The Association for Su-
pervision and Curriculum Development position on education affirms that "A com-
prehensive approach to learning recognizes that successful young people are knowl-
edgeable, emotionally and physically healthy, motivated, civically inspired, engaged
in the arts, prepared for work and economic self sufficiency and ready for the world
beyond their own borders." I recognize the importance of assessments as diagnostic
tools for improving student achievement, but also value the importance of student
exhibits, demonstrations and presentations. Those activities build skills in social in-
teraction, teach teamwork and collaborative decision making.
The "extra" activities for the rest of the year are as follows.
April 7 Noon Early Out - Teacher Professional Development
April 10 PTO Fun Night & Silent Auction 4-8 p.m.
April 20 Lifetouch Spring Pictures
April 22 Lakewood Art Show - 5:30- 7 p.m.
May 5 Noon Early Out - Teacher Professional Development
May 26 DARE graduation
May 31 Memorial Day Holiday (NO SCHOOL)
June 8 Last Day of School
Healthy Schools Partnership
Make Kids' Snacks Delicious and Nutritious!
Healthy snacks are a very important part of a child's diet and they don't have to be
expensive, either. Because kids have small stomachs they need three meals and two
to three healthy snacks every day. Make sure you have food at home that your kids
can use to make healthy snacks and fewer not-so-nutritious snacks. There are plenty
of healthy snacks that kids will love to eat at home that don't cost a fortune!
Try the following fun snack ideas:
"Ants on a Log"- celery, peanut butter and raisins; "Fruit Kabobs"- chunks of your
favorite fruit (seasonally fresh or canned in its own juice) and cheese skewered on a
toothpick; "Totally Cool Trail Mix"- toasted oat cereal, peanuts (or sunflower seeds)
and raisins; "Slam Dunks"- cinnamon graham crackers and lowfat milk with an or-
ange. Remember: Keep kids' snacks delicious and nutritious!
Need an Easter treat
Cot someone?
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