With the lack of public school funding, the need for school districts to facilitate (not just permit) PTA's is long overdue.
“We will need help from families, partner agencies, and communities,” states Durham Public Schools Superintendent Bert L’Homme’s February 5th commentary regarding DPS’s challenges in meeting the educational needs of low-performing students (LHomme_DN_Feb2017). By ‘help’, DPS means ‘We need you to keep your children in our schools.” I get that. But parents don’t want their kids in schools that don’t sincerely welcome parent involvement…
Protect and Improve Affordable Care Mental Health Coverage
It pains me to think of all the mentally ill persons languishing on our streets or in our prisons. So many are uniquely brilliant in ways we are only beginning to understand. What's more, the NRA and supporting politicians argue that we don't need better gun control, we need better treatment of mental illness. So it is completely irrational and incomprehensible to me how someone could be against gun control as well as against the treatment of mental health issues made possible by the Affordable Care Act…
The Power to Change
Click on the link below to see my recent post in the Durham News (News and Observer). I do believe it's time for a change. But meaningful change can only come from within…
Thought for the Day
It's easy to forget to thank these special people in our lives. I'm making a conscious effort to improve in that regard. The older I get, the more I appreciate how difficult it is to be more than is expected of you. Words of appreciation help. A lot. …
Your Village
In organizing children’s events this summer, I’ve talked to several science museum directors and staff, mostly about how to ensure that people actually attend the events. It’s not a matter of young people wanting to be there. It’s a matter of their parents getting them there. Turns out it’s one of the biggest challenges for education directors across the country…
The Danville Science Center - A Unique Experience for Kids of All Ages
I spent last Saturday bonding with young people, pre-school through high-school, via my hands-on children's book readings at the Danville Science Center (DSC). While driving to Virginia from my home in Durham, NC, I worried that my kids, who accompanied me, would get bored in one place all day and would consequently interfere with my program and my sanity. Boy, was I wrong!
Middle- and High-School Strings Students Amaze at Animazement in Raleigh, NC, this Weekend
Yesterday, the Duke University String School's Youth Symphony Orchestra yesterday performed an Anime Symphony (entitled Space Brothers) at the 2016 Animazement Convention in Raleigh, NC. The symphony was written, designed and conducted by renowned Japanese movie composer and record producer Toshiyuki Watanabe, who flew in from Japan just for the event…
Come learn Thursday what ‘Lights On Afterschool’ is all about
… Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide project of the Afterschool Alliance (afterschoolalliance.org/index.cfm), which is dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to affordable and quality after-school programs. It’s a great way for families, companies, volunteers, anyone to learn about …
Neighborhood Advocate Needed
I agree whole-heartedly with the Durham People's Alliance's request of City Council to hire a neighborhood advocate…
Welcome to my blog ...
... where you'll find articles pertaining to education and written for parents, caretakers, & teachers (traditional & home-school) regarding practical hands-on books, curricula, events, & opportunities. Other articles concern parenting, marriage, writing, & life in general, as well as local (Durham/Raleigh/Chapel-Hill), regional (Southeastern United States), and national issues and concerns.