Back-to-school isn't just buying binders

Bowie, MD-The new Whitehall Elementary School's first day as kids in PG return to school. Kindergarten teacher Janice Wellner, right in tan dress, leads kindergarten students to the bus after school. By James M Thresher-The Washington Post.

Is a piece in today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer. From the article:

With classes starting in less than two weeks, many parents are caught up in a flurry of back-to-school shopping. But experts say getting ready takes more than buying binders, pens and calculators, or spending hours at the mall in search of elusive, mutually acceptable kid's jeans. They applaud ... parents who are already taking steps to ease their children into a school routine, which can alleviate first-day jitters and ensure that they have the most productive year possible.

Among the suggestions:

- Wean kids off TV and video games.
- Wake up and smell the oatmeal.
- Create a homework zone.
- Dress to impress.
- Meet the teacher.
- Monitor what's going on at school.
- Keep lines of communication open.
- Eat to achieve.
- Get involved.

Among other links in the article is this one, to a Seattle Public Schools page on "Family Involvement in Seattle Public Schools."

I raise this, because for many children in the DC Public School system, parents aren't much involved, and need help in terms of trying to create an environment that "Support[s] Learning at Home."

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