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MAKE THE GRADE | 3
Make the Grade
Make the Grade gets you ready for class elcome to our guide that will help get you ready for the start of school this month. Whether your child is entering kindergarten or college, you’ll find stories here that will help you, and them, prepare for a return to class. You’ll find stories about curriculum, budgeting, higher education, change and technology. Among them: • A look at howCommon Core has changed how students are taught. Also, an educator explains how students today are encouraged to learn math in different ways. • Budgeting for all of your child’s educational needs can be tricky.
Find tips to help you know what to expect. • School fundraisers take an important place in helping to pay for the educational and extra-curricular needs of students. Hear the latest thoughts on fundraising. • Children can be filled with anxiety about starting school, switching schools, making new friends, leaving for college. Here are tips to help you help them with one of life’s constants: change. • Thinking about how to pay for college? Here are five things you need to know now, even if you’re starting to save as your child boards a school bus for the first time. • A college sophomore has advice
for those who are getting ready for their freshman years. Her tips will help you navigate this new terrain. • Technology has changed the way we educate and are educated. Online portals help you keep in touch with your child’s school and teachers. • As more students spend more time using technology, it’s important to help keep your child safe from online bullying. Here are things you need to know. • And, kids learn valuable lessons from participating in sports. Sometimes parents could learn a thing or two as well. Here’s a guide to help you be a good cheerleader without being, you know, that parent you really don’t want to be.
SUMMER 2016 C O N TAC T U S
Phone: 814.870.1600 Fax: 814.870.1808 EDITORIAL
brenda.martin@timesnews.com A DV E R T I S I N G
bill.dietz@timesnews.com ONLINE
Get all of your latest news and sports at GoErie.com Make the Grade is created annually by GateHouse Media LLC, the Erie Times-News parent company, and is distributed with various GateHouse papers across the country. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the management of the publication. Cover illustration: Pixabay ©2016 GATEHOUSE MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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MAKE THE GRADE | 5
TESTING
WIPED OUT? What’s next for Common Core By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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cross the nation, parents, teachers and children are objecting to the educational reform of the Common Core, creating a trend of opting out and raising serious questions about its future. The Common Core is a set of ambitious standards, the knowledge and skills that students will need to master by the end of a given school year, said Jonathan Supovitz, professor of leadership and public policy and co-director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. The goal of Common Core is for students to master what they will need to know so they will be able to attend college without taking any remedial classes, said Mindy Kornhaber, associate professor of education in educational theory and policy at Penn State College of Education. A brief history Adopted in 2010, Common Core peaked initially with 46 out of 50 states jumping on board but went downhill after that. Early adopter Indiana along with South Carolina and Oklahoma repealed the standards in 2014 and replaced them with 6 | MAKE THE GRADE
PIXABAY
new ones, Supovitz said. Only 32 percent of public school students live in states that are using the federally funded tests (called PARCC or Smarter Balanced) statewide, a drop from 46 percent a year ago, according to Education Week. In spring 2015, when the first Common Core “tests were applied, opting out was a big phenomenon. There was a big outpouring of parents who chose to withhold their children” from testing, he said. Why people opt out The trend of opting out was triggered by a combination of reasons, both educators said. First, many people think education should be a local issue, Supovitz said. They feel that the government is strong-arming local school districts into adopting national educational standards. It became a political issue
“There was not enough bandwidth to give all the students the tests.” Mindy Kornhaber, associate professor of education in educational theory and policy at Penn State College of Education
with people on both the right and left finding fault. The Right felt it was government overreach, while the Left felt wary of the foundations and private people that were contributing to public policy without any oversight, Kornhaber said. “The Common Core has turned into a political hot potato,” Supovitz said. “It became a proxy issue for people who were opposed to educational reform.” Others objected to the testing itself. Common Core’s “high-stakes testing” is testing with consequence,
Kornhaber said, and some people object to having their teachers evaluated this way. If too many students opt out, a school’s state report card could go down, and it might not be eligible for federal grant money. “Testing is the linchpin of this entire system,” Kornhaber said. Others find fault with the technology. When the first tests were administered in 2015, many school districts had infrastructure problems. “There was not enough bandwidth to give all students the tests,” Kornhaber said. Plus there are “technical equity issues,” Supovitz said. Poorer school districts may not have the technology available to them and some children may not have regular access to the technology at home, he said. Additionally, the “test materials were rolled out too quickly, and teachers didn’t have good professional development,” Kornhaber said.
“Teachers were required to start teaching things that they would be judged on before they were ready to.” What’s next Some states are balking at the cost associated with administering standardized testing. “Billions were spent on No Child Left Behind, but we saw minimal educational gains,” Kornhaber said. “The opt-out movement was a wake-up call,” said Supovitz. “It’s clearly a signal that the system has prioritized testing too much. We have to reposition testing. It has value but we need to recalibrate and find its appropriate role.” “Whether Common Core could have done better, I don’t think we’ll ever know because the system was never really implemented they way it was supposed to be,” Kornhaber said. “Common Core hasn’t been wiped out, but it’s severely injured.”
CURRICULUM
Is Common Core starting to add up for Erie’s schools? Amid challenges for public schools, district's math scores see small uptick from new standards
ONLINE EXTRA Watch a video that explains the difference between old and new math solutions. GoErie.com/video
By Chris Sigmund chris.sigmund@timesnews.com
A state decision four years ago created a shift in the way the Erie School District teaches mathematics and English. The district wasn’t surehow it was going to change its math curriculum to meet the new standards of Pennsylvania’s Core Standards published in 2012, said Nora Dolak, 48, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment at Erie’s public schools. “The state handed it over to the districts and said, ‘We are not having any part in your implementation,’” Dolak said. “We had to take our former math program and changed it to make it Pennsylvania Core, when other Pennsylvania districts could have purchased the Common Core materials. It has taken a great deal of work ... to determine what our students really need to know.” An example of that work was modifying how math is taught in the district’s fifth and six grades. The transition wasn’t inexpensive. In 2008, General Electricspentabout$500,000 per grade to purchase materials and to teach curriculum to instructors for the Connected Mathematics Program, Dolak said. But the state’s Core standards were much more rigorous, meant to align with the national Common Core State Standards Initiative, adopted in 2010. That initiative spelled out what K-12 students needed to know in English and math at the end of
Anna Wieczorek, an academic coach of math for the Erie School District, shows the difference between solving a math problem using the traditional method, at top, and one of the methods using Pennsylvania Core Math. CHRIS SIGMUND/ERIE TIMES-NEWS
each grade. It was designed to streamline the way students were taught language and math similar to the way other countries with much higher standards of education — such as Finland, Germany and Singapore — did, Dolak said. The standards would also prepare students for college. In some cases, the CMP wasn’t appropriate for the standard students needed to learn. As a result, the sixthgrade math CMP materials for half of the school year became the math materials for fifth-graders, Dolak said. “The materials were good; we couldn’t just throw them out, especially given our financial situation.” Teachers who were trained in the CMP helped the fifth-grade teachers with the curriculum. “Fifth grade went through some tumultuous years to help students
have a solid conceptual understanding. ... It doesn’t happen quickly,” Dolak said. The state, however, wanted to see results more quickly. The new standards were administered to the 2014-15 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test a year and a half after Common Core was first being taught. The Erie School District now has results of two PSSA tests in which Common Core material was applied. “Our mathematics has had a little bump in some grades. ... we are still under 30 percent proficient (at any grade level) or advanced in the preliminary (2015-16) data. There’s an uptick like in seventh grade from 17 to 21 percent proficient or advanced, but it’s nowhere near where our kids need to be,” Dolak said. “Math
scores plummeted (across the state), some in half, because of Pennsylvania Core Standards,” Dolak said. Statewide, 39.4 percent scored proficient or advanced in 2014-15, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The scores for 2015-16 will be released this fall. Dolak said the low scores need to be put into context. “Teachers have been working without a contract, we’ve had this budget strife in the state, we are chronically underfunded, and our school buildings have been crumbling,” she said. And the curriculum is more challenging, too. Students, like their elementary teachers, were expected to think like math specialists, according to Dolak. “For English standards ... it’s so straightforward, whereas
with math, teachers are literally taken through the practices that students need in order to think like mathematicians,” Dolak said. And no K-3 teacher gets just one subject to teach. The key for students to unlock success is understanding why their math formulas work, said Anna Wieczorek, 36, an academic coach of math in the district for 11 years. “The ability to make sense of the problem is a recurring theme in Pennsylvania’s Common Core math.” It forces students to “justify the reasoning behind the formulas.” Wieczorek will be teaching fifth-grade math at Diehl Elementary School on Erie’s east side this fall. She taught two workshops in July designed to help teachers develop effective Common Core math teaching practices. Dolak believes the students’ grasp of Pennsylvania Core Math Standards will improve this year. The review time for material learned in a previous grade is expected to take about two weeks for this upcoming school year, compared to nearly one-quarter in the prior one. Dolak said “It’s taken a tremendous amount of work, time and a real investment, but we’re getting there.” —Chris Sigmund can be reached at 8701870 or by email. MAKE THE GRADE | 7
BUDGETING
MONEY SMART How to plan for school expenses
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By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
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ack-to-school shopping is expensive, but budgeting on backpacks and school supplies can make your dollars go farther. After peaking in 2014, back-to-school spending dipped a bit last year. The National Retail Federation estimated that families with students in kindergarten through high school spent $630 per child in 2015, down from $669 in 2014, for a grand total of $29 billion. “Every family needs to budget for back-to-school spending no matter what their financial outlook,” said personal finance expert Rachel Cruze, author of “Smart Money Smart Kids.” From trendy school clothes to nifty pencil bags and binders, it’s easy for parents to overspend. 8 | MAKE THE GRADE
“Budgeting is key. If you don’t have a plan, you’ll end up spending too much,” Cruze said. Some people “hear the word ‘budget’ and cringe, but a budget doesn’t limit freedom, it increases your freedom so you can control what you spend,” Cruze said. Budgeting has to be intentional, and back-to-school spending needs to be a part of the household budget, Cruze said. “List all the categories your money is going to: bills, mortgage, rent. That’s your household budget. What’s left after bills can be saved or set aside for things like back-to-school spending. You know school is coming. Plan ahead and you’ll have a nice little fund for shopping,” Cruze said. Here are some more tips from Cruze, whose new book, “Love Your Life, Not Theirs,” will be available in October:
Plan it
Needs over wants
Start smart by making a list of everything you’ll need so you can budget the money you have to cover your expenses. Without a list, you’ll spend blindly and spend too much. Don’t shop without your list.
Just because you have a coupon for an item doesn’t mean you have to buy it. Stick with what your child needs rather than what your child wants. The required list of school supplies and new gym shoes to fit growing feet are needs. A new backpack is a want if last year’s is still in good shape.
Think ahead Some states have tax-free shopping days before school starts. Comparison-shop and look online to find the best prices. Take advantage of retailers who slash prices at the end of the season.
Make sure you need it Check what you already have. Does last year’s school uniform still fit? Is there an extra box of pencils that can be used? You might already have essentials such as rulers, scissors, pencils and paper on hand.
Let kids help Back-to-school shopping is an opportunity to teach kids about budgeting. Take an envelope with cash and let kids see the money disappear as it is exchanged for goods. When it’s gone, shopping is over. If a child wants trendy clothing brands or upscale supplies, let them cover the difference themselves.
Use tools In addition to paging through weekly circulars and
researching deals online, use an app to help with budgeting and couponing such as EveryDollar, SnipSnap, shopkick or YNAB (You Need A Budget) as well as apps from retailers you frequent.
Think about schoolyear expenses now “It’s likely that you’ll have fees due throughout the school year, some expected and some unexpected. Too many parents get caught off guard because they weren’t planning for these fees and don’t have the extra money to pay for them,” Cruze said. “Create a line item in your budget for miscellaneous school expenses and start setting money aside. This will allow you to have the money readily available for when the fees come due and prevent you from going into debt or feeling stressed about not having the money.”
BUDGETING
Area schools dependent on fundraising Keeping up with rising expenses and a shrinking taxbase By David Bruce
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families living in poverty in our district, we do not require any fundraising at our schools,” said Daria Devlin, the Erie School District’s coordinator of grants and community relations. Among Catholic schools, the decision to hold mandatory and voluntary fundraisers is up to each individual school, though that will soon change for six Catholic elementary schools in Erie: Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Peace, Our Lady’s Christian, St. George, St. James and St. Luke. Those schools are set to join the Erie Catholic School System for the 2017-18 school year, and any fundraising policy will include all six schools, said Sam Signorino, the diocese’s director of Catholic schools and school personnel. “We won’t have St. Luke do one thing and OLP do another,” Signorino said. “Either they all will have mandatory fundraisers, or they won’t. We haven’t reached a decision yet on which way it will go.” OLP holds a voluntary fundraiser each fall, and its Family and School Association holds one each spring. The school’s athletic
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Jefferson School might get its playground renovated for the first time in 20 years, if its students, parents and teachers sell enough frozen pizzas. Jefferson, in the Erie School District, is one of many area public and private schools that rely on fundraisers to help cover the costs of some supplies, renovations and extracurricular activities. These moneymaking ventures are even more important now with budget shortfalls caused by rising costs and a shrinking tax base. “I don’t know where some schools would be without these fundraisers,” said Stephanie Morris, Jefferson School PTO president. “There are some schools in Erie County that probably pay for more things with fundraisers than we do. To not see that money come in would be difficult.” Almost every public and Catholic school in the Erie area holds at least one voluntary fundraiser each year, said officials from Erie School District and the Catholic Diocese of Erie. Some Catholic schools also have a mandatory fundraiser for students, though no Erie public schools do. “Given the number of
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david.bruce@timesnews.com
department also holds a fundraiser each June, and the school sells a coupon book throughout the year. The fall fundraiser helps pay for class trips for the seventh- and eighth-graders, while the spring one covers the costs of technology, field trips, class parties and the annual Santa Shop, said Kathy Grisier, OLP’s advancement director. “If we didn’t have any fundraisers, we wouldn’t have things like new sports equipment,” Grisier said. “The only other way to raise that money would be to increase tuition.” Grisier and other advancement directors realize they can’t keep asking students and their families to sell chocolate, frozen pizzas and magazine subscriptions. Schools need other ways to raise money. One way is to reach out to the community, specifically to alumni. The Erie School District helped to create a
nonprofit organization, the Partnership for Erie Public Schools, which is designed to raise money for the financially troubled district. “We have held community events, such as bringing the Harlem Wizards basketball team to Erie,” said Devlin, who is the organization’s director. “We are also trying to target alumni, but we have to build that from the ground up. Erie has four public high schools with thousands of alumni, but there has never been an organized alumni relations department.” Until that department can get up and running, Erie public schools will depend on the selling abilities of its students and families. Jefferson’s main fundraiser this fall will be selling frozen pizzas to pay for the
“If we didn’t have any fundraisers, we wouldn’t have things like new sports equipment. The only other way to raise that money would be to increase tuition.”
Kathy Grisier, advancement director at Our Lady of Peace
playground renovation. “We’re looking into some grant money as well, but our plan is for all of our fundraising to go toward the playground,” Morris said. “It’s time for a renovation.” —David Bruce can be reached at 870-1736 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNbruce. MAKE THE GRADE | 9
CHANGES
Keeping it Positive
Advice for Parents Here are some more tips: • Visit the school’s website. Take a virtual tour and download a map of the school if possible. Check the school ctalendar and read the school rules and dress codes. • If possible, visit the school and talk to the teacher or an administrator before classes begin. • Practice your introductions. Have your child come up with a short conversation-starter: “Hi! My name is Mike. I just moved here from Baltimore and I play baseball.” That way they’ll be ready with something to say to new acquaintances. • Remind your child that it’s normal to feel anxious and let them know you’re there for them if they have questions.
FREEPIK
Ways to help your child deal with school year changes By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
Change is hard for everyone. Entering a new school is one of the biggest changes a child may encounter in his young life. Parents can help smooth the transition and make it less traumatic. “A lot of parents may feel anxiety about a change of school, but they should be careful not to project those 10 | MAKE THE GRADE
feelings on their kids. Their child may not be feeling the same thing,” said parenting expert, blogger and author Richard Greenberg, who shares an analogy: “If you got in a taxi and said to the driver, ‘Take me to the airport’ and he said, ‘I don’t know how to get there,’ you wouldn’t feel too good about it. Kids are in the back of our cab. The key is to project confidence.” Put yourself in their shoes and try and remember how it felt to be a kid in a new situation, he added. “Let them know you’re part of the process. Project
that this is going to be great. They’re going to have fun. Change is a part of life. It’s a part of growing up. Tell them that you’re proud of them. Use the power of positive thinking,” Greenberg said. Make a friend early “Friends play an enormous part of success in school,” said educational psychologist and parenting, bullying and character expert Dr. Michele Borba, author of “Unselfie.” “Friends keep kids happy. They make a child want to go to school. They are a support system.”
Ifyoucanconnectyourchild with one friendly face before school starts, it can ease the process of changing schools. “Walking into a new school without knowing someone is stressful,” Borba said. “The goal is to make your child feel secure in dozens of ways. Whatever you can learn and discuss ahead of time will reduce their anxiety.” Look for opportunities for your child to meet neighbors and potential classmates over thesummer.Checkoutlibrary andparkdistrictprogramsand the Erie Times-News to see what’shappeninginyourarea.
• If your child is concerned about riding the bus, brief your child on safety rules and visit the bus stop in advance. Point out familiar landmarks and reassure your child that an adult will be on hand when they disembark at the school. • Parents can contact the school’s parent teacher organization, which can provide information about the new school. Volunteering is a great way to become a part of a new community and make new friends for both parent and child. • No matter how anxious you are when dropping off a child at a new school, don’t linger. Borba said. That will only increase their anxiety.
H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N
5
tips to lighten the financial burden of college By Jim Martin jim.martin@timesnews.com
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ollege isn’t cheap. Thanks to an educational inflation rate of nearly 5 percent over the past 10 years, the average cost of tuition and fees for the most recent school year was $33,405 at private colleges and $9,410 at public schools, according to the College Board. Add in the price of a dorm room and three meals a day, and the price jumps to $44,921 at private schools and $19,548 at public schools. It’s no surprise then that parents find themselves worrying about this looming expense, especially in families with more than one collegebound offspring. Here are some financial strategies that might lighten your load:
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Your Roth Individual Retirement Account might be your best source of funding, said John Evans, owner of Evans Advisory Services, which has offices in Erie and Meadville. Here’s why: Unlike a traditional IRA or 401(k), which charge a steep penalty for withdrawing funds before retirement age, the Roth allows you to withdraw the share of the account that you invested at any time and without penalty. Perhaps even more importantly. the federal government can’t consider your retirement savings when it determines eligibility for federal student aid. In other words, having money stashed in a savings account in your child’s name will diminish your financial aid. Money saved in a Roth won’t affect your eligibility.
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This might sound like a contradiction, but don’t raid your retirement to pay for college. It’s one thing, Evans said, to use principle from your Roth IRA to help pay for college, but quite another to sacrifice your retirement entirely. “I have often said if you get to the point where you can save for retirement or pay for college, you have to save for retirement. Your kids can borrow money for education, but you can’t borrow for retirement. You can’t go into PNC and say, ‘I am a half a million short for retirement.’ It doesn’t work that way.”
3
Tap your whole life insurance policy. While term life insurance policies have grown in popularity, Evans said there is still a place for universal whole life policies that gain value. In the right situation, it can make sense to use some of that accumulated value to pay tuition, room and board.
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Let your child share the cost, even if you can afford it. “I think having some skin in the game makes a lot of sense,” Evans said. Evans said he was fortunate enough that he could have written a check to cover all of the expenses when his daughter went to college in Ohio. While he covered the bulk of the bill, she worked part time during the summer and part time while school was in session. When it came time for graduate school, his daughter was able and willing to pick up the bill of $6,000 per semester. Sharing the bill ensures that your child will have sense of the value of their education. “I do think it makes a difference,” Evans said.
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Tell junior to get better grades. Better grades are more than a means to get into college. Good grades and sometimes good test scores can save you thousands off your tuition bill. Colleges want the best students and are willing to offer incentives to attract them. Joe Howard, vice president for enrollment at Mercyhurst University, said high-achieving students will often find their tuition bills at private schools are thousands less than the college’s posted tuition. “You can save more than half as a function of being a high-achieving student,” he said.
—Jim Martin can be reached at 870-1668 or by email. Send email to jim.martin@ timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNMartin.
MAKE THE GRADE | 11
H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N
10 pieces A of advice for college freshmen
lmost exactly one year ago, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as I prepared for my freshman year at Pennsylvania State University in State College. Now, as I prepare for my secondyear,Ivividlyremember that hectic move intomydorm. I recall the thrilling, loud atmosphereofthefootballgamesand on-campus concerts. I look back on those late nights and early mornings during which I studied eagerly
... From a recent college freshman By Mary Kirik Contributing Writer
for my classes pertaining to my nursing major. And, of course, I look forward to the next time I contact or meet up with my friends I made through my classes, clubs and dorm life. I can’t adequately put into words just how fast that year flew — or just how fun and eventful it was. But, I can share a few things I’ve learned over the course of the year that might help incoming freshmen in their college journeys.
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The relationships you form in college are just as essential to the experience as academics, activities and wellness.
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12 | MAKE THE GRADE
1. Match your schedule with your sleeping habits. Right from the start, aim to find a sleep and study schedule that fits well with your class schedule. For instance, if you are a morning person, you could schedule early classes so you can go to bed as early as you need for the next day. Or, if you consider yourself a night owl, choose to study and get assignments done at night when you are most alert.
2. Stay organized. Organization is critical in college — with all of the courses, clubs, studying and other components you face each day. One invaluable tool is a daily things-to-do list. It’s difficult to keep mentally organized by using your memory alone, especially with the amount of responsibilities that college students face daily. It helps to see your list on a computer screen or on paper. Type or write a new list for each day that highlights all of the large tasks — and the small ones — that must be completed that day. I also recommend using storage bins and drawers to keep items organized. Not only will these keep your dorm room looking clean and arranged nicely, but they also will help you be more efficient and productive while you’re at your desk or work space.
3. Take part in several activities. When you arrive on campus, immediately begin to participate in the activities you loved from your high school years. Don’t isolate yourself in your dorm room. Try a couple clubs that weren’t available to you in high school or that seem new and interesting.
Fairview resident Mary Kirik, a Villa Maria Academy graduate, watches her parents drive away after they moved her into her dorm room in August 2015 before her freshman year at Penn State University in University Park. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Also, find at least one activity that allows you to give back to others. These activities will make you well rounded and enhance your college experience tenfold.
4. Go to your professors’ office hours. I cannot stress enough just how important office hours can be for your collegiate classwork and your grades. I highly recommend going to your professors’ office hours during the first week of classes. Ask a professor to explain his or her expectations of the course and of you as a student in that course. Follow up as much as needed.
5. Gain the small school feel, even at a big school. For those of you starting your college lives at a big school, like I did at Penn State, it’s OK to feel nervous about entering a massive school with thousands of students on campus.
A good friend of mine once told me that you can make a big school feel like a small school, but it’s much harder to make a small school feel like a big school. I took this lesson to heart by forming quality friendships with the people living on my dorm floors, the people from my classes, and the people from my clubs and activities. If you connect with other people, the big school will seem less intimidating. As you progress through you college career, you might notice that there are specific areas of campus related to your major and activities. By seeing these locations often, you will feel more comfortable on a bigger campus, and it may even feel smaller over time.
6. Focus on friendships. The relationships you form in college are just as essential to the experience as academics, activities and wellness. Reach out to those who live on your floor, take your classes, join your clubs and even participate in your faith. Devote time to other people so you can build strong friendships for support and fun times during your college years.
7. Stay connected with those at home. In this modern technological age, keeping in touch with family and friends at home is much easier. Social media can help you reach out to family as a support system, and to friends as a way to share in the memories you make during your college years. Make sure, however, not to rely on family for things that you can handle independently, because that is a major part of becoming an adult. After all, that’s the point of college in the first place.
8. Start projects early. Procrastination might have worked in high school, but college is another story. Aim to start big assignments early. If it helps, write an extensive list of all of the components of the assignment that need to be completed, so you know how to go forward and finish the project smoothly. If you happen to be completing a group project, take the lead and encourage your group members to help so you all will earn a good grade and get the most out of the experience. Don’t wait for someone else to take the lead.
9. Share in your college’s school spirit. No matter what school you go to, make sure to enjoy the college years during this fun time of your life. Go to as many sporting events, pep rallies, lectures, concerts, etc. as possible, while not neglecting your schoolwork. Do your best to build a sense of community with the people at your school so you enjoy every minute of your collegiate experience.
10. Wellness is a necessity. Maintain a healthy balance of nutrition and fitness throughout the semester. Eating smart, low-fat, healthy meals will improve your thinking processes and performance in and out of the classroom, so it is definitely worthwhile in the long run. Plus, take time to walk, bike or try a fitness class to ensure a healthier lifestyle for college and beyond.
—Mary Kirik, of Fairview, will be starting her sophomore year at Penn State University's main campus in State College this month.
MAKE THE GRADE | 13
T E C H N O L O GY
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Conquering cyber stress How to talk to your kids about online safety By Sarah Stemen
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14 | MAKE THE GRADE
The internet has been compared to the old Wild West since computers first started talking to each other in the 1990s. It’s a place where shootouts happen frequently, with the potential for damaging, long-term effects. That comparison is accurate, according to Amy Blackman,director of prevention education for the Crime Victim Center of Erie County, because of the vast array of information available with just one click, the anonymity of internet users and the ability to say “whatever, whenever to whoever.” “It’s scary what’s out there and how quickly it is changing,” Blackman said. “It’s so important the dialogue is continuous and constant between parents and kids.” More than 34 percent of all students between the ages of 11 and 15 say they have been
cyberbullied, according to 2015 research from http://www. cyberbullying.org. That means that more than one out of every four students reports they’ve been a victim of cyberbullying. It’s not just a national issue, but happens in Erie, Blackman said. “Teens’ and preteens’ brains are still developing and impulse control isn’t there yet,” Blackman said. “When I talk to kids, I tell them to think about what their grandparents would say if they saw it. Count to 10 and look at it again.” It’s an issue local schools take seriously, said Jamie Plaster, supervisor of instructional technology at Millcreek Township Schools. Millcreek schools begin talking to kids about online safety and cyberbullying in fifth grade. The vast array of apps, social media sites and changing technology leaves many parents wondering how to make sure their kids are being safe online, Plaster and Blackman say.
scenarios, Blackman said. Plaster agreed. The more relatable you can make the scenarios, the better. “Find real-life articles and videos that involve kids their age or kids in your area,” Plaster said. “Show them real-life consequences of cyberbullying and what has happened to kids like them, that do things they do.” The younger the conversation begins, the better, Blackman added. “Don’t wait until they’re teens to start talking about this,” she said. Check their social media accounts and technology periodically. Plaster, Jones and Blackman all agree it’s OK for parents to “befriend” or “follow” their kids on social media. “Whatever platform they’re using, you’re on it, too,” Plaster said. “Know the password to their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Get on their Snapchat account.” Be open about checking them so the child doesn’t feel like he or
“The more you talk about what they’re doing online and in a conversational way, not grilling them, the more natural the conversations become.” Amy Blackman, director of prevention eduction for the Crime Victim Center of Erie County
she has to hide anything, Blackman said. “Communicate that you’re going to be checking,” she said. “Don’t frame it as a negative thing. The more we say that the internet is not safe and put it down, the less likely the child is going to come to you to chat about it.” Remember: you’re the parent. Know the pass code for the child’s cellphone, know social media passwords and have full access to the child’s online presence, Blackman said. “You are the parent. You pay the phone bill. You have the right to
know what your child is doing,” she said. Both Plaster and Blackman said it may be necessary to monitor a child’s social media accounts or online activity through a friend or relative. “Sometimes if it’s a sticky situation, we recommend an aunt or a close family friend who the child feels comfortable talking with to monitor (it),” Blackman said. Encourage offline interaction. Encourage offline interaction with people, so that kids can learn to practice reading facial cues and body language, Blackman said. “Don’t necessarily limit online time,” she said. “We’ve seen a great uptick in kids who can’t socially interact with people in person because so much time is spent communicating online.” —Sarah Stemen can be reached at 870-1776 or by email. Follow her on twitter at twitter.com/ETNstemen.
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Keep communication open. This is the most important thing for parents to remember, Blackman and Plaster say. “They’re never going to know 100 percent of what their kids are doing,” Plaster said. “It’s up to parents to keep communication open. Make sure your kids know that they can rely on you and talk to you about what happens online.” Use language that’s conversational and nonjudgmental, Blackman advised. “If you feel intimidated by the technology kids are using, ask them about it,” she said. “The more you talk about what they’re doing online and in a conversational way, not grilling them, the more natural the conversations become.” Danny Jones, director of student services at Erie School District, said to speak “honestly and knowledgeably.” Parents should do their homework before trying to teach, he said. A good technique is presenting
MAKE THE GRADE | 15
Portal gives parents instant access to student information By Dana Massing dana.massing@timesnews.com
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The days of hiding your report card from Mom and Dad are gone. With student information systems, computers, tablets, smartphones and apps, parents can see not only their children’s quarterly grades, but also how they scored on that morning’s pop quiz. Upcoming assignments, missed homework and attendance records are among the other information options, depending on the school and system. “It’s amazing,” Becky Siegler said. Siegler has a child at each of the three buildings in the Fairview School District— a daughter in 10th grade at the high school, a son in seventh at the middle school and a son in fourth at the elementary school. She said it’s easy to log in and access their information on her iPad, and her children can even use the system to do assignments. “If they haven’t turned something in, it will tell me that,” Siegler said. “I can also see their grades.” Siegler said Fairview’s system also provides an easy way to send comments to teachers. “When parents are involved and parents are communicating with teachers, that can only benefit students in the long run,” Matt Lane, assistant principal at Fairview High School, said. Data available to parents can vary by school and depends on the vendor a district uses. Most information can be accessed using a browser on a computer or an app on a smartphone or tablet. Fairview uses Schoology to deliver a digital portal for parents of its approximately 1,600 students. Parents of the Harbor Creek School District’s approximately 2,050 students can use a Home Access Center provided by SunGard. “I would be hard pressed to find a district not doing something like this,” Jeff Shumaker, Harbor Creek’s technology supervisor, said. Shumaker said his district and many others have what is commonly called a student information system that districts use internally. A portal, known
as the Home Access Center in the Harbor Creek district, provides outsider users like parents and students with the ability to access certain portions of that information. “This one is instantaneous,” Shumaker said about Harborcreek’s setup. “As soon as a teacher enters a grade or assignment and publishes it, a parent can have access to it,” he said. Discipline and attendance records also appear, Shumaker said, and parents can set up alerts to receive emails if their children don’t show up at school or even if they score below a certain percent on a test. In Harbor Creek, students in grades seven through 12 can use the Home Access Center to follow their own progress or, in some cases, download study guides or work sheets teachers have attached. In Fairview, more information is currentlyavailableaboutstudentsinmiddle and high school, but announcements, homework and test dates are included for elementary students, said Jonathon Valentin, database analyst for the district. Lane said users can receive school announcementsinvariousways,including messages on their smartphones. Shumaker said Harbor Creek teachers and parents have been receptive to the system. He said school officials are aware of parents without email or the internet and will still communicate with them via notes. Fairview’s Lane said school officials will still call parents on a telephone if that’s what they prefer. But he saidportals offer communication flexibility. The systems allow parents to send messages or comments outside school hours, although teachers aren’t expected to be on call 24/7. Lane said that in this technology age, it’s worthwhile for districts to invest in such systems. He said students can even benefit after they graduate from high school because most colleges have similar systems that students will be expected to be familiar with and use. —Dana Massing can be reached at 870-1729 or by email. Follow her on Twitter @ETNmassing.
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MAKE THE GRADE | 17
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 ■ Tip: To help prevent performance anxiety
and lessen a child’s fear of failure, include him or her in decisions about which sports to play, how deeply to get involved, and what level of competition is desired. Give your child at least some control over sports decisions. “By this I mean that youth sport has become overwhelmingly adult-organized and adultcontrolled, with adults benefiting greatly under the guise of ‘doing it for the children,’” Willow says. “When athletes don’t feel they’re in control — or at least have influence — they experience less enjoyment, higher burnout and less intrinsic motivation, which means doing something for the love of the activity as opposed to external reasons.” Take-away: Don’t force them to compete. Children often choose the sport they like the most, and that enjoyment is often tied to their perceived competence in it. “Rarely will a child continue to participate in an activity in which they perceive themselves to be less competent than their peers,” Willow says. ■ Tip: Avoid specialization, especially before
the high school level. Research shows fairly definitively that sport specialization is no more beneficial for achieving college scholarships or playing professionally. “Youth sports have become a lesson in specialization,” Willow says. “Whereas we, as parents, are likely to have participated in multiple sports throughout the year, many of today’s young athletes devote the vast majority of their efforts and energy to single sports that are played over multiple seasons.”
Jennifer Fiolek and her husband Paul Fiolek, of Fairview Township, watch their son Logan Fiolek and his FLAG 12-year-olds Little League team in a game against Saegertown. ANDY COLWELL/ERIE TIMES-NEWS
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sports by remembering that kids almost always play for the love of the game, even if you believe they’re the next Tiger Woods or Tom Brady. “There seems to be an everincreasing celebration of the professionalism of youth sport,” Willow says. “Whether it be converting a 12-year-old’s fastball to its major league equivalent or countless television shows dedicated to bringing into focus borderline abusive coaches and parents.” Take-away: Be realistic in assessing your child’s ability. Willow points to the example of Woods, who became the world’s No. 1 golfer, leading parents to try to follow the blueprint his father, Earl, used to make him a star. “Some parents go as far as to uproot the entire family and spend tens of thousands of dollars chasing a dream that, more often than not, is never realized,” Willow says. Elite sports schools and camps have sprung up around the country promising the potential for future stardom, but mostly they leave behind a trail of disappointed young athletes and parents. “For every Woods and Andre Agassi, there are thousands of young athletes who have come up short and been left with mountains of debt and little else to show for their time and commitment,” Willow says. ■ Tip: Remember that you’re the
adult and act accordingly, even when things don’t go in favor of your child or his or her team.
“Let’s be honest, you don’t often see positive press about parental activity in youth sport,” Willow says. “Highlights of fist fights, shoving matches and even gun violence have made their way through the national media and live on eternally in cyberspace. I’m not sure if it’s just not in my DNA as a coach, a father or a professor, but I can’t fathom what could happen in a youth or adolescent sporting event that would necessitate such violence.”” Willow says many parents fall victim to what he calls “a fallacy of fairness,” leading to an expectation that the best team will always win, the coach will always make the right decision and the officials will never make a bad call. Take-away: When bad breaks happen, rather than responding with hostility or pointing fingers, use it as an opportunity to teach your child life lessons. “Life sometimes isn’t fair,” Willow says. “Sometimes the most qualified person doesn’t get the job. Sometimes hard work doesn’t get rewarded. Life can be illogical, but when it happens, try to remain focused on what your child can do next time and how every win or loss is a learning experience. Sport is a great place to teach personal responsibility. Allowing your child to blame others for adverse outcomes on the field is likely to repeat itself in other aspects of life.” As a final thought, Willow encourages parents to ask themselves whether their child truly loves a sport or loves the support and reinforcement he or she gets from the parent who loves the activity. “Too often, I’ve seen parents experience real depression when their child discontinues participation,” Willow says. “Not because of how it affects the child, but rather the loss that the parent experiences when detached from a social network to which they had been intimately tied.”
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Take-away: Nearly 90 percent of college players selected in this year’s NFL draft were multisport athletes in high school. Studies have linked specialization to overuse injuries and burnout, and college coaches have consistently said they prefer well-rounded recruits. While Willow encourages parents to allow children to find their way and support them, he warns against limiting opportunities “because the coach of their current team frowns upon other sport participation.”
—John Dudley can be reached at 870-1677 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNdudley. MAKE THE GRADE | 19
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