A little about us: Gary Wakerley (the Jumping Pillow guy) invited me to leave Australia and join him in establishing a new online newspaper to the campground industry.
Continued from Page 1 This week Campground & RV Park E News publishes it's 100th issue. We would like to thank all our advertising supporters and readers alike. Without both, the E news would not be reaching your email inbox each and every week. In particular, thanks for the great support given to us from the State Associations. Our E News has become a credible means of reaching out to members and non members alike providing much needed up to date information to campground owners. Electronic means of communication is now part of our every day life with cell phone technology expanding on an almost daily basis. Many of our readers read the e news via their blackberry or similar device. Research shows that newspaper and
magazine online readership is growing rapidly. Testament to that fact is that in 2010 online advertising is tipped to overtake traditional print media, for the first time ever! What does this mean to you? The answer is simple: Get used to it! What other medium can reach people immediately? What other medium expands visibility to products and services by enabling linking to websites where the consumer can, if they choose, gain further information and even order online.
For those that don't know I have been publishing online magazines for many years in Australia, in fact, still do.
Whilst we still have a fair way to go we think that now, after 100 issues we have the formula just about right. That's not to say we won't listen to what our readers say, feedback is of critical importance and something we really appreciate. Thank You once again.
Following on from the first editor, Dave O'Connor, we set about providing the ingredients to ensure the success of a weekly product.
Dennis Macready Publisher/Editor
you present in your newsletter. As an insurance company which only insures businesses in the camping industry we find your newsletter to be an excellent way of staying up to date on all the things that are happening. I'll look forward to onehundred editions and wish you many more successes.
CONGRATULATIONS on your 100th edition of the ENews.
others to get on the eNews bandwagon.
Best Regards, Lucas Hartford, President Evergreen
We are proud to have been associated with you from day one as one of your earliest advertisers and supporters.
Art Lieberman President MCPS for Campgrounds and Producer Campground Expositions
Congratulations on the 100th issue of Campground E-News! Great milestone.
Our business has prospered because of the association and we have gained a good reputation because of the free webinars which you have seen fit to sponsor during this time. It is a privilege to be a columnist each week. Now both of our companies have begun new ventures. We are producing the First Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo and you are publishing Getaway USA. We wish you success in your new enterprise and we know you will assist ours by publishing the Expo Souvenir Program. We will happily continue our relationship in the future and would advise
I would like to extend my sincere congratulations on the great success of Campground & RV Park Enews. Soon you will be publishing your 100th edition and this is a great milestone for any publisher. Your electronic newsletter has stood the test of time and proven that it is a valuable resource to the camping industry. Personally I look forward to receiving my weekly email with the latest edition of Campground & RV Park E-news. I find that it is a great way to get very current information on the camping industry and appreciate the information
The weekly newspaper has added an important dimension to the park industry, giving us a weekly touch point to stay connected with the park business. I especially congratulate you for doing such an excellent and consistent job of bringing the news to the industry each and every week. Few can appreciate the challenge to meet a deadline every single week, a difficult task easily rivaling providing consistently excellent park operations as a challenge. As if that isn't enough each week, now adding the new Getaway USA emagazine to your plate
would be daunting for most people. You seem to be taking it in stride. Thanks for your continued work and efforts to enhance park industry communications among the trade and now among the general public. Best to you and Gary for continued success. David Gorin
The 100th issue of Campground e-News – well-done! As if reporting breaking news on a consistent, weekly basis isn’t enough of an accomplishment, Dennis and his team have pioneered an effective 21st century delivery system…an electronic magazine direct to my email box. The combination of content and convenience has proven to be a recipe for success. I’m eager to watch Dennis work his magic in the consumer arena with the upcoming GetawayUSA product. The future is now…and there’s never been a better time to be in this vibrant industry. Congratulations and cheers! Evanne Schmarder – Roadabode Productions/RV Cooking Show
SANTA CLAUS, IND----Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari will continue to be owned and operated by the Koch family “into perpetuity,” according to the park’s new president and CEO, Dan Koch.
trash. He graduated from Heritage Hills High School in 1982 and the University of Miami in 1986 with a degree in Business Administration and Finance. Following a year working fulltime at Holiday World, Koch returned to the University of Miami, where he earned a law degree in 1990. He practiced law in Miami for 15 years before opening Koch & Trushin law firm in 2005.
Koch, 46, takes the helm following the sudden death of his brother Will earlier this month. “Will and I have been business partners for decades and have spoken on the phone daily for more than 30 years,” says Koch. “I consider it an honor to step in as president and continue the expansion plans my brother and I crafted together. In the meantime, Will’s three children will have time to finish their education and learn more about the family business before they decide how they would like to be involved in the future of the park.” Koch says his mother, Pat, will continue as the park’s Director of Values, greeting guests at the front gate and providing motivation and guidance to the management and staff. “Our company was reorganized two years ago, when Will promoted two of our park directors to general managers,” says Koch. “These GMs will keep the park running smoothly as we move into
the heart of the season and prepare for next year.” Koch adds he plans to “stay the course” with Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari’s long-range expansion plans, community involvement, and philanthropic efforts. Koch is a partner in the law firm Koch & Trushin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He plans regular trips to the Santa Claus park and daily communication with management. He is married and has two young children. Along with his four siblings, Koch grew up in the town of Santa Claus; his first job was playing a costumed elf at Santa Claus Land, as Holiday World was called prior to 1984. His other seasonal jobs at the park included working in the games department, helping on the parking crew and hauling
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The portal, which provides links to more than 500 campground databases across the U.S., now features links to Canadian campgrounds as well as nearly 50 RV clubs, including RVing Women, the National African American RVers Association and the International Snowbird Travel Club CROWLEY, Texas, June 22, 2010 – AccessCamping.com, a camping website portal with links to more than 500 campground databases across the U.S., has added links to RV clubs as well as databases of Canadian campgrounds. “We think these latest additions will further enhance AccessCamping.com’s stature as a ‘must see’ website for anyone planning to visit campgrounds in North America,” said Brian Schaeffer, president and CEO of Texas Advertising, which launched the website portal a little over a month ago. Texas Advertising launched AccessCamping.com earlier this year as a web portal with links to more than 500 databases with listings of both privately owned and operated campgrounds as well as government-run campgrounds. The newest additions include links to more than 40 RV clubs, ranging from brand-specific groups, such as the Coachmen Owners Club, Gulf Streamers International, the Jayco Travel Club, the
Brian Schaeffer Vintage Airstream Club and the Winnebago-Itasca Travelers Club, to clubs that cater to specific demographics, such as RVing Women, the National African American RVers Association and the International Snowbird Travel Club. AccessCamping also added links to more than 70 Canadian campground databases that collectively list more than 2,000 public and privately owned campgrounds in Canada. AccessCamping.com also includes links to online databases of the major campground industry directories, including those provided by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, the Trailer Life and Woodall’s North American Campground Directories, as well as the
websites of campground chains, such as Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) and Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts. Schaeffer said AccessCamping.com is needed because most websites have limited campground listings. “The government run websites, for the most part, list only government run parks while the websites for campground industry
associations typically limit their listings to parks that are members of their associations. As a result,” he said, “most websites only give the camping consumer a partial view of what’s out there in terms of potential camping venues. The good news about AccessCamping.com is we truly ‘pamper the camper’ by giving them more camping options than any other source.”
NW Pennsylvania Campground adds multiple new amenities for the 2010 camping season! Brookdale Family Campground in Meadville, PA added two new deluxe Cabins, a new white cedar wood playground, and a jumping pillow to their amenities list for the 2010 camping season. The Cabins produced by Fork Creek Cabins in Christiana, PA, are full service deluxe cabins. They are situated on two, lake-front full hookup campsites. People can fish from their campsite, enjoy a lake-side campfire, or just sit on the porch and enjoy the view. The Playground produced by Bears Playground in Lima NY, is situated near the pool to provide camping families an entertainment area, with the jumping pillow, playground, and
cabins are renting very well, and even our older more primitive cabin business has picked up for this season.
pool all together in one centrally located area. The large Jumping Pillow was added to the Brookdale Family Campground wrist band program which also includes mini golf, paddle boats, and pedal karts. The addition of the jumping pillow and expansion of the wrist band program has breathed new life into the amenities package at Brookdale. According to owner Tim Chilson, “The new amenities have all been a big hit. The new deluxe, lake-front
The new playground gets lots of play with the focus customer being ages 2 – 12. The kids love the climbing walls, tube slide, and everything this play area has to offer. The band program with the jumping pillow has been a huge success, but we’re still experimenting with times and length of operation to make improvements for our customers.”
Brookdale Family Campground is located in Northwestern PA and has been in business for 32 years. Tim and Robyn Chilson have owned and operated the family campground for the last 11 seasons. Their park includes catch and release fishing in their 7 ponds, a swimming pool, themed event weekends, planned activities, and more!
The 20 deaths caused by flooding at an Arkansas campground earlier this month are reminders that even the most benign outdoor excursion can be dangerous. That's all the more reason campers should take precautions to ensure a safe as well as enjoyable experience. "It certainly could happen anywhere. I know that's profound, but it's true," said Michael Mendiola, agency safety officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Texas tops the nation in flash floods, with an average of 22 counties
affected by serious flooding each year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reports. Central Texas, in particular, is known as "Flash Flood Alley," Mendiola said. He pointed to recent flooding in Comal County — which was pummeled with about 12 inches of rain in less than 24 hours - that left one dead. Mendiola said TPWD places campsites out of flood plains and posts signs warning about potential hazards in state parks and wildlife areas. Nonetheless, flash-flood rescues are sometimes necessary.
Here are a few tips to help you protect you. Plan. Check the forecast for your camping location. Research the site online or call to find out if it's appropriate for you and your family. Do not go to a campsite with terrain or other conditions you're not sure you can handle. Mendiola also recommended telling other family or friends when you'll return from a camping trip."That way if you're not back or you don't contact them, they can start notifying authorities if necessary," he said.
Try a commercial campsite. If you're new to camping, consider a site that has a staff and other amenities. "See if you like it, and see how it feels and get comfortable with it," said Mike Gast, a spokesman for Kampgrounds of America, a chain with 475 locations throughout North America, including San Antonio and Lake Conroe north of Houston. "And you get that benefit of having people watch over you," he said. Full Article: www.chron.com
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), an international organization for families who own and enjoy the recreational use of motorhomes, is currently finalizing plans and registering families and exhibitors for the group’s Aug. 11 to 14 motorhome showcase in Redmond, Ore.
purchase of a motorhome, the convention provides an opportunity to view an assortment of makes and models all in one location. A variety of 2010 models, in many different sizes and price ranges, will be on display, and it’s likely that some manufacturers will have 2011 models ready as well.
The group will convene at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center where approximately 2,000 motorhomes and some 6,000 people are expected to gather for this fun-filled event, which has been dubbed “Redmond Rocks! Feel The Excitement!”
In addition to the motorhome show, highlights include seminars on a variety of topics related to motorhomes and RV travel, tours involving local sites and scenes, daytime and evening entertainment, and numerous social activities.
The association hosts conventions twice a year in varying locations with the purpose of celebrating the motorhome lifestyle and is making its fourth visit to Redmond, having also met in the city in 2001, 2004 and 2007.
While the convention is organized for Family Motor Coach Association members, the organization also invites members of the public to attend and provides various admission options. For those who want to view only the motorhome exhibition, admission costs $7 per day; children 12 and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult.
Convention activities include a motorhome exhibition that brings together major motorhome manufacturers and dealers from throughout the United States and Canada, as well as manufacturers and distributors of a multitude of RV accessories and components, and suppliers of various services related to RVs. For people considering the
People who would prefer to take in the exhibits and also attend seminars and entertainment may purchase a daily passport, which is available for $65 per person ($55 for FMCA members). More info: www.fmca.com
LEAVENWORTH, Wash. -- A 6-year-old girl nearly cut off one of her fingers with a hatchet at the KOA campground in Leavenworth. The Wenatchee World reports the Chelan County sheriff's office heard about the accident Friday because of a call that the father was
driving erratically as he sped her to a hospital. Campground co-owner David Witt said Tuesday the father later told him that although the finger was cut through the bone, doctors were able to reattach it with a pin. He says the girl is expected to make a full recovery.
New Berlin, PA – The International Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo, which will be held over the Internet on November 1st through 3rd, has announced that they will only sell a maximum of 80 booths. “Our reasoning is simple.” explains Art Lieberman President of Campground Expositions the show’s producer. “The Expo was never meant as a money maker for the production company, but merely as a method of reaching thousands of attendees who own outdoor hospitality businesses. The Expo is being produced to reach a wider market than some of the live conventions now reach for many of the exhibitor’s businesses”. “Booth sales are only a method to generate enough revenue to cover the expense of producing the event and to recover the cost of time which is not being spent marketing our own business.
“Besides,” continues Lieberman, “since there are going to be only 20 booths in an aisle, we decided that four aisles of booths are sufficient” Deanne Bower, the coproducer of the event, also stated, “We want to spend a great deal of time making sure that the exhibitors, who are basically newcomers to virtual shows, are properly educated in the methods of marketing their goods or services in virtual reality. The technology is probably not familiar to them. Both Tom Chiarello of AGS and Tracie Fisher of Campground Manager Today have volunteered to assist exhibitors with their booth setup.” Exhibitors can utilize various methods to market their goods or services which include prerecorded or live streaming video, live chat, downloadable catalogues or marketing materials, telephone, websites or email.
As of this writing, the Expo has 34 booths sold with another 15 oral assurances without written confirmation. But the producers are far from worried since there are four months remaining before the event takes place. “Having produced trade shows and conventions in the past,” Lieberman says, “I realize that many exhibitors wait until the last minute to commit, especially on a first-time event. Then in late August or when the booths are all sold, the producers will turn their complete attention to soliciting attendees. As noted before, this will be
accomplished by utilizing every media outlet that specializes in the outdoor hospitality industry and with an assist from various trade associations that are participating in the Expo. Producers are hoping for well over 1,000 attendees from the campground, marina, golf resort, paddleboat, dude ranch and ski resort and other outdoor hospitality industries. Booths are available by calling 877-901-EXPO (3976) or by going to the website of the show: www.outdoorhospitalityexpo .com.
Family at Timber Ridge RV and Recreation Resort "It's awesome this year; TRAVERSE CITY — It's we're up 12 percent official — summer's here already over last year," and much of northern said Kristin Levesque of Michigan's business Timber Ridge RV and community hopes that the Recreation Resort in East summertime visitors aren't Bay Township. "We've far behind. been owners for five years and we've seen an Summer officially arrived increase every year since just before 7:30 a.m. we've been here." Monday morning, but forgive those who've been Holiday Park Campground in summer mode already. in Blair Township added School's out, temperatures 24 sites this year after are hovering near 80 selling out last year for the degrees and visitors and National Cherry Festival. seasonal residents already Campground manager are filtering in to northern Steve Hall said they had a Michigan. Business owners great Memorial Day in the region are optimistic weekend and were they're in for a strong completely booked for the summer season if they can Cherry Festival by the first get Mother Nature to week of February. cooperate with nice Full Article: weather. www.record-eagle.com Area campgrounds report summer reservations already are running above last year.
Remember the excitement of going on a scavenger hunt as a kid? Today, families and people of all ages are reliving that fun with two popular outdoor hobbies, geocaching and letterboxing –and there's no better place to try them out than a campground! Geocaching is a scavenger hunt using computer and GPS technology (Global Positioning System). “Players” hide small weather-proof containers (“caches”) and then give online clues on geocaching websites about where each one is hidden. Inside the cache, they’ve tucked a logbook and some interesting trinkets to share. The
clues are posted in the form of longitude and latitude coordinates that other players can program into their hand-held global positioning system receiver. Players who wish to hunt for a geocache start by going online to a geocaching website, such as www.geocaching.com, and typing in the zip code or the area they wish to visit. They’ll find a long list of named caches hidden in that area, with the GPS coordinates and clues they need to use to find each one. After choosing the caches they wish to search for, they enter the coordinates into their GPS receiver.
Then it’s time for the hunt to begin! By using the GPS receiver as a guide, players can hike to the areas where each geocache is hidden. Once there, they must be observant and search around in order to zero in on the exact location of the hidden treasure. What does a cache look like? It might be a very small treasure, the size of a plastic film can, tucked into a knot in a fallen log. It might be a rigid plastic water bottle nestled in a thicket along a fence line. It could even be a five-gallon bucket hidden in a culvert at the end of a long hike through the woods. Most often, the container is disguised in some way to
blend in with its surroundings, but it should always be labeled as a geocache so it won’t be mistaken for something dangerous. After finding a cache, players are supposed to Continued
Continued open it and explore the contents. They should read through the logbook, then sign and date it. If they wish to take a trinket, they may, but game protocol says players who take a trinket should leave another one of similar value in its place so the game can continue and the cache will be everchanging. Upon returning home, players log their finds on the website where they initially found the posting. This is a chance to say “thanks” to the player who hid the cache, too. Letterboxing is very similar to geocaching, except it uses less technology and more cunning. Clues are posted on letterboxing websites, such as www.letterboxing.org, but they consist of compass readings and things like stories, anagrams, rhymes, or riddles to unravel. What makes letterboxes unique is what’s hidden inside: a special rubber stamp and logbook. Letterboxers also carry their own personalized rubber stamp, ink pad and logbook when they hike. After finding a hidden letterbox, rubber stamp imprints are exchanged as the way of “signing” both logbooks. Half the fun of this hobby is carving a unique rubber stamp from a simple art eraser and that can be a
great campground project! One of the biggest draws to both these activities is the chance to explore outdoor locations and sights that might otherwise be overlooked. Most geocachers and letterboxers try to hide their treasures in unusually beautiful or interesting places. Not only will people be drawn to these areas, they’ll have fun exploring everything nature has to offer. Young families and older folks may prefer hunting for
treasures along easy-tofollow trails. People who love high-adventure can move off the beaten path and do some serious hiking to uncover difficult-to-find treasures. Campgrounds and hiking trails are perfect spots to hide caches and letterboxes! It can be fun to offer simple classes to teach guests how to do both hobbies, and camp stores can sell logbooks, pens and trinkets to include. Campground owners can plant caches or letterboxes
in a beautiful area they’d like their campers to discover or hide special event, themed, or seasonal caches for added excitement. So take a hike and get campers moving this summer. The possibilities are endless! For more information and ideas, a great resource book (with logbook pages) is It’s a Treasure Hunt: Geocaching and Letterboxing, published by CQ Products. Request a wholesale catalog or order the book by calling 800887-4445.
Larry Berger of Birdsboro, Pa., shoots hoops last week in the pool at Holly Shores Camp and Resort in Cape May. (JOHN ZIOMEK/Courier-Post) With the economy still in a funk, vacationers are turning towards more affordable options to get their beach-fix. But that doesn’t mean they are willing to sacrifice luxury. Campgrounds have answered the call, adding plush amenities from baths to digital TV to attract new customers, reported the Courier Post. Maggy and Dave Robinson, owners of Holly Shores Campground & RV Resort in Cape May, dropped $125,000 to expand the pool and add a waterfall, reported the Courier-Post. “People want more these days than a tent and an outhouse," Maggy Robinson told the CourierPost.
Other improvements included a nature trail, dog park, and 20 air-conditioned cabins equipped with full baths, kitchens complete with Corian countertops, and even lofts accessible by spiral staircases, according to the paper. The improvements may have done the trick. Some park owners have reported more reservations that last year, jay otto, coexecutive director of the New Jersey Campground Owners association told the paper. "Many people discover camping in a down economy," said Linda Profaizer, president of ARVC, told the CourierPost. "Last year, we held our own despite the economy and this year it's even better." www.nbcphiladelphia.com
Seeing opportunity in the recreational vehicle market, Elixir Industries is preparing to reopen and bring new production to a plant it closed about 18 months ago. The manufacturer's intent all along was to start the facility at 5020 Lincolnway East again and rejoin the community once the economy turned around, said John Willis, director of new business development at Elixir. In the next few months, the aluminum extrusion company plans to begin production with about 30 employees and in a year, grow to 100 workers.
"We are spending money in the area to help not only our business but also the community," Willis said. As a part of its return, Elixir, which traditionally supplies the manufactured housing industry, will be stepping into RVs. The company sees "longterm growth" potential in towables and motorhomes, Willis said, especially since the RV industry sold four times as many units in 2009 as the manufactured housing business. Full Article: www.etruth.com Elkhart
By Larry
Sanitation is not something most people care to discuss. It is the invisible part of western civilization. For campground owners, however, sanitation facilities are a daily item demanding attention. Campers will not be shy about reporting problems. As with any other business or facility available to customers, the expectations are high. Meeting those expectations can be expensive. Sanitation overhead includes not only the cost of any facility but also the constant cost of maintenance and repair. Oftentimes city sewer lines are not available and septic systems are either too expensive or not feasible. “Not feasible” could be because of bad ground, lack of adequate land to accommodate the system, or lack of water for flushing. Often even portable toilets are not practical if the proposed locations are inaccessible for pumping, too remote, or more unpleasant than what your customers would tolerate.
Campgrounds and RV Parks often attract their customers because of the setting and the outdoor activities within or close to the grounds and parks. It might be a beach, good trails, bird watching sites, a lake, a stream or even the swimming pool. The further your attractions happen to be from civilization the more vexing becomes the matter of sanitation. For customers the issues are availability, safety, accessibility, cleanliness and “friendliness” i.e. no smell. For you the issues might also include health concerns, environmental factors, maintenance, vandalism, costs and liability. The ideal solution would be waterless facilities that do not need to be pumped, do not smell, do not discharge anything into the ground and need almost no maintenance. Eloos, which this writer‘s company markets, are the best answer in many cases.
AUSTRALIA: An Adelaide couple are recovering after a brazen thief made off with their caravan ... while they were still inside. They were collecting their $40,000 Concept Ascot 'van from Northland Caravans in Main North Road, Blair Athol, and were checking out the interior when the crook jumped into their vehicle, which still had the keys in the ignition, and drove off. The terrified Riverland couple, who are in their sixties, were thrown around as the rig careered through the streets, but the thief abandoned his spree three streets away and ran off.
The couple and salesman were shocked but unhurt. A police spokesman said: "The sales manager managed to jump from the caravan as it was driven away. The suspect then crashed into another car that was parked in Enfield Avenue and drove away from the scene at speed, over kerbs, with the terrified couple still in the caravan."The victims were left shaken by the experience but grateful that their car and caravan were recovered. However, a digital camera was stolen from the car." The crook abandoned the car and caravan, which received about $2000 worth of damage.
How can I keep bees away from hummingbird feeder? If it's honeybees that are a problem, they prefer feeders in sunlight, so move your feeder into the shade. If they persist: distract them by putting out a super-sugar water concentration in a shallow dish -- they will probably leave the feeder for the easy sipping at the plate, and you can keep adding distance between the plate and feeder day by day. If yellow-jackets
invade, sometimes its just best to let them 'have the feeder' and put up another for hummers elsewhere. When purchasing a new hummingbird feeder, look for bee guards or nectar ports designed to thwart bees. Look for designs that will not leak or drip! Won't the birds find natural foods in the summer? Why should I still be putting out seed? Yes, birds will find natural foods, and you may want to reduce your amounts.
Bees aren't always the problem However, we recommend that you still offer some seed so that you will have the enjoyment of the birds at the time of year when you are outdoors the most. Also, the birds are particularly pretty in the summer -- for example,
the American Goldfinch is brilliant lemon yellow! Remember, throughout the year birds acquire the greater part of their nourishment from natural sources not from us!
Younger teens ‘hate it’ when parents try to make friends. eMarketer estimates that 74.9% of teen Internet users were regular social network users in 2009, rising to 78.2% in 2010. By 2014, 85.7% of teen Internet users will use social networks. With the youth audience at such high levels of social network penetration, adults have fueled the bulk of growth on sites like Facebook in 2009 and 2010. Even at such heavy usage rates, teens will account for just 14.6% of all social network users in 2010 and 12.7% in 2014, according to eMarketer’s projections. How young people perceive the influx of older users into their turf depends on their age, according to a survey of myYearbook’s most active members conducted by the site and Ketchum in May 2010. A majority of younger
teens reportedly hate it or feel annoyed or nervous when their parents are on the same social network, but among more mature 18and 19-year-olds that percentage fell to 27%. Still, no more than one-fifth of teens in any age group actually liked having their parents in their network. “In a Facebook era, the online arena serves as a new channel for parents to keep tabs on what and how their kids are doing, and it’s notable that a sizeable percentage of today’s teens seem comfortable with that dynamic,” said Justin Serrano, senior vice president of Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, in a statement. “But for the most part, the parent-teen online relationship is still relatively uncharted territory. What we’re seeing is that parents are increasingly expressing interest in being able to monitor their kids’ progress online, and teens are adjusting to this in different ways.”