Back to School Ocala StarBanner for July 28, 2013

BACKSCHOOL

TO

A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

INSIDE:✓ REGISTRATION✓ CONTACT NUMBERS✓ SCHOOL CALENDAR✓ NAMES TO KNOW AND MORE ...

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OCALA STAR BANNER, SUNDAY, JULY 28 , 2013

By John PattonCorrespondent

Soon enough, Aug. 19 will be here, lunches will be packed, buses will

be fi lled, and students will be off to school.

But before that day, there are a few things parents must do to make sure their students are registered. Marion County Public Schools has created a four-step checklist.

The initial step involves fi lling out a pair of online forms. First, type in the student’s personal information in the highlighted fi elds of the enrollment registration form, located at www.marion.k12.fl .us/parents/RegistrationForm.pdf. A Spanish version can be found at www.marion.k12.fl .us/parents/RegistrationFormSp.pdf.

Then, fi ll out the emergency contact form (www.marion.k12.fl .us/parents/EmergencyCon-tactForm.pdf for English, www.marion.k12.fl .us/parents/EmergencyCon-tactFormSP.pdf for Spanish).

Second, save the forms to your computer for personal record-keeping. And third, print out the forms.

Finally, at any time before school begins, take the completed enrollment registration form and emergency contact form along with proof of age (kindergarten students turn 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2013) and proof of immunization on Form 680, which can be obtained at the Marion County Department of

Health (1801 SW 32nd Ave., Ocala), to your student’s school.

Additionally, proof of a physical examination within the last year is required, and if docu-mentation can’t be provided, an examination must be scheduled in the next 30 days. Academic history, special education information and proof of Marion County residency also are required.

If you are not the legal guardian/residential custodial parent of a student or there is a court decision regarding the release of information

related to custody/restraining orders, etc., state law requires either court custody documen-tation stating specifi ca-tions, Department of Children and Families placement letter or educational guardianship (notarized documents stating parent/legal guardian of student is incarcerated) be provid-ed.

Make sure all of this is done, and then count down the days. The fi rst bell isn’t that far off.

Make sure your child is registered and ready

Many schools have new leaders this yearBy Joe CallahanStaff writer

My, how things have changed in a year.

When George Tomyn was

elected as the new super-intendent of schools in November, he immediate-ly embarked on one of the biggest district- and school-level administra-tive shakeups in recent School District memory.

Tomyn has made six major administrative appointments at the district level since Novem-ber. And by July 1, after the dust had cleared, 20 of the district’s 51 schools had new principals.

The wave of changes began on his fi rst day in offi ce. That was when he named four current and former principals to his upper-level cabinet.

Deputy superintendent, ■

curriculum: Rick Lank-ford, from Vanguard High principal.

Deputy superintendent, ■

operations: Chester Gregory, from Forest High principal.

Executive director of ■

human resources: Lisa Krysalka, from Belleview Middle principal.

Executive director of ■

K-12 services: Pam Brewer, from retired superintendent Jim Yancey’s administration.

That move immediately triggered four principal changes.

Belleview Middle: David ■

Ellers, from executive director of secondary education.

Stanton-Weirsdale ■

Elementary: Chris Sandy, from executive director of elementary education.

Forest High: Brent ■

Carson, from Stanton-

Weirsdale principal.Vanguard High: Cindy ■

Repp, from Vanguard High assistant principal.

Early this year, the changes continued when Tomyn promoted two more principals to his upper-level administra-tion.

Exceptional Student ■

Education (ESE): Barbara Dobbins, from Maplewood Elementary principal.

School Development ■

and Evaluation: Kathy Quelland, from Lake Weir Middle principal.

Once those two princi-pals were moved, it started a round of moves, trigger-ing the announcements of new principals at 16 more schools.

ElementaryEmerald Shores: John ■

WilliamsFessenden: Isaac ■

BurgessLegacy: Dawn Presti- ■

pinoMaplewood: Laura ■

BurgessMarion Oaks: Gary ■

SmallridgeSouth Ocala: Lisa Coy ■

Sparr: Patricia Hornsby ■

Ward-Highlands: ■

Melissa KinardWyomina Park: Valda ■

Niznik

MiddleFort King: Renee Dudley ■

Lake Weir: Stephanie ■

CallawayNorth Marion: John ■

Kerley

HighBelleview: Mike Kelly ■

Lake Weir: Wayne ■

LivingstonMarion Technical ■

Institute: Jim WohrleyNorth Marion: Ben ■

Whitehouse

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

To register for school, your child must have proof of a physical examination within the last year.

INDEXSCHOOL TIMES .........3CHANGES THIS SCHOOL YEAR........................4CTAE PROGRAMS ....5FCAT PREP..............6NAMES TO KNOW ......6COLLEGE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ...................7WAYS YO PREVENT BULLYING..................8COOL GEAR...............9BEDTIMES................10CALENDAR................11PARENTS’ ROLE.........12TEACHER FASHION..................13PICTURES................15AID FOR STUDENTS................15

COVER ART: Illustration by Sean Ochal/StaffEDITOR: Tom McNiffCOPY EDITOR:

Sharon Sullivan

2 | SUNDAY , JULY 28 , 2013 BACK TO SCHOOL OCALA STAR-BANNER | www.ocala.com

Marion County JuniorsVolleyball Club

1433 SW 15th Avenue, Ocala

Fall League:Open to girls of all ages (high school team players are ineligible)

Practices begin the week of August 26th;

league play goes through October

Registration:August 13th and 15th, 5:00-7:00 pm

August 24th, 9:00-11:00 am

2014 Travel League tryouts will be held in

October and November.

For more information, go to MCVolleyball.com

Phone: 352-351-4837

Training for Competition and Life!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSAnthony Elementary: 7:45

a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Belleview Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Belleview-Santos El-

ementary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.College Park Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Dr. N.H. Jones Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Dunnellon Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.East Marion Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Eighth Street Elemen-

tary: 8:15 a.m. — 2:30 p.m.Emerald Shores Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Evergreen Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Fessenden Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Fort McCoy K-8: 7:45 a.m.

— 2:05 p.m.Greenway Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Hammett Bowen Jr.

Elementary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Harbour View Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Legacy Elementary: 7:45

a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Madison Street Elemen-

tary: 8 a.m. — 2:20 p.m.Maplewood Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Marion Oaks Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Oakcrest Elementary:

7:55 a.m. — 2:15 p.m.Ocala Springs Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Reddick-Collier Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Romeo Elementary: 7:45

a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Saddlewood Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Shady Hill Elementary:

7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.South Ocala Elementary:

7:55 a.m. — 2:15 p.m.Sparr Elementary: 7:45

a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Stanton-Weirsdale El-

ementary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05

p.m.Sunrise Elementary: 7:45

a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Ward-Highlands Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.Wyomina Park Elemen-

tary: 7:45 a.m. — 2:05 p.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOLSBelleview Middle: 9:25

a.m. — 3:25 p.m.Dunnellon Middle: 9:20

a.m. — 3:40 p.m.Fort King Middle: 9:30

a.m. — 3:30 p.m.Fort McCoy K-8: 7:45 a.m.

— 2:05 p.m.Horizon Academy at

Marion Oaks: 8 a.m. — 2:20 p.m.Howard Middle: 9:35 a.m.

— 3:35 p.m.Lake Weir Middle: 9:20

a.m. — 3:25 p.m.Liberty Middle: 8 a.m. —

2:20 p.m.North Marion Middle:

9:10 a.m. — 3:20 p.m.Osceola Middle: 7:50 a.m.

— 1:45 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOLSBelleview High: 9:20 a.m.

— 3:45 p.m.Dunnellon High: 9:10 a.m.

— 3:35 p.m.Forest High: 8:50 a.m. —

2:45 p.m.Hillcrest: 9:05 a.m. — 3

p.m.Lake Weir High: 9:15 a.m.

— 3:40 p.m.North Marion High: 9:05

a.m. — 3:35 p.m.Marion Technical Insti-

tute: 7:45 a.m. — 4:15 p.m.Vanguard High: 8:35 a.m.

— 3:05 p.m.West Port High: 9:25 a.m.

— 3:30 p.m.

Starting and ending times for public schools

www.ocala.com | OCALA STAR-BANNER BACK TO SCHOOL SUNDAY , JULY 28 , 2013 | 3

By Joe CallahanStaff writer

As school begins in Au-gust, there will be major changes to the curricu-lum and student code of

conduct, as well as the addition of a new school.

Legacy Elementary School opens in Silver Springs Shores this August, with Dawn Presti-pino — the former Sparr Elementary principal — taking over the last school built with half-cent sales tax money. The tax expired in December 2009.

The new school will relieve overcrowding at Greenway and Belleview-Santos elementary schools.

Greenway Elementary, which has a capacity of 770 students, ended 2012-13 in June with 919 students. It will have 700 students when school opens on

Aug. 19.Belleview-Santos, which was

at its capacity of 750 when school ended in June, will have 520 when school opens.

Legacy is expected to have 573 students when it opens, leaving some room to grow by about 100 students.

Legacy is located where Jupiter Trail Loop dead ends into the property just west of Juniper Road. The property is west of Baseline Road, south of Mari-camp Road and the Marion County landfi ll.

Including land clearing, furniture and all other items, the total cost of Legacy will be just shy of $20 million. ACA Con-struction Group was the contractor.

Legacy architects used the same basic blueprints from two of the county’s newer schools, Hammett Bowen and Marion Oaks elementary schools. Although the new school will look very similar, the building will be in an “L” shape to fi t on the property.

There have been some hiccups when it comes to access-ing the school. Ideally, a school should have two access roads, mainly to

separate bus and car traffi c.However, Legacy will start the

year with only one entrance road. That means there will be a few hundred yards of road that buses and cars will share before splitting into a car-rider line and bus loop.

It also will be a challenging year for teachers, parents and students as the new state curriculum — called Common Core — hits the classroom.

Common Core is part of the new national education road map many states have adopted to replace No Child Left Behind.

Common Core, which is supposed to be fully implement-ed statewide by fall 2014, will be in full force this school year, according to Anna DeWeese, a

K-12 Services director over elementary education.

The new Common Core leaves behind — for the most part — the curriculum-based Sunshine State Standards. The new curriculum focuses on critical thinking through comparison and contrast.

The new concept is designed to better prepare students for college, as well as help students be better prepared heading directly into the workforce.

“I urge parents to visit their child’s school to learn more about the impact,” said DeW-eese, adding that many parents argue that the new curriculum is too hard. “We tell them it is the new standard.”

Paddling also is back in elementary schools after the

Marion County School Board voted to restore it as a disciplin-ary tool after a three-year absence.

The board softened the old paddling policy. It can now only be used if a parent gives a standing written OK once a year. In addition, the principal must obtain verbal permission at the time the punishment is handed down.

Under the policy, corporal punishment can only be used at the elementary school level. It can only be used on a child once a semester. Principals are not bound to use the punishment.

The reinstatement came three years after paddling was banned at the end of 2009-10. When paddling ended locally, Marion was one of the largest districts in Florida still using it.

Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

New school, new curriculum for the 2013-14 school year

Prestipino

The new Common Core curriculum focuses on critical thinking through comparison and contrast.

DOUG ENGLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Construction workers build portions of the new Legacy Elementary School in Silver Springs Shores in February. Legacy, which will open this year, will help relieve overcrowding at Belleview-Santos, Greenway and Maplewood Elementary Schools.

Paddling also is back in elementary schools aft er a three-year absence.


By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

To fi ll a growing need for training in two specifi c areas of employment, Com-

munity Technical & Adult Education has expanded its programs to include applied cybersecurity and practical nursing courses.

CTAE is the fi rst techni-cal school in the state to offer cybersecurity, said Suzanne Bryant, program coordinator.

“It’s considered one of the hottest programs in the nation,” Bryant said. “We’ve had other schools in the state calling us and asking questions.”

The 750-hour course will prepare students for entry-level jobs, though many will want to pursue more specifi ed training, said Dan Davis, assistant principal.

“Because of the world we live in, we need to know how to protect our net-works and systems from hacking,” Davis said. “We got a demand, locally, for employment in the area. We focus on local and statewide job demand. We do not prepare students for jobs that don’t exist.”

Instructor Bill Kratzer came on board in July with a wealth of experience in the fi eld of communica-tions intelligence. Kratzer said he’s already seen progress with his stu-dents.

“Even within the last couple days, lights have

been coming on for people that haven’t been here before,” he said. “When you think about cyberse-curity and national security, those who complete this course with the right knowledge are setting themselves up for entry-level positions in the fi eld of technology and networking. They’ll get the basic skills, then they’ll grow from there and begin to specialize. I think it’s the job of the future, keeping our communications networks safe.”

In addition to offering GED classes, CTAE has more than 20 programs, including emergency medical technician/fi refi ghting, radiology technology, veterinary technician and culinary arts. CTAE’s classes do

not follow the traditional school schedule but run all year, starting after the Fourth of July holiday. Some courses, such as business, also begin in January.

According to Davis, the current tuition rate is $2.97 per hour, with additional fees for labs, books, uniforms and license/certifi cation costs. Scholarships are avail-able, as well as grants and various types of fi nancial aid.

Courtney Culp started her practical nursing classes in July and came

into the program on a Pell grant. Though she had considered other schools, Culp decided on CTAE because of the lower tuition and the intimate atmosphere. In the nursing program, the ratio is one teacher for every eight students.

“I was able to get that one-on-one in the class-room and not be one of a thousand,” Culp said. “Everybody knew my name already, and I’d only been there two days. You come in and it’s a relaxed environment, and you still learn what you need to know.”

Culp immediately received a duffl e bag containing all her re-quired books, plus basic medical equipment, such as a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and scrubs.

“It was included in my tuition — everything I could possibly need to be a nurse,” she said. “I would like to be an OB nurse, maybe labor and delivery. I’m about 90 percent sure I will go on for an RN degree.”

Students who complete the PN licensing are able to bridge over to CF to pursue higher education in their fi eld, said Gail McPadden, a registered nurse and coordinator of CTAE’s allied health classes.

When the College of Cen-tral Florida canceled its practical nursing pro-gram, CTAE was asked to take it on, McPadden said. In July, it was added to the allied health department, which now has eight programs, including phlebotomy, massage

therapy and medical assistant.

“Most students start with basic health care worker and then go off into their different fi elds,” McPad-den said. “Students choose what fi eld they want before they get here, so we can guide them in the right direction. We know the students, and we do take a special interest in them.”

With the relocation of the school’s professional library to MTI, the vacated room will be remodeled for the PN program, McPadden said. The goal is to hire more teachers and to add more classes, day and night, she said.

For more information, visit marioncareertrain-ing.com or call 671-7200.

CTAE prepares students for job market

ALAN YOUNGBLOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Community Technical & Adult Education practical nursing students learn the right way to get a patient up with the help of instructor Peggy Dahl, center, in class at the school in Ocala. CTAE practical nursing students Samantha Lewis, left, and Criscina Collins learn how to properly use a walker. The school recently added the program to meet the high demand.

Community Technical & Adult Education adds cybersecurity, practical nursing.

In addition to off ering GED classes, CTAE has more than 20 programs.


2012 AAU National Champions 2013 USAV National Champions

2013 Mini-Club Volleyball Season

Team Placements Start August 17Play in 4 Tournaments September - October

Ocala Power Volleyball Academy Mini Club Season is geared

toward younger players 8 - 16 years old (not on a High School

Varsity Roster) that want to develop their skills and play

volleyball in a safe, fun and competitive environment.

Teams practice twice a week and will compete in 4 tournaments.

It will stress development and playing time opportunities.

Led by our 2 Time National Championship Ocala Power Volleyball

Academy staff maintaining the same training philosophy

utilized in the regular club season

Go to ocalapowervb.comfor more information

Or contact Bill Littell: (352) 615-9814Grace Christian School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion or gender.4410 SE 3rd Avenue Ocala, FL 34480 † (352)387-3090 † www.graceschoolocala.org

K3 through 8th Grade• 56 years of academic excellence• Gifted program• Differentiated program to meet individual needs• Christ-centered religious education program• Award winning Fine Arts program• Physical Education• An integrated technology program• Spanish for grades K3 - 8• After School athletic program• Before Care and Extended Care

Grace Christian SchoolAcademic excellence in a Christ-centered environment since 1957

Limitedopeningsfor the

2013 – 14schoolyear!

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERSDistrict 1 — Nancy Stacy ■

[email protected] .us812-2723District 2 — Carol Ely ■

[email protected] .us288-0860

District 3 — Bobby James ■

[email protected] .us427-3781District 4 — Angie Boynton ■

[email protected] .us817-9986District 5 — Ron Crawford ■

[email protected] .us401-7698

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS George [email protected].

fl .us671-7702

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUC-TION Rick Lankford [email protected].

fl .us671-7705

TRANSPORTATION SERVICESCall Center for Bus Informa-

tion — 671-7050

STUDENT SERVICES DEPART-MENTMark Vianello, executive

[email protected].

fl .us671-6868

Names to Know

James BoyntonEly

Tomyn Lankford

Stacy

Crawford Vianello

OCTOBER7-18 — FCAT 2.0

Reading Retakes for designated students in grade 11

DECEMBER 3-4 — FCAT 2.0 Writ-

ing Prompt Field Test for grades 4, 8, 10 (selected schools)

FEBRUARY25 — FCAT 2.0 Writing

for grades 4, 8, 10

APRIL-MAY7-11 — FCAT 2.0

Reading Retakes for designated students in grade 11

22-25 — FCAT 2.0 Math for grades 3, 4, 7, 822-25 — FCAT 2.0

Reading for grades 3, 4, 522-25 — FCAT 2.0 Sci-

ence for grades 5, 8April 22-May 1 —

FCAT 2.0 Math com-puter-based testing for grade 6April 22-May 2 —

FCAT 2.0 Reading computer-based testing for grades 7, 10April 28-May 7 —

FCAT 2.0 Math com-puter-based testing for grade 5April 28-May 7 —

FCAT 2.0 Reading computer-based testing for 6, 8, 9

BRUCE ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Deborah Richards, center, helps Zachery Holt, 10, right, and Rebecca Nourse, 9, with a math problem in her third-grade classroom at Belleview Elementary School in Belleview in May 2009.

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test dates


Erev Rosh Hashanah

1109 N.E. 8th Avenue

352-629-3587TEMPLE BETH SHALOM,

the only affiliated UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM in Ocala

The only temple in the Ocala area with a full-time rabbi, Rabbi Ze’ev Harari, announces

REGISTRATION FOR ITS RELIGIOUS SCHOOLAUGUST 11, 2013, 10AM-NOON

To Parents with Jewish school-age children,If you want your child educated in Jewish History, Jewish Practice, Culture and Hebrew,

attend our Religious School Open House and Registration for Religious school onSunday, August 11, 2012, from 10AM to Noon. First day of religious school is

Sunday, August 18th, 9:30AM to Noon

TEMPLE BETH SHALOM • 1109 NE 8TH AVENUE • OCALA, FL 34470www.jewishocala.comTemple Beth Shalom Ocala

Temple Beth Shalom Sisterhood

Religious School Registration, Open House Meet and GreetSunday, Aug 11th, 2013 from 10am-12noon

1st day of Religious School • Sunday, Aug 18th, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PMTeaching Hebrew, History, Customs & Ceremonies

Visit us at www.jewishocala.org• Membership Info: 352-629-3587

Erev Rosh Hashanah

We invite you to worship with us every Friday at 7:30 PMand on the upcoming High Holidays

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

Rabbi Ze’ev Harari

1109 N.E. 8th Avenue

352-629-3587

August 31st – Saturday8:00 PM Slichot Program,

10:30 – 11:00 PM S’lichot ServiceSeptember 4th – Wednesday

7:30 PM Erev Rosh Hashanah ServiceSeptember 5th – Thursday

9:30 AM Rosh Hashanah Morning Day Ifollowed by Tashlich at Tuscawilla Park

September 6th – Friday9:30 AM Rosh Hashanah Morning Day II

September 8th – Sunday1:00 PM Temple Cemetery Service

September 13th – Friday7:30 PM Erev Yom Kippur, Kol NidreService

September 14th – Saturday9:30 AM Yom Kippur Morning Service

4:00 PM Yom Kippur Afternoon Service, Yizkorfollowed by Ne’ilah Service and Break-the-Fast

Sukkot / Simchat TorahSep 20th Friday, 7:30 PM Sukkot CelebrationSep 26th Thursday, 10:00 AM Morning Service

and Yizkor serviceSep 27th Friday, 7:30 PM Simchat Torah Celebration

www.jewishocala.com

Temple Beth Shalom OcalaTemple Beth Shalom Sisterhood


There was a lot of pride swelling from College of Central Florida administra-

tors for a variety of rea-sons following the 2012-13 academic year.

After all, everything from the school’s tuition (it recently was named the eighth most affordable four-year college in the country by the United States Department of Education) to its athletics (the men’s basketball team won the National Junior College Athletic Associa-tion championship on March 23) have been positive.

“At CF, we know the incredible value we are providing to students in our community,” President Dr. Jim Henningsen said. “In addition to being cost effective, we have talented faculty, quality programs, resources such as free tutoring and a full student life experience.

“At CF, our vision is to be the fi rst choice for quality higher education in our community.”

The same foundation on which the school’s reputation was built remains in place, but the school administration will try to build on that in 2013-14. For example:

Tuition and fees will not ■

increase.The cost of associate’s-

level courses will remain at $105.10 per credit hour, or approximately $2,523 each year for a student with a 12-hour credit course load for two semesters. That is 66.9 percent below the national

average of $7,135 for four-year and higher public institutions, according to a 2011-12 measuring.

Additionally, the cost of bachelor’s-level courses will continue to be $120.89 per credit hour, less than half the tuition at public universities in Florida.

Starting this fall, CF will ■

offer its bachelor of applied science in busi-ness and organizational management, where students pay the fi rst $10,000 and the school covers the remainder of the costs.

In addition to the general business degree, there are specializations in agri-business management, management information systems, health care management and public safety administration. And an associate of arts degree may now be completed online by CF students.

Beginning in the fall of ■

2014, CF plans to begin

offering a bachelor of science in nursing. Other new classes will be made available in the second semester of the upcoming academic year.

“CF provides a quality education at affordable prices close to home,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Paugh said. “The college continu-ally assesses community needs and responds with relevant programs. An example is the bachelor of science in business and organizational manage-ment, logistics and distribution management — tentatively scheduled to begin [in the] spring [of] 2014.

“The program will meet the needs of our centrally located community that is becoming a logistics hub for the state.”

BRUCE ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Students pass the clock tower at the center of campus as they walk to their next class at the College of Central Florida in Ocala.

College of Central Florida continues to grow, add programs

“At CF, our vision is to be the fi rst choice for quality higher education in our community.”

DR. JIM HENNINGSEN, president of College of Central Florida


By Marian RizzoCorrespondent

When it comes to being a victim of bullying or being a defender of the bul-

lied, Jacob Wilkerson says he’s been there, done that. Now 38, Wilkerson said he was smaller than most boys in school, but he knew how to defend himself.

“I didn’t aggressively go after somebody, but if someone wasn’t fair to me or someone else, I went after that guy,” he said. “I didn’t like to see someone getting picked on. I was a bully of bul-lies. Until I moved to Florida. Then, I was out of my ele-ment. Three of my classmates took duct tape and wrapped my entire head in it. I had to cut my hair real short.”

These days, parents and educators have become more aware of the damage bullying can do. Marion County Public Schools have incorporated anti-bullying and anti-ha-rassment programs, and in 2012, the Florida legislature approved a statute prohibit-ing bullying and harassment in public schools.

Known as the “Jeffrey Johnson Stand Up for All Students Act,” the bill lists the various forms of bullying as teasing, social exclusion, threats, intimidation, physi-cal violence, destruction of property, and several types of public humiliation, whether done in person or through written or computer messag-ing.

Michelle Lewis, principal at Liberty Middle School, said anti-bullying is incorporated into everything that is done at the school. The kids are encouraged to follow the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” she said.

A concern of Lewis’ is that the term “bullying” could be misused or overused.

“Oftentimes, there is confusion whether calling somebody a name is bullying or not,” she said. “It’s not about name calling. There has to be an imbalance of power where somebody is trying to get the upper hand. I don’t want to imply that bullying isn’t serious, it is a big deal, but when you overuse a word it becomes trivial.”

At times, other factors can interfere with a resolution.

“Some parents are bullies and kids grow up in an environment where they’re bullied,” Lewis said. “If we can sit down and both parties come together, it’s always effective. In other cases, where the parent is the bullier, they don’t want to talk.”

According to stopbullying-now2013.com, one in seven students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying in the United States. The site estimated 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary

schools every month.Stopbullying.gov, noted that

middle-schoolers are more likely to be physically or verbally bullied, while high schoolers are more likely to suffer cyber bullying.

Bullyingstatistics.org noted that, particularly in adoles-cents and teens, cyber bullying can lead to anxiety, depression and even suicide. Once messages and images are circulated on the Internet, they can resurface and renew the pain, the site states.

Allan Hisey, dean of students at Forest High School, said school offi cials generally are made aware of bullying when a parent calls or when a student reports a situation.

“Fortunately, for the school system here in Marion County, they’ve not only identifi ed bullying but also identifi ed harassment, two situations we deal with at the high school level,” Hisey said. “When dealing with bullying, you’re always talking about an imbalance of power.

Harassment can be verbal or social media type comments, things of that nature.”

The school’s TV productions class recently produced an anti-bullying public service message that was aired with the morning announcements, and the ASTRA community service club organized an anti-bullying campaign for the past two years, with members posting banners throughout the school. They also handed out rubber wrist bands with anti-bullying slogans printed on them, Hisey said.

Hisey believes parent involvement also is impor-tant.

“Parents need to know what their kids are doing,” he said. “There’s much more kids can be involved in today as far as social media. It’s way beyond cellphones and emails. If kids know their parents know what they’re doing, they’re going to be on their best behavior.”

Schools protect kids with anti-harassment programs

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Parents and teachers have become more aware of the damage bullying can do, so the Marion County Public Schools have incorporated anti-bullying and anti-harassment programs.


Types of bullyingSending mean messages to a person’s ■

email account or cellphone.Spreading rumors online or through ■

texts.Posting hurtful messages on social ■

networking sites or Web pages.Using someone else’s account to send ■

damaging messages.Pretending to be someone else online to ■

hurt someone.Spreading unfl attering pictures of some- ■

one through cellphones or the Internet.Sexting or circulating sexually sugges- ■

tive pictures or messages about someone.

Signs of a bullied childUnexplained injuries, or damaged or ■

missing clothingChanges in eating or other habits ■

Makes excuses not to go to school ■

Has fewer friends ■

Talks about suicide ■

Avoids certain places ■

Has trouble sleeping ■

Signs of a possible bullyBecomes frequently violent ■

Has trouble controlling anger ■

Is manipulative and controlling of others ■

Is quick to blame others ■

Needs to win or be best at everything ■

What parents can doCommunicate with your child. ■

Talk about what type of bullying it was, ■

physical or verbal.Meet with the teacher and/or principal ■

of your child’s school.Find out if any other children or adults ■

observed the bullying.Keep a written record. ■

Practice ways your child might respond ■

in the future.Sources: National Bullying Prevention

Center and bullyingstatistics.org.For more resources, visit marion.k12.fl.us/schools/antibullying.cfm or stopbullying.

gov, or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

By Kim CookThe Associated Press

Oh, those boring school days of old. Basic backpacks, plain pencil cases,

spirals and staplers with so little snap they might as well have been des-tined for mom or dad’s offi ce.

Today’s school supplies are packed with personal-ity, and kids have an imaginative array of gear to choose from as they prep for the start of a new year.

Backpacks come in a variety of sizes to fi t different toting needs and capabilities. And forget the simple brown paper bag: Lunch containers are an expanding category, with everything from

insulated sacks to kits with lidded compart-ments. The range is so stylish and user-savvy that kids just might fi nd mom or dad wanting to share.

In the early years of self-discovery, it’s fun to fi nd different ways to say, “This is me!” Kids will fi nd that easy this year. There are lace and damask designs, camoufl age and brick-wall patterns, animal prints, sequins or pastels. Super hero, video game, and music and TV star images hit the pop culture button.

Off to classAt Pottery Barn Kids, the

backpacks range in size from mini to rolling, so you don’t have to worry about your preschooler heading off with a refrig-erator-size tote on his back, and the fi fth-graders with giant science texts can roll their volumes comfortably back and forth.

Patterns range from butterfl ies, horses and owls in hip hues like plum and chocolate to dinosaur-skeleton and snakeskin prints in browns, grays and blues. (www.pbkids.com)

Kohl’s has backpacks for fall that aim to appeal to kids from elementary through high school.

“Backpacks are a fashionable and function-al way for students to express their personality and show off their style,” said Sofi a Wacksman, Kohl’s vice president for trend. “Bright colors and bold prints are a big trend this back-to-school season.”

Girls might like the colored leopard print, boho fl oral and fun graphic hearts patterns.

Plaids, moustaches, leaf prints and skulls round out the range. (www.kohls.com)

A collection of rolling backpacks in fun animal designs like pandas, frogs and pigs are at ebags.com The retailer’s also got a line of appropriately sized, colorful preschoolers’ packs from 03 USA that have handy integrated lunch coolers. Designs include soccer balls, motorcycles and space shuttles. The Bookworm backpack, also small, has a refl ective panel for low light conditions, and a waterproof layer along the bottom. (www.ebags.com)

How many backpacks have disappeared in your kids’ school career? Never lose another with one of Café Press’s customizable tags. The company partnered with Snapily last fall to create the tags with lenticular printing — that 3-D, animated effect. You can upload your own photos for a personalized

tag, or use the company’s geometric, tree or paisley designs. (www.cafepress.com)

Lunch and snack time

The traditional Japanese bento-box lunch kit has found its way to our shores in a big way. Parents like that they’re reusable, and kids like that the little compartments neatly hold a variety of snacks. Japanese maker Shinzi Katoh makes some of the best ones — space robot, forest, circus and Pad-dington Bear designs are featured on tiered, non-toxic boxes. They also make a clever lunchbox that unzips into a tidy placemat: Choose a cow, cat or dog design. (www.mysweetmuffi n.com)

Pottery Barn Kids has some stainless steel versions of the bento box, as well as compartmental-ized lunch bags with a spot for a parent to write a note. The retailer also has a cute collection of mix-and-match themed lunchbox-

es, sacks, water bottles and backpacks.

For a leak-proof, stain-less, insulated, 16-ounce container that gives the option of providing hot soup, chili or stew, try www.lunchbots.com.

Land of Nod’s got Skip Hop’s cute-as-a-button Feeding Time lunch bags for the preschool set, in ladybug, owl or dog patterns. They come with a clip that attaches to a child’s backpack. (www.landofnod.com)

Target has some cute lunch kits with cheetah or owl faces, and a colorful line of lunch sacks and snack and sandwich sleeves from Built NY that might mean sharesies with brown-bagging parents.

Rubbermaid ice packs in the shape of silly owls, dogs or monsters are whimsical ways to keep lunch cool. (www.target.com)

Work time

For the classroom, Target’s houndstooth, plaid and metallic dot binders hit the unisex pattern trends head on. Blinged-out scissors and staplers, and fun pencil cases shaped like fl ip-fl ops or printed in colorful lace patterns have a girly vibe.

At PB Teen, plaid, chevron, patchwork and tie-dye patterns add zing to the pencil case and homework holder collec-tion. (www.pbteen.com)

Got a sports-loving girl in the house? She can show her competitive spirit with one of Café Press’ “swim,” “dance,” “fi eld hockey” or “soccer” journals. Dog lovers might like a journal photoprinted with unusual breeds like shar peis, basenjis and greyhounds.

Colorful national fl ags, including those of France, Italy, Cuba and Canada, emblazon a spiral note-book collection at Zazzle.com, which also has fun clip chains shaped like basketballs, softballs or volleyballs. They can be personalized to help young athletes keep track of their stuff. (www.zazzle.com)

Getting in gear: going back to school in style

EBAGS

Cute animal-themed rolling backpacks from Ecogear are a fun option for youngsters heading off to school for the fi rst time.

EBAGS

This publicity photo provided by eBags shows a eBags Brand Bookworm Kids’ Pack. The backpack has a large 3M Scotchlite front panel for superior visibility and safety, an organizer and lots of pockets for snacks and toys, among other features.

CAFEPRESS

This publicity photo provided by CafePress shows a deer journal. In the early years of self-discovery, it’s fun to fi nd diff erent ways to express one’s individuality.

CAFEPRESS

This CafePress journal has a Union Jack fl ag as its cover.

CAFEPRESS

This publicity photo provided by CafePress shows a backpack tag in 3D. Never lose another backpack with one of Café Press’s cool customizable tags, as the company partnered with Snapily in October 2012 to create lenticular printed favorite photos with a 3-D, animated eff ect.

Kids can show their style with backpacks, lunch coolers, journals, binders and more.


By Melissa RayworthThe Associated Press

Parents, you can already picture those fi rst morn-ings of the school year: the challenge of dragging

cranky kids out of their beds at dawn after two months of mel-low summer mornings.

Each year, many of us swear we’ll do it differently. We will listen to the experts. We will adjust our children’s bedtimes back to a school-year schedule as soon as August arrives. We will work with biology, not against it, by dimming the lights and drawing the curtains in the evenings. We will remember the power of a good bedtime routine. It does sound wonder-ful.

But each year, many families embrace the spontaneity of sum-mer and the long, light evenings, ditching routines and enjoying late nights with the kids. Or maybe we really do try to get them to bed early, but Little League baseball games run late and vacations to other time zones make it impossible.

Then we try to get our kids up early for the fi rst day of school and their bodies naturally rebel. It’s never easy to be “waking up at the time you’re biologically ready to be asleep,” says Dr. Peter Franzen, child sleep expert and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh’s Sleep Medicine Institute.

Lack of sleep can affect kids’ ability to learn, to remember and to handle emotions, he says.

So, here are some tips for getting them back to a sensible bedtime:

Begin adjusting bedtime at least two weeks before classes begin, says family sleep coun-selor Dana Obleman, founder of the Sleep Sense system for getting babies and toddlers to sleep well.

“You don’t have to jump into going to bed at 7:30 and being really strict,” she says. “But do an evaluation of where the

bedtime has been falling and move back toward that by about 15 minutes every third night.” (Of course, if you’ve altered your kids’ bedtime by more than an hour, you’ll need to make those changes in larger increments.)

For young kids, the most effective routine includes a warm bath and reading a favorite book. Skip television, which has a stimulating effect.

With older children, Obleman suggests having a sit-down meeting two weeks before school begins. Discuss the importance of being rested during the fi rst weeks of school.

Plan a solid bedtime routine together, making sure they

understand how much sleep is necessary. Children, from toddlers to adolescents, need 10 to 12 hours of solid nighttime sleep, Obleman says. Teens are likely to need at least 9 hours.

“People say, ‘If my child got eight hours, that’s adequate.’ And it might be adequate,” Obleman says. “But you want to be giving them great, awesome restful sleep at night.”

Once you’ve chosen a bedtime,

agree to turn off electronic screens one hour earlier, because the light from these devices signals our bodies to stay awake, Franzen says. Kids already have a harder time getting sleepy at night as they reach their teen years due to changes in their body chemistry, he says. Looking at the light of electronic devices only delays that response further.

A regular bedtime routine

triggers a child’s natural urge to sleep, and also creates treasured memories of quiet moments with mom and dad, notes Lorraine Breffni, director of early childhood at Nova South-eastern University’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development in Fort Lauder-dale.

“Those routines can be very personal family rituals — a certain snack that you eat, a certain book you read, a certain song that you sing,” she says.

For adolescents and teens, Breffni, says, keep in mind that the time they “go to bed” may not be close to the time they actually fall asleep. So make sure older students understand what time they should actually be asleep.

“One of my cornerstones is that if children are going to bed early enough, there shouldn’t be a need to wake them in the morning,” Obleman says. “If you’re dragging them by the ankle every morning, they’re going to bed too late.”

On the last mornings before school starts, you might even induce the kids to get up early by taking them out to breakfast at their favorite restaurants.

One fi nal step, which can be especially tough on parents: Ideally, the whole family should go to bed early on those fi nal nights. It may be hard to give up the late night hours you’re accustomed to, but going to sleep earlier will benefi t you as well as your kids.

“We’re seeing an epidemic of sleep deprivation” among adults, Franzen says. “We’re certainly not modeling appro-priate behavior for our kids.” These experts say adults really do need eight hours of sleep per night, though many of us get as little as fi ve or six.

So, even if you won’t kick back into an early bedtime routine until the night before school begins this year, says Breffni, make this the year you prioritize sleep for the whole family.

Early to bed can take eff ort at summer’s end

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Before the summer comes to an end and the fi rst day of school is here, get your child back into a sensible bedtime routine.

“One of my cornerstones is that if children are going to bed early enough, there shouldn’t be a need to wake them in the morning.”

DANA OBLEMAN, founder of the Sleep Sense system


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Introducing

Marion County Public Schools 2013-14 Calendar

AugustTuesday, Aug. 13 : Teachers report to school

Monday, Aug. 19: First day of school for students

SeptemberMonday, Sept. 2: Labor Day (no school)

Wednesday, Sept. 11: Early release day

Wednesday, Sept. 25: Early release day

OctoberWednesday Oct. 16: Early release day

Monday, Oct. 21: End of fi rst grading period

November Wednesday, Nov. 6: Early release day

Wednesday, Nov. 27 : No school (weather emergency make-up day, if needed)

Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov.29: Thanksgiving (no school)

December Tuesday, Dec. 3, and Wednesday, Dec. 4: FCAT Writing Prompt Field test for grades 4,8,10 (selected schools)

Wednesday, Dec. 11: Early release day

Saturday, Dec. 21: Winter holiday break begins

JanuaryMonday, Jan. 6: Classes resume

Wednesday, Jan. 15: End of fi rst semes-ter

Thursday, Jan. 16, and Friday, Jan. 17 : Teacher work and inservice days (no school for students)

Monday, Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)

FebruaryWednesday, Feb. 5: Early release day

Monday, Feb. 17: Presidents’ Day (no school)

March Wednesday, March 5: Early release day

Thursday, March 20: End of third grading period

Friday, March 21: Teacher workday (no

school)

Monday, March 24, through Friday, March 28: Spring Break (no school)

April Wednesday, April 9: Early release day

Friday, April 18: No school (weather emergency make-up day, if needed)

Tuesday, April 22, through Friday, April 25: FCAT testing for grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

May Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 16: Advanced Placement tests

Monday, May 26: Memorial Day (no school)

June Monday, June 2, through Wednesday, June 4: Semester exams for grades 6-12

Wednesday, June 4: Last day of school

Wednesday, June 4, through Satur-day, June 7: Graduation dates

Thursday, June 5: Teacher work day

ALAN YOUNGBLOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Students arrive for the fi rst day of school last year at Greenway Elementary.


By Joe CallahanStaff writer

School District offi cials say parents always have needed to play a more active role in their child’s

education, but this year, it is more important than ever.

That’s because there will be so many state-mandated curricu-lum changes in almost every one of their child’s subjects.

The new method, called Common Core, is part of the new national education road map. It was adopted by many states to replace No Child Left Behind.

Common Core, which is supposed to be fully implement-ed statewide by fall 2014, will be in full force this school year, according to Anna DeWeese, a

K-12 Services director over elementary education.

Common Core leaves behind — for the most part — the Sunshine State Standards, focusing on critical thinking through comparison and contrast.

The new concept is designed to better prepare students for college and the workforce.

For decades, educators have complained about declining parental involvement, noting, for example, that parents are not reading with their children at night or over the summer, and fewer are showing up for conferences.

DeWeese encourages parents to go to all school events to learn about the harder curriculum.

“Schools are starving for parent input at SAC (Student

Advisory Council) and PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) meetings,” DeWeese noted.

Surprisingly enough, fewer than half the parents in Marion County have registered for the parent portal, which allows them to view their child’s grades and assignments. Parents can access their child’s curriculum and teacher websites to send messages. They can enroll in the parent portal at their child’s school.

DeWeese also said parents should visit their child’s school for open houses and other events.

Parents shouldn’t wait until something goes wrong to visit their child’s school. The key is to be proactive, not reactive.

“Go and talk to the teacher, the counselor, the principal and

assistant principal,” DeWeese noted. “Never wait until there is a problem.”

The Florida Department of Education has a website — www.fl doe.org/family/title1/ — that gives several tips for parents to help their child be successful.

The four biggest tips are to: contact, and maintain contact, with the child’s teacher; partici-pate in parent/teacher confer-ences; ask the teacher about the curriculum; and talk with their child daily about homework, classroom activities and events.

Another important role a parent can play in their child’s education is reading to their young child or reading with older children.

Miriam Needham, the dis-trict’s coordinator of Library Media Services and the Arts, said research has shown it’s the most important thing that a parent can do.

“Reading to and with your child helps build language and vocabulary skills needed for success in school,” she noted. “Reading to and with your child strengthens the parent-child bond and helps them become lifelong readers and learners.”

Needham said she shares a verse from the poem “The Reading Mother” by Strickland Gillilan when explaining to parents the importance of reading to a child.

“You may have tangible wealth untold;

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be — I had a Mother who read to me.”

Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

Parent involvement important in child’s education

DOUG ENGLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE

Jenny Blaire, left, reads to her children Ethan, Cori and Cody during reading-circle time while Madison, 10, reads to herself at their home in Silver Springs in July 2012. Jenny Blaire is homeschooling her children.

Communicating with your child, their teacher helps student succeed


Parental InvolvementThe Florida Department of

Education has a section on its website — www.fl doe.org/family/title1/ — that offers tips for parents.

Contact your child’s teacher ■

early in the school year, and maintain communication throughout the school year.

Participate in parent/teacher ■

conferences.Ask the teacher what your ■

child is learning and how you can support this at home.

Talk with your child daily ■

about homework, classroom activities and events.

Learn about school policies ■

and expectations so you can help your child understand them.

Make effort to stay informed ■

of school and classroom events.Model behaviors and at- ■

titudes you expect from your child.

Encourage and nurture your ■

child’s creativity.Be proactive in making the ■

school aware of your support for your child’s education.

Talk with your employer ■

about fl ex time so you can participate in school activities.

Establish a daily family ■

routine.Monitor out-of-school activi- ■

ties.Model the value of learning, ■

self-discipline and hard work.Express high, but realistic, ■

expectations for achievement.Encourage your child’s devel- ■

opment/progress in school.Encourage reading, writing ■

and discussions among family members.

Be positive when talking with ■

your child about school-related activities.

By Samantha CritchellAP Fashion Writer

Back-to-school shop-ping doesn’t have to be all kids’ stuff. The wardrobe to

complement that fi rst opening bell can help set the tone for a teacher’s year, too.

There’s nothing in the contract that requires dangling cat-character earrings or kooky bow ties. The right look can command respect while earning a little street cred.

Celebrity stylist Cristina Ehrlich, a style adviser to Coldwater Creek, remem-bers her fi rst “cool teacher” in elementary school — and Ehrlich says she never worked harder than she did for that Lauren Hutton lookalike, who wore pleated slacks, V-neck silk blouses, a thin little belt and gold hoop earrings. “Maybe it’s that I wanted to impress her, or maybe she just knows how to grab your attention, but she left a lasting impres-sion,” she says.

These days, that teacher might be wearing brightly colored skinny jeans and a boyfriend sweater, or trouser jeans and a crisp button-down in a cheerful color, Ehrlich muses.

“Young kids like a little eye candy. It draws their attention,” Ehrlich says. “You want authority but not stuffy.”

Maybe that same second-grade teacher would even try a pair of tuxedo-inspired jeans with a black stripe down the leg and a more fi tted, cropped blazer, she adds.

That might be an outfi t similar to what high schoolers are wearing — and that’s OK, says Emilia Fabricant, executive vice president of the Aero-

postale brand. Teachers can use their

clothes to help bridge communication gaps with their students, she says. “The cool factor gives power.”

Fabricant gives the caveat, though, that teachers might wear individual pieces differ-ently so they’re “appropri-ately styled”: short skirts worn over leggings, tunics over tanks, and skinny jeans paired with the high front-low back cardigans that give an update to the classic silhouette. Maybe there’s a life lesson here for teens: A modern look can co-exist with a respectful one.

Amazon.com fashion editor Sara Dooley imagines teachers of younger grades experi-menting with prints. Florals are enjoying a

fashion moment, she says, and animal prints — leop-ard spots and the like — have a little bit of edge but have been tapped for classic silhouettes. There

are even some literal animal prints, such as birds, butterfl ies, turtles and armadillos, that have been elevated from kitsch to cool.

Prints are good conver-sation starters, and they can camoufl age a multi-tude of sins, especially of the paint-glue-leftover-snack variety. Many closet-to-classroom items are basic pieces, including a pencil skirt, fi t-and-fl are dress, collared shirts, blazers, jeans and sweat-ers, so they can make the transition between seasons and between school years. They can all be dressed up or down, and adapted to look “new” with the right belt, shoe or jewelry.

“With little time during the school year to shop, teachers can maximize style all year long by buying key items that will update pieces they already own,” says Sofi a Wacks-man, vice president of trend for Kohl’s Depart-ment Stores.

Ehrlich suggests layers, as long as the overall look is relaxed without being sloppy. On the fl ip side, tailored is good, but too buttoned-up is not. If you’re thinking of a bow-neck blouse, for example, make sure it has a soft touch.

For a more bohemian style, a dolman sleeve top in a watercolor print will give the effect of a fl uttery, full, feminine look without a bell sleeve, which seems an invitation for snags or stains.

Funkier accessories can be for anyone. Teachers need a stylish case for gadgets, and that’s a neutral zone for experi-mentation.

So are ballet-fl at shoes, which have more options than the periodic table.

Picking popular colors, including fl ashes of the almost neon brights, also is an easy “in,” says

Fabricant, and the broad choices in denim and knits should make it easier to fi nd trend-right items.

Teachers could be facing a tough crowd, after all.

“For a middle-school teacher, you want some safe bets. You are on a stage in front of the kids all day. You want to be comfortable, you want to feel confi dent. Too much risk puts you out there for ridicule behind your back. You know those middle-schoolers,” Dooley says with a laugh.

Teachers can be hard on their clothes: They have long days, sometimes in rooms without air-condi-tioning, and come in contact with a lot of people. They might be on the fl oor cutting construc-tion paper one minute and get called into a meeting with administrators and parents the next.

Wacksman also would like to think that teachers have somewhere fun to go in their extracurricular life, and want their daytime outfi ts to take them there.

Her pick? A printed shift dress with a colorful belt and cardigan for the classroom. Switch from fl ats to heels at the end of the day, and if social plans call for it, swap out the sweater for a motocross jacket.

Another option is a printed maxi dress, which often is made of a wrinkle-free jersey. That with a short beaded necklace and fl ats can stand up to a lot, she says.

“When the bell rings, many teachers need an outfi t that can transition from their classroom to a night out,” says Wacks-man.

Teachers can use clothes to communicate with kids

COLDWATER CREEK

This publicity photo provided by Coldwater Creek shows a model wearing a Mosaic No-iron Perfect Shirt with a Shadowplay Vest and denim slim leg jeans.

AMAZON.COM/FASHION

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Models display some of today’s fashions like this women’s stripe cut-away shirt dress from Jones New York; a women’s long-sleeve shawl collar blazer from DKNYC; and an Anne Klein women’s Aztec Burst Swing dress.


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It’s not an urgent care. It’s not an adult Emergency Room. It’s a real Emergency Department just for kids—with nine treatment rooms, a dedicated staff, radiology servicesand a kid-friendly waiting room. In less than a year, we’ve already treated more than 21,000 children 17 years and younger, and we’ve calmed the fears of just as many parents.If your child needs emergency care, insist onMunroe Regional.The Children’s Emergency Department is just one more reason whyMunroe Regional is Marion County’smost preferred hospital.

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Marion County students strug-gling with academics don’t have to feel like their situa-tions are hopeless, and nei-

ther do their parents.The school district is providing a

number of opportunities at the elementary and secondary school levels for students to improve their performance in the classroom. On the elementary level, the assistance is four-fold, offi cials say.

Last year, educators launched an ■

initiative called The Academy, which targets underperforming students in grades K-2 in 15 schools. Offi cials say the goal is to identify struggling students early and help them master the skills needed to move on to third grade.

The state requires that any student ■

who does not pass third grade must get the help he or she needs to do so. In some cases, this involves putting

them in model classrooms with specially trained teachers and supporting them with mentoring.

A pilot project called “Pick Pioneers ■

in Common Core” is designed to provide a more “unit-based” educa-tion, or in layman’s terms, focus on themes like weather throughout core subjects like science, social studies and reading.

Schools also offer before- and ■

after-school programs to help chil-dren with homework.

At the secondary level, there are two major initiatives designed to help keep students from falling behind or, if they do, help them catch up.

The fi rst one is online classes. ■

Students who fail classes can retake them online to make up the credits they missed and mitigate their poor grades.

The second is remediation in math ■

and reading for students who score a 1 or 2 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Help available for struggling students

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

School picture success means prep but not posesBy Amy LorentzenThe Associated Press

For many parents, there’s something special about school picture day. They remember getting out of

class, combing their hair, lining up with friends for their turn before the camera. Then there was the thrill of the portrait en-velope arriving, of wallet photos handed out like tiny trading cards, or delivering prints to grandma to be placed on her mantle.

While that’s still the case at many schools, today’s kids, surrounded by photo technol-ogy, may not be fazed by another click of the camera, says Lisa Van Etta, who recently retired after 17 years as a yearbook adviser at Cypress Falls High School in Houston.

“I just think they are so wrapped up in Facebook and texting and all of that that they just don’t really have time to

worry about their school picture,” she says. “In rural areas, school pictures are still big. When you get in the city, not so much.”

Still, school pictures provide a rare professional sitting and, if done well, provide a seamless look at a child’s growth and personality over the years.

“Many people are taking thousands and thousands of pictures every year ... They don’t realize how much of their memory is in something digital,” says Steve Lata, a photographer and territory manager with Missouri-based Inter-State Studio Inc., which takes millions of children’s school photos each year.

“The school portrait is one of the only things getting printed and hung on the wall anymore.”

A few simple steps by parents can make picture day a success, the pros say.

Above all, help children be

comfortable having their portrait taken. They should feel good about their appearance, but not pose.

“The most important thing about a school portrait is having that genuine countenance of the child. We don’t want them to be artifi cial, we want them to be as relaxed as possible,” says Kelvin Miller, corporate vice president of Minnesota-based LifeTouch School Photography.

Choose clothing in solid colors or simple patterns, and avoid shirts with slogans. Keep the

accessories simple and small. Long sleeves will provide less visual distraction than short or sleeveless tops.

Clothing for portraits doesn’t need to be formal. Even a favorite, oft-worn shirt can be perfect on picture day, Miller says. If possible, help your child choose an outfi t that pleases both of you.

“Make it kind of a fun activity ... and be willing to compro-mise,” he suggests.

As for grooming, the experts recommend haircuts two weeks before picture day. You’ll have a nice-looking trim without that “just cut” look.

Wear sunscreen and limit sun exposure before pictures to avoid bright red cheeks or peeling noses. Trim fi ngernails, since hands might appear in some portraits.

So what’s the biggest mistake parents can make on picture day?

Forgetting the date. Mark it on your calendar, so

your child will be wearing appropriate clothes to reminisce over some day.

And don’t overhype the occasion either, says Lata.

“I’ve even seen a lot of parents telling their child to practice their smile,” says Lata. “As a photographer, that’s one of the last smiles you want.”

Encourage your kid to listen to the photographer’s directions. Many school-photo photogra-phers will use banter or maybe a high-fi ve to put the child at ease.

With digital equipment, they’re able to check the photos right away for closed eyes and awkward expressions. That cuts down on the need for retakes.

“We train our photographers to take the photo of the child, to look at the photo and to say in their mind: ‘If I were the parent, would I approve?’” Miller says.

“The most important thing about a school portrait is having that genuine countenance of the child.”KELVIN MILLER, corporate vice president

of LifeTough School Photography


Back to School Ocala StarBanner for July 28, 2013

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