Ready or Not?
Determining Your Child’s
Kindergarten Readiness

In the not-too-distant past, kindergarten (half-day or every other day) was the child’s first school experience and the focus was on social adjustment to school. The curriculum and activities were separate from the rest of the school and its purpose was to prepare the child for first grade and “real” learning. That is no longer the case.

Do Your Homework
To Avoid 529 Plan Pitfalls

Did your little darling just start to walk? Punch a few figures into www.collegeboard.com, just one of numerous calculators online, and you’ll soon be staring at a four-year price tag that can top $171,000 for a public university, including room and board, and climbs to more than $300,000 if Hank or Hannah opts for private instead.

Cultural Connection
Hosting a Foreign Exchange Student Offers Rich Rewards

“What do you have for breakfast at home?”
“Miso soup, and rice.”
“O.K. . . . Would you like that here?”           
“No. I like Frosted Flakes. The kind with a tiger
on the box. Can you get those here?”

Rewarding Success
Should You Pay for Good Grades?

There’s no denying that earning good grades is important to succeeding in school.  Achieving academic accomplishments lands children on honor and merit rolls and brings the admiration of teachers and parents alike. 

School Philosophies Spotlight
Demystifying Waldorf, Montessori and Open School Models

By the time the average student graduates from high school, he or she has spent the equivalent of nearly 2,400 days in school. This makes it important for those considering alternatives to traditional public schools to weigh their options.

Tackling School Choice

Deciding where to educate your child can feel confusing and overwhelming.  Between public, charter, parochial, and private schools, home schooling, and alternative learning environments your child has a diverse number of classroom and curriculum possibilities to nurture his or her academic curiosities. 

Comparing Apples to Apples
Questions to Ask
When Choosing a School

The task of sorting through your many options when choosing a school is made easier by having a standard list of questions. Those listed below will offer a solid foundation for comparison, coupled with the "feel" you and your child get from the schools you visit.