Learn how to find a camp that’s the right fit for your child and how children benefit from attending camp, followed by a question and answer session with our experts. Includes day camps and overnight camps, regional and local camps. Even if you were not able to attend on February 8, 2011 you can watch a video of the panel discussion on the HCAM-TV website:
Many thanks to everyone who attended Ann Dolin, M.Ed.’s presentation, Homework Made Simple: Solutions for Stress-Free Homework on November 30. Parents had a wonderful time and learned many new strategies to support their children’s academic growth and avoid the many stressors that homework time can cause. Here are four great tips Ann shared:
For more information: Watch Ann’s presentation on the HCAM-TV website
With all of this year’s snowfall, many New Englanders are eager to welcome summer back to the region. While the lazy days of summer may seem like nothing more than a glimmer in the distance, now is the time to start the process of choosing a summer camp for the kids!
To help families shake off the winter blues and jumpstart that search, the American Camp Association, New England is co-sponsoring The Summer Activity Fair on Saturday, February 12 at Hopkinton High School.
The fair, hosted by the Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association, will feature directors and representatives from more than 50 ACA-accredited day and sleepaway camps from across New England. Camp professionals will be on hand to answer questions and provide insight into what each camp offers for kids and their families.
All kinds of camps will be represented: specialty, traditional, adventure, family, trip/travel, general, religious, and community service.
For more tips on how to navigate the camp search process or to make the most of a camp fair, parents can visit www.ACANewEngland.org.
WHEN: Saturday, February 12, Noon – 3p.m. (snow date: March 5)
WHERE: Hopkinton High School Cafeteria, 90 Hayden Rowe St. Hopkinton, Mass.
For more information contact:
Wendy Scheman
wendyscheman@gmail.com
508-625-1169 or
Laurie Collins
lmdrcollins@verizon.net
508-625-1558
On November 30 at the HCAM-TV studio, the HPTA hosted education specialist Ann Dolin for a presentation: Homework Made Simple: Solutions for Stress-Free Homework. Forty-five people attended the workshop, according to organizer Esther Driscoll, and most bought copies of Dolan’s book, Homework Made Simple—Tips, Tools, and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework.
“She was a very engaging speaker,” said Jen Joyce, a Hopkinton mother who attended Dolan’s workshop. “She had a lot of practical suggestions that were very easy to try.”
While Joyce had already tried many of the tips Dolan suggested, she gained some new ideas and appreciated Dolan’s emphasis on flexibility and patience.
Dolan generally categorizes children with homework issues in six ways – disorganized, rusher, procrastinator, avoider, distractible and easily frustrated – yet doesn’t suggest just one solution for each category.
For example, while she suggests having places set aside for homework, she stresses that the place could vary from day to day and that some children may be more comfortable working at a desk, while some might work better lying on the floor.
“It’s all a matter of tuning in to your own kid and finding out what works for them,” said Joyce.
“Her book also delves into parenting tips and offers many more strategies and tools,” said Driscoll. “It was interesting to note that some of her suggestions are already used in our schools, but I think her book brings tips and tools home to parents. We parents may pick up on subtle issues that slip by the school system, but we don’t necessarily know how to handle it. As I read her book and listened to her presentation, I had a number of ‘Aha’ moments.”
Dolan’s presentation is available on HCAM at http://www.hcam.tv/media, and the HPTA has posted a link on its website, http://www.hptaonline.com/parentprograms.html, to purchase copies of her book.
By Jean Cann
At a parent program during Disability Awareness Month, parents learned tips to educate their children about friends and classmates with disabilities, as well as ways to help others understand their own children’s disabilities. Approximately fifteen parents attended the disability awareness program at the Hopkins School on October 19.
The program, co-sponsored by the HPTA, SPEAC and the Hopkinton Moms Group, included discussion about all sorts of disabilities. Speaker Molly Myers, who has a daughter with Down Syndrome, received many positive e-mails following the program.
The evening included a question and answer session, brainstorming and informative speakers, including Myers, Center School psychologist Kelly Pickens and Hopkins learning specialist Marissa Keller.
“When talking with someone who has a disability, speak directly to him or her, rather than through a companion who may be along,” said Meyers, as one of her informative tips.
Parents learned of ways to help their children understand classmates with disabilities ranging from behavioral issues and learning disabilities to autism and Down Syndrome.
Myers said, “My daughter’s face is her label, but not everyone’s disability is as easy to
see.”
She speaks to her daughter’s classmates each year to explain her quirks and needs, but would like to reach a wider audience. During the brainstorming session, parents discussed the possibility of the HPTA and SPEAC co-sponsoring school enrichment programs.
The program highlighted some ongoing disability awareness programs and activities in the Hopkinton Schools - the Integrated Preschool reads some books about disabilities during circle time, Center School holds the Walk a Mile program, Elmwood partners with the Respite Center, Hopkins’ themes are respect, responsibility and tolerance, and the Middle and High Schools have Best Buddies program.
The speakers also recommended many books donated to the public library by SPEAC, including a series called “Taking_____ to school” (with topics ranging from anxiety disorder to Down Syndrome).
They also made attendees aware of the assistance available from school guidance counselors and learning specialists.
Parents can find information about disabilities at the following links:
Parent Handbook: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/parent_handbook_final.pdf
Books: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/SPEAC_books.pdf
Tips for interacting with someone with a disability: http://hptaonline.com/pdf/
Disability_Awareness_Outline_Oct2010.pdf
By Jean Cann
Lee Burns
lafantasia@hotmail.com
508.497.5174
Meg Parduhn
meg@parduhn.com
508.293.4262
College Funding Presentation by Ron Foisy
SPEAC of Hopkinton