As day camps and summer jobs begin to wind down, it is evident that the new school year is around the corner. What better way to fuel the excitement than with a school supply shopping spree? The clean, organized look of new binders, shiny mechanical pencils and fresh notebooks is hard for anyone to resist. […]
Chicago is not only an exciting city for foodies—it’s also a mecca for the healthy food-oriented nonprofit movement. That’s particularly important because one out of six people in Cook County are dependent on food pantries, shelters and other nonprofit help, according to an ABC Channel 7 report. Broad swaths of our city are food deserts […]
Kids look forward to summers replete with ice cream cones, lazy afternoons at the beach and outdoor summer concerts. Meanwhile, parents want to make sure they’re broadening their children’s minds and horizons during summer break. The solution? Sneak in some fun and educational enrichment activities designed to keep the mind growing. Here are seven we […]
Research shows that music improves math and reading skills, as well as creativity and social development. And according to Americans for the Arts, students with access to an arts-rich education have better GPAs, higher standardized test scores in reading and math, and lower dropout rates. So what’s a parent to do if their child’s school […]
Use your common sense. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Focus on the facts, not the stereotypes. Be honest with yourself. Those are just a few pieces of advice from Frank Bruni, op-ed columnist for The New York Times, to students and their parents caught up in the emotionally challenging college admissions process. In […]
A good education is the best—and least expensive—fix to most social ills. Schools that engage and succeed are in everyone’s best interest. No institution enjoys greater impact in education reform than Harvard. And no city has made greater progress in urban education reform than Chicago. So naturally, Harvard convened civic leaders, its alumni and others in […]
Kathy Hardy, Winnetka Community Nursery School Director, says she has always regretted not “buying” her daughter, now 27, an extra year of preschool. “As parents you can’t help but want the leg up for your child,” Hardy says. Hardy is referring to academic redshirting, the practice of intentionally holding your child out an extra year […]
Deciding where to go to college is one of the biggest decisions in any student’s life. But while you want to feel comfortable with the school, you also want to like the town you’ll call home for the next four (give or take) years. As you plan visits with your college-bound kids, use our guides to […]
The West Coast is home to a host of impressive universities and colleges, ranging in size from a few thousand to more than 40,000 students. Take a look at the schools you might put on your list and where to stay and dine while you’re there. Washington Whitman College (Walla Walla, Wash.) Where to Stay: […]
Standardized tests: two words that can fuel debate like no others in pedagogical discussions. Parents, students, politicians, administrators and teachers all have their opinions about testing—a $1.7 billion industry—and there’s evidence to support both sides of every issue. What’s clear, though, is that parents need to educate themselves about standardized assessments, and make their voices […]
