Does your school have an innovative program that gets students active?

Child Obesity 180 has launched Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP) Innovation Competition. The competition is looking to uncover and highlight the most innovative and effective physical activity programs in elementary schools across the country.

ASAP wants to learn about any approach that motivates quality physical activity at school and beyond. If you have a great physical activity program and want the opportunity to share your program’s success, enter the competition for a chance to win up to $100,000. Top programs also will have an opportunity to develop and expand their initiative to other schools.

Deadline for entries: April 2, 2012.
Go to www.ActiveSchoolsASAP.org to learn more and enter.

Looking for Resources/Ideas to increase the amount of quality physical activity at your school? Visit the Ohio Action For Healthy Kids Physical Activity Resource Page.

More than half the children in this country — 13 million children — will not hear a bedtime story tonight.

A coalition of organizations, including our own, is working to change that. ReadAloud.org is a non-profit that is launching a 10-year campaign this month to promote a simple, powerful message:

Organizations that touch the lives of children in Greater Cincinnati have rallied to the 15 MINUTE Movement. ReadAloud’s partners include:

• Cincinnati Public Schools
• The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
• The Strive Partnership
• Every Child Succeeds
• Success by 6
• 4C for Children

These groups recognize the importance of reading aloud, and we do too. Why? Because reading aloud every day is the single most important thing you can do to prepare your child to learn. And, unfortunately, many parents and caregivers aren’t aware of the power of 15 minutes of daily reading aloud:

• Some children begin kindergarten having been read to as few as 25 hours, while their peers may have been read to as many as 1,000 hours. Every time you read to your child you are improving their learning advantage.
• By age four, low-income children have heard an average 32 million fewer words than their wealthy peers. Reading aloud is a key way to introduce new vocabulary.
• Even in higher-income households, nearly 40% of families do not read aloud every day.
• If a child is not reading at grade level by the end of the first grade, then there is an 88% probability the child will not be reading at grade level by the end of the fourth grade.

How can you support the cause? It’s easy! Spread the word, and continue to read to your child every day, or renew your commitment to do so!

Reading aloud can easily become part of your daily routine, before bedtime or naptime or after mealtime. Make it fun! Don’t forget funny voices, sound effects, acting out parts of the story, and asking lots of questions. Even a very young child can look at pictures, practice turning the pages, and hear you talk about the story. A child is never too young to learn that books are fun, engaging, and something that your family values.

Click here and join the 15 Minute Movement today!

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PAYS OFF

OMG! The OGT! Parents can help their high schoolers prepare.

Reported by T. Lewis

Before they can graduate, Ohio high school students must pass the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT).
Not surprisingly, the test is one huge headache for students and a great source of anxiety for parents.

Indeed, some students have to take the test several times before they pass it. Rogers High School senior Domonae Abernathy, for example, thought she would never graduate; the OGT stood in her way — six times. “After taking it so many times, I almost wanted to give up,” Abernathy said. And seniors aren’t the only ones getting OGT anxiety. Each year sophomores and juniors get scared because so many of their peers are not passing the test. “I’m nervous but I’ve been doing all I can to get prepared for it,” said Zachary Hartman.

Parents seem to understand why their children exhibit an inordinate amount of anxiety when faced with taking the OGT. “I was kind of frightened because I never had to do these things back in 1981 when I graduated. Things have changed tremendously!” said mother Tyrene McCrosky.

But, the truth is, help is available. Teachers, for example, can play an important role in preparing their students.

Parents can sit down while their children log onto a special program called Study Island where students can take an OGT test from previous years. Even as a parent, if you don’t get it, see if the child can explain it to you because they will learn something, just by explaining it to you. Abernathy says that parental push was all she needed to get over her fear and finally pass the OGT. “Just don’t give up. If you try hard enough, you can achieve your goals,” Abernathy said.

Parents, the top three things you can do to help your child succeed are:

• Be positive about your child’s abilities. Show that you believe in her ability to be successful at whatever task she starts.
• Be realistic when your child struggles. Education is about starting out not knowing something and working to understand and grow. Your encouragement will help your child overcome frustration and build self-confidence through successfully completing a task he didn’t know or believe he could do.
• Be consistent with your expectations and set them high. Set up routines for your child’s studying time and stick with that plan. Even if there is no homework, there are always books to read and new things to learn. Don’t let the minimum to get by, be the goal for your child.

All students are required to pass the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). The OGT rates students on five levels consisting of advanced, accelerated, proficient, basic, and limited. Proficient or higher is considered passing. Please visit http://education.ohio.gov for test dates, tools for parents and students, and practice exams. The OGT will be administered in CPS March 12-16.

Parent Resources

• PTA
  • http://www.pta.org/topics.asp
  • http://www.ohiopta.org
• Parents for Public Schools of Greater Cincinnati
  • (513) 751-5437
  • http://www.ppsgc.org
• Community of Learners website
  • http://ohiosupportivelearning.ning.com
• Influence of Parent Involvement on Student Achievement Eden Prairie Schools
  • http://www3.edenpr.org/public/geninfo/parentinvol1.aspx

The gearUP Parent Newsletter is published monthly by Wanda C. Jones, GEARUP Parent Involvement Specialist.
(513) 751-5437 | wcjones@ppsgc.org

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Additionally, a 2nd webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 from 3-4 pm that will address the significance of conducting BMI screenings, to schools, families, and communities. This webinar will also highlight resources, support services and next steps.These learning opportunities will be open to all school nurses, administrators, school board members, and other school personnel involved directly in the screening process.

Following is the registration information:
To register for this event please click on the link below and sign into the SAFE System. If you do not have a SAFE account you can register for one from this link also. From your SAFE account application list, click on the StarsV2.0 link to access the STARS system. New users will need to complete a one page profile and then they can search for the event. Returning users please click on the Event search link and enter BMI as the keyword in your search.
https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal

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