Notable News: New Baby Movie Matinee, First Day of School Set for Fall and E.B. White Schools Us on Schooling

If you've got a kid in elementary school, happy parent-teacher conference week! Of course the students aren't the only ones being evaluated. In this edition of our biweekly links roundup, we highlight one teacher's reaction to his rating and a really cool op-ed that makes the case against testing by quoting a beloved E.B. White book.

We've also got the scoop on a cool new public art exhibition, a new baby movie matinee, the first day of school in September and what's blooming at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

The debate over the release of NYC public school teachers' ratings rages on. One “below average” teacher doesn’t accept his label quietly and we doubt he'll be the last to tell his side of the story publicly.

Another continuing hot-button education topic? Standardized tests. Perhaps the most compelling (not to mention whimsical) argument against them we've read comes from late author E.B. White, a.k.a. the man behind Charlotte's Web and other kid-lit classics. He may have died more than a quarter of a century ago, but this arithmetic lesson from Trumpet of the Swan still resonates.

And our last bit of school news: The Department of Education has set the first day of the 2012-2013 school year: Thursday, September 6.

Got a kid who puts everything off until the last minute? One Astoria high school student can list 100,000 reasons not to procrastinate; she outlines several key benefits to wrapping up homework ASAP that just may inspire your teen—or you.

We're always on the lookout for cool public art. The new exhibit that caught our eye? The Rafael Barrios sculptures on Park Avenue. Nine of the Venezuelan artist’s soaring steel geometric structures are currently on display between 50th and 68th Streets.

The first-ever Chinatown restaurant week is in full swing. Families can enjoy multicourse prix-fixe meals for $18.88 at a number of neighborhood eateries, including Golden Unicorn, which is one of our favorite family-friendly dim sum spots.

Taking a cue from other baby-friendly movie screenings, AMC Theatres has launched Bring Your Baby Matinees. On the first Tuesday of every month, catch adult flicks with your infant in tow at Kips Bay 15 and Lincoln Square 13.

Maclaren Strollers, once the primo status symbol for hipster parents on the go, has quickly gone from must-have baby accessory to the doorstep of bankruptcy.

Finally, the mild winter is the gift that keeps on giving as the cherry blossoms in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are already starting to bloom. Why wait for spring break to visit?