Schools

Aug 12 2012

DOE Sets Up Hotline for Parents Concerned About Special Education Reform

Things to do with kids: DOE Sets Up Hotline for Parents Concerned About Special Education Reform

While mandatory kindergarten for New York City five-year-olds doesn't go into effect until 2013, the Department of Education's sweeping Special Education Reform starts this fall. Come September, public schools will be required to integrate most students with special education needs into their general-education classrooms. (Kids with severe challenges may still be taught separately, although the details on what constitutes "severe" are still unclear.)

Even the DOE has admitted the transition may be a difficult one, which has many parents concerned. In order to allay fears, the DOE has set up a hotline to answer questions.

Read more »
Tags:
Aug 9 2012

Mommy Poppins' Back-to-School Guide

Mommy Poppins' Back-to-School Guide

The back-to-school season is filled with anticipation, excitement and stress—for kids and parents. There are new clothes and school supplies to buy, lunches and snacks to plan, and classes to prepare for (no easy task after summer slump). If you're worried that you'll never get it all done, stop, take a deep breath and check out our Back-to-School Guide, which is packed with simple tips and advice to help take the edge off. If your kid is going to school for the first time, we've got a list of books that help with the transition to kindergarten. Need name tags? We know about some super-cool ones. We also have plenty of meal posts, like our favorite meal planning apps, healthy lunch ideas and sensory savvy snacks so kids can make it through the school day. We hope our Back-to-School Guide helps your family make it through the madness, sanity intact.

Read more » Tags:
Mar 12 2012

Best NYC Public Schools: Dual Language Programs

Things to do with kids: Best NYC Public Schools: Dual Language Programs

We're always adding new bloggers to our Mommy Poppins team, and we're thrilled to welcome NYC schools and education expert Blythe Grossberg to the fold. Blythe will be writing posts about NYC schools. For her first post, Blythe shares info about one of the hidden gems of the New York City public school system: dual language programs.

Available at all grade levels from pre-K to 12th grade, dual language programs are open to English language learners (ELL) and students whose first language is English. A bilingual education can help kids succeed in our multicultural world.

Learn more about how dual language programs work and some of the best bilingual programs in NYC public schools. 

Read more »
Tags:
Feb 23 2012

NYC School Zones: Where to Find Accurate Public School Zone Maps

Things to do with kids: NYC School Zones: Where to Find Accurate Public School Zone Maps

New York City got an F in geography this month as news got around that 311 (the official New York City info line) has been giving out inaccurate information about elementary school zones. Over the past few years, there has been an unprecedented amount of school rezoning due to the introduction of several new schools to help ease overcrowding. Apparently even the DOE and NYC.gov can't keep up with the changes, so what are parents supposed to do—especially with the deadline for kindergarten applications looming?

I spent several hours sussing out where NYC parents can find accurate school zoning maps. It was not an easy task as there literally is no one place to find accurate school zoning maps for NYC... until now. Read on to see how you can get the right information when looking up your zoned schools.

Read more »
Tags:
May 1 2011

Handmade Gifts for Teachers for NYC Kids and Families

Things to do with kids: Handmade Gifts for Teachers for NYC Kids and Families

Now that spring break is over the countdown to summer has begun. But finding the perfect camp isn't the only thing on the agenda. It's time to start thinking about how your family will acknowledge your children's teachers for all of their hard work this past academic year.

We've rounded up fun, handmade ways you and your kids can say thank you—besides a gift card. If you do go the cash or gift card route, have your kids decorate the envelope with pictures and stickers. That personal touch is sure to get you an A+.

Handmade doesn’t necessarily mean homemade, so if the thought of crafting in your apartment scares you or you'd like professional help, we understand. We've got the goods on fantastic local spots where you and your children can make great gifts without trashing your place.

Teacher Appreciation Week kicks off this Monday, May 2 and goes through Friday, May 6, so this is the perfect time to get crafty. But if you can't get any of these projects together by the end of this week, don't worry: Public school kids have until June 28 to get creative for teacher, and independent schools don't let out until the end of the month. 

Read more »
Tags:
Syndicate content
©2007-2013 Mommy Poppins. All rights reserved.