New Study Shows Vending Machine Laws Yield Positive Health Results in Schools

Once the flurry of back-to-school time has settled, many parents face the challenge of keeping their kids in homework mode. Homework battles are a common issue during the school year, and some parents and students have more difficulty with this academic necessity than others. Since homework is here to stay for most students, it can be very beneficial for parents to learn how to help their children make the most of their homework time. While we shared 10 helpful homework tips before, here are 10 more homework strategies that help students make the grade.

Make Sure Their "Office" is Well Stocked

Think about what work environment is most productive for you. Is it a quiet place, free of distractions and stocked with all the supplies you need right at hand? For a child, homework is their "work," You can duplicate the same productive features for your child's office. Typically, children need a quiet, well-lit place to tackle homework assignments, where all their supplies are within arm’s reach. This area can be in the child’s bedroom, family office, or kitchen corner if that works best. Supply a desk light, paper, writing utensils, and any other supplies your child needs regularly.

Establish a Schedule

Homework is done best when it is completed at the same time of day whenever possible. Your family should set aside a specific time frame for homework assignments, with ample time for students to complete their work. For some, this might be right after

Going back to school can be anxiety-provoking enough for some students and parents, but how do you handle the transition in the wake of a major community tragedy? That is exactly the question educators in Aurora, Colorado, have been forced to ask, as students in this community prepare for a new school year just two weeks after a deadly shooting in a local movie theatre left 12 people dead and 58 more injured. Some of the victims were students themselves, bringing this event too close to home for many students in the area. Administrators, teachers, and support personnel are preparing for a back-to-school event in Aurora this year that is sure to be bittersweet and even scary for some of the students they serve.

This video reports on the aftermath of the Aurora mass shooting.

The Impact of the Tragedy

According to a report at Ed News Colorado, the Aurora Public School District estimates that approximately 150 students, parents, and staff from Aurora schools were in one of the theatres during the shooting. Gateway High School, the High School closest to the theatre, had 50 current or former students in the theatre alone. One of the victims that were killed, AJ Boik, graduated from Gateway in May.

The suspected shooter, James Holmes, lived in an apartment building not far from the theatre and within close proximity to Paris Elementary School.

The upcoming school year brings a mix of emotions for kids and parents alike – from excitement over the promise of new beginnings to anxiety over the fear of the unknown. No matter how you child faces the new year, you can help him or her to make the most of the experience. These tips help you to help your child start the new school year on the right foot.

Ease into a Schedule

Most children spend their summers staying up late and sleeping in, which can make the adjustment to an earlier school schedule a bit of a shock to the system. Plan for a softer transition by easing children into the school schedule gradually during the last week or two of summer break. By pushing bedtimes up by one-half or one hour each week, your child will be better prepared to meet that first early bell with a smile.

Plan to Eat Right

PBS Parents recommends re-focusing summer eating habits that might have consisted of junk food on the run to healthy sit-down meals as a family whenever possible. When children spend many hours each day in a classroom, they need all the nutrition they can get to keep their brains in top performing condition. Begin with healthy breakfast selections, and try to have family dinner nights as often as possible throughout the week.

Set Up a Homework Station

Homework time will go that much more smoothly if all the necessary supplies

A question over equality at a top-rated high school in the Fairfax School District in Virginia has once again raised the question of the equality of public education overall in the United States. Thomas Jefferson High School, frequently ranked as one of the top public schools in the country, has recently come under fire by the Coalition of the Silence and the NAACP. The organizations have raised concerns about the low enrollment of minority students into the school, particularly in light of the much higher rate of diversity in schools just a few miles away. However, as one digs into the question of racial inequality at Thomas Jefferson High School, concerns extend into whether minority students in Fairfax County are given the same academic opportunities as their caucasian counterparts.

This TEDTalk discuss racial discrimination in public schools.

Federal Civil Rights Complaint Filed

A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed with the U.S. Department of Education regarding Thomas Jefferson High School’s admission policies. The complaint alleges that Fairfax County “…essentially operates a network of separate and unequal schools,” which leaves out Latinos, blacks, and disabled students. The complaint further alleges that “for decades, these students have been grossly and disproportionately underrepresented in admission to the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.”

The civil rights complaint was filed by the Coalition of Silence, an advocacy group formed by