Link to 6-10 Great Tips on How to Help Your Child Work Towards Student Success at Home

Still catching up on my blog reading at home and I ran across some great tips on how parents can help their children become more successful in school while they are working at home. As a parent of school-age children now myself, I even learned from these tips. I love following Cool Cat Teacher's blog and learned that she has another blog site for parenting tips, so I will include that link as well. The only problem I had with these tips is that I found the blog post for tips 1-3 and the post for tips 4-6, but I couldn't find the blog post for tips 7-10. I am guessing it is still coming in the next week or so. Either way, please click on all of the links below and read some great advice and tips on how we can all help our "students/children" at home.

**Edit: Tips 7 and 8 have now been posted and can be found by clicking the 3rd link**

Tips for Success at Home 1-3

Tips for Success at Home 4-6

Vicki Davis's Parenting Blog on Tuesdays at "The Balancing Act" blogspot (also on Lifetime TV daily)

**I skimmed some other blogs on this site and some look really, really good. If you like "self-help" blogs and books, this site has tons of free blogs written by every day people who have knowledge in all sorts of areas like family, parenting, empowerment, self-help, motivation, etc. If you have some extra time, skim a few of these and see what you think**

Partnership for a Drug-Free America Updates

As I catch up on my blog reader account over the Holiday break, I am skimming through 50 (yes, 50!) blog posts by the group Partnership for a Drug-free America. Lots of good information. If you read blogs here and there, this would be a good blog to follow. If not, I have pasted the links to the best of the 50 entries so you don't have to go through all 50 like I did....just click and read the ones I found to be the most interesting. Happy Holidays!

Marijuana use among teens rising and hitting 30-year peak, click here! Our own Iowa Youth Survey show usage rising among teens as well, but not as high as these results. But we still show about 13% of 11th graders using marijuana in the past month and we also show about 1 out of 15 11th graders smoking marijuana daily.

Synthetic marijuna is dangerous and parents can help! Good, quick read that reminds us all that parents are many times the best preventers of drug use in teens and preteens.

Substance Abuse and Child Abuse/Neglect Show Connection. Sure, this story is about Kentucky, but I assume this is true in almost any state. In my 4 short years as a school counselor, almost all cases of a student talking to me about being abused or neglected occurred by an adult who was also struggling with substance abuse.

Parents who Drink and Drive Means More Likely Chance Their Kids Will Too! Very quick read that highlights a study showing that kids of parents who drive under the influence are more likely to drive under the influence as well. Makes you think, especially if you read the next link...

1/3 of Car Accidents and Fatalities Related to Alcohol. Couple that with the link above and parents are pretty powerful forces in saving their own kids' lives!

House Votes to Ban Synthetic Marijuana (Spice, Bath Salts, etc.). Was in the news a lot, but here is a blog post about it.

Prescription Drug and Marijuana Addiction Treatments Way Up. Ten years of data on this subject really shows how dangerous prescription drugs are becoming. Also, it shows marijuana is becoming more and more of a problem.

Lots of links, but all very good and all very quick to read. Hopefully you get something from at least one of these that you can use to educate yourself, your kids, and those you are around.

Facebook provides first-of-a-kind service to help prevent suicides

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline collaborate with Facebook to help those in crisis

Facebook is announcing a new service that harnesses the power of social networking and crisis support to help prevent suicides across the nation and Canada. The new service enables Facebook users to report a suicidal comment they see posted by a friend to Facebook using either the Report Suicidal Content link or the report links found throughout the site. The person who posted the suicidal comment will then immediately receive an e-mail from Facebook encouraging them to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or to click on a link to begin a confidential chat session with a crisis worker.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ is a toll-free suicide prevention hotline network comprised of 152 local crisis centers. The Lifeline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Link2Health Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC). The Lifeline provides free and confidential crisis counseling to anyone in need 24/7 and has answered over 3 million calls since its launch in 2005.

“We're proud to expand our partnership with Lifeline, and to provide those in crisis with even more options to seek help,” said Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, Joe Sullivan. “The Lifeline’s commitment to suicide prevention has enabled people on Facebook to get fast, meaningful help when they need it most, and we look forward to continuing our work with them to help save lives.”

“Facebook and the Lifeline are to be commended for addressing one of this nation’s most tragic public health problems,” said Surgeon General, Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA, who serves with Sullivan on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. “Nearly 100 Americans die by suicide every day – 36,035 lives every year. For every person who is murdered, two die by suicide. These deaths are even more tragic because they are preventable. We have effective treatments to help suicidal individuals regain hope and a desire to live and we know how powerful personal connections and support can be. Therefore we as a nation must do everything we can to reach out to those at risk and provide them the help and hope needed to survive and return to productive lives with their family, friends, and communities.”

Crisis center workers from two centers in the Lifeline network, the Boys Town National Hotline and Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ 2-1-1/LIFE LINE, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to Facebook users opting to use the chat. The Lifeline currently responds to dozens of people each day who have expressed suicidal thoughts on Facebook.

“We have been partnering with Facebook since 2006 to assist at-risk users and are thrilled to launch this new service,” said John Draper, Ph.D., the Lifeline’s project director and MHA-NYC’ Vice President of Behavioral Health Technology. “Although the Lifeline on average handles 70,000 calls per month, we have heard from our Facebook fans and others that there are many people in crisis who don’t feel comfortable picking up the phone. This new service provides a way for them to get the help they need in the way they want it.”

For more information on this topic please visit the SAMHSA Blog at http://blog.samhsa.gov/2011/12/13/facebook-provides-first-of-a-kind-service-to-help-prevent-suicides.

About the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) is the public-private partnership advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The Action Alliance envisions a nation free from the tragic experience of suicide. The Action Alliance was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates on September 10, 2010, with input and support of many public and private sector stakeholders. For more information, see http://www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org .

Virtual Financial Aid Fair

Iowa College Aid is hosting a free virtual financial aid fair on December 15th from 4-8pm through collegeweeklive.com. Some of the presentations available include: Financial Aid 101, Now What: What to Expect after the FAFSA, State of Iowa Scholarship and Grant Programs, Students Loans, and more!

Members of Iowa College Aid will also be available via live chat to answer questions.

Also- just a reminder that we will be hosting a live financial aid night at the high school on January 23rd at 6:30pm in the auditorium. ICAN will be presenting. They are also available free of charge to answer financial aid questions and even fill out your FAFSA by calling 515-246-8561.

Mrs. Heidemann and I are also available to help answer questions about financial aid as are the colleges and universities you are applying at!

Middle School Helping the Community in 2 Ways This Week!

Our middle school students are very busy this week trying to help needy families this holiday season. First off, our 7th graders are collecting canned and boxed food items for the local food pantry. All of this food goes directly to our local families, many of who are greatly in need due to both a shortage of food in their homes and in our food pantries. Each STAR group is collecting food and having a contest to see which group can bring the most. Even if you don't have a 7th grade child, feel free to send a couple food items with your child this week to donate to the cause.

Secondly, all students are raising money for the Toys for Tots program. This year, Mrs. Beydler and her students are using all of the money raised to help a couple local Carlisle families have toys and new clothes for Christmas. Our school goal is $1100 as we raised over $1000 last year and think we can beat it this year. One staff member has already pledged to match up to $100 if students can bring $100 this Friday!! Each day, a few students will visit every first period class in search of spare change or even a dollar bill or too. You would be amazed at how the spare change adds up. If each student were to simply drop a quarter in the bucket each day, we would raise over $700 in 6 days! If a student were to drop a dollar bill in one day or maybe a few quarters, our goal would be easy. So, again, a very simple request of our students, but adding it up, it can help so many people here right here in our community.

Please consider these 2 great causes this Holiday season. Also, please talk with your kids about charities and helping others as these are great conversations to have with kids at this age. They should be learning lots about handling and working with money both at school and home and charitable giving is one key piece of that education. Happy Holidays!

Job Fair and Interview Tips!

To go along with the previous post and/or just information to have if you are currently in the market for a new job or career, here are some links that have job fair, resume, application, and interview tips and support. Use what you can. I use some of these with my middle school students when we talk about employment skills or opportunities.

Job Fair Tips and Help click here!

Application tips click here!

44 Resume tips click here!

Interview tips click here!

Local Job Fair to Hire 30 New Workers...in the NEXT 2 WEEKS!!

Just a quick post to alert all of you so that you can spread the word. Dr. Lane has just forwarded me an email about an upcoming job fair in Indianola put on by a company called MarketLink. They are looking for people with good people skills, personal communication skills, and a positive attitude. And they are looking to hire immediately. I have copied/pasted the flier as best as I could below so that you have all the necessary information you need. If you are not in need of a job, please refer this information to people in our community who you know might need a job. What a wonderful holiday present....the gift of employment and a paycheck. I hope this helps several in our community.

Friday, December 9th from 1:00 - 6:00 PM

at our Indianola facility at 1801 W. 2nd Avenue.

We need Account Specialists to sell telecommunications products by phone

AND WE’RE HIRING THEM NOW!

We are also hiring a Sales Supervisor and a Recruitment Specialist!

If you’re highly dependable, have excellent verbal and PC skills and a positive attitude.

Come in this Friday. WE’RE HIRING NOW!

1801 W. 2nd Avenue · Indianola, IA · 515-961-3165

State Trooper Brian Shelley to Speak with Students About Cybersafety

The Carlisle Middle School Counselors are excited to welcome Trooper Brian Shelley to our school over the next 3-4 weeks. During these weeks, Trooper Shelley will get a chance to speak with every 4th-8th grader about Online safety, Cybercrime, Cyberbullying, and other online issues that affect our teens and preteens.

The world is changing rapidly and not even I know all the ins and outs of the internet or internet safety. I talk a lot about the opportunities and dangers of the online world, especially cyberbullying, but I don't always know the latest information, tactics, and safety measures that are out there. Trooper Shelley spends a good portion of his time in schools doing presentations just like these and is great at educating our students about these areas. Due to his schedule and ours, he will only be able to come in once a week, but by January 6th, he will have seen all students once during our Guidance and life skills class.

For more information on what he presents, please visit the website I have listed below to learn about what information he covers and presents. He chooses the appropriate lessons and topics for the age he is talking to. So, what he goes over with 4th graders will likely be very different than the 8th grade presentation.

Netsmartz.org click here!

That's Not Cool.com: A Site for Teens Who Have Questions and Thoughts

Just saw a commercial on Saturday morning TV about teens and innappropriate texting. The commercial ended up saying that constantly texting your friends, especially your boyfriend or girlfriend, is "not cool". Then the commercial directed you to a site called thatsnotcool.com. So, I went to the site and did some exploring and found the site had lots to offer our middle school and high school teens. When I clicked on topics like Rumors or Textular Harrassment, they had great submitted questions with great answers from both experts and from other students. If a student has questions about how to handle a difficult issue at school and they cannot reach their counselor, this website might be a possible option to do some research. And maybe an option to submit some of their own strategies as answers. There are other sites out there like this one, but this one is definitely a good one for a student to explore and try more.

Click here to go to ThatsNotCool.com

CHS Wall of Gratitude

Join us this week in celebrating all of the things in our life we are grateful for by adding to the gratitude wall in the high school main hallway. These can be small things, like comfy socks, big things, like our homes, or priceless things, like our families.

Distressing Article

A new study shows that using credit cards can cause a type of euphoria, which makes people tend to ignore the downside of purchases and overspend or make purchases of things they don't really even want or need. Using credit cards, debit cards, or online accounts creates a disconnection between buying and paying. In our high-tech, fast paced society, where we can order almost anything online-from flat screen tvs to pizza- how are we teaching and modeling responsible behavior for our kids?

Check out the full article at http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/17/8860529-using-a-credit-card-induces-euphoria-new-research-shows

The CHS counselors are getting techy!!

Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Heidemann are finally getting with the times!! Follow us on twitter @2CHScounselors. We'll be posting visiting recruiters, scholarships, events, and resources.

Upcoming Recruiters

Here's a list of some of the recruiters we have lined up to visit CHS:
11/15 11am- Southwestern Community College
11/16 lunch hour- La James (Mason City)
11/17 1:30pm- Grandview College
11/21 9am- Creative Center
11/21 11:30am (in Construction Technology class)- Electrical Apprenticeship Coordinator
12/1 11:30am (in Construction Technology class)- Carpentry Apprenticeship Coordinator

Get a pass from Mrs. Lee or Mrs. Heidemann if you're interested in visiting with any of the recruiters.

FREE Groceries, health checks, resources, and fun SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12th!!!

Not going to put a big long post out about this, but I just learned of a great free resource happening tomorrow in downtown Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena. Please pass the word and get the message out. Click "here" to go to the page describing this, but long story short, an event called "Convoy of Hope Des Moines" is happening from 10 a.m. until supplies run out at the Wells Fargo Arena TOMORROW (Saturday!). Everything from free groceries to free haircuts to free vision and health screenings. This is an amazing opportunity for families in area who are in need. So please use this event if you can or need to. If not, please contact someone who can benefit. No IDs are needed, just attend if you need this help. We all need help from time to time....we need to learn to use that help and be thankful for that help when it is offered. This is a great chance to use it. Email or contact a Carlisle counselor if you want more information (although we are just learning about this ourselves)

Convoy of Hope website click here!

Iowa Youth Survey 2010 Data Powerpoint

Parents, Guardians, Students, Community Members, Educators.....anyone....please view the powerpoint below to see how the latest data from the Iowa Youth Survey, taken in 2010 by all 6th, 8th, and 11th graders across Carlisle and the state, figure into the data we have been receiving since 1999. In many cases, our results are trending up and looking much better. This is a great thing! We have less kids using drugs and alcohol, getting their hands on drugs and alcohol, less kids bullying, and more kids feeling better about themselves. But we still have a ways to go to reach goals that I have set for myself and my school. But, the news is good and I am excited to share this powerpoint to many people this year. Feel free to flip through the powerpoint below and email me questions, leave comments, or give me a call if you have questions, concerns, or comments.

Iowa youth survey

View more presentations from Benjamin Barry

Girls and Reality TV

A new study by the Girl Scouts found some interesting things about tweens and teens who watch a lot of reality tv. A few of the notable findings:

• 78% of girls who watched reality tv felt that gossip was a normal part of a relationship between girls (vs. 54% of non-watchers)
• Girls who watched reality tv were more likely to judge their worth primarily on looks
  
• almost half the watchers said they felt happier if they had a boyfriend or significant other
• on the positive side- 68% of the girls who watch reality tv believe they can achieve anything in life and
• 62% of watchers said that they feel they are more aware of social issues
• (Taken from Real to Me: Girls and Reality TV)
  

Not to say that you have to give up your Big Brother, X Factor, or any other reality tv show, but you might want to tune into what your kids are watching and have some conversation about the "reality" of reality tv.

Google's Good to Know Site

As I am catching up reading blogs that I follow over the 3-day weekend (had about 400 blog posts to read...so I was a little behind!), I came across a blog about Google's Good to Know site and how it is very helpful with tips and information about being safe online. Everything from how to search more safely and more appropriately to actually seeing what data companies like Google actually get from your online experiences. I played around with this site some and found it to be somewhat helpful. Feel free to explore it some more and if you learn something or your child learns something....great!

Google's Good to Know click here!

Don't Always Believe What You Hear: The Power of Negative....and Positive Words

I know, I know...reality shows like American Idol, Biggest Loser, and X-Factor always try to find the feel-good stories, but this one truly is a good story. As a counselor, I am drawn to the words this lady speaks at the beginning. She didn't follow her passion and dreams because someone she loved and respected told her she wasn't good enough. When she finally stopped listening to him and listened to her heart (and hopefully other close friends), she decided to give her dream one more shot. And it wasn't easy, but finally, we get to see her one shot. And she doesn't disappoint. Watch the video below. It is 8 minutes of your day that could change you. In fact I hope it changes us all. This week, don't say negative things to others....be a dream producer. Be the person who got this lady on stage. Change someone's life.

Small Things Can Make a Big Difference!

Have to thank Larry Ferlazzo and his Websites of the Day for a quick blog he made with this comic strip. He made a great point: You never know what might make a difference in a teenager's daily life, but it could be pretty small. So....as parents, teachers, friends, loved ones, we need to keep doing the little things that might make someone's bad day become a slightly better one.

More Partnership for a Drug Free America links

I just went through about 75 blog entries from the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Here are 3 that stood out to me. Please read during some down time this week and possibly even discuss with your family. Thanks!

Click here to read about Prescription Drug names and information. Your kids may be taking prescription drugs without you knowing about it. They may be attending "Pharm parties" where they share their pills with other kids and take theirs. They may be stealing your prescription drugs. Or maybe they are not...but they know someone who is. Either way, the link within this blog post has some great information.

Click here to read about Marijuana causes driver impairment and accidents. Duh. I know. But many kids don't actually believe that marijuana causes impairment and is not "bad" like alcohol or other drugs are. Well, read this recent study and you will see it is just as bad.

Click here to learn how your School Counselor can be Your First Contact When You Think Your Child Might be Using Drugs. I really hope I can help in any way possible. When anyone has a problem, especially a young person, it takes a committed and supportive group of people to help the person through issues like drugs and drug addictions. Please, contact me if you need help.

CommonSenseMedia.Org....Still One of the Best Sites for Families Out There!

I can't tell you how much I love this site and how cool it is for a Dad (and teacher/counselor) like me! I originally found this site and used it just as a site to review movies and TV shows before my kids watched them. As a counselor, I am always amazed at what my middle school students tell me they watch. Sure the R rated movies surprise me, but sometimes PG-13 or TV shows can be pretty bad too. Well, this site breaks every TV show and movie down in multiple categories so you can see just what is so bad or so good about that particular entertainment choice. They even give you a suggested age where this show or movie would be appropriate. And it is not just expert opinions, it combines parent and children opinions too. This is a site that the whole family could visit and discuss before planning what movie to see or what show to watch. I have placed a few examples below of some good and bad shows that students have told me they have seen recently. But please, check out this site and bookmark it.....it is truly an amazing site!

(Oh, I forgot....for every show, if you decide to let your kids watch it, the site gives you talking points on even the bad things the show has. How cool is that?! Now you can discuss things about the show with your children and have a built in cheat sheet on what to ask and talk about!)

Jersey Shore: Guess what? Not a good show and now scientifically proven. No role model or positive messages to be found.

Up All Night: A new favorite show for my wife and I. My kids are too young, but this site actually says this show has some good qualities in comparison to most other shows. Interesting!

Spongebob: Not much for good qualities and even "iffy" for 6 year olds. For middle schoolers, it is probably fine, but if you have little ones, you might want to read up.

Thor: Pretty typical superhero movie. You might think these movies are great for kids and in many cases they are pretty good, but reading about it on a site like this might make you more prepared for talking with your child/teen when before or after they see the movie.

Saw: As we approach Halloween, some kids may want to rent and watch the original "Saw" movie or some of the sequels. This makes my skin crawl. As you can see from the research, this movie doesn't even have a suggested age as the movie is deemed not suitable for any age kid. Yet, I bet nearly 50% of my students have seen it!

The Hangover: This one still baffles me. So many middle school students ask me if I have seen it and want to know what I think. Then they tell me they loved it and have seen it many times. I watched it after it was on DVD and I kept thinking "My students watched this??" Anyway, here is the review.

These are just a few examples but you can really see the detail put into each review and study. Next time you are questioning if a movie or TV show is suitable for your child or family, give this site a try.

Students "Want to Talk to Their School Counselor" About Bullying.

You have to wait for this line until almost the end of the video, but that is a great quote at the end of this video about solutions to combat bullying. The Iowa Youth Survey shows we do have bullying at the 6th, 8th, and 11th grade levels, but our stats are lower than the state averages, so something is going right. However, my goal and our school's goals is still to have 0% of students reporting that they feel bullied. A daunting goal and possibly not achievable, but we keep trying and talking to students in hopes that we will someday get there. Here is a great little video clip about some possible solutions, but again, I love the end of the video! So true!!

Lots of Student Groups Available at Carlisle Middle School!

If your child is looking to get involved in a group at Carlisle Middle School, I hope they have explained to you the many options they now have. Feeling connected to your school by getting involved can really enhance the school experience. Not to mention that are history shows that students who get connected in an extra curricular activity tend to have much better attendance and better grades in school! So....students should try to get involved in at least one activity. If you are not sure what activities, we offer, here you go....

Sports for grades 7 and 8: Currently football, volleyball, cross country and cheerleading are going on. Soon basketball for boys and girls will start up along with wrestling. Then, we finish the year with baseball, softball, and track. Wow! And if that isn't enough, CYA offers similar sports as well as soccer in the fall and spring.

Chess Club: This group starts up this week with their first meeting after school on Wednesday. Wednesday will likely be their regular meeting day.

Art Club: This group has already started and they are meeting on Tuesdays. This is a great group for any student that has interest in Art.

Conservation Club: This group meets on Thursdays after school and they do lots of landscaping, research on nature, and beautification projects. They also are active with plantings in the spring.

Jazz Band: These groups are now up and running with different groups of Jazz band students meeting almost every morning each week.

Yearbook: This group has formed, but has not yet had their first meeting. They will start meeting here in a few weeks and will meet off and on throughout the year on Thursday mornings. When it is all said and done, they will have produced our school yearbook!

Student Council: Students applied for this and have already had several meetings and even a bake sale. Next, they will help put on our school social. They stay pretty active and meet on Tuesdays either before school or after school, whichever students can make. However, they do not meet every Tuesday though.

STAND (Students Taking Action, Not Drugs): This group will meet on Tuesday afternoons on days when the Student Council meets. Students can be in both groups or just one. This group is the new version of our our JEL/SADD group and this group will be attempting to educate our students on the dangers and evils of drugs and alcohol.

Whew....that is a lot of groups! I might have even missed one or two and it wouldn't surprise me if more groups form during the year. Bottom line is that students should get involved and their are lots of ways they can get involved. No excuse not to!!

Facebook Predator is a Good Reminder to All Students to be Safe Online

If you don't know the story, click on this KCCI link to watch the video story. This story was forwarded around Central Iowa this past week and I think I received it about 4 times. And it is an important story even if it has not affected Carlisle....yet. The important part is that this is a great reminder how young people need to be smart and safe when online. When we decided to get the 8th graders up and blogging, I was hoping this would constantly give me chances to talk to the kids about their online behavior and online life. What they should post, not post, how they should post, where they should post, and who might be looking at the things they are doing. Would you believe that most 8th graders have a Facebook and most of their Facebook walls are visible to the public? Yep, it's true! And many 8th graders have admitted to accepting a friend invite on Facebook of someone they did not know, but they thought they knew that person or a friend of theirs was a friend of this person, so why not accept? Technology is fun and social networks are some of the most fun parts of technology, but they are not risk-free. Predators of children and other adults who have not-so-nice motives are USUALLY smarter than our students and almost always smarter than me! We can't just assume we are bullet proof and the bad things that happen won't happen to us. We must protect ourselves in at least some very simple ways. Here is some of my quick advice regarding Facebook

1. Make your wall, photos, and information only visible to friends. No reason to have your information public.

2. Limit the amount of personal information you post. This includes pictures. I purposely do not post many pictures of my kids on Facebook. I would love for people to see my kids, but I don't want my kids' photos all over the Internet.

3. You don't have to accept every friend invite. If you are their TRUE FRIEND in life, accept them. Even if you just know of them, don't accept it. If you are getting up to 200, 300, 400 or more friends (and most middle school kids are), you are friending too much!

4. Think before you post....every time! Think about what your post may mean to others, how it will affect others, and who will see it. We talk about this with our blogs, but we could talk about it everyday if we wanted to. Also, never post when emotional...and teens can be emotional often. Take a break and relax before putting your feelings online. Or better yet, talk to someone about your feelings and do not post them to hundreds.

5. Report, print, and record. If you feel uncomfortable by anything online or something doesn't feel right, print the screen immediately. Smart predators (and bullies) will remove their post once they are sure it has done its job. Write information down. Report what happened to an adult and delete the person from your friend list if possible.

Here are some great Facebook and online safety sources:

Great Guide to Facebook for parents!

SafeKids tips!

CommonSense Media.org article (one of my favorite websites by the way!)

If you have any questions, please contact me or any school counselor.

Winter Clothing Giveaway!! Now October 24th!!!

If you are a middle school parent or guardian and wondering if you have enough warm clothes for your middle schooler this winter and wondering how you would even pay for it if you don't have those clothes, we want to help. We have been collecting and gathering warm clothes (hats, gloves, coats, sweatshirts, pants, etc) for a couple years and we still don't have much, but we feel we have enough to give to others. And we want to do just that. A tentative date has been set (October 24th) and on that date from 4 to 6 p.m., we will have the clothes set out in the Life Skills room for the taking. We ask that those who come to see what we have to offer are families who are in need and simply can't balance all of the bills a cold winter might bring. We can't guarantee you much, but we are hopeful that those who come can find a few items to take home and that getting those items for free might ease the family budget this year. Please contact Kim Flagor Fuller or Ben Barry for more details. And check back soon to see if our date is more firmly set!

When: October 24th, 4-6 p.m.

Where: Middle School Life Skills Room

Why: To help any family who might need extra warm clothes this winter season.

Personality Tests!

Our 6th graders will be doing some online personality tests and learn more about their own strengths and weaknesses. My one big disclaimer is that these tests are not perfectly accurate and when it comes to a matching career, that career may not be the best fit for them....and that is okay! These tests are only versions of a much more reliable psychological test and are therefore not as accurate. Either way, we can get some good data and good information about ourselves by taking these tests. For instance, when I took one of the tests it said I would make a great teacher and/or counselor! Well, I may not be great, but I do feel like I am in the job that matches my personality and that is good! Anyway, here are the links for the tests the students are taking.

Test #1: Personality Test by Human Metrics

This test will give you a 4 letter code and students can have one of many different codes. Students can learn more about their code by clicking on some of the links. This is where I learned that I should be a teacher or counselor (but I already knew this). They can also see what famous people might share the same code. The questions are tough and maybe a bit above 6th graders vocabulary level, but they should get an accurate answer if they answer at least 50 questions.

Test #2: RIASEC Test

The RIASEC Test is probably one of the most common personality to career match tests out there. Again, this is just a short sample version and results should be taken with a grain of salt, but students really do tend to find the results guide them towards careers they were already thinking about. I tell students to do the "15 question" version, but they could do the 30 question version to get even more accurate results.

FREE Dinner and FREE show at Carlisle Middle School on November 1st. (Did you see it said "FREE"!!)

A great FREE opportunity is coming up. The National Theatre for Children is coming to Carlisle Middle School on November 1st for 2 shows. First, they will perform for our entire 7th grade in the afternoon. Next, they will stick around to put on a show for the entire community after a FREE dinner that night. So, what is their show about? Well, their show is titled "Mad About Money II" and teaches financially literacy to young people. But guess what? Adults can learn from this presentation too and that is why we are hoping the entire family comes to the night dinner and show on November 1st. Lots of information about this event will be posted around the community and sent home with students, so keep an eye out for more information. For now, please see the following information and make sure to RSVP soon!

Who: National Theatre for Children performance for Parents, families, and students

What: A free, fun, family-friendly theatre performance. Dinner provided for everyone thanks to the Iowa Insurance Division

Where: Carlise Middle School

When: Tuesday November 1st at 6:00 p.m.

Why: To teach the importance of financial literacy through a fun experience.

Please RSVP to ben.barry@carlisle.k12.ia.us . Please note how many in your family will be enjoying the free dinner and show. Also, if you are need of child care during the show (show will last 45 minutes MAX), please note that in your RSVP as well. Childcare activities will be provided free of charge as well.

You can also visit the National Theatre for Children website to learn more. Click here!!

Our 8th Graders Are Blogging UPDATE! You Can Now Follow Your Child's Blog

Yes, parents and guardians, I now have a very simple way for you to follow your child's blog. Some of the kids have been blogging every day and some of the kids are doing just what I assign them to do. And sadly, a few are not blogging yet. But with the end of the quarter very near, I am positive they will get blogging this week as their grade depends on it! :) So, how do you follow your child's blog? Simple. Follow these quick and easy steps:

1. Go to Mr. Barry's Edublogsite by clicking here! (site address is mrbarrycounselor.edublogs.org in case link doesn't work). Mr. Barry does not blog much on this site, but it is important for you to find your child's site.

2. Look on the left hand side of his blog site.

3. Find your child's name and click on it.

4. What pops up should be your child's blog.

5. Read and Enjoy! And as you read, please discuss the same things I do such as knowing what is appropriate to post and not post, knowing how to type and communicate professionally by using proper grammar, capitals, and punctuation, and keeping up with the assignments. You might even talk about how you work and represent yourself online through emails, social networks, blogs, forums, etc.

Thank you!

College Recruiters

Each year we have several college representatives come in to talk with our students. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to come meet with any schools that they may have an interest in. All students need to do is get a pass from Mrs. Lee or Mrs. Heidemann. Here's a list of the reps that we currently have on our calendar:

• 9/29 9am Drake
• 9/29 1:30pm ISU
• 9/30 9am LaJames
• 9/30 10:30 am Coe
• 10/3- over lunch University of Evansville
• 10/3 2pm Missouri Western State
• 10/11 10 William Penn
• 10/13 10am Hawkeye
• 10/14-over lunch DMACC
• 10/18 1pm UNI
• 10/18 2pm Iowa Lakes
• 10/20 1pm Northwest Missouri State
• 10/24 1pm Avila
• 10/25 8:15am Iowa
• 10/25 9am Central
• 10/27 8:30am Indian Hills
• 10/27 1pm Buena Vista
• 11/3-over lunch- Aveda

Plus, don't forget that the Golden Circle College Fair is happening this weekend at Hyvee Hall on Sunday from 12:30-3. Over 150 schools and armed services will be represented. You can register for your student barcode at www.iowacollegefairs.com.

HOBY Leadership Conference

Are you or do you have a 10th grader who might become Carlisle's next great leader? Then you should apply to be Carlisle's HOBY (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership) representative!! Each year, Carlisle selects a student to attend the summer conference. The student gets to stay at Central College June 15-17 to learn leadership skills and work with other students who want to change our world. The application is due Oct. 26th in the guidance office. You can pick up a copy in the guidance office or off the high school website. We look forward to seeing your application!

Senior Meetings

We've been enjoying meeting with our seniors and parents to discuss plans for life after high school! If you weren't able to attend with your senior, didn't get a handout of important information/dates, or just plain lost it, you can find a copy on the Carlisle community school website (under High School, Guidance Department, Forms and Information).

Just as a reminder, it's a good idea to get your college applications in before Thanksgiving (and let Mrs. Heidemann or myself know when you've applied so we can send your high school transcripts). Please don't hesitate to call or email us if you have any questions this year, we'd love to help you!

Updates from Partnership for a Drug Free America

From time to time, I will be posting some links to some blog updates or articles from the blog "The Partnership for a Drug Free America". They update their blog a lot and always have great information. I will repost the best of the their best in case you don't have time to go through all of their blogs. Please click on the links below to read the articles in full.

Drug deaths now more than Traffic related fatalities
So many of us think driving is dangerous for teens, but experimenting with drugs is just something kids do. Well, now their is proof that drugs are more deadly. Click to read more!

Lung Cancer Declining as Cigarette Smoking Declines
Um....DUH! Of course it is going down. The best part is the new Iowa Youth Survey shows that 85% of our high school students basically never smoke and of the other 15%, only a few of those students are actual smokers. This gets better every time we take the survey!

Amphetamine-type Drugs the Second Most Abused Drug
When you read the article, note the part about Bath Salts at the very bottom. I will be writing a post about bath salts later this week and how students are using these as a drug, NOT as a bath tub accessory!

Less than 20% of Adults Now Smoke
Yes, now less than 1 in 5 adults even smoked in the past year. I probably know less than 10 people in my life who smoke currently. It just isn't something many people do now that we know all the horrible things it can cause. And since we know that number is even less with our Carlisle students, maybe our adult behaviors are starting to rub off on our kids!


That is it for now, tons more if you want to actually go to the DrugFree site. If you have questions, let me know.

Girls' Circle for Both 6th and 8th Grades This Year

If you haven't heard, our 6th grade Girls' Circle is already up and running. Tomorrow will be meeting #2 with our first group of girls. About 6-8 girls will be in each group and they will meet over lunch with Megan Thompson of the Young Women's Resource Center (YWRC). They meet for about 40 minutes as they eat lunch and miss only about 10-15 minutes of class. They work through a research-based curriculum over the course of 6-weeks which focus on topics of interest and importance to middle school girls such as body image, relationships, and the female body. I will be looking for girls who want to do this every 6 weeks and if we get enough interest, we will hold both 6th and 8th grade groups each week. I have not recruited the 8th grade girls as much yet, but plan to start talking to them this week and next. As I tell the girls, there aren't many opportunities in middle school where you get to eat a private lunch with some of your friends, have no boys bothering you, get to have some fun and learn at the same time. So, if your daughter is interested, please email or call and I can get them signed up. Look for more information to get sent home. In the meantime, feel free to click on this link to learn more about Girls' Circle.

Girls' Circle Website

YWRC site

Iowa Youth Survey Results are In!

Over the next few weeks and months, I will be publishing some information that we gained from the latest Iowa Youth Survey that our students took in 2010. Every two years, every 6th, 8th, and 11th grader takes a survey that asks about every question you can imagine. From the very basic like how many fruits and veggies each kid eats a day and how much sleep they get to what their drug usage experience is and what their thoughts on drugs are. This survey is anonymous and studies show our results are extremely accurate both at Carlisle and statewide. So, when we get the results back, we take them seriously. I just finished going through the nearly 200 page report and put about 80 sticky notes on stats that I thought were important. Next, I will be comparing these stats to the last 3 surveys over the last decade and see if I see any trends. All of this data gets put into a presentation that I will share with our staff, our school board, our SIAC team and even post online on this very blog! I would love to get your feedback by having you leave comments whenever you can so we can get a discussion going about the results. For now, about all I can tell you is that Carlisle looked very good compared to the state averages, but we do have some concern areas and areas to improve. So please, follow this blog or click on the links when I send them to you as I think you will realize that there are issues you need to discuss with your child so you are all prepared for what life will be, or already is, throwing at them.

Our 8th Graders are Blogging!!

Yep, they are blogging! Just like this blog, only they are much more creative and having even more fun. Well, some of them are having fun anyway. The others are still thinking this is just boring school work, but a few seem to like it more and more each day. So, why are the students blogging and what are they blogging about? Well, read more to find out.

First off, I have attached several links below to other articles and blogs about the importance of student blogging. But my beliefs are that writing and maintaining a blog can help a student with basic literacy skills (grammar, spelling, capitalization, etc.) and typing skills. I believe about 95% of my writing is on a computer and my family members who work outside the home say they think they do even more than that in their job. Bottom line is that students will be typing and writing online with their career someday. It truly is a Life Skill. Next, it helps student take a simple topic and expand on it and really reflect. As other 8th grade teachers start having students blog about what they learned or talked about in class, students can really reflect about their knowledge and express themselves. This is something they cannot necessarily do in a 40 minute class period. Finally, some students may really find that maintaining a blog online that is not just limited to assignments from teachers, but their own personal writing may be able to deeper explore themselves and actually learn and teach others. Each time we use the lab to write our blogs, I share a few blogs that I follow with them and they can see how these blogs can have an effect on our staff or even people all around the world.

One thing I didn't mention about students blogging online is that I am monitoring everything they post and helping them edit it and refine it. This is helping with their digital literacy and helping them be safer and smarter online. Over 80% of our students belong to a social network and randomly post information that they don't think twice about. Through these blogs, I am helping them think about what they post and what the consequences of those postings are. I hope what they learn in class makes them think a little more about what they put on facebook, twitter, etc. Students are going to be online, that won't change. I hope I can be their "driver's ed" teacher as they learn to drive on the Internet Superhighway and teach them the correct and safe way to be online. If they have learned one thing so far, they know whatever they post is out there and could affect them years in the future....hopefully for the good. Please click on the articles below to hear what other experts have to say about students blogging.

(By the way...if you want to read your child's blog or follow it, please ask them for the web address and you can follow it just like I do!)

Why Should Students Blog Answer 1

6 Reasons Students Should Blog

Edublog Blogger response (our students use Edublogs as this is the blog site built for teachers and students so it is much safer and has more restrictions)

"Camp Adventure" at Aspen for Students With Special Needs

Parents and students, a great opportunity is available to us. Aspen Athletic Club on SE 14th St., not far from our school district boundary lines, is offering a Social Skills and Fitness after-school program for students with special needs. The program is for kids between the ages of 5 and 18. The program is designed and taught by Special Education Teachers and Associates, some with connections to our own school district! The classes at the SE 14th location are during the week and a similar program is held on Saturdays at the Hickman Avenue location. The program has a 1 to 4 teacher to student ratio, so your child will get lots of teacher time and teacher help. The classes include Homework Assistance this year as well! The program feels it is most successful with kids with ADHD, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, High Functioning Autism, and down syndrome, but any kids with special needs could see the benefits and are more than welcome to seek more information about the program. If you want more information about the program, please contact Adam Feierstein. I have placed his contact information below. The program beings August 22nd and holds a Winter Break camp as well from December 26th through December 30th. Please contact Ben Barry at the middle school if you have questions as well. Thanks and I hope some of our families and students can take advantage of this great program!

Adam Feierstein,

Director of

Corporate Wellness

515.270.5860 (w)

510.439.6494 (c)

afeierstein@aspenathletic.com

School Supplies If You Are in Need!

Parents and families, if you are in need of school supplies and feel you cannot afford them this year, please keep reading. And if you can afford supplies but know someone who might not, please pass along the information in this blogpost. School supply costs can add up even though each item might not seem too expensive one at a time. And of course the economy has not come back like we all hoped and many families are still struggling to make ends meet. Now the school year begins and the best way to get a student off to a great start and feel comfortable and ready to learn is to have their supplies all purchased and ready to go. So what do you do if you cannot purchase these supplies?? Well, I have two options that have come available to start the year. One is literally today and tomorrow only and the other is ongoing. Please see details below.

Option 1: School Supply pickup at Cottage Grove Presbyterian Church, 1050 24th St., Des Moines, IA. For more details than I can provide, please call 279-9998. It is for grades Pre-K through 12. Family income must be at or below 150% poverty level. Bring proof of income and IDs for all members of the family. If you qualify, here are the dates and times you can stop by:

August 11th from 5-8 p.m.

August 12th from 10 a.m. to noon

I know it is short notice, but if it benefits at least one family from Carlisle, I will be very grateful for this service.

Option 2: My office! We collected gently used and unused supplies from students to end the year and I organized these in my office. We also took part in a local supply drive and are getting more from a Des Moines supply drive next week. Bottom line, I have a ton of supplies for students in need. These are available anytime, just email or call me. Students also know they can get more supplies during the year if they are in need and cannot afford it. They just have to stop into my office.

I hope this helps some families who are in need. There is a lot more than just intelligence that goes into learning and getting good grades. Having the needed supplies and being "just like everyone else" when it comes to having good, working materials is very important. And if you don't have these to start the year, you may never have them. So please, use these resources if you can. Thanks! (Ben Barry, 989-5413, ben.barry@carlisle.k12.ia.us)

New Parent/Teen Helpline

I received this email from our Warren County Substance Abuse Taskforce coordinator, Mike Wenger. I will just copy and paste the information so that I don't screw it up. But it is always good to have another helpline number in case we need it. You might think you will never need something like this, but times and circumstances change and kids make mistakes, so it is great to have this resource. Even if just to get some information for your teens and tweens. Let me know if you have questions.

"When parents find out their teen is abusing drugs or alcohol, the family’s immediate focus is generally on getting help for the teen. But parents are often in great need of help themselves. They may need advice on what to say to their teen, how to evaluate whether he or she needs professional treatment and where to find the appropriate substance abuse treatment program if one is needed. A new toll-free telephone helpline is providing that assistance.

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline, 1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373), is staffed by clinical social workers with practical experience in substance abuse prevention and treatment. The helpline, launched by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, began taking calls in April 2011 and will offer bilingual support (English/Spanish) beginning in mid-August.

“When a child has substance abuse issues, the whole family needs support,” says Ken Winters, PhD, Director of the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota and member of The Partnership at Drugfree.org Science Advisory Board. “Parents may need a counselor to walk them through exactly what they will say to their teenager when they suspect substance abuse. If they have not already done so, parents need to establish rules about alcohol and other drugs, and consequences for breaking those rules. They may also need help figuring out whether their adolescent should get a professional assessment. These are some of the things that a counselor on the helpline can assist them with.”

Scientifically Proven Intervention Techniques

The helpline counselors are extensively trained in scientifically proven intervention techniques to assist parents in communicating with their children and find appropriate help when it is needed. One technique is Motivational Interviewing, which tries to move a person to change their behavior, while being sensitive to their level of readiness for change. The technique uses open-ended questions to elicit what the person feels ready for, and makes them feel empowered. For instance, when talking to a parent who is convinced that he or she has no influence on their child, a counselor can have the parent reflect on the ways they had a role in their child’s life in prior years, and have them think about ways they still influence their teen even now that they are older, such as helping them use their free time wisely, Dr. Winters says.

The counselors are also trained in using community reinforcement and family training (CRAFT), which is designed for concerned parents and others to help their loved ones who have problems with drugs or alcohol get into appropriate treatment. The underlying components of CRAFT include teaching effective communication skills, positive reinforcement and contingency management techniques which help parents form a new dialogue with their children.

Starting Conversations About Difficult Issues

Johanna Bos, LMSW, CASAC, is the lead parent support specialist for the helpline and fields calls ranging from parents asking for help in identifying pills they found in their teen’s backpack, to aiding parents in evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment program. She fields a lot of questions about home drug tests and what the results mean. “Sometimes parents just need to talk, and need someone to calm them and give them support. Parents are so focused on the child, they can lose sight of taking care of themselves.”

“I help parents start a conversation with their child about difficult issues,” says Bos, who is also a certified alcohol substance abuse counselor who has been working in the addiction field for 13 years. “A lot of what we do is encourage parents to talk to their child, and find ways to help them get their child on board with treatment if it’s needed.”

She also helps parents find scientifically valid information. “So much information online is linked to people who are trying to take advantage of parents in a vulnerable state,” Bos notes.

Not all of the calls to the helpline have been from parents. For instance, several calls have come in from military wives who have become addicted to morphine patches themselves after using patches prescribed to their husbands for war injuries.

Bos emphasizes that the helpline provides information, but is not a crisis line. The helpline is staffed Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Parents who call after hours can leave a message and will be contacted the next business day.

Contact doesn’t end with the initial call. Bos asks callers if they would like her to follow up, and if they agree, she calls within two weeks to see if the caller needs further help. She also offers callers the option of contacting another parent who has gone through a similar situation.

The launch of The Parents Toll-Free Helpline was made possible through the generosity of Purdue Pharma, the Bodman Foundation, a private foundation and numerous matching contributions from individuals."

Iowa "Did You Know" Video: Makes You Think Doesn't It?

Thank you to Scott McLeod and a few others for the creation of a special version of "Did You Know" video series, this one focusing on Iowa's schools, students, and educational system. If you have never seen any of the "Did You Know" videos, you are missing out. But I especially like this one since it becomes Iowa-specific in the 2nd half of the video. Some pretty interesting stats and figures in this video and it should make all of my colleagues in education think and hopefully start talking about the future of education in Iowa. It should get students, parents, and school districts thinking and talking as well. I'm interested in knowing what everyone thinks. Leave a comment after watching the video if you can. Video is embedded below. Enjoy!

Carlisle Middle School Students and Staff Move! (and Dance!!)

Well, here it is, the "dance". A little background to why well over 400 students and staff went outside for about 10 minutes and danced last week. Well, we didn't do it just because the weather was wonderful, but that was a nice plus. Being National Fitness Month, First Lady Michelle Obama and Beyonce worked together to motivate middle school students across the country to drop their study materials and stand up and move at precisely 12:42 p.m. central time on May 3rd. Our school did just that and we have the video to prove it. Enjoy!!

HOPE Drama Troupe is Looking for Teens to be in their Performances

I have personally seen this group perform and the performance is very powerful. They performed for a conference/workshop I attended last summer and I can still remember the material they presented. At times, it was almost tough to hear or watch, but it was needed information and good for us to hear it. Children everywhere are being abused in a variety of ways and counselors, adults, peers....anyone, need to help stop the abuse. If any students from Carlisle are interested in acting, performing, or getting involved, they can speak to Mr. Barry or call the number listed below. Their is definitely a time commitment involved and a student has to be dedicated to learning their role in the performance. I would also advise both the student and the parents to review the material because it is very powerful, but is graphic in nature at times. It is pretty real when listening and watching, so I assume the performers are also very affected by the material they are presenting. This is a good opportunity any interested students, but it is not for everyone. If interested, let Mr. Barry know!

AUDITIONS

FOR

HOPE! DRAMA TROUPE

Tuesday May 10, 2011

4:00 p.m.

Central Campus

1800 Grand, Des Moines

PERFORMERS WANTED

Des Moines Area Teens (Grades 8-12) who like to perform and who care about social issues for the 10/11 season.

HOPE! Troupe is looking for members to perform a 30-minute play about child abuse prevention for middle and high schools in Polk County. The script deals with the prevention of child abuse, neglect, and other forms of violence. The troupe is under the guidance of professional directors, therapists and the Child Abuse Prevention Council. Troupe members will be expected to attend weekly rehearsals and a summer retreat scheduled for August. Troupe members will also help to write the play as well as perform. HOPE! Drama Troupe performs one day each month from November through May with a few after school performances.

Questions? Call the Child Abuse Prevention Council at 725-2682

Positive Behavior Intervention Support: Parent Workshop this Month

Parents.....just a heads up on an upcoming workshop that you might be interested in. I know May is busy for many people, but this is just for 2 hours and the information could be very valuable. Please read the information below about the workshop being held in Indianola and if it sounds like it could help you, your children, or the situation you are in, please register. If you need help or have questions, please contact a Carlisle district counselor.

Parent Workshop

Learn the importance of building positive relationships, designing supportive

environments, and teaching strategies. Learn why rewards and punishment are

insufficient. Sometimes behavior remains problematic even after our best efforts. We may

need more specialized tools. This workshop will offer intensive supports for children with

more challenging behaviors.

Tuesday May 17, 2011 6:00-8:00pm

Heartland AEA11 - Indianola Office

115 West Salem Avenue

Indianola, IA 50125

Registration is required by May 16, 2011.

To register, please contact Maureen Schletzbaum at (515) 961-8191 Ext. 16299 or (800) 255-0405 Ext. 16299 or e-mail mschletzbaum@aea11.k12.ia.us . Please leave your name, phone number, number attending, and your school district. If accommodations are needed, please make request by May 10, 2011.

Cancellation information will be announced on KCCI 8. Workshop may be cancelled if minimum

registration requirements are not met.

Become a Mentor!

Join Big Cats/Little Cats Mentoring Program!

We're now accepting applications for high school students who are interested in being a mentor to students in the Carlisle Elementary, Hartford, or Middle School building. Students must be able to commit 30 minutes weekly (same time and day each week) to meet with their little. Mentors will help their littles with school work, social skills, and also to have some fun!

Please stop by Mrs. Lee's office to pick up an application or to get more information. Email her at traci.lee@carlisle.k12.ia.us or call at 989-5386 with any questions.

Sixth Graders Buy Stock! Well, sort of......

Yes, our 6th graders bought stock last week. I was very generous and gave them $50,000.00 to invest in stocks and mutual funds or put in the bank. Most wanted to invest their money in the stock market despite my reminder that there is risk when you put money in stocks. Maybe it was my story of how I paid for 3 of my 4 years of college using money I made in the stock market after getting started in the stock market when I was in 6th grade. I have always been fascinated by stocks and my family even says I should still be a financial advisor or a stock broker, but trust me, I have made some mistakes as well. If you don't remember WorldCom, AtHome, or a few other stocks that I invested in, that is because they went bankrupt and I lost my whole investment in their companies. I suppose that made up for the times I tripled and quadrupled my high school savings by investing in a few different companies. Bottom line is that stocks have risks, but over time, you can expect to earn about 8% a year if you invest in a stock. That means, using the Rule of 72, you would double your money every 9 years. After showing students this rule and how $1000 could become almost a quarter of a million dollars by the time they were 100, students were pretty excited to invest in stocks. Now, the tough part: Waiting until the end of May to see who earned the most. We will see....

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the stock market, here is a video from Common Craft. I LOVE COMMON CRAFT VIDEOS!!! They make the most complex things so simple by breaking it down in just 2-5 minutes. Most are technology related or money related, but they are adding more all the time. If you want to learn about more than just stocks, go to there site and see what they have to offer. In the meantime, please get your kids and click on this link. Trust me, you are never too young to invest in stocks. I started when I was in elementary and it made a huge difference in my life. I am hoping my students might have the same opportunity I did.

Watch video here!

Top Ways Teens are Getting into Trouble When Online

Came across an interesting article today while going through my Google Reader updates. This was linked on a blog I read and after clicking on it, I even learned some things. As your kids/teens go online and do the many things they do (remember....online means computer, laptop, tablet computer, phone, Ipod Touch, etc....online is almost everywhere now!), they might be at risk by doing things they don't think twice about. Please click on this link and read the article. It is a little complex at times if you are like me and do not know everything about the Internet, but maybe you could have your teen read it with you and explain what it means. I have a feeling they will know what these 5 risky online behaviors are. Bottom line: You can never be too safe when going online....

Click below.

Internet Safety For Teens: Top 5 Ways Teens Are Getting Into Trouble Online

6th Grade Orientation Powerpoint!

Parents/Students: Mr. Barry is visiting the 5th graders at the Hartford building on Tuesday, April 19th. He will be walking them through a powerpoint about their upcoming change to 6th grade and middle school. He will also be answering their questions and hopefully putting them at ease and getting them pumped up for their next three years of school. Middle school is a place of change on many levels and change can be scary. But it does not have to be. Our hope is that the students will get off to a great start next year as 6th graders and will continue to grow and develop into successful high school students after they leave our building. Should you want to view the powerpoint he is showing to the students or if your student is absent the day he presents this powerpoint, please use the viewer below to view the powerpoint.

One reminder....band/choir sign up sheets that Mr. Barry gave to each student while he was there are due back to their classroom teacher by the end of the week. Please review this form with your child, sign it, and send it back to school with them. Thank you!

6th grade orientation powerpoint

View more presentations from Benjamin Barry.