Everyone knows about the mounting college student loan crisis, but some parents are racking up debt to pay for their kidsâ?? education before their children can drive–or see a PG-13 movie.

The cost of one year at a K-12 private school can cost as much if not more than a year of college tuition, and to cope with the rising costs, some parents are racking up massive debt years before college applications start to arrive.

According to Your Tuition Solution, one of the largest lenders for private K-12 education, demand for the upcoming school year is already on the rise. In March, the total dollar amount of loans families requested rose 10% compared to a year ago and at that pace, the company expects its total funding to rise to $20 million for 2012-13.

Parents opt to send their children to private school for a variety of reasons: some feel that the public school options in their area are not a good fit for their child, or they want may their child to have more individualized attention, says Richard Marotta, headmaster at Garden School, a private institution in Jackson Heights, NY

The accessibility factor for discussions between parents and teachers and kids and teachers is very high and that accessibility is something they are willing to pay for,� he says.

To avoid serious debt and potentially compromising retirement funds, education experts stress that parents plan and save as early as possible if they are considering a private school education for their children.#160;

â??Parents need to budget for elementary, secondary and post-secondary education expenses when their children are very young,â? says Drew Alexander, head of school at LÃman Manhattan Preparatory School, part of the Meritas International Family of Schools. â??While a private education has many benefits, parents must be mindful of their budget.â?

For parents to better understand the financial commitment of private school, here are five factors that education experts recommend they strongly consider before enrolling their children.

Plan for long-term funding. Financial planning is essential in keeping up with annual tuition payments when parents are investing in their childâ??s education for 13 to 14 years before they reach college.

â??Itâ??s important for parents to consider how they can do the long-term funding so that they donâ??t have to interrupt that private school education,â? says Marotta. â??Most private independent schools think that the longer we have the kid, the betterâ??that child gets to take on the personality of the school and learning personalities.â?

Tuition isnâ??t the only cost. As if the tuition isnâ??t costly enough, some private school boards assume that parents will be contributing additional money toward fundraising efforts and new school facilities, says Matthew Greene, educational director at Howard Greene and Associates.

â??Families should be aware that unless they are a family with significant financial need, they will be asked to solicit funds and to give funds to support the school,â? he says. â??Itâ??s not a requirement, but thereâ??s often a significant expectation that parents will also be contributing in other ways.â?

There are also additional potential costs for uniforms, lab fees and field trips.

Many schools offer financial aid opportunities. Depending on the schoolâ??s level of resources, there is generally a fair amount of both merit and need-based financial assistance for families who qualify, according to Greene.#160;

â??Quite often youâ??ll see somewhere between 20% and 30% of students at a private school who might receive financial aid–there is financial aid available thatâ??s different than at the college level,â? he says.

Other educational benefits. According to some experts, private schools offer more in-depth college counseling than public schools.

â??College counseling in private schools is very intense and very savvy,â? says Marotta. â??The counseling is intuitive and professional in independent [private] schools and sometimes that can have a big pay off.â?

But attending a private school doesnâ??t guarantee admission to Ivy League schools or top-ranked schools.#160;

â??Families should not enroll in private school with some kind of assumption that the school will magically get their child into school X, Y or Z and then at the end of the day if theyâ??re not happy, to look back and say we wasted our time and money because my child didnâ??t get into a selective college,â? Greene says.

Childrenâ??s learning needs. Although parents must ultimately consider what type of institution will work for their family on a financial level, Greene recommends that the choice be made based on what educational environment is the best fit for the child.#160;

â??Parents need to think about every stage of their childâ??s education and that the needs of the child may change over time. We really encourage families to look at each stage of education as a good fit for the student, to be moving them forward, to be enriching and be worthwhile.â?

Fun and free!! May Day coordinators say art is an important part of education for every child.

The schools just dont have the time, the means, or the money right now to do quality art programs and so coming to the art center is a great way for parents to supplement their kids education because we dont feel that art is optional. We feel that art is part of core curriculum, says Parkersurg Art Center Education Coordinator Jessica Siefert.

The event has a lot to offer, and each young artist has a favorite station.

Its the hat thing over there..making a hat. because its fun,says Johnathan Corbin.

Umm the drumming cause Im a natural mostly i should say then, says Joseph Beaumire.

I draw flowers and portraits of nature, says Makayla Sirk.

Many of the kids are just starting to test their artistic abilities, but some more experienced artists joined in the fun.

Im really good at doing portraits with pencil and charcoal, says Joseph Beaumire.

At school I won the Young Illustrators Contest and they hung it up over there, says Makayla Sirk.

Art has many interpretations giving each child the chance to excel in their own way.

Not every child is going to be excellent in math or not every child is an excellent football player and so this gives children an opportunity to feel good about themselves. But those kids who are great at sports or are great at academics this gives them an outlet for expression and it opens up their world, says Siefert.

May Day kicks off registration for the Art Centers yearly Summer Art Camp.

For more information on the Parkersburg Art Center and Camp Creativity visit www.parkersburgartcenter.com or call 304-485-3859.

Bats love them. Swallows will hang out at well-lit intersections just waiting for a meal. The moths even have been known to be one of the favorite feasts of grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, according to Colorado State University.

The moths high-fat content makes them delectable even to household pets.

But can little Fido or that fluffy feline in the house need medical attention from gorging on the fluttery little nuisances, which have invaded the Pikes Peak region for two weeks?

Most of the time theres not much risk, said Dr. Anastasia Meadows, a veterinarian at Polo Springs Veterinary Hospital in Colorado Springs, who spent some time Wednesday afternoon studying possible consequences of eating miller moths.

Theres not even been a whole lot of published research, she said.

About the only possible risk, according to Meadows, is the threat of intestinal parasites. She said in extreme circumstances, pets could get round worms from eating a moth. But for that to happen, the moth would have had to have landed on animal feces outdoors and then just happen to be the pets snack of choice.

Meadows noted, however, that pets with round worms dont usually show symptoms, other than diarrhea in rare cases. And in the rarest of rare cases, the parasites can be transmitted to humans, possibly migrating into eyes or internal organs.

But dont be alarmed. The worst-case scenario is about as likely as winning the Mega Millions jackpot.

Its definitely a very low risk, Meadows said. But its something we like to educate people about.

The veterinarian said there might be one more ill effect pets could get from munching moths.

My own cat has been eating them quite frequently. Shes got food allergies and this week her skin has flared up, Meadows said, noting that Riley has itchy spots and has lost some hair. But I dont know if thats what its from.

The moth migration that has left the Pikes Peak region constantly swatting away the little buggers is only about two weeks into a six- to eight-week cycle, James Whidden, owner of Mug-A-Bug Pest Control in eastern Colorado Springs, said on April 23 when the invasion began.

Click here to see The Gazettes story from April 23

So when the pets start to munch, theres not much to do but sit back and know that theyre only helping curb the nuisance.

Contact Matt Steiner at 636-0362 or follow him on Twitter @gazsteiner.

The Green Bay City Council on Tuesday also:
» Agreed to allow street solicitations for charitable causes on a limited basis during daylight hours.
» Sent back to committee the issue of allowing liquor stores to open at 6 am, rather than 8 am
» Approved a policy for charitable fundraisers at Bay Beach Amusement Park.

From: William Scarbrough

Columbus

Received: May 2

A headline on the front page of the Republic on May 1st, read Officials: Web ISTEP gaffes fixed. The first sentence was The Indiana Department of Education said it believes a contractor has fixed the problems that kicked as many as 9,000 students offline during computerized ISTEP tests last year.

I know, that doesnt sound all that captivating but hang on there may be more to this than you think.

The article cited was about the test problems and hoped for solutions created by CTB/McGraw-Hill. Now, everyone who went to public school in this country must have heard of McGraw-Hill. They published all sorts of text books with emphasis on science and technology. But whats this CTB stuff? CTB has developed as a result of NCLB.

Are you still there? NCLB is No Child Left Behind. CTB is part of McGraw-Hill that does the tests and assessments required by NCLB and makes huge profits in the process. Where do they get the money for these huge profits?

From you and me.

Bet I have your attention now.

One of NCLBs unintended consequences was to change the standardized testing industry from a 5 billion dollar a year business to a 15 billion dollar a year industry. Where did that extra 10 billion dollars come from? From the states department of education and school boards. In other words, our tax dollars. The states books might look better, but less of our money is going to the public education of our children.

The cornerstone of our countrys greatness is public education. Does anyone deny this? Why would officials take actions that compromise public education?

Because privatization is the conservative answer to any and all issues. Shrinking government is a stated intent. Education is a government function staffed by teachers who are civil servants responsible to a community and not to a millionaire head of a corporation.

Now, Indiana has a few problems with the privatized testing services. Thats not the real issue, people.

Governor Daniels talking points on education follow the mission statement of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a group headed by Jeb Bush, who claims to be a limited government conservative. His group promotes private school vouchers, online courses, reading tests etc. All non-public.

You can start referring to this as the industrial-education complex. The amount of time and money spent on practice tests, tests, corrections to software, and classroom time to prepare students to pass a test is absurd. Thats a real issue, but there are others.

Recently, in Canada, there was a kerfuffle over a quote from the Dr. Seuss classic Yertle the Turtle. The quote was

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,

But down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.

This was called too political by the private test corporation. Its pretty scary when corporations censor ideas that they believe are not in their best interests. Consider the fact that the power of education is the power to change science, history, politics and religion. Could privatization cause such a thing to happen in our country? Absolutely.

Dont get me wrong. I believe if you produce something useful for the marketplace you deserve to make a profit. But the government is not a marketplace. Education is not a marketplace. Every public dollar spent on education should go to educating children, transportation when necessary and providing a physical place for that education.

]]> http://www.buildingresilienceinkids.com/?feed=rss2&p=931 0 http://www.buildingresilienceinkids.com/?p=929 http://www.buildingresilienceinkids.com/?p=929#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 08:37:01 +0000 Admin http://www.buildingresilienceinkids.com/?p=929 bull; In January, newly minted chairman Stephen Crosby spoke at a gaming lobbyists forum an appearance that by his own admission posed the appearance of a conflict of interest.

bull; The following month, Crosby attended a party in his honor, financed by the law firm representing the state in contract negotiations with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, which plans a casino in Taunton.

bull; Would-be executive director Carl Stanley McGee withdrew after the revelation he was investigated but never charged in connection with a 2007 sexual-assault case involving a 15-year-old boy in Florida.

Elsewhere, the missteps have been bigger and broader: Pennsylvanias board warranted a two-year grand-jury investigation, which found members getting cozy with casino companies, withholding information from the public and holding secret meetings.

In many cases, there are good people on these commissions. But we expect those people to turn something that is so ingrained with shady business … into something that is wonderful, said Diane Berlin, who runs CasinoFree PA in Lancaster County, Penn. It raises expectations in people that will definitely not be fulfilled. And it will not solve the states financial problems.

Attorney Paul Boni of Philadelphia, a member of Stop Predatory Gambling, said states should stop outsourcing the grunt work to commissions and put the responsibility on lawmakers themselves.

My advice for citizens: Press these issues with the Legislature, because they are the ones that write the laws. To a certain extent, the (gaming commission) is a punching bag to divert attention from lawmakers, he said.

The Massachusetts commissions critics say theyre holding out hope that the mistakes of weeks past were symptoms of a sharp learning curve.

Im a Republican in Massachusetts, which means Im a chronic optimist, state Rep. Dan Winslow (R-Norfolk) said. Much of improvement comes from experience. As the agency gains experience, it will get better. Theyve got the horses to do the job right.

What is not commonly known is that MRSA can be passed on to a dog or cat. These animals now become carriers and can retransmit infections to humans, especially kids, pregnant mothers, the elderly and adults with a weakened immune system from diseases like asthma and diabetes. Companion animals used in nursing homes are at higher risk of MRSA infection because of the healthcare environment. The American Veterinarian Medical Association has published precautions regarding visits, licking and touching these animals. Household pets may show obvious signs of an infection at a wound, or other locations like an eye, but MRSA can become “colonized”, meaning they have the superbug in their body, but have no visible signs of illness.

The ability to detect and treat these pets dramatically improves outcomes for the entire household. Reported in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, a 31 year old mother was diagnosed with an MRSA infection and was treated. Within weeks, she became infected again. Immediate testing in her home showed that her 1-year-old daughter was colonized in the nose and throat with MRSA. Their apparently healthy pet dog was also tested and found to be infected with the same MRSA. In this case the mother most likely brought the germs in to the household, but more importantly, their dog served as a reservoir for reinfecting the mother and baby. Fortunately this household infection was eliminated without a prolonged series of reinfections.

Despite these published reports in the medical community, the potential for household dogs and cats as a source of MRSA infections in humans is relatively unknown to the general public. Advances in laboratory technology now make it easier for researchers to determine if a sample from a household pet is identical to that of a sample from its owner. This high-tech “crime scene investigation” has revealed that the transmission between owners and pets is much more common than previously thought. Approximately 20% of our household dogs, while apparently healthy, are colonized with a form of staph germs, including MRSA. Studies indicate cat’s rates are somewhat higher.

How do you know if your pets are a source of MRSA germs? We need to recognize that the pet was most likely infected by a human carrying MRSA. Pets become contaminated when they lick a human’s body.

So first, we need to focus on the family, immediate friends, where you work and neighbors that are part of your household. If anyone within that circle has been diagnosed with an MRSA infection it would be a good idea to check the pet. Second, if the pet shows signs of a wound that does not heal or an ear or eye infection that persists, this condition may be a sign of a serious bacterial infection and you should have the pet tested. A human becomes contaminated when they snuggle with a pet or pet an animal’s fur.

Here are some “red flag” situations where an MRSA carrier in the household could be a serious threat for:

o Infants and young children

- Exposure to non-treatable bacterial infections amongst the young can create a serious immediate medical condition

o Immune compromised individuals/patients

- Pregnant women, diabetics, individuals undergoing chemotherapeutic or radiation therapy for cancer, patients with kidney failure, post transplant patients

o Pre and post operative patients

- Wounds associated with surgery can be infected by MRSA

o The elderly ( age gt;65) and nursing home residents

There is no need to panic and test every pet. But the evaluation of household pets should be considered if one of these “red flag” situations exists within your household.

Veterinary Diagnostics Institute (VDI) in Simi Valley, a licensed veterinary laboratory provider, offers a sample collection kit to determine if our pets are infected or colonized with these bacteria. The kit, called Avail(TM) MRSA can be ordered on line by going to www.vdilab.com or calling 805-577-6742. A swab is used to collect mucosa from the pet’s nose. This sample is sealed in its own container and mailed to the lab for testing. The sample is cultured for MRSA and within three days VDI provides a detailed veterinary lab report. If the results are positive for MRSA, you should contact your veterinarian and schedule an appointment for the pet. Treatment of MRSA will be prescribed by the veterinarian.

The best prevention is to wash your hands after playing with your dog or cat. Soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds should be sufficient. Alcohol hand disinfectants are a convenient way to do the job. Humans are also susceptible to these animal-borne bacteria when they are scratched or have contact with an animals saliva, or dander. Care should be taken in handling bedding.

We dont have to give up our familys furry friends. After all, pets enrich our family life. So taking a few precautions can protect you, and your kids from getting seriously ill.

TOPEKA, Kan., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Kansas-based online retailer of household pet products,
www.PetableFriends.com , today announced its new Web site promoting the care of animals alongside cost effective products for doing so.

“As children we always had a special four-legged friend to play with and talk to when everyone else was too busy. Young minds are so form-able and the memories we received from those special friends so many years ago are still entertaining to bring out playfulness in us today,” explains Founder and President of
www.PetableFriends.com , Jeff Marlier. “We owe it to our pets to help them live a good, healthy life. Our new site promotes the care of household pets and offers numerous products as well as useful information.”

Although the company plans to expand its product line as soon as possible, at the current time PetableFriends.com offers a variety of household pet products including but not limited to: food, treats, supplements, supplies, toys and hardware.

The Web site also contains picture galleries of adorable household pets for visitors to browse, and a blog that provides additional information on owning and taking care of your pet. Resources and articles are also available at PetableFriends.com.

All pet products purchased can be shipped anywhere in the United States and Canada, and customer service is available during normal business hours to provide assistance (through the contact us section of the Web site). All major credit cards are accepted.

Marlier added, “All of our products are safe and priced fairly. We pride ourselves on high quality products and transactions and are happy to have launched this new online store.”

For more information on Petable Friends and its new Web site, visit
www.PetableFriends.com .

SOURCE PetableFriends.com

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:

#13;

Ive been involved in education for more than 40 years, Donatuti said in an interview on Monday. I have a desire to get involved, so Ive attended a few meetings, raised a couple questions. And I think I can be an asset to the school board if I run and get elected.

#13;

To read more about incumbent John B. Grant, click here.

#13;

Donatuti earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees from SUNY Brockport, and upon graduation worked in the South Huntington School District for nearly 20 years before coming on as John Marshals principal in the mid-1980s, where he stayed for 10 years before taking an early retirement. Donutati has also studied at St. Johns University and Oxford University. 

#13;

Following his time in East Hampton, Donatuti worked at three overseas schools – at the American Schools of The Hague, Brasilia, and Recife – which offer expatriates and others interested an American curriculum. Donatuti said that his international experience would be beneficial in Springs, where he said hes seen the community change a lot.

#13;

When I was in The Hague, we had kids from 46 different countries attending our school, he said. At Brasilia, 25 percent of kids came to school speaking English. And we had to prepare all of these kids to get a high school diploma.

#13;

Throughout his time as an educator, Donutati said, one of the most important factors hes noticed in the success of a child has been parental involvement in the kids education. He said John Marshall didnt have a Parent-Teacher Association before he arrived, and after he left the school, a couple of PTA presidents had gone on to be teachers themselves, one went to work for an early childhood learning center, and another to work in school administration.

#13;

All four said You lit a fire, he said. Im very proud of that.

#13;

Moving forward in Springs, Donatuti said he would like to see a similar involvement.

#13;

What I would like to see is genuine parental involvement in many, many more aspects of the educational process than parents are presently participating in, he said. Donatuti pointed back to parental involvement in selecting teachers at John Marshal as one particular example.

#13;

Children make tremendous academic gains when parents are part of the process, he said. And parents are thrilled with the way the school is functioning.

#13;

Donatuti said that if he were on the Springs School Board currently, he would vote in favor the proposed budget.

#13;

Not only that, but I would give the administration a round of applause, he said. Springs did an excellent job … Is everybody going to be happy? Absolutely not. We lost positions and programs will be curtailed. But thats the nature of education at this time.

#13;

Click here for information on the 2012-13 proposed budget in Springs.

#13;

The school budget vote and school board election takes place in Springs on May 15, at the school gym, between 1 and 9 pm