Prayers Are Needed

I planned on writing a blogpost today and I just don't know what to write today after the tragic events that occurred yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  I a mix of numbness/sadness today while being grateful for my family. 

I keep asking myself what does this mean?  What can I do as a person, a parent or a teacher?  There really is nothing we can do to to fix the past, but as we look to the future we need to try to make the world the kind of place that we want our children to live in.  I may write more about this later, but right now I think we just need to pray for the 20 students and the 6 adults who were senselessly killed yesterday and their family/friends and the rest of the school community.

Some resources that I have found are listed below.  Please share other ones that people could use personally, parents could use to help their children or teachers could use to help their schools.

• Dealing with a National Crisis Tips for Parents/Schools
• Helping Your Children Manage Distress
• Here for Each Other by Sesame Street
• Talking to Kids About Sensitive Topics
• Talking to Kids About News
• AAP Resources
• NEA School Crisis Guide
• CNN Student News - Impact Your World  

•  Moments that Restored our Faith in Humanity this Year

A Giving Opportunity

The North High School National Honor Society students took on a huge volunteer project.  They are working on putting together gift boxes for all of the kindergarten students at Oak Park Elementary.  They would also like to make them for all the kindergarten students Findley Elementary.  Many students in these schools come from families that cannot afford to give much to their children for Christmas. 

They have already created enough boxes for all of the students from Oak Park, but need many more boxes to complete the goal of making them for all students at Findley too.  Students are selling candy canes at school, but they would have to sell quite a few to meet their goal.  

If you would be interested in donating to this volunteer project please let my wife, Anna, or I know.  Or if you would like to create a box, it would be great project to do with your own children or grandchildren.  Each box costs roughly $10 -15.  Students are adding at least 7 items in each box.  The items may include a toothbrush and paste, a pair of mittens and/or a hat, color crayons and a coloring books and a couple of fun toys.  The boxes would be designated "Boy" or "Girl".  

The students at North High School can wrap the gifts unless you or your family would like to do that.  Please let us know if you or your family would like to help the North High School National Honor Society with this awesome project.  

Setting Our Children Up for Success

Most of us likely know that family income, race and the education background of parents have all shown a close tie to a student's grades.  What though, is the most accurate predictor of a child's school performance?  Many students have shown us that how well their parents create a home environment that encourages learning as key.  This is the job of both parents.  In too many cases raising a child and creating such an environment falls to just the mother.  Both fathers and mothers need to work together to foster a great home learning environment.

What can we do?  As Lori posted on the blog's facebook page, we need to get involved in our child's schooling.  As Sheila said, we need to actually find out what they are doing at school, be interested and encourage further exploration.

The average kid spends way too much time in front of the TV.  So let's shut off the TV and help develop the kind of culture at home that will encourage learning.  One key way that Cathy shared is to foster a positive environment at home that encourages learning is to read with your kids every day.  When they are younger read to them and as they grow have them read to you too.  Take your child(ren) to the library, it is free and opens up the world to them.  Help them find books that they are interested in.  

Let's take the tremendous power and responsibility of being parents seriously and take an active role in making sure to develop an environment that encourages learning at home and being interested in what is going on at school.  If you don't, who will?

Here is a top 10 tops for dads to get involved in their child's education from the National Fatherhood Initiative. 

1. Don't let mom do all the work.
2. "Show and Tell" how important school is. 
3. Help with school work.
4. Make school fun.
5. Spend a day or two in class.
6. Go to school and class events. 
7. Meet with the teacher. 
8. Join a group that helps parents become involved.
9. Get to know other children and parents. 
10. Ask your boss for time off.

While not all of these are possible for everyone, there are some great tips to help your child(ren) do well in school.  What will you commit to do to help your child be successful?  

Super Saving

Today a small group of friends and I began our journey through Dave Ramsey's updated Financial Peace University course.  I am really looking forward to coordinating the nine week class with a small group and being able to discuss each lesson in a meaningful way.

Today's lesson was titled "Super Saving: Common Sense for Your Dollars and Cents".  Dave introduced us to the 7 baby steps and then talked about baby step #1 and 3 in detail.

1. Save $1,000 into a beginner emergency fund.
2. Pay off all debt (except the house) using the debt snowball.
3. Put 3-6 months of expenses into savings.
4. Invest 15% of your household income into Roth-IRA's and pre-tax retirement plans.
5. Save for your children's college education using tax-favored plans. 
6. Pay off your house early.
7. Build wealth and give!

Dave Ramsey taught us today that saving must become a priority and we need to pay ourselves first.  I know this is something I have struggled with in the past.  One of the ways I have found I have been able to do this is to take it right out of our paychecks or by setting withdraws to happen automatically from my checking account so that I cannot spend or give the money away.  Dave covered three different reasons for savings.  They are to save for emergencies, to save for purchases and to build wealth.

One of my personal take-a-ways form today's lesson is that I need to get better at using a sinking fund for purchases I know will be coming up in the future.  We have chosen to stop borrowing money, so in order to make paying with cash/check/debit card easier Dave Ramsey recommends setting up a sinking fund.  A sinking fund is a systematic way of saving money over time for a specific purchase. This will allow us to put a line in our budget to set money aside for specific purchases like car repair/replacement, vacations, Christmas gifts, etc throughout a year.  This will keep purchases that we know will occur eventually from "sneaking" up on us. 

I am looking forward to improving this skill throughout the next 9 weeks. 

Building Memories

One of the most important jobs I have been put on this planet for is to be the best father I can be to William. I have made plenty of mistakes with this job, but as with other areas of my life I am constantly trying to get better and improve. One of the best ways to help your child(ren) build great childhood memories is by doing things he/she enjoys with them. No matter how old your kids may be, take time to learn about what they are interested and try learning one of the activities your child enjoys.

Try finding activities you can do with your kids that they will enjoy and you will have fun with too. One of the things William has started to get into more is hitting a ball, I need to spend more time on nice days getting him outside throwing the ball to him and allowing him to hit it. As William grows up I know his interests will change and I will need to make sure evolve as a dad and keep learning about things he is interested in stay a critical part of his life and stay bonded.

Take time this week to find out 2-3 things that your son(s) or daughter(s) are interested in and schedule some time to do at least one of those things with them each week. You and your child(ren) will have a great time and you will be building great childhood memories for them and taking advantage of one of the greatest gifts God has blessed you with.


What are some of your favorite things to do with your child(ren) or what are some of your favorite childhood memories with your parent(s)?

Never Forget

On Thursday this week Marion Blumenthal Lazan, a holocaust survivor, will be visiting my school.  It is a great opportunity for all students (and staff) to hear from someone who lived through one of the horrific events in our world's history.  It is important that we continue to take advantage of these opportunities so we do not forget the wrongs of mankind in the past and realize the power that people have.  I hope that students will appreciate that they are the last generation of people who will be able to hear firsthand from a survivor of the holocaust and gain a respect for others that may be different from them.

You can read an article about Marion Blumenthal Lazan here.  She has written a book, Four Perfect Pebbles, about her experiences.

We can never forget this terrible event from history and must learn from the sins of ourselves and others.  A goal/standard I am trying to hold myself to is to keep working on improving.  In order to do this I need to reflect on my sins and the mistakes of others to learn from them and make myself better. 

Making a Difference

This week I have been working as part of the National Council of Urban Education Associations (NCUEA) Executive Board to put on our fall conference to train local urban leaders using the theme "Local Organizing...Engaging and Energizing Members for Action."  It has been a great week so far and am humbled by the expertise of all the leaders and educators I am working with this week.  There are hundreds of passionate leaders in education here wanting the same thing - to make a difference in the lives of our current and future students.

I have been able to attend a variety of training sessions and talk to guest speakers/presenters from across the country and will be able to use the valuable information I am gaining to help strengthen out local association and to help me in my state and national roles within the association as well.

NCUEA is an organization that empowers it's members by building relationships among local urban leaders form across the country and helps us make connections to partner organizations that want to work with us.  NCUEA helps grow leaders and make them more effective.  I am looking forward to continuing my work with NCUEA and striving to make a difference for my son, William, and all other students in public schools across our country.

Don't forget to go to my blog post reviewing Living Beyond Rich to enter to win a free copy of the book.  I know have facebook page for this blog and I would love for you to like it!