Michigan PTA Money Saving Ideas and School Activity Budgeting Help

Michigan school PTA organizations across the state are working hard to maintain activities, projects, and enrichment assemblies programs at their schools, while working with shrinking parent involvement and Michigan state school budget cuts. Cuts in budgets for PTA groups, does not have to mean cutting back on the services and activities provided to your school community. There are many simple things that can be done to reduce costs and save money - without jeopardizing the goals and mission of your parent group.

Organize a Michigan PTA Buying Co-Op with Other Area Schools

Teaming up with other schools in your Michigan school district to form a buying co-op is one of the easiest and most effective ways to cut your costs. Having a co-op allows you to contract services and make purchases for supplies and school equipment in bulk, which gives you more negotiating power for a lower per unit price.

Michigan PTA co-ops work great for scheduling school assemblies in Michigan and family night enrichment programs, as many Michigan school assembly performers offer block booking discounts for shows at multiple schools booked on the same day or consecutive days.

Here is an example of how block booking discounts may work when your schools wants to schedule an assembly performance:

Imagine your school is interested in booking a science assembly program for your Michigan elementary students. The normal fee for such this science assembly program may be $650 for a performance at your Michigan school. If you were to have two other schools in your district that were interested in the same program, however, the assembly presenter could now perform a program at your school in the morning, another school in the afternoon, and the final school the next day. The presenter can now offer a discounted fee to all the schools because they are doing more shows and only have to travel to your area one time. The new "block booking" fee for this Michigan science assembly may now be $450 per school. That means all three schools in your district just saved $200 off their science assembly program.

Michigan PTA buying co-ops can be beneficial in negotiating the best price for almost any service or product. With email mailing lists and networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, it is easy to communicate with other Michigan PTA groups and find out who would be interested in participating in block booking an assembly program or making a group purchase of equipment or supplies.

Have Alternate Dates For Your PTA Event or Activity in Mind

Michigan magicians, speakers, DJ's, assembly presenters, caterers, and other businesses that provide services to Michigan schools are more likely to be negotiable on the prices for their services if your school event is during a "slow time". Friday nights, weekends, and holidays are prime days for most Michigan event services providers, and you should expect to pay full price for a school event on those days. There is little incentive for a business to give your school a discount on a date that they can easily get their full normal fee for. There are fewer events and parties held on a Monday - Wednesday, so the company may be more eager to offer discounted fees in order to fill in their schedule.

Always ask if there would be a discount if your event was on a different night of the week. You may be surprised at the savings you could be offered.

There is a common thought among Michigan PTA groups that they must have their PTA family night activities on a Friday night. But in reality, a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night event can be even more successful because the event is not competing with other activities families may have planned for the weekend.

Get A Local Sponsor For Your Michigan PTA Event

Ask area Michigan businesses to donate money or products towards a school family night, school assembly program, or improvement project. In exchange for the donation, offer to feature the business in your Michigan school PTA bulletin, display a sign from the business at the event, and feature the business as a sponsor in all fliers and posters for the school event. It is important that the business feels as if they are getting proper recognition and/ or advertising for their donation as it will increase their willingness to participate in future PTA events. Chances are you will not have to look too far for a sponsor, as many of your existing PTA members are probably small business owners.

Small Grants Can Add Up To Big Savings For Your Michigan PTA School Group

There are many state, city, county and national grants and financial assistance programs available to Michigan schools who wish to bring in enrichment programs to their schools.

Local Police DARE organizations have access to funding for programs and enrichment that support drug prevention and positive self-esteem messages. The DARE chapter may be able to pay for all or part of an anti-drug, or no bullying assembly presentation for your school or sponsor a say no to drugs family night or red ribbon week event.
Arts and entertainment grants are available through Michigan Arts and Humanities Council for schools that are looking to bring a touring arts program to their students. This organization pays for up to 35% of the cost of select performing arts programs. The grant application has very specific requirements and deadlines that must be met, so read the application carefully!
School assembly presenter agencies such as Midwest School Assembly Presenters often list available Michigan school assembly grants on their website. These grants can save schools $50-$100 or more off the cost of an assembly program at their elementary school.

Getting a grant for a PTA program at your Michigan school can often require filling out applications and submitting proposals. It is best if you can get one volunteer from your Michigan PTA group, who is good at composition and business writing, to be in charge of all grant program applications.

Midwest School Assembly Presenters (http://www.michiganschoolshows.com) of Sterling Heights, Michigan is the most recommended school assembly resource for Michigan PTA groups and Michigan school principals who are looking to schedule quality school assemblies for their elementary or middle school students. The team of assembly planning specialists work directly with schools to make Michigan school assemblies affordable, while meeting school enrichment and programming goals.

The Michigan school assembly programs currently available to all Michigan school districts include science assemblies, no bullying programs, social studies game shows, assemblies for reading month, and PTA family night entertainment. Their online Michigan school assemblies directory lists descriptions and reviews for all the programs to make selecting the perfect assembly easy for your school.

Grants for Michigan assembly programs such as the Dollars and Sense School Show are available to most schools in Michigan. Ask for specific dates and availability for grant discounts available to your Michigan PTA group.

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School Furniture - Empowering the Learning Environment

One of the most crucial tasks school administrators face is establishing a positive atmosphere for learning, and school furniture plays a major role in the way a school looks and feels to the students learning within its walls. Classrooms that are cheerful and bright encourage a far more positive learning experience than ones that are colorless and drab.

On the other hand, school furniture that is too colorful and busy can actually present a distraction to students. Besides aesthetics, comfort, size, space, durability and - don't forget - budget, are all factors that need to be taken into account when planning furniture for schools. Whether you're designing a new school or upgrading an older one, the classroom furniture you choose will have a decisive impact on the way students feel about their studies.

Have a Seat!

Studies show that students between the ages of 13-18 years old spend about 78% of their time sitting down. But the truth is that even preschoolers spend a considerable amount of time in their chairs. So a lot of thought needs to go in to choosing the best school chair for your classrooms.

Say What? A Little Terminology...

First, a little school furniture terminology to help make things clear.

School chair seats are manufactured out of one of three materials: wood, soft plastic and hard plastic. Wood means just that, wood. Soft plastic is the colloquial name for polyethylene and polypropylene. Polyethylene has a lot of give; polypropylene, while not actually bendable, does conform somewhat so that students can lean back a bit in their chairs. Hard plastic is far more rigid than its soft counterpart and has no bend whatsoever.

The legs and supports of school chairs are usually made of one of three gauges of steel: 18, 16, and 14 gauge. Contrary to what one might assume, the lower the gauge the stronger the steel, so if you're looking for the strongest supports around, you would look for chairs with 14 gauge steel.

Down to Size - How High Should School Chairs Really Be?

Ideally, children should be able to plant their feet firmly on the floor even when sitting with their backs against their chairs. This position minimizes fidgeting and provides proper back support. Practically speaking, there will always be some children whose feet dangle when they sit all the way back, or who will have to lean forward if they want their feet to reach the floor. When measuring school chairs, the height is always measured from the floor to the highest point on the seat surface.

Table Talk - A Word About School Tables

As with chairs, here's a bit of school desk and table terminology you should be familiar with.

The top of school tables or desks is the part that gets the most use, and is the easiest to damage. There are two basic types of table/desk tops for schools. The first - and least expensive - is called a laminate, which is essentially a wood top with a processed surface that protects it from minor damage. Everyday splotches like pencil marks, fingerprints and white-out will come off easily; however, the desk will be vulnerable to dents and pen scratches, as well as damage from sharp objects.

The second kind of tabletop is a hard plastic top. This is just what it sounds like - a desk or table covered with a solid piece of hard plastic. These are extremely difficult to damage, as they are quite tough and can stand up to major student abuse. Although they can be significantly more expensive in the short run, their durability can make them worth their while in the long run.

There is, however, a third type of desk top called Woodstone. Manufactured exclusively by Hertz Furniture, Woodstone is made of a hard plastic surface with a core of wood and/or wood parts. It is just about as durable as regular hard plastic, but since it is less expensive to manufacture, its price is more or less the same as a laminate.

Now that you've got all the terminology you need, you're ready to actually think about the school furniture that will serve your students best. Since different grades have different needs, we'll break it up by age group.

Kiddie Korner

Gross motor skills in small children are still very much in the development stage; that's why they tend to trip and fall more often than older children. So when your budding students go down with a bang, you want to make sure that their chairs stay intact.

Despite the need for durability, though, soft plastic is a far more popular choice for this age than hard plastic. Small children's bodies are not yet fully developed (that's why they're so soft and cuddly); as a result, they are uncomfortable sitting in very rigid chairs. So look for chairs made of top-quality soft plastic.

Some school chairs come with a plastic back and seat, but metal frames and legs for added strength and support. These are great for durability, but smaller children might stick their fingers into the space between the metal and plastic and get them pinched or even stuck. If that's a concern for you, look for soft plastic chairs made of one piece, solid construction, as these will have no spaces for curious little fingers. They are also much less expensive.

If you're looking for the strength of the metal-plastic combination but want the safety of a one-piece unit, you might want to try a school chair made of a mixture of soft and hard plastic. These chairs are made of a one-piece, soft plastic shell (meaning the back and seat) that is ultrasonically welded to a hard plastic base.

In most P-K classrooms, the same general areas are used for such varying activities as circle time, arts and crafts, eating and even sleeping. That makes it necessary to have chairs that can be moved and stored easily. So look for chairs that stack easily and in quantity. Make sure that they can be pushed or pulled without too much effort as well. This is especially important for 5-6 year olds, who will be expected to clear away the chairs when they're "on duty".

Tables

For preschoolers to kindergarten, you want to look for tables that measure from about 19-23 inches in height. Some tables come with adjustable legs, so you can raise and lower them to suit your needs.

Generally speaking, children up to kindergarten age sit between four and eight to a table. If you're looking at a rectangular table, calculate approximately 20 inches for each child. For round tables, figure that between eight and ten children can fit around a table with a 48 inch diameter.

Although small children are not necessarily harsh on their school furniture - even their scissors tend to have round edges - they can be pretty messy. Glue, crayons, markers, glitter and paint will all "decorate" your tables liberally. So, although you may not need tables with hard plastic tops, make sure you buy ones with a high quality laminate to make clean-up as hassle-free as possible.

The shape of your school tables will depend a great deal on the structure of your classroom. While many schools use standard round or rectangular tables, there are others that prefer kidney-shaped tables, which allow all the children to have an equal view of the teacher. If it is important to you to be able to push tables together, then consider trapezoidal tables. Some companies, like Hertz Furniture, carry specialty tables, like clove or flower-shaped.

The Next Stage - Elementary School Chairs

Starting with first grade, young students are expected to sit and concentrate for far longer periods of time. Therefore, ensuring maximum comfort and minimum fidgeting is a top priority.

Most standard elementary school chairs are made from soft plastic. These are both more comfortable and less expensive; however, they are not as durable as their hard counterparts. If you're operating under budget constraints - or it's important to you that students have school chairs they can lean back in - then here are a few features to that will give your soft plastic chairs an added boost of durability:

* Back supports - These are steel supports that run all the way up the back to offer extra back support. * Underseat brackets - These supporting brackets under the chair seat. * 16 gauge steel - Ideally, the steel supports should be made of at least 16 gauge steel. * Long-term warranty - Make sure that the manufacturer is willing to stand behind its products. Some brands, like Academia from Hertz Furniture, actually offer a limited lifetime warranty on their school chairs.

Wood chairs are extremely durable and give a beautiful, classic look to school room furniture. They are considerably more expensive than either soft or hard plastic, though, which is one of the main reasons you don't see them too often.

School Chairs - Leg Options

A standard, four legged school chair is the best choice for schools with hard floors. The chair rests on four legs that are usually made of tubular steel and capped with glides to keep the chairs level and prevent scratches on hard surface floors. Nylon or plastic glides are softer on hard floors, and prevent students from making distracting noises when they move around.

Sled-based chairs are also made of tubular steel; however, rather than splitting into four legs, the chair is supported on each side by a base that resembles a sled. This type of school chair doesn't move easily across hard floors, but it glides softly and easily on carpeted surfaces.

The third option is school chairs on casters. These are four-legged chairs with little wheels attached so that students can turn around with ease, and are highly recommended for classrooms like computer labs or art rooms. They can, however, be hazardous for students in younger grades, and are usually reserved for either teachers or for middle school and up.

Turning the Tables

Once children enter first grade, they no longer sit four, six or eight to a table; rather, they sit either in pairs or at individual desks. They use their tables more and more for writing and less and less for activities such as arts and crafts, and, as their studies become departmentalized, they have more materials to keep track of. The older the students get, the more frequently they write with pens (as opposed to pencils), and they need sharp-edged school supplies like sharp scissors and compasses.

So when planning elementary school furniture, you should be looking for tables that 1) accommodate two students comfortably; 2) provide a storage solution for school materials and supplies; and, 3) will stand up to intense daily wear and tear.

For younger grades, height adjustable activity tables are great. They have plenty of room for young students to have all their materials on the table without invading their tablemate's space. Although these work well for older grades, too, many schools prefer school desks at this stage. If you're interested in desks for grades 5 and up but still want your students to be able to work comfortably in pairs, then look for double desks such as those manufactured by Hertz Furniture.

As far as school supplies, consider chairs with attached book baskets, or desks with open view book boxes. It can be important for the teacher to see what the students have under their desks, both to facilitate neatness and order and to prevent undesirable objects (or pets!) from creating discipline problems. Definitely look for school tables with hard plastic tops, or at least a very high quality laminate. Best-quality desk and tabletops will save you both money and time-consuming maintenance.

If your school has wheelchair-bound students, make sure that at least some of your tables are wheelchair accessible. Some schools purchase only wheelchair accessible tables so that all students have the same school furniture, regardless of physical ability.

Growing and Growing and...Some Tips for 7th-12th Grade Chairs and Tables

Generally speaking, just about everything that applies to elementary school furniture applies to junior high and high school as well. There are, however, a few exceptions and additions.

The first is that, at this point, height is no longer an issue. All your students will need 18"-19" inch school chairs.

Secondly, 7th-12th graders can be tough on their school furniture. Besides regular wear and tear, they also have a tendency to write (and occasionally engrave) messages on their chairs. So hard plastic chairs are highly recommended. Ditto for desk tops. If budget constraints don't allow for that, make sure that the desks you purchase have a very high quality laminate or Woodstone top.

Thirdly, unlike the elementary grades, most schools provide individual desks from 7th grade and up. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending largely on whether your school is geared for independent learning, cooperative learning or a combination of both. Double desks, mentioned earlier, make it easy for students to organize into partners. Trapezoidal desks allow students to sit individually, but can be conveniently joined together to form semi-circles, hexagons or octagons for group learning. Individual desks, which you see in most classrooms, promote independent learning. Some have an enlarged surface to fit large textbooks, laptops, and to provide additional working space for study partners.

Last, students in 7th-12th grades have a lot more school materials for each class, as well as school supplies. That means that it is crucial to have school furniture that provides a storage solution for all their stuff. Some schools prefer chairs with attached bookshelves or baskets for a convenient place to store things yet eliminates the tendency of students to fidget with them, as they are safely under the seats. Other schools prefer under-the-desk storage, which allows students easy access to whatever they may need.

If you have wheelchair-bound students, make sure to take them into consideration when purchasing school desks. There are a number of wheelchair-accessible desks available in a variety of styles, many of which are appropriate for the non-wheelchair bound as well.

An economical choice - both in terms of money and space - is a chair-desk combination unit. Used mostly in high schools, these come with a choice of both soft and hard plastic chairs, and desktops.

School furniture comes in a variety of colors. Navy blue and burgundy are currently the most popular, but you can find chairs in unique colors as well as in all the primary colors. For classrooms with a color scheme that is both classy and consistent, Educational Edge(TM) offers a line of completely color-coordinated furniture. And if you're looking for school furniture that is both unusually strong and uniquely designed, try the Inspiration line by Hertz Furniture.

The Finishing Touch - School Chair Frame Finishes

Now that you've selected the height, material, and type of leg you want your school chairs to have, it's time to decide on the frame finish. There are three types of frame finishes for school chairs:

1) Chrome - This is the popular, very shiny silver finish you see on many chairs. It is very easy to maintain.

2) Powder Coat - Powder coat is a paint finish that is electro-statically applied to steel components such as a frame, leaving a highly durable finish. It can be ordered in a number of colors, so if color-coordinating the frame and the seat is important to you, this is the finish you would choose.

3) Mirage - Mirage is also a powder coat, but it is colored to look like the classic chrome.

All are rust-resistant, unless of course you leave them out in the rain.

For over 40 years, businesses, schools and religious institutions have been turning to Hertz Furniture for top quality commercial and school furniture.

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Ten Tips For a Fantastic School Website

I stumbled upon a school website that exemplifies the exact qualities of a fantastic school website. If you go to the website for Bishop Heelan School in Sioux City, IA, you will see what I am talking about.

I have been consulting for schools for over ten years and I have found that many schools have a website and this is great...but there are still some schools that do not have a website, nor do they have the qualities of what makes a fantastic school website! Parents and potential parents are visiting your website whether you like it or not and if you want to impress them one of the things that you need to have is a quality website that offers valuable information. The great part about this is that it is not hard to do at all!!! Just follow the steps below and you will be on your way to giving parents and potential parents what they need and want when they are researching schools!

Here are the top ten items a school website must have to provide the most valuable information for parents and prospective parents searching your school.

1) About Us Page: It is great to have an about us page on your website. This gives people an overview about your school and website. It is kind of like a summary of everything that your website and school consists of. You will be going into more detail in the pages of your website, but people can just look at this at first glance to see what your school is all about; hence About Us. Make the about us page desirable to keep parents intrigued to keep looking at your website. Make it interesting and unique.

2) Pictures: Everyone loves pictures. Provide pictures of the students in sporting events, science fairs, dances, plays - anything you can think of! Provide pictures of the school itself like the grounds of the school, the buildings, and classrooms. Portray anything new that you would like to showcase. These are all very important so that people can get a nice visual aspect without ever seeing your school in person. Providing faculty pictures is also a nice enhancement as you will see below.

3) Faculty / Staff Directory: Make it simple and easy to find the faculty and staff that work at your school. This is important for many reasons. It makes the staff and faculty members feel more important when they see their name and title on the website. It is also very helpful for parents that might be searching for a teacher and wants quick and easy access to their phone number and email address. If you want to take this a step further and really up the quality of your website, then add pictures of the faculty members. This makes it much more presentable and fun for everyone when they can put a face to a name.

4) Admissions Policy: It is always nice to tell people what the school's admission policy is. Providing information in a step by step, spelled out format is the best thing that you can do. Also, provide any forms that the families might need to register their kids. This makes the information easily accessible for the parents. Most schools have their tuition information in the admissions section of the website. Describe all registration fees, payment plans, payment methods, additional fees, and tuition. A nice calendar of events might be helpful too in the admissions section: First day of school, registration day, open houses, etc

5) Ways to Donate to the School: Even in this downturn economy, there are still people out there that are willing to donate to schools. Referring to our example school, Bishop Heelan, if you look at the navigation heading at the very end, you will see "Ways to Give". Listed there are different campaigns that people can donate to. This is excellent because people can donate towards a specific cause. If someone wanted to help out a family in need of tuition assistance, they can click on the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation and their money would go to a family in need. This is one of the most important ways for a school to raise money. It is easier than most fundraising efforts! Put it on your website!

6) At least two descriptions (in detail) of what makes your school different: There are many options for places for parents to send their kids to school. There are public schools, charter schools, online schools, religious schools, Montessori schools, and many more! You have to outline the qualitative that your school has to stand out from the crowd! If your school has a great drama program, or a great music program, or an award winning science team, or an awesome performing musical band - you must showcase that on your website! Anything that you can do to 1) add information and content to your site and 2) make your school standout and answer the question "what makes your school unique". The more you do this, the more compelled parents will be to keep looking at your school as a viable option for their children, instead of another school!

7) School History: People searching your school's website like to see details of how long the school has been around for, what updates the school has gone through throughout the years, and other valuable information associated with the school that made it what it is today. Things like renovations the school has gone through and changes throughout the years are what shape a school and creates more value. I always like to read a school's website before I go into a meeting. If I find out that the school I am visiting has a school and parish that have been around for over 100 years - that is very valuable information and it just makes me respect a school that much more!

8) Mission Statement: A school Mission Statement gives people a good idea of the philosophy and ideology of what the power behind the school is. The mission statement answers the question of what fuels and motivates the school to be the best it can be for the children it educates. A clear cut mission is important because parents want to see the thought process of the people running the school. Of course, the more time and energy that is put into the mission statement, the better the quality your school and website will become.

9) Headmaster / Director / Principal's Message: A message from the person at the top goes a long way for a school's website! This makes the website more personal and it also is a way for the parents to get a good sense of who the commander in chief is at the school. The more you personalize the website, the better it will be. Just imagine what you would want to see on a website - you want it welcoming, you want to meet the people in charge and you want to see firsthand information and images to make a well informed decision.

10) Contact information: It is imperative that the school has a contact us page with the formal address of the school and the main phone number of the school, a fax number and an email address. You can have a contact form, but most people feel more comfortable writing an email if that is their preferred way of communicating with the school. You must have an open outlet of communication so there are no barriers of people contacting your school. Directions to the school are also helpful on the contact us page. These days, it is very easy to add a picture of a map pinpointing the exact location of your school.

If you go ahead and follow these basic guidelines, you too will have a fantastic website for your school. The economy will not stay bad like this forever! Make sure you are ready for the rebound!

From the folks at Raise Enrollment - website coming soon!

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Crimes in Public Schools

Parents, teachers, and students expect schools to be a safe place. Acts of violence disrupt the learning process, not to mention having a profoundly negative emotional impact on those affected by violence. According to a recent report on crime and student safety by the CDC and the Department of Education, students aged twelve through eighteen are the victims of more than 2.7 million crimes at school each year. Over the past year, fifteen percent of all high school students reported being involved in a physical altercation on school property. Just how common are crimes on campuses?

28 percent of students in middle and high school reported being bullied in the last six months.A significant portion of these students also admitted avoiding one or more places for their own safety. Nearly 20% of students in middle and high school report being threatened with a beating.

According to the Gun-Free Schools Act Report, nearly four thousand students are expelled each year for bringing a gun with them. Perhaps surprisingly, more than a third of these expulsions involve middle school students, and a tenth involve even younger students. Parents, teachers, and students expect schools to be a safe place. Acts of violence disrupt the learning process, not to mention having a profoundly negative emotional impact on those affected by school violence. According to a recent report on school crime and student safety by the CDC and the Department of Education, students aged twelve through eighteen are the victims of more than 2.7 million crimes at school each year. Over the past year, fifteen percent of all high school students reported being involved in a physical altercation on school property. Just how common are crimes on school campuses?

28 percent of students in middle school and high school reported being bullied in the last six months.A significant portion of these students also admitted avoiding one or more places at school for their own safety. Nearly 20% of students in middle and high school report being threatened with a beating.

According to the Gun-Free Schools Act Report, nearly four thousand students are expelled each year for bringing a gun to school. Perhaps surprisingly, more than a third of these expulsions involve middle school students, and a tenth involve even younger students. School violence might be a stereotypically high school occurrence, but it happens at all levels of the school system, even among kids as young as seven or eight years old.

In addition to incidents involving firearms, there are also thousands of other crimes, from physical assault to threat to vandalism, happening on school campuses worldwide. Not only gun-related expulsions, but also violence in general, is actually more common in middle schools than at high schools. Students aged twelve through fourteen are more likely than older students to become victims of crime at school.

It is likely that violence, theft, and drugs will continue to be significant problems in the school system. A tenth of all high school students reported being threatened with, or injured with, a weapon in the previous year. Students in middle or high school are more likely to be victims of theft while at school than while away for college. A quarter reported that drugs had been offered to them on school property within the past year.

The point to take away from this is that kids are not immune from violence in schools, no matter their age. This might seem like an urban high school problem, but it happens in schools of all sizes, and in all locations. A staggering 86 percent of all public schools reported one or more serious violent incidents in the 2005-2006 school year. The overall crime rate within schools is 46 reported crimes each year per 1,000 students. If you have a child at school, no matter their age, they must be prepared to deal with the possibility of such situations arising.

Your options to protect your children from violence at school are unfortunately limited. The vast majority of schools have a 'no tolerance' policy, meaning that students may not carry such devices as pepper spray or a stun gun. They can, however, bring a personal alarm to school, and this can be invaluable in alerting teachers and other adults to a violent or potentially violent confrontation. Violence might be a stereotypically high school occurrence, but it happens at all levels of the school system, even among kids as young as seven or eight years old.

In addition to incidents involving firearms, there are also thousands of other crimes, from physical assault to threat to vandalism, happening on campuses worldwide. Not only gun-related expulsions, but also violence in general, is actually more common in middle than at high schools. Students aged twelve through fourteen are more likely than older students to become victims of crime there.

It is likely that violence, theft, and drugs will continue to be significant problems in the education system. A tenth of all high school students reported being threatened with, or injured with, a weapon in the previous year. Students in middle or high school are more likely to be victims of theft while at school than while away for school. A quarter reported that drugs had been offered to them on school property within the past year.

The point to take away from this is that kids are not immune from violence in schools, no matter their age. This might seem like an urban high school problem, but it happens in schools of all sizes, and in all locations. A staggering 86 percent of all public schools reported one or more serious violent incidents in the 2005-2006 school year. The overall crime rate within schools is 46 reported crimes each year per 1,000 students. If you have a child at school, no matter their age, they must be prepared to deal with the possibility of such situations arising.

Your options to protect your children from violence at school are unfortunately limited. The vast majority of schools have a 'no tolerance' policy, meaning that students may not carry such devices as pepper spray or a stun gun. They can, however, bring a personal alarm to school, and this can be invaluable in alerting teachers and other adults to a violent or potentially violent confrontation.

Resist Attack has a full range of pepper sprays to keep you and your family safe. Also check our tasers special

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Top Nine High School Tips

When you are first starting high school, getting used to all the changes from previous schools can be daunting. Fortunately, keeping in mind a few simple things can alleviate most of the stress that comes with attending high school. I wrote this article less than a year after I graduated high school to pass on some of the most important lessons I learned during my schooling experience.

9. Life isn't fair

Unless you've been living in a cave, you've probably been warned that life isn't fair. The saying is uttered so much that everyone begins to forget exactly what it means, and nobody stops to consider its meaning. Is life not fair when you're passed up for that promotion for which you've worked for months? Is life not fair when your neighbor can afford to buy a more expensive car than you can? Or, is life not fair when a close friend or relative is stricken by a serious illness but you are left unscathed?

In all of the above circumstances, life certainly isn't fair, and this statement applies to high school as well. Life isn't fair when you're rejected from the National Honor Society because you participated in more out-of-school activities than in-school. Life isn't fair when someone sitting next to you can solve an equation in two seconds, while you ponder over it for two hours. Life isn't fair when athletes receive all the recognition while other clubs and activities are forgotten.

Not only is life not fair, but no matter what you do, you can't make life fair. Most of the important decisions are completely out of your control and you have no power whatsoever to change them. There are those who are gifted in every respect, and there are certain people who fail utterly even though they've tried their hardest. And finally, even though several teachers told me that they disagreed with many of the school's policies, their efforts to change them were in vain.

So therefore, in such an unequal world, how can one strive to succeed against all the odds? Some people would say to "try hard," but sometimes trying hard is not enough in such an unforgiving environment. As long as you've tried your hardest, however, what does it matter to everyone else? Sure, you could worry about what happened, but as an English professor once told her class, regret is an empty emotion. If things don't go your way, there's only one action you can take:

Accept defeat, and try again.

8. Take a wide variety of courses

Whereas many of the top ten on this list were prompted by my regrets or by experiences that I didn't have, one of the positive decisions I made during my high school career was to take a variety of courses.

I would recommend that everyone take a wide range of courses, regardless of intended college major. For example, my parents and I were browsing through the course catalog in eighth grade and we stumbled upon a woodworking course. Even though I had no intention of becoming a carpenter when I graduated, I had enjoyed "industrial arts," as it was then called at the Upper Moreland Middle School. While I was nervous on the first day of class as to whether I would benefit from the course, by January I had produced several pieces, all of which are still in use in our and other family members' homes four years later.

I was also hesitant about putting AP Government on my roster at the end of my junior year. Again, I didn't know whether I would benefit from taking a government class when I could have taken any number of easier courses. While I had some luck in that I took the course during what could have quite possibly been the most eventful presidential election in history, I enjoyed the class thoroughly and learned much general knowledge about political systems that will help me in the future as an American citizen and voter.

AP courses are also a great benefit. Through these courses and the related tests, I was able to accrue 18 credits before attending college and will be able to graduate in seven semesters. With the exception of one course (which didn't even count for college credit at Penn State), I would recommend highly all of the AP courses that I took. Be cautious though - some of these courses do require quite a bit of work, and those who don't think they can keep up would probably be best with a lighter schedule.

In conclusion, if you see a course you might enjoy or think might be of benefit in the future, take a chance and schedule it. AP courses are also a great chance to earn college credit in high school, so take advantage of these opportunities!

7. Keep your grades up in 9th grade

The Upper Moreland School District has a very good "transitional" program for helping students succeed in their freshman year of high school after attending the middle school for three years. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the high school, I didn't have any idea of how difficult the workload would be.

For reasons that escape me now, I somewhat slacked off during 9th grade, earning a B average. While some of the courses I took were very difficult, I should have been able to earn better grades if I had tried harder. After I was ranked 59th in the class (in about the 22nd percentile), I decided to pull everything together and work harder, eventually graduating in 10th place. While a final GPA of 99.59 wasn't bad by many standards, it wasn't good enough to earn scholarships at Penn State or (even though I had decided against it before I received their final decision) to attend the University of Pennsylvania.

Most likely, I was misled into believing that 9th grade wasn't important because of what some seniors said at an orientation day the year before I began high school. On the contrary, a poor performance in your freshman year will haunt you for the next three (or possibly even seven) years. Therefore, treat each course as if it could determine the rest of your life.

Depending on your goals, it could.

6. Ask around before taking courses

One of the worst mistakes I made in the past four years was not investigating the courses I was taking. Having no information on what a course was actually like or how it would benefit me in the future, I was blindly thrown into situations for which I could have been better prepared.

Three courses in particular come to mind when I look back at experiences I may have been better off without. While I won't go into details, I will say that I gained little or no lasting benefit from these courses and could have better spent my time doing something else. However, looking at the past, I now realize that courses in which teachers attempt to "prepare students for college" are most likely not worth taking.

Throughout high school, I continuously heard certain teachers state their goals to "prepare students for college." As far back as 9th grade, I took a class where the teacher asked students in the class to define hundreds of terms in a single weekend. While I spent hours completing the assignments and "preparing myself for college," I remember very few of the terms now and have realized that college is actually easier than those teachers would have students believe. College teachers don't require students to define hundreds of terms for homework credit.

I encountered the last and worst class of my high school career in my senior year. At times, the teacher of this course assigned over 10-15 hours of homework in a single weekend, and I received the lowest grades of my twelve years of school. In short, what I didn't know was that most colleges, including Penn State, didn't accept the AP credit for this particular course (even though I scored a four on the test), and that scholarships were awarded for higher grades as opposed to tougher courses. Therefore, my work was in vain - but I could have discovered all of this information by simply doing a little research before creating my schedule.

Therefore, while I'd like to say that the attitude of the teacher of a particular course shouldn't have an impact on whether you roster the class, there are certain courses that simply aren't worth the effort. Becoming an informed student is another step on the road to success.

5. Don't be intimidated by college planning

In today's world, successful people plan well ahead of the times. The typical retail chain, for example, begins ordering Christmas inventory in early January. Look at any celebrity's success story and you'll discover a hidden story where someone was outstanding in some activity at a very young age. Therefore, it's not surprising that high school students are flooded by college propaganda. Somewhere in a pile of old papers I have a college admissions "road map," which details how students can prepare for college as early as seventh grade!

Obviously, such a flood of information can be overwhelming. Between preparation for the SATs, decisions about which college to attend, and the pressure to keep the grades up, those I know who were inundated with this information took one of two paths of action: began their college search as early as tenth grade or put off the process until the last minute.

First, don't check the box on the SAT's which gives you the option of receiving information directly from colleges. Not only will you receive a thousand useless pamphlets that will require hours of your time to review, but you're probably more likely to make the wrong decision because of a nice looking picture or an unsubstantiated promise.

Believe it or not, you probably already know where you want to continue your education. As early as the beginning of eleventh grade, my dad first brought up the idea of my attending Penn State. I pushed it aside, figuring I would look through all the pamphlets, attend visitations, and eventually make a grueling decision in crunch time. As a result, I visited ten colleges and spent a hundred hours or more of my time writing nearly twenty essays, having them proofread, and completing application after application.

In the end, I decided to attend Penn State anyway, which required no essays, and from which I had already received a decision before I even began applying to the other colleges.

I also took an SAT preparation course, but in truth, statistics agree that SAT preparation programs rarely, if ever, improve a student's scores. Finally, as I discovered, attending an ivy league school doesn't assure success in the real world - as I've heard from stories involving those who attended such schools. In most cases, a more reasonably-priced university will be as good as, if not superior to, the education offered at an ivy league school. One of my teachers at UMHS once told his students that the only reason private high schools appear prestigious is because they can afford to reject those who won't succeed no matter how much guidance is offered. The same applies to ivy league universities - they appear exceptional because their reputation allows them to reject less capable students from their larger pool of applicants.

So, in essence, the college admissions process is simpler than you might think. Ignore all the rhetoric and decide where you think you would succeed and be happy, and stick to your decision.

4. Learn to drive at 16

The headline for this tip is somewhat misleading. Let me state that if I were the dictator of the world, the legal driving age would be 18. Since the driving age in Pennsylvania is 16, however, I have to include advice to learn to drive as soon as reasonably possible.

With the enaction of the new six month wait laws, however, I waited until I was 18 to learn how to drive. It wasn't until after I knew how that I realized how important the skill of driving is to everyday life. It had never occurred to me how many seemingly insignificant tasks that would normally require days to be completed could be finished in a short time when one has the ability to drive to obtain whatever is needed. More importantly, I discovered that many of the commonplace activities in which many young people participate frequently (such as going to the movies), while not all that difficult before, become infinitely easier with the freedom to come and go as I choose.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that everyone obtain a license to drive back and forth from school every day. Driving to school is one activity I strongly recommend against. However, if you have the money to hold a license after you are 16 1/2, then do so. While it might not seem important in the beginning, having a license earlier rather than later will save a lot of hassle when you really need one.

3. Don't be afraid to pursue romantic relationships

Of all the tips I've included in this feature, this one is by far the most difficult to comprehend. Not only is it an awkward topic to discuss, but you probably won't listen to what I have to say anyway. Hey, I didn't listen to what anyone else had to say either.

While a number of experiences shaped my opinion on romance, one that stands out occurred during the fall of my senior year. Someone with whom I was enamored suddenly began making idle conversation and showing all the traditional signs of flirting. As the person in question was quite possibly one of the most "popular" students at UMHS, had won about every award imaginable, and most importantly had at least two other guys I knew swooning over her, I figured that what was happening was impossible. For weeks, I battled within myself as others attempted to convince me to ask her out, but eventually decided to give up because the embarrassment of rejection would be too great because of her "social status."

It wasn't until well after these events (and a conversation with some fellow students) that I was able to remove the dust from my eyes and realize what had actually been happening. Contrary to my belief, I wouldn't have died had I decided to take a chance, and so-called "popular" people aren't any different than anyone else. A girl doesn't stare at a guy throughout an entire AP Government class for no reason!

On a side note, I was never very enthusiastic about attending school dances. While I had danced somewhat in the past, I ridiculously assumed that dancing was a laborious task that required years of practice to master. Therefore, I was nervous that by dancing, I would make an idiot out of myself. To make a long story short, since I hadn't danced much before the senior prom, I believed that my lack of experience would be painfully obvious. As you can see by the picture of me that somehow made its way into the 2001 yearbook to be preserved for all eternity, it wasn't that hard after all.

I should also note that I know someone whose parents "strongly recommended" against dating until the junior or even senior year of high school. This person was forced to reject four girls' questions during his freshman year and not attend the annual dances and formals. As a result, this person was completely unprepared for later experiences when many of his peers had been associating with members of the opposite sex since they began high school.

And finally, one last tangent - if you're stuck in a bind and a major dance is approaching, ask a friend. I made an entire weekend out of the senior prom to meet old friends, and I can say (as my "date" probably can as well) I had much more fun doing the things with the group that weekend than I would have looking across the table and smiling at a first date.

So in conclusion, if you're in doubt, just ask. This statement applies to a number of life's lessons, and it applies to relationships as well.

2. Be your own person

College, like many universities boast in their propaganda, is a place where you will meet people with a variety of interests. In high school, by contrast, everyone is (or appears to be) startlingly like each other.

Peer pressure is referenced constantly by the media. For example, parents are urged to talk to their children at a very early age to prevent them from being talked into taking drugs by their peers. All of this attention is given for a simple reason: peer pressure plays a huge role in high school life.

In college, however, the pressure vanishes overnight. There aren't any popular "cliques" that are exclusive to certain people, nor is there a group of forgotten academics who put their grades above everything else. Whereas a student who sits alone at a cafeteria table in high school preparing for the next day's classes would be labeled "weird" by those who care more about sports during high school, college students make no such divisions because there is one purpose to attending a university - to get good grades and graduate.

A fellow student and I joked about the state of the world's affairs one day during my senior year. The premise was simple: one day, the jocks, who were the most "popular" kids in the school, would be the average joe, while the "nerds," scorned by a large number of people for their studiousness, would be running the world.

At your fiftieth high school reunion, nobody will remember who was the most popular or who was involved in the most activities. Even Mr. Daher recognizes the impact of these social "cliques" when he said that each class tends to "pull together" around the time of the senior prom. It's true - the social divisions vanish, and everyone is left with a realization that the "in" group wasn't much different than everyone else who was trying to be accepted.

In short, if someone thinks you're "strange" because you are unique among everyone else, it's not the end of the world. Just because you aren't part of the group that everyone looks up to doesn't signify that you're any less intelligent, attractive, or "cool" than they are. Be your own person and do what you want to do.

1. Get involved

"That's the number one tip?" you ask. That's right - my number one pointer is something that your teachers, parents, older siblings, and just about everyone else says every day. I must have heard this phrase at least a hundred times during my high school orientation process.

Unfortunately, I didn't listen, at least in the beginning.

One of the biggest changes I swore that I would make when starting college was that I would become involved from the beginning. For some reason or another, in 9th grade I limited myself to the school orchestra. What high school orchestra, you ask? Actually, the orchestra fell apart at the end of the year, leaving me out of the loop in tenth grade.

During that summer, I had a revelation that I was missing one of the most important parts of high school life. As a result, I came back sworn to become involved, and that was one of the best decisions I ever made. I discovered an entirely new aspect to high school life. Why is it important to become involved early? Most of the upper positions in clubs are chosen from those already involved in the clubs, as one would expect. If you want to be the captain of the football team, join the team in 9th grade. If you want to be class president, join class council in 6th (!) grade. In short, as is true in the working world, the important positions are reserved for those who have been with an organization the longest.

I should note, however, that while I joined activities that I enjoyed, I also joined a few organizations for the sole purpose of being accepted to colleges. Attending meetings of these clubs was a chore that I didn't enjoy, but I persisted because I believed that my resume would look more impressive to college admissions officers and employers.

I found out too late that most admissions officers would prefer a fewer number of activities toward which a prospective student dedicates him- or herself rather than participation in every club imaginable. And even though I participated in so many activities, I still was unable to obtain a paying job during the summer of my senior year. Therefore, I recommend participation in activities that you enjoy to add a new dimension to your life, but don't join clubs because some college in Indiana told you to "participate."

Also, becoming involved in out-of-school activities isn't a bad idea either. Myself, I was involved in more out-of-school activities than in-school organizations, and I enjoyed both equally. However, don't expect to be nominated as Student of the Month or be accepted to the National Honor Society if you're involved in out-of-school activities, simply because many of the awards at UMHS are given to those closely associated with school clubs.

Speaking of the NHS, however, I should add a word of caution. In eleventh grade, I was rejected from the society because I had concentrated on my out-of-school involvements. I immediately decided that I would get involved in so many clubs that they couldn't possibly turn me down the following year. Surely enough, I was accepted, but into an organization that met once a month for five minutes and held one event during the entire year. Universities, for some reason, boast of the NHS as a club for the best of the best, while in reality the only goal in which it succeeded was to provide another means of further separating the all-around students from those who were more reserved in their participation.

In conclusion, get involved early. If you don't, you're missing out on exciting experiences that could never be had otherwise. But be involved because you want to be involved, not because you want to satisfy an admissions requirement.

Steve Sokolowski holds a Masters' degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Penn State University and is a professional software engineer at a large engineering firm. He created lifecentral, the world's first lifestyle database, which allows users to track how different aspects of their lives affect their health. Data entry and reporting at lifecentral is free of charge, completely anonymous, and the aggregate data is used to further medical research.

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UK Schooling Options

School years can be the most important in a person's life. In the United Kingdom, pupils have a number of different schooling options and they can start to attend from the age of four.

Researching on the internet will show you that there are lots of results for 'schools UK', but not all of them will be suitable for your child. Look into the different types of UK educational establishments and when you have found something to suit, look within that category to find the best one for your needs.

Most pupils in the UK are taught in the free state schools. There are different types in the state system - those controlled by the local education authority (LEA), those controlled by governors, and 'faith' schools. Faith schools are supported by the different church denominations affiliated to them. Religion plays a large part in them.

Sometimes a primary school will naturally feed into a state secondary but this may not be the best option for your child. Moving your child to a different school may not be easy if competition is great and some parents will even move house to ensure that they have the correct postcode to get their child into their school of choice.

Some state schools, known as grammar schools, require pupils to pass an entrance exam. It can depend on the county that the school is in, as some counties do not operate this system. The exam used to determine whether or not a pupil will be accepted into grammar school is known as the 11+.

Alternative schools are those with a different philosophy such as Steiner schools. They really suit certain pupils but are not good for others. Research the philosophy of the school and see if it fits with the ethos of you and your child.

Private schools (also confusingly known as public schools) are not state funded and therefore set their own hiring and firing rules for staff and set their own syllabus and enrollment requirements for pupils. They are generally thought of as good schools because of the quality of teaching and small class sizes. The downside can be the fees, although scholarships are available, as is financial assistance.

One option is to home-school your child. This can be good if you have the time and ability to devote to your child but a drawback can be that your child lacks social skills from lack of interaction with their peers. Home-schooling is more common in younger children than older ones.

Whether you decide to send your child to one of the different types of state school, an alternative school, or public school you will need consider a few things before making your final choice of school. First of all you should consider the needs of your child and also the family as a whole. A school close to home may be preferable as long as the quality of education is high. Try a geographical web search such as 'school Dorset' to see what comes up and check out the Ofsted results of the listed schools.

Some schools will excel in certain areas such as sports or music and this may suit a child who has leanings towards these areas. Consider the size of the school too, as small class sizes will be beneficial, and a small sized school may suit a quieter child.

Whatever school you choose in the UK, the chances are that if you have done your research, your child will love it and thrive in the school environment, setting them up well for their life ahead.

By Rebecca Twigg.

Looking for schools UK? ISBI have an online search facility to help you choose a school by location or by facilities. For a school Dorset, try Shaftesbury School.

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Special Education in Ireland's Secondary Schools

This article is an introduction to special education in Irish secondary schools. The past then years have witnessed a sea change in special education provision in Ireland. The Department of Education and Science has issued numerous directives and guidelines in relation to policy, provision, structure and supports. Since 1998 there have been ten pieces of legislation passed through the Dail that relate, one way or another to children and special education needs The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been established along with the Special Education Support Service (SESS). Both these organisations oversee and coordinate all special education initiatives nationwide. Ireland's primary schools have pioneered these new directives. Special education provision at primary level is developing at a rapid pace and great strides are being made. The next horizon for improvement is secondary school.

Ireland's secondary schools are driven by an exam-oriented curriculum. Subject area specialists teach all of the curricular content. The supports available to children with special needs are not extensive or as tested as those at primary level. In what follows we will look at the needs and entitlements of children entering secondary school who have identified special education needs and those who are entering and later discovered to have a special education need.

My child has been receiving extra help in primary school. What should I look for in a secondary school?

You should look for a school with a special education teacher in place on a full-time basis to support all children with special needs in the school. It is important to also be sure the school has a commitment to supporting and educating children with special needs. The school should have on its staff teachers who have had some training in how to differentiate their methodology and curriculum for children with special needs. There should be an accepting attitude on the part of all staff. Remember, your child is entitled to enter fully into the life of the school and avail of all it has to offer. How do you find out these things? Talk to the school principal and ask questions about the topics listed above. Remember, your child may be eligible for special consideration at the time of Junior Cert and Leaving Cert but this will have to be determined about a year before these exams will be taken.

What is s/he entitled to?

A child who has been receiving special education resources or support in primary school is eligible for continued support at secondary level so long as they continue to have a special education need. It is possible that a primary school child, after receiving several years of support, could no longer be deemed to have a special education need but this is the exception not the rule.

Your child will be entitled to the same general provision he or she received in primary school. Typically this takes the form of specialist teaching from a Learning Support or Special Education Resource teacher (both are now often being referred to simply as Special Education teachers. This support is to be determined based on need with the number of hours of support being determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP) drawn up in the last year of primary school. In addition to the IEP there should have been a Transition Plan completed during the last year of primary school The Transition Plan will devise the structure of transition to secondary school and may alter the IEP for a short period of time. If this happens there should be a team meeting in about six months or less to write the secondary school IEP. In general students in secondary school are eligible for the same supports as in primary school. This may include a Special Needs Assistant (SNA).

How do I go about making sure they get that?

Generally speaking your child's Individual Education Plan is the map which documents exactly what services your child will receive, when he or she will receive them and from whom. The IEP is your best protection against a child not receiving the services they need. IEP's will eventually become legally binding documents on all parties and a school must provide the services outlined in the IEP. An IEP cannot be changed or implemented without your consent. Remember that upon entering secondary school a Transition Plan may be in place that slightly alters the previous IEP. This will have to be reviewed within a short span of time to be sure the child receives appropriate support services. Don't be afraid to talk to the school principal because he or she is ultimately responsible to see to it that children receive the services they are entitled to receive.

What are my options if we run into difficulties?

Should problems arise you should first speak to the Year Head and address your concerns. The Special Needs Organiser (SENO) assigned to the school should be alerted as well as the appropriate special education teacher(s). A team meeting, of which you are entitled to be a member, can be convened within a reasonable time frame and your concerns will be discussed. If this meeting does not satisfy you or not result in the child receiving the services you may contact the National Council for Special Education for further information and support.

It is important to take things one step at a time. Speak to your child's special education teacher first and be clear about your concerns. Be assertive and not aggressive. Remember, generally speaking everyone is doing the best they can. Do have your child's IEP in front of you when you are speaking to the teacher or other staff member. Be aware of your rights to appeal as outlined in the NCSE and SESS websites. Don't rush to judgement, try and work things out amicably before you make threats to appeal. The next most important port of call will be the Special Needs Organiser assigned to the school.

Hidden Disabilities

Not all children who have special education needs come to the attention of parents or educators in primary school. The human brain is an organ that tries to meet the demands placed upon it at any given time. As anyone who has gone to school knows, the demands of the curriculum get greater and greater each year of schooling. In secondary school the curriculum subjects become incredibly complex each year. The fact that a student is being educated by many different teachers each year further complicates matters. There are students who have had no difficulty suggestive of a special education need at primary school who suddenly seem to have a lot of difficulties in secondary school. Unfortunately they are often perceived as "lazy" or "unmotivated" and sometimes as "difficult" students.

If these labels stick and no thought or concern raised about a possible learning difficulty being present the student can become trapped in a cycle of failure and rejection by teachers. The result could be early school leaving, behaviour difficulties to hide the learning problem, lowered self-esteem, loss of self-confidence and trouble at home. It is important to recognise that some students, no matter how well they performed in primary school, may have a special education need that doesn't appear until secondary school.

What are the warning signs?

It is not possible to list the many warning signs of a hidden disability but generally speaking one should be considered any time a student with a previously successfully record in primary school begins to exhibit difficulties in secondary school. There are a variety of causes to school failure at second level but a hidden disability can often be reasonably suspected when one or more of the following difficulties become noticeable:

oMemory problems

oOrganisational difficulties

oRefusal to go to school

oProblems with written language expression

oDifficulty organising thoughts into speech

oInability to recall facts from yesterday's lesson even if they seemed retained the night before

oUnusual spelling problems

oUnusual difficulty with more advanced mathematical problems

oPronounced difficulty in foreign language class

oBehavioural difficulties not present in primary school

oMood swings or sudden mood changes that last several hours

oReluctance to engage with parents about school difficulties

Although a partial list it is a good guide for parents and teachers to thoughtfully consider the presence of a hidden learning disability.

I think my child may have a problem. Where do I go from here?

First speak with your child's teachers. Ask for the facts: what does teacher think the problem might be? How often is this occurring? When? Is it serious? Present your own perception to the teacher(s) clearly and succinctly. If you have done some Internet homework on your own be clear about it and raise it as a query needing to be resolved. Try and get some samples from homework you have seen and ask for some samples of the child's work in class if it is appropriate to do so. Speak to the Year Head and ask him or her to get some information about your concerns from all teachers. See if you can spot a pattern that validates your concern.

If you become more concerned then you have a right to ask for an assessment. Sometimes the special education teacher, with your permission, can perform some individually administered tests to discover if the child is seriously behind in reading or math achievement age. It is possible to discover if there are significant written language deficits in some cases. If this assessment leads to more significant concerns then you should request a psychological assessment. These can be provided free by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) but be mindful that a lengthy waiting list may be in place.

The most important thing is to be persistent and to talk to the right people. Begin with teachers, speak to Year Head, go to Principal if necessary and don't forget the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). If an assessment is carried out there will be a team meeting to discuss the results and to begin the process of writing an IEP.

In the case of a diagnosis, where do we go from here?

If your child is found to have a special education need an IEP should be written. This is, as stated previously, a road map to your child's education plan. It should be reviewed annually but can be reviewed more frequently if it is decided to do so. The special education team, often referred to as a multidisciplinary team, will be responsible for writing the IEP. You are a member of that team. Your child is also entitled to be a member of the team and it is particularly important for secondary school students to participate in this stage of planning. This gives them a sense of ownership and control over their educational life.

Be sure that the plan covers all the areas of concern that have been discovered in the assessment process. Plans for children with social and behavioural difficulties that address only academic issues are useless and doomed to fail. Special education planning is a thoughtful and time-consuming process when it is done correctly. Don't feel rushed into accepting a plan you don't think will work. Take it away and ask if you can return in a week to revise it with the team. This may not make you the most popular parent in the school but it is responsible parenting.

Possible Panels:

Autism/Asperger's in Secondary School

There are large numbers of children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder that are having considerable difficulty finding a secondary school to enrol them. The problem revolves around the lack of supports at second level and the lack of teacher training in this speciality area. Unfortunately there is little that can be done if a school refuses to enrol a child on the autistic spectrum. What is needed is the development of resource support. By that I mean resource rooms where these children can get services by a specialist teacher. Availability to the teachers of advanced training. Availability of print and video resources teachers can access to learn more about the spectrum. Along with this there should be a whole-school commitment to inclusion for children on the spectrum so they are not isolated from same-age peers.

The education of children on the spectrum is not that difficult once educators get the knowledge about how to do it and have the proper attitude towards these children and their families. Of course they present us with challenges but the good news is that once we get it reasonably right for them we begin to improve the education of all children. There are considerable challenges in the future to our secondary schools in education these children and it is time to get it right. Those schools which stubbornly refuse to enrol children on the spectrum are in the stone age of education. There is a clear choice for secondary schools in relation to these children: be in the forefront of change and development or be left behind forever. Parents will not forgive or forget. It's time to get it right once and for all.

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects about 5% of all children and adults. Unlike other special education conditions, children and adolescents with ADHD are frequently blamed for having the condition, perceived as hostile or unmotivated, lazy or cheeky. When ADHD goes untreated it becomes a serious condition affecting self-esteem, motivation, behaviour, self-confidence and relationships with adults and peers. ADHD is a high-stakes condition and it needs to be recognised that students who have it didn't choose to be the way they are.

ADHD is a condition that is caused by brain chemistry and activity. It is a neurobiological condition. People with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention and concentrating, especially on things that require sustained attention and concentration. The can have problems controlling their emotions and impulses, can rush to finish things or have considerable difficulty waiting their turn. They often ask questions without thinking them through and sometimes make unfortunate comments in front of others.

ADHD is a life-long condition. One never grows out of it but the symptom picture changes over time. Often the impulsivity and high level of activity, if they were initially present, disappear in the teen years. The learning problems associated with ADHD do not go away easily and it is vitally important for them to be addressed in school. As in the case of children on the autistic spectrum, once educators and schools get it correct for children with ADHD they have improved the educational provision of all children.

Understanding is critically important. Adolescents with significant ADHD do not chose to be in trouble with and in conflict with adults. Constant rejection and criticism, constant punishment, and in severe cases expulsion from school is not the answer. Corrective teaching is the answer and appropriate support from specialist teachers is vital.

David J. Carey, Psy.D.
297 Beechwood Court
Stillorgan
Dublin, Ireland
http://www.davidjcarey.com

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