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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Choosing the Right Private School Education

You have made the decision to give your child a private school education. With so many options, how do find the right one to fit your child's needs? The first steps are to consider your priorities, arm yourself with a lengthy list of questions and start setting up appointments. Your child's education is too important not to take the time to choose the perfect fit.

Why Choose a Private School Education?

Those sending their children to private schools have a variety of motives behind their decision. For some the decision is based on moral values and religion. Others feel that a private education offers better academics and want their child in a smaller class that will offer the benefit of more personal attention.

It is important to have a list of education priorities before you start looking for a school. For example, if academics are more important to you than religion, but religion is more important to you than extracurricular activities, have academics be number one on your list, religion be number two on your list and extracurricular activities be number three on your list.

Private School Considerations

As part of choosing the right private school for your child, you will have to go through a process of elimination to get the number of schools you are considering down to a manageable number.

You might want to consider:



Finances. What can you afford to pay for an education at a private school? Ask if there are any financial aid or scholarship programs available to you. In addition, some states, including Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, offer breaks on income taxes if you send your kids to a private school.

Grade Levels. Do you want your child to have the option to stay through high school? Not all private schools offer grades kindergarten through 12.

Location. You will have to decide how far you are willing to drive. As you get closer to selecting a school, you can also inquire if there are any other students at the school who live in your area. You may then be able to carpool.

Questions to Ask

Additional questions to ask include:



Accreditation. Is the school accredited? If so, who is the accreditation body?

Instruction Model. What is the school's education philosophy? Does it have a traditional or alternative approach to education? What is the school's policy on homework, grading and testing?

Service Staff. What kind of staff does the school have? Is there a school nurse on location? Does the school have a psychologist or counselor? Is there a librarian on staff?

Principal or Headmaster Turnover. If the school burns through principals, the school may have a problem.

Teacher Turnover. What is the teacher turnover rate at the school? Typically speaking, private schools have higher teacher turnover rates than do public schools. In addition, smaller private schools have larger turnover than do larger private schools. However, a teacher turnover rate of 40% or more may be an indication of problems at the school.

Plan a Visit

As you get closer to choosing a private school, you should schedule an appointment with your candidate schools' headmaster or principal.


Ask about student attrition. The longer that students stay at a school, the more likely the school is to be well-run.
Ask for names of parents who have children at the school for references.
Are the school's textbooks up to date?
Does the school have enough computers? Does the school use the latest in technology in teaching?
Does the school have programs for parent involvement?
How does the school feel? Are children interacting, smiling and participating?
How does the school qualify their teachers? Does the school offer teachers additional training?
If your child has special needs, what types of programs does the school offer that will help?
Look at the grounds and facilities. How new are the facilities? How well are the facilities and grounds maintained? Is the library well-stocked with books?
What type of relationship does the school have with local businesses and the local community?
When are applications accepted? Is there a waiting list? If so, how long is the waiting list?

Making the Choice

You will have to narrow down your choices to a select few and then visit each school before you make a final decision. Do not get discouraged if the process takes a little longer than you would like. It is important to get an education for your child that matches the your requirements as closely as possible.

For more information on private school, visit the parenting section of Life123.com.

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Choosing Among Private Schools - Are You Asking the 12 Questions Many Parents Neglect to Ask?

My husband and I recently chose a private school for our child in Boulder County, Colorado. Looking back, we really didn't ask all the questions we could have, to understand which private school would give our child the best school experience and the best foundation for a life of learning. Fortunately, now that we understand more about the private schools, we still feel great about our decision. If we had it to do all over again, we'd choose the same school! Not everyone, however, is so fortunate. So, I've put together a list of the top questions parents don't ask! Here are some questions that can be very important, yet not everyone thinks of them when choosing a private school. As you read these questions, there may be some you would like to add to your own list of questions to ask the schools.

1. Does your school teach academics at the expense of the arts, physical development and foreign language classes? Most parents agree that academic achievement is important for success in today's world. However, for us, a complete education includes music, drama, art, physical activity, and foreign languages. Does a school have to limit their curriculum to the "Three R's" to support academic achievement? Fortunately, the answer is "No." You don't have to settle for a limited academics-only curriculum to produce high college entrance exam scores. In fact, there is evidence that certain well-rounded approaches create better results than mainstream schools, as measured by future academic achievement.

2. How do graduates of your school perform in college and in the world? Do they continue learning their whole lifetime? In some ways, the skills held by the graduates of a school say more about that school's approach than any brochure. For us, it's important for a school to inspire a lifetime of learning and to have a long-term track record.

3. How happy are this school's graduates with their education? It can take some time for students to understand how their schooling prepared them for life. One key question is: How many of your graduates would send their own child to the same type of school?

4. What is this school's approach to discipline? Does the school have a student conduct policy? You may want to know what kind of behavior and attitudes the school encourages, and what is off-limits. In addition, it can be important whether behavioral issues are dealt with in judgmental ways, or ways that are more supportive. Every normal child misbehaves at times, so the school's disciplinary approach is likely to be relevant for you and your child.

5. How do teachers assess their students' learning? Conventional schools focus on testing, which has both advantages and disadvantages, especially for young children. It does give an objective measurement. However, for many young students, a fear of testing detracts from their enjoyment of learning. Kids who hate school may not learn as much. Poor test scores, for some kids, creates a belief that they are incapable of learning. In addition, objective tests are generally limited in scope, and are often poor at evaluating creative ability and social skills. Whether you want a focus on testing or not, it is probably a worthwhile area to ask about. And for those schools that de-emphasize testing, how do they communicate students' progress with parents?

6. How does this school's approach fit with the developmental stages of childhood? Developmental psychologists have learned a great deal about how children's learning capacities develop in stages. We also read about educators who really push early reading and math skills at younger and younger ages, on the assumption that "earlier is always better." But does this assumption fit with optimal child development? Or are children better served with an early childhood filled with imaginative play, making friends, and physical activity? We have opted for the latter, and for delaying academic instruction until there is greater developmental readiness. It may be surprising for some that there is growing evidence supporting an emphasis on play and imagination for young children. Children who learn to read at a slightly later age are also more likely to have greater motivation for reading years down the road, in high school. This is too complex a subject to cover fully in this brief article, but I highly recommend exploring it further.

7. What is your private school's approach to spirituality? You may prefer a school with or without a spiritual orientation. In any event, you probably want to understand how teachers will address spiritual subjects.

8. What expectations do your teachers have of parents? The other children in your child's class will strongly influence his or her school experience. For this reason, it can really make a difference if parents are "on the same page" in some important ways. As an example, if other parents let their kids use foul language and poor manners, you can expect your child to pick that up at school. If other parents let their kids live on sugar and potato chips, this is likely to have an adverse effect on the kids' behavior in the classroom. It is possible your child would learn more if your school gives parents some guidance in how to foster useful behavior and attitudes in their children.

As an example, the average American household watches TV 8.2 hours a day. Even one hour or more of TV per day has been linked to poor attitudes toward school and poor achievement in 14 year olds. Three hours or more is associated with learning and attention difficulties. Kids who have trouble paying attention end up distracting the whole classroom. Do you think your child would learn the best if most children in the classroom were watching three or more hours of TV a day, or if most were watching less than 1 hour a day? If you are willing to make the effort to limit your child's TV viewing, then it's greatly to your benefit for a school to require this of all parents. Excessive TV viewing may well play a significant role in the poor performance of so many schools today.

9. How does the school support emotional and social development? Meaningful, healthy relationships are an important component of a truly happy life. Does the school emphasize cooperation and relating well with others? Does the school support healthy emotional development?

10. What types of play are young children offered at your school? If you are looking for a kindergarten or preschool, you might want to know if they let children be children. Active play and using the imagination are so important for a young child, yet many schools divert much of a young child's energy toward learning academics.

11. How much time is spent on rote learning as opposed to gaining cognitive abilities? Unfortunately, many students are taught what to think rather than how to think. Memorizing facts is important. However, creativity and reasoning skills are at least as important! Those at the top of any field are able to reason beyond what they are taught.

12. How else is this school unique? No matter how many specific questions you ask, there could be something unique about the school that you didn't think to ask about. So an open-ended question can give a private school spokesperson the opportunity to let you know what's special about their school.

Once you've covered the basics, these in-depth questions can yield information to help you make a more informed decision. I can only hope that you are as thrilled with the private school you choose as we are with ours!

Be sure you have a complete list of questions to ask the private schools! Check out our 10 basic questions parents often ask private schools. Go to PrivateSchoolsBoulder.com to find out about the private school the author chose in Boulder County, Colorado.

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Schools Must Harness the Power of Community to Fund Activities and Athletic Programs

What happens when a school system decides to eliminate high school football because of funding cuts? That is what the city of San Diego has been considering. Other school districts are imposing fees on student athletes as high as $400 per sport to participate. Our public schools for years have been dependant on taxes and federal funding to provide an education and activities for our children. In the future, they will have to find other means to fund programs or totally eliminate them.

Private schools for years have relied on tuition, gifts, and fundraising to support their programs. Because of their fund raising efforts, most private schools even provide financial aid for lower income students. Public schools can learn some  lessons from these schools, especially in their fundraising efforts.

When examining typical fundraisers put on by booster clubs and athletic programs, we found  the focus is on sales activities by individuals or the focus is on events to raise money.  Event based fundraisers such as a golf tournament or a silent auction can raise funds but there no way to estimate how much revenue can be brought in. Its a guessing game. Selling candy, coupon cards, or sports tickets (focus on individuals) are a true nuisance to both students and potential buyers. The amounts raised are typically small and are very labor intensive. So what is the solution?

The solution is for schools to define their community, to get commitment, and promote fundraising programs that provide a benefit to all involved.

Community

A school is not just students and teachers, it is also extended families of students, families of employees, friends, alumni and also the people who visit schools to compete. A 1500 student school is actually a community of 10,000 people or more. That community has a "common interest" and has purchasing power.

The school must act to "harness the power of community." Regardless of the fundraiser, the school must make every attempt to notify the community of their fundraiser. Home room flyers, e-mail blasts, and phone calls by volunteers should be utilized to perform out-reach to the community.

Most high school fundraisers say the lack of communication is the main reason their efforts fall below expectations. Actually, it is communication and commitment which is lacking.

Commitment

The school must demand commitment from its community, especially students and parents. We say demand because the alternative is elimination of programs and possibly higher fees required by students. Pay for play is not an effective model for public schools.

The question arises, what do they commit to? It is difficult to gain commitment when you are forcing children to sell magazine subscriptions or chocolates as many schools do require. The school must implement a fundraiser which does not require selling or time consuming events. They must offer their community something that provides a benefit to each and every member of the community that participates. Of course, there must be a revenue opportunity for the school or program.

A simple (but ineffective) fundraiser is the "car wash". Typically students meet at a specified location, make card board signs, and hope to flag down enough cars to raise money. The only commitment here is that of the students. They wash cars, they make money for the school. This scenario that is widely utilized is completely flawed and is highly risky. Injury, damage to cars, or bad weather can make it a money loser. The return is not worth the risk, yet parents allow their children to particpate and school staff support and manage it.

What the car wash fundraiser proves, however, is that students are motivated to participate, but its the schools job to utilize their enthusiasm in the right way to raise money.

Promotion

Take the enthusiasm of the "cheerleaders" doing the car wash and put them in the middle of your down town. A Saturday afternoon in most shopping districts has a flow of casual shoppers who are approachable. Safely done in groups, these "promoters" of your fundraiser can create a buzz in the community. If done on a recurring basis, many local businesses, merchants and consumers  will be curious as to what they are doing.

A fundraiser must have defined goals and a central coordinator. The coordinator can schedule teams to go into the community, each and every week . A 1500 student high school can have as many as 800 to 900 athletes. If each student, in return for reduced fees for their sports program, agreed to promote the fundraiser for 3 hours, how effective would it be? That is almost 3000 hours of promotion in a community.

So now we have the commitment, the promotion, the community, but what can they promote?

What  medium  can provide a benefit to the community, family, schools and local business?

Finding the Right Fundraiser.

We now have come full circle. Private schools for years reach out to their graduates and the general business  community for funding. Public schools can do the same but they have not built those relationships. They should start immediately to get alumni and the business community active in their schools. It is essential now more than ever.

Does the school collect parental occupational information and have it stored in a central database? It is certain that the private schools know the occupations of the parents and alumni, but does the public school? Knowing who is involved directly in your school community is the base for the beginning of an ongoing fundraising effort.

A survey of occupations of parents  will most likely uncover all types of professionals and business owners. Taking it a step further, close relatives may also be business owners and serve your community. Key is collecting the information and communicating to these businesses your fundraising needs and providing something of value in return. Then going deeper into your community with more aggressive promotional programs to sign up other businesses in the community.

Today there are a number of programs which can build ongoing revenues without being a burden to any of the participants. Mingamo, www.mingamo.com offers online digital coupons where business pays monthly subscription fees to post local coupons. Schools share in the monthly  subscription fees. The only real requirement the school has is to actively promote the program to their community. Parents, students, and the entire community commit to using coupons to save money. It is not unrealistic to have a school sign up 100 or so businesses on a program like Mingamo while collecting on average $25.00 per month for each account. Could your school use an extra $2500 per month to help support school programs?

Other similar programs are e-scripts, www.escrip.com where a percentage of money spent at member locations goes directly to the school of your choice.

School heart.com offers a coupon card, however, students pay a yearly $25.00 fee to use the cards.

Again, to be successful, the school must ask for commitment from the entire school community. Every effort and medium should be used to explain the exact need for funds and how the program will benefit the school. The school should do active promotions throughout the community. The more visible the efforts of the school the more likelihood that local business will realize there is an advantage to participating in funding school programs.

If done properly, athletic booster clubs, music programs, and school administers can create measureable, recurring revenue. By performing ongoing promotions, these revenues can continue to grow with minimal intrusion placed upon students and parents. Schools can effectively reduce participation fees to an affordable level for most students. Families can save money using valuable coupons. Merchants and business can drive consumers to their place of business while creating access to a growing, common market.

Michael Fahey publishes The Trades Journal, [http://www.thetradesjournal.com] An online guide for homeowners to find contractors and home improvement products. He is active in his community and has participated in a number of fund raising efforts for years. He is a firm believer that athletics are essential to the success of local high schools and students.

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