Mrs. Nikki Guy-Dixon Talks About The Reasons, Facts and Challenges of Becoming a Home School Parent

Parent Talk Live

Hosted by

Dr. Mike Robinson

Parent Talk Live host Dr. Mike Robinson will discussed Home Schooling with a former educator who has turned home school parent. Listen to this interesting discussion regarding the reasons, facts and challenges of becoming a home school parent with Dr. Robinson and his guest Mrs. Nikki Guy-Dixon.

 

 Nikki Guy-Dixon is the wife of Terence Dixon and the mother of four beautiful children (Mackenzie, Sydney, Kennedy, and Terence Jr.). She is a former Maryland public school teacher turned home school mom and entrepreneur.  Nikki is a graduate of the Prince George’s County Public School system. She holds a dual degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College.

Listen online: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/parent-talk-live/2012/05/11/parent-talk-live-home-schooling-with-nikki-guy-dixon

Summer Learning Loss Can Be Prevented

Dr. Michael A. Robinson

I just reviewed data on the percentage of fourth grade students passing their 2008-2009 state reading exams, according to NBC’s Education Nation website. Click here to see the Maryland data for yourself. Below are a few Maryland public school systems and their percentages of fourth grade students passing state reading:

Anne Arundel County (91%)
Baltimore City (78%)
Baltimore County (87%)
Calvert County (94%)
Howard County (93%)
Montgomery County (91%)
Prince George's County (77%)

As engaged parents, we have to address the low percentage of students performing well in the classroom and on state exams. This is especially important during the summer when academically centered activities give way to summer fun and frolic.

Former CEO for the National Summer Learning Association Ron Fairchild stated that 65% of the achievement gap can be attributed to summer learning loss. If this is true, we as parents cannot sit idly by and watch all the gains our children have made during the previous school year fall back. In a report released by the National Summer Learning Association, summer learning loss has been linked to low academic achievement and extremely high dropout rates.

The research brief cites the work of Dr. Karl Alexander and his colleagues which suggested that students from low economic backgrounds tend to experience a greater degree of academic drops in skills during the summer. Their research also discovered that students from economic disadvantaged backgrounds typically enter the school year at a lower level than typically middle class students, however, the researchers’ suggested that by the end of the year students from the low income families have progressed at or about an equal rate of those from a more affluent economic background. According the writers, their struggles really pick up during the summer when they experience the summer slide. The summer slide was not a phenomenon their more well off peers encountered.

Dr. Alexander when asked to explain why income levels impacted summer learning and more specifically why higher income students performed better upon return from summer breaks, he posited there were “some definite differences (Alexander, 2010). He further explained,

I don’t want to break it down into a checklist, but some differences seemed relevant. For example, better-off children were more likely to go to the library over the summertime and take books home. They were more likely to engage in a variety of enrichment experiences such as attending museums, concerts and field trips. They were more likely to take out-of-town vacations, be involved in organized sports activities, or take lessons, such as swimming or gymnastics lessons. Overall, they had a more expansive realm of experiences.

Many of the activities outlined by Dr. Alexander could be out of the reach of lower income families and to an extent a growing number of middle class families. Thus families have to create alternative learning opportunities to for their children. Scholars and school administrators agree there are ways this can be accomplished.

Gov. O'Malley Considering Cuts...Could Impact PGCPS

By: BEN NUCKOLS

Gov. Martin O'Malley is considering a 5 percent across-the-board cut in state aid for public education. State Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster has proposed the cut, which the governor's office says would save more than $200 million. Maryland is facing a $1.3 billion budget shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year.

The possible 5 percent cut was revealed in a letter from Foster to Prince George's County Schools Superintendent William Hite, who has asked the state for an additional $139 million in funding. Foster notes that Prince George's receives more education funding than any other jurisdiction in Maryland.

O'Malley's spokesman says the possible cut is merely "an option presented to the governor" but that it speaks to the severity of the state's fiscal situation.Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/nation/2010/12/maryland-considering-cuts-education-funding#ixzz19SKXUcAv

An exclusive interview with Mr. Sam Dean candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland

An exclusive interview with Mr. Sam Dean candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland can be heard on the Parents and PGCPS website an EduSocial Network for engaged parents and dedicated educators or downloaded on our 24 hour podcast site: Engaged Parents For PGCPS. Mr. Sam Dean will appear on eCommunity Affairs. The show is airing now. To join the conversation visit Parents and PGCPS.

Bio

Council Member Samuel H. Dean was overwhelmingly reelected in November 2006, to a second four-year term on the Prince George’s County Council by 99-percent of the voters in District 6. He was first elected to the Council, winning 93-percent of the vote, in November 2002. Council Member Dean represents the nearly 110,000 citizens residing in the District 6 communities of South Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Kettering, Largo, Mitchellville, and Upper Marlboro. District 6 is the largest district in population in the County and second largest in land mass.

Recognized for his strong leadership ability, Council Member Dean was twice elected Council Chairman by his colleagues, serving in that capacity during Legislative Year 2005, and again in Legislative Year 2008. The second term as Chairman in 2008, filled the vacancy left by the resignation of former Chairman David C. Harrington, following his appointment to the State Senate. Council Member Dean served as Council Vice-Chairman in Legislative Year 2004. During his second term as Council Chairman, he was a leading member of the County’s visiting presentation team with the County Executive to the New York bond rating houses, resulting for the first time in the County’s history in a Triple A Bond Rating.

For the 2010 Legislative Year, Council Member Dean serves as Chairman of the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee (PZED), a position he has held for four of his eight years on the Committee; is a member of the Public Safety and Fiscal Management Committee (PSFM), serves in a leadership role on the Council Budget Process Committee. Mr. Dean is a member of the Rules, General Assembly and Committee of the Whole (COW), Council Representative and Liaison to the Board of Education, member of the Board of Directors, Economic Development Committee, Board Member of the Prince George’s Community College Foundation; and alternate Council Representative to the Dimensions Healthcare System. He is an Advisory Board Member of Envision, a community visioning project sponsored by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC). Mr. Dean chaired the Council’s Blue Ribbon Committee on the High School Assessment examinations that study and made recommendations to the State Board of Education on the potential impact of the examinations on County students. Council Member Dean has served on every Council standing committee during his tenure, and chaired the Transportation, Housing and The Environment Committee (THE) Committee during first year on the Council.

He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and Technology from the University of Maryland, University College, in College Park.

An exclusive interview with Mr. Rushern Baker candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland

An exclusive interview with Mr. Rushern Baker candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland can be heard on the Parents and PGCPS website an EduSocial Network for engaged parents and dedicated educators or downloaded on our 24 hour podcast site: Engaged Parents For PGCPS. Mr. Rushern Baker will appear on eCommunity Affairs. The show is airing now. To join the conversation visit Parents and PGCPS.

BIO

Rushern Baker was born in Valdosta, Georgia. As the son of a decorated Vietnam veteran, Rushern experienced life in Okinawa, Japan; North Carolina; and Massachusetts where he graduated from high school. Rushern converted an early struggle with reading to a hearty appetite for books, thanks to the support of his parents and a few dedicated teachers. Rushern attended Howard University where he received his Bachelor's degree in History and later a Juris Doctorate Degree from Howard University Law School. Rushern's professional experiences include serving as an equal opportunity lawyer, economic development specialist, and private practice attorney. The citizens of the 22nd District elected Rushern to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994, where he served as Chair of the Prince George's Delegation for four years. Baker currently is Executive Director of Community Teachers Institute, a K-12 education reform nonprofit, which is based in Landover, MD. While at Howard University, Rushern met and married Christa Beverly, a graduate of Howard University's undergraduate program and William and Mary Law School. The couple has three children, two attending public school in Prince George's County and one in college at Cooper Union in New York. The Baker family lives in a modest home in Cheverly, Maryland. Visit me online at www.rushernbaker.com

An exclusive interview with Ms. Gerron Levi candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland

An exclusive interview with Ms. Gerron Levi candidate for County Executive for Prince George's County, Maryland can be heard on the Parents and PGCPS website an EduSocial Network for engaged parents and dedicated educators or downloaded on our 24 hour podcast site: Engaged Parents For PGCPS. Ms. Gerron Levi will appear on eCommunity Affairs. The show will air on August 3, 2010. To join the conversation visit Parents and PGCPS.

BIO

Professional Background:

Delegate Gerron Levi is an attorney and served from 2002 to 2009 as Assistant Director of the Legislative Department at the AFL-CIO, a federation of over 50 national and international labor organizations. She lobbied the U.S. Congress, Senate and the Executive Branch on national policy affecting fair wages and working conditions, health care, pensions, immigration, and workplace safety and health. She worked with both Democrats and Republicans to build a majority of votes in Congress. Gerron Levi presents at legislative conferences across the country and has been a spokesperson on forums, radio programs and in print media. From 1995 to 2002, she was Legislative Representative for the Laborers’ International Union of North America.

While serving as legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on judiciary issues, she helped the Senator draft important campaign finance legislation and pass a ban on semi-automatic assault weapons. Gerron Levi also served on the staff of Congressman Gus Savage (D-IL) where she worked on environmental issues and constituent services.

Teacher of the Year Student Essay Contest!

Maryland Teacher of the Year

The Maryland Teacher of the Year Program recognizes the work being done by the state's outstanding teachers. Drawing from a pool of nominees representing each county, one individual teacher is selected for the honor of representing Maryland in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

For eligibilty and nomination process information, please review the Prince George's County TOTY 2010 Brochure. Complete the TOTY 2010 Application Form and include with the nomination items listed in the brochure. Nomination Deadline - Friday, March 19, 2010, 4:30 p.m.

Teacher of the Year Student Essay Contest! To honor and celebrate the Prince George's County Teacher of the Year, the Department of Publicity and Publications will sponsor an essay contest for students in Grades 10, 11, and 12 with the theme, "How My Teacher Changed My Life." The deadline for submissions is March 26, 2010.

First, second, and third place winners will be selected in each of the three grades, with one of three first place winners being named Most Inspirational. The Most Inspirational winner will read their winning entry during the Prince George's County Teacher of the Year celebration at the Newton White Mansion on April 28.

Side by Side Family Academy

Want to help your child be a better reader?

Find 10 ways to help at the next Family Academy¿

Quiere que tu hijo lea mucho? Apprenda diez maneras para ayudarle a ser un buen lector a la próxima Academia Familiar

Parent Session: "Ten Ways to Help Improve My Child's Reading" presented by Jane Hanfman Tema Para Padres: "Diez Maneras para Ayudar a Mejorar la Lectura de Mi Hijo" presentado por Jane Hanfman

Next Academy Night: Feb. 11, 6 - 8 P.M.La Próxima Noche de la Academia: 11 de febrero, 6 - 8 P.M. Deerfield Run Elementary School13000 Laurel Bowie Road (Rt. 197) Free supper (serving from 6 to 6:30 P.M.Cena gratis (servida de 6 a 6:30 P.M.)

Children's activity: live birds such as eagles and hawks! Actividad para niños: aves vivas como las águilas y los halcones Pre-school child careCuidado de niños edad preescolar

It's all free! ¡Todo esgratis! 202-710-5555

sidebyside@sidebysidelaurel.org

http://www.sidebysidelaurel.org/

Raising Him Alone (Up coming Activities)

The Raising Him Alone Campaign will be hosting several FREE opportunities for families to get connected to valuable community based resources. Please mark your calendar for upcoming events.

Summer Resource Fair For Parents

NEWARK, N.J.
DATE: Saturday May 30, 2009
TIME: 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Boylan Recreation Center, 955 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ

BALTIMORE, MD
DATE: Saturday, June 6, 2009
TIME:12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Sojourner Douglass College, 200 N. Central Ave, Baltimore, MD
PARENTS: Parents can register children and youth for valuable summer programs.
Special Baltimore Guest: Harrine Freeman author of Get Out of Debt (First 50 parents will receive FREE signed copies of Ms. Freeman's book)

For more information please contact 410.467.1605

Organizations interested in setting up exhibitor tables please contact us at 877.339.4300.

Community Colleges: A Viable Option to a College Degree

Parents did you know by 2010 over 85% of all jobs will require some form of postsecondary education (McCabe, 2001). Also a recent report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics claimed more than 46% of the jobs today did not exist in 2004. The need for an educated workforce, skilled to meet the demands and challenges of an ever changing technological society will be required if countries, states, local municipalities and individuals hope to remain competitive in the 21st century.

There is an ever increasing demand from business and industry for an educated workforce. Their demands comes on the heel of reduced funding from federal and states to support financial aid programs for students who aspire to attend college. As a resutl parents and students will need to develop strategies to ensure college does not become unaffordable. One such strategy has been for students to attend community Colleges.

Community colleges educate over 11.5 million Americans in more than 1,200 institutions located throughout the United States. In the state of Maryland there are 16 community colleges. These institutions have an enrollment of over 500,000 students annually (Maryland Community College Fact, 2009). The Maryland Community Fact guide also indicates that more college bound Maryland students opt to attend a local community college over state colleges and universities.

Community colleges offer an institution that is responsive, adaptive and growing according to Kenneth Walker (2007). These three factors combined with a myriad of others have position the community college to offer the necessary postsecondary credentials needed to effectively prepare students to compete in world that is driven by globalization.

Community colleges are an affordable option for parents and students. Tuition at community colleges can be thousands of dollars less than most public and private 4-year institutions. They are also significantly less expensive than for-profit/career colleges such as Strayer University, University of Phoenix and Sanford Brown. Kristen Watson a student at Clemson University explains the benefit of attending a community college, "It makes no sense to take a summer course here at Clemson due to the high tuition. It makes more sense to go to a technical college and pay a few hundred dollars instead of a thousand dollars here at Clemson" (Tiger.com, 2009).

So exactly what are the advantages of attending a community college? In my opinion, there are at least 15 advantages to attending a community college:

1. Four out of ten college students nationwide begin their education career at a local community college (College Board, 2009).


2. Community colleges are open access (accepting all that apply)


3. Attending a community college can help a student to boast their GPA


4. An affordable option
   a. Enrolling at a community college prior to completing your degree at a 4-year institution has the potential to save thousands of dollars in tuition cost (American Association of Community Colleges, 2009).


5. Attending a community college can prepare a student for the rigors of postsecondary education


6. Community colleges offer two year degree programs and vocational programs with certification, such as Carpentry, Automobile Technician, Nursing and HVAC


7. Many of the academic and vocational programs are supported by local business and industry, increasing potential for employment placement upon completion of an enrolled program


8. Community colleges have articulation agreements with most state 4-year public and private institutions, this makes it easier to transfer credits earned at a college to an institution of choice


9. Most credits earned at a community college can be transferred to most accredited 4-years institutions throughout the United States


10. Community Colleges are accredited, thus ensuring state, regional and federal standards of operations


11. Close to home


12. An effective way to transition from high school to postsecondary education


13. An opportunity to take all General Education courses


14. Smaller classes


15. State of the art technology

By: Michael A. Robinson (michael.robinson@pgcps.org)