"Educating All Our Children for the 21st Century"

This week's Parents and PGCPS Educational View is from Chike Aguh, Associate Principal with the Advisory Board Company says "Educating All Our Children for the 21st Century"

William Jackson Tells Parents About Catfishing

Parents: Is your Teen Catfishing for Sex?

The Internet and Social Media opens many doors that access information potentially beneficial to teens academically, professionally, networking and build communities that are like extended families. Parents should be reminded that Social Media is just that, a social extension of life. Parents should be reminded that teens are exposed to sexual distractions to have sex, even without the Internet. Teens do have sexual relationships and parents need to talk to their children about the dangers of unprotected sex, multiple partners, oral and anal sex.

As an educator, presenter and speaker about Social Media I urge parents to talk to their children about Catfishing and stories of online stalking, predators and dangers. A Florida sex sting captured over fifty men as sexual predators. They targeted children in online Social sites and from online gaming sites. Using Catfishing and posed as teens but they were teachers, businessmen, students and tourists ranging in age from 19 to 60. Available online are access to teens for hookups in school, at the movies, in church and other social hangouts. The term Catfish(ing)” uses Social Media in a dangerous way that allows teens to have digital “Booty Calls” and "Meetups." Parents need to learn the terminology that their children use, be aware, prepared and realistic. The social connections not only happen through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, the ability to connect is also through Xbox Live, Wii and other gaming systems. Teens seem to be just playing video games, but some teens are experts at “gaming” and “hooking up.” The process starts by chatting and playing video games with people never met in person only in a digital world where anything can happen. Social interaction, real names are not even used, but bonds develop, friendships form and teens connect without knowing exactly who they are talking to. The next stage is real names are shared, phone numbers are shared then schools, locations and the bait is set.

Teens get comfortable and their guard is let down. Then the romance is started: Parent should be familiar with the process, they need to investigate, ask questions and even spy if necessary to make sure their teens are safe and if they are the predator searching for online sexual relationships. If there are concerns parents trust your instincts and take appropriate action. “Catfish(ing)” is an expression: the act of deceiving someone.

A Catfish is someone who creates a fake online identity (persona) to meet others through social networks and the gaming world online. The ease of making a false person is so easy students in elementary schools are doing it. It is not just in Facebook, but can be found on Meetme, Skout and social sites through gaming consoles. Even though many people put a picture as their online identity this can so easily be false. Actual data shows that 30 percent of teenage girls met up with a stranger in person after initially meeting them online “Pediatrics Feb 2013”. Viewing girls online info too many girls social media content (pictures, text and videos) are provocative and sexually suggestive. The sexual suggestiveness comes in text like: I’m sexy, I’m easy, will go all the way or I swallow. Parents need to be real in the understanding of their teen's actions.

The Internet is no fairy tale, playroom, or fantasy land. The posting of this content never goes away; it can be seen by millions and shared. Teens do not realize that their content can be used against them when applying for colleges, Internships, employment and even entering the military. Girls are social beings and many enjoy the social interaction and making new friends. Nationally there is a growing sex trafficking with the Internet being used to lure and entice girls with the hopes of money, travel, modeling and stardom.

The intent in most cases is not for sexual Meetups, but it is still a dangerous situation when giving out personal information online. Girls should be cautious of who they let in their networks and not say yes to just anybody. That creates a chance for potentially dangerous ways to find teens that are vulnerable to some kind of sexual relationship or even Cyberbullying and CyberStalking. Parenting should make a transition to online parenting behaviors, the importance of relationships that parents have with their children should involve talking about the consequences of online behaviors that could lead to dangerous or even deadly situations. Parents talk to your children, keep the lines of communication open and realistic. Catfish is a real issue for parents to educate their children on the dangers they face online.

Parental Minimization Is Not An Effective Parental Engagement Strategy

By:

Dr. Mike Robinson

Perhaps my ambition to see an educational system where parents, teachers and school administrators are in partnership for the academic success of all students is more a dream that a possibility. Over the past several decades, research and a myriad of news reports have reflected on the value of parental engagement, while at the same time criticizing the lack of parental involvement. The benefits of parental engagement are well researched and documented.

This argument is juxtaposed to the increase bashing of teachers and their unions which have reached epic levels. Efforts to silence, marginalize, and destroy teacher unions have dominated news headlines for the past several years. The apex of such actions having taken place in Wisconsin, where Governor Scott Walker worked tirelessly to break his state’s unions to include teacher unions, by dismantling collective bargaining rights for state employees.  Governor Walker’s actions are just a drop in the bucket of the methods used to eliminate inclusion and engagement among a specific constituent base. However, these methods pale in comparison to those used to eradicate the position of parents and families when it comes to the educational systems in America.

The systemic efforts by a variety of entities to silence and completely eliminate the voices of parents who are striving to have an authentic role in the academic lives of their children have been shameful at their least to bordering on outright violations of one’s civil rights at their worst.  Parents are typically bashed by the media for their lack of engagement in the lives of their children. Reports describing the lack of parental involvement are seldom based on any long term studies; typically suggesting a vast majority of parents, just awake in the morning and after a large steamy cup of narcissism send their children off to public schools to be raised by teachers and school administrators and if time permits the teachers are welcome to educate their children.

Once the media has finished, teachers, school administrators and civic leaders pile on; many offer assertions regarding parental involvement within the schools with little statistical data to support their claims. Seldom does one hear or read of the variety of ways in which schools attempt to engage parents/families prior to proclaiming parents just do not want to be involved, because they do not attend Back to school night, PTA meetings or a Parent Teacher Conference.

When you hear of the great successes taking place in schools and overall in school districts, one can rest assured there is a strong and healthy relationship between home and school. Families and school personnel are working on the same page. In these successful models of high achieving schools and school districts, parents have a voice in school leadership.  When parents are used as allies, teachers and administrators have a new found freedom to speak openly and frankly about student performance.  While there are many examples of such effective relationships that have turned poor performing schools into beacons of student achievement, the sad fact is the number of school districts that do not have or even desire to have a strong relationship with parents are driving the negative discussion about parent involvement.

Dr. Mavis Sanders, a renowned researcher, scholar and author in the area of parental engagement and more specifically the relationships between communities and schools, stated that if schools really want an effective parental engagement environment, they will have it, if they do not want a parental engagement program in their system, they will not have it.  Dr. Sanders’ statement is powerful, as it professes school districts either desire to have parents in their schools or they do not.

Certain school districts use a myriad of methods, techniques and systems to control parents as they continue to drive a message that parents do not understand. The leadership within this type of school system is well versed in creating communication systems which pretend to offer two-way communication. However, the reality is these systems are riddled with hidden layers that contain a culture which states to parents “you do not understand education and to some extent parenting itself”. Many of these schools have suggested and championed laws that would criminalize aspect of engagement, specifically those they have defined types of engagement they want parents to perform as the true forms of parental involvement.

Failure to attend a PTA meeting or missing a Parent Teacher conference is being considered violations of the law. Failing to fit into a mode which is typically narrowly defined by schools regarding parental engagement could have incarceration as a consequence.  There are now States advocating schools actually grade parents as to their level of involvement. Yet these same systems cringe at the thought of having parents’ grade teachers or that an educator’s evaluation is attached to their student achievement.

Parental Minimization can result in parents, families and community stakeholders becoming frustrated, confused, angered and disillusioned about their community school. The results of such efforts are dramatic, parents and communities become disengaged, they reduce their level of involvement with their school district and in extreme cases, parents seek to find alternative educational opportunities. This is defined as “Give Out”, a process by which parents seek to remove their children away from a school system that is simply not friendly to parents and students. The ultimate result of parental minimization is declining enrollment and an increase in low performing schools.

Next week: How Parental Minimization and the lack of student achievement drives the desire for home schooling or parent directed education.

 Dr. Mike Robinson is the creator of the National Men Make A Difference Day for Student Success and the host of Parent Talk Live. Dr. Robinson is a leading voice/expert on parental engagement and community outreach in education. He is also the CO- CEO of Forest Of The Rain Productions, an Internet communication company, whose mission is to expand the voices in and about education.

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.

Parents Can Be Invaluable Partners

“Parents can be invaluable partners in their children's education, but many take themselves out of the equation because of mistrust, misunderstanding, the demands of work and home, or other factors"(Linda Star, 2009).

We are asking parents not to take themselves of the equation, but that they become part of the team, by working with their children schools to find ways they can become engaged in the learning process.

BECOME A MENTOR...SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF A STUDENT

The goal of Connecting Generations in America's Classroom is to improve the academic performance, attendance and civic pride amongst all students who attend Prince George’s County Public Schools. Research is clear that a strong mentoring program has the potential to have a long and lasting impact on the lives of today’s youth. Connecting Generations in America's Classroom will employ Digital Network Group’s (DNG) Kinetic Potential Mentoring and Learning System (KPML).

KPML is a methodology that reverse engineers the career development process for youth living in local communities through the use of information technology. A Computer Assisted Mentoring System (CAMS) serves as a virtual pipeline for youth development by integrating multiple providers into a service coalition and accessing the services the students need when they need them most.

Should you have immediate questions, please do not hesitate to contact· Jim Smith, 301.883.8255, e-mail at jsmith@digitalnetworkgroup.net· Michael Robinson, 301.925.2535, e-mail at michael.robinson@pgcps.org

Bullying Goes High Tech

Cyber-Bullying?

by:

Michael A. Robinson, Coordinating Supervisor Parental Engagement

The issue of bullying is an ever increasing problem. Today, the act of bullying is no longer confined to the hallways and playgrounds of schools. Students have moved their bullying, teasing and harassing to the internet, otherwise known as cyberspace. The use of text messaging, social networking and instant messaging has made the ability to bully a technological nightmare for many students and parents.

Cyber-bullying as defined by the National Crime Prevention Council's is “the use of Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person." When the sender or receiver of the messages is a minor, this constitutes cyber-bullying, if the sender or receiver is an adult, this becomes an issue of cyber-stalking or cyber-harassment. The phenomenon of cyber-bullying has been on the rise since the earlier 2000s, when a study suggested that as many as 10% of middle schools students admitted to being cyber-bullied. By the year 2006, a new study suggested as many as 43% of teens indicated they have been cyber-bullied (Harris Interactive, 2006). The Harris Interactive study also indicated that 23% of middle school students reveled they have been cyber-bullied via email, another 35% indicated their bullying took place in chat rooms and 41% stated they had been bullied via of text messages (Harris Interactive). It gets worse, additionally, 41% of the students professed they were unable to identify who was responsible.

While the majority of bullying does not occur in the virtual world, there are some real issues inherited only to internet bullying. First, the bully has the ability to remain anonymous. Secondly, with the ever increasing technological advances cyber-bullies are less fearful of being discovered and therefore may increase the intensity of their attacks. Thirdly, cyber-bullies are for the most part unsupervised. Lastly, cyber-bullies are very knowledgeable of technology and in some cases more tech savvy than many of their parents and as a result it decreases the possibility they will be discovered.

The impact of cyber-bullying on students is vast. It has been suggested that cyber-bullying has led to students running away from home, leaving school, becoming withdrawn, increase negative behavior, poor grades, and suicide. Suicides linked to teasing have been on the increase and the number of youth who have taken their own lives due to cyber-bullying is rising. Expectations among experts propose the number of cases regarding cyber-bullying will increase due to the use of technology. Everyday, new words are introduced to the American lexicon which are linked to the way youth are using technology. This is best evident by the new phase of Sexting. Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit pictures via cell phone. This is primarily done by teenagers. Many of whom have no idea the extent to which these pictures can effect their lives. Sexting is another way by which cyber-bullies can harass, tease and bully.

To combat cyber-bullying, students, parents, teachers, school administrators and community members are ask to do the following:

1. Report the first case of cyber-bullying to a school official or local law enforcement authority
   
2. Parents be role models and not tolerate bullying of any kind from your child


3. Parents monitor your child’s activity on the internet


4. Whenever possible personal notebook and desktop computers should NOT be used in a child’s bedroom


5. Treat the computer as you would the world outside your home.


6. There should be certain sites your child and teen should NOT be allowed to go
   

No Cost Health Care for Children, Pregnant Women and Adults over 19

Rhonda Ulmer,

Community Health Advocate for Prince George County

Priority Partners, one of seven Managed Care Organizations authorized by the State of Maryland to provide health care services for Medicaid and Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program recipients, is owned by Johns Hopkins and Maryland Community Health Systems, a group of federally qualified health centers throughout the State.

Priority Partners and Johns Hopkins HealthCare have an established a network of doctors, health centers, and hospitals throughout the State offering doctors visits, vision care, prescription coverage, immunizations, hospital coverage, dental care, and no-cost over-the-counter medications, as well as mental health and substance abuse services. To manage complicated healthcare issues, Priority Partners has established several Care Management initiatives which provide one-on-one nurse case managers to assist individuals in understanding their illness, adapting to their treatment plan, and coordinating medical appointments.

Priority Partners also offers a Health Advocate program to low- income and moderate-income residents and community groups interested in learning more about staying healthy, and providing a healthy environment for their families. Rhonda Ulmer is the Community Health Advocate for Prince George County. Ulmer will provide health information classes to community groups in Prince George County.

Local schools, community associations, government agencies, and faith-based organizations who serve such residents may contact Ulmer at (410) 424-4692 or RUlmer@jhhc.com to arrange presentations on Pregnancy, What To Do When Your Child Gets Sick, Stress Reduction, Diabetes, Nutrition and Obesity, and How To Be Your Own Health Advocate, among other topics. Attendees will get take-home program summaries and resource/contact information. Ulmer is also available for health fairs and other community events.

The Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) was established in 1998 using federal and state funds to provide no cost health care coverage to children up to age 19. The program also offers eligible pregnant women of any age full pre-natal, delivery, and post-partum health care.

Eligibility for MCHP, determined by family size and income, is based on a sliding scale. For example, a family of four with income at or below, approximately $44,100 would qualify to have their children enrolled in MCHP at no cost. In determining eligibility for pregnant women, the program counts the unborn child as a member of the family and increases the income eligibility levels significantly (i.e. a family of four including a pregnant woman would qualify with a household income as high as, approximately $55,100).

In cases where household income is somewhat higher, many families are eligible for MCHP Premium, a low-cost health insurance program. For example, a family of four with at income between, $55,100 and $66,200 could participate for a monthly fee of approximately $48 or $60 based on family size and income eligibility.

In July, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene expanded MCHP to include the parents and guardians of MCHP children at or below 116% of the poverty level. Priority Partners also promotes health care services through the Primary Adult Care (PAC) program, which offers no cost health care for low-income adults 19 and over. Services include:

· Unlimited Primary Care Visits
· Over-the-Counter Medicines
· Prescription Drugs
· X-rays & Laboratory Tests
· Diabetes Screening & Care
· Mammograms, PAP Tests & Prostate Exams
· Vision & Podiatry Services For Diabetics
· Routine Dental Care

For more information about Priority Partners call 800-654-9728, or log onto http://www.ppmco.org/ on the Web. Contact the county health department to apply for MCHP.

PARENT ALERT!: A Parent's Worst Nightmare

The Real Story Behind Carl Walker-Hoover's Suicide

Wendy L. Wilson Sirdeaner Walker, 44, is ferociously protective of her four children. So when her 11-year-old son Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover complained to her last September of being bullied by students at the New Leadership Charter School in Springfield, Massachusetts, for "acting gay," she did something about it. She spoke to his principal, teachers and guidance counselor and became more active in the Parent Teachers Organization. But the teasing and threats .........Read full story » at http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/news/articles/carl_walker_hoover_suicide

12 Warning Signs That Your Child May Be Overscheduled

12 Warning Signs That Your Child May Be Overscheduled

There may not be a "right" number of activities for every child, but ask yourself these questions to check if your child's getting enough downtime (Scholastic.com, 2008).

1. Does he act grouchy, mopey, or irritable?
2. Can she fall asleep at bedtime?
3. Are his grades slipping? Does he finish his homework?
4. Has she started overeating?
5. Does he zone out in front of the TV?
6. Is she complaining of stomachaches, headaches, or mysterious illnesses?
7. Does he grumble about being bored?
8. Is she over-anxious about getting approval from authority figures?
9. When you're heading out the door, does he throw a tantrum or "lose" equipment?
10. Does she pick fights with her siblings or complain you don't love her as much?
11. Can he keep track of where's he's supposed to be?
12. Is her schedule draining you or your family members?

If your child exhibits a few of these behaviors on an ongoing basis, you may want to re-examine his after-school schedule (Scholastic.com, 2008).

Women's Day: May 11, 2009

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

presented by:

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

May 11 2009

WOMEN’S DAY
A Celebration of Your Commitment to the Success of Students

Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, Nieces And Significant Female Role Models
Are Invited To Visit Your Child’s Classroom

Prince George’s Board of Education Mentoring Program: Connecting Generations

Mentoring

The Prince George's County Board of Education is seeking nonprofit organizations and community partners to provide mentors for Prince George's County public school students. The Board of Education, in collaboration with the Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Division of Student Services, is hosting the Mentor Orientation sessions.

Mentors only working with students in a supervised setting are required to have a commercial background check at a cost of $7. Anyone with unsupervised access to students must first submit to a full criminal history, fingerprint background check at a cost of $61. For more information, contact Michael Robinson at 301.925.2535. You are also welcome to complete an online mentor profile at http://www.kpscholars.com/become_a_mentor.php