Living Education Magazine: A Discussion About Bullying

Parent Talk Discusses Foster Care Students and Education with Dr. Anita Reed

Parent Talk will discuss the challenges facing foster care students and their care givers with Dr. Anita Reed, Mental Health Therapist with Arlington County Public Schools.

Topic: How Can Public Schools Support The Academic Achievement of Foster Care Students

Date: MONDAY, January 24, 2011

Show Time: 8:30pm-9:00pm

Call In: 914.803.4591

Anita H. Reed, Ph.D, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who specialize in the treatment of adolescents, adults, and families. She has more than 23 years of experience serving at-risk youth and families as a direct service provider and also as a developer and analyst of programs and policy. She worked for Arlington County Department of Human Services for 14 years as a program manager and supervisor of child welfare staff. Her experiences with the Department spanned the continuum of services from prevention to foster care. For the past 9 years, she has worked as a mental health therapist for Arlington County Public Schools. She has also been an adjunct professor at Catholic University’s National School of Social Services (NCSSS) for 5 years, with a specific focus on child welfare policy. Dr. Reed graduated from Vassar College with a B.A in Sociology, received her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University, and completed her doctoral studies in Social Work at the National Catholic School of Social Services at Catholic University.

Significant Accomplishments Of Eleven High School Students Who Attend PGCPS

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,

One of our network members wanted to share the following information. I hope a few officials from PGCPS will be on hand to support the students.

Exciting news about the significant accomplishments of ten high school students who attend Prince George’s County Public Schools. The Posse Foundation is a college access and youth leadership program that recruits, identifies and trains extraordinary leaders from urban schools and sends them in multicultural teams (posses) to some of the top colleges in the country. Each student that is awarded the Posse Scholarship wins a four year, full-tuition scholarship worth more than $140,000 from one of our partner colleges.

Since opening in 2004, Posse D.C. has awarded 312 scholarships representing more than $30 million from Bucknell University, Grinnell College, Lafayette College, Sewanee: The University of the South, the University of Wisconsin Madison, and Pepperdine University. This fall, we had over 1,600 high school seniors nominated for the prestigious Posse Scholarship. Sixty two students were awarded the Posse Scholarship this year. I am proud to share with you that Prince George’s County Public Schools were represented by the following Posse Scholar Recipients:
· Yorman A, Bladensburg High School Grinnell College
· Aaron B.., Oxon Hill High School, Sewanee: The University of the South
· Ashley B., Eleanor Roosevelt High School Lafayette College
· Daryl C., Central High School, Sewanee: The University of the South
· David D., Bowie High School, Sewanee: The University of the South
· Jonathan H., Henry A. Wise High School, University of Wisconsin-Madison
· Patrick H., Parkdale High School, Grinnell College
· Jerome M., McKinley Tech High School, Pepperdine University
· Obianuju O., Henry A. Wise High School, Sewanee: The University of the South
· James S., Bowie High School, Pepperdine University
· Johante W., Henry A. Wise High School, Pepperdine University

Please join us in congratulating these young leaders of tomorrow at our Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, January 5th at the Betts Theatre (800 21st Street, NW). Please RSVP to Posse D.C. at (202) 347-7071 or http://us.mc1101.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mayn@possefoundation.org.

Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of these remarkable young people!

Communication Between Home and School: A Key to Student Success

In 2008, 91% of parents surveyed by the Department of Family and Community Outreach indicated they have ongoing and open communication with their child's school.

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

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)