2012 Parental Engagement Survey for Parents

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,


Parental engagement makes a significant difference in the educational outcomes of children and young people; parents have a key role in raising educational standards. The more involved and engaged parents are in the education of their children the more likely their children are to succeed.

Forest Of The Rain Productions is committed to expanding the partnership between home and school. We believe increased communication between parents, families and school will serve as the pathway to increasing student achievement. To expand this discussion on the value of the home school partnership, we invite you to participate in our 2012 Parental Engagement Survey for parents. Your views, opinions and thoughts on the importance of parental engagement are priceless and represent one half of the team assigned to impact the academic achievement of children.

Please take a few minutes to complete our open-ended, narrative based survey. Your comments will be confidential. We have limited our response number, so please respond quickly if you aspire to have your voice included in this year’s study.

The link to the survey is listed below.

Thanks for your participation.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/26BQN5J

Men Make A Difference Day...What A Great Day!

Greetings and Thank You To All,

I am writing to give a RESOUNDING THANK YOU to every father, uncle, brother, nephew, cousin, and significant male role model who participated in the 2011 Men Make A Difference Day (MMDD) held all across America on October 10, 2011. A special THANK YOU goes out to members of PTA’s, PTO’s, Community Organizations, Boards of Education, Superintendents, Central Office staff, Principals, Counselors, Teachers, and School Based Personnel for opening their doors and welcoming fathers and other significant male role models into schools. Also, I would be remiss if I did not thank the thousands of mothers, sisters, wives, aunts and other significant female role models for their support of Men Make A Difference Day, without their unyielding belief and planning expertise there would be no Men Make A Difference Day.

Because of all of the support and commitment to increase parental engagement generated because of MMDD, we saw thousands of fathers and significant male role models visit schools, observe classrooms volunteer, and join their local PTA and other formal parent organizations. We know from years of research when fathers or a significant male role model is involved in the academic lives of children, there is increase academic achievement and improved social behavior. The presence of male role models who are taking an active role in the educational process in their community are by their mere support suggesting our public schools are the hub the community and must be fully funded. I want to ensure all who participated and supported this national event that is just the start of our national movement to increase parental engagement as a means to create high performing schools nationwide.

Please join me in thanking the thousands of men for their pledge to make a difference and stay engaged in the academic lives of their children. Below, you will find a few follow up points of information. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 301.776.2384 or via email at forestoftherain@gmail.com

Pictures: We are looking to capture this remarkable day with pictures, if you or your organization, please forward pictures to forestoftherain@gmail.com

Survey (October 12, 2011-November 14, 2011): We are looking to capture the voices of men and school officials regarding their views of the 2011 Men Make A Difference Day. If you or your organization participated in the Men Make A Difference Day is 10.10.11 please respond to a short survey at …..http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XX2SGXN

DAD’s Pledge of Engagement: I pledge to remain engaged in the academic life of my child. As an engaged father, dedicated dad, or significant male role I pledge to…….Please have dad’s and significant male role models to sign the DAD’s Pledge of Engagement at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pledgeofengagement/



Regards,

Kimberly K. Parker Tells Us: YOU CAN DO IT

My commute to work this morning was as cool as a cucumber. Listening to the very insightful teachings of Joyce Meyers as I sipped green tea, I coasted with ease over the river and through the woods. There was no traffic as far as my four eyes could see and fellow drivers, at their most courteous best, allowed one another to segue with a smile. This, my friend, was mobile poetry in motion.

As I rounded a corner in a quiet residential neighborhood, I saw a plus size woman jogging with a look of “I can do it” on her face. She had earphones in her ears, weights on her legs and wrists, and a hand towel snuggly tucked in her waist belt. Her gait was slow, steady…which, by the way, wins the race. Victory was definitely in her future.

I became transfixed on that powerful sight. I tried to pull over, but the car behind me was trailing rather closely so my attempts were prevented. I anxiously felt my eyes widening and my smile broadening. My mouth was about to erupt as I struggled to capture what I felt would be appropriately encouraging words to scream out of my window. I could not contain myself any longer! I rolled down my window, gasped and swooned, and slowed down long enough to yell, “Go ‘head! You can do it!” The woman raised her fist in solidarity, smiled, and kept on moving.

Inspiration comes in the most unexpected form. That woman – who I may never see again – served as a reminder of my ability to be, to create, to live! Without speaking a word, she told me that I can do it…whatever “it” may be only if I pattern my actions around these five very simple yet profound thoughts:

1. Decide to take action. As I mentioned, the woman was plus sized. However, she made a decision to take exercise in an attempt to live a healthier life.

2. Determine that you must move forward. I can only imagine the defeating thoughts she internalized as well as heard from other. In spite of it all, she was determined to put one foot in front of the other.

3. Be driven. In case you did not know, you are already empowered. You have the wherewithal to accomplish your goals whether or not someone cheers you onward. Allow the powerful force of God on the inside to steer you in all of the right directions.

4. Just do it. Period.

5. Arrive at your destination. You have a goal in sight and it’s most attainable. As Michael Jackson said, “Keep on with the force…don’t stop! Don’t stop ‘til you get enough!” When you get to your expected end, do as that woman did: raise you fist in solidarity, smile, and keep it moving!

Kimberly K. Parker is the President and CEO of Writing Momma Publishing, LLC (www.writingmomma.com). This past summer, her company published three books for young authors age nine to nineteen! This fall, she will host “Write On!” an eight week writing program for youth and she is currently looking for a few young writers who want to participate. Visit www.writingmomma.com for more information. Kimberly is a ghostwriter, author and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

Funding Parental Engagement Services Is A Sound School District Policy

By:
Dr. Michael A. Robinson

It has been stated many times over that organizations fund what they believe is crucial to their mission. When a monetary importance is attached to a strategic objective or an organizational goal, one is made aware of its significance to the organization. This basic management concept easily applies to the educational arena. The funding associated with a school district’s departments or units of family and community engagement allows stakeholders to potentially evaluate the significance school districts associate with the importance of parent and community involvement.

If school districts desire a robust and effective parental engagement program, one where families, communities, and schools become authentic partners in forming a high performing school system those departments must be sufficiently funded. A sense of priority is communicated to internal and external stakeholders when parent and community outreach programs are satisfactorily provided resources. Seminal researchers in the area of parental engagement do not suggest parent and community support programs and services be funded at the levels of academic and or student services. Albeit, research has shown effective parental engagement and community involvement policies and programs have a direct impact on student achievement while reducing strain on student service personnel who perform home visits, parent conferences, and or counseling sessions with students.

School districts which have elected to eliminate part or their entire parental engagement department in the name of budget reductions have a very limited understanding of the indispensable role parent involvement plays in relation to the academic success of students and school systems. Abolishing family and community outreach services, specifically those aimed at increasing parental and community connections to their neighborhood schools and the school district overall will result in an eventual eroding of confidence from parents about the real mission of their public school system. Failure of school leadership to embrace the impact of parents supporting learning at home while working in concert with school based leadership can do damage to the educational community that possibly will take years to reverse.

A strong recommendation for school districts considering reducing or eliminating their family and community outreach departments would be not to do so, but to re-consider the benefits to actually adding more resources and what it would mean to overall school performance. Finally, for those school districts which have severely reduced or eliminated their parent and community outreach services restore them as soon as possible. Re-establish the relationship with your families and community by committing to ensure effective two-way unfettered communication. A sound and fully supported program of services in the area of parental engagement will help schools in achieving its schools in closing achievement gaps, increase in the number of students enrolled in advance classes, assist in preparing students to career and college ready.

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.

Guest Blogger Kimberly Parker: My Child Is A Bully

MY CHILD IS A BULLY

Recent news headlines of how bullying is pervasive in schools all across the nation sounded the alarm in my heart and mind. What’s worse, such incidences have led to “bullycide.” Bullycide, according to Wikipedia, “refers to suicide attributable to the victim having been bullied.” I’m truly saddened that tragedy strikes our children in this manner. To think that a child feels such a sense of hopelessness should sadden us all.

While chatting with a parent not long ago, I began to share my thoughts and concerns on the subject. She, too, was concerned and thought that we should do something about it. After brainstorming for a moment, she suggested that we have a workshop in an attempt to bring awareness to other parents in the community. No longer, we felt, that the subject was taboo; the time was ripe to shed light on this not-so-often spoken of problem. Ironically, neither of us was aware that National Bullying Week was on the horizon.

I will be the first to admit that my expertise was not in “bullying prevention.” While I can speak about it from a victim perspective considering I was bullied from kindergarten through sixth grade, I was not equipped to impart information from the clinical vantage point. With that, I searched the internet and discovered tons of information. In the interest of time, I’ll merely highlight a few thoughts I pulled from a Power Point presentation entitled “Take a Stand Against Bullying”:

1. Bullying is an intentional written, verbal, or physical act that intimidates or subjects a person to hostility or ill treatment.

2. Bullying involves repeated actions which causes another to feel afraid, humiliated, embarrassed, threatened, or shamed.

3. There are four ways bullying happens: verbally, physically, sexually, or whereby property is extorted or vandalized.

4. There is typically an imbalance of power in the relationship whereby the culprit seeks control.

5. Bullying can lead to feelings of alienation, insecurity, anger, and fear. The victim can experience a drop in grades, weight loss or gain, headaches, and even suicide.

6. If you suspect your child is being bullied, talk to your child, contact the school, and/or notify the police. (NOTE: My mother never knew I was being bullied because I was afraid to tell her. I thought I was going to get in trouble and be blamed for what was happening to me. Please assure your child that it’s not their fault if this is taking place and that you are there to advocate and support them.

7. If you suspect your child is a bully, talk to your child, encourage empathy for others, review consequences of bullying behavior, and, if necessary, contact the school for help.

Two days after this presentation, I received this email from a parent:

Good Morning, Mrs. Parker. I was planning to not come to the meeting the other night because I was very tired from working all day. However, I am very glad that I did. The information you shared helped me to realize that my child is a bully. Up until the meeting, I dismissed what he was doing as “kids being kids.” But, when you started sharing those bullying traits and said, “It can lead to the death of another person” I knew I could no longer be in denial.

Initially, I was at a lost for words. I never expected an email like this. In short, I told the parent I was glad to assist and encouraged her to reach out if I could do more.

There is so much more helpful information I gleaned from this presentation. Unfortunately, I can not capture it all here. If you would like a copy, feel free to contact me directly. I will gladly share it with you.

Bullying is very serious. It is neither a normal childhood activity of rite of passage. Please take a moment to share this information with your child. In fact, let them read some of the news articles for themselves, if age appropriate. We can no longer afford to ignore this very serious problem. It’s time to take a stand against bullying.

Kimberly K. Parker is the President and CEO of Writing Momma Publishing, LLC (www.writingmomma.com). On July 23, 2011, she is hosting "The BEST Young Writer’s Workshop EVER” for youth between the ages of nine and 18. Additionally, she is hosting “Write On!”, an eight week summer writing program for youth. Visit www.writeonprogram.eventbrite.com for more information. Kimberly is a ghostwriter, author and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.

UPCOMING INTERVIEWS

UPCOMING INTERVIEWS
“PARENT TALK LIVE”
HOSTED BY:
Dr. Michael A. Robinson

Parent Talk Live is a weekly radio show for families and members of the community who aspire to become an integral part of their children’s academic success and the growth of communities. Parent Talk Live is hosted by Dr. Michael A. Robinson.

Felecia Hatcher
Author
The “C” Students Guide to Scholarships
Topic: “The “C” Students Guide to Scholarships”
Date: June 5, 2011
Time: 8:30pm-9:30pm
Call-in Number: 914.803.4591
Tweet Questions: http://twitter.com/pgcpsparents

Felecia Hatcher was recently named one of the Top 10 Superstar Entrepreneurs under the age of 30 by Allbusiness.com and she has been featured in Essence Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, ABC News, Inc.com, Entrepreneur and the Food Network. As an entrepreneur, motivational speaker and author Hatcher has dedicated her life to motivating young people to look past their circumstances and get creative!

Hatcher has recently published her first book titled The 'C' Students Guide To Scholarships, to help students with less then stellar grades beat the odds and put themselves in the running for scholarship funds. As an average high school student - with a GPA that fluctuated between 2.1 and 2.7 - Hatcher beat the odds and managed to pull down over $100,000 in scholarship money to attend Lynn University. At 19, she started her first college coaching business called Urban Excellence. Hatcher has since traveled around the country conducting workshops and building successful college prep programs for companies like DeVry, the YMCA, Texas A&M, TED and the Urban League.

Hatcher has also spearheaded a number of successful experiential marketing campaigns while working for Nintendo, Sony and the WNBA, and in 2008 she embraced her inner foodie and took to the Miami streets with her now wildly successful Feverish Ice Cream Truck and boutique ice cream catering company. In her free time, Felecia Hatcher works with the NFTE (National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship), consults with start-ups, and travels the country speaking to parents and students about scholarships and youth empowerment.

Dr. Jonathan Cohen
Cofounder and President
National School Climate Center
(Formerly the Center for Social and Emotional Education)
Topic: The Importance of a Positive School Climate
Date: June 12, 2011
Time: 8:00pm-8:30pm
Call-in Number: 914.803.4591
Tweet Questions: http://twitter.com/pgcpsparents

Dr. Cohen is an adjunct professor in psychology and education at Columbia University, adjunct professor in education at City University of New York and a practicing clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. Dr. Cohen has worked in and with K–12 schools for over 30 years in a variety of roles: as a teacher, program developer, school psychologist, consultant, psycho-educational diagnostician and mental health provider.

Dr. William R. Hite
Superintendent
Prince George's County Public Schools
Topic: Leading A Large Urban School System in Times of Fiscal Challenges
Date: June 17, 2011
Time: 2:00pm-2:30pm
Call-in Number: 914.803.4591
Tweet Questions: http://twitter.com/pgcpsparents

Dr. William R. Hite, Jr. was named Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) on April 3, 2009, by the Prince George’s County Board of Education, after serving as Interim Superintendent since December 1, 2008.

In June 2006, Dr. Hite was hired as Deputy Superintendent of PGCPS, Maryland’s second largest school system and the 18th largest system in the nation. During his tenure, he focused on student access and educational equity to ensure that all students graduate college-and work-ready. This work continues at a rapid pace and without interruption.

Among his many leadership responsibilities, Dr. Hite has led major efforts resulting in increased student achievement, significant improvements in teaching and learning, and school improvement status. This included work on the Intensive Support and Intervention Schools (ISIS) that provided significant support to schools most in need based on student and school performance indicators, as well as work in partnership with the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, which focused on improving the capacity of teachers and administrators to strengthen the teaching and learning process. Most recently, he oversaw a major reorganization of the district’s regions into zones to reduce cost and provide greater support to schools.

Parent Talk Live will speak with Kim Carrington About Creating an After Prom Safe-Haven for Students

Parent Talk Live
Hosted
By
Dr. Michael A. Robinson

Parent Talk Live is a weekly radio show for families and members of the community who aspire to become an integral part of their children’s academic success and the growth of communities. Parent Talk is hosted by Dr. Michael A. Robinson

This week’s Parent Talk Live will speak with Kim Carrington, a mother of six who has created an alternative after prom event designed to offer students who want to continue to enjoy their prom evening in an environment that is safe and free of drugs and alcohol.


Mrs. Kim Carrington
President
United Health Heroes
Topic: Creating an After Prom Safe-Haven for Students
Date: May 15, 2011
Time: 8:30pm-9:30pm
Call-in Number: 914.803.4591
Online: Chat Live

Kim Carrington is a mother in Maryland who has created an alternative after prom event designed to offer students who want to continue to enjoy their prom evening an opportunity to do so in an environment that is safe and free of drugs and alcohol.

Proms and graduations are a time for celebration in the lives of students. Teens all over America will be celebrating their prom and graduation with friends and families. All engaged parents and dedicated educators must encourage teens to celebrate responsibly and to arrive home safe and sound from prom and graduation. Underage drinking is real and it cost thousands of lives each year. A large percentage of fatal car crashes involving teens occur during prom and graduation season

Forest Of The Rain Productions Discusses The Value of Education with an Educator and a Civic Leader

Hello Engaged Parents and Dedicated Educators,

Below you will find two very interesting interviews. Our first interview opens our discussion with five superintendents from across America in what we are calling “The Educational Landscape" with Dr. Joe A. Hairston, Superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools since 2000.

The second interview is with Mr. Jim Rosapepe, Maryland State Senator for District 21. Mr. Rosapepe discusses his vision for education and the factors impacting education in the state of Maryland.

Dr. Joe A. Hairston
Superintendent
Baltimore County Public Schools
Topic: The Value of Education and The Success of Baltimore County Public School Students
Time: 10:00am
Date: April 21, 2011
Where: The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the Engaged Parent and Dedicated Educator

A visionary and progressive leader, Dr. Joe A. Hairston has served since 2000 as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, the nation's 26th largest school system. Dr. Hairston’s administration is now among the longest in the modern day history of the school system. Dr. Hairston’s results-based leadership has yielded a growing list of achievements including greater student participation and success in Advanced Placement and national renown for the quality of high schools and arts education, use of technology, greater accountability, and resource conservation.

A career rooted in the classroom

A career educator, Dr. Hairston's ascent in education administration began and is rooted in the classroom. Over the years, he has developed and refined strategies that have proven successful in raising student achievement. Dr. Hairston began his career in 1969 as a teacher in Prince George's County. Within two years of entering the classroom, he was appointed department chairperson and five years after that he became administrative assistant to a principal. He was appointed vice principal in 1977 and was named a principal in 1981. While serving as the principal of Crossland High School, from 1982 to 1986, Dr. Hairston developed an organizational, instructional, and marketing model for high school reform that he next employed at Suitland High School. At Suitland, a low-performing school with almost 2,300 students, Dr. Hairston implemented a nationally recognized visionary magnet program, which increased achievement for all students in the school – not just those in the magnet program. His achievements in turning Suitland around were recognized by President Ronald Reagan, Vice President George Bush, and Secretary of Education William J. Bennett and led the school to receive a National Award of Excellence. Many of the elements of Dr. Hairston's formula for student success – developed throughout the 1980s – are echoed in the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

In 1989, Dr. Hairston was named assistant superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools. Then in 1995, he became the first appointed (rather than elected) superintendent of Clayton County Public Schools in Jonesboro, Georgia. During his tenure in Clayton County, he earned praise for infusing technology into the administration and schools, increasing business partnerships, and developing community advocacy and fiscal support for the school system.A native of Virginia, Dr. Hairston earned a doctorate in education administration from Virginia Tech (1993), a master's degree in administration and physical education from American University (1976), and bachelor's degree in biology and physical science from Maryland State University (now the University of Maryland Eastern Shore) (1969).

James Carew Rosapepe
Maryland State Senator
District 21
Topic: A Vision for Education and Trends Impacting the Education
Time: 10:00am
Date: April 21, 2011
Where: The Journey Begins, Internet Radio for the Engaged Parent and Dedicated Educator

Member of Senate since January 10, 2007. Assistant Deputy Majority Whip, 2007-. Member, Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, 2007-; Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure, 2007-. Senate Chair, Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee, 2009-; Joint Audit Committee, 2011-. Chair, Joint Technology Oversight Committee, 2007-09. Member, National Conference of State Legislatures (communications, financial services & interstate commerce committee, 2007- ).

Board of Regents, University System of Maryland, 2001-06. Member, Task Force to Improve Child Support Compliance in Prince George's County, 2007-08; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-09. Chair, Task Force on Solar Hot Water Systems in Prince George's County, 2010. Member of House of Delegates, 1987-97. Vice-Chair, Ways and Means Committee, 1995-97. Resigned from House of Delegates, effective December 31, 1997, to become U.S. Ambassador to Romania. U.S. Ambassador to Romania, January 20, 1998 to February 2001.

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

"Has anyone seen the gas prices?"

I'm sure we all have! Even pedestrians are aware of the recent hike in prices at the pump. The pain at the pump is a national issue which stems from an international source. Anytime there's an uproar in the middle east we can guarantee that the United States will feel the pressure. Is this not yet another opportunity for us to design a plan in which we learn how to sustain ourselves with our own natural resources. Wind, Water, Electricity and even oil are all available on US soil. Its time for America to use it or lose it. Many automakers have taken the time to make more fuel efficient vehicles and communities are now thinking green. Step up America and fight! Say no to higher gas prices and yes to new technology which will empower our country for generations to come.

> Until next this is Your Money Your Future, I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation Please check us out at the Katieablefoundation.org and remember do something to justify your existence, together we can create the Future.

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

“School Budget Cuts ”

A few weeks back we discussed the importance of maintaining a household budget. If only law makers and lobbyists could use the same simple tactics when balancing the budget for their respective state, town or city. The fact of the matter is that in a country rooted in democracy we'll never all agree on the same issues. We'll have differences in opinions and professional dislikes but we can't allow our disagreements to get us off track.

Recently, my foundation sent a group of students from a local high-school to our capitol in Annapolis to speak with delegates about the budget cuts and how the educational system in Prince Georges County would be negatively impacted. No physical education, less guidance counselors, larger classroom sizes and no ROTC. These are just a few of the items on the table.

As parents, we have to always remember we are responsible for our children. Yes, we want to protest and demand a better educational system but it all starts at home. I encourage you to buy your kids more books to enhance their studies and reading skills. I encourage you to take them to museums and music halls to tap into their artistic minds. Even with budget short falls we can still have great, successful and smart kids. It is time we as parents stand up and make sure we are doing everything we can to teach our kids how to be better students which make better adults for tomorrow.


Until next week this is Your Money Your Future,

I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation. Please check us out at the KatieAbleFoundation.org and remember do something to justify your existence, together we can create the Future!

"Your Money, Your Future" with Financial Educator, Carmen Johnson

Today's Reality on Student Loans

This is it! The day you have been waiting for. Your eighteen year old has graduated from high school and is headed to college. You couldn’t be more proud. Sure, you and your spouse have saved a few dollars here and there just for this occasion only to learn that what you had been holding on to isn’t nearly enough to even cover books.

Still excited and determined your child runs home with a FAFSA form. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form, for some, can be the beginning of the end. Basically, after completing the application and submitting it back to your child’s school of choice your information is shopped around to different banks until funding is approved. Note! I said YOUR information.

What most parents don’t know or even expect is that they may have to co-sign or become the primary signer for their child’s student loan. Reason, the economy has changed and the days of bank lending money to persons with no or limited credit history is over.

So what’s the solution? That’s something that you have to decide. Are you and your spouse in a financial position where you can take on more debt? What are the long term effects that this can have on your credit? Is your credit even up to par to act as a co-signer on a student loan? What other loan or funding options are available for your child? These are all questions that you can consider. I know we love our children but going in to debt for them may not be the answer.

Until next week this is Your money, Your future, I am Carmen Johnson, your Financial Educator and the Founder and CEO of the Katie Able Foundation.

Please check us out at Katieablefoundation.org and remember, Do something to justify your Existence, TOGETHER we can create the future!

Kimberly Parker Presents: The Resolve to Volunteer

Resolve to Volunteer

Here we are nearing the end of January 2011. Like many of you, I stepped into the New Year determined to make changes, implement plans, and amp up my “game” in one area of life or another. Some call these bulleted items resolutions. For the sake of being aligned, I concur. More than a cute story laced with anecdotes from my children, herein lays a heartfelt plea. My sincere request to all who read is to make one more resolution for 2011: resolve to volunteer!

I know and proudly boast that Prince George’s County parents are the cream of the crop! We are homemakers, entrepreneurs, CEO's, educators, military personnel, activist...and the list goes on! Oh yes, we are simply the best! By no means is my perspective portrayed to slight parents from other parts of the world. It’s merely to highlight the greatness right here in our own backyards.

There is a universal principle called the "vital few and trivial many." In short, it's equivalent to the 80/20 rule where we find that just a little bit of people do a large amount of work. As a parent volunteer at my children’s school, I’ve witnessed parents who sign up to participate at events, yet do not show up. Or, they show up and do not do what they signed up to do. Or even still, they begin doing such marvelous work, find "something wrong" with the assignment, but instead of providing solutions they step down from their position.

Now, I am not soliciting any argumentative replies and by no means am I trying to make anyone feel guilty. I’ve dropped the ball a time or two as well. But what I am hoping to do is inspire you to take self-inventory to see where you stand in this equation. The operative word here is “volunteer”. As one parent told me, "Nobody forced your hand to work with the PTSA!" True. However, the same vital few can not be the only one's serving on the board or heading committees that provide services to thousands of parents, teachers, and students year after year. And let's not forget about our partners and stakeholders!

I know you have 2.5 children -- so do we (four, in my case). I know you work 10, 12, and even 14 hours a day -- so do we. I know you live your share of miles away from the school -- so do we. I know you have a child in elementary school, one in middle school, and one about to graduate from high school -- again I say, so do we! As Michael Jackson so poignantly stated, “You are not alone!”
Madame, Sir, please resolve to volunteer. I know a few of you have been considering the possibility of increasing your service and I truly appreciate that! It all starts with a thought. I ask you to consider this as well: the phenomenal difference you can make as a volunteer!

Kimberly K. Parker is the owner of Writing Momma Publishing (www.writingmomma.com). She is hosting “Isn’t She Lovely!”, an elegant father and daughter event in March 2011 in hopes of promoting the importance of the relationship between little girls and their fathers. Visit www.isntshelovely.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets and for more information. Kimberly is an author and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.