I Love Lake Forest Day

I’m sure you noticed that your calendar says I Love Lake Forest Day will be here this Saturday, October 8 at Lake Forest High School. Plans are coming together nicely for a wonderful day of fun.

You will see first- hand how your tax dollars have been spent on remodeling and additions at the school.

There will be student entertainment throughout the day in the auditorium.

The latest student produced "I Love Lake Forest" videos will be revealed at 1pm in the cafeteria and the winners will be announced.

There will be exhibitors of all kinds both inside and out.

There will be an art show, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, moon bounce, dunking booth (with yours truly scheduled to be dunked), ice hockey and tumbling demonstrations and much more.

And there will be food for sale – such as fried chicken dinners, corn dogs, funnel cakes, kettle corn and Italian Ice.

There is no charge and plenty of parking. So, bring the whole family and make a day of it. That’s this Saturday, October 8 from 10 to 2 at Lake Forest High School.Help us celebrate the community we know as Lake Forest.

Isn’t it great to be a Spartan

Bullying

Bullying is not a normal rite of passage. It can have serious
consequences. You can help your children learn how to prevent
bullying.

™™ Help your children understand that bullying is more than
physical. It can happen in person or over the phone or computer.

™™ Keep open lines of communication with your children. Listen to
any concerns about friends and other students.

™™ Encourage your children to pursue their interests. Doing what
they love may help your children be more confident among their
peers and make friends with others with similar interests.

™™ Teach your children to take a stand against bullying. Tell them
how to stand up to those who bully if it is safe to do so.

™™ Talk to your children about seeking help from a trusted adult
when feeling threatened by a bully. Talk about whom they
should go to for help and role-play what they should say. Assure
your children that they should not be afraid to tell an adult when
someone they know is being bullied.

™™ Know what is going on in your children’s schools. Visit the
school websites, read the student paper if there is one, and join
the parent organization listserv or mailing list. Get to know other
parents, school counselors, and staff. Contact the school by
phone or e-mail if you have suggestions for making the school a
safer and better learning place.

If you suspect your children are being bullied, consider these
steps:

™™ Express your concern and make it clear that you want to help.

™™ Tell your children that bullying is wrong, that it is not their fault,
and that you are glad they had the courage to tell you about it.

™™ Work together to find solutions. Ask your children what they
think can be done to help. Reassure them that the situation can
be handled privately.

™™ Document ongoing bullying. Work with your children to keep a
record of all bullying incidents. If it involves cyberbullying, keep
a record of all messages or postings.

™™ Help your children develop strategies and skills for handling
bullying. Provide suggestions for ways to respond to bullying,
and help your children gain confidence by rehearsing their
responses.

™™ Be persistent. Bullying may not be resolved overnight.

™™ Stay vigilant to other possible problems that your children
may be having. Some of the warning signs for bullying may be
signs of other serious problems. Share your concerns with the
counselors at your children’s schools.


If you think that your children may be bullying others, work with your
children’s schools to address the issues. Remember that children who bully
are at high risk for engaging in risky or even criminal behaviors, and it is
very important in a bullying situation for the parents to act immediately.

™™ Talk with your children. Ask for their account of any situation for which
they have been accused of bullying. Be objective and listen carefully.

™™ Make it clear to your children that you take bullying seriously. Calmly let
them know that you will not tolerate this behavior. Help your children
learn that bullying hurts everyone involved.

™™ Develop clear and consistent rules for your children’s behavior. Praise
your children when they follow the rules. Decide on fair consequences
and follow through if your children break the rules.

™™ Spend more time with your children. Carefully supervise and monitor
their activities, including when they are online or texting.

™™ Be aware of who your children consider to be their friends. Find out how
they spend their free time.

™™ Build on your children’s talents and positive attributes. Encourage them
to get involved in well-supervised social activities.

™™ Work with your children’s schools to ensure the bullying does not happen
again. Ask your children’s teachers to keep you informed. Develop
strategies together to send clear messages to your children, and all
students, that bullying must stop.

™™ Talk with a school counselor or health professional. They may be able to
provide your children with additional help.

This information has been prepared and printed with permission of the National School Public Relations Association, Judy McDaniel and StopBullying.gov.

Tech Support in the Schools

Have you seen one of our tech support guys? We have two of them - Ron Usilton and Don Riser.

Something just whizzed by me in a blue blur. Perhaps that was Ron, or maybe it was Don. It’s hard to tell at that speed. Lately they seem to be needed everywhere. Yesterday. It’s little wonder, given the explosion of the use of technology in schools. I don’t know how they keep up.

A generation ago we were just beginning to get computer labs in the schools. After that we started distributing a few computers to each classroom. They weren’t all connected to the Internet in those days, most ran software installed in each one or on a local server.

And the staff? I remember it took a long time before we felt the staff was competent enough to issue computers to everyone. Now, we don’t hire a teacher without accepting that she will need a laptop computer. She needs it for communication. She needs it for the development of lessons and the research to go along with lesson prep. Teachers often teach lessons that call for projecting photos, videos, stories, charts and graphs found on the internet. Often, lessons are packaged in a colorful PowerPoint presentation.

As a matter of fact, the technology needed in the classroom as basic tools has exploded. Practically every classroom has an interactive white board, projector and printer. Half of those classrooms have what is called a document camera, which looks like a miniature overhead projector and can focus on any book, document or object and project that picture onto the white board. Back in the day they called that an opaque projector. It was as big as a Volkswagen and probably cost as much.

The other day I did a little search on the Internet to see what the business world considers an appropriate ratio of computers to tech support personnel. On the first site I quickly abandoned my search because the numbers I saw suggested we don’t have enough people to keep everything running. The first report I saw suggested one tech support person for every 50 computers.

Now Ron used to work in the private sector and he tells me that 1 tech person for every 200 computers was probably more likely.

Here in Lake Forest School District Ron and Don install and maintain computers at a ratio that exceeds 1000 to 1. In addition they take care of most of the installation and maintenance of hundreds of interactive white boards, projectors, document cameras, printers, servers and routers. They maintain and upgrade our wireless networks.

And, oh yes, Ron also serves as our web master for the district website as well as coach for those teachers maintaining the school websites. Obviously they’ve got their hands full. But, amazingly, they get the job done and they do it well. I wish we could afford a few more Rons and Dons.

Getting the Kids Up

(The following great advice is useful year round, but especially as we try to re-establish routines at home for the beginning of school. It is provided by the National School Public Relations Association. )

Getting children up and ready for the day, whether it be for school,
daycare, or even a sport or enrichment activity, is a sure-fire stress
builder and typical cause of morning madness. What can parents
do to start each day in a positive fashion?

™™ Make the morning routine a way of life.
Parents unwittingly cause morning madness by not instilling
that the routine is a family requirement and not an option. A
non-negotiable routine must be established, and consequence
discussed and determined.

™™ Stagger wake-up times.
If you’ve got more than one child in the house, and especially if
you have a large family, consider staggering wake-up times for
greater efficiency. Start with children who need assistance first,
or the ones who are real sleepyheads and move at a snail’s pace
come mornings.

™™ Conquer clothing wars with proper planning.
Clothing, down to clean socks, underwear and shoes, and even
matching hair accessories should be laid out each night before
bed. Youngsters can play a role in choosing the outfit, but no
changes are allowed once their head hits the pillow. And, then
stick with it! The only exceptions should be an unknown tear
or stain, or surprise change in the weather. This avoids missing
socks, unmatched shirt and shoes, and keeps getting dressed a
simple step in beginning the day vs. a looming battle.

™™ Determine breakfast choices in advance.
Some parents swear by weekly breakfast menus; others
adhere to cereal and fruit. Yet others have their children eat
the $1 breakfast at school each morning. Some daycares offer
breakfast; others allow parents to bring in a morning meal.
Breakfast is important. Some experts argue that it is the most
important meal of the day. Children need a nutritious start
each morning, but that start shouldn’t put parents in a work
bind or make children late for school.

™™ Only do what’s really important.
Some parents unwittingly set their children up to fail with
their morning routines by taking on unexpected chores and
duties, which causes whines and a mad rush to end up on
time. Consider creating a checklist of what absolutely must be
done each morning, and then forget the rest. If you want your
child to make his or her bed every morning, then make that a
requirement. However, cleaning the cat box can surely wait
until a child gets home after school.

™™ Recognize the snatch and go theory does work.
It’s just not enough to get dressed and eat. How many times
have children missed the bus because they couldn’t find their
homework sheet or didn’t have their backpack put together? If you
drive your children, then put their organized backpacks in the car the
night before. Lunches should also be prepared just before bed and easily
grabbed from the fridge the next morning. Jackets should be in a central
location. The “snatch and go” theory really does work in the mornings.
Designate an area for all essentials that can eliminate the crazed
morning syndrome when you’re trying to leave. Shoes, backpacks, car
keys, cell phones, purses, etc., should be placed in this area every day,
always, so they are always in place and ready for action. Keep a cell
phone charger in this area so your phone is charged for the day. Not
having to hunt down keys or other last-minute essentials is a time and
blood pressure saver, for sure.

™™ Plan an occasional exception morning.
One way to make it easier for children to get up in the mornings is to
create an occasional “kids get up...NOT” day as a reward. If it’s a school
holiday, lazy weekend opportunity, or just about any reason at all,
parents can make a special celebration out of the exception. The “not”
day also serves to reinforce the lesson that normal mornings have a
schedule and expectation; and that occasionally everyone gets a break
from the routine.

™™ Instill self responsibility.
Except for the very youngest, children can learn to awaken by an alarm
clock and get themselves up without mom or dad hovering and yelling,
“Are you up yet?” Let them decide what is the best time for the alarm
to go off and get ready on time. If this means Erica doesn’t get her hair
braided or Sam doesn’t get second helpings on cereal, encourage them
to set their alarms 15 minutes earlier for future days. Cause and effect is
a good lesson to learn.

™™ Model good morning behavior.
And, finally, parents really can help to determine whether their children
become morning risers or morning whiners. If parents moan and groan,
are always frantic, grumpy and running late themselves, then how can
they really expect anything more of their children? Good advice is to
get up earlier yourself, start that coffee or do 10 minutes of exercise, and
then show that Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and really mean it when
you greet your kids with “Good Morning!”

Summer Reading

Some say you can tell a lot about somebody by the books they have stacked on their night stand. My wife and I seem to have the bedroom littered with books. She devours books. I'm more of a snacker, working on 3 or 4 books all at the same time.

Last week, we had all school administrators in for a retreat for three days and I required each to give a book report. That turned out to be a very popular activity. Some read books on leadership. Some shared their favorite crime novel. Some even decided to tell of the favorite book they’ve been reading to their children.

I seem to read a little more in the summer. Maybe going on vacation and relaxing with a good book kind of gets me in gear for it. Anyway, I thought I’d give my own little book report for your consideration. I’m not sure what these titles say about me, but they are my most recent beside readings.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – Recommended to me by my mother who has turned into a real dog lover, the story is told by Enzo, the family dog. You learn through his eyes how the family fell apart and the role he played in putting it back together. Keep the hanky handy.

A Captains Duty By Richard Phillips - This is the true story told by the captain of a cargo ship over run by Somali Pirates in April 2009. He is eventually taken hostage, spending several days with his captors in a life boat.

Seized by Max Hardberger - (What is it with me and the sea captains?) This is a collection of true stories of a sea captain who specializes in recovering stolen ships in some of the world’s most troubling waters.

Room by Emma Donoghue – (my favorite of the summer) This tale is told from the point of view of a five year old boy who was conceived, born and lived his entire life in a room with his mother who was kidnapped from her college campus at age 19. She has done her best to teach him everything she can in this limited environment. He loves his little world, but she decides to use him in an attempt to escape their captor.

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough – If you’re a history buff, and I can’t say I ever was, this is a fascinating account of one of the most devastating disasters America has ever known.

That’s enough. There are others in baskets and under the bed I’m sure. Maybe I’ll get to them next summer.

Lake Forest State Fair

How fortunate we are to have the Delaware State Fair in Harrington.

It involves so many of our children and their families in positive, productive, constructive activities; not only for that 10-day period, but often for the entire year. Teachers and staff members get involved as well, whether it’s in the Kids Zone or the Needlepoint Show, Pete’s or the sheep barn - Lake Forest Spartans are everywhere.

We are a rural community with strong agricultural roots and you’ll find many of our people in the show barns. You’ll also see them doing public speaking through 4-H, exhibiting their photography or sewing, and helping out at a family exhibit or church-run food venue. You’ll find a lot of Spartans on the ice rink, too.

I first got to know the state fair experience through 4-H forty years ago. Each summer for four years during college, I worked for West Virginia University Extension. I managed 4-H camps all over the state and finished the summer at the state fair in Lewisburg in August. The first summer I worked in the youth exhibit hall and at night I was assigned to sleep in the loft of the sheep barn to keep an eye on the 4-H and FFA boys who would be using those bunks. There was nothing between us and the sheep, and the general public, but chicken wire.

Those folks that live at the fair all week long are a special breed. You have to love it or you wouldn’t be there. I’m not sure what does it for me -the people, the reunions, the smell of the hay, the funnel cake. I always met girls at the fair. Maybe it was the oppressive heat, the dirt rings around my neck, the smell of manure or the limited opportunity to see to personal hygiene.

You can’t spend any time at the fair without developing some lifelong friends and lifetime memories. Back in my day, the favorite grandstand shows were acts like The Beach Boys, The Statler Brothers and Up With People. Some of my most indelible memories involve finding and reuniting families with lost children, getting knocked over (along with a table full of ribbons and trophies) by a couple of fighting boar hogs, showering through a garden hose next to a Holstein steer and being one of the first ones to walk the grounds as the sun came up on a brisk summer morning.

The Delaware State Fair belongs to everyone in Delaware and we are so lucky to have it right here in our front yard. Sure, it is great for the local economy, but, for the children who spend the week, it is even greater. They learn more about their interests and learn more about themselves than they would in any other environment.

They grow. They gain independence. They become leaders. They learn responsibility. They mature. They become better Spartans. They don’t know it, but they become better students because of the fair.

Guidance Counselors on the Road

We’re trying something new this summer.

The Lake Forest High School guidance department is making itself available to parents and students out there in the community. They especially want to see the incoming 9th graders. Why?

9th grade can be a difficult year. It can make or break a successful high school experience. Many students experience their first failing grade in 9th grade.
There are a variety of theories as to why this happens:

• Parents have a tendency to let go and monitor school less when kids start high school
• It often means moving to a new, larger environment where relationships with peers and teachers have to be rebuilt
• They are not adequately prepared for the greater academic demand
• High school teachers teach subjects not students

These theories all have merit, but none of them represent the issue totally. Perhaps to some degree, struggles in ninth grade may be due to fractions of any and/or all of the above.

We want to be sure that parents of 9th graders in Lake Forest know that we want you to stay involved. We want you to monitor your student’s progress. The best way to get started is to be sure you connect with the guidance department.

They are available at the Felton Fire Hall July 7 from 4-7pm; at the Frederica Fire Hall on July 12 from 8a.m. to 4p.m.; and at the Harrington Parks and Recreation Center on July 13 from 8-12 and 4-7. You don’t need an appointment, you can just drop in. If you have questions, please call the high school guidance office at 284-9291 ext.210.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this unique opportunity.