Preparing for College: Financial Aid Edition

If your child is finishing high school and preparing to go to college, it is never too early to start thinking about how to finance their college education. Most high schools and colleges have counselors who can help you understand what paperwork is due and when, but there are also federal resources available on the Internet.

One place you can go to get information about federal student aid (and many other topics) is ED Pubs. This site was designed to help parents, teachers, and others identify and order free products from the U. S. Department of Education. The site offers more than 6,000 titles that include materials in print, on CD-ROMs, posters, videos, and financial aid products.

ED Pubs can help you order free financial aid publications such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the FAFSA On The Web Worksheet, and Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid. If you work in a college, high school, library or community agency, you may be able to order multiple copies of these and other titles online at www.fsapubs.org. The Ed Pubs site provides a ton of free financial aid publications and applications that will help you and your student understand Federal Student Aid programs.

Summer Learning Workbooks

When schools first opened in America, school calenders varied depending on the community. Some of the rural schools had long summer breaks that began in the spring so children could help on their families farms. Some of the urban schools had breaks as short as 1 or 2 months. By the time most Americans became involved in agriculture and when indoor climate control was limited, a standardized 9 month calender emerged. Today, less than 5% of our families are involved in agriculture and we have air conditioning, but we still have the same old 9 month calender.

There are several problems with today's school calender because of the possible negative impact that long breaks have on student learning. Long breaks interfere with instruction, cause children to forget, and require long periods of review when children return to school. Also, long breaks can have a very bad effect on children with special needs or children who have English as a second language.

Until we reform our school calenders, parents have to help their children retain as much learning as possible over the summer break. There are many strategies you can use. Bookstores have summer learning workbooks that help student practice the skills they learned the year before and prepare for the next year. These workbooks, usually for elementary school grades, can provide a valuable source of enrichment. Children can work on a certain number of pages each day or work for a certain amount of time. You can help by being there for them and talking with them about the work they are doing. Remember, the most effective type of parent engagement that has the biggest impact on student achievement is what takes place in the home.

Fireworks Safety

I was raised in Southern California where fireworks were illegal because of the tremendous fire risks and health hazards. Now that I live in Alabama I see firework stands popping up everywhere in December and July. Many families buy their own fireworks to celebrate special occasions. If you decide to use fireworks with your family, here are some tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

If fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips:

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
• Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.
• Keep a bucket of water in case of a malfunction or fire.

Remember, the safest fireworks are the ones lit by professionals! Check your local paper to find shows near you!