Race to Nowhere Fall News

If you haven't already had the opportunity to view the documentary Race To Nowhere you will have many chances this fall.

On Sept. 30 and Oct. 4, 2010, in conjunction with National Child Health Day, the film will be viewed simultaneously in dozens of locations around the country. It will also open for one week only at select theaters in Los Angeles and New York beginning Sept 10.

If you are interested in seeing the film, please go to the Race to Nowhere website for details about nationwide screening locations and to purchase tickets. The screenings are also being used to fundraise for schools.

There will be many bay area screenings for those of you who live here in the East Bay. I will be helping to moderate post film discussions on Sept. 30 and Oct. 4 in the bay area. I hope you can attend one of the dozens of screenings scheduled this fall.

The DVD release date has not yet been set, but you may pre-order a copy of the DVD here. The focus for the fall remains on the power of bringing communities together to see the film and discuss how the issues are impacting students, teachers and parents.

Please join the Race to Nowhere Face Book group to show your support and to see all the latest RTN news. You may use these materials for promotional purposes in your school, community, neighborhood, church, etc...

How can you personally support the film's message?

As we begin the school year let's try to remember to promote balance during the after school and weekend hours. Family time is sacred and should be valued highly. This will mean different things for different families and individuals.

Some suggestions as we dive into a new school year:

Family meals - have as many family dinners as possible each week

Homework - don't let it rule your family's life and don't do it for your children

Extra curriculars - don't schedule so many that you and your family are constantly dividing your schedules and are not able to have any down time

Reading - promote reading for pleasure over many other time consuming activities like watching tv, video games, doing too much homework, electronic messaging, etc.

Let’s try to make the Race to Nowhere become the Road to Somewhere this school year.

Please leave a comment with any thoughts or more suggestions of how to support the film’s message.

Chevron's "Fuel Your School" Fundraiser

This seems like a pretty easy fundraiser for schools in Alameda and Contra Costa County. See details below if you are a teacher or administrator and want to try to get some of these funds from Chevron.

Teachers, submit a project to request funding for materials and supplies you need for your classroom. In September, everyone can help fund eligible classroom projects by filling up at participating Chevron locations. Chevron will donate $1 per 8 gallon or more fill up, up to $1 million, to support public education at schools in the cities of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

Click HERE to get the information.

11 Tips to Begin the School Year

We always tell our kids to start the school year off right. We give them tips on how to impress teachers, how to be prepared, how to get organized, etc. But, we need to think about how we parents can start the school year off right, too.

Here are 11 of my tips for parents:

1. Don’t over schedule your children. Benefits: you save money, get more time at home as a family and are generally less stressed out when you’re not driving your kids around after school running from one activity to the next.

2. Don’t sign your child up for academic tutoring unless he/she is in jeopardy of failing a class. (i.e., don’t pay for a tutor to boost a “C” or “B” to an “A”.) Benefits: same as in #1 and you are sending the message to your child that he/she is fine the way he/she is. You will trust the teachers to do their jobs. They will get a better indication of your child’s ability if your child isn’t getting extra outside help (this includes helps from you, too).

3. Don’t ask your kids about grades, test scores or homework too often. Instead, focus on the content of the subject. (Instead of “What did you get on the test?” say, “What are you learning in science?” Benefits: you are teaching them to take ownership of their own schedules. You are letting them manage their own time. You are taking the focus off scores and putting it on learning. You are alleviating stress in their lives.

4. If you are connected to an electronic school communication tool (like "School Loop") don't look at homework assignments and grades daily. Benefits: Same as in #3 and you will not be as stressed out if you don't micromanage your child's work or be overly concerned about his/her grades. Many parents call it "School Snoop" for good reason.

5. Give your kids at least an hour of down time after school. Benefits: they will be more cooperative and happy if they can de-stress and “chill out” after spending 7 hours at school.

6. Have your child do daily or weekly chores – lawn mowing, sweeping, cleaning toilets, vacuuming, taking care of the family pets, planning, preparing, cooking and cleaning up after meals. Benefits: you will be less stressed because you will have more help around the house, your child will learn about the responsibility of being part of a family.

7. Don’t yell at your kids during homework time; you are not the homework enforcer. If they spend more that 10 minutes a night per grade level, email or talk to the teacher. (ie., 10 minutes/night in 1^st grade, 40 minutes/night in 4^th grade, etc.) Benefits: you will get along with your kids better. Your kids will see that you value family time over work time. Your kids will have more balance in their lives.

8. Don’t go to every scheduled sports game or extracurricular activity of your child’s. Benefits: your child will be participating for the love of the game or of the activity, not to earn your approval.

9. Encourage unstructured outside neighborhood activities after school - a walk, a bike ride, hide-n-seek, skateboarding, picking flowers, building something, drawing on the sidewalk with chalk, etc. Benefits: your child will get exercise and use his/her imagination. Your child might meet friends in the neighborhood. You will be less stressed because you won’t be driving him/her somewhere. You will use less gas and that’s good for the environment!

10. Don’t use rewards and punishments with regard to school and sports. Benefits: the focus shifts from seeing our children as performers to seeing them as people.

11. Let your children fail. Think of the slogan "Fail to Succeed." In other words, they must make failed attempts at tasks before they can succeed. Benefits: they will make discoveries on their own.