MamalodeA blog for moms and their families
August 18th, 2010
The latest news release from the Montana Office of Public Instruction trumpets that “Montana Students Continue to Score Higher than the National Average on ACT Exams.”
That’s the headline of the release; the numbers show that the students of the graduating class of 2010 in Montana who took the tests scored an average of 22, while the national average was 21.
So … yeah, higher – but not by much.
The release is copied, below.
- MM
August 17th, 2010
Only two weeks to go until the first day of school for Missoula kids.
Like other families, we received a short list of school supplies we are supposed to bring on the first day. For new kindergardeners, like my little girl, the list includes things like a backpack, gym shoes, and an extra change of clothes in addition to the usual crayons and Kleenex.
Sadly, for some families it’s hard enough just to scrape together the basics, let alone big-ticket items like backpacks and shoes. Yesterday, this was in the Missoulian’s “We Care” section:
“Full Circle Counseling Solutions is seeking donations for a Missoula family in need. This single mother is in great need of assistance in providing school clothing and supplies for her 14-year-old son, who will be entering high school. All family members struggle with mental health issues that limit the mother’s ability to work, and as a result the family experiences significant financial hardship. The family is seeking the following items: pants size 27/30, shirts sizes boys’ XL (14-16) or adult medium, underwear boys’ 14/16 or men’s small, shoes men’s 10-10 ½. School supplies needed include 12 No. 2 pencils, two glue sticks, white glue, pink eraser, white eraser, package of washable felt markers, scissors, pencil case, 10 pocket folders, package of lined paper, package of plain paper, 10 blue pens, three red pens, ruler, package of pencil crayons; two 1-inch binders, eight subject dividers, scientific calculator, geometry set, pocket dictionary, thesaurus, pencil sharpener, highlighter pens, agenda book/planner, stapler, staple remover.
Donations may include actual items, cash or check that can be mailed to or dropped off at Full Circle Counseling Solutions, 1501 North Ave. W. For questions or additional information, contact Ashley Cox at 529-6543.”
And so was this:
“Child and Family Service Network is serving families that are in need of back-to-school supplies. Gift cards, monetary donations, backpacks, clothing and any school supplies would greatly benefit these families. To make or send donations contact Sara Curtin, 532-9796 or Erica House, 532-9779.”
As we go about rounding up supplies for our families, let’s think about our children’s classmates as well, and help make sure every kid in Missoula is well-prepared for the first day of school.
- MM
July 22nd, 2010
I get regular, always positive news releases on the state of K-12 education in Montana from the state Office of Public Instruction. Often, I dutifully post the releases on this blog for readers.
Naturally, I didn’t hear a peep from OPI about this latest news, which is based on a national study that dealt Montana a failing grade for our math and English standards:
“Montana’s English language arts standards ’are among the worst in the country,’ the study’s three authors wrote.
Findings on Montana’s math standards were equally woeful.”
Ai yi yi.
Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau shrugged off the findings, pointing out that the study failed to include a key portion of the state’s standards, and noting how well Montana has done in other national studies.
So it’s the battle of the studies, apparently.
Meanwhile, the OPI broke some more positive news: Montana is set to take in $11.5 million in Department of Education grants to improve some of our worst-performing schools. Here’s the release, below.
- MM
July 1st, 2010
Here’s some cool news on this warm day. I’ll paste the press release in full, below.
- MM
NEW REPORT: MT a Leader in Meeting Needs of Hungry Children During the Summer
Summer meals are in when school is out
HELENA – A new report found that Montana is among the nation’s top five states that best responded to the growing needs of hungry children during the summer. Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau said that Montana’s Summer Food Service Program is a leader in providing healthy food to an increasing number of low-income children when school is out – and is a leader in the nation in reaching eligible low-income children.
“During summer break kids should not worry about getting enough to eat,” said Juneau. The Summer Food Program makes sure all children get healthy food during the summer months so they can return to school ready to learn. Studies show that children who are hungry are more likely to be in poor health and less likely to form friendships, to be curious, and to learn. One in ten people in Montana live in households where there is not always enough nutritious food.
The Food Research and Action Center’s report titled “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report 2010” found that more than 6,600 children were served meals in Montana communities in 2009—up from 5,700 in 2008. The report is available on the OPI Web site: http://www.opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/School_Nutrition/Summer.html
“The schools, non-profits, and communities that sponsor summer food sites are meeting a real need,” said Juneau. “This is a very real problem in our state and we need to all find ways to make sure children do not go hungry.”
Each summer, kids can eat free lunches through the Summer Food Service Program, a federally-funded nutrition program open to children and youth aged 1-18 years. It runs from June to mid-August. In addition to lunches, many sites also offer breakfasts and snacks as well. Meals are served at locations where kids congregate, such as playgrounds, summer schools and community centers.
“Montana’s communities and sponsors who have stepped up to help these kids deserve our thanks,” said Juneau.
To find a meal site, families can call 1-800-809-4752 or go to http://mfbn.org/SummerFoodMT. The website shows maps of summer lunch sites by city or county and hours they are open. It also provides contact information for those who want to find out about activities, transportation and how to volunteer or donate to a local site.
June 14th, 2010
Whenever I start to doubt my standing as a Good Parent, I just remind myself that I have duly kept every appointment to let near-strangers stick my helpless little girl with sharp objects.
Yes, I am one of those people who really, really does not like needles. I don’t want them anywhere near me, and I most certainly do not want them anywhere near my child. Nevertheless, needles are what we use to immunize our children against a host of life-threatening viruses. And rubella, diphtheria and polio are far worse than the two-second pain of a shot.
Unfortunately, it seems too many Montana parents are letting their fear of needles override their common sense. Our state ranks dead last in the nation for its rate of childhood immunizations. Only 59 percent of Montana children have completed the schedule of immunizations recommended for their age.
The state Department of Public Health and Human Services is working to improve this by collaborating with local health departments and private providers to better track children whose vaccinations are not current and help remind their parents to get those shots lined up.
More immunization info is available on the state’s website. It’s especially important that children who will enter public school in the fall get those vaccinations taken care of pronto.
This includes my daughter. Willow starts kindergarten in the fall and thus needed to get caught up on her immunizations. This meant a recent trip to the doctor’s office and three needles – two in one thigh and one in the other. Talk about traumatic – for me.
Willow, though, apparently understood the need for the shots. As we were leaving the doctor’s office, with still-teary eyes, my sweet (and exceedingly polite) little girl called down the hall to the nurses who administered the vaccinations, “Thank you for my healthiness!”
- MM
June 4th, 2010
Know a kid who loves to write? Is that kid weeping over the fact that summer vacation may mean having less opportunities to write?
Check out the Montana Writing Project’s summer writing camp for sixth- to ninth-graders.
The Montana Writing Project is a “nationally recognized professional development organization for teachers dedicated to improving student writing,” according to program coordinator Merrilyne Lundahl. This will be its sixth annual Young Writers Summer Camp “designed for students who are interested in devoting time to their nonfiction, poety and fiction; participating in a writing workshop; publishing in an anthology; and being members of a writing community,” she writes. “Participants receive individualized writing instruction, engage with other writers, and have opportunities to share their work.”
The program runs on weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12:30, starting June 28 and wrapping up July 9. It takes place in Room 210 of the Liberal Arts Building on the University of Montana campus. The $175 cost covers materials, including snacks, and financial aid is available.
Interested? Give Lundahl a call at 243-4680 – and call soon, because space is sure to fill up fast.
- MM
April 15th, 2010
Monana’s Attorney General, Steve Bullock, was scheduled to do this a while back but unexpected emergencies delayed the awards. The awards? Yeah, for “Outstanding Mentor of the Year,” a new recognition created just this year “as a way to recognize outstanding individuals who have made a positive difference in the lives of children.”
At a ceremony today at the Russell Elementary School Library, he honored Missoula’s own Del Key, who joined Butte college student Cory Sonnemann in being the first two Montanans to receive the new award. I guess the award-givers couldn’t decide between the two, and so had to award them both.
Key, who is retired, is well-known at Russell, where he has been an after-school volunteer for several years.
Congrats to both, and special congratulations to the kids who are lucky enough to have these mentors in their lives!
- MM
April 5th, 2010
As the mother of an impressionable young girl, I would love for my daughter to grow up with the idea that math and science are cool. It would be just great if she were somehow convinced that becoming a scientist or mathematician is a wonderful and worthy goal.
And that is why I am enthusiastically endorsing Gov. Brian Schweitzer and First Lady Nancy Schweitzer’s math and science initiative, and especially their math and science trading cards - the fact-filled cards Nancy Schweitzer hands out to students when she visits classrooms throughout the state.
After all, what kid wouldn’t consider Montana’s governor – a soil scientist – and his wife – who is a botanist – the height of inspiration? And trading cards? You know the kids love those.
You want further proof of cool? Check out the Web site photos, which show the Schweitzers doing awesome things like sitting atop a wind turbine. Ooh! And there’s one of them CLUTCHING A LIGHTNING BOLT! Even their trusty dog Jag is rockin’ the safety glasses on the home page.
The point of this post, however, is not just to steer you to the math and science initiative, but to encourage you and your kids to vote for the next round of math and science trading cards.
“Kids of all ages can find something new to learn about energy in Montana – from where our resources came from to how we’re using them today,” Montana’s First Lady said in a prepared statement. “The voting contest lets kids decide what’s most interesting to them.”
Go to mathscience.mt.gov to vote for your favorite facts about Montana. You and your kids might just learn a few fun facts along the way – and wouldn’t that be cool?
- MM
April 2nd, 2010
March 26th, 2010
Yesterday the Montana Office of Public Instruction highlighted the fact that Montana’s students are scoring higher than the national average on reading tests.
Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau’s office touted the latest results of the National Assessment of Education – “The Nation’s Report Card“ - which is based on tests taken by fourth- and eighth-graders.
So how did Montana kids do? Pretty darn good. Our fourth-graders scored an average of 225 (the national average is 221) to place our state among the top five highest-scoring states in the nation. Eighth-graders did even better, scoring an average of 270 (the national average is 264) and also giving our our state a place among the top five highest-scoring states in the nation.
“While our overall results exceed national averages, our bottom line must be to raise the level of achievement for all Montana students while closing the achievement gap,” Juneau said in a prepared announcement.
She also offered this encouraging message: “Montana has the best teachers in America. The hard work and innovation happening in Montana’s classrooms is paying off as we can see with these top-notch results. I am proud of all of our students and teachers.”
- MM