ESM Coat Exchange

Kids grow sooooooo fast!  In order to help families keep their children warm during the winter, the ESM School District is holding it's 3rd annual coat exchange.  If you would like to donate a coat for a child, there is a barrel in the Minoa Elementary lobby.  If you need a coat for your child, stop down to East Syracuse Elementary School, which is located on Kinne St. in E. Syracuse, on October 18th between the hours of 3 - 7 PM and choose a coat.

You don't need to donate a coat in order to receive one! 

got questions????

When I first had children, I remember thinking and saying that although parenting is a life changing and incredibly rewarding experience, it has so many challenging moments.   As they say, our little "bundles of joy" don't come with instructions!  I really enjoyed finding out new information about raising my kids through books, magazines, family, friends, and professionals.  I recently stumbled upon this interesting website that I thought could be useful to our Minoa families:    http://www.pal.ua.edu/index2.php

Check it out!  It comes from the University of Alabama and has lots of on-line resources for parents.  It also says that it has a toll free Parent Assistance Line:
Phone: 1-866-962-3030
It claims that a parent resource specialist will be happy to talk with you. Calls are free and confidential.  I will give the number a call later this week, find out more about the program and will post additional info on this blog!

If you visit the site, please share comments regarding your thoughts and impressions.  We ALL can use a little support now and then!

helping hands... healing hearts

The Hospice of Central New York is beginning a new session of Helping Hands Healing Hearts on October 5 through November 9, 2010.  This is a grief group for children ages 5 - 12.  Call 634-2007 for more information or call me (434-3420) at Minoa.

Also, information is available at the following link:
http://www.hospicecny.org/bereavement-care/children-teens.html

Autism Speaks

A parent told me today about the wonderful on-line support available to families of children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder through "Autism Speaks".  

http://www.autismspeaks.org/index.php
I am posting a link to that website for families to check out.  As you explore the website, you can access local and national supports, and there is even on-line discussion groups that share information, latest news, and resources.

Hope to see folks tonight at Minoa Parent Information Night!

Education is too important to be left solely to educators. - Francis Keppel (1916 - 1990) American educator and former US Commissioner of Education

Thursday night is Parent Information Night for grades K, 1, & 2.  I look forward to seeing returning families and new families, and I hope to make new friends along the way!  My office is in room number 36, which is near the end of the main hallway; please stop down to say hi.

One of my goals with the Parent Partners Blog is to post items of interest that can benefit families.  If you are experiencing a problem with your child and are looking for some support or information, please let me know!  You can email me via the blog or school webpage, call me at 434-3420, or even consider commenting to a blog post.  We can brainstorm together about strategies, and I will create posts that will link to interesting useful websites.  PLEASE, if you have ideas to share or know of resources or programs that would be useful to Minoa families, let me know!  I will share them on the blogophere.

See you on Thursday!  

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. ~Albert Einstein

It has been delightful having the opportunity to welcome new students, catch up with returning students, and chat with parents and guardians at Minoa during these first few weeks of school.  It is my belief that when home and school partner together to teach children, wonderful things happen.  This year, in an effort to increase communication with families, I am excited to start my very first blog! 

I hope that this site can be a forum for families to receive not only information about our school, but a "place" to learn something new about raising healthy and happy kids, and especially keeping up with the events of Minoa's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Program (PBIS) .    


I hope to give you updates about PBIS initiatives and assemblies, post links to articles and websites that families may find useful and fun, and share my own thoughts about the comings and goings of our school.  

Here's to a great year ahead!