Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day is a U.S. federal holiday on the third Monday of January, honoring the life and legacy of the civil rights leader by recognizing his fight against racial discrimination through peaceful activism, and it’s also designated as a national day of service to encourage community volunteering and building Dr. King’s “Beloved Community”. It falls near his January 15th birthday and became a federal holiday in 1986 after a long campaign.…
ADHD can make it harder for kids to focus, finish work, and interact with others in school. This can affect how they learn and build friendships. According to the CDC, about 7 million children in the U.S. between ages 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD. While these challenges can feel overwhelming, the right strategies and support can help students with ADHD focus in school and succeed in life. Here are some learning strategies…
Every year, librarians and staff at The New York Public Library select noteworthy new kids books for readers and recommend them as their Best Books of the Year. Here are some of their recommendations for kids books in 2025. 1. Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi; illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel. Amina is eager to make friends after moving to Indiana from Syria. She’s sure her formula will lead to success,…
It’s been more than a year since ChatGPT’s ability to produce astonishingly humanlike writing sparked fundamental questions about the role of artificial intelligence in K-12 education. Most school districts are still stuck in neutral, trying to figure out the way forward on issues such as plagiarism, data privacy, and ethical use of AI tools by students and educators. Glenn Kleiman, a member of the advisory committees for the TeachAI initiative and the Consortium for School…
Chronic absenteeism skyrocketed during the pandemic, creating major challenges for teachers and school administrators eager to bring students back to regular classroom routines. But for many schools, elevated levels of chronic absenteeism have persisted well past the reopening of school buildings, and schools across America are continuing their work to reduce the amount of missed class time and address its far-reaching consequences. Chronic absenteeism has been associated with a slew of problems, including lower reading…
Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) are conditions that are characterized by a sudden and severe onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or restrictive eating disorder in children before puberty. PANS and PANDAS are also often associated with noticeable changes in mood, behavior, and sensory and motor function in children. PANS may be triggered by various infections, immune system issues, or environmental factors. PANDAS is a subtype…
There are many January activities for families to enjoy in the Boston area this year. Check out our list of January activities and events happening in the Boston area. Wayland Winter Farmers Market Thu, January 1, 2026 – Sun, March 15, 2026 The Market takes place weekly on winter Saturdays. The market is located in the greenhouses at Russell’s. More than 100 vendors will attend over the course of our 10-week season. Paint On Stage!…
There’s no doubt that more and more kids are getting cell phones. According to a study by Common Sense Media, nearly nine in 10 teens aged 13-18 own a smartphone; and 23% of kids own a smartphone by age 8. While cell phones provide convenience, they can be a huge distraction to kids, which leaves many folks wondering: should cell phones be allowed in school? There’s a case to be made both for why phones…
While there is broad consensus among education and technology experts that students will need to be AI literate by the time they enter the workforce, when and how, exactly, students should be introduced to this tech is less prescribed. That leaves teachers with the difficult task today of determining when it is age-appropriate to introduce students to artificially intelligent technologies, and they’re largely doing it without a road map. There is no avoiding AI; whether…
Many children with ADHD have a sense that they’re somehow different from their peers, even if they don’t have a diagnosis. These children are right; they are different — and that can be both a great thing and a source of challenges. Some children have a harder time bouncing back from failures, criticism, and rejections than others. Children with rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) may start to fear that others are harboring resentment for them or…
