Many school districts, and many parents, say they don’t want classrooms to close again, but can American public schools really handle omicron? Several major school systems have said they would not shift districtwide to remote learning, or would do so only if forced to by public health officials. But the looming Omicron wave could challenge the rickety infrastructure that has kept schools running this year. Some classrooms are closing temporarily, as more people test positive…
We’re used to summers filled with barbecues with friends, pool parties, and sightseeing vacations, but the coronavirus pandemic changes things. Despite the disappointment of canceled concerts, events, cruises, and camps, it is still possible to have a fun summer as a family–and more importantly, stay safe while doing so. Here are some at-home activities to replace those that might be taking a hiatus this summer. Swimming Alternatives 1. Use a lawn sprinkler. Provided you have yard…
Summer is a time for play and rest, family time and adventures. But there’s compelling research to show that kids forget a lot of what they learned during the school year if they don’t have opportunities to continue reading, using their mathematical thinking skills, and exploring the world around them. It’s also been well-documented that the gaps between kids from high and low socioeconomic statuses grow over the summer. There are plenty of low-cost ways…
When Jessyka Bagdon set out to offer her tap dancing classes as online extracurriculars, big questions started popping up right away: what about kids who don’t own their own tap shoes? How do you tap dance at home without ruining the floor? Then came the really big challenge. Online programs like Zoom are designed for meetings, not dance classes. “They’re made to pick up voices,” she explains, not the clickety clack of tap-dancing shoes. “So…
In a typical summer, more than 14 million campers and staff attend overnight and day camps in the United States. But summer 2020 will be far from typical. To prepare for that, the nation’s largest summer camp associations, the American Camp Association and the YMCA of the USA, have released a field guide for how summer camps can operate more safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The 82-page guide, prepared by a private consulting firm, offers…
Summer is coming to an end, so it’s time for your child to practice getting back into a routine for school. Getting back into a new routine is so hard for so many, but practice makes perfect. Starting the school year off on the right foot leads to good grades during the semester. The hardest part is getting back into a routine, especially if they were used to sleeping in all summer. They should be…
In our Summer Reading Series for 2019, we will be featuring the summer reading programs of public libraries in different towns from all over Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Let’s take a look at the Plymouth Public Library’s summer programming. The Plymouth Public Library is blasting off with “A Universe of Stories,” a summer-long celebration of science, adventure, and storytelling! They will have programs that are sure to excite people of all ages, including robotics…
In our Summer Reading Series for 2019, we will be featuring the summer reading programs of public libraries in different towns from all over Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Let’s take a look at the Provincetown Public Library’s summer programming. The Provincetown Public Library has so many fun-filled events planned for the summer that you won’t want to miss! P.I.E Story Theater – 3:00 pm Saturday, July 13, 20, 27; Saturday, August 10 Wellfleet Harbor Actors…
In our Summer Reading Series for 2019, we will be featuring the summer reading programs of public libraries in different towns from all over Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Let’s take a look at the Springfield Library’s Summer Reading Program. The Springfield Library’s summer reading program runs from June 17th to August 17th. Every day that a person (all ages are welcome to participate!) reads for at least 20 minutes, they can check a box…
In our Summer Reading Series for 2019, we will be featuring the summer reading programs of public libraries in different towns from all over Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Let’s take a look at the Woburn Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, A Universe of Stories. The Woburn Public Library’s Summer Reading Program is for infants through elementary students–all are invited to participate! The program runs from June 17th through August 16th. Keep track of your…
