Dance Extracurricular Options for Kids

Dancing is a fantastic way for your child to express themselves physically while having fun! However, with all of the different types of dance classes that you can sign your child up for, figuring out which class is right can be tricky. The good news is, there’s no wrong pick! All dance classes for kids are a wonderful way to help your child experience exercise in a fun and creative way. Not only will your…

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6 Tips for Student Emotional Wellbeing

Feeling down, anxious, or stressed out? These tips for emotional wellbeing can help. If you are able to change your mindset in small ways, larger changes in your outlook will begin to take shape. Here are some places to start. 1. Pair a chore with a favorite activity. When Katy Milkman started graduate school, her exercise routine went out the window, as all she wanted at the end of a long day of classes was to…

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Child Care Options for Parents

Whether you’re returning to the workforce or looking for an extra pair of hands to help around the house, child care providers can help give you a break. But you may be overwhelmed by the variety of choices, from nannies and au pairs to mother’s helpers and family daycare centers. The good news: Whether you can spend a little or a lot and need full-time care or part-time assistance, there is a provider out there…

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Mental Health-Focused Study Tips

You’ve signed up for classes, you’ve learned your way around the virtual course system — and now, you’ve got to make sure you survive all the way to graduation. Laptop or paper notes? Highlighter or flashcards? And does music help while studying? Here’s how to take better notes and study so that you remember what you’ve learned — without getting crushed by college stress. Plus: what to do if you do feel crushed. There is…

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Sidewalk Math Adds a Playful Element

At first, the provenance of the math problems was a mystery. The chalky, pastel words, numbers and symbols appeared on sidewalks near a small park in San Diego not long after the COVID-19 shutdown began. Families taking walks paused to ponder the patterns. They discussed possible solutions. They took photos to share with others. Within a few days, teacher Traci Jackson, who lives a few blocks away, started receiving messages from friends and neighbors. “Is…

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Empowering Students with Young Adult Literature

Young people give us hope–young people who don’t give up or give in, who have loud voices and the courage to use them to say enough is enough. Young people whose empathy, compassion and sense of justice in the face of violence, oppression and tragedy are humbling. So, too, do books give us hope–they can save lives and change lives. Here are some of our favorite books for empowering students who are leading the charge,…

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Fall Open Houses In Massachusetts

Fall is a great time to explore school options for the 2024-2025 school year! Check out your child’s options at one of these upcoming school open houses. Lesley Ellis School Welcome Wednesday Open House–Arlington, MA October 18, 2023 @ 9:00 am This casual, drop-in open house is open to all grades. Meet the admission director and head of school and see our classrooms in action. British International School Open House–Boston, MA October 18, 2023 @…

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FAFSA Tips: Everything You Need to Know

Here are our best FAFSA tips with everything you need to know about filling out the FAFSA. You should fill out the FAFSA form as soon as possible on or after Oct. 1, but you should definitely fill it out before your earliest FAFSA deadline. Each state and school sets its own deadline, and some are very early. Check deadlines for your state here. It’s important to get a StudentAid.gov account username and password (FSA…

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Exercise Tips for Kids and Teens

It’s no mystery that exercise boosts mental health and cognitive function in kids. A nine-month study of children aged seven through nine found that kids who were active could think more clearly, and a March 2020 report found that 12-, 14-, and 16-year-olds who exercised regularly were less likely to develop depression by age 18. Brain scans of 20-year-olds revealed that active young adults have better recall and thinking ability. The relationship between movement and…

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Student Activism in Modern America

Peaceful, student-led protests and activism have been a powerful force for change throughout American history. In 1925, for example, students at Fisk University staged a 10-week protest to speak out against the school’s president, who didn’t want students starting a chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. In 1940, almost 2,000 students protested after New York University decided to pull a black player from its football roster to accommodate the University of Missouri’s segregationists. And campus-based activism, including…

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