When Do We Start Letting Our Children Go?

From Joanne Jacobs Blog:

Poll: No unsupervised play for pre-teens

AUGUST 23, 2014 BY JOANNE 8 COMMENTS

Sixty-eight percent of Americans think it should be illegal to let kids 9 and under play unsupervised at a park, according to the new Reason/Rupe poll.
Recently, a South Carolina mother was thrown in jail for dropping off her 9-year-old at a popular playground.
Forty-three percent of those polled said 12-year-olds shouldn’t be outside without a caregiver, writes Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids on Reason. “They would like to criminalize all pre-teenagers playing outside on their own (and, I guess, arrest their no-good parents).”
Sixty-two percent of Americans agreed that “kids today face more threats to their physical safety,” the poll reported.
In reality, the U.S. crime rate is the lowest it’s been in decades, Skenazy writes. Some neighborhoods may be unsafe, but most are just fine.
“I doubt there has ever been a human culture, anywhere, anytime, that underestimates children’s abilities more than we North Americans do today,” says Boston College psychology professor emeritus Peter Gray, author of Free to Learn.

- See more at: http://www.joannejacobs.com/2014/08/poll-no-unsupervised-play-for-pre-teens/#sthash.dBbmrH1V.dpuf
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My grandfather was on his own at 12. Have our children regressed that much in 100 years? 

We rarely have unscripted recess at school. How long has it been since children have had to figure out, and organize, activities for themselves?

How can we produce leaders if we don't allow them to practice leadership during their developmental years? JBV

Rock Hill Schools Update for August 21 #rhsd3

First Day of School

From all indications, the first day of school had few glitches. With the largest transportation system in York County, our school bus transportation complex was the busiest location, trying to ensure that all 13,000+ riders were picked up and then delivered home safely. 

August 22 Northwestern/Byrnes Football Game on ESPNU

District Three Stadium will be the place tomorrow for Friday night football. Two of the most powerful football teams in the state will play—the Northwestern “Trojans” and the Byrnes (Spartanburg) “Rebels.” Kick-off time is 6:00 p.m. and no district-issued passes will be honored due the district’s contract with ESPN which will televise the game “live.” Tickets, at $6, can be purchased in advance in the Northwestern Athletic Dept. Thursday until 4:00 pm and tomorrow until noon.  

School Fundraisers

• Rock Hill High Softball Team – August 23, huge yard sale from 8:00-3:00 in the parking lot. There will be designer clothes, furniture, electronics, etc.
• South Pointe Band of Thunder – August 23, pancake breakfast at Fatz on Herlong from 8:00-10:00 am. Tickets will be $7/adults and $4/children age 11 and under.

Mascot Training

Rock Hill High will offer a mascot training workshop for middle and high school mascots on Saturday, September 6. 

August 25 School Board Meeting

School board work sessions and business meetings are open to the public, and district employees are always welcome to attend. At Monday night’s meeting, elementary students who made perfect PASS scores this past spring will be recognized along with new Teachers of the Year, S.C. Coaches of the Year, Kyle Richardson and Calvin Hudgins, and NHS Resource Officer Scott Eller.

Elaine Baker

Schedule for #Rockhill High School Varsity Football

Click here for a printable copy.

Date	South Pointe	Rock Hill	Northwestern
Friday, August 22, 2014	New Covenant	At Blythewood	Byrnes
Friday, August 29, 2014	At Rock Hill	South Pointe	At Charlotte Catholic
Friday, September 05, 2014	At York	At Chester	Irmo
Friday, September 12, 2014	Vance	Dorman	At Greenwood
Friday, September 19, 2014	At Northwestern	At Sumter	South Pointe
Friday, September 26, 2014	Open	York	At Fort Mill
Friday, October 03, 2014	Union County	At Gaffney	York
Friday, October 10, 2014	Chester (Homecoming)	Clover (Homecoming)	Open
Friday, October 17, 2014	At Lancaster	At Fort Mill	Clover
Friday, October 24, 2014	Broome (Senior Night)	Open	At Nation Ford
Friday, October 31, 2014	At Clinton	At Northwestern	Rock Hill
Friday, November 07, 2014	Playoffs	Nation Ford	At Gaffney

Rock Hill After School Help Needed #rockhill

After School Program Teacher and tutor slots remain open at India Hook Elementary and Sullivan Middle School - times are from 2:30 - 5:00 for India Hook and 3:30 -6:15 at Sullivan.

Certified Teachers needed as well as tutor positions - send resume and contact for pay rate
MUST BE CREATIVE, COMMITTED and CARING!!! Attached are the skills required:

Knowledge & Skills Required

·         Experience in general needs and behavior of students

·         Know how to teach basic mathematical concepts, English, spelling, grammar and punctuation

·         Experience in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with adults and students

·         Understand and carry out oral and written directions with ability to communicate clearly and concisely.

·         Familiar with students from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds

·         Experience in working independently and productively with children in grades K through six and or Middle School students.

·         Show initiative when working with children using various materials, adjusting materials to meet the individual needs of students.

·         Ability to analyze problems and adjust activities as appropriate.

 

Essential Duties

·         Tutoring students in 1-on-1 and/or small groups

·         Prepare lesson plans to focus on specific academic areas designated by teacher and curriculum maps

·         Assist with integrating core-curriculum concepts into tutoring component

·         Manage groups of students to make efficient use of time

·         Consult with Site Coordinator on academic assistance components

·         Communicate regularly with school-day teachers and program staff

·         Ensure student safety and school accountability

·         Keep accurate records and collect data on students according to grant requirements

·         Attend trainings on core-curriculum concepts and math/reading interventions

·         Attend monthly staff meetings

·         Attend in-service trainings as well as other appropriate trainings according to Professional Development Plan.

Contact: Kim (910)988-0573 kjsfrog@aol.com

 

Rock Hill Schools Update for August 12 #rhsd3 #rockhill

Superintendent Kelly Pew Announces Goals

Supt. Kelly Pew gave the Rock Hill School Board a glimpse into the goals she’s setting for her administration for the new school year. These include having students reading on grade level by the third grade; a balanced budget for 2015-16; improvement in PASS science scores; and improvement in U.S. History end-of-course tests.

Dr. Pew will formally present her goals to the board in September.

Northwestern Coach Calvin Hudgins Receives Top Honor

Congratulations to Calvin Hudgins, the Northwestern High School Boys’ and Girls’ Head Cross Country and Track Coach on his selection Monday night by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Assn. as the S.C. Coach of the Year. Coach Hudgins’ teams have experienced great success over the years, including winning the S.C. Track and Field state championship this past spring.

Kevin Hood is the new Assistant Principal  at India Hook

Kevin Hood, a former assistant principal at Castle Heights Middle School (1999-2005), was approved by the school board last night as the assistant principal at India Hook Elementary. Kevin is returning to the district after serving as principal of Hunter Elementary School in York from 2005-2014.

Walmart Offers Discount to Teachers

Walmart stores are offering a 10% discount off school supplies to teachers. Click here for details.

Elaine Baker

Director, Information Services

Rock Hill High Receives National Award #gorhbearcast #rhsd3

SC Department of Employment and Workforce
Media Contact:
Adrienne Fairwell
(803) 737-2623
afairwell@dew.sc.gov
For Immediate Release
Aug. 5, 2014

S.C. High School Workforce Readiness Program Bests National Standards, Receives Top Awards
COLUMBIA—Nearly all high school seniors who participated in Jobs for America’s Graduates-SC (JAG-SC) received a diploma this year.

The program posted a 92.2 percent graduation rate, which is more than 2 percent higher than the
national standard. The extended graduation rate, which is measured after a one-year follow-up period,
was 95.5 percent.

Coordinated by the SC Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW), JAG-SC is a high school
dropout prevention program focused on academic success and career readiness skills. Currently in its
ninth year, it has served more than 7,000 students.

“JAG-SC has consistently delivered proven results in increasing graduation rates and helping our
students begin successful lives after high school,” said DEW Executive Director Cheryl M. Stanton. “The
recent outcome data demonstrates that this meaningful program not only prepares our young people
for the future, but it also provides a trained workforce to our businesses.” With the help of a dedicated career specialist at each participating school, JAG-SC students work on skills
identified by businesses as essential to successful employment.

JAG-SC graduates of the class of 2013 exceeded all national standards, according to outcomes released
at the organization’s national conference this month. This marks the fourth consecutive year the state
program has achieved this feat. Almost 92 percent of last year’s JAG-SC graduates attended college,
enlisted in the military or accepted full or part-time jobs, a result well above the national organization’s
standard of 80 percent.

Also, the state program along with nine individual high schools achieved the prestigious “five of five”
award, meaning the met or exceeded all standards during the 2013-2014 school year. The individual
schools are:
 Chester High
 Clinton High
 Lake Marion High in Santee McCormick High
 Rock Hill High
 South Florence High
 Swansea High
 West Florence High
 Woodmont High in Piedmont

#RHSD3 News for August 5, 2014 #rockhill

Countdown to Kindergarten

For parents who will have a child attending kindergarten this year, the Main Street Children’s Museum in downtown Rock Hill is the place to be this Thursday, August 7, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The 11th Annual Countdown to Kindergarten will be held, and there will lots of fun things for families to do. A number of agencies will be on hand to share information about available educational, health, and community resources. 

District “Hotline”

Parents who need general information about the opening of school, such as bus routes, the cost of meals, and school beginning and ending times, can call the district’s hotline weekdays between August 18-25: 803- 980-2016.

 Chris Smith Coaches International Champions

The United States Youth Fly Fishing Team competed in the 2014 World Fly Fishing championship in the Norway Sacz district of Poland July 27-August 1. Team USA took Team Gold and claimed five of the top seven individual positions. Assistant Coach Chris Smith, from Rock Hill Schools, is next to Head Coach Paul Bourcq in the  photo.

 India Hook Teacher to Present at State Conference

Congratulations to Tonya Janicke, a fourth-grade teacher at India Hook, who’s been invited to be a presenter at the 2014 Social Studies Conference in October. Tonya will share the ins and outs of the nine-week-long, replica Runaway Slave Quilt project her students created this past spring.

Books, Games Needed for Wounded Warrior Project

Heidi Aradas, a special education shadow assistant at Dutchman Creek, has joined Faith Hunter, a New York best-selling author, in collecting items for wounded soldiers who are hospitalized in D.C. Items include new or gently used books for adults, young adults or children (fiction, nonfiction, any genre but history books are popular), games like UNO or Scrabble. Heidi will be accept donations at her home at 730 Eden Terrace in Rock Hill. (Put in portico if she’s not home.) And, if anyone would like to include a note of encouragement with their donation, such would be appreciated. Donations will be accepted through August 31.