�鶹������ý

In an economic climate where many families are literally counting pennies to make ends meet, a higher price on anything is rarely good news. For some parents, increases on school lunch costs across the country are putting yet another crimp in budgets that are already stretched about as tight as they can get. However, higher prices are just what many schools are introducing this year, as legislation that passed the White House last year goes into effect for this academic school year. The good news is that along with those higher prices come healthier menu selections that promise to keep kids in top learning condition throughout the school day.

The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010

Many of the price increases seen in school cafeterias this year can be attributed to the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 that was signed into law by President Obama last December. This act, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, takes a number of steps to ensure school-age children get the proper nutrition and that families that cannot afford school lunches receive federal assistance in this area. According to the USDA Food and Nutrition website, the programs impacted by the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act include:

• National School Lunch Program
• School Breakfast Program
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• Summer Food Service Program
• Child and Adult Care Food Service Program

While people across the country stand to benefit from one or many of these programs, the

For many families nationwide, Labor Day marks the end of summer – and the start of a new school year. Heading back to school can inspire many emotions from kids and parents alike, from anxiety over meeting new students and teachers to excitement over purchasing new supplies and clothing. While every family approaches the back-to-school process a bit differently, there is a common thread running through nearly every household in the nation this time of year – a flurry of activity that can sometimes be difficult to manage. The good news is that parents and children can take plenty of positive steps to make the transition back to school much smoother.

Stock Up on Supplies

Back-to-school shopping means much more than stocking up on a few pencils and a ream of notebook paper. Most parents engulf themselves in a task that involves purchasing new clothing, checking items off the school supply list from school, and scouring the sales for the best deals. The following shopping tips will make the entire process much more efficient overall.

School Clothes

Organized Home recommends planning before shopping to make the actual trips to the store as fast, easy, and budget-friendly as possible. Begin by assessing each child's current clothing situation to determine what school clothing needs to be purchased. Get rid of all the clothing that no longer fits or is torn or stained beyond repair. Toss what can be reused, donate the rest, or stage your garage sale to make a

As technology takes a bigger place in the professional and personal world today, it is also finding its way into more and more public classrooms across the country. From laptops to iPads, students are learning to incorporate technology into the learning process to enhance their educational experience overall. This trend does not show any signs of slowing; in fact, school districts nationwide are finding more money in already tight budgets to equip classrooms with all the gadgetry they need to bring their students effectively into the 21^st century. This article will take a look at exactly how technology is finding a place in the public school classroom today.

Online Textbooks Replacing Traditional Books

Online textbooks do not get lost or stolen, they don’t take up space in a locker or backpack, and they provide a wealth of additional resources - all with a single click of the mouse. It is no wonder that online textbooks are fast replacing traditional books today. A report in the announced a pilot program in Fairfax County Schools to provide online social studies books for all high school and middle school students this year. To access the online books, students will be encouraged to bring their own laptops to school. Those that don’t have their own computers will be provided one by the district.

The schools are also working to ensure students will

Virtual learning may seem like a relatively new concept in the world of education, but distance learning via correspondence schools and other sources has actually been around for centuries. Virtual schools offer students the ability to get at least a portion of their education online, from the comfort of home. Some students even enroll in virtual schools full time, graduating without ever setting foot in a brick-and-mortar classroom! We’ll take a look at how the virtual school has evolved, what the benefits might be, and some areas of the country that are now actively promoting their virtual schools for struggling and overachieving students alike.

What is Virtual School?

According to , virtual learning involves the use of computers and the Internet to create a classroom environment right at home. The core components of a successful virtual learning experience include:

• Curriculum mapping that breaks curriculum down into assessable segments
• The ability to track student progress
• Sufficient online support for both students and faculty
• Access to electronic communication like email, online chat, and video conferencing
• Links via the Internet to outside resources that enhance the learning experience

When all of these components are included in the virtual learning environment, virtual schools can be just as effective, if not more so, than the traditional classroom for many students today. Virtual schools are available on both the public and private school levels, so parents can often search out the best online learning environment for their child’s unique needs and abilities.

The Benefits

Vaccinations have become a common way for parents and health care professionals to protect children from contracting potentially dangerous illnesses. Shots that prevent measles, mumps and even chicken pox have become commonplace in most pediatrician’s offices and health centers today. While the immunizations have dramatically reduced the incidence of many of these diseases, some are making a reappearance at a rather alarming rate. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been spreading by nearly epidemic proportions in some areas of the country, prompting public health officials to crack down on immunization requirements for children in public schools.

What is Pertussis?

According to , pertussis is a very contagious bacterial illness that results in a violent cough that can make it difficult to breathe. Patients who contract the cough make a wheezing or “whooping” noise during the coughing spells when they try to catch their breath, which is why the illness is also referred to as whooping cough. The disease can affect people of all ages and is particularly dangerous to infants. There is no cure for pertussis, and a bout of the illness usually runs about six weeks. During that time, the patient can infect numerous others, which is why the vaccination was originally developed and is now widely used.

Making a Return

While the vaccination had made pertussis all but disappear for many years, the illness appears to be on the rise once again. Schools across the country are seeing an increased incidence