58 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • AUGUST 2021
BACK TO SCHOOL
CHARTER SCHOOLS
A CONSIDERABLE OPTION
After the 2020-2021 School Year,
How Can You Help Children Love to Learn Again?
We all know how hard last school year
was, but it’s time for a new chapter and a
fresh start. How can you help your child
enjoy learning once again and minimize
any back-to-school dread that might
already be creeping into their minds?
Here are several tips:
Ask them what they like learning about.
We’ve all been in survival mode the last
year, but that’s no way to generate interest
when it comes to learning. Talk with your
child about what gets them excited and
happy to learn. Expose them to different
ideas and experiences. Ask their opinion
about things. Find subtle ways every day
to remind them that learning isn’t just
about school and textbooks.
Bring back the fun. As you wind down
summer break, mix fun things with
learning. If you have a younger child,
try games, scavenger hunts, fun math
websites or daily writing activities that
are a little silly. If your child is older, read
books and watch books-turned-movies
or documentaries together, get artsy or
encourage your child to continue that
summer project into fall (think planting
a few herbs and spices in pots that can
come indoors, creating a cookbook or
taking up photography). Help your child
to find balance between the have-tos and
the want-tos in life (just as you do).
Be a good role model. Like it or not,
children often imitate their parents. So, if
you’ve been stressed and buried in work,
take time to learn something new. Read
an hour a night on the front porch while
the weather is still nice (and better yet,
invite your child to join you). Take a class
on a subject of interest and share some
of what you learn with your child. Don’t
just tell your child to try and learn new
things—do so yourself!
Ease their minds. If last year brought
some unexpected challenges or made
some existing problems worse, make sure
your child hears you say that no problem
is too great to be solved. Reassure them
that next year can be a great one with the
right attitude and a game plan. Focus on
the positive and the parts of school that
your child enjoys most.
Support their emotional needs. Children
have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Lockdowns and fear about safety, virtual
school, countless hours on the computer,
isolation—the list of stressful things goes
on. If you want your child to feel happy
about school again (or at least take a step
in the right direction), you need to make
sure they’re not brushing any emotional
trauma under the rug. Get your child
the help they need to work through any
lingering effects.
Set fun learning goals. We’ve written
much about the importance of goal setting
with your child. Encourage your child to
make learning the goal, and try making
this exercise positive and enjoyable. Has
your child been working to improve in
reading over summer, and if so, what about
a fall reading challenge of any books they
planned to read this summer but didn’t
get to? What other goals are reachable yet
challenging enough to engage and excite
your child?
Lastly, remember that it’s always best to
remind your child to focus on what they
can control. The last year has been filled
with change and uncertainty, and when it
comes to school, your child was probably
left feeling like everything was in flux. Get
back to basics: tell your child that you’re
proud of their effort, persistence and
dedication. When your child works hard,
that effort is likely to show, so make that
your focus instead of striving for As and a
high GPA. It refocuses your child on what
really matters.
If your child’s love of learning has
diminished over the last year or more
and no effort to reignite the spark
seems to help, call Huntington at
1-800 CAN LEARN. We can get to the root
the problem and help your child boost their
confidence as well as their happiness.
ADVERTORIAL
BY SHNIEKA L. JOHNSON
Families weighing their child’s educational
options for prekindergarten,
elementary, middle, and high school
are in the thick of applications, essays,
and assessments or testing.
So, how does one choose the best
option? Begin with the big decision:
public or private. Then, take a look at
the options within your preferred category.
Those looking for an alternative
to public school will also have access to
a host of charter schools.
Charter schools (founded by not-forprofit
boards of trustees) receive
government funding, but unlike public
schools, they operate independently
under a contract (or charter)—an
example of what has been labeled by
some as “public asset privatization”
or contracting out. Since the passing
of the New York Charter Schools Act
of 1998, there has been debate from
government officials and families alike
about whether these schools should be
considered public. According to the
U.S. Department of Education, given
that charter schools are open to all
students and do not charge tuition,
they are categorized right alongside
your area public schools.
Charter schools may not have all the
regulations of a districted school, but
they are accountable for academic results
and upholding promises that the
charter school stemmed from. With
more than 200 charter schools in New
York City, there are tens of thousands
of families who are served by these
institutions, and these schools have
thousands more on their waitlists.
So, why are so many families choosing
charter schools? Many charter schools
have more flexibility in their offerings,
a longer school year, extended daily
hours, and additional programming.
Although every charter is different
(the model, goals and policies may
vary) — overall, they are outperforming
their neighborhood counterparts
on state tests (English language arts
and math).
Many families are drawn by the opportunity
to send their children to
high-performing charter schools. Most
operate through a lottery placement
system due to the demand.
Families in the midst of the school
search should check individual school
websites for listings of tours, open
houses, and application instructions.
Most charter schools operate through a lottery placement system due to the
demand. . (Getty Image)
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