Making Time for Homework- and For Fun! by Jason Isaacs What does your teen enjoy doing when he or she is not doing homework?  I often hear “sports” or “video games.”  What would your teen say if you presented the following challenge, “You know-  you are not spending enough time playing sports?”  Would his jaw [...]

Family fun with Languages Learning a new language can be rewarding for adults and for children but learning as a family can build memories and expand experiences, providing a unifying activity for everyone in the family. Children are natural linguists and research indicates that learning languages at an early age boosts brain activity, stimulating neural [...]

Knoxville L&N STEM Academy celebrates STEM Showcase with 100 Families by CP The Knox County L&N STEM Academy recently celebrated a milestone with over 100 families.  Located in the historic downtown L&N building, a restored train station with elaborate stained glass and 106 year old tile floors, the STEM Academy opened its doors to students [...]

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy – Chattanooga Established with a mission to provide young women with a rigorous college preparatory education focused on match, science and technology the Chattanooga Girls Leadership is the first charter school to be approved by the Hamilton County Board of Education.  The Academy has been serving students since 2006 and entered [...]

Understanding STEM What it Means for Your Child By Tracey Carisch This four-letter acronym has been quite the buzz lately. Everyone seems to be talking about STEM as it relates to education, the economy and our nation’s competiveness in the global marketplace. But the meaning behind the letters isn’t obvious. What impact does it really [...]

The Adolescent Demystified By Thornton Parsons Dealing with the issues of adolescence can be trying for all concerned, but educating teenagers doesn’t have to be as frustrating as trying to nail Jello to a tree. Educators help teenagers accomplish developmental goals, such as increasing responsibility and independence while navigating the tumultuous adolescent years. Zimmerman and [...]

Normal Park Makes Straight-A’s! by CP “Straight A’s are definitely worth celebrating.”  Jill Levine, principal The Normal Park Museum Magnet School received a rare double honor on the Tennessee State Report Card.  Students, teachers, dignitaries and families celebrated with student-made signs, a marching band pep rally and a message to students that hard work does [...]

by Tara Viland. Report Cards are out and, inevitably, there are some surprises.  It seems like only yesterday that I remember that look on my mother’s face.  We don’t have a dog, where is all of the missing homework? Whether the report that came to your home was good or bad homework habits, preparing for [...]

Identity Thieves Target Children At the age of 3, Caitlin’s identity was stolen.  Over the next 14 years, 42 accounts were fraudulently opened in her name, including mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and various other accounts.  By age 17, Caitlin held over $700,000 in debt. A child’s identity is more than 50 times more likely [...]

PEF Teacher Spotlight By “Frances Haman-Prewitt, Communications Director for the Public Education Foundation.” Photo credit: Hunter Middle School Readers’ and Writers’ Workshops In a world filled with electronics and busy schedules, kids just don’t read anymore. But thanks to Readers’ and Writers’ Workshops, students at Hunter Middle School are so eager to read that they’re [...]