Author Archive for Christie Skelly

Year Round Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween was almost a week ago so we realize it’s a little late to be giving pointers to keep the kids safe this October 31st.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy reared her ugly head and put a damper on the East Coast celebrations.  The devastation was immense so much so that you could say that the dark, cold atmosphere after the storm was as eery as any Halloween should be but not in a fun sort of way.  So although this years tips are a little behind schedule and may not be useful for “Trick or Treating” going from door to door with the kids, they are useful tips for community safety (some more than others.)
  • Adult Supervision – Younger children should always be accompanied by a trusted adult, while “Trick or Treating” – Teach younger children to “Be Smart Play It Safe On Halloween” with this educational safety kit.
  • Stay in a Group – If children are older make sure your children stay with a group if they are not going to be with an adult.
  • Map it Out – Plan out a route around the neighborhood before your children go out “Trick or Treating” be sure to explain to them why it is important to them to stick to the route.
  • Stay Within Well lit Areas – Have your kids trick-or-treat in areas where there are a lot of people around. Tell them to avoid shortcuts through alleys and parking lots.
  • Stick to Friendly Homes – Tell your kids to approach houses with lights on and to avoid homes that are dark. You may want to include avoiding homes with no decorations at all.
  • Stay Outside – Tell your children they are never to go inside someone’s home, even if they were invited. They can get their candy at the doorstep.
  • Be Visible – Bright costumes can be seen more easily then dark costumes, if your child is wearing a dark costume make sure they wear reflective gear. Make sure your children carry a glow stick, bracelet, necklace or a flashlight if they are traveling at night.
  • Check Costumes – Make sure the costume your child decides to wear is comfortable. You don’t want their costume to make it hard for them to move around or too long they can trip.
  • Try to Avoid Masks – If possible instead of masks use makeup. Masks make it harder for children to see and you want them to be alert to their surroundings.
  • Check it First – All candy should be checked over by a parent first before a child eats it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks as if it was tampered with.
  • Avoid Strangers – Make sure to tell your kids to never accept rides or go anywhere with a stranger, tell them to avoid approaching anyone in a vehicle.
  • Obey the law – Make sure your kids understand all the rules for walking around and crossing roads. Children should always cross at corners and at traffic lights where traffic is busier.
  • Have Fun – Most importantly make sure your kids have tons of fun and get a whole bunch of candy!

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Respect For All Week Idea Guide

Bully Free Pledge BannerHold a “Walk Away From Bullies” group walk around the school campus. Have students sign the “Take a Stand Against Bullying” Pledge Banner before the walk. Reward students with a “Take A Stand, Lend A Hand” Tag With Chain to remind them of their pledge.

Let Us Help You Teach Your Children during Fire Safety Week

Teaching Children Fire SafetyTeaching children about fire safety is an important and rewarding experience. Parents around the United States should utilize the themes provided by Fire Safety Week to launch discussions about the proper steps to take in the event of a fire. When your child grasps these imperative concepts, you can reward them with fire safety products from Positive Promotions.

The first fire safety rule children should be taught is that once they have escaped a burning home, never reenter for anything, not even pets. We can replace things, but not lives, and even though we love our pets, human life comes first. Children should be taught not to hide during a house fire. Kids, especially younger ones, may be afraid of firemen and women, who look scary in their masks and protective equipment. A live demonstration by a firefighter is the best way to accomplish this.

Plan a Fire Escape Route: It’s important that each family member understands the best route for escape in the event of an emergency. Each family should have a mapped out plan with a designated meeting place outside away from danger. Only then should 911 be called from a cell phone that is handy, or from a neighbor’s phone.

Teach children to crawl low, on hands and knees, to avoid smoke inhalation. Be sure they understand that smoke inhalation is the number one cause of death from house fires. Young children will connect danger only to flames. Teach them to feel the backs of doors with the back of the hands, not sensitive palms, and to choose an alternate route rather than opening it if it is hot. Familiarize children with “Stop, drop and roll” should clothing catch on fire. This concept, along with low crawling and feeling doors should be role-played.

After children are well-versed in immediate life-saving skills, it is time to work on fire prevention. Teach them to look for fire hazards. Asking them to try to come up with these hazards on their own will really get them engaged. Then list them on a poster or chart paper. Elicit a list similar to the following one.

  • Matches and lighters in children’s reach
  • Unattended candles burning
  • Overloaded outlets
  • Curtains draped near heaters
  • Clothing too close to space heaters
  • Unattended space heaters
  • No fire screen on fireplaces
  • Smoking in bed
  • Dish towels near burners
  • Frayed electrical cords

Lastly, discuss the importance of having a working smoke alarm near each bedroom; always make sure a fresh battery is used. The more you can explain during Fire Prevention Week, the better protected your family will be in the event of an emergency.

Help Children Make Healthy Food Choices As They Start The School Year!

New changes to the USDA’s child nutrition programs mean that healthy meals, especially those offered at school, will look a little different when kids return this fall! Our new Healthy Habits, Healthy Kids product line has the most comprehensive array of educational and health awareness tools to help you promote healthy habits and help kids to reach their full potential. Shop with confidence knowing that our products are developed by experts and reflect the most current USDA standards and other federal guidelines.

Teach the Entire Family Healthy Habits!

A great way to encourage students to eat healthy foods is to get them involved in packing their school lunch! Start off with Kraft Lunch Bags that kids can decorate. Then hand out the My Lunchbox Magnet as a guide to what goes into a healthy lunch. Encourage children to pack the lunch bag by choosing one item from each food group to build a healthy meal.

Turn mealtime into a nutrition lesson! Present parents with the Make Every Plate For Your Family a GreatPlate Pocket Pal to help them with meal planning and the Be Wise About Portion Size E-Z Stick Glancer for tips about appropriate food portions. Hand out the budget-friendly MyPlate Paper Portion Plate to teach children & parents about healthy, balanced meals.

The Busy Family’s Guide To Healthy, Delicious Meals For Less is the perfect tool to help create a healthy family meal that everyone will love! Encourage parents to find the recipes they like. They can use the Healthy Choices Shopping List Pad and Pen Set to make a list of the ingredients to pick up at the store.

My Healthy Lunchbox

Meeting The New School Nutrition Guidelines Just Got Easier With Tools For The Cafeteria & Classroom!

Positive Promotions makes it easy for kids to enjoy a well-balanced meal at school! Designed in accordance with the new USDA nutritional standards, Choosing Healthy Tray products helps students familiarize themselves with good nutrition and helps them fill their school meal tray accordingly. In the classroom, teachers can use the Choose a Healthy Tray tools to reinforce the new school requirements and teach kids to put together a complete meal on their tray. When students get to the cafeteria, the Choose a Healthy Tray displays are a fun reminder for them to fill their tray with the healthy components that make up a reimbursable meal. Following the USDA guidelines, fruits and veggies make up half the tray, while whole grains, lean proteins and/or low-fat or fat-free milk round out the perfect tray each school day!

Choose a Healthy Tray Tool

Teach Children it’s time to MOVE!

The Importance Of Active Lifestyles Launched by First Lady Michelle Obama, LET’S MOVE is an initiative devoted to solving the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. Physical activity, in combination with healthy eating, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Visit Letsmove.gov for more information and use our tools to educate and encourage children to be more active, both in and out of school.

Let's Move

Remind Children to Remain Drug Free during Red Ribbon Week

Drug Free, Red Ribbon WeekRed Ribbon week is a week where teachers, parents and other role models teach children about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, bullying and more. Each year, the week of October 23rd through the 31st is used to enlighten and motivate children to treat themselves and one another with respect.

Red Ribbon week spotlights the healthy habit of choosing to live above the negative influence. Positive Promotions offers a variety of items children can take home as a constant reminder to stay drug free. During the last week of October, we bring awareness to the effects of drug and tobacco use, and how children should act when encountering bullying in their schools or on the Internet.

Children learn to incorporate skills through fun games, educational materials and encouragement from others. This one-week celebration focuses on teaching children how to stand up when they see others being bullied, and demonstrates how they should react when they are offered drugs and cigarettes. Our products with “Drug Free” messages also pronounce, through a variety of materials, how children should act in a hazardous situation. Also, children are empowered to make a promise to stay away and stand against challenging circumstances.

You can make Red Ribbon week a memorable week through the use of messages stamped on wristbands, ribbons, and colorful “paw” dog tags. Our educational kits are perfect to spread the positive message in a classroom setting. In addition, we carry different style bookmarks, bags and wallets from which to choose. These souvenirs extend this week as a daily token of the pledge to stand up against drugs and stop those who bully others.

When children hold and wear these symbols of commitment, they will also encourage other children to take a stand and follow the right path toward a successful future. Our drug-free activity books and candy, respect t-shirts, and awards can be used as prizes for children and adults who win games at your event.

You will be able to promote this special week through colorful attention-getting banners, balloons and posters screaming out drug-free and anti-bully dialogue to spruce up any Red Ribbon event.

College Readiness Idea Guide

Let students know that higher education is within reach by organizing a college fair. Invite representatives from schools throughout your state. Give each attendee a “The Tassel is Worth the Hassle”™ backpack and bookmark.

Create a school atmosphere that promotes graduating and attending college. On the walls, hang posters from “The Tassel Is Worth The Hassle”™ Poster Series. Use brochures from colleges to make bulletin board displays. Also, decorate with college pennants. Advertise college entrance exams with flyers in the hallways, bathrooms, and cafeteria.

Explain that the camouflage is to remind everyone to be a hero in the efforts to prevent bullying and create a respectful school environment. Enter camouflage clad youngsters into a drawing for “Be A Hero” camouflage backpacks.

Academic Awards & Incentives Idea Guide

Designate a display case for recognizing your school’s A-B honor roll students. Hang the list of student names, then decorate the rest of the case with images of things that begin with A or B, such as apples and bumble bees. Present A-B Honor Roll Certificates to the students on your list.

If your school gives out principal’s awards, have a theme for the awards. Choose from the themes available on our laminated tags: “My Principal Thinks I’m PAW-some,” “My Principal Thinks I Rock,” “My Principal Thinks I’m A Star!” and “My Principal Believes In Me!” Show the theme using decorations outside the principal’s office, as well as on bulletin boards.

Make sure that your student of the month program is well publicized. Announce the criteria for the honor and include information about the program in your school’s newsletter. Then feature each winner on your morning announcements. Use a “Student Of The Month” Pencil Pouch Gift Pack to reward this hardworking young person.

As testing time draws near, provide students with a quick reminder of test-taking basics. Grab their attention by recruiting your school’s mascot to help you. (If you don’t have one, borrow the local high school’s mascot.) Ask the mascot to go from classroom to classroom, handing out “Be A SMART Tester” Bookmarks.

What is a good teacher made of?

What makes a good teacher?

In today’s education system, most evaluations of students are standardized.  Whether students perform well on tests like the SATs or graduate on time are largely depending on one influence – teachers.   More than schools and curriculum, teachers matter most.

Take for example two students – same age, same socio-economic status, same reading levels, only thing different is the teacher.  By the end of the year, one student makes huge improvements in their skills while the other remains the same.  Looking at factors, the difference in the end result comes from teaching.  So what makes a teacher effective at taking a struggling student to an academic success?

According to the in-house professor at Teach for America, an organization that places teachers in low-income schools for two years with the hopes of raising academic levels, there are certain traits that great teachers possess.  Here are the traits he has determined to be the most profound with raising children’s test scores:

  • Set big goals for students:   Just getting by is not enough, they want their students to achieve at a high standard.
  • Perpetually looking to improve effectiveness:   They are continually reevaluating their teaching strategy and adjust things that aren’t proving successful.
  • Recruited student and family involvement:  They made the learning process all inclusive.
  • Maintain focus:  They concentrated on making sure everything they did contributed to student learning.
  • Planned:  They strategized exhaustively and purposefully for the next day or the year ahead working backward from the desired outcome.
  • Persistence:  They work relentlessly, refusing to surrender to the combined perils of poverty, bureaucracy, and budgetary shortages.

So back to the example given earlier; what would bring a student down in the ranks up?  The mind-set of the teacher would.  A great teacher will persevere even when faced with challenges in the classroom for their students to succeed.

Teacher & Student

10 Sites for Educational Games

Top 10 sites for Educational Games:

We have the top ten (10) online educational gaming sites for children from kindergarten through 8th grade. Online gaming sites have been proven to be very beneficial learning tools by helping kids learn many of the skills they will need throughout their early childhood education. Learning games can help build confidence in younger children and also enhance the skills needed for success in school. These websites have online kids’ games that allow children to have fun while they learn.

  1. Funbrain– One of the most popular educational gaming sites around. Not only does this site cover a variety of subjects, it also caters to K-8th graders, and has nice teacher resources as well.
  2. Game Classroom– Excellent, safe, teacher-approved, state-standard-aligned games for grades K-6. Also, lots of teacher resources,including videos, lesson plans, worksheets, and more.
  3. Gameaquarium–  Great site for games for kids K-6 in all types of subjects. Videos, eBooks, and teacher resources can be found here as well.
  4. Braineos– Nice site where games are based on flash cards. A registered user can include their own study lists and flash cards in the games.
  5. Tucoola– Wonderful site for skill-building games for younger kids where parents can track their progress.
  6. Tutpup– Cool site for math and spelling games where kids can compete with other kids online. Best of all, this site is COPPA compliant.
  7. BrainNook– Innovative site that allows kids to play educational games for math and English in safe virtual worlds where they interact and compete with other kids. Teachers can sign up their classes via the teacher portal.
  8. Clever Island– Offers fun educational games for kids 3-8 in a variety of subjects such as math, reading, spelling and more.
  9. What2Learn– Excellent site for educational games where a teacher can track students progress through a paid account. Users can create custom-made games as well.
  10. Abcya– Great site for elementary students that covers a wide variety of subjects. Also has educational apps for mobile devices.

Ideas and Benefits For Using USB Drives In School

USB Flash Drive Uses:
  • Award Ceremonies – Many schools buy USB flash drives with their school logo printed  on it and giving them out to all attendees. The USB drives can be pre-loaded with all the award categories and winners. Electronic versions of the award winners add a personal touch and another dimension to the ceremony.
  • Open House – USB drives can be pre-loaded with all school info, events, policies, procedures, performance reports etc. to be handed out to parents during the event.
  • School Shops – Many schools buy in bulk at a discount and then resell the USB flash drives in the school store.  The profits from sales can flow back into the school for student trips or events.
  • Freshmen Fairs – High Schools are giving out pre-loaded USB drives to their incoming freshmen class. The USB drives are pre-loaded with important school information, events, and clubs to join.
  • Welcome Back For Staff – Part of welcome back gift for staff pre-loaded with important school information.
Useful USB Drives Uses in School
Classroom Benefits:
  • Useful for both teachers and students
  • Ideal for transferring files of any format from laptop, desktop, or network computers
  • Much easier to carry around, simple to use, and fast to transfer
  • A convenient storage place for daily lesson plans, presentations etc.
  • An alternative way of providing relevant lesson and materials to students
  • Able to store schoolwork, homework, videos, music, and pictures
  • Able to copy class notes from interactive white boards
  • Good for distribution of licensed software for installation on home computers
  • Handy for sharing large presentations too big for email
  • Helpful for students without a computer at home