One of the most challenging things that happens on a student’s journey from middle school to high school is based in psychology: as humans, we begin to seek approval from people beyond our parents such as friends in school. Status becomes complicated, and we start to feel pulled in different directions. As students, the ways you studied and approached school up until now, whether now means 9th grade, 10th, or 11th, may not get the same results as before. Or, just maybe, there were patterns in mindset, studying, grades, or test scores that go back many years, but many people tend to focus on what happens in high school as what is most important.

Students, whether you want to hear it or not, your parents are often right in their observations in terms of your study habits, attitude, or mindset. Remember, your parents have a tough job: they are solely responsible for your well-being and in helping you become the best version of yourself — this is the most rewarding and most challenging job on the planet! Yours is tough, too, because while you must honor your parents, you have to become increasingly independent, make your own choices, and sometimes those choices may contradict your parent’s goals or wishes.
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Here are 8 suggestions to reset your relationship as you move into and through high school:

1. Great expectations: Set clear expectations for grades that are based on precedent, quarter by quarter, so that your “team” knows what is expected.
2. Meet weekly: Besides any daily dialogue, meet once per week with the sole purpose of reviewing the week’s assignments and schedule upcoming assignments.
3. Know your roles: Students, your job is to honor your parents and your well being by working hard to be your best, to focus on your studies, to do well. Parents, your job beyond caretaker is to identify necessary resources to help your child succeed, and never falter on proactively solving problems you see.  
4. Advocate: Parents, when necessary, advocate for your child at school, not to get a grade that is not warranted, but for one that is, or for when you are not experiencing a responsible counselor or teacher to help your child succeed.
5. No surprises: Students, share your successes and your struggles, your A’s and your D’s as they come in so that you can, together and without judgment, figure out what to do.
6. Support: Parents, using judgmental words like “lazy,” comparing sibling against sibling, or telling autobiographical stories about your youth tend to be counterproductive. Focus on supporting positive study habits, clear goals, and help manage distractions while incentivizing positive changes. This is the most effective way to get results.
7. Be open: Students, the more you close off your parents, the more every tiny detail of your life will be analyzed, scrutinized, whether understood or not: Why? As parents, we have been caring for our children with more energy, love, time, and compassion than you can fathom at this point in your life, and you are preparing to soon go off to college and be independent. Share more, and you will find your parents are less concerned and will not let their imaginations lead them astray!
8. Family time: Set aside time to just live, and enjoy each other without focusing on school, lessons, or lectures. Recharge, and reset.

Written by F. Tony Di Giacomo, lifelong educator and founder of Novella Prep, an education company providing study skills and college planning to help families and students improve academic outcomes and support college planning for students in grades 6-12. He has 20 years of experience working in admissions, development, teaching, and research at various universities. Prior to launching Novella Prep, Tony worked at the College Board, where he led and managed research on the SAT, PSAT, AP, and other programs. You can reach him at [email protected], watch helpful Youtube videos with tips and strategies, follow on Facebook and Instagram.

​Every mother will agree that raising children is one of life’s biggest rewards and also one of the biggest challenges. When your child is an infant or preschool-aged, it’s likely that you’re the number one decision maker and have control over their lives. As our children get older, we want them to start to show independence and the ability to make decisions, but naturally, this is one of the many bittersweet things about parenting.
 
Whether your first grader is heading to their first sleep-over or your middle-schooler starts getting rides to and from school with a friend’s older sibling, it’s never too early (or late) to talk about safety and how to make smart choices. Here are some things to consider!

Using Seat Belts for a Lifetime 
It probably comes as no surprise that seat belts are still one of the most effective ways to prevent an injury and survive a car accident but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 47% of car accident deaths in 2017 involved unrestrained drivers and passengers.
 
When your child graduates out of a booster seat, it’s important that they continue to buckle up regardless of who’s car they’re riding in. While it might seem weird that there are still people who don’t wear seat belts, your child may be influenced by their peers to skip the seat belt. Remind your teen that even vehicles with airbags require the use of a seat belt. If your car is damaged in an accident you can get seriously injured even with a seat belt. So imagine the potential harm without one.

Be Alert as a Pedestrian 
According to the most recent data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2016, one in every five children under 15 years old (who were killed in traffic accidents) were pedestrians.
 
Children are particularly vulnerable pedestrians because they are often too busy talking with friends, walking and looking at a mobile device, or are just unaware of their surroundings. Many children assume that drivers will see them crossing the street or walking along the curb in a quiet neighborhood, but that’s not always the case.
 
Stress the importance of looking both ways before crossing a street and making eye contact with a driver. Encourage your child to stay out of the street whenever possible and always to stay off their smartphone or mobile device every time they walk across an intersection.

Interacting With Dogs and Other Animals  
It’s not uncommon of all ages to be animal lovers or come across dogs and other animals while playing outside or at a friend’s house. The CDC reports that there are approximately 2,400 dog attacks every day, and more than 50 percent of all bites happen to children. 
 
While many people assume that dog bites come from a strange dog, over 75 percent of dog bites come from a dog the child knows. Teach your child how to interact with dogs safely and that they should always ask to pet a dog or other animals.

Other Things To Discuss 
Every parent has a different plan for talking to kids about safety, making smart choices, and ways to avoid injuries, but here are a few more topics to consider.

• Alcohol and drug use
• Gun safety
• Strangers
• Handling harassment or bullies
• Wearing safety equipment during sports

 
Thinking about your child’s safety can be overwhelming, and it can be challenging to know what to talk about and when to do it, but keep in mind that it’s never too late (or too early) to discuss safety.

 Author Bio:
Donna Fitzgerald is an avid reader and writer. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors journaling, or enjoying time with her two daughters.

Movies under the stars are a summer tradition here in Westchester. Bring a blanket, lawn chair,  some snacks and enjoy the show. Best of all these are free!  Some include additional entertainment prior so it is a great way to make an evening of it. Don't forget the popcorn!
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Outdoor Movie Night at John Jay Homestead- The Princess Bride
John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St, Katonah, NY
 Fri Jun 21st 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Food, wine, beer, and music begin at 7:00. Movie begins at 8:30.

Outdoor Movies in the Park- Larchmont
Memorial Park, 61 Murray Ave, Larchmont, NY

• May 17 - 101 Dalmatians (rain date: May 31)
• June 21 - Freaky Friday (rain date: June 28)
• July 26 - Hotel Transylvania 3 (rain date: August 2)
• September 6 - North by Northwest (rain date: September 13)

Movies start at dusk.

Movies in the Sand at Harbor Island
Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck, NY
Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair and snacks for a night of movie magic under the stars. Children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. 

• Fri, Jane 14- Minions
• Fri, July 26- Finding Nemo (part of the Tiki Invasion event)
• Sat, August 10- Spiderman
• Sat, Sept 14- Incredibles 2

In the event of inclement weather please call the Village of Mamaroneck Recreation department.

Sunset Market- Family Fun & Food Festival and Outdoor Movie Night- Avengers Infinity War
Jefferson Valley Mall, 650 Lee Blvd, Yorktown Heights, NY
Thu Jun 27th 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Entertainment begins at 5:00PM and includes Food Trucks, Farmers Market, Beer Garden, Live Music, Kids Fun Action Area and Various Vendors. The Outdoor Movie, Avengers Infinity War, starts at 8:45PM.

Peekskill Family Movie Nights- select Fridays
Riverfront Green Park, Riverfront Green Park, Peekskill, NY

• June 29 - Mary Poppins Returns 
• July 19 - Spiderman Into the Spiderverse 
• August 9 - House With a Clock in the Wall 
• September 6 - Akeelah and the Bee 

In the event of rain the movie will be rescheduled.

Neighborhood Nights in White Plains- Movies, Music, Magic & More
Various locations

• July 16- Small Foot at 8:15PM, Druss Park, So Lexington Ave, White Plains
• July 17- Small Foot at 8:15PM, Turner Park, So Lake St, White Plains
• July 19- Trolls at 8:15PM, Chatterton Park, Chatterton Ave, White Plains
• July 22- Trolls at 8:15PM, Mattison Park, White Plains
• July 25, Space Jam at 8:00PM, Gardella Park, Ferris Ave, White Plains

Movie Mondays at Ridge Hill
​Ridge Hill, 1 Ridge Hill Boulevard, Yonkers, NY

• July 8 – The Lego Movie 2 
• July 15 – Mary Poppins Returns
• July 22 – The Incredibles 2
• July 29 - Ralph Breaks the Internet 
• August 5 - Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse 

Activities start at 7:00PM and movies begin at sunset.

Movie Night Under the Stars at Andrus on Hudson- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
185 Old Broadway, Hastings-On-Hudson, NY
Wed Jul 10th 6:00pm - 11:00pm, Rain date: Wed July 17
Includes a pre-film picnic, featuring three food trucks and assorted kids' activities. 

• 6:00-8:30PM - Picnic (food available for purchase or B.Y.O.), face painting, games, and more
• 8:30PM - Movie

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Entergy Screenings under the Stars
Kensico Dam Plaza, 1 Bronx River Parkway Rd,, Valhalla, NY

• Fri Jul 12th- Hotel Transylvania 3
• Fri, August 2- How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World

Entertainment begins at 6:00PM and the film starts at sundown. In the event of rain, the movie will be canceled.

Outdoor Family Magic Show And Outdoor Movie in Rye
Rye Town Park And Beach, 95 Dearborn Ave, Rye, NY
Wed Jul 17th 
The family-oriented magic show will start at 7:00PM and run about 45 minutes. The outdoor movie has not been decided yet - stay tuned!

Screening Under the Stars: Yorktown's Outdoor Movie Night & DJ Dance Party
Jack DeVito Veterans Memorial Park Gazebo, Veterans Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY
The Town of Yorktown will host its annual Outdoor Movie at the John “Jack” DeVito Gazebo. Movie begins at sunset. DJ Dance party begins at 7PM.

The road to college is an enduring theme that helps parents and students conceive of the steps toward college (and life) being akin to a road with waypoints along the way. They key to success is knowing which are the waypoints, when parents and students have the ability to go left or right, and knowing what that means. The greatest excellence comes from the aggregate of many small mindful decisions over time, leading to a better informed, better prepared, and thoughtful student.In the following post, you can explore some of the essential steps to consider:

We have more information than ever at our fingertips and understand so much about this world, and yet being a successful student is still challenging and puzzling. For middle school and high school students, parents, and educators, this column will provide you with answers and clarity on what it means to be a successful student today as you navigate The Road to College. 

As parents, we want the best for our children and often equate academic success with setting the foundation for our child’s potential to build toward a successful and fulfilling career. However, many parents may not realize the college-related choices a high school senior has extend far back – sometimes to decisions made many years prior (7th grade!) – ranging from how they study to the rigor of their coursework and the career track they are potentially pursuing. 

The goal of this information is to supplement what the school, community, and family already teach and value, and to help readers gain perspectives, information, and knowledge to help students plan the year, the quarter, and the day. With current industry knowledge and research, readers will have the ability to help students get or stay on a path toward better grades (study skills and course selection), increased test scores (which to take, when to take, and ways to prepare), and preparation for identifying and applying to best-fitting colleges (with a holistic approach considering the whole student). That is, to consider all the factors that matter, from emotional and physical health to trends in admissions or changes in testing, as well as what colleges want and how to channel hard to work to get the best results. 

We know from research that early college planning, when done right, has very powerful and positive results for students. Initially, some students may feel that the thought of college triggers stress, and often the desire is to push starting the process to the spring of junior year. Frequently, adults in students’ lives follow suit. By junior year, however, there is little time for a true exploration of what one may wish to consider as a career path, let alone obtain enough information to choose a major. This could lead to a critical misstep that could adversely affect the prospective college list or later increase the chance of changing majors or transferring schools. Studies conducted by American Institute of Research, a leading education research organization, as well as NYU Steinhardt School of Education, have found early engagement in the college planning process leads to a very positive outcome for most students. Plus, with the high cost of college and importance of graduating in four years, considering a holistic approach to planning can help students connect interests, talents, and skills to the consideration of career paths as a way of identifying the right major and college list. This type of preparation often leads to students’ changing their major in college at a lower rate than the national average of 30%.  

The Road to College can be fun and empowering to students and families, and can cultivate character when done right. This column aims to support that spirit along the way, embracing the path toward the destination as a teachable experience of growth. 

Written by F. Tony Di Giacomo, adapted from his blog on RiverJournal.com. Dr. Di Giacomo is a lifelong educator and founder of Novella Prep, an education company providing study skills and college planning to help families and students improve academic outcomes and support college planning for students in grades 6-12. He has 20 years of experience working in admissions, development, teaching, and research at various universities. Prior to launching Novella Prep, Tony worked at the College Board, where he led and managed research on the SAT, PSAT, AP, and other programs. You can reach him at [email protected], watch helpful Youtube videos with tips and strategies, follow on Facebook and Instagram.