Welcome to 2019! I am excited for the opportunities that 2019 brings to each of us. As a school community, we want to see our kids continue to grow and develop into fine young men and women. We here at Wredling enjoy working with you on helping our kids grow!

Two things for today...

Every once in a while I get an angry email about Friday Forecast messages that I send about parenting. I'm always surprised to get these emails because the goal of the FF messages is simple: Being a parent is tough today and here is a resource you might find useful. It is not me telling you how to be a parent, rather I am offering some resources that you might find useful. I am going to continue to send these messages out because they are valuable to many people as we face the challenges of raising an adolescent. If you prefer not to read it, please simply use the scroll button and continue down the page for more information.

And speaking of parenting... this article, The Scary Truth About What's Hurting our Kids tells us clearly that our kids are detaching from each other in serious ways, along with having staggeringly large numbers of kids with anxiety and depression. There is some great data included which demonstrates this.

My advice to you? Reduce your kids' screen time. Keep a close eye on what they are doing online and how long they are spending immersed in technology. Do some research and learn how technology is affecting our kids. And please note, I am not talking about being on screens to do homework- we are talking about social media, gaming, and other technology use. Technology is a great resource, but it is something we must monitor with our kids.

Happy New Year!

Tim

1. On behalf of the St. Charles East High School, the College & Career team would like to say welcome! We look forward to maintaining a partnership with you over the next four years to maximize your academic and post-secondary opportunities. You should have received a copy of this letter with high school placements and course recommendations for your student. We have three links at the top of our Academic Planning page on the College & Career website for our current 8th graders and their parents to use for course selection.
   
   
2. For any interested eighth graders and their parents, the Social Studies Honor Society at East High School is hosting an 'AP Night' to give incoming freshmen more information about the Advanced Placement social studies courses freshmen can take at East. The event will feature the opportunity to hear from parents, students, and teachers regarding the commitment required by AP classes. It will be on Thursday, January 24th, from 7:00-9:00. Enter through the main entrance (door 1). With any questions email neil.currie@d303.org.
   
   
3. Both High Schools will be here on January 24th to help students register for next years courses. East High School will be here on the 25th as well to finish up with any students still needing assistance. Assignment times will be posted in their pods to the meeting.