JAK CHAT

Sponsored by Wisconsin Virtual Academy  A tuition-free, online public school option for grades K-12 When students are inspired to learn, they grow more curious. Curiosity, in turn, leads to passionate interests. And those interests soon blossom into full potential—and an exciting future. We’re ready to put this goal in sight for your child. Because it’s amazing what can happen when you’re free to learn. Read more... As a full-time, tuition-free, online public school authorized by McFarland School District for grades K–12, Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA) lets students learn in the ways that are right for them. We combine the research-based, award-winning curriculum from K 12 — America’s K–12 online education leader—with expert teachers and extensive support to provide an outstanding education that meets or exceeds state standards. The key is our individualized approach, which makes the most of each child’s potential. In K–8, students can set the pace to their learning day, guided by hi...

Snow Day: Little Man by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann He's my son. He's my youngest child. And he's alive and healthy...thank God!  I can attribute the fact that he was able to snuggle up on the couch with our puppy on Wednesday's snow day to his bus driver. Only a week ago, his life was nearly wiped out  Read More...  by a driver who flew through our bus stop, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that there was a big yellow vehicle stopped with flashing lights and stop sign, and a group of little people enroute to board, like any other school day at 8:30am. I remember I was a bit miffed at my 10 year old daughter for her deliquency in turning in a project and I was chatting with another parent who was sitting in her van discussing that fact (her son is in the same grade/had the same project).  I saw the bus approach with lights triggered prior to the bus making the full stop and I acknowledged to the kids that it was time to move toward the bus. Casually...

Why is my Child Spooning Beans?                           The Importance of a Montessori Education Sponsored by Small World Montessori At first glance, a Montessori classroom is not like that of any other.  Upon entering you may find a child spooning beans between 2 dishes, another working with a map of South America, or playing the bells by scale.  These are just a few of the unique activities in a Montessori classroom. We offer a homelike environment in which we approach education of the "whole child" through hands on, self-directed activities. How is it possible that children are working independently at their own activities?   Read More... The environment is carefully staged with progressively difficult, self-correcting materials, and most instruction is delivered one on one. Our extensive curriculum spans from 2 1/2 through 6 years old.  The mixed age classroom allows the child to work at her own pace and since instruction is individual, no child is left behind or forced...

Hot Lunch Just Got Another Helping Of Veggies by JAK guest blogger, Toby Mueller, of Raymond  Today is Registration Day for our girls at the local school. One is going into 1st grade and the other into 4k. I am not sure who is more excited for the coming school year, them or me. Getting them signed up went surprisingly quick. I got all the information that I needed and paid my fees (don’t get me started about that). The only thing I needed to do was to get hot lunch information and the September menu. I have to say that I don’t have a good track record with the lunch ladies. READ MORE...   Last year, I regularly forgot to keep my daughters account in the black. I even got a letter stating that if I didn’t pay soon, they would not allow Katie to eat hot lunch. And on top of that, I also forgot milk money when she took a lunch from home. So when I was face to face with the lunch ladies, I was expecting a scolding. What I got instead was a Michele Obama scolding that will last all school ...

A Mom's Life It's May!  Need I say more? Well, let's see...it's about 9:15pm and tonight was Art Fair night.  Where were you?  School's ice cream social? Band concert? The sports banquet? It's a phenomenon that occurs every spring.  It's called the month of May, or as I have been accustomed to calling it May-hem. Describe your life too? I guess it's no coincidence that Mother's Day is scheduled this month.  We have to all stop, celebrate, and salute moms, right in the middle of her most craziest month out of the whole year (it might be in a dead tie with September).  Now for those of you with preschool children you are probably wondering, what the heck is all of the fuss?  Let me forewarn you... Got kids? May will hit you like a ton of bricks when they are in school, in sports, in extra-curriculars. Looking and chatting  with a lot of moms tonight, most of us are in a daze. Some had multiple events to attend tonight. And some families had to split.  ...

7 yrs pt 2 by JAK's guest mom blogger from Caledonia, Beth Gilmore Today is your opportunity to be courageous and choose the priorities in life that are most important to you.  Today is your chance to take the things that are most important that have been coming in last and put them first. In order to do this, you have to first be able to view your life with your eyes wide open.  It was because of a fluke that that a bright, revealing light was shone on my life.  I was forced to stay home for an entire week last month.  I was told by doctors to cancel all appointments and stay “quarantined” until the results of my TB test came back.  I had been exposed a few months prior and had just gotten the news.  Read more... Stuck at home, I worked with my daughter Anna on her school assignments morning and night.  Usually, she was on her own with her work.  I would give her some guidance and check it once I got home from my job, but all in all, it was her responsibility to get it done.  My a...