| Being a parent of a school aged child | | | | 2007. This class helps parents organize |
| has never been an easy task. And with | | | | their finances and deal head-on with |
| all the choices facing young people | | | | issues like credit cards. It also |
| these days, the job is getting even | | | | provides a forum for parents to discuss |
| harder. But a new program run by Miami | | | | all of the expenses associated with |
| Schools is trying to alleviate some of | | | | sending a child or children to Miami |
| the burden on parents with a number of | | | | Schools. And there are a lot. |
| programs designed to keep parents | | | | One popular class is child discipline. |
| informed on some of the most important | | | | Meeting with other parents is a great |
| issues facing young people in the Miami | | | | way to just chat about strategies that |
| Schools. | | | | have worked (and some that haven't) when |
| Parent Academy in Miami Schools | | | | dealing with children. And we all know |
| The Miami-Dade Public County School | | | | what an issue school discipline has been |
| system runs a year-round "Academy" to | | | | in Miami Schools in the last few years. |
| inform and assist the parents of | | | | Being able to deal with issues at home |
| students in Miami Schools and other | | | | may take some of the burden off the |
| schools in the county. There is no | | | | already over-worked teachers. |
| formal campus. Instead classes and | | | | But the Parent Academy of Miami Schools |
| courses are held in businesses, | | | | is not all work and no play. In fact |
| libraries, on-line, and in some public | | | | they just hosted a big family fun day. |
| Miami Schools. Classes are informal in | | | | There was story-telling and |
| nature, but don't let that fool you. | | | | face-painting, a lot of water games, and |
| Parents learn quite a bit while still | | | | plenty of great food. Similar activities |
| having a lot of fun. And best of all, | | | | are hosted all the time on a smaller |
| Miami Dade Public Schools doesn't charge | | | | scale. If you check the calendar found |
| a fee of any kind. | | | | on the Miami Schools web site, you will |
| The classes hosted by the Academy of | | | | find a few story days hosted by Barnes |
| Miami Schools vary greatly. For | | | | and Noble coming up. And it's just about |
| instance, many parents have taken a | | | | time for the Back to School Resource |
| financial management course offered in | | | | Fair. |