Allison C. Simon, M.S.Ed.
Certified School Guidance Counselor
Holy Family School

Some Helpful Websites for Parents and Guardians

Health

http://www.healthykids.com/ - This site provides the latest health information for you and your family.

http://www.myoptumhealth.com/portal/ - MyOptumHealth offers visitors reliable medical information that is easy to read and understand.
http://www.massresources.org/area_assistance.cfm?pageID=13&MainPage - This site is a free online resource for Massachusetts residents in need of housing, food, health care, and other basic services.
http://72.93.90.84:8080/Laamps/resourceguide.pdf - This link will provide you with a printable and complete mental health resource guide to assist you with locating mental health professionals and other support services in your area.
http://projectinterface.org/ - This site works to increase awareness of mental health issues impacting children and families and to facilitate access to appropriate services. Visit it to learn about anxiety, bullying, depression, divorce, eating disorders, grief/loss, and more.

Homework
http://www.kids.gov/ - Find links to government and other kids' sites - just use the navigation bar above to browse through the site. Explore topics such as careers, government, and money, learn, and have fun!
http://www.brainpop.com/ - BrainPOP creates animated, curriculum-based content that engages students, supports educators, and bolsters achievement.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/students/ - Discovery Education provides engaging digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of increasing student achievement and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning.
http://www.homeworkelephant.co.uk/tipslist.shtml - This site provides hints and tips for students to help them do well on their homework.

Learning Differences

www.adda-sr.org/BehaviorManagementIndex.htm - This site offers tips for children with ADHD. These tips can also be helpful for other students as well.
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/CategoryAll.aspx?section#Articles - This site translates the latest research from multiple disciplines into a framework to help schools, teachers, and parents better understand how children learn and vary in their learning.
LINK - Get the latest information from the official Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder site including understanding AD/HD, finding support, conferences and training, and more.
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm - This site provides information about learning styles and Multiple Intelligence (MI) and is especially helpful for people with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder.

Parenting Tips
http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=327&sl=130&contentid=130 - This site provides information on many different issues including bullying, positive parenting techniques, bereavement, getting ready for high school, and much more.
http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/ - The Tufts University WebGuide is a directory that evaluates, describes and provides links to hundreds of sites containing child development research and practical advice.
http://www.familyeducation.com/home/ - This online consumer network of the world's best learning and information resources is personalized to help parents, teachers, and students of all ages take control of their learning and make it part of their everyday lives.
www.disciplinehelp.com - A behavior management website. This site provides advice for parents and teachers. The best way to navigate is to use the “view all behaviors” button, then select from the list. Each section has a lot of great advice!
www.parentmagic.com - This site has many helpful kits for effective parenting solutions to many problems. The most commonly used is 1-2-3 Magic.
www.myrewardboard.com - This site is helpful to come up with a chore chart and a reward system to use at home. You can just get ideas or subscribe and use their material.

Safety
http://webhost.bridgew.edu/marc/parpub.html - This site offers parents free web resources about bullying and cyber bullying from the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/ResourceServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2954 - The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides information regarding keeping children safer on the Internet.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2814 - This site provides information regarding child safety in general and what the most important things are a parent should tell their children about safety.
www.commonsensemedia.org - This site provides reviews and ratings on books, television shows, movies and more - a great resource for parents!
www.isafe.org - This site has many helpful parts. There is a section for parents called i-Parent Times that gives many helpful hints on how to keep your children safe online.

Transition

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/separation_anxiety.html - This site contains valuable information about separation anxiety including causes, symptoms, signs, and what you can do as a parent.

Suggested Reading

Miriam Adderholdt-Elliott
Perfectionism: What’s Bad about Being Too Good?
Michele Borba, Ed.D.
Don't Give Me That Attitude!: 24 Rude, Selfish, Insensitive Things Kids Do and How to Stop Them
Michele Borba, Ed.D.
No More Misbehavin': 38 Difficult Behaviors and How to Stop Them
Lee Canter
Homework Without Tears
Foster Cline and Jim Fay
Parenting With Love and Logic
Adele Faver and Elaine Mazlish
Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together so You Can Live Too
Arnold Lucius Gesell
The Child from Five to Ten
Edward Hallowell & John Ratey
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood
Robert J. MacKenzie
Setting Limits with Your Strong-Willed Child: Eliminating Conflict by Establishing Clear, Firm, and Respectful Boundaries
Linda Madaras
What's Happening to My Body: Book for Girls (Ages 8 to 15)
Linda Madaras
What's Happening to My Body: Book for Boys (Ages 8 to 15)
John Rosemond
The New Six-Point Plan for Raising Happy, Healthy Children
H. Norman Wright
How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen

Information for Eighth Grade Students:
The High School Application Process

September
- Pick up admissions packets from High School Night
- Call/submit a request for any other packet that you still need
- Begin to think about your high school essay and speak to a teacher or other educator about your ideas
- Check dates for open houses (they are usually provided in packet materials)
October
- Register for High School Placement Exam at the high school of your choice (the deadline is usually October 31)
- Begin filling out applications (pay attention to the school’s deadline date)
- Ask for supplemental recommendations from teachers, coaches, or staff members who know you well
- Study for the High School Placement Exam (you can find practice books at your local bookstore)
- Do not be afraid to contact the high school admissions office with any questions that you have
- Fill out and request transcript form given to you by your homeroom teacher
- Check dates for open houses and ATTEND open houses for October
November
- Finish and mail applications (some have December 1 deadlines)
- Your homeroom teacher will be collecting transcript information and writing the necessary recommendation
- Check dates for open houses and ATTEND open houses for November
December
- Eighth graders will be visiting Cardinal Spellman in Brockton as a group during the school day
- Finish and mail applications with a deadline later than December 1
- Your homeroom teacher will be finishing and mailing the transcripts to the schools you previously selected
- Check dates for open houses and ATTEND open houses for December
January
- Schedule a school day to visit to a potential school, if allowed (call the admissions office)
- High schools mail their acceptance letters on the last business day of the month
February
- Decision time - reserve a seat for ninth grade with a deposit
- If needed, reserve seats at two schools to allow yourself time to make a decision
High Schools in the Area

B.C. High (Parochial, Boys)
Xaverian (Parochial, Boys)
Catholic Memorial (Parochial, Boys)
Notre Dame Academy (Parochial, Girls)
Fontbonne Academy (Parochial, Girls)
Ursuline Academy (Parochial, Girls)
Montrose School (Parochial, Girls)
Cardinal Spellman (Parochial, Co-ed)
Coyle Cassidy (Parochial, Co-ed)
Archbishop Williams (Parochial, Co-ed)
The Newman School (Parochial, Co-ed)
Sacred Heart (Parochial, Co-ed)
South Shore Vocational Tech High School (Public School)
Rockland High School (Public School)
Abington High School (Public School)
East Bridgewater High School (Public School)
Brockton High School (Public School)
Plymouth High School (Public School)
Pembroke High School (Public School)
Hanover High School (Public School)
Whitman-Hanson High School (Public School)

For more information on the high school application process go to:
http://privateschool.about.com/od/admissions/u/admissions.htm