It is Spring, and a young man's fancy turns to...standardized exams? Depending on the age of your children, you may be thinking about SOLs or SATs or even GREs. In this issue we remind you of upcoming exams, discuss how globalization impacts the ongoing debate about the SAT, review a documentary about the potential toll on over-achieving kids and remind you that there is more to childhood than taking exams!

 

As a parent of a fourth grader, whose cohort at school has recently discovered the big issues of life such as popularity and cooties, I was searching for a guide book to this new parenting terrain. I discovered this book is frequently assigned as professional reading to middle school staff, and it is a valuable guide book indeed. The authors, a mix of psychologists, workshop leaders and writers, draw on clinical knowledge, classroom observations and the scientific literature, and communicate in a clear and helpful way.

 

I was relieved to discover that there are reasonable explanations for the baffling behaviors we observe in our children and there are answers to hard questions such as "Are kids just 'mean'? Why is it so hard to stop children from excluding one another? Why is it so hard for some children to make friends? What makes other kids so popular? Why is it that some children thrive with a friend or two and don't seem to care about popularity, while for others it is a matter of life and death?" (p. ix)

 

Whether you are interested in how a preschooler learns to share or why dangerous hazing develops in groups of teenagers, you should find a relevant discussion in Best Friends, Worst Enemies.

 

Deb Haynes

• Dr. Perrino has completed a two-year term as Chairman of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. During his term, he focused on three core areas: Expanding and diversifying Chamber membership by reaching out to the Hispanic, Black, Vietnamese, and Asian Chambers of Commerce; developing a partnership with local public school business partnership programs to enable and encourage Chamber members to volunteer in our local public schools; place representatives of Arlington and Fairfax Economic Development staff on the Board of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce to better address regional issues that impact the Greater Falls Church area.
• Dr. Perrino has published two articles: "Matching College Degrees With the Job Market" and "Are Standardized Examinations Serving Us Well?" These articles were published through several online publications, and can also be found on our Articles page. 
• Dr. Perrino recently spoke at the 6^th Annual Special Education Conference, sponsored by the Fairfax County Public Schools Parent Resource Center. The topic of his talk was "What You Need to Know to Succeed in School." Dr. Perrino and his wife, Denise, plan to take this presentation to local public schools and interested parent and civic groups throughout Northern Virginia during the coming year.
• As Director of Education for Faction of Fools Theatre Company, Denise Perrino has been kept busy arranging in-school workshops and Artist-in-Residence programs. She continues to develop theatre-based curriculum. She recently co-presented with Judy Bowns "Bringing Drama to the Core," a program designed to integrate theatre strategies with core subjects, at the American Alliance of Theatre Educators conference at Arena Stage. 
• Dr. Perrino and his wife, Denise, drove to Cleveland, Ohio recently to visit the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" to conduct some "research" for a course Dr. Perrino teaches at Northern Virginia Community College titled "The Sociology of Contemporary Music: From Rock 2 Pop 2 Hip-Hop." 
• Office Manager Deb Haynes took a short leave of absence the week of February 27 to coordinate a temporary hypothermia prevention shelter for the homeless at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Falls Church. The Perrino family pitched in too. Learn more about homelessness in Fairfax County at FACETS or the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership on Ending Homelessness.
• Washington Independent Services for Educational Resources (WISER), of which Dr. Perrino is immediate Past-President, has established a scholarship for high school juniors and seniors with learning challenges. Eligible students must demonstrate their originality and leadership skills through community service. If you know of a worthy student who may benefit from and qualify for this scholarship, please contact WISER at 5765-F, Burke Centre Parkway, Burke, VA 22015-2233 no later than March 31. For additional information and to download the scholarship application, please visit the WISER web page at http://www.wiserdc.com/scholarships.aspx 

We are here to help you and your children. Please do not hesitate to ask if you need our assistance or to simply seek our advice.