Free Refresher courses for third and fourth graders in NJ

See below for Free Refresher courses for third and fourth graders. The church is located in Somerset County, NJ.
Thank you,
Parentspotlight


First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens
www.fbcsomerset.com



PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Contact:
Aug. 17, 2010 Chandra M. Hayslett
FBCLG
(732) 839-2432
(732) 816-4650 cell

FBCLG offers refresher courses for third and fourth graders

Students begin losing content in the first 48 hours of summer vacation

(SOMERSET, NJ) – According to Sylvan Learning Center, loss of content begins within 24 to 48 hours of learning unless new information is reinforced or immediately applied. And after a month, 80 percent of what a student has learned can be lost.

So, with summer vacation being nearly three months, students go back to school struggling to catch up.

First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens is offering refresher courses in math and reading this Saturday and Aug. 28 for third and fourth graders. Third graders’ sessions are from 10-11 a.m. and fourth graders will be taught from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. All of the session are free and open to the public and will take place in the Fellowship Hall at the church, 771 Somerset St., Somerset, NJ. Students must be registered to attend. Please call Victoria Crawford at (732) 828-2009 to register.

“We will test the children to find out where they are and assign them worksheets so they will know what’s expected when they go back to school. I want the children to go back to school ready,” said Victoria Crawford, who works with the youth ministry at the church.

But according to the National Summer Learning Association, research shows that students aren’t going back to school ready.

“Students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer. For students who are already struggling or reading below grade level, this retention gap can be seriously detrimental,” according to the association.
To get parents and students back in the mindset of returning to school, here are some helpful tips by Dr. Richard E. Bavaria, an educator with more than 40 years experience and more than 10 years with Sylvan Learning Center, which offers tutoring and supplemental education services.

Be positive. Show you care by having a positive attitude about the new school year. Talk about your school days, the happy memories (keep the bad ones to yourself, even if they’re now funny), the things you learned, the interests you developed, the friends you made, the teachers you remember fondly, the activities you participated in. You don’t want to make a lecture (or worse, a sermon) about it, so keep the conversation informal.

Set goals. With your child, set realistic goals for what you each want to accomplish this year. Goals should require a bit of a stretch to create a feeling of accomplishment. These goals can range from improved grades to making new friends, from trying out new after-school activities to making the soccer team. Encourage, support, and most important, listen.

Help prepare. When we’re prepared, we feel so much more confident than when we’re just winging it. So, give your child the confidence she needs by helping her prepare for this new adventure. If she’s going to a new school, visit it. Learn where the classrooms are, the bathrooms, the lockers, the cafeteria, and any other places where she’s heading. Get all the materials she’ll need for class. Review the school calendar with her and mark your own kitchen calendar – displayed where everyone can see it – with important dates like report cards, due-dates for projects, PTA meeting, and the like.

Help establish healthy routines. Routines make youngsters feel secure and confident. Reset summer routines for fall ones. Cut way back on TV. Set meal times, study times, homework times, play times, quiet times, bedtimes, wake-up times. Show that you have routines, too, and stick to them. You’re a role model, remember.

First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens (FBCLG) was founded in 1937 by a congregation that embraced the black church tradition and doctrinal style, but today is best understood as a multi-cultural church. Over the years, FBCLG has grown from a handful of members to 7,000. Inspired by its senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr., who has a history of community activism, FBCLG has become a church without walls by reaching out and impacting the community in areas of housing, employment, health care and youth and economic development. The focus of FBCLG is to provide a three-dimensional ministry that nurtures spiritual growth, supports academic excellence and promotes economic empowerment.

Historically Black College Tour- Tri-State area

http://www.hbcu-cfnj.com/Main.asp

Programs for Middlesex Cty NJ residents

Need Income Assistance?


Somerset Community Action Partnership (SCAP)
Isaac L. Dorsey, Executive Director

is partnering with Who Is My Neighbor? Inc. to provide services to certain income eligible residents in Middlesex County.

Persons in Household
Yearly Income for Household
1
$13,000
2
$17,500
3
$22,000
4
$26,500
5
$31,000
6
$35,500
7
$40,000
8
$44,500

If you live in Middlesex County and your family income is no greater than as shown above, you may be eligible for:

· Free summer day camp for children age 8-12 in your household, and/or Leadership day camp for teens age 12-15.

· Cash assistance to prevent eviction, if you have a court eviction notice.

· Utility bill assistance, if you have a shut-off notice.

· Security deposit and rental assistance, if you have overcrowding or similar quality of life concerns.


Call Who Is My Neighbor? Inc. at 732-247-3700
to make an appointment. Located at 19 S. 2nd Ave. Highland Park, NJ 08904

Summer 2008

Summer Camps in Tri-State Area

Still looking for a place for your kids to go this summer? Here are some website resources for summer programs. This is informational and is not an endorsement of any program.

National:
http://www.summercamp.org/CampQuest/sub_sub_start.htmlCampQuest will help you find the best overnight camp for your child, at no cost to you. CampQuest makes it faster and easier to find overnight summer programs of all kinds, including: weight loss and fitness, sports, arts, academics, travel, adventure, special needs, community service


More than 80 percent of the YMCAs offer summer day camps! Most YMCA summer camps are co-ed, but some are just for boys or just for girls. YMCA camping programs vary by location. Ages often range from 7 to 17, with lengths of stay from as short as 3 days, to a week, two weeks, or four weeks. We suggest you visit the Web site links by state listed here, or phone those you may be interested in for specific details.
http://www.ymca.net/find_ymca_camps/

Boys & Girls Clubs Join Us After School & This Summer. http://www.bgca.org/


New Jersey
http://www.internaldrive.com/new-jersey/ tech camps on college campuses.

KidsCamps.com - New Jersey Camps, Summer Camps in New Jersey
New Jersey Camps, Summer Camps in New Jersey at KidsCamps.com - Internet's most comprehensive directory of summer camps, winter camps, and spring break . www.kidscamps.com/kc_dba/owa/kids_home?state=NJ


Summer Camps in New Jersey on the Camp Channel
Search for summer camps located in New Jersey on the Camp Channel. Select from day camps, travel, specialty, and residential summer camps.
www.campchannel.com/New-Jersey/index.shtml


Day Camps in New Jersey
Summer Day Camps in New Jersey, a CampPage Directory ... "We Grow Happy Campers" Co-ed summer day camp in Somerset, NJ, offering a full program.
www.daycamps.net/new_jersey.htm


Princeton Summer Camps Feature :: Princeton Online, Community ...
Princeton, New Jersey: Premier community Web site for Princeton, New Jersey, featuring content ... Princeton Online's Summer Camps and Activities - home
www.princetonol.com/summercamps/

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS-ACTING-DRAMA-THEATER SUMMER CAMP : NJ ...
Acting-Performing Arts-Musical Theater Arts Summer Camp in NJ featuring our Kids On Stage camp and Tween / Teen Specialty Summer Camps. www.njactors.org/summercamp.htm


New York

New York Summer Camps for Boys and Girls
CampPage directory of Summer Camps in New York. ... Each summer, New York Film Academy Summer Camps give hundreds of high school students an unforgettable. www.camppage.com/newyork.htm

New York Summer Camps and Summer Programs - SummerOnCampus.com ...
SummerOnCampus.com describes sports camps, art camps and academic summer programs and summer camps held on New York's college campuses. www.summeroncampus.com/

Summer Camps in New York State and Summer Programs in New York ...
SummerOnCampus.com- summer camp directory for sports, arts, academic summer programs and summer camps in New York, including overnight camps, day camps held. www.summeroncampus.com/main/LocationList.asp

American Camp Association, New York — Accredited Summer Camps, Day ...
The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals and is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults through the camp. www.aca-ny.org/


KidsCamps.com - Summer Camps, Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Sports ...
KidsCamps.com is the Internet’s most comprehensive directory of summer camps, ... Western Association of Independent Camps. New York State Camp Directors. www.kidscamps.com/

SCOPE - Summer Camp Opportunities Provide an Edge: Camperships ...
SCOPE makes summer camp available and affordable to every child by funding accredited, not-for-profit camps with camperships for children in need. www.scope-ny.org/


Oasis Childrens Services - New York Summer Day Camp Programs for ...
Oasis Children's Services creates safe, enriching and accessible youth Sprograms for children including summer day camps and after school programs. www.oasischildren.com/


Film School and Acting School at New York Film Academy
The Film School and Acting School at the New York Film Academy is one of the most ... SUMMER FILM & ACTING CAMPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & TWEENS www.nyfa.com/


Young People's Web Postings Worry Summer Camp Directors - New York ...
Jun 22, 2006 ... Summer camp directors have a new scourge, ... Herb Swanson for The New York Times. Jessica Scott, a counselor, left, and Pam Cobb, www.nytimes.com/2006/06/22/technology/22camp.html

Juneteenth NJ: June 12 Family Day & June 14 Gospel Fest

Juneteenth NJ: Two events, Twice the fun
These events are open to the public.
http://www.juneteenthnj.com/


Youth & Family Fair
Thursday, June 12, 2008, 7 pm
Edison Job Corps Academy(in the Gymnasium)
500 Plainfield Avenue Edison NJ
This event is free.

Featuring:
Iwa L'ewa Heritage Dance Ensemble (African Dancers and Drummers)
Additional Performers: singers, Gospel, rappers
Keynote: Dr. Lenworth Gunther


Gospel Festival:
Saturday, June 14, 2008, 3:00 pm
New Hope Baptist Church
45 Hampton Street
Metuchen, NJ
This event will have an optional love offering.


Juneteenth NJ is a partnership between the National Educational Network Inc. (NENI) the NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch, and the Middlesex Central Baptist Association.
The 2008 Juneteenth NJ program has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts /Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts: through a grant provided by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission / Board of Chosen Freeholders. http://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage/

New Jersey Eighth-Graders Tops in the Nation in Writing

New Jersey Eighth-Graders Tops in the Nation in Writing
New Jersey eighth-graders are the best writers in the nation for their grade level, according to results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests given last winter, Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy announced today.
In their first year taking the writing test, eighth-graders at 111 schools throughout New Jersey scored statistically better than all but one of the 45 states that participated in the writing test, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
“It is gratifying to see such a strong performance by our eighth-grade students,” said Governor Jon S. Corzine. “Effective writing skills are an essential element of competing and being successful in the 21st century economy and I am indeed pleased that the efforts of all of our educators are yielding such positive results.”
While New Jersey’s score was better than Connecticut’s, the difference was not statistically significant. New Jersey’s average scale score was 175, which is higher than the national average of 154. According to 2007 NAEP results, New Jersey eighth-graders performed better than their peers nationwide in the major subgroups tested: male, female, white, black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, eligible for the National Lunch Program and not eligible for the National Lunch Program.
“Dating back to 1985, we have assessed our students’ ability to write as part of the Language Arts Literacy standardized tests,” Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy said. “Every one of our standardized tests contains a written section. None of this happens overnight – these results stem from a continued focus on educational reforms and best practices. Our students understand what is expected of them and in this case, they achieved phenomenal results.
“The NAEP test is the only real national comparison to see how states stack up against one another,” Commissioner Davy continued. “To see these results – to be the best in the nation – is an incredible accomplishment. Our eighth-grade students have demonstrated they have a good foundation upon which they can build continued success.”
New Jersey students typically fare well on the NAEP tests. While NAEP didn’t test fourth-grade in writing in 2007, Gov. Corzine did laud fourth-graders for their success on both the reading and math tests when the results were announced in September:
§ In reading, New Jersey students trailed only Massachusetts and tied with three other states – Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
§ New Jersey fourth-grade math students fared better than students in every state in the nation except Vermont, New Hampshire, Minnesota and Kansas. As in the reading results, only Massachusetts scored higher.
“The findings of this study exemplify our commitment to improving educational attainment in our elementary schools,” Gov. Corzine said in September. “We equate our increases to sound preschool and early childhood education programs in New Jersey. They are providing our youngest students with a solid foundation of basic fundamentals, and the efforts are achieving positive results.” This is the first year New Jersey has participated in the NAEP writing test, which was given in January and February of last year. The score scale for the writing test is from 0 to 300 and is broken into four categories: below basic, basic, proficient and advanced proficient.
Among the key findings announced today:
§ The percentage of total students in New Jersey that performed at or above the proficient level (56 percent) is higher than the national average (31 percent);
§ New Jersey eighth-graders scored better than all states except Connecticut in the following categories: overall score, whites and males;
§ 98 percent of the white students who took the test scored at grade level;
§ Hispanic students scored slightly higher (162) than all other states except Wyoming (153) – according to the NCES, scores of 162 and 153 are not statistically different from one another for the NAEP test; and
§ New Jersey’s students with disabilities average scale score (139) was better than the national average (118), on par with Massachusetts and Connecticut and better than all other states that participated.
African-American students in New Jersey scored comparable to the national average on the test (152 versus 154) and better than the national average for the demographic.
While the majority of the findings are good news for New Jersey, Commissioner Davy said the gap between white and African-American student scores (32 points, which is greater than the national average of 22 points) needs to be addressed.
“While our African-American students scored on par with the national average, there is still work to be done,” the Commissioner said. “DOE has already implemented a Middle Schools to Watch program that will share best practices statewide. Also, through our new state monitoring system, we continue to pinpoint what is working and what isn’t. We are confident we will see improvement.”
The writing NAEP assessment is administered every four years at randomly selected schools. The writing test is voluntary. This year, Alaska, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota and the District of Columbia chose not to participate.
NAEP does not provide scores for individual students or schools, but offers results regarding instructional experiences, school environment for populations of students (for example, fourth-graders and eighth-graders) and subgroups of those populations (for example, male students, students with disabilities).
For more information, please contact the Department of Education Public Information Office at (609) 292-1126.

'Cyber Bullying Workshop For Families'

NJSACC Afterschool FLASH has posted a new item, 'Cyber Bullying Workshop For Families'
Is your afterschool program located in one of the following counties:
Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, Union, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean.
A free workshop is available to your program for families.

Amerigroup Community Care, a New Jersey Family Care health plan, is proud to offer a Cyber bullying workshop, geared specifically to parents and educators.

Learn the "Three R's of Bullying" [...] You may view the full description at
http://www.njsacc.org/wordpress/?p=493

Contact Nancy Voltz, Account Manager of Schools, by emailnvoltz@amerigroupcorp.com or phone toset up a workshop.
Nancy Voltz Account Manager of Schools AMERIGROUP Community Care 877-453-4080 x6620
6399 Thornall Avenue, 9th FloorEdison, NJ 08837

Workshop: Black Parenting in the 21st century

Fyi:

Jay Jefferson Cooke of The Courier News joins Rev. Dr. Shirley B. Cathie of Plainfield’s Community Church of Christ in a rousing session on issues of Black Parenting in the 21st century, Thursday evening, December 20th at 6:30 P.M. at Plainfield Public Library.

Jay Jefferson Cooke has recently written some thought provoking editorials that deal directly with childhood development and critical issues that impact on proper development. Paying special attention to children and youth of the Black community, Jay Jefferson Cooke gives a sound commentary on issues that are often overlooked in the growth of our children.

Rev. Dr. Shirley B. Cathie is Plainfield’s foremost educator, who is pastor emeritus of Community Church of Christ, retired teacher and former member of Plainfield’s Board of education. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that highlight the pitfalls and the joys of the awesome journey of raising Black children in a multicultural society.

Presented by Plainfield’s NubianUnion nonprofit collaborative, Rev. Dr. Cathie and Jay Jefferson Cooke promise an informative evening of critical foundations and interactive conversation that will surely lead to positive child rearing, development and the impact on the Black community.

Plainfield Public Library offers ample parking space on its 9th Street side. All sessions begin at 6:30 P.M. and end at 8:30.


For more information:
822 Madison Avenue Unity Missionary Investors, Inc.
Plainfield, New Jersey 07060 Henry C. Rawls, President
The Nubian Cultural Center
908.315.3663 nubianunion@yahoo.com
fax: 908.315.3925

The Black Holocaust Series

Teen Pregnancy an Issue in NJ

Did you know the following about Teen Pregnancy?
Highest Black Teen Pregnancy in NJ: Among black teenagers aged 15–19, pregnancy rates were highest in New Jersey (209 per 1,000) source: Guttmacher 2006 report

• High incidence of unwanted pregnancy / abortion in NJ: Teenage abortion rates were highest in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Nevada and California. Fifty percent or more of teenage pregnancies end in abortion in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. (2006 report from Guttmacher)

Inadequate pre-natal care: About 1/3 of pregnant teens receive inadequate prenatal care; babies born to young mothers are more likely to be low-birth-weight, to have childhood health problems and to be hospitalized than are those born to older mothers. Teens who give birth are much more likely to come from poor or low-income families (83%) than are teens who have abortions (61%) or teens in general (38%).

Highest Black Teen Pregnancy in NJ: Among black teenagers aged 15–19, pregnancy rates were highest in New Jersey (209 per1,000) source: Guttmacher 2006

Through our information blog and parenting workshops, NENI hopes to improve the likelihood of a healthy childbirth and reduce the number of subsequent births during teen years. About 1/4 of teenage mothers have a second child within 2 years of their first. About 13% of all U.S. births are to teens. Our intention with this grant is to provide online and/or in person pre-natal education in partnership with educators and physicians. When our funding expands, we will add pre-natal workshops.

Main Statistics Source: The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_teen_sex.html)

Check out additional parent resources on our website at http://www.neni.us/

NJ Child Welfare Updates

Update from state officials below:


Dear Colleagues,Governor Corzine and I are pleased to share the latest round of data on the child welfare system, which continues to point toprogress in a number of key areas. You can find the new data on our Web site by visiting this link:http://nj.gov/dcf/home/childdata/index.html (if the link does notdirectly open, please cut and paste into your Internet browser).This is our largest single production of data to date, andincludes demographic information on children, substantiation andoutcome data, information on DYFS caseloads for every office in the State, adoption data, and referrals from the hotline to DYFS and the Institutional Abuse Investigation Unit (IAIU).

As many of you know, we experienced our first net gain of 209 resource families in 2006, and we have already surpassed that netgain in the first three months of this year - 331 new families between January and March of this year.Caseloads continue to decline across DYFS. As of March, 60percent of our DYFS offices complied with caseload standards forintake; 68 percent complied with caseload standards for ouradoption practice; and 71 percent complied with caseloadstandards for permanency (ongoing) work. Sixty-five percent of our offices complied with supervisor to staff ratios (5 to 1),not counting the casework supervisors in each office. When thecasework supervisors are included, every office complied. Ourinternal tracking indicates that we will see significantimprovement in every category by July.Another indication of progress in reducing caseloads is thedecline in the number of DYFS staff serving more than 30families. As of this March, 0.7 percent of our staff served morethan 30 families, compared to 6 percent of DYFS staff a year ago.Ten percent of DYFS staff served 21 to 30 families in March ofthis year, compared to 20 percent last year. Forty-nine percentof DYFS staff served 11 to 20 families this March (last year itwas 41 percent) and 40 percent of DYFS staff served one to 10families this March, compared to 33 percent last March. The data indicates modest improvement in placing sibling groups togetherin foster care, and placing children within 10 miles of theirhomes when they are removed from their families. I'm eager to see bigger advances in these areas as we implement the case practice model.

The data also indicates a continued downward trend in the number of children who are abused or neglected in foster care, and asharp reduction in the number of legally free children awaitingadoption from January 2006 to March 2007. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but we're heading in theright direction.

Kevin M. Ryan
NJ Commissioner Department of Children and Families

NJ Kids on Parent's Health Insurance Until 30 Yrs Old

Did you know that New Jersey's insurance law changed and parents can keep their children on their health insurance policies until they are 30? (Note their are some exceptions) See some articles about this topic below. Also see info below about insurance for low income families or people who recently lost their jobs.

The state Department of Banking and Insurance has prepared answers to frequently asked questions about health insurance coverage for dependents to age 30. See the Web site: www.state.nj.us/dobi/dependentsunder30.htm

http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?a=prod_lh&id=73573

http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/60/20030

http://www.larslarson.com/NationalHeadlines/129461.aspx

Parents, are you looking for information on low-cost health insurance for yourselves and your children? NJ FamilyCare provides information that will help you determine whether you qualify for low-cost or no-cost health insurance. You can also download an application or view frequently asked questions. http://www.njfamilycare.org/

NJEA: Good News about New Jersey's public schools

The New Jersey Education Association has a website with a collection of statistics about how NJ public school education compares to other states.

http://www.njea.org/page.aspx?z=1013&pz=3