Jun 27
Fifth Quarter Project a Success
Cincinnati Public Schools Fifth Quarter Program Includes EarthSmart Institute Jim Shelton meets with Fifth Quarter Planners and CPS Parents. Jim Shelton meets with Fifth Quarter Planners and CPS Parents In an innovative program designed to stem the loss of learning that takes place during the summer for many students, Cincinnati Public Schools offered a Fifth Quarter, targeting grades K-7 at thirteen* schools. The voluntary program included enrichment opportunities intended to close the achievement gap between low-income and more economically advantaged students. A recent Johns Hopkins University study found that 65 percent of the achievement gap between poor and more advantaged…
Jun 26
Early Childhood Conference Focuses on Children and Nature
On Saturday, May 2, 2009, over 120 child care professionals gathered at the Oasis Conference Center for 4C for Children?s "Bringing the Outdoors Back In" conference. Keynote speaker Ken Finch discussed the importance of unstructured play in nature to the physical, emotional, social and cognitive development of children and how it can be brought into the child care setting. Workshops on topics such as "Facilitating Inquiry and Unstructured Play in the Outdoor Environment", "Natural Playscapes", and "Way to Grow! Promoting Healthy Weights in Child Care Settings" provided participants with new ways of looking at outdoor play and how to use…
