Kindergarten Readiness

Please be careful Miss Vivian!  The next thing you know the Queen of Middletown will make private arrangements with the Interim Superintendent to ban you from from Middletown's public elementary schools in addition to the Historic Pioneer Cemetery!

We have children in the 1^st grade that don’t know their ABC’s and numbers to 100. The Parents, Preschools and Head Start Programs need to do a much better job getting these kids ready to start school. Middletown scores are at the bottom of the list as always. SHAME ON US!

Ranger:  Give me a little time with the lad!

I was barred from the BJ tables at the Marina in LV in 1983, and I didn't even know how to count!  (Actually, I still don't, although I do understand the theory.  Just lucky that weekend at the Marina, I guess.)  However, back when I used to follow the harness horses closely, I really was a pretty good handicapper.

Children today have so many more options and ways to learn; however, parents are so busy running them from baby sitter to baby sitter or dance, sports, etc. I see parents spending more time shuffling their children from here to there w/o really spending time with them. Where is the family time? Where are The Basics? It's not time well spent. It's busy time. I'm not saying all parents are doing this; however, I do see many, making sure they fit in with everyone else, even if it isn't the best for their children. Children talk about their parents' divorces like it's nothing. Children talk about their parents living with their girlfriend/boyfriend like it's common place. It's time to get back to real family time. Education starts with the parents and the parents can't rely on the teachers to teach and do baby sitting. I know a few teachers that spend a lot of time having to deal with children that don't have parental support. They deal with discipline problems, which sometimes takes away time from teaching the class and if the teacher sends the child to the office ( either the school doesn't back the teacher or the parent is mad because they had to come into school ) Sad, Sad, Sad. Parents need to be parents. Parent need to help their children succeed, not only in school, but for life in general. So many children act like they are intitled to so much, even if they don't earn it. Parents need to STOP giving their children everything just because the kids want it and START giving their children what they need to become productive adults. Maybe all the early childhood schools aren't doing everything they could; however, some are and the scores still aren't up. We have a break down of the family and until the adults get back to parenting and taking time with their children to learn the basics, All the special classes, All the extra schooling, All the I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING won't work.