FRIDAY FOLDER: A roundup of regional school news

LEARN PARENTING SKILLS

Parenting an elementary-school age child? Get advice from experts at an information night Wednesday at Foothills Elementary School, 825 Allegheny Drive. The free event is sponsored by the Academy School District 20 Safe and Healthy Schools Committee, and is open to all D-20 parents. The event begins at 6 p.m. with free pizza and childcare check-in for children 3 years old and up.
The first session begins at 6:3 p.m.

Parents may select two sessions on topics such as Internet Safety; Get Fit, Stay Fit, Never Quit; How to Get the Mads Out; Parenting with Love and Logic; and Dealing with a Bipolar Child at Home and School.

Information tables will be set up by various businesses and organizations.

Reservation for adults are not needed, but for childcare reservations call Linda Kasza at 234-4526.


DYSLEXIA DISCUSSION

A public discussion to help people understand dyslexia will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave. Speakers are Elenn Steinberg, president of the Rocky Mountain branch of the International Dyslexia Association, and Charlie Tye, an association board member. RSVP to ida_rmb@yahoo.com

BE A CRITIC, RAISE MONEY FOR SCHOOLS

Local parent-teacher associations and other nonprofits can earn money when people post reviews of local businesses on www.ColoradoBizBuzz.com. Organizations can earn up to $1,000 apiece and will receive $1 for every review posted on the Web site through Nov. 30.

Any tax-exempt charitable nonprofit is eligible to participate in the "Give Back" promotion. To register, go to www.ColoradoBizBuzz.com/giveback.

Consumers may review up to 25 local businesses per charity and can choose which PTA or charity will benefit from their donation.

PROGRAM TO TEACH 'POSITIVE CHANGE'

The Rachel's Challenge program, named after the first person killed in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, is coming to Falcon Middle School next week with a free presentation for parents on helping kids create positive change.

The presentation, open to parents from all school districts, begins at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at the school, 9755 Towner Ave.

The Rachel's Challenge program was created by a foundation established in honor of Rachel Scott. It's dedicated to training kids in the messages of kindness and tolerance that were in Rachel's diaries.

For information call 495-5232.

SCHOOLS' LIBRARIES GET GRANTS

Two Colorado Springs-area schools recently received grants from the Colorado State Library for their innovative projects.

• Summit preschool and middle school programs in Academy School District 20 got $7,300 for a program in which at-risk middle school students serve as mentors for at-risk preschool students. The students read together and talk about the books.

• The Penrose Elementary library media center in Colorado Springs School District 11 got $8,445 for a program to improve students' literacy skills by having them write stories and then produce digital media projects.

Pikes Peak Library District also received $16,374 for its Ready, Set, Read! program in which library staff are trained to help parents, teachers and tutors find reading materials for a child's reading level.

A FELLOWSHIP FOR BUDDING TEACHERS

Applications for 2009 fellowships from The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation are now available.

Each year, the group provides more than $150,000 in support for aspiring teachers who want to teach high school science and math.

The foundation notes that about half of all secondary teachers leave the profession within five years. Research on issues of recruitment and retention indicates that beginning teachers feel professionally isolated. The KSTF Teaching Fellowship program was designed to assist new teachers through the early years of their career.

Last year, Stanford University student Lindsey Quinlisk of Colorado Springs was one of 33 future teachers to win an award.
For an application visit kstf.org.