Meet the Global Families of Puget Sound

I love this article from ParentMap magazine written by Jiaying Grygiel. A big part of my business is working with new families relocating the Seattle area from other cities in the U.S and several of my client families are relocating to the U.S. as expats with plans to return to their home country.  An interesting and welcoming read.

http://www.parentmap.com/article/seattle-population-international-city-growth?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=READ%20MORE&utm_campaign=Digital-Edition-9-1-17

Special Needs Resources

I love working with families to find the right fit school and community for all their children.  As I tell my client families, I am a local resource and spend hours and hours visiting schools, establishing relationships and, most importantly, learning.  A few weeks ago I attended the Every Child Resource Fair sponsored by ParentMap Magazine at the University of Washington and I had the opportunity to meet smart, committed people, hear about their organizations, expand my resource list, and learn! 

The event featured experts who focus on the many categories of atypical learners: ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, processing disorders, developmental delays, autism, Asperger’s and other spectrum learning differences.  I met with over 20 different organizations and left the event with an increased understanding of all the resources available to families in the Seattle area.  Seattle continues to lead on autism research and resources, ADHD services and support and is home to Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington - both leaders in the country for children's health.

The event concluded with ADHD expert Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of bestsellers Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction, providing a basic introduction to the world of attention deficit disorder. Dr. Hallowell discussed diagnosis and treatment in both children and adults and also explored the brain science and current research. Having both ADD and dyslexia himself, Dr. Hallowell spoke about the powers and gifts that come with having ADHD -  the impact of ADHD on the family, and his life-long goal: to help people master the power of ADHD.

The Every Child Resource Fair showcased what Seattle has to offer for all families and their children. This event is just one of the many way I continue to learnand enables me to connect newly arrived families with the resources they need to call Seattle home. 

Understanding Standardized Testing

I am asked on a regular basis by families relocating to Washington State to explain required testing for our public schools to meet the State Common Core standards and also graduation requirements. Part of my service includes putting together informational documents for my clients comparing their current testing schedule with the requirements for Washington State.

With the recent demise of the No Child Left Behind Law and its replacement with the Every Student Succeed Act (signed into Federal law by President Obama in December 2015), it is not only confusing for current families to understand the requirements, but nearly impossible for families new to the U.S. education system. 

Standardized testing is a topic that divides teachers, administrators, government agencies and families and one that is hard for me to keep my opinion to myself.  Lucky for me, ParentMap Magazine just published an excellent article about Washington State standardized testing rules. 

https://www.parentmap.com/article/washington-state-standardized-testing-rules

From all my time visiting schools and speaking with parents, I know that many students in the lower elementary school grades opted out of testing last year.  It is only in the extreme cases like with Nathan Hale and Garfield High School that the numbers are released.  It is hard to get a clear picture of families opting out in the elementary years, as the students still attend school to avoid being marked absent, but spend the time in the library or a supervised study period. 

For families moving from within the United States public school system, the amount of testing in Washington State does not differ dramatically from other States. For families coming to the area from outside of the United States, it can be quite perplexing as it differs dramatically from the graduation and leveling testing requirements in countries such as Britain, Singapore, China, Germany and Australia.   

I'll do my best to answer your specific questions about testing and graduation requirements - whether you are joining the U.S. school system for a few years and returning to your home country to complete your child's education or if you are planning to have your children graduate from an U.S. high school and apply for university.

Preschool Primer - Parentmap Magazine

I have been busy working on updating my directory for preschools.  I attended ParentMap Magazine's preschool fair for the east side area (Bellevue, Issaquah, Redmond) this past week and will be attending the Seattle fair next weekend.  I love seeing familiar faces working the school booths and I also enjoy meeting the new teachers and owners to learn about their programs.  ParentMap is expecting over 1600 people to visit their four fairs this year - that is a lot of families looking for preschool! 

There are so many great preschools in the area with a program to fit every family and budget.  The problem may lie in this fact - so many choices and it is hard to narrow down the right school for your child.  Popular preschool programs start their registration process and accept deposits in the winter prior to the Fall start, at times making it difficult for families moving to the area to find a program in their new neighborhood.

I am consistently touring preschools, evaluating new programs and adding additional schools to my resource list.  I love helping families find the right preschool for their child and spending time observing in a preschool class is always a highlight of my day. 

Along with sponsoring the preschool fairs, ParentMap magazine published an excellent article explaining the different preschool teaching methods.  A great read and I am always happy to review in additional detail too. 

https://www.parentmap.com/article/preschool-primer-how-different-styles-and-methods-of-preschool-compare