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Back To School

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Packing for College? Don't Forget to Take Patch!

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Are you or your child headed off to college this fall? Beat being homesick by staying in touch with what's happening back at home in North Canton. There are several ways to take Patch with you, and it won't take up much space when you're packing: Enjoy going to college ... and don't forget those rolls of quarters for laundry and multiple packs of Ramen.

LOOK: Proud Parents Share Their Kids' First-Day-of-School Pics

Local parents certainly delivered when we asked for their kids' first-day-of-school photos. Take a look at some of the creative ways these kids celebrate their first day back!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

How Do North Canton's Elementary Schools Match Up?

Check out our interactive database to see how students in the North Canton City School District and other local districts performed on the last state report card

As students head back to school, parents want to make sure the youngest learners are getting off to a good start. Check to see how well your child’s elementary school performed on the 2010-2011 state report card by searching the database above. All public schools in Patch districts below the middle school level have been included. For North Canton, this includes Clearmount Elementary, Northwood Elementary, Orchard Hill Elementary (now Orchard Hill Intermediate) and Greentown Elementary (now Greentown Intermediate). Parents should note that state testing begins at the 3rd grade level. For a look at the most recent literacy levels for kindergarten students in your district, check out this database. The database above includes each school’s …

Tips to Help North Canton Students Succeed in Kindergarten

Check out our interactive database to see how students in North Canton and other local districts performed on the last Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy test

Kindergarten students across the state are packing their book bags and smiling for first-day photos as they get ready to enter elementary school for the first time. In Ohio, kindergarten students are given the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy test, or KRA-L, to help teachers identify each student’s early reading skills. These tests are not the pass or fail type, and how well a school performs does not impact its state report card. The assessments for the 2010-2011 school year can be found above by district. The tests are used to help teachers know which students need more help and which are a bit ahead of the curve and need extra enrichment opportunities. To see how well your student’s elementary school did on the state report …

Post Your First-Day-of-School Pics on Patch

Make your kids feel extra special by sharing their first-day-of-school photos on North Canton Patch

Today's the day! It's back to school for thousands of North Canton kids. We'd love for you to share the excitement, smiles and jitters of the day on North Canton Patch! It's super easy to do do. First, sign up to be a registered user on our site (if you haven't done that already). It's a free and quick process. After that, just come back to this article, click on the "Upload Photos and Videos" button, add your photos and/or video and write a quick caption! Questions or problems? E-mail the editor:Morgan.Day@patch.com.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Check Your Child's Bus Route

Need to know when to expect your child's North Canton City Schools bus when school starts up this week? We've rounded up links to bus routes from kindergarten through high school.

Need to know when to expect your child's bus when school starts up for North Canton City School students Wednesday? No problem. We looked to the district's website for bus route info and came up with some handy links for parents. The district last updated the routes Friday and advises parents to check for changes before classes begin Wednesday.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

How Does North Canton Middle School Match Up?

As the first day of school gets closer, see how your local schools performed on last year’s state report card using our interactive search form.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Tips for Middle School Success

Local principals point out some common pitfalls and share tips for parents and students.

For parents with students making the transition from an elementary school to a middle school, these next few weeks can be a challenging time. Students are becoming more independent, but parents still want to help. "I don't think the kids are as scared of middle school as the parents are," said Patrick Mc Nichols, principal at Roxboro Middle School in Cleveland Heights. The local principals who talked to Patch agree that parents should stay involved, but there are ways to help students spread their wings. Here are a few tips. Parents and teachers, add yours in the comments. Encourage students to get involved The biggest problem students face is trying to make connections socially and figuring out where they fit in, said Brecksville-…

How Does Your Middle School Match Up?

As the first day of school gets closer, see how your local schools performed on last year’s state report card using our interactive search form.

For students entering middle school, the first day is more than new books and class assignments. It’s a time of physical, social and academic transition. So what are parents supposed to do to help students navigate this tumultuous time? Keep communicating and encourage students to get involved, local principals suggest. A 2011 study from the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University found that students in Florida experienced a significant drop in math and reading achievement when they entered middle school. The study’s authors address the study in an article for EducationNext. The database above includes all public middle schools for the Patch communities in Ohio. You can search for your local school to see how it …

Devin R.

3:41 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012

Why is KSD only meeting an "Effective" rating on the 2010 - 2011 district report card? http://www.ode.state.oh.us/reportcardfiles/2010-2011/DIST/044164.pdf I know there are a lot of factors sitting behind performance on standardized tests, but this report card doesn't exactly paint a pretty picture. How are the math and science scores so low in 7th and 8th grades? *Disclaimer, I'm a father of a …   more ›

Monday, August 13, 2012

How Much Will You Spend on Back-To-School Supplies?

You might be surprised at the national average — tell us what you'll fork out!

North Canton parents may breathe a sigh of relief at the end of this month when students return to school, but before that happens, there is work to do. According to the National Retail Federation, the average person with children in kindergarten through 12th grade will spend $689 on their children. Find a link to your North Canton City Schools supply lists here. The biggest chunks of that expenditure are expected to be for clothing, at $246, and electronics, at $218. In 2011, the total expected expenditure was $603. For parents of college-aged children, the average expected back-to-school cost is $907. All told, that makes for an expected $83.8 billion to be spent on back-to-school shopping this year, which makes it the second-biggest …

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