We would like to wish all of our families a happy and blessed New Year. We hope it's off to a good start. Time is flying; we're already halfway through the school year! Remember, we're here to help your children succeed so if there's anything we can do to help, please let us know.

Here are a few helpful tips to help the year go smoothly:

*Lay out clothing and have backpacks ready each night before bedtime. Whatever you can get done the night before helps streamline the morning routine.

*Be sure your child gets adequate sleep.

*Provide a healthy breakfast in the morning. Try quick and simple meals like peanut butter on a whole wheat bagel (waffles work great, too!) with a banana and milk or a scrambled egg wrap with cheese and salsa. Smoothies are another fun and easy choice!

*Use LearnBoost to keep up with your child's schoolwork.

Working together, we can ensure that our students have a great 2012!

The Step Up For Students scholarship program will begin accepting renewal applications in early February 2012. We encourage all of our families to apply as early as possible when the application period opens. The longer you wait, the higher the chance for delay due to the high volume of applications that the program receives.

Once you have applied, be sure to check the status of your application each day. Step Up will inform you of what is required at each stage of the process but checking each day is the best way to make sure you have submitted all necessary paperwork.

If you have any questions or would like more information about Step Up, please call 1-877-735-7837 or visit their website at www.stepupforstudents.org.