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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 2015)
6 Back to School 2015 How to help kids choose an extracurricular activity T oday's kids are busier than ever be- fore. Commitments in the classroom coupled with a full slate of extracurricular activities have ensured that many of today's school- aged children don't have a minute to spare. While it's important for kids to embrace extracur- ricular activities, parents know it's not always easy helping kids fi nd the right activity that al- lows them to grow outside the classroom while still focusing on their responsibili- ties inside it. In addition, kids' interests tend to change at the drop of a hat, so something they want to do today might bore them come tomorrow. To help kids choose and manage their extracurricular activities, consider the following tips. • Emphasize that schoolwork must come fi rst. Kids get excited about extracurricu- lar activities, especially ones involving sports where they get to spend time play- ing with their friends. But parents should emphasize that school still comes fi rst and that, if schoolwork starts to suffer, par- ticipation in extracurricular activities will be put on hold until kids get their studies back on track. • Go over coursework at the start of the school year. Examine a child's course load before choosing an extracurricular activ- ity. It's important to do this each year, as coursework gets more diffi cult as chil- dren get older. Just because a child could handle a couple of afterschool activities a week when he or she was in fi fth grade does not mean such a schedule will be as manageable when the same child reaches high school. Go over coursework and requirements as early as possible, prefer- ably before the school year starts, so you and your child can get a grip on what can and can't be handled with regards to extracurricular activities. • Get a grasp of the commitment required of a given activity. Extracurricular activi- ties require various levels of commitment. Varsity sport par- ticipation, for example, typically requires daily commitment and often requires kids to par- ticipate on weekends or even the sport's "off- season," which may in- clude summer vacation. However, volunteering with a local charity like- ly won't require such a large commitment and such charities often allow volunteers to choose their own schedules. Parents and their children should consider the level of commitment an extracurricular requires and choose the activity they're most comfortable with. • Don't overlook the social benefi ts of extracurricular activities. When helping kids choose an extracurricular activity, it's important to leave the ultimate deci- sion in their hands. After all, kids won't get much of the experience if they're re- luctant to participate. However, parents should not overlook the social benefi ts of extracurricular activities. Consider those benefi ts when helping kids choose activities, especially if they're likely to choose solitary activities like learn- ing a musical instrument. It's good to encourage such interests, but also try to encourage a balance between solitary activities and ones that encourage so- cialization with peers, such as a sports team, debate club or volunteering with other students at a local charity. • Don't forget the fun factor. Extracur- ricular activities are not just supposed to instill character, they're also sup- posed to be fun. If kids aren't having fun or showing any interest in a given extracurricular activity, then help them fi nd another one. Kids need time to have fun away from school just like adults need time for fun away from the offi ce. Weigh how enjoyable a given activity fi gures to be for your youngster before signing them up. South Lane Schools Food Service South Lane School District serves nutritious meals daily that meet standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Recent changes to the meal program require ALL LUNCHES must include one 1/2 cup serving of FRUIT or VEGETABLE. The cost is: Elementary Breakfast* Lunch** $ 2.50 Milk*** $ .50 Middle $ 1.40 $2.75 $ .50 High School $1.40 $3.00 $ .50 Reduced $1.40 FREE $ .50 FREE *Breakfast price is for a complete meal, may decline 1 food component. (e.g. bread, meat, milk) At least 1/2 cup of either a fruit or vegetable must be selected. **Lunch price is for a complete meal, may decline 2 food components. (e.g. bread, meat, milk, fruit, vegetable) but must select at least 1/2 cup of either fruit or vegetable. ***Milk is included in Breakfast and Lunch prices. (no free milk program available) September Advanced payment rates: Monthly Monthly Weekly Weekly Breakfast Lunch Breakfast Lunch Elementary $28.00 $50.00 $7.00 $12.50 Middle $28.00 $55.00 $7.00 $13.75 High $28.00 $60.00 $7.00 $15.00 Reduced FREE FREE FREE FREE Daily payment is acceptable, but prepayment is much appreciated. Prepayment of meals allows the lines to go faster. Charges are not acceptable, they will be allowed only in an emergency. Please send money for meals the first day of school. Online payments with debit or credit card can be made at http://www.mymealtime.com. First time users will need to call 541-942-3381 ext. 125 to receive a pass code. Your child(ren) may be eligible to receive meals free or at a reduced price if: 1) Your family is receiving: a) Food Stamps; or b) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or c) Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; or 2) Your household income is at or below the amount on this income chart: REDUCED FREE Household size Annual Month Week Annual Month -1- $21,775 $1,815 $419 $15,301 $1,276 -2- $29,471 $2,456 $567 $20,709 $1,726 -3- $37,167 $3,098 $715 $26,117 $2,177 -4- $44,863 $3,739 $863 $31,525 $2,628 -5- $52,559 $4,380 $1,011 $36,933 $3,078 -6- $60,255 $5,022 $1,159 $42,341 $3,529 -7- $67,951 $5,663 $1,307 $47,749 $3,980 -8- $75,647 $6,304 $1,455 $53,157 $4,430 For each additional family member add +$7,696 +$642 +$148 +$5,408 +$451 Week $295 $399 $503 $607 $711 $815 $919 $1,023 +$104 To apply for free or reduced price meals online at https://district.ode.state.or.us/apps/ or contact the Food Service Department at the District office, 541-942-3381 ext. 124 for a paper copy. If you qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch you also qualify for Free Breakfast. The Oregon legislature recently provided funding to eliminate the reduced price pay- ment for School Breakfast. Breakfast will be accessible at no charge to students who qualify for reduced price lunches. South Lane School District is an equal opportunity provider.
