Thursday, August 23, 2012
Our columnist admits that in 6th grade, he was one of the ones "left on the outside looking in."
I stepped off the bus, walked into Wentzville Middle School and stood there looking like a deer in the headlights. The place was huge and scary. Loud, unfamiliar noises came from super-sized kids from the far away land of 7th and 8th grade. I walked to the 6th grade hallway and frantically tried to make my way to the end of the hall. My locker was almost dead last and I steeled myself for the gauntlet. I wasn’t sure why but it felt like everything slowed to a crawl and people stopped to watch the small, big eared boy in Wal-Mart shoes walk by. The smiles and waves thrown out to kids I had been friends with just a few months earlier were met with the rolling of eyes and quickly turned backs. I was really confused as to what was going on. I …
Monday, August 20, 2012
John Gleeson, M.D., Esse Health Pediatrician, discusses ways you can reduce the risk of injury while playing sports.
The trusty peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a main stay of the school lunch. How do you like yours?
Here’s a few interesting twists on an old lunchbox favorite, just in time for the start of the new school year. If these ideas inspire you, head over to the Jif website to enter their Most Creative Sandwich Contest. You might win a college scholarship. And peanut butter. Lots and lots of peanut butter. The Gourmet: Use artesian multi-grain bread, homemade peanut butter and organic jelly. Get Alton Brown’s recipe for peanut butter here. You could find interesting bread at the St. Louis Bread Company or Whole Foods Market. The Elvis: White toast, peanut butter of your choice and one smashed banana. Make the sandwich then fry it like a toasted cheese. Get the full recipe here. The Bacon Apple PBJ: Add fresh bacon crumbles and sliced apple to…
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Check out our latest articles and blogs with advice and information about heading back to school.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
The best first day of school photo wins a $100 gift card good at Chesterfield Mall, Mid Rivers Mall, South County Center or West County Center in St. Louis!
The smell of fresh crayons, the sudden spike in jeans sales, the year of learning ahead—is there anything more exciting than the first day of school? When you’re packing your children’s backpacks with the binders, books and school supplies they’ll need for the new school year, we’re asking you to remember one very important thing: your camera. We want to see those bright, smiling faces ready for the first day of school, so we decided to start a contest: The best “It’s my first day of school!” photo wins a prize. Submit your first day of school photos by hitting the “Upload” button on this article anytime between August 13 and August 31. Patch editors will randomly select the winner from the photos submitted. And what do you win? Just a …
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Summer isn’t officially over until September, but school starts next week.
For families in O'Fallon, summer will be over soon—despite the scorching temperatures. Most O'Fallon students start class on Aug. 15. Now's the time to grab last minute summer fun. Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 90s for the next few weeks, but after highs of 105+, a 95 degree day may seem perfect for a walk in the park. Here’s a few ideas on how to squeeze the last bits off fun out of your kid’s summer break. Hit a park: Kids love playgrounds and the summer heat has been keeping a lot of children tucked away in their basements playing video games. If you still think it’s too hot, try going in the early morning or late evening hours. Try one of these parks with great playgrounds: Westhoff Park, Fort Zumwalt Park, Civic …
Friday, August 10, 2012
"Patch" offers tips and ideas for teens and parents as they prepare for the first day of high school.
If your teen is gearing up to start his or her freshman year in high school, you’ll be glad to know that while you're both in for some big changes, you will both survive--and ideally, you'll be better for it in the end. Last year, when my oldest son started his high school journey, I was afraid that he’d be too overwhelmed by the maze of hallways on the school's large campus, the variety and location of his classes and the mix of older, adult-sized students he’d be dealing with each day. The good news is that we’ve both survived this far, and so will you. Here are a few tips I learned along the way that might make that transition a little easier for all involved. Abolish Anxieties With Information and Support If your son or daughter is …
By working together, you and your child’s pediatrician can help ensure that your child performs at his or her very best this school year.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Local students begin classes in mid-August.
Next week marks the beginning of orientations, welcome back events and informational meetings, as O'Fallon students prepare to head back to school. Check the schedule below and make sure you have your calendars marked. Christian School Fort Zumwalt School District St. Dominic High School
38.804519
-90.72154
St. Dominic High School
31 Saint Dominic Dr, O Fallon, MO
/articles/st-charles-county-students-head-back-to-school
833923
/locations/7583055
38.803318
-90.699883
Fort Zumwalt School District
110 Virgil St, O Fallon, MO
/articles/st-charles-county-students-head-back-to-school
834626
/locations/7583056
38.82152
-90.675919
Living Word Christian High School
1145 Tom Ginnever Ave, O Fallon, MO
/articles/st-charles-county-students-head-back-to-school
1856451
/locations/7583057
Worried about sending your little one to kindergarten? We've got you covered.
For what seems like forever, you’ve been wiping your little one’s bottom, nose and messes. Now, all of a sudden, they are big enough to go to kindergarten! How did time go so quickly? If you’re worried about sending your child to school for the first time, we’ve got a few tips to keep the transition easy—for you and your little one. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Have a countdown. Get a calendar or hang a poster on the wall counting down to the first day of school. Every morning, mark another day off the countdown with your kindergartener-to-be. This makes school feel like exciting, like waiting for a birthday or Christmas. 2. Pick out an outfit together. Go shopping for a complete first-day-of-school look, including shoes, socks and …
Rich Pope
9:54 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
The only way to handle a bully is to punch his lights out. Your parents should have taught you how to fight long before you got into Middle School. more ›