We’ve all dealt with children who are alternately too sleepy or too restless to pay attention, whether it’s in the classroom, out in public or at home. Who’d have thought that modern technology and a misunderstanding about how it affects us that could be causing both?

We know all about resolutions – I have my favorites that I make every year! But setting bite-sized goals and guiding them to fulfillment is key to helping children progress. Doing this as a family turns it into a fun activity that everyone has to participate in and be accountable for.

With Christmas here, some children may ask you to get them new computers, better internet at home, maybe e-readers or other electronic gadgets. If your family budget can accommodate them, these can be a huge help for your child in school, keeping students excited about learning outside the classroom, or motivating them to hit a specific goal such as perfect attendance or a B in math.

As we enter the holidays, things get very busy very quickly. Soon we will all be caught in a whirlwind of family gatherings, shopping, charity activities, and celebrations. By the time we come up for air, it’s January!

Our schools and our families are preparing for the Thanksgiving. Holiday food and toy drives are popping up everywhere to help prepare baskets for needy families over the winter.

Every Liberty student can recite the six pillars of character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. We have students from kindergarten through eighth grade in our school, from different cultures – yet every one of them finds plenty of situations to relate to.

September is National Hunger Month, as well as National Childhood Obesity Month. The non-profit group Feeding America has released numbers for child hunger and food insecurity in each of the 50 states.

Besides back to school, fall also means sports. (Ask any football fan!) Some of our schools have teams for tackle football, volleyball, and basketball, while other campuses have soccer, cheer, flag football and even a chess team – mental athletics count, too!

We are back to school, settled into classes and the school routine. Students are chatting about their summers, places they went and their new back-to-school gear.

The date may creep a little earlier each year, but back to school is a ritual that has remained the same for decades: The new school supplies and clothes; the excitement of reuniting with one’s friends; the dread of losing summer mixing with the anticipation (whether or not older kids will admit it!) of what a new school year may bring.