Winter break is the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book for fun or continue reinforcing classroom concepts. The librarians at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child developed a list of top winter reads that are appropriate for students in grades K-12. Whether it’s snowing outside or you’re just trying to decompress, the list of our top winter reads are both fun and educational.

Ohhhhhh school mornings are crazy. You've got to get them up, dressed, fed and out the door all before you've likely had your first cup of coffee. And, if that isn't enough, you also need to remember their backpack, snack, school project and your car keys. Are we missing anything? Shoes?

To help you navigate the tough mornings ahead and streamline your process, check out our biggest tips below:

Teachers spend quite a bit of time with students throughout the week. Many are with them before school, during and after school, depending on the activities and needs of each child. The job of a teacher is never easy, and it’s never truly done – even after high school. As we head into the first full week of school this year, we asked teachers of children in grades K-12 to weigh in on what they wished parents knew about the work they do and insight they bring. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Departmentalizing — or platooning — in schools means students change classrooms and share teachers who specialize in just a few areas. Sound familiar? It’s the way most middle and high schools have been structured for years. For elementary schools that have dropped the self-contained model to carefully embrace and implement this progressive concept for students as young as age 6, the benefits include increased classroom engagement, communication skills, student development and more. Here, we review six essential ways departmentalized education in elementary schools enhances learning for students and prepares them for the future:

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it is all about family and being thankful for the wonderful things in our lives. An admirable priest once said, “Happy people are thankful people, and thankful people are happy people.” I truly believe in those words and try to live them every day.

All arts teachers want to develop and nurture their students as they help them learn to express their own passion, creativity and individual perspective of the world around them. By encouraging children to participate in the arts in education — be it the play and creativity of drama, dance, art or music — we establish an atmosphere of passion, creativity and wonder.

The question that parents ask me most often is, “Is my child ready for kindergarten?” Every child is unique, and what may work for one child’s development may completely be inappropriate for another. As an admissions administrator, this is a difficult question to answer without having an in-depth knowledge of your child, as well as your family dynamic. It is so very important for each parent to look at their child’s development in areas of social/emotional, physical and educational experience. It may be difficult for a parent to objectively look at their child, so rely on a strong communication with your child’s pre-K teacher to help guide you in this decision.

Last year, we unveiled our I.D.E.A.S. lab, the inaugural makerspace in Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child’s coed elementary school, which underwent a thorough and complete transformation this summer to further allow our students to focus on innovation, design, engineering, art and science.