O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 3

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INSIDE

THIS

ISSUE:

Employee

Spotlight

2

Plan to Attend

Parent Teacher

Conferences

3

EBR TV News

Segments

4

Healthy

Halloween

Treats for Kids

5

Halloween Health

and Safety Tips

6

Are you teaching

your child to be a

keen listener?

7

Teach your

teenager how to

be a more

respectful person

7

Life Hacks

for Parents

8

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 3

Zoo Hosts 23rd Annual Boo at the Zoo 2019

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo will host its 23rd

annual in-house Boo at the Zoo on October

19, 20, 26 and 27—Presented by Hancock

Whitney Bank. This merry, not scary trick-or-

treat extravaganza began in 1966 with just

under 3,900 visitors and has grown to become

Baton Rouge’s largest trick-or-treat event, and

is expected to draw up to 20,000 visitors from

the across the metro region in 2019.

“What could be more fun that trick-or-treating

with the animals?” said Phil Frost, Zoo

Director. “Boo at the Zoo is a wonderful way

for families across the region to enjoy safe

trick-or-treating while experiencing all the

wonders that wildlife and nature have to offer.”

Aside from the 20+ trick-or-treat stations,

activities will include a Halloween Hay Maze &

Ed-Zoo-Cation Station. Food and beverages

will be available for purchase from the Zoo’s

Flamingo Café and other food vendors. All

children in attendance will receive a free trick-

or-treat bag.

Admission gates will be open from 9:30 a.m. to

4 p.m., and Zoo grounds close at 5 p.m.

Regular Zoo admission applies. For more

information on Boo at the Zoo, please visit

http://brzoo.org/events/special/boo-at-the-zoo/

or call (225)775-3877.

Power Parent

About BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo is a place where

people connect with animals, including tigers,

giraffes, rhinos and alligators. The world-class

Realm of the Tiger, Flamingo Cove, Giants of

the Islands, Safari Playground, L’aquarium de

Louisiane, and KidsZoo exhibits offer fun and

education for all ages.

BOO at the ZOO 2019

ADMISSION FEES

Adults / Teens: $8.75

Ages 2 - 12: $5.75

Seniors: $7.75

Ages 1 & Under: FREE

Toney Riggins “Mr. Warehouse” whatever you came to the warehouse for on time. The

warehouse stores equipment for EBRPSS schools as

well as the equipment for the Child Nutrition Program for

East Baton Rouge Parish. Mr. Toney always greets

everyone with a pleasant voice and a smile. But most of

all, he will always get the job done no matter what the

day brings. Mr. Warehouse firmly lives by the motto,

“One team. One Mission.” He makes sure everyone finds

what they are looking for and he makes sure that

whatever leaves out of the warehouse is presentable,

usable and hazard-free.

Toney Riggins, better known

as ‘Mr. Warehouse’ is the

Warehouse Specialist for the

East Baton Rouge Parish

School System. As an

Aramark employee, he makes

sure that the items in the

warehouse are always kept in

order. No matter the problem

Mr. Toney can fix it! Words

cannot express how much he

means to everyone that comes into contact with him.

Each conversation is always pleasant and you will

always leave reassured knowing you will receive

Kristen Robair

EMPLOYEE Spotlight

Kristen Robair was named by Dream Teachers as the 2019 H.

Norman Saurage III Service Award winner on July 19th at the

13th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards in

Baton Rouge. Three Saurage family members, Donna Saurage,

Matt Saurage, and Hank Saurage presented the award created

in honor of the late CEO of Community Coffee Company.

Ms. Robair teaches English, History, and Mass Communications

at Broadmoor High School. She is the 2019-2020 East Baton

Rouge Parish Middle School Teacher of the Year and was

Broadmoor Middle School’s Teacher of the Year in 2018.

Kristin’s “community” extends into five parishes where she is

engaged in projects aligned with education, nutrition, fitness, and

political awareness. She volunteers and/or spearheads projects

in East Baton Rouge, Orleans, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and

Washington parishes. Her volunteerism is as diverse as it is

prolific. To broadly summarize, she is engaged in charitable

walks and 5K runs that benefit different causes; she participates

in clean-up and beautification projects in all 5 parishes; she is

engaged in fundraising for school athletics and feeding the

homeless; she assists with the American Heart Association

Luncheon; creates awareness of domestic violence through the

Purple Box Project; hosts ACT Prep Workshops and mentors

students for testing; she is engaged in Read Across America;

and she assists with Voter Registration drives in multiple

parishes. Ms. Robair selected City Year as her charitable cause.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Plan to attend Parent-Teacher Conferences

P A G E 3

Kids and teens do better in school when parents get

involved. Attending parent–teacher conferences is one

way to be involved and help your child succeed.

A parent–teacher conference is a great opportunity to:

• discuss your child's progress

• share your child's strengths and needs

• work with the teacher to help your child do well in

school

The Basics

Parent–teacher conferences usually happen once or

twice a year. They're brief meetings, lasting about 10–30

minutes. Most schools set aside specific dates and times

for conferences, but if they conflict with your schedule, try

to find another time that works. If you can't make it into

school, ask your child's teacher if you can schedule a

phone conference instead. If necessary, divorced parents

can ask a teacher to schedule separate conferences.

Other school staff who support your child's learning may

attend the conference too. An administrator might go at

the request of the parent or teacher if an issue can't be

resolved by the teacher alone. In some cases, the

student may attend the conference, but parents also can

ask for private time with the teacher.

Conferences focus on learning, although behavior and

social concerns might be discussed. The teacher will

review your child's progress, including strengths and are-

as in need of improvement. You also might talk about

standardized test results, individualized education plans

(IEP), and 504 education plans.

During the Conference

Teachers usually meet with parents in back-to-back

meetings, so try to be on time for your meeting.

At the meeting, remember to:

• Get contact information for the teacher and ask what

the best form of contact is (letter, email, phone call,

message via student-teacher-parent web portal, etc.)

• Take notes.

• Ask to see classwork and homework samples, tests

and quizzes, and standardized testing.

• Ask your questions and share information about your

child.

• Make the most of this time by focusing on your child's

learning.

• Summarize the main points of the discussion to con-

firm details and any next steps.

After the Conference

To follow up after the meeting:

• Contact the teacher with any questions you didn't

have time to ask.

• Review your notes about what you and the teacher

will do to support learning, then make detailed plans

about how and when you will help your child.

• If you still have concerns or do not agree with an

evaluation, put your thoughts in writing and schedule

a meeting with the teacher or an administrator as

soon as mutually convenient.

• Check in with the teacher to follow up on your child's

progress.

• Review what was discussed at the conference with

your child, including any special learning plans, and

share the positive comments the teacher made.

• Consider sending a thank-you note to the teacher

and any other educator who took the time to attend

the conference.

Keep in mind that you and your child's teacher

have the same goal: To help your child succeed

in school.

P A G E 4

Please click on the links below to access EBR TV news segments:

“Bringing the students, programs and places of the

East Baton Rouge Parish School System into FOCUS”

SCHOOL/FEATURED NEWS SEGMENT LINKS

Park Elementary Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7UG2LZ3XbA&t=65s

Woodlawn Middle School

Community-Based Field Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKV0y4aI-xY&t=5s

Southeast Middle Magnet School Career Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-qT3i-Texg

Bernard Terrace Elementary Harambee featuring

Elijah Precciely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8_2mwnVsNk&t=112s

Arlington Prep Academy support Hoops for Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUbUOve2UZk&t=1s

“No One Eats Alone” program visit to Park Forest Middle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcfd23zdaC4&t=39s

Line4Line Literacy Program visits White Hills Elementary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oss4_VLfaeU&t=3s

EBR, help us to help you tell your story. Please click on the link

below to Request Media Coverage:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9V6hm7O_qcwDpzOzBdxYSGHGF7Icx8fQGay6Xn_24ITIPEA/viewform

Aside from starting with the letter H, Halloween and health don't have much in common. The upcoming candy-filled

holiday often results in your kids loading up on sugar, which isn't good for them or fun for you.

While it's difficult to encourage healthy eating on Halloween, it's not impossible–especially when better-for-you foods

have a fun twist. Try these cute, spooky and downright tasty treats to get kids excited about eating healthy on

Halloween.

P A G E 5

Promoting Healthy Living for EBR Families

Healthy Halloween Treats for Kids

Spooky-Cute Monster Teeth Recipe 4 medium-sized granny smith apples, cut into 8 sections each

1 cup natural creamy organic peanut butter

1 cup yogurt covered goji berries

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Section each apple and then sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Spread about 1 tsp. of

peanut butter on each slice. Stick 4-6 yogurt-covered berries on an angle in the peanut butter,

then place a second peanut butter-covered apple slice on top. (You may need to secure with a

toothpick or extra peanut butter.)

Cool for 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Happy Halloween!

P A G E 6 V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 3

Halloween Health and Safety Tips Fall celebrations like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times for children, who can dress up in costumes, enjoy

parties, and eat yummy treats. These celebrations also provide a chance to give out healthy snacks, get physical

activity, and focus on safety.

Check out these tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.

Going trick-or-treating?

S

A

F

E

H

A

L

L

O

W

E

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N

Swords, knives, and other costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick or treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. WALK and don’t run!

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk in sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 3

Are you teaching your child to be a keen listener?

Listening is a vital skill for school success—and it can be

fun to practice! Are you finding creative ways to help

your child build her listening skills? Answer yes or no to

the questions below to find out:

1. Do you occasionally ask your child to stop

what she’s doing, close her eyes and name all of the

sounds she hears?

2. Do you take turns telling a story with your

child? You make up a sentence, then your child makes

up the next sentence.

3. Do you send your child on short “missions” to

bring you things? Each round, you can add more items.

4. Do you clap a rhythm with your hands or on

your thighs and ask your child to clap back the same

rhythm?

5. Do you play Guess the Sound? Your child

shuts her eyes and you make a sound—jingling keys,

crumpling paper, pouring water, etc. Your child has to

guess the sound. Then switch places!

How well are you doing?

Each yes answer means you are helping your child have

fun as she strengthens her listening skills. For no

answers, try those ideas from the quiz.

Teach your teenager how to be a more respectful person

Your teen rolled his eyes when you asked him to take out

the garbage. He used a tone of voice that would have

kept you grounded for life if your had tried to use it on

your parents.

During adolescence, teens tend to focus inward, thinking

mostly about themselves. It’s hard for them to do that

and also hear Mom or Dad taking about homework or

chores. So they sometimes shut parents out.

What can you do if your teen behaves in a disrespectful

way? Try these ideas:

• Be a model of respect. That doesn’t mean that you

have to be perfect—who could be? But when you

demonstrate your values, your teen will notice. “So

that’s what being a respectful adult is like. I want to

be like that, too.”

• Let your teen know that having strong feelings is

OK, but being disrespectful isn’t. Teens can—and

do—get angry with parents. But that doesn’t mean

they can use an inappropriate tone or foul language.

Set boundaries.

• Enforce consequences. Act quickly and calmly

when your teen is disrespectful.

“If we lose love and self

respect for each other,

this is how we finally die.

~Maya Angelou

P A G E 8

LIFE HACKS FOR EBR PARENTS

A collection of life hacks, tips and tricks to optimize your life.

life·hack

ˈlīfˌhak/ Noun Informal noun: life hack 1. a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one's time and daily activities in a more efficient way.

V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 3 P A G E 9

• October 10th—End of 1st Nine Weeks

• October 11th—Parent Teacher Conferences/Professional Development

(No school for Students)

• October 14th & 15th—Fall Break (No school for Students and Employees)

• October 31st—End of 2nd Six Weeks

• October 31st—HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

October 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

End of 1st

Nine Weeks

Parent Teacher

Conferences

(No school for

students)

FALL BREAK

(No School)

FALL BREAK

(No School)

End of 2nd

Six Weeks

P A G E 1 0

Parent Power is a publication of the

East Baton Rouge Parish School System

H. Warren Drake, Superintendent of Schools

wdrake@ebrschools.org

Marlon Cousin, Community Liaison

mcousin@ebrschools.org

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System and all of its entities (including Career and Technical

Education Programs) does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability or gender

in its educational programs and activities (including employment and application for employment), and it is prohibit-

ed from discriminating on the basis of gender by Title IX (20 USC 168) and on the basis of disability by Section

504 (42 USC 794). The Title IX Coordinator is Andrew Davis, Director of Risk Management

(ADavis6@ebrschools.org) - phone (225) 929-8705. The Section 504 Coordinator is Elizabeth Taylor Chapman,

Director of Exceptional Student Services (ETaylor@ebrschools.org) – phone (225) 929-8600. The Title II

Coordinator is Dr. Sandra Horton, Administrative Director of Federal Programs (SBHorton@ebrschools.org) –

phone (225) 922-5538.

All students have an opportunity to participate in Career & Technical Programs of Study including, but not limited

to, areas of Health Care, Construction Crafts & Trades, Automotive Technology, IT Computer Technology, IT

Computer Technology, Culinary Programs, Criminal Justice and Agriculture. Admission requirements for each

course can be found in the student course guide/schedule packet of the individual campus where the course is

being offered. Please contact the Guidance Counselor at the specific school site for additional information,

program requirements and/or any questions you may have.