High School Notes

By April, many high school students are already longing for summer. Prom and final tests are mile markers along the homestretch of the school year, and they're also cues for teens to start searching for summer jobs.

Before the recession, many employers were begging for workers, says Rick Parker, senior vice president of marketing for Snagajob.com, a job-hunting website with a focus on hourly positions. "But it's a different ball game today," Parker notes, and teens often compete with older, more experienced applicants for the same jobs. Parents can help teens get a leg up on their competition by applying to summer jobs now using these tips from Parker.

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Spring is in full swing, which means blooming flowers, baseball season, and for many teens—prom. It's easy for high school students to get swept up in the excitement of prom, especially if they're going the whole nine yards with dinner reservations, fancy outfits, corsages, and boutonnières.

But many parents of those teens are thinking about different elements of prom. From official reports to famous movies, prom is often associated with peer pressure to drink alcohol, do drugs, drive dangerously, and have sex.

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Parents and high school teachers are not typically people with ample free time. But as the two groups that often influence children and their education the most, parents and teachers need to make time to communicate with each other.

They should form a partnership, says National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president Betsy Landers, because parents and teachers both want their students to succeed. One important way to ensure the child's success is by engaging in effective parent-teacher conferences.

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Educators across the country are increasingly embracing digital learning these days—especially after the Obama administration's push last month for all schools to transition to digital textbooks within the next five years. Last week, a group of technology advocates took another major step when it announced the formation of the Leading Education by Advancing Digital (LEAD) Commission. Cochaired by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and other officials, the Commission will also receive input from the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Education on advancing the transition of digital learning in American classrooms.

Reaching the goals of the LEAD Commission will take some time. The Commission first plans to create a fact base of current efforts, trends, cost implications, and obstacles of current education technology. It will then evaluate how technology has enhanced other sectors, and finally the committee will recommend policies and funding vehicles to ensure schools can successfully integrate technology. The Commission "expects to release its findings and a blueprint for action in late 2012," according to its website.

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