May Edition 2023
We are all smiling for summer!
Congratulations to all students and parents for closing another academic school year! I am proud of my clients and their commitment to their educational future. Find out more about where the Class of 2023 are headed here.
My youngest (seen here with his teacher, Mrs. Cole) is rolling into 3rd grade while my middle child is completing elementary school. But, of course, I can't leave out my oldest, who is part of the Class of 2024! Yep, I have a senior!! Let's Go!
Williams Educational Consultants is working with students and parents throughout the summer. So please share our name with your friends at the pool, while golfing, or when cooking out with your neighbors. We appreciate your referrals and stand by our mission of Helping You Choose Wisely!
I hope you will experience fun and relaxation this summer! While many parents are working, students have internships, jobs, vacation plans, college tours, and camps this summer. Although summer allows students a later start to their morning, most are still actively engaged in their work and enjoy a schedule. Help your student plan for the next eight weeks and establish some days for freedom and fun.
Williams Educational Consultants shares five educational topics that offer wisdom, guidance, andfun for the entire family on the fourth Friday of every month.
5 Wise Words From Wendy:
1. Prepare. How does one prepare for summer? Make a list of activities your child can do before coming to you with the famous "I am bored" statement! Grab your phone now, and start writing down options available to them so that you are prepared and ready!
2. Plan. Try to plan some fun activities for family outings. Think about things you can do locally: eating at a new restaurant, hiking, attending a concert, or simply making a meal together. Plan ahead if you are thinking of a family vacation to the lake or beach. Is there a college or school nearby that would be good for your student to explore? Planning helps us connect with others, saves time and money, and often contributes to achieving a goal.
3. Relax. Staying mindful is a great way to refresh. At the bottom of this newsletter, you will find Mindfulness Moment#11: AWAKEN by Angela Cominos Koehler.
4. Support. Summer is a great time to talk to students about what kind of support they need in their classroom or social life. What worked this past year? Where did they find they struggled? Is there anything you, as a parent, can do to help their next academic season be even stronger? Math and Reading are critical subjects that students should continue even on their off days. Please support them by reading books together and ensuring they remember math facts.
5. Love. June is a great time to love being a kid, regardless of age! When was the last time you sat outside and watched the sunset? Summer allows you to do that with longer days! Have you ever picked blueberries on a farm? Do you remember the smell of sunscreen and chlorine? When was the last time you looked up at the clouds and took pictures with your imagination? Who doesn't love catching a lightning bug in a mason jar? So get outside and fall in love with nature this summer.
4 Current Conversations:
Here are topics that can create great conversations:
1. Looking for great summer books to recommend to your student? Check out 100 Books Of Summer For Kids
2. Why are college enrollments stabilizing?
3. What can you expect with AI in the Admissions Office?
4. It is always time to get a degree! Go Owls!
3 School Snippets:
Colleges often give great information on their sites:
1. Deciding on a major can be difficult! Marquette does a great job of helping students; check out their ten questions here.
2. The University of South Florida wrote an article last summer about why summer visits are good.
3. You might not know anything about Pomona College, but they write out the process pretty clearly on their admissions website!
2 K-12 School Plugs:
A section to focus on news in metro-Atlanta:
1. Howard School announces their new Director of Enrollment Management
2. Congratulations Class of 2023! Thank you for the great advice you left behind as you walked across the stage!
1 Recipe Randomness: Banana Boats
INGREDIENTS: ·
1 banana
Milk chocolate (chopped from bar or chocolate chips)
Mini marshmallows
Graham cracker squares
Nutella, Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Honey, Caramels, Red Hots... GET CREATIVE!!!!
DIRECTIONS
Take a banana and slice it down the middle (on the concave side). Don't let the knife slice through to the other side. Pull the banana and peel slightly apart
Stuff your ingredients into the center of the banana (except for the graham crackers).
Wrap the entire banana in aluminum foil.
Place on campfire or grill until ingredients have warmed through (about 10 minutes).
Unwrap banana and top with crushed graham cracker
ENJOY with a spoon!
Mindfulness Moment #11: AWAKEN
Growth and change are May’s mantra. The flowers and trees are budding and coming to life - waking up. The sights, scents, and sounds around you provide a changing landscape daily. It is a time for graduation and new beginnings. It is time to see new people, places, and things. Just maybe one of these encounters will inspire a change within you, allowing you to show up in a different way. Be open to all that blooms before you.
What awakens you?