Columnist Bill Hanlon -- Parents: Learning shouldn't stop during summer vacation

BILL HANLON is a school district administrator and a member of the State Board of Education. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected].

WITHIN A FEW WEEKS of being off for summer vacation, kids begin to get bored. While there is no doubt that students and teachers need periodic breaks from the day-to-day activities of school, there isn't a need to squander the whole summer.

Before long children will be looking for things to do, and you will be hearing things such as "I'm bored." Or maybe they will just get underfoot. These are the times you think of how school keeps little minds busy and out of your hair. As a parent, you should continue working the brains of your children.

The library is a good start. How many books do expect your children to read this summer or this year? What was the last book any one of your children read?

Check out some books you think are important for them to read. Let them pick some books. Talk to them about the book after they've read it. You might also have them write a book report so you can see how well they write.

There is no better example you can set for your children than by reading a book yourself. Spin a globe and pick a county to find out about. You might even ask them write letters to relatives and friends or have them do a research project on fields they may be considering for employment.

Read the newspapers, talk about the news, the impact events have on the future. Talk to them about the importance of being an informed citizen. There is nothing wrong with pulling out last year's notes in science and math and simply reviewing what they learned -- that type of reinforcement is valuable.

Periodicals, such as Readers Digest, publish word lists that you might use to increase your child's vocabulary. Playing games such as Scrabble might also help. Remember the Internet. And there is nothing wrong with registering for community college classes in subject matters that you have an interest.

Whether children take a music, art, math or lawn mower-repair class is not important, it's the fact that they are kept busy and are learning. Book stores carry books and tapes to help learn a foreign language.

Take advantage of community programs, both educational and athletic. Organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs offer both sports and educational programs.

Let's not forget chores. There is nothing wrong with having children help you at home. During the summer, there should be a greater expectation that they help around the house. Cutting and trimming the grass, weeding the garden, sweeping the sidewalk, washing windows, or -- if skilled -- a little painting. You might want to devise a test to see if your children are abreast in technology; have them turn on the vacuum cleaner periodically to find out.

With one of the highest dropout rates in the nation, Nevadans should clearly talk to their children about the role education plays in their lives.

On top of this year's increased dropout rate, approximately 40 percent of the junior class failed the new high school proficiency exam. Believing that failure is not a problem since students can take that exam again is a big mistake. The next time that test is offered -- in October, students will have been in school one month. That is not a lot of instructional time for preparation.

Call your school if you need assistance helping your child. The counselor, principal, department chairman or teacher should be able to give you ideas in resources to use to prepare for that test. Graduation may depend on that preparation.

Like everything else in life, balance is needed. So while children should enjoy their summer vacations, they should stay busy and continue to learn. They should also learn that as they grow, so do their responsibilities.

Hopefully, you will sit down with your children and evaluate the progress they have made in school. You should talk about what they have learned, how they could have improved or maximized their learning potential and if they are on track to accomplish the goals that they have set for themselves. If you don't take the time to discuss their education, the kids might get the idea that it is not important. Not a very good message to send.

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