Wait…what? No, it’s not! If you’re like most of our savvy readers, you snagged this issue at the beginning of August, and according to my calculations, that means we (in the public school system anyway) still have a good third of summer vacation left. But thanks to the retailing world’s rush to get us shopping for notebooks, pencils, and a fresh pair of sneakers, August is deemed Back-to-School Month, so we at RFM will play along. In this information-packed issue, we talked to four area teachers to find out what they want parents to know as we head into a new school year. Flip to page 20 to find out these great tips, straight from the mouths of our kids’ educators. Also this month, we explore college finances and learn about some creative ways to find scholarships and navigate the many different types of financial assistance available to students. And since you’re reading this so early in the month, there’s still time to get one last family trip under your belts before the school year begins. Our travel writer, Martha Steger, recommends Hershey, Pennsylvania, for your last minute getaway. Reading this article on page 14 made me want to hit the road AND the nearest candy shop!
August for me is a family birthday month, with my big guy turning six on the seventh. He will get the ceremonial gift, Now We Are Six, by A. A. Milne, and he wants to party with the Flying Squirrels – sounds good to me! After that, we’ll head out of town on our annual friends’ beach trip, this year to a new spot, Topsail Island, North Carolina. I hear it’s incredibly peaceful and the waters are a little less rough than the Outer Banks, which will be perfect for my little swimmers.
Looking for ways to keep your family busy during these last weeks of summer? Head to our all-new website, RFMonline.com to check out our extensive calendar of family-friendly events, and read some of our staff reviews for great ways to beat the heat… everything from the Science Museum of Virginia’s awesome exhibit, Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds and the Brain, to our review of the new Children’s Museum of Richmond Chesterfield location, and two productions from Virginia Rep. While you’re online, you might want to search for some of your favorite past articles. They’re all there! Or perhaps you have a topic you’d like to explore – just type it in, and everything from RFM that touches on that topic will be listed! Looking for ways to deal with your picky eater? Thirteen articles will pop up when you type picky eaters into the search box! While you’re there, be sure to enter our contest, answer this month’s poll question, and drop us a note when you click on Tell Us What You Think.
In the meantime, try to help the kids have fun getting ready to go back to school. And no matter how you’re spending these precious last weeks of summer, enjoy them!
