Well that was fast. Summer, that is. It always seems to fly by, doesn’t it? If you don’t have school-aged kids yet, just you wait. On the flip side, if you do have school-aged kids, there’s a good chance you’re doing your happy dance as the bus takes your cherubs off to start a fresh, new school year. No more bickering between the siblings, no more constant asking for a snack, drink, snack, drink, snack, drink. Let’s just say there are pros and cons to summer drawing to a close! My boys are back in the same school for one year, starting sixth and eighth grades. I can hardly believe the elementary years are behind us!
This annual Education Issue is packed with something for everyone, from Cathy Brown’s inspiring interview with national teacher of the year Rodney Robinson (page 18) to Melissa Face’s look at grades and their effect (page 32). And fear not if your education days are behind you (or in front of you!), we have plenty for you in this issue, too, from car seat safety to recipes, plus, the area’s most comprehensive events calendar in print, for easy reference all month long.
And speaking of events, we’re gearing up for RFM’s first-ever Education Expo later this month. Be sure to join us on Sunday, September 22, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the beautiful Dewey Gottwald Center at the Science Museum of Virginia for an afternoon full of all things education. From private schools to tutors to financial aid and saving for college, we have all the bases covered under one roof. In addition to the thirty-plus schools and education-related exhibitors, we have an impressive array of RVA education experts lined up on two stages who will cover a wide variety of topics throughout the event. I’m excited that our friend Sarah Bloom, NBC12 morning co-anchor and September 2018 RFM cover mom, will be our panel moderator for the afternoon. She will lead discussions on everything from finding the right fit for your child to computer science in schools. I’m really looking forward to sitting in on some of these panels, especially The New 3Rs for the 21st Century: Risk-Taking, Resilience, and (Self) Realization from The Steward School and University of Richmond.
We’ll also be giving away the ultimate door prize at the Expo, a 2-night holiday package at Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center, including tickets to ICE!, breakfast one morning, parking, taxes, and resort fees, valued at $1,000. And after you visit the Expo, you can trade in your RFM Education Expo Passport for free admission to the Museum for the rest of the day! If I haven’t given you enough reasons to come on out, I give up! Check out the facing page for more information, and find the event on our Facebook page, too.
Enjoy this jam-packed issue, and happy fall!