NASA discovered a significant amount water on the Moon! It is in the form of ice and vapor. This is exciting because "having a local resource like water would make things a bit easier. Hydrogen can be derived from water for use as a rocket fuel -- and the ice plume kicked up by last month's probe would also be of the drinkable variant. If you could clean it, it would be drinkable water," said NASA's Anthony Colaprete.

NCAGT is an organization for teachers, parents, other educators and community leaders who foster a better understanding of the needs and capabilities of academically/intellectually gifted children.  This is a great resource for advocating for and learning more about the NC Gifted and Talented program.

WCPSS is Now on YouTube and Twitter

Introducing two additional ways to stay up-to-date with the Wake County Public School System:

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Creative Tutors is excited to share in celebrating with you our 10th anniversary. Please join us on Timmy's Tutor and enjoy our cartoon where Timmy learns that Ms. Rita has been working with Creative Tutors for 10 years!

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) prepared the following tips for helping kids develop a love of reading:
Read with your child at least once a day;
Respect your childs choices;
Praise your childrens efforts;
Help your child build a library;
Check up on your child's progress;
Go places and do things with your child;
Tell stories;
Be a reading model;
Continue reading aloud to older children; and
Encourage writing along with reading.

I am sure you have heard said that “you are what you eat and drink”. When your stomach growls you remember you are hungry; but, the body doesn’t always give an obvious signal that it is dehydrated, that it needs more water. The American Dental Association publication “Bottle Water: Get the Facts tells us that not drinking enough water every day can have a negative affect on your overall health. They remind us, however, that if bottled water is your primary source of drinking water, you could be missing the benefits of fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay since the fluoride content of bottle water varies and the majority of bottled waters do not contain optimal levels of fluoride."

"Water regulates body temperature, helps remove waste, cushions the joints, and transports nutrients and oxygen to billions of cells. Water helps remove toxins and helps dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. The ADA tells us that an adequate amount of fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and builds strong teeth. If bottled water is your primary source of drinking water you could be missing the decay-preventive benefits of fluoride." The highest reason that children miss school in the U.S. is because of dental and health issues: For more information, visit http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/bottledh2o.asp.

Packing your child's lunch will ensure he/she has a nutritious meal. It is a good idea to include a snack or two, also. Brown bagging a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is okay, but over a year those brown bags get expensive and they don't keep the food hot or cold. It is safest to use an insulated soft bag and enclose a frozen gel pack or even a frozen juice pack to keep the lunch cold.

When preparing lunches, be sure to remember that perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees). Wash cutting boards with hot soapy water, keep house pets away from food preparation area, bleach may be used to sanitize surfaces, and do not reuse packing bags.

A few suggestions for foods that are safe without a cold or hot source:
Whole Fruits and vegetables
Hard cheeses
Canned meat and fish
Chips
Breads
Crackers
Peanut Butter
Almond Butter
Mustard
Pickles

If you have additional food safety questions, please call the U.S. Department of Agriculture hotline: 1-999-674-6854 or go to: http://www.ucop.edu/riskmgt/bsas/bsas_op/documents/keepingbag_lunchessafe.pdf

A move to a neighborhood-based school system has the potential to reshape Raleigh in coming years. See Shara Ovaska’s article in the News and Observer to read more about scenarios of how a shift to neighborhood schools might affect Raleigh. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/150508.html