Elementary School

Keeping your child's medical and academic records organized and easily referenced is an important task every parent must undertake. Here's why.

You and I have to keep certain records safe yet available for easy reference. Important papers such as tax returns, wills, deeds, titles, diplomas, and certificates prove ownership and achievement. Many of these documents are originals, which is all the more reason to keep them in a safe place and to keep them organized. You probably do not have to refer to them very often, but you know where to find them when you need them.

The same thing applies to your child's records. There will be many times when you will have to furnish proof that your child has been immunized against certain diseases. Aptitude and other academic testing results are also important papers to keep on file. Here's how to organize your child's important papers so that you won't be missing the documentation you will need to support her application to nursery school, primary school, high school, and college.

Medical and Health Records

Keep records of all immunizations, test results, and prescriptions. Why? Because you will be required to provide proof of immunizations as part of your child's medical record when you apply to private school at any level. Schools need to know about allergies your child has so that they know what action to take if and when she has an allergic reaction to something. Ditto with any medications which your child takes. If

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

For many reasons, it can be more difficult to get your child into a preschool or kindergarten than into a prep school. Especially if you live in a major city like New York or Chicago. Competition for places still varies widely by school and local market in 2026, so families should check each school's current availability and admissions timeline. Getting your child into preschool is not quite the same as walking into Bergdorf's and purchasing an expensive item of apparel. Your money and your accomplishments take a back seat to your child and her abilities and accomplishments. Preschools look at your child first. Then they will give you the once-over.

If you live in an area where places in the local preschools are not as difficult to come by, count your lucky stars. In any case, here's an overview of the process.

Getting Started

Much depends on the area in which you live. Major metropolitan areas can have fewer preschool places relative to demand. How do you make sure your child will get into a school? You start the process as soon as you can, and you go through the admissions process at least three schools, five if you can manage it. In those highly competitive markets, getting into a preschool, any preschool, can be almost as dicey as drawing lots. So cover your bases by applying to more than one school, preferably three. Applying to

As you begin to prepare your middle schooler for the prep school admissions process, be sure to take advantage of the long summer vacation. It offers the time you need to do several things including remediating learning gaps, taking enrichment courses and travel, and, of course, reading.

For remediating learning gaps

Your child may have straight A's in English but struggle to achieve a B in Math. While one or two B's won't be a deal-breaker at some schools, it won't help if your child is applying to very competitive schools. What to do? As soon as you discover that she has a problem with a core subject like mathematics or reading, do something about it. Tailor the solution to the situation. If a little extra help at her present school is all that is necessary, then go that route. If more drastic measures are required, then hire a tutor. We did that one summer, and it made all the difference in our daughter's comfort level with mathematics.

Children learn in different ways. So, be sure to observe how your child is being taught. That will guide you on what solution to seek. It's very important not to make your child feel like she is being punished or that she is a failure. Instead, you need to explain that core subjects are taught over many years. She needs to understand each level thoroughly before she advances to the next. Core subjects are the foundation on which all her

This is a companion article to Schools for Gifted Children. There are a host of resources available to you on the Internet to help inform you about gifted children and how to educate them. As you sift through all this information, remember that your child is unique.

Because you are his parent, follow your own instincts about how to nurture and educate him. It is entirely possible that no one program or school setting will satisfy his needs and requirements. If you approach educating your gifted child as your responsibility and not somebody else's, then you will take ownership of your child's education. At that point, schools and enrichment programs are adjuncts to what you are providing.

Parenting a gifted child is an enormous responsibility. As the authors of *Helping Gifted Children Soar* state so succinctly: "Parenting a gifted child is like living in a theme park full of thrill rides..."

Organizations for Gifted Children

• National Association For Gifted Children
  "NAGC is the nation's leading organization focused on the needs of gifted and talented children. Dedicated to uplifting and empowering those who support children with advanced abilities, NAGC provides energizing professional learning, impactful research, and inspiring advocacy to ensure all children have equitable opportunities and support to develop their gifts and talents."

This umbrella organization offers a vast array of resources and information. If you are looking for enrichment programs for vacations and breaks in the school year, check out their Resources

Reggio Emilia is an approach to early childhood education which originated in Italy after World War II. While not as widely known as the Montessori and Waldorf methods, Reggio Emilia has attracted a small but extremely loyal following in the United States. You will not find many schools styled Reggio Emilia as you will with Montessori or Waldorf schools, for instance. What you will find are schools which draw heavily on Reggio Emilia ideas and philosophy. They often refer to themselves as Reggio Emilia-inspired schools.

This short video gives us an overview of the Reggio Emilia approach.

The foundation of the Reggio Emilia approach can be found in the movement's principles.

• Children must have some control over the direction of their learning.
• Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing.
• Children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that children must be allowed to explore.
• Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.

What then is Reggio Emilia? Here are five facts about it.

There's much more to Reggio Emilia, of course, but this will give you an idea of what it is all about.

1. It is strictly an early childhood education approach.