HEALTHY SLEEP HABITS

Sleep - or lack of it - is probably the most-discussed aspect of child care. New
parents discover its vital importance those first few weeks and months. The quality
and quantity of an infant's sleep affects the well-being of everyone in the household.
And sleep struggles rarely end with a growing child's move from crib to bed. It simply changes form. Instead of cries, it's pleas or refusals. Instead of a feeding
at 3 a.m. it's a nightmare or request for water.
So how do you get your child to bed through the cries, screams, avoidance tactics
and pleas? How should you respond when you're awakened in the middle of the night?
And how much sleep is enough for your kids?


Bedtime Routines

No matter what your child's age, establish a bedtime routine that encourages good
sleep habits. These tips can help kids ease into a good night's sleep:

Include a winding-down period in the routine.
Stick to a bedtime, alerting your child both half an hour and 10 minutes beforehand.
Encourage older kids and teens to set and maintain a bedtime that allows for the
full hours of sleep needed at their age.


How Much Is Enough?

It all depends on a child's age. Charts that list the hours of sleep likely to be
required by an infant or a 2-year-old may cause concern when individual differences
aren't considered. These numbers are simply averages reported for large groups of
kids of particular ages.
There's no magical number of hours required by all kids in a certain age group.
Two-year-old Sarah might sleep from 8 p.m. whereas two-year-old Johnny is just as
alert the next day after sleeping from 9 p.m.
Still, sleep is very important to kids' well-being. The link between a lack of sleep
and a child's behavior isn't always obvious. When adults are tired, they can be
grumpy or have low energy, but kids can become hyper, disagreeable and have extremes
in behavior.
Most kids' sleep requirements fall within a predictable range of hours based on
their age, but each child is a unique individual with distinct sleep needs.

For more information on this or other health and safety topics, please visit
www.childrensal.org.

Accelerated/Dual Enrollment at Jeff State Com. College

Registration will begin April 15 for Jeff State's summer semester. Attention 10th and 11th graders! By enrolling as an Accelerated High School student, you can have the opportunity to gain college credits before you graduate from high school. These credits can transfer to Jeff State or to another postsecondary institution after you graduate from high school. To be eligible for the Accelerated High School program, students must meet the following criteria:
1) Student must have successfully completed the 10th grade.
2) Student must complete Jefferson State's Accelerated High School form, including signatures from the principal and counselor.
3) The student must have a minimum cumulative "B" average and be recommended for admission to the Accelerated program by the high school counselor and/or principal.

Summer classes begin May 23, so please complete your admission process as quickly as possible. You can also visit the Admissions Office at the Clanton campus for assistance with this.

Dual Enrollment classes will begin with the fall semester. This program allows high school students to take college courses and receive both high school and college credit. Jeff State will once again offer ENG 101 and 102 during the fall semester. Students interested in registering for these courses must have already completed 11th grade high school English.
To be eligible for the Dual Enrollment program, students must meet the following criteria:
1) Meet the entrance requirements established by JSCC.
2) Have a "B" average in completed high school courses.
3) Have written approval of the appropriate principal and the local superintendent of education as per the Dual Enrollment application.

Students registering for dual enrollment classes in the fall must submit their dual enrollment application, a copy of their high school transcript, along with ACT scores and their driver's license to the Admissions Office at the Clanton Campus. Students must have a minimum score of 20 on the English portion of the ACT test in order to be eligible for ENG 101 and 102. If the student does not meet this requirement, they have the option to take Jeff State's Compass Placement Test to determine eligibility. This test is given each Tuesday and Thursday between the hours of 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. There is no cost for this test.
Tuition for ENG 101 will be due at the time of registration ($426). Tuition for ENG 102 will be due at the start of the class which will occur mid-semester ($426). This tuition amount does not include books. The student will not receive credit for these courses until tuition is paid in full.
Fall registration begins mid-July, and classes will begin mid-August.
If you have questions regarding these programs, please contact the Jeff State Admissions Office at (205) 280-8200.

See NextStepU Mag Online FREE!

Go to http://www.nextstepu.com/emag/default.aspx? to see the online version of NextStepU magazine. There are some great articles for students who are looking for scholarships, about to graduate from high school, or looking at different careers. Some of the articles include information about very unusual scholarships, scholarships for minorities, online learning, careers in political science, geek chic, studying abroad, the anti-bullying movement, and college diversity. You can also register for a $10,000 scholarship at NextStepU.com.

Answers for Questions on Completing the FAFSA

Jacksonville State University has provided two "FAFSA question answering" PowerPoint presentations and a "How to..." document that you may use as a guide when looking for financial aid and applying for the FAFSA pin number and FAFSA.
Go to http://www.jsu.edu/admissions/counselors_corner.html. This is a page for counselors but it's available for everyone to use. Students and parents can also find great information on the Alabama Career Information website, www.alcareerinfo.org.

"Out of the Easy" Writing Scholarship Contest

Open to 12th grade full-time matriculated students who are attending high schools located in the fifty United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, or home-schooled students between the ages of 17-18 who are residents of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions. The prize includes a $5,000 scholarship!

Go to http://www.outoftheeasy.com for more details and rules of this writing scholarship contest.

Spring 2013 Graduation Exam

This is the schedule of the Spring 2013 Alabama High School Graduation Exam. If you are a junior or senior and are not sure which (if any) of these tests you should take, please see your counselor right away.

Monday, March 18 – Biology
Tuesday, March 19 – Math
Wednesday, March 20 – Reading
Thursday, March 21 – Social Studies
Friday, March 22 – Language

ACT Review at YMCA

The Chilton County YMCA will sponsor a review for the April ACT test. THE REVIEW WILL BE AT THE YMCA! Please notice the time changes!
The ACT test will be on April 13th.

What: Science Review
When: Monday evenings, April 1st and 8th from 6 pm until 8 pm
Who: This review will be taught by Mrs. Amanda Price
Where: YMCA
Cost: $5.00 (this pays both Monday night sessions, but if you only attend one Science review session, it still costs $5)

What: English Review
When: Tuesday evenings, April 2nd and 9th from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm.
Who: This review will be taught by Dr. Cynthia Stewart
Where: YMCA
Cost: $5.00 (this pays for both Tuesday sessions, but if you only attend one English review session it still costs $5)

What: Math Review
When: Thursday evenings, April 4th and 11th from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm.
Who: This review will be taught by Mrs. Sheri McKee
Where: YMCA
Cost: $5.00 (this pays for both Thursday sessions, but if you only attend one Math review session it still costs $5)

You can also find an excellent review at:
o ACTstudent.org
 Test prep
• Practice test questions
This site includes practice problems and answers with explanations for each section of the ACT.