Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ Parent Connection welcomes the latest in a series of guest columnists offering insight, research, and commentary on all facets of parenting. This month’s column, Thoughts from Dr. Newmark, is available now on the school division Web site, vbschools.com. Guest columnist Dr. Gerald Newmark shares concepts from his book, How To Raise Emotionally Healthy Children, on the dangers of not meeting children’s emotional needs. Newmark discusses the short and long-term risks of ignoring feelings and how these effects are experienced over time. In addition, Newmark offers some solutions including the importance of family as a learning community and school/parent partnerships.

Dr. Newmark is a nationally known parent, educator, researcher, and management consultant. He has worked with schools and youth for more than 30 years and has received a presidential citation for his work in education. Together with his wife Deborah, he founded The Children’s Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the concepts of emotional health in children, families, and communities. He recently served as the keynote speaker at the school division’s first Parent Connection seminar on February 7, 2009.

Parent Connection links families to educational materials, workshops, activities, and community resources which support child development and success. A calendar of events and classes is available on the Parent Connection page of the school division Web site. Parents, grandparents, and citizens who wish to be notified, via email, of a Parent Connection special event or program of note can sign up for vbschools x-tra, the division’s online subscription service, or email parent.connection@vbschools.com. For more information about Parent Connection, contact Melissa McQuarrie at 757.263.1936.

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