(Adrian Sommeling)

Some parents call it “opting out,” while others label it “an act of civil disobedience.” But one sixth grader at the Institute for Collaborative Education describes it simply and succinctly as a “boycott” when she decided not to take the new state exams, which end this week.

While her classmates took the ELA test, which incorporates the tougher Common Core curriculum, this sixth grader, whose parents prefer she not be named, penned a six-page letter in which she cogently explained to her teacher why she decided to sit out this year:

“I am boycotting the test because I don’t like the way the DOE uses the test results. The kids who take the test are being used like guinea pigs in a lab. I do NOT want to be used this way. By boycotting the state exams we’re trying to change the way the exams work. We, as students, want to make a change, a change that will last.”

Institute for Collaborative Education (www.iceschool.net)

She goes on to describe the test as “a bully on paper” and finishes up by saying, “We’re doing something that takes courage. We are making a move our mayor would not have made. We are going to change these state exams. This is why I am boycotting.”

If we were handing out grades, we would bestow the prized 4 to this mini-Thomas Paine for her well-argued document. Her mom, Kemala Karmen, however, says her daughter “is not a natural crusader, but she came to this on her own.” Half of her fellow sixth graders at I.C.E. have followed suit and are boycotting the exams as well, she says. The whiff of dissent seems to be in the air. One-third of the students at the Earth School have opted out of the exam this year, according to a recent New York Times report.

We understand the fears and tears that many youngsters are experiencing. But we can’t help but smile at these kids’ feisty New Yorker personalities emerge when push comes to shove.

[Read the complete letter at Change The Stakes.]

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg talks with fifth graders during a tour of PS 262 with Cathleen Black. (GETTY)

Brooklyn is pretty much officially the borough of choice for bohemian families and competitive public (and private) schools. Combine that with fantastic realty options for nearly any lifestyle; the demand sizzles.

Noticing a need for more knowledge on how to navigate the daunting and complex process of selecting (or getting your kids into) the right Brooklyn school,  Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate is hosting a special seminar with New York City school search expert and founder of NYC School Help, Joyce Szuflita. At “Helping Families Understand the Brooklyn Elementary School System,” Ms. Szuflita will dish her expertise on better understanding Brooklyn Elementary Schools.

The event will take place at the Montauk Club on 8^th Avenue in Brooklyn from 6p.m. to 9p.m., free of charge, but with limited seating. Refreshments will be provided by DE Capital Mortgage. Interested parents can contact Catherine Witherwax for more information.

Ms. Szuflita is a 28-year Brooklyn resident and the mother of teenage twins and knows thing or two about educators, schools, and how to enroll children in public and private school successfully. Her advice has been profiled in the New York Times, Time Out NY Kids, NY Family – Brooklyn, achildgrowsinbrooklyn.com and nycprivateschoolsblog.com

Butter Bean kids cooking up a storm!

Scooter heard through a parent or two about a New York company, called Butter Beans, that is serving up some nutritious delicious pointers to 14 New York City schools by supplying them with wholesome, seasonal lunches. In addition to eating gourmet, the kids get a brush up on their food education, enjoy cooking classes and, this year, there was even a summer camp. Butter Beams will oversee the preparation of some 1,400 hot school lunches per day this autumn. We reached out to the firm to grab a bite of what’s cookin’ their kitchen…

How did Butter Beans come to be?
Butter Beans was founded by two mothers who are passionate about the food their children eat. After deciding to start their own business and talking to other parents about the best way to improve what children eat, Belinda Di Giambattista and Felicia Desrosiers ventured out to change the way school children eat school lunch by making them healthy, delicious meals for schools. Their company is called Butter Beans, a name that comes from Belinda's childhood of shelling butter beans from her grandparents’ farm to sell at the farmers' market.

What is most alarming about the way kids in NYC are eating at lunch?
The amount of sugar that can be packed into a simple lunch is alarming. Everything that appears to be healthy can be full of sugar and you not know it because of the marketing—whether it is flavored yogurts, flavored milks, or other packaged staples, unless you stop to add it all up, you don't realize how easy it is to give too much sugar. Also, children love meat. It is also very easy for them to eat a lot of meat and not enough fruits and vegetables.
What else needs to be done?
If the entire community pulls together and agrees on a very simple message of eating healthy, it would be a step toward teaching our children how to make healthy decisions on their own, so that they ask for fruit or crudités with hummus instead of yogurt straws. We do not want to make a big deal about eating healthy or make them scared of sweets, but rather demonstrate good healthy habits of our own so that they have a good example to watch and learn from.
Any great success stories thus far?
This is Butter Beans' fifth school year and we are excited to be kicking off the year with 13 schools enjoying our made from scratch fare. Over the years, we have had many parents share stories about their children's improved eating habits since participating in our lunch and cooking class programs. Every time we read or hear about one of these stories, it reminds us of why we started this business and show up every day.
How can concerned parents get involved?
Concerned parents can work with their school administrators (in private or charter schools) and relentlessly explain why they should talk to Butter Beans about providing a healthy lunch. All parents of private and public schools can speak to their After School Coordinators about having a Butter Beans cooking class offered in their after school. We have seen many picky eaters come through our cooking classes much more adventurous eaters when they finished the semester. Kids love to get their hands dirty and make food. They will try just about anything they make themselves and this opens up their minds to try other peoples' creations as well.
Butter Beans also offers a farm to table summer camp which is a great opportunity for students to learn about cooking, farming, etc.

How did Tegu begin?

It all began with a personal connection: before starting Tegu, my brother Chris had been a consultant with The Boston Consulting Group, using his engineering background and Spanish fluency to help clients in Latin America. After a business meeting in Honduras, Chris reconnected with some old friends who had begun a boys' home in the capital city Tegucigalpa. He was struck by the depth and degree of poverty, particularly in Tegucigalpa, whose municipal trash dump served as home to about 200 children, scavenging recyclables and bits of discarded food. Unemployment was and is severe in Honduras, far worse than we’ve ever experienced here in the USA, even during the Great Depression.  Chris was beginning to noodle with the idea of starting a business, using Honduras’ natural resources, to create jobs and build something great. He quickly gravitated to wood and timber, a resource he believed held significant opportunity. So here was this country with the potential for a vast renewable resource of tropical hardwoods, and a large, untapped pool of talent. He put two and two together, and, after brainstorming with me, we came up with the idea of starting a wood products-based company. Today, each tree that we harvest is replaced at least 100 times over with newly planted saplings. Customers can also donate trees or school days directly on our site. We’ve planted almost 35,000 trees to date and we support a school that gets those kids out of the trash dump.

What sort of research goes in to your designs?

Unscripted block play is foundational in the classical pedagogies, from Montessori to Waldorf, because they develop children’s creativity and abstract reasoning through interaction with concrete materials. Studies show that children who build more complex block structures also score higher in mathematical reasoning. We wanted to bring the classic wooden block into the 21^st century, so we began simply by observing children of all ages playing with blocks and discovered that the blocks served as storytelling devices. Children naturally used them to construct mini worlds in which they play out real life experiences and make-believe ones. After developing the prototype of the magnetic wooden blocks, we knew we had hit upon something truly special. Children were fascinated with Tegu. They built with greater speed, confidence and concentration. Unscripted play, holistic development and moments of discovery thus became the foundation of our own pedagogy and the principles that guide as we develop new toys.

What’s it like creating products that engage people of all ages?

When people ask us what the target age group is, we tell them it’s for ages zero to 99 because they honestly delight people of all ages. I have friends who have Tegu blocks as desk accessories (they’re beautiful and great for procrastinating), and grandparents who love to get on the floor and build with their grandchildren. They’re the kind of toys that you buy for your kids, play with yourself and then cherish for years until grandchildren make an appearance on the scene.

Do employees' families give you new ideas, advice and test Tegu products?
All the time! We have many moms on Team Tegu and their kids are constantly weighing in on these matters—what they like, what’s frustrating, what we should make next. One thing is for sure—the Tegu kids are a lucky bunch.

What’s the hardest part about being a sustainable and foreign-operating company in today's market?

When people are used to buying cheap toys made in China that have a six month utility, it can be tough convincing parents that it’s worthwhile to invest in a toy that’s designed to grow with a child for years and makes a positive impact on the planet. Replanting the rainforest, using natural materials, paying living wages in Honduras—we’re committed to these issues but they do not come cheaply.

Eventually, Zuckerman wound up heading back to the classroom. Today, the singer-songwriter teaches kindergarten just outside of New York City while he continues to tour the country.

After deciding to combine his two passions of music and teaching, Zuckerman recorded his first children's album (From A to Mr.Z) under the name Mr.Z and the Shashka Frashkas. The music targets an audience from kindergarten to elementary school with songs that deliver valuable educational and social lessons, using a variety of music genres.

"Making this children’s CD has been a great experience for me. I've always wanted to make a difference with my music,” said Mr.Z. "This CD is truly a great way to make learning fun while also teaching children good messages about liking the self.

Scooter got word of the album's first music video online for the single "It Starts With You.”

Give it a go and let us know what you think!

Photo: Marisa McGrody

Last Saturday, June 9, a bevy of young adults, clad in white, flocked to 121 Fulton Street in Manhattan to honor Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that aims to create quality education for all children through the implementation of new schools and learning programs, increasing access to education and fostering global, sustainable communities.

Upon arrival at the event, patrons had their pictures taken on the step-and-repeat at the door, before entering a dimly lit room where servers hovered about passing hors d’œuvre. The main attraction, predictably, was the open bar, which dolled out vodka lemonade libations and rosé. A live DJ set kept things upbeat on the dance floor with mash-ups of house and top-40 tunes. The raucous merriment was only briefly paused for a quick thank-you from the event organizers, who expressed gratitude for everyone’s generous contributions.