What I'm hearing from Lino Lakes families this September

I have been hearing a lot about how busy schedules get once the school year picks up, and homework becoming a real struggle at home. That is honestly the theme of September every year.

But if I am being honest, the biggest thing I see every single day is confidence. Every student who walks through our door is smart and capable. Most of them just do not believe it yet. Sometimes what a kid needs most is not a harder worksheet, it is a teacher who meets them exactly where they are and helps them believe they can do this.

My advice to parents in Lino Lakes this month is to set your priorities around what actually helps your student succeed, in school and in life. I get it, schedules fill up fast with sports and other activities, and I am not saying drop everything. But once a student starts struggling with math, it does not fix itself on its own. It is worth asking whether a sport or a club might be taking time away from something that needs attention. Confidence in math tends to carry over into confidence everywhere else, and a strong math foundation is a big part of setting kids up for success.

We just held our very first Library Math Game Night at Johnsville Library, and it was a blast. Great turnout, lots of new faces from the community, and plenty of educational games. Getting to meet families outside the center like that is exactly the kind of thing I want to keep doing more of.