So it’s the after-Christmas breather. Parents are, for the most part, happy to have their kids back in school and/or back on their regular routines…happy (or not) to get back to what they were doing before the vacation…

But don’t get too relaxed! Next week the  public elementary school kids have to take the standardized English Language Arts Tests. Tuesday January 10 is Day 1 of NYS ELA test for grades 3, 4, and 5. Wednesday January 11 is Day 2 of NYS ELA test for grades 3, 4 and 5. Thursday January 12 is Day 3 of NYS ELA for GRADE 4 ONL Y

For the third graders, this is the test that will determine promotion to 4th grade. And for the 4th graders, this is the test that is used for admission to middle school.

The stakes are high and there’s a whole lotta stressin’ going on.

On Thursday morning (that’s TODAY), there’ will be lecture for parents that may be very helpful. It’s the second parent meeting in the series "What’s a Parent to Do?" Presenter Mary Courtney, PhD, clinical child psychologist, will offer useful advice on "Big Worries, Little Worries — How to Help Your Child with Stress." Just in time to quiet the willies around the NYS ELA tests  next week. Auditorium. 8:30 a.m.

*Did you know that the person who first said: "Don’t get me started" was Teddy Roosevelt?