School Choice Week Celebrates ‘Magic’ of Education

 School choice is on the horizon Americans are gearing up for the twelfth annual National School Choice Week which will take place January 23-29 As president of this week, I know first-hand that exploring your K-12 education options can change your life! This year’s “A Day to Celebrate Great Schools and Empower Families to Find the Right Fit” is important because it allows people to celebrate the good choices they make which will lead them to great schools and a positive educational experience This event is being organized by public education home-school groups and other organizations that want the best for everyone The activities are not limited by geography or social background; anyone of any age can participate in this week-long celebration that Some schools hold open houses some hold fairs Some run student showcases The reason so many people celebrate the Week is the same reason I’ve worked in education for so long: Learning is magical It fuels children's natural curiosity and allows them to unleash their talents and gifts into their daily lives The world is full of magic The learning fit that they find at their neighbourhood school a public charter school a magnet school a private school an online school or through home-schooling is ever-exciting and awe-inspiring to see kids who succeed It is important to love learning and are fulfilling their potential By doing that people will be fulfilling their potential and it is a tragedy when that fails to happen Too often the happy magic of learning falls to the wayside as we become preoccupied with the stress of school searches or classes that aren’t the best fit School Choice Week helps families by providing them with a tool for making these decisions within their power on behalf of their children Parents who fail to support their children’s education through school choice should be renamed These parents are the ones who give up on their children and push them toward failure Those parents who choose not to support public education ought to be named “those who celebrate it.” They believe that every child given the right environment can succeed They believe that great teachers always deserve a thank you! This School Choice Week gives us the opportunity for parents to rediscover the magic of learning Here are three simple ways you can be involved in the Week First start a conversation with your child about what they like about school and what they wish were different First learn more about educational choices at schoolchoiceweek.com/state-guides or share that information with a friend Second show appreciation for your school by volunteering at it or saying thank you to a teacher during Jan 23-29 By working together we can help more children experience the benefits of education The magic of an educational fit where they thrive The magic of an educational fit is that it is a process that students can navigate themselves and their parents finding the right school for them that suits their needs The key to this process is understanding what you and your child need a sense of self-worth and the ability to be successful in their education Andrew Campanella is president of National School Choice Week and the author of The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the