For every year that I was a principal, I reminded my staff that the holiday season usually characterized by celebrations, gifts, and glad tidings, was a difficult time for many families. Not every child is happy during the holidays. Not every family comes together to celebrate in a Norman Rockwell style. While the holidays are cause for positive feelings in most students, a small but significant number of students will react negatively to the festive atmosphere which surrounds them.

Some families are poor and will have no presents or celebrations at Christmas. Some families are broken or dysfunctional and the holidays only exacerbate the negative situation the family finds itself in. Some families are homeless and for them, a warm place to sleep and a meal takes priority over presents and parties. The children in these families sometimes act out negatively in school during the weeks preceding the holiday vacations. Their frustrations will manifest themselves in unusual and disapproving behaviors.

'Tis the season to understand that not every child finds happiness at this time of year. It would serve us well to pay special attention to those students whose behaviors seem unusual or uncharacteristic. Many times these uncharacteristic behaviors are caused by the contradiction between a joyful atmosphere at school and the reality of their personal circumstances. The best gift a child could receive is a teacher or principal who understands their world and appreciates them just the same. At no cost and very little time, we can provide the wonderful gift of understanding and value.

I wish you a healthy, happy, and peaceful holiday season. Thank you for the work that you do with children each and every day. We need you and I appreciate you.

The Program for International Student Assessment has released findings for students in science around the world. As is almost always the case, the United States is painted as lagging behind the world.

18% of the variance of the American student science scores was related to the students’ socio-economic status. The fact that socioeconomic factors appeared to be less of a factor in higher-scoring nations is no accident, say the authors of the report, from the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which oversees PISA.

“PISA suggests that maximizing overall performance and securing similar levels of performance among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds can be achieved simultaneously,” they write. “Quality and equity need not be considered as competing policy objectives.”

Even with NCLB, our public school system continues to give low SES students a less rigorous curriculum and less educational resources. Title I funding is designed to support underprivileged children and their families.

If we could rally behind these kids and in tandem raise the academic culture and capital of their families, I believe we could be successful in closing this gap once and for all.