Fruit Kabob Tree
Cut the top and one inch off the bottom of a fresh pineapple so it stands up.  Make approximately 25 kabobs on 4-inch skewers or toothpicks using red and green fruit.  We used kiwi and strawberries.  Stick skewers in the sides of the pineapple to form your tree.  Decorate the top of the tree with a Star Fruit skewer.  When the kabobs are gone you can cup up the pineapple to eat!

Red and Green Pepper “Sushi”
Spread a thin layer of low fat vegetable cream cheese on spinach and tomato wraps.  Sprinkle diced red and green pepper on top of cream cheese and roll up tightly.  Cut into ½-inch “sushi” pieces.

PBJ and Banana Rollups
Spread a layer of creamy peanut butter onto whole grain Flat Out bread (found by the deli).  Spread a layer of low sugar strawberry jam on top of peanut butter.  Add several slices of banana in the middle of the bread and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of granola.  Roll up tightly and cut into ½-inch pieces or enjoy the whole thing for a tasty breakfast, lunch or snack.

Mini Bagel “Wreaths”
Spread low fat cream cheese onto each ½ of a mini wheat bagel.  Have kids decorate their wreaths by adding bits of red and green vegetables – tomatoes, green and red pepper, broccoli, etc.

These are great treats to have your children make with you during the holiday break. enjoy!

• Make it clear before you begin just how much time you’re willing to volunteer. Even stay-at-home parents don’t have an unlimited amount of time to volunteer at their child’s school – many parents have other activities and interests, as well as other children to care for.
• Don’t be afraid to say no if you’re being asked to do more than you feel comfortable with – just try to say it early enough so that someone else can be found to take your place, because many trips and activities can’t be taken unless the school has a certain number of chaperones or supervisors.

• Start small. Don’t offer to coordinate the holiday bake sale, the band recital, and a swim meet all at once! If you’ve taken on too much, find out if you can delegate some duties to other interested parents.
• Don’t give your child special treatment or extra attention when you’re volunteering at the school. Follow your child’s cues to find out how much interaction works for both of you. Most kids enjoy having their parents involved, but if your child seems uncomfortable with your presence at the school or with your involvement in a favorite activity, consider taking a more behind-the-scenes approach. Make it clear that you aren’t there to check up on him or her – you’re just trying to help out the school.
• Get frequent feedback from the teachers and students you’re working with. Find out what’s most and least helpful to them, and get suggestions about what you can do to make the most of the time you spend on school activities. It’s important to keep the lines of communication open among teachers, administrators, students, and volunteers, and to be flexible and responsive as the needs of the students and the school change.

“Parental Partnerships is one of the four pillars on which National Heritage Academies was founded,” said Dave King, principal at NHA’s Ridge Park Charter Academy (http://ridgepark.heritageacademies.com). “Parents are an invaluable resource to our students and teaching staff. Whether it’s volunteering for playground duty during recess, shelving books in the library, chaperoning a field trip or helping plan a school carnival, NHA welcomes parents at school.”

Source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/school.html