Kids > Parents/Teachers

PARENTS/TEACHERS

Below are useful links for caregivers and educators of children.

Schools	Park Districts
General Information	Reading Readiness
Healthy Kids	Safety Issues
Recreation	Homeschooling

Schools

School District 83 - Website for Illinois School District 83, including information for Enger School, Mannheim Middle School, Roy School, Scott School, and Westdale School.
School District 87 - Website for Illinois School District 87, including information for Northlake Middle School, J. W. Riley Elementary School, Sunnyside Elementary School, and Whittier Elementary School.
School District 88 - Website for Illinois School District 88, including information on Grant Primary School, Grant Elementary School, Lincoln Early Childhood Center, Lincoln Elementary School, McKinley Elementary School, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, and Roosevelt Middle School.
St. John Vianney - Website for St. John Vianney School in Northlake.
PTA - The national PTA website. Resources and information for members of Parent Teacher Associations.

Park Districts

Memorial Park District - Find information on the parks and programs in Bellwood, Hillside, Melrose Park, Northlake and Stone Park.
Veterans Park District - Find information on the parks and programs in Franklin Park, River Grove, and Northlake.

General Information

Child & Family WebGuide - This web site provides evaluations and links to other sites on child development research and advice.
Parent’s Choice - Find reviews of books, toys, and games for children by the Parents' Choice Foundation.
PBS Parents - Information on PBS Kids television shows as well as numerous resources for parents on child development, learning, play, and health.
Zero to Three - The National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families offers resources on raising very young children.

Reading Readiness

Born to Read - The Association for Library Service to Children's web site for the Born to Read initiative. This program helps expectant and new parents learn the importance of reading to children at a very young age.
Colorín Colorado - A bilingual web site for families and educators of young English language learners.
Reading is Fundamental - A nonprofit organization that helps motivate children to read by providing resources to underserved children and families. Their web site offers much information on choosing books and cultivating a literacy-rich home for your child.
Songs for Teaching Children - This for-profit company, in addition to selling music products, offers many children's song lyrics and sound clips for free.

Healthy Kids

American Sign Language University - Lesson plans, learning tools, and other resources are available on this website for teaching and learning American Sign Language (ASL).
ASL Pro Video Dictionary - A comprehensive dictionary of video clips that demonstrate letters, words, and phrases of the American Sign Language.
Aspire of Illinois - Apsire Children's Services, a metro Chicago organization that provides early intervention services, offers resources and services to help children up to three years old reach important developmental milestones.
The Autism Program of Illinois - This web site is a large network of organizations and services for families and children with autism.
Autism Society of America - A grassroots organization whose goal is to improve the lives of all those affected by autism. They work to do so through increasing public awareness of autism issues and advocating for autism services, education, and resources.
CDC – Vaccines & Immunizations - The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on recommended immunization schedules, practices, and issues to consider for parents.
Early Intervention - The Illinois Department of Human Services web site, with information on services to help children three years old and under with disabilities or developmental delays.
Food Allergy Network - Find resources for education, advocacy, and research on many specific food allergies.
Kids Health - Articles on many health issues regarding children and their families, including emotions and behavior, first aid, nutrition, and medications. There is also a site for kids and for teens.
Lekotek - The National Lekotek Center provides information and resources about toys and play for children with special needs.
LD Online - A web site with topics and advice on learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Mayo Clinic - Mayo Clinic's web site provides specific information for children's health.
National Center for Learning Disabilities - Find information on a child's rights and options in education and employment.
Prevent Child Abuse Illinois - Discover child abuse prevention programs, events, and resources for parents.
Stuttering Foundation - An organization that supports those who stutter with free online resources. Information is available for parents, teachers, kids, and teens.

Safety Issues

Bullies - This article called “Bullying: More Than Sticks, Stones, and Name Calling” describes how bullies behave, how bullying victims suffer, and how to prevent and correct bullying.
Get Net Wise - This website details safety tips for many different age levels, up to 17 years.
Children and Safety - The University of Michigan Health System provides information on how to keep infants and children safe as well as the major risks to children.
OnGuard Online - This site offers several short videos that address different internet safety issues, like cyberbullies and internet scams.

Recreation

Chicago Parent - Chicago Parent Magazine offers a local perspective to parenting and family resources. Their website features blogs, a calendar of things to do, coupons, birthday party ideas, and other articles for local families.
Chicago Kids - A website with things for kids and their families to do in Chicago Area. There is a special section for deals and coupons.
Kids in Mind - This organization creates special ratings for parents based on a movie’s sex and nudity, violence and gore, and profanity, in an effort to help families choose appropriate films for their young ones.
Parent Previews - This website has reviews written specifically for families with children.
Things to Do - A website that offers information on many Illinois attractions, programs, and events for all ages.

Homeschooling

Harris Loans from the Field Museum - The Field Museum in Chicago has in-depth educational materials including exhibit cases, audiovisual materials, and even “experience boxes” to enhance a classroom or home-schooling experience. The website describes how to become a borrower and allows you to search its catalog for materials.
Home Educators Resource Directory - Find global and local resources and support for home educators.
Homeschooling A to Z - This site offers comprehensive resources for all philosophies of homeschool education.
HSLDA –Illinois - The Home School Legal Defense Association provides resources for parents, including information on Illinois’ state laws pertaining to homeschooling.
Illinois Christian Home Educators - Information about Illinois education law, local conventions and events, and more.
Illinois H.O.U.S.E. – Illinois H.O.U.S.E., Home Oriented Unique Schooling Experience, provides a network of support groups for parents and families involved in homeschooling.
What About Socialization? - A blog about homeschooling in the Chicago suburbs.