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Primary Focus Newsletter

Learn about the latest news in education and tips to help your kids thrive in elementary school. Delivered to your inbox every Tuesday. Primary Focus was founded by Natalie Parmenter, a former kindergarten teacher to guide parents through elementary school. We provide information that is often common knowledge to teachers but is not widely known among parents. Primary Focus is dedicated to enlightening parents on all things elementary school so their children can thrive.

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Subtle hints parents usually miss

"It'll be fine by dusk light, I'm telling you baby" Something in the Orange by Zach Bryan It's been a while Reader, This is my first newsletter of 2024, and I'm so happy you're here! There are endless things to keep us busy in this life, and it means a lot you've given a little of your time to Primary Focus. What their teacher is trying to tell you... 🚨 Midyear testing is happening and you are about to get a ton of data about your child. I urge you to listen closely to warnings. It's a lot...

Natalie presenting at a workshop

"Maybe that's just how it goes when you're not fully grown" Relationships by Haim (such a good song!) 🍎 New workshop dates!! CMS Magnet schools on your mind? Save $10 with code EARLY10 Hey Reader, This summer I have felt a lot of growing pains with my business. It's grown a lot (yay!) but that also means a lot of new tasks, experiments, and reflecting to do better next time. I've expanded into workshops, doubled my check in calls, and booked public speaking gigs this fall. Simply put- the...

Natalie and Mike standing on the front of a boat with the sunset behind them. It is windy out so natalie's hair is covering her face and Mike's hair is blowing upward. They are smiling and laughing

"Someone else...Always seems to know the way" Lovely Day by Bill Withers 🟢 Need a hand to support your child in school? Book at 1:1 call today! Prices go up Aug 1 Hi Reader, Last week I started to write my email with updates on the state of public education funding in the US...then I stopped because I heard some rumblings. I didn't want to stress you out if the game was about to change And so I abandoned last week's email to see what would happen. And within a few days... The funding was...

Two people sitting at a table playing a game

"If I'm not there, it won't get done" Man Child by Sabrina Carpenter 💡 One Ticket left to tomorrow's Kindergarten School Talk Workshop ! Hello Reader, Take a second and think about how you organize your day. Some people are methodical spending time every day maintaining their list. Others do a once weekly (or monthly) reset and let everything go in between. The hardest part of time management is just how much there is to do! Work, home, school, meals, fitness plans, clothing, and then add how...

Hi Reader, 🇺🇸 Nothing says The Fourth of July like the Supreme Court deciding all their cases before summer recess! This year there was a lot of discussion around education. I broke down 4 important cases so you can understand how this will impact your child in school. Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond (Religious Charter Schools) What happened?Oklahoma’s virtual charter board approved St. Isidore of Seville, a Catholic virtual school, to receive state funding: a first in...

Natalie and her husband Mike take a selfie in front of a sign that says WCNC Charlotte

"Wasting the day away..." Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet 🔥 New Dates! Come to the Kindergarten School Talk Workshop Mon July 14 or Weds July 16. Early Bird Discount Expires Monday! Code: EARLY10 Sign up here Hey Reader, Imagine your child ended third grade knowing all their times tables. They worked so hard and aced their multiplication quizzes each week. But then... when they return after summer break they are suddenly struggling in math. Their new fourth grade teacher sends home a note...

a young boy running through a sprinkle of water

"Out for summer, out 'til fallWe might not come back at all" School's Out by Alice Cooper 😭😭😭 My June workshop sold out! Thank you so much for buying tickets and spreading the word. I've added a second date Mon June 23. Get your tickets here- save $5 with code FRIENDS5EVER Hi Reader, The end of the school year is a big deal. It marks growth, effort, and a whole lot of learning (in and out of the classroom!). But let’s be honest: it’s also a really busy time. I'm sharing 5 simple, repeatable...

"Anytime you feel danger or fear, then instantly I will appear" I'm Every Woman by Whitney Houston ✳️ In Case You Missed It! Today is the LAST DAY for the Early Bird Discount for June's Workshop. Use code EARLYBIRD at checkout Hi Reader, Last week I returned to my old workplace to proctor the EOGs. These are the "End of Grade" state exams in North Carolina. These tests are long and really challenging. I'm going to be honest with you- I HATE STATE TESTING And I know a lot of you do too. It's...

group of children pulling brown rope

"Just shower the people you love with loveShow them the way that you feel" Shower the People by James Taylor ✏️ Last Chance for workshop tickets- Get Ready for K Workshop is TOMORROW! Hi Reader, As the school year winds down, motivation gets… tricky.Kids are tired. Parents and Teachers are tired. Everyone’s just done. Let’s talk motivation—quick refresher first: Intrinsic motivation = doing something because it feels good or meaningful (think: reading for fun, finishing a puzzle just to see...

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got til it's gone..." Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell Hi Reader, Last weekend, I went to Indiana to visit my grandmother. Yes Indiana, home of the Hoosiers, Wonder Bread, The Indy 500, and America's most robust and destructive private school voucher program. In a nutshell, private school vouchers are state funded scholarships that help families pay for private school tuition instead of sending their child to a public school. About...

"Make me see I'm capable and fine" Dive by Olivia Dean (I love this song!) ✏️ Early Bird Pricing Ends Soon! Get Ready for Kindergarten Workshop 5/14 CODE: EARLYBIRD5 Hi Reader, Why Don’t Kids Skip Grades Anymore? It’s not that it never happens... But it’s much rarer than it used to be. Here’s why: School is about more than just academics Emotional maturity matters just as much as reading level. It's important we give kids a safe place to learn before we send them off into the real world....