Tonight's the night to get kiddies to bed on time

Bulletin boards in a second-grade classroom; there is black fabric on the walls outlined in colorful borders. This is typical of many classrooms in Iowa.

School starts in just a few days in most of Iowa's public schools, and a few tips could help parents get the school year off to a strong start.

According to scholastic.com, the publisher of books for school-age children, regular bedtime and wake-up routines are to be established ahead of the actual first day, which in this area is Thursday, Aug. 23.

This includes reading to the children on a regular basis, perhaps, just before bedtime. Reading aloud is a proven way to raise readers, perhaps the greatest indicator of academic success.

In the mornings, it's most important to provide the child breakfast, or to direct the student to free breakfast at school if it is offered. Hungry children do not make ideal students, and there should be no hungry children in a state like Iowa.

Other suggestions from Scholastic:

* Walk through school during the parent/teacher introduction event. This is early this week in many schools. Find out where the classroom is, and then the closest bathrooms, the gymnasium, and the cafeteria.

* Stay positive when taking about school, the classmates, and the teacher.

* Talk to your children about their day, and about the school.

* Get involved in school events.

The Iowa Department of Education keeps tabs on the number of students who attend districts in the state. Some local statistics:

Davenport: 15,642 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grades. In kindergarten through 12th grade, the city had 14,686 students in 2017-18, the most recent year the census was taken.

Bettendorf: 4,837 in preschool through 12th grades; 4,539 in kindergarten through 12th grades.

North Scott: 3,295 including preschool students; 3,126 in kindergarten through 12th grades.

If you want to research your district enrollment, and other data specific to your children, check out the state's website: educateiowa.gov



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