1. education
2. school

The Bridge • April 2007
April 2007
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS:
HOW TO TACKLE THE ISSUE OF
SUMMER ATTRITION
8th Annual Instructors’ Conference
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NEWS
Promoting Your Center
For Whom the Bell Tolls:
HOW TO TACKLE THE ISSUE OF SUMMER ATTRITION
by Daniel Wooster
When you hear a bell sounding, what do you think of? Fire? An
emergency? Basically, alarms bring our attention to a potential
hazard or problem, and the end-of-year school bell is no different.
While children view this sound as an indication of freedom and
summer fun, Kumon Instructors realize that this sound marks
the beginning of a time of loss known as the summer slide. It is
during this three-month absence from learning that children lose
some of the skills they have learned throughout the year. Research
demonstrates that all students experience “academic atrophy”
during the summer months, and that the magnitude of loss increases
significantly by grade level and subject matter, with elementary
school students’ math and reading skills being hit the hardest over
the three-month vacation period. But the detrimental impact of the
summer slide is not limited to only the children. Kumon Instructors
over the summer months lose up to 30 percent of their students for
various reasons, from vacation to time off.
The question we face becomes how do we successfully tackle this
mindset of education and summer being in the same vein as oil and
water – not to be mixed? The answer is this: By learning from your
students and their parents, you can 1) assess, ahead of time, the
potential impact of summer vacation on your students; and 2) plan
accordingly to personalize your summer retention activities to meet
the needs of both parties.
In planning for the summer slide, it is important to keep these three
goals in mind:
1. Get the students to stay.
2. Get students to continue Kumon while away.
3. Get students to return.
We have spoken to a number of different Instructors in North
America and have compiled the following highly effective, low-cost
tips and suggestions to help you over the summer.
Getting Students to Stay
Parent, Student, Instructor Communications
Open and honest parent, student, Instructor communications can
mean the difference between an empty seat and a learning child.
Communication vehicles, by design, are proactive and, when used
properly, can help you attend to summer attrition on a personalized,
one-on-one level before it becomes a problem.
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In the spring, Joanne Colley of the Albion Kumon Center in
Etobicoke, Ontario, begins preparing a number of different child
and parent communications initiatives to tackle summer attrition.
In her monthly newsletter she reminds parents that Kumon is
open year-round and that by doing 20 minutes of Kumon first
thing in the morning, their child will continue to progress through
the summer months. This year she plans to discuss with parents,
with the help of her senior staff, a specific five-month goal (AprilAugust). In all discussions with parents, she discusses how far their
child has already progressed, highlighting the positives – consistent
homework completion, reaching grade level, honor roll, etc., and
any issues (incomplete homework, lack of home grading, recording
accurate start and finish times at home, etc.) that need addressing.
“We (parents and Instructors) both want the same thing: the very
best for our children,” she says. “Reminding parents of their child’s
achievements, outlining the path for their continued improvement,
and highlighting your year-round dedication to their success are
great ways to battle the summer slide,” she advises.
The Kumon North America Branding Team has developed
two Summer Smarts brochures to help you with your parent
communication both at the start of summer and at the end. “A Great
School Year Begins In The Summer” gives parents tips for successful
Kumon study during the summer and recommends other activities
to keep children’s minds active. The second Summer Smarts
brochure that should be distributed to parents at the end of the
summer vacation is called “A Great School Year Begins In
The Fall” It gives parents five ways to help their children start the
school year off right and emphasizes that Kumon is an ideal fit
for busy lives. These brochures will be shipped to Instructors in
early Spring before the school year ends based on the Center’s
Math enrollment.
Recognition/Rewards/Social Events
From Student Awards to Family Functions to Reward Draws, the
events initiative is a wonderful way to give your children a goal
to strive for over the summer months that is rooted directly in
their continued attendance and academic performance. Providing
motivation to press on not only addresses the issue of summer
retention, but also helps your children to understand the concept of
perseverance and determination.
The Bridge • April 2007
Marga G. Bailey, who owns Kumon Centers in Beaverton and
Sherwood, Oregon, runs a reward program called “A Hundred Days
for A Hundred Dollars” in addition to numerous other retention
activities. The students get credit for every day they do their work
during the summer and at the end of the 100 days, one person’s
name is drawn from the pool to receive the $100. “It has really gone
over successfully for us,” she says.
Krishna Rathee of the Malvern and Markham Kumon Centers
in Ontario utilizes the recognition event concept to motivate her
children to continue over the summer months, but is interested
in taking student recognition to the next level. “I would like to be
able to coordinate a recognition event to honor our families and
our children across the region that we serve,” Ms. Rathee explains.
“When our Instructors come together as a team, the possibilities are
endless and the ones that benefit are the children, the parents and
Kumon as a whole.”
Even though Ms. Rathee is a strong advocate of the recognition
event and uses it yearly, she also recognizes the value of open and
honest, one-on-one communications with her students and parents.
“Learning from your students and parents not only makes you a
better Instructor, but better prepares you for addressing potential
absences on a level that can’t be achieved by using generic initiatives.”
Summer Hours
Altering the hours your Center is open can have a surprising impact
on your retention over the summer.
In order to meet the changing needs of her students and their
families over the summer, Ms. Bailey holds a morning session from
10:00 a.m. until 12 noon for those who do not go to a summer camp
and don’t want to wait until the afternoon to come in.
Getting Students to
Continue Kumon While Away
worksheet packets, a flat stapler with staples and a sticker chart.
“Many times I will cut the amount of pages down if the students
will be at a place like Disneyland, but I encourage full pages on
travel days or days visiting grandparents or staying with relatives,
as grandparents always want to know their grandchildren are doing
well academically,” she says.
“Being located on an island with many international residents
who fly home to their countries for the summer makes retention a
difficult task,” says Elena Rodriguez, Key Biscayne Kumon Center,
Key Biscayne, Florida. “I bought a binding machine and I make
booklets for them to make sure they continue their Kumon while
traveling. Those who are not sure if they will complete the work, I
suggest that they pay one month, and I make a booklet for them to
distribute the work over the two-month period. That way they don’t
loose the practice, but it is not so overwhelming.”
Vlad Stefanescu of the Bedford Park Kumon Center in Toronto,
Ontario, follows the same protocol. “I develop a package of
worksheets for my students, but make sure that I have included
days off throughout the summer package. This way, the children
continue their Kumon, but don’t feel overwhelmed or burdened
during their time off. This tactic helps ensure that students and
their parents continue thinking positively about Kumon and its
dedication to personalized education.”
Getting Students to
Return After the Summer Break
Personalized Progress Meetings/Updates
Whether you intend to use the phone, computer or post cards, it
is vital to ensure that you address the child’s summer success. If
their achievements aren’t addressed, it may lessen your chances of
retaining that student next summer. This is also the perfect time to
distribute the end-of-summer Summer Smarts brochure titled “A
Great School Year Begins In The Fall.”
Offering Vacation Worksheets
Providing worksheets over the summer break is a wonderful way to
ensure that the child doesn’t suffer the academic loss that normally
comes with a three-month vacation, but is also a proactive way to
keep Kumon top of mind for your families. This tactic beneficially
impacts the potential of a child returning after holidays.
“I mark on my calendar when they are supposed to return,”
explains Ms. Bailey. “I call to ask how their vacation and trip was,
and get them into the Center as soon as possible. Many appreciate
the personalized phone call, and I always tell them what a great
start to the school year they will have if they keep up the practice
and get into the routine NOW!”
Each summer, Beth Espino-Santos of the Conway Lakes Kumon
Center in Orlando, Florida, asks parents to fill out a vacation
planner and submit the form a week before they leave. On the
child’s last Kumon class day, the child receives a comb-bound book
of worksheets for the duration of the vacation. The worksheets
(answered or not) come back complete and in order. “This makes
handling of the vacation worksheets so much easier,” she says.
While the summer months are a tough time of year for education
professionals to prepare for, the above initiatives can help you get
moving in the right direction. Your branch has many ideas, materials
and expertise to help you develop and/or put in place initiatives
that can stem the tide of summer absences. Please contact them for
further advice or assistance.
“I have been doing the same for vacationing families over the
Christmas holiday as well,” she continues. “The only downside was
the amount of prep time spent by the staff on the books,” she says.
“Will I do it again for all students during the next Christmas break?
Most likely.”
Ms. Bailey advocates students taking work on vacation and makes
up vacation boxes, complete with the homework organizer, all
We thank the Instructors we spoke with for so openly sharing their
ideas and initiatives. Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated by all.
While the summer bell may still sound an alarm for children this
coming summer, we know that we can answer that call. By being
proactive in our preparation and understanding of our children and
their families, we can positively affect the influence of the summer
months and ensure that more children experience a summer rise
instead of a summer slide. •••
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THE BRIDGE GETS A
MAKEOVER AND A NEW
AUDIENCE!!!
by Ellen Bedrosian
Editor-in-Chief
8th Annual Kumon North America
Instructors’ Conference
The One You Won’t Want to Miss
by Adam Shapiro
You may be wondering “What is
this Bridge I am receiving? It sure
looks different!”
For U.S. Instructors, this re-design
reflects the merging of the Canadian
and U.S. versions of The Bridge. The
United States has been publishing a
national edition of The Bridge since
July 2003. It is published monthly,
except for January/February, which is
a combined issue. The Canadian Bridge
was published six times a year.
It was decided that Canada and the
U.S. should join forces to publish one
edition of The Bridge to ensure that
Instructors continue to get consistent
and timely information to help run
their Centers in the most efficient way
possible. Occasionally, there may be
information that is relevant only to U.S.
or Canadian Instructors, so feel free to
skip those articles if they don’t pertain
to your operations. But we hope that
by combining the Canadian and U.S.
editions, Instructors will be getting the
best of both worlds.
If you have any comments, questions or
suggestions, please feel free to contact
me at 201-692-3058 or ebedrosian@
kumon.com. We hope you’ll enjoy our
stepping stone bridge to a more unified
Kumon North America. •••
Cosmic Club Scrolls
to be Sent Quarterly
As we promised the Instructors, we will
start sending the Cosmic Club scrolls on a
quarterly basis with the ASHR certificates,
beginning with the March ASHR.••
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Each summer, Instructors from around North America and the world attend the premier
Kumon event of the year – the Kumon North America Instructors’ Conference.
Our 8th Annual Instructors’ Conference will take place July 19 – 21, 2007 in Toronto, one of
the most diverse and exciting cities in the world. With its colorful ethnic mix, rich history,
lush parks, plentiful shopping, world-class dining, superb theater, and breathtaking
architecture, Toronto is nonstop adventure from the top of the CN Tower to as far as the
eye can see. Toronto is on par with New York City, San Francisco and Chicago when it
comes to cultural attractions and urban endeavors. As one of the most cosmopolitan cities
in the world, Toronto is marked by a variety of distinct neighborhoods, cultures, food, and
arts. And this year’s Conference promises to be as diverse and multicultural as Toronto
itself, with a rich mosaic of learning opportunities and social gatherings highlighting
Instructors and Associates from around the world. The Conference will be held at the
luxurious Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel located across from city hall in the heart of the
entertainment and financial districts – a perfect launching point to experience the eclectic
and vibrant scenes and attractions the city has to offer. Toronto is also home to some of the
most reputable Kumon Instructors anywhere, all with knowledge, enthusiasm, and warmth
to share with Conference attendees. To the indigenous Huron Indians, Toronto meant, “The
Meeting Place,” and we look forward to gathering Instructors from across North America
and around the world for what we know will be recognized as the best Kumon North
America Conference yet.
The Conference will feature a range of presentations and workshops designed to deepen
your knowledge of Kumon and enhance your abilities as a business manager. You will
discover how some of North America’s most successful Instructors guide students through
the upper level Math and Reading curriculum, facilitate struggling readers, recruit and train
Center Assistants, utilize Public Relations to build relations with educators and community
leaders, develop sound business plans that lead to greater profitability, protect themselves
against liabilities common to small business operators, and much more. A world-renown
Instructor from overseas will share her experiences and instructional insight – lessons with
great application to Instructors here in North America. And a trio of presenters will inspire
us with their stories about how Kumon is helping disadvantaged students throughout the
United States, Canada, and Mexico. Along with Center visits to some of North America’s
most esteemed Instructors’ Centers, exhibits of Kumon products and services, testimonials from
successful Kumon alumni, social networking, and many other learning opportunities, you are
sure to come away from this year’s Conference enriched, motivated, and with a renewed
sense that you are part of the dynamic community of Kumon Instructors and Associates.
Join us in Toronto, where our array of outstanding presentations by an international
assembly of Instructors, education and business specialists, and Kumon Associates will lead
you and your students to even greater heights of success…and where the exciting social
functions and entertainment we have planned, along with the spectacular sights of one of
the most vibrant cities of the world, are sure to thrill all who join us.
Look for registration materials in your mailbox in late April, and visit
www.kna-conference.com for information today. •••
The Bridge • April 2007
EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT NEWS
By Doreen Lawrence
The Education Department’s mission is to build stronger communities and a
more promising future by making the Kumon Method available to all people
in currently underrepresented areas.
Some of the department’s activities of 2006 included:
• Implementing and managing relationships with the U.S. Department of Education,
state DOE’s and local school districts. In 2006 we worked with 20 states.
• Supporting 84 NCLB Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Centers and 15
branch teams with the implementation of SES in 58 school districts with 2,400
students in 13 states.
• Monitoring compliance of SES contractual obligations.
• Administrative and accounting functions for NCLB multiple Instructor programs.
• Monitoring Kumon’s Rural In-School Program in 20 schools with more than
1,800 students.
• Operating seven Company-owned Centers in Detroit, Michigan; Gary, Indiana;
Paterson, New Jersey; and Newark, New Jersey.
• Researching activities associated with the Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMSS).
• Participating in conferences as an exhibitor and/or presenter at:
a) National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
b) Hispanic Business Expo
c) Title I Conference
d) National Council of Family Literacy Conference
e) Michigan After School Conference
f) WNET Celebration of Education in NYC
• Providing professional development training to:
a) New Staff training
b) Instructor Monthly Meeting Presentations on “Train your Brain: Understanding
Brain Based Learning” and “ Diversity in the Kumon Reading Curriculum and
Recommended Reading List.”
c) Annual Instructors’ Conference
• Representing Kumon North America, Inc. with Education Industry Association (EIA)
The Education Team will continue with these activities and with promoting Kumon
in unrepresented areas in 2007. The Education Team Members are:
New Jersey: Noel Cruz, Maritza Gonzalez, Evelyn Rodriguez,
Audrey Marcus-Mayes, and Matt Lupsha. 201-928-0444
Indiana:
Janelle Williams 219-796-3451
Detroit:
Doreen Lawrence, Libby Samanen 248-290-0450
Please contact us by phone or by email at [email protected] with your questions,
comments, and suggestions. •••
K2 Operations for the U.S. East, U.S.
Midwest and U.S. South regions have
been transferred to KSNA
K2 Operations for the U.S. East, U.S.
Midwest and U.S. South regions have
been transferred to Kumon Services
North America (KSNA). Transferring
this function to KSNA gives us the
advantage of extended hours and the
staff coverage to address Instructors’
needs from the early morning to evening
hours, thus enhancing customer service
for our Instructors and enabling us to
process reports more rapidly.
Change of Mailing
Address for Paper Reporting
Instructors should send their paper
reports and student applications to:
Kumon Services
Attn: K2 Department
2151 So. Park, Suite #3
Hebron, KY 41048
A toll-free number has been set up for
Instructors to call KSNA K2 personnel
directly.
K2 Customer Service Hotline:
(866) 231-2968
The Canadian K2 operation remains at
the Toronto location.
eFile and CMS2 Reporting
Instructors who submit their monthly
reports via eFile or CMS2 should submit
their monthly reports as usual. ••
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promoting
by Lindsay Isaacs
YOUR CENTER
REACH OUT
& EDUCATE YOUR COMMUNITY
Building awareness and a positive reputation of Kumon in your community is essential to your business
The Public Relations Department relies heavily on its relationships
with the media. One of the strongest relationships you can cultivate
is with your local community. But what can you do to win the favor
of local residents? The answer can be found in community relations.
Community relations activities can be fun and informative and
range from hosting a free event for parents to sponsoring a
“newspapers in education” program for a nearby school. Here are a
few ideas for promoting Kumon to your target audiences (parents,
educators and media) throughout the year. Your interaction with
these key groups is important. Their impression of your Center can
have a significant impact on your business. Make it your goal to
select at least one of the following suggestions, and check them off
to keep track of your progress.
Community Relations Checklist for Your Center (U.S.)
☐ April is a great time to promote Math Education Awareness
Month. This observance, sponsored by the Joint Policy Board for
Mathematics, provides a special opportunity to promote the Kumon
Math program. Kumon Instructors can host special math homework
help night open houses for the general public on non-Center days,
or math Olympic-themed events for local schools. Activities you
plan to have at your Center can be posted and promoted on
www.mathaware.org.
☐ June is a fabulous time to host an Awards Ceremony or fun
retention events to keep Kumon students motivated to stick with the
program throughout the summer months. June also is a vital month to
communicate with parents about their children’s goals and progress
in Kumon. Hold group or one-on-one conferences to talk about
summer learning retention and goal setting for the upcoming school year.
☐ As mentioned with Mother’s Day, the same should be done
for Father’s Day in June. Students should be encouraged to show
appreciation for their fathers with thank you cards, short essays, and
certificates of recognition for their support with the Kumon Program.
☐ In the U.S., Scholastic encourages non-profit organizations
and learning centers to host Summer Book Fairs in June and July.
Kumon Math and Reading Centers has established a good rapport
with Scholastic. The company is excited to work with Kumon
Instructors, especially those with enrollment of 75 or more students,
in organizing an event. Scholastic will provide all materials and assist
with the Book Fair set up free of charge. Instructors should visit
www.scholastic.com, click on the book fairs section in the lower right
hand corner of the website, and click on your location. This is a great
activity for a Saturday or during the week before class begins. The
PR Department has articles encouraging summer reading that can be
sent to the local media along with Book Fair event announcements.
week is recognized and mentioned all over the U.S. by the media.
This is a great occasion to identify and touch base with trained
professional librarians to create ties with local libraries. Show your
appreciation by sending thank you cards and gifts from the children
at your Center and yourself.
☐ August is time to prepare for the new school year. The PR
Department distributes a “Back to School” press release that
Instructors can customize for use in community papers. This is
an important time of the year to be visible in the media. Consider
being a guest columnist for your local parenting publication and
provide helpful hints to parents for helping children transition back
to school.
☐ The National Education Association celebrates Teacher
☐ September is National School Success Month. Students will be
☐ April 15th to the 21st is National Library Week for 2007. This
Appreciation Day the first week in May. Consider distributing
letters of admiration and “goodie bags” (with Kumon logo items,
brochures and business cards) to teachers at local schools. You
also can encourage your students to write short essays about their
favorite teachers and send them to the teachers along with a gift
card and/or certificate of recognition.
☐ Mother’s Day is in May. Students should be encouraged to show
appreciation for their mothers with thank you cards, short essays, and
certificates of recognition for their support with the Kumon Program.
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getting back into the swing of things in September and parents will
want to take proactive measures to ensure a successful school year.
Open houses are appealing during this time of the year for many
families who seek academic help for their children.
☐ American Education Week is in November. This week highlights
the importance of bringing educators, school staff, parents, students,
and communities together in a unified effort to make greater the
possibility of children reaching their full academic potential. This
week is a good time to contact the PTA and other organizations at
The Bridge • April 2007
your local schools to offer Open Houses during non-Center days. The PR Department has
presentations available on many topics regarding children’s education.
☐ December is Holiday Season and a great time to host a holiday party at your Center.
Make education fun, and plan an event to celebrate and keep students motivated to
continue into the new year.
☐ January marks the beginning of a new year, and a perfect time to get parents and
students re-motivated. Conduct one-on-one parent/student conferences and review parent
communication brochures provided by the Marketing Department. Children come back
from winter break and New Year’s vacation, so consider this as your opportunity to seekout new recruits and keep current students enrolled in the program. Continually discuss
goals and accomplishments to keep students motivated to progress.
☐ February is report card season. Parents will seek solutions to children’s report card
blunders. This may be the best time to make your Center visible in the media. The PR
Department has customizable articles/advertorials on topics ranging from interpreting
report card results to encouraging students to eliminate stress during test taking.
☐ Annually in March, the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives sponsors Brain Awareness
Week to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. Email
your local Public Relations Department to request the “Train Your Brain” presentation
and you can offer this information to the public. Providing giveaways like the “Train Your
Brain” book by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima ($12.95 Amazon.com) can pique more interest among
parents, educators and the public.
Powerful, sustained, and mutually beneficial relationships with communities are crucial to
companies seeking to play time-effective, appropriate, optimistic, and socially responsible
functions in society. Utilizing the community outreach activities the Public Relations Department
has provided for you reinforces your ability to identify the needs of your public and builds
a professional and personal partnership with influential people within your area.•••
Public Relations Team
Name
Region
Email
Phone
Fax
Jenny Cherrytree
West
[email protected]
310.225.2968 ext. 226
310.323.6640
Caitlin McHugh
East
[email protected]
201.928.0444 ext.456
201.928.0044
Lindsay Isaacs
South
[email protected]
281.395.0200 ext. 24
281.395.0257
Rasheda Williams
Midwest
[email protected]
248.290.0450 ext. 33
248.649.2567
Daniel Wooster
Canada
[email protected]
416.490.1434 ext.265
416.460.1694
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ellen Bedrosian
201-928-0444 ext. 368
[email protected]
PUBLISHER
Kazu Shibata
MANAGING EDITOR
Adam Shapiro
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jeanie Son
CONTRIBUTORS
Lindsay Isaacs
Doreen Lawrence
Adam Shapiro
Mary Thurmond
Daniel Wooster
DESIGNER
Seon-Bin Kim
Published monthly by
Kumon North America
300 Frank W. Burr Blvd.,
Teaneck, NJ 07666