Hilton Head Monthly Connecting the Lowcountry 
GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL AGES
I don’t know about you, but our summer was filled with spontaneous trips, late-night swims in Calibogue Sound, late-night movie marathons set to the backdrop of a summer storm, and lazy mornings when my daughters and I woke like contented kittens without a care or commitment in the world.
AT LOWCOUNTRY SCHOOLS, IT’S READING, WRITING AND RECESS.
Researchers continue to debate a subject that kids have agreed upon for ages: How important is recess?
Skip science or social studies, and most kids would hardly notice. But scrap recess? Prepare for a revolution. The prevailing opinion is beginning to take the kids’ side. Last summer, the National Network of Public Health Institutes collaborated with Health Resources In Action and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the issue. The resulting “Keep Recess In Schools” report recommends at least 20 minutes of daily recess for all students kindergarten through 12th grade.
HORSE RESCUE GROUP SETS UP IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
Dayle Eldredge, founder and president of Second Wind Thoroughbred Project, has been taking in unwanted thoroughbreds since she was a teenager. Now, fresh from a transplant from Florida to Hilton Head Island, she hopes to spread her mission to the Lowcountry.
WHETHER HIKING ‘THRU’ OR JUST VISITING, THE APPALACHIAN OFFERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
Lowcountry residents might be surprised to learn that the world’s most-famous long-distance trail isn’t as far from our beaches and marshes as it might seem. Springer Mountain in Georgia is the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, and it’s only a six-hour drive from Hilton Head Island. The trail also passes through Hot Springs, North Carolina, a little more than five hours away, so it’s not hard for area mountain lovers to get their fix.
NEW MOBILE CLASSROOMS OFFER TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS
New mobile classrooms this year at two Bluffton-area schools will ease overcrowding this year, but the problem of growth will require a more permanent solution in years to come.
This summer, the Beaufort County School District is adding one modular building with six classrooms at Pritchardville Elementary School, as well as a modular building at River Ridge Academy that will feature eight classrooms. Officials say both sets of classrooms should be ready by the time the school year starts.
TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD ENJOY READING
In today’s world of Instagram, YouTube and video games, it can be hard to get kids interested in books.
But for some — like Margaret Zendzian — reading sparks the imagination in a way that technology doesn’t.
DESPITE THE RISE OF COMPUTERS, CURSIVE HAS ITS PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM.
Communicating with a far-off friend? Send an email. Writing a term paper or a report? Crack open the laptop. Paying bills? Log onto the internet.
A LOOK AT A FEW OF THE LOWCOUNTRY’S MOST POPULAR SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS.
DESIGNER DOGS ARE GAINING POPULARITY IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
Move over, Labs and beagles. There are some new dogs in town: schnoodles, puggles, cockapoos and bassetoodles, for starters. These “designer” breeds are the top dogs right now.
Designer dogs may sound like elite, sophisticated, high-priced canines — and in many cases, they are — but “designer dog” is just a term that means mixed breed.
DOES YOUR DOG HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN?
There’s a test and accompanying certificate to prove that dogs know how to behave well in public. This is the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, and thousands of dogs nationwide pass this exam every year. Why do owners want to do this rigorous testing of behavior, manners and basic obedience skills? Passing this test indicates that you have a well-mannered dog who can be trusted to behave well in public places and in your living environment. Some hotels and apartments now require that dogs be CGC-certified in order to be there. Also, many therapy dog organizations require the Canine Good Citizen certificate in order to volunteer in the community. Locally, Hos-Pets, the therapy dog program at Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, requires this, as does PAWS to Read, a volunteer group which helps kids at the Boys and Girls Club with reading.
