Summer is here, and with it comes a new season of opportunity at HOPE South Florida. As families prepare for a return to school routines, we’re reminded that stability is the foundation for success, especially for children. But for thousands of families in our community, that foundation is missing. When most people hear the word “homelessness,” they picture someone chronically unhoused — perhaps a man on a park bench or someone panhandling at a traffic light. But the reality we see every day tells a different story. Family homelessness is rising dramatically, and many of the families we serve don’t […]

August has a rhythm all its own. It signals the slow fade of summer, with the end of long pool days, late sunsets and impromptu adventures. As a kid, I remember dreading that shift. I never wanted summer to end. I wanted it to go on forever. But looking back, I realize that even when school was out, learning didn’t stop, it just changed form. And maybe, just maybe, some of the best lessons I’ve ever learned happened outside the classroom — when I wasn’t even aware I was learning.   The summer I became a turtle trapper I was […]

Today’s homeschooling families are as diverse as their reasons for choosing this path: dissatisfaction with the system, concerns about school safety, mental health, a desire for personalized learning or the flexibility and tools technology now offers. To all of you who have chosen this path, I commend your courage. When our family began homeschooling almost 30 years ago, things were very different. Most families weren’t motivated by fear, frustration or academic goals. It was a calling — something we felt deeply convicted about. We believed our children’s education and character development were our responsibility, not something to outsource to the […]

The Good News provides a monthly column with important content having to do with topics from the legal community. This month Tripp Scott attorney Bill Davell interviews fellow Tripp Scott attorneys Jeff Wood and Thomas Sternberg, education law specialists, to give us some “education” on a powerful and valuable option for Florida families. ————————————————————————————————– Bill Davell: Jeff, let’s start with the basics. What is a charter school?   Jeff Wood: The State of Florida defines charters as “non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that have a contract or charter to provide the same educational services to students as district public schools.” Charters must […]

One of the things that can wear on a parent’s nerves, especially during summertime is arguing. It is good for your lawyer to enjoy arguing because that is what they are trained to do, but perhaps that is why some children do a lot of arguing. As parents, we may have inadvertently trained our child to argue. If you have a child who constantly argues about everything, ask yourself “Why?”  When he does not get what he wants, does he argue?  Does he whine?  Does his arguing or temper tantrum get him what he wants? After a while, does he […]

It’s summertime, and it has me nostalgic thinking about my summers as a kid. I spent so much time outside year after year every summer. Some summers were spent in the Midwest, visiting my grandfather, others as I got older were filled with sports and other activities, but those early summers as a kid I was mostly outdoors, with family, making good memories.    Doing good Good memories can also come from doing good for others – especially others who are in need. There’s a unique opportunity that comes around this time of year; we can slow down a little […]