1.Book Repair: The Parker Fastback 15xs binding machine is a great option for schools that are looking to repair damaged soft cover and hard cover books. You can use a Fastback system to add a new wrap around printed cover to a soft cover book. You can also rebind the contents of a hard cover book and place them in a new hard case or glue them in the old hard cover. Many school libraries also use their Fastback Binding machine to strengthen the bind on their trade paperback books. By running every paperback through a binding cycle before it is placed on the shelf, you can in many cases double the shelf life of these books. School libraries spend a huge amount of money every year replacing paperback books that are worn out and have pages coming out. The fastback binding system can help you save on some of those costs.

2.Downloadable Content: More and more providers of school curriculum and book publishers are offering access to websites with downloadable content. With a Fastback binding system you can quickly and easily turn those downloads, e-books, curriculum supplements and other materials in to printed bound documents. This is a great way provide an added service to your teachers and your students. These materials can be printed and bound on demand and can easily be added as volumes to your collection for use in future years.

3.Yearbook Creation: For small and medium sized schools, the cost of having an outside service print and bind a yearbook for you can be astronomical. In fact, the cost is so high that many smaller schools simply don’t produce yearbooks. However, with a Powis Parker Fastback binding system you can have students print and bind their own yearbooks. Many schools have successfully turned the production, printing and binding of their yearbook into a leadership development project for their students. The cost savings of producing the yearbook in house will usually pay for the equipment the first year and offer substantial savings in following years.

4.Student Publishing: Having a Fastback Binding machine in your school makes it easier than ever for students and classes to publish their own bound and printed books. Many schools around the world already use Fastback to allow their students to publish their own poems, short stories, essays and reports. These written works can be published with tape binding, perfect binding or can even be added to a hard cover book or anthology. Some of your classes may even decide to publish their own book as a fund raiser to sell to the parents.

5.Out of Print Materials: With a Fastback binding system libraries can have a whole new world opened up to them when it comes to out of print or public domain materials. Librarians can download, print and bind books that are in the public domain, rare, out-of-print or super specialized. These books can be bound and printed for addition to your library’s collection.

Finances are an issue now adding a tuition check to each month’s budget does not seem like an option. What do you do? The US Census Bureau reports that about 20% of American families are single-parent households, and in most case the breadwinner is a mother. In addition 95% of the single parents make less than $75,000 a year in income. So, for many going back to school without some form of financial aid is not an option.

The US Department of Labor reports that most mother who work have full time jobs. When they get home they spend another ten hours cooking, cleaning, running errands, running car poolings, playing with the kids, washing and doing laundry in addition to their other responsibilities.

There is good news for working parents! There are many programs available to both working moms and dads to support their financial efforts in returning to school. Accredited distance learning universities offer flexible learning options for working parents. Financial resources are also available specifically for this group of parents. There are many government and private programs that have funds for working mothers and single parents.

The first step is to figure what you want to go back to school for. Then, find out the available financial options from the prospective college. This information can be obtained from the college’s financial aid office. In-depth Internet research will also yield you various results. In addition, going to the local library and looking through the annual scholarship books is always a good recommendation. One thing to remember though – watch for the deadlines and make sure you submit your application on time. Also determine the application materials that should be submitted such as letters of recommendation or essays and prepare those ahead of time. In addition, be sure to apply for the right scholarships. Some are quite specific in their criteria. For example some scholarships are only available for student in certain areas such as engineering or science.

The next step has to do with time management. Given all your responsibilities, adding classes to your list can sound quite daunting. Develop a routine and stick to it. Make your family stick to it as well. For example ensure that the children’s bedtime is well established so that you can study without interruptions after putting them to bed. Also, you can prepare lunches the evening before to save you time in the morning. Delegate responsibilities to the family so that you don’t have to try and do it all alone. This will help you feel less stressed and help you focus more on your school work. Keeping a daily planner and using it regularly will also help you have an idea of your home, class, and work activities without making you feel flustered.

To succeed in your classes you could apply several strategies throughout the semester. For each of your classes read the syllabus in depth and ask your instructor to clarify what will be expected from you during the semester. Next, note the deadlines, milestones, due dates, exam dates and add them to your calendar.

Don’t wait until the last minute to start working on your big class project or term paper. Creating self-deadlines is a good strategy get this going. Be sure to prioritize your assignments and your work or home activities ensuring nothing gets pushed back. Pace yourself and do not be afraid to ask for help. It is also very important to be self confident and to tell yourself you can do it.

Gap Year policies varies WIDELY between colleges.  Some colleges say if you take one, you may be considered a transfer. Other colleges (including Ivy League colleges) will admit you, give you great scholarships, ENCOURAGE you to take a gap year, and STILL allow you to have your scholarships and freshman status when you return!  Unfortunately, any specific advice I give on this subject will be incomplete.  Your best bet it to contact three or four colleges that your child would MOST like to go to, and ask them specifically about their gap year information.  Remember too that their policies can change from year to year.  Also, be careful to get assurance that the policy they quote you is “grandfathered” and will not change if your student leaves for a year!

Even if your student is planning a year off, you will want to prepare your application and fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) during their senior year!  If they don’t apply as a senior, then they really COULD be considered a transfer student and miss out on many freshman scholarships.  So have them apply while they are still in high school.

General advice:  fill out the applications just like any other student, with transcript, reading lists, and course descriptions.  In one of the application essays, they should focus on their gap year plans, what specifically they will do and what they hope to accomplish.  Remember the essay is COMPLETELY written by the student.  On the other hand, you as the parent can help your student brainstorm facts to include in that essay.  While your student completes the application and essay, you can call the colleges to research their policy.  Make sure you visit each college, and have your student talk face to face with someone in the admission department.  That’s as good as an “interview” and can go a long way to proving they really are taking a gap year and not just goofing off.

Yes, fill out the FAFSA.  Colleges will base their financial aid decisions on the FAFSA, and (with luck) that financial aid decision will carry over once your student returns.  You don’t want your child to come back with a college admission but not be able to afford the college!

Gap year is NOT affected by “dual enrollment” college courses.  Those are college level classes taken at community college or online that are taken while the student is officially a high school student.  When they have dual enrollment credits, you put the information from the community college course onto the high school transcript, to prove that it is “dual enrollment” and NOT just a college class.  Only college classes taken AFTER high school graduation will mess up your gap year.  Your student can take anything BEFORE graduation but NOTHING after graduation (no classes during the gap year.)