Palm Springs , CA – August 24, 2003 – The PoliteChild, Inc. today announced that it has developed a Spanish-language version of its parents’ support materials for its popular courses in social skills, manners and etiquette. This version will be first used at the new Dr. Carreon Academy in the Desert Sands Unified School District. This is the first major program of its kind to offer a Spanish version.

“We are so pleased to be able to offer a Spanish version of our program,” President and PoliteChild Founder Corinne Gregory stated. “The Hispanic community is such a large and vital part of the United States’ culture, and it’s important that we support the members of that community.”

While the parent’s materials have been translated and tailored to meet cultural expectations in the Hispanic community, the students’ materials will remain English only, at least for the short-term. This reflects the general philosophy within the public school systems of providing English-based instruction.

The PoliteChild is an educational program dedicated to developing good behavior and social skills in children of all ages — from toddlers to teens — in public and private schools.

Gregory further explained the reasoning behind the move to translate the parents’ material. “While our country is, and has always been, a melting pot of many cultures, nationalities, and races, the reality is that these children – and adults, too – must adhere to the general Western norms of social behavior in order to succeed in a highly competitive economic market. When you consider that up to 85% of a child’s future success depends on his or her social skills, it’s critical that we equip our racially diverse society with the tools to compete effectively. Social skills are the great equalizer.”

At Dr. Carreon Academy, the Spanish version of the material is offered as an option to Hispanic parents, at no additional cost. The goal of the material is to continue to support the parents in using and reinforcing the lessons taught in the classroom, as well as to be a resource to parents who may not be optimally familiar with Western standards of conduct, manners, and etiquette. Gregory believes that having a Spanish product will not only aid the parents in building the child’s social savvy, but may also have an impact on the adult community as they learn more about Western social conventions.

The Spanish version of the parents’ materials will be a standard option in all the company’s products. It is presently available only with the SocialSmarts™ program, but further courses are scheduled to begin the translation process shortly.

About The PoliteChild, Inc. The PoliteChild is the leading program dedicated to developing excellent social skills in children of all ages — from toddlers to teens — by building solid foundations for learning and using proper social behavior, good manners, and etiquette. The goal of The PoliteChild is to help parents, educators, and others develop young people that have strong self-esteem and confidence, and are socially comfortable and proficient in handling a myriad of social interactions and situations. For more about The PoliteChild, visit the website at www.politechild.com.

About Desert Sands Unified School District. Desert Sands Unified School District, serving K-12, provides comprehensive educational programs and services with significant special education, vocational and early childhood programs to a multi-ethnic student population with diverse socio-economic and cultural interests. Desert Sands Unified School District also offers many Staff Development programs, giving teachers an opportunity for career advancement. For more information about the District, or about Dr. Carreon Academy, please visit the District web site at http://www.dsusd.k12.ca.us/ds1/ds1.

Copyright © 2003 The PoliteChild Inc. All rights reserved.

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