| 7 FAL F ESTI L VALS FOR FAMIL IES Sm a r t. Loca l. Pa re nt ing for t he DMV. washingtonFAMILY.com SEPTEMBER 2022 Dance DMV in the Lessons Beyond the Stage Does My Child Need Vaccines? Real Talk: Back- To-School Trauma Classroom Hacks without the IEP WashingtonFAMILY.com 1 |
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| CONTENTS The DMV has family fall festivals to get you into the spirit. Pg. 10 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 12 6 REBUILDING TRUST AMID NATIONAL VIOLENCE How can parents ensure their kids feel safe returning to school? 14 R EMOVING ROADBLOCKS TO TRAUMA-BASED CARE Mental health services will soon be more accessible in the DMV. 18 MORE THAN DANCE Local studios share how the benefits of dance go far beyond the stage. DIRECTORY 17 20 OPEN HOUSE/PRIVATE SCHOOL ARTS 8 DAVID STUCK BRAM FALL FEST: C/O BRAMBLETON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2022 Cover: Young dancers at Bella Ballet Kentlands EDITOR’S PICKS Learn and play with our top products for September. TOP 10 EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER Fall into a new season with family events. 10 FAMILY FUN Family festivals for the fall season. 21 DIY Make a 3-color sponge paint craft. 22 INCLUSIVE FAMILY Back-to-school accommodations from the IEP and beyond. 24 HEALTHY FAMILY Is your child up-to-date on school-required vaccines? 26 READERS’ RESPONSES WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK We welcome your feedback — on specific articles, overall themes and anything else related to editorial content. Enter your comments on the Feedback tab of our website: info@washingtonfamily.com. Please note we reserve the right to edit or refrain from publishing comments we deem inappropriate. PARENT YOU SHOULD KNOW Meet Matthew Breman, bridging fitness and leadership for youth in Montgomery Co. 24 BOOK MARKED Learn from the arts in inspiring ways. 24 MY TURN Avatar Learning Center’s Lana Yeganova explains the value of shadow education. WashingtonFAMILY.com 3 |
| OUR TEAM ADVERTISING EDITORIAL Craig Burke, CEO/Publisher Lindsay VanAsdalan, Editor cburke@midatlanticmedia.com LVanAsdalan@midatlanticmedia.com Sales Consultants Staff Writers Alan Gurwitz, Pam Kuperschmidt Jesse Berman, Jillian Diamond Jodi Lipson, Taylor Orlin Sasha Rogelberg David Pintzow, Sara Priebe Heather M. Ross, Jarrad Saffren Mary Ramsdale, Sharon Schmuckler Lindsay VanAsdalan Kim Schofield, Shari Seitz Sylvia Witaschek Contributing Writers Elena Epstein, Megan Conway, Gina MARKETING Gallucci-White, Michelle Halber, Ma- Julia Olaguer Audience Development Coordinator randa L. Schoppert, Lana Yeganova SEPTEMBER 2022 VOL. 30, NO. 9 WashingtonFamily.com/ 301-230-2222 Craig Burke, Publisher Jeni Mann Tough, Associate Publisher Contributing Photographer David Stuck 2021 Overall Writing 2021 Overall Design Smart. Local. Paren ting for the DMV. washi ngtonFAMILY. AUGUS T 2022 com 2021 Publisher’s/ Editor’s Note 2021 Briefs/ Short Stuff News Feature PRIV SCH ATE AF TE OOL & RC GUID ARE ES Homeschoolin g Solutions for All Jeni Mann Tough, Associate Publisher jmann@midatlanticmedia.com Feature Layout 2021 Single-Page Design 2021 Profile 2021 Column: Family Fun 2021 2021 Personal Essay Q & A Interview 2021 Feature Layout October Issue! PRIVATE SCHOOLS, MOM HEALTH, INCLUSIVE NEEDS, Spotlight on Arts, Education, Special Needs and more news that parents need. How to Vacation durin the School Year g SMART. LOCAL. PARENTING FOR THE DMV. Print | Digital | 2021 Advertise in our Jenn ifer Barnw ell, Montgomery Co. mom of two, balances famil y with life on the road Pg. 27 B ACK TO SCHOOL Scho ol Lunc h Memories MID-ATLANTIC MEDIA Craig Burke, CEO/Publisher cburke@midatlanticmedia.com CIRCULATION 410-902-2300, ext. 1 © 2022 Washington Family. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing that is not in keeping with this publication’s standards. All rights reserved. 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852. 2021 BUSINESS Pattie-Ann Lamp Accounting Manager 410-902-2300 plamp@midatlanticmedia.com CREATIVE Rachel S. Levitan, Art Director Steve Burke, Graphic Designer James Meskunas, Digital Media Manager Jay Sevidal, Graphic Designer Frank Wagner, Graphic Designer Carl Weigel, Graphic Designer EMAIL us at advertising@ washingtonfamily.com 4 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 OR CALL us at 301-230-2222, EXT. 2 |
| FIRST WORD What Education Can Do A Lindsay VanAsdalan Editor LVanAsdalan@ midatlanticmedia.com Facebook @WashingtonFamilyMagazine Twitter @FAMILYMagDC Pinterest @familymagazine Instagram @washingtonfamilymag Email us Let us know what’s on your mind. info@thefamilymagazine.com s children make their way back to school for the 2022-23 school year, there are a lot of responsibilities for parents to juggle—ensur- ing their kids have the proper school supplies, clothing, backpacks and even school-required vaccines (pg. 24). But there is one element of back-to-school prepara- tion that families might not have considered. Violence in public places such as churches, movie theaters and schools—with the most recent occurring this past spring in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two adults were killed at Robb Elementary School—could leave children and teens reasonably wary of returning to the classroom. Contributing writer Megan Conway broaches this difficult topic with input from experts in adolescent psychology on how to help kids rebuild trust and feel safe (pg. 18). Education can be a powerful tool for assuaging fears and giving children the strength they need to push through challenging circumstances. Parents will have the opportunity to educate themselves and work with their children to overcome traumas at a new center designed to be accessible to all families (pg. 14). Education can also build confidence through the arts, opening up the door to transferable skills that help your child in school and in life. Local dance stu- dios in the DMV weigh in on the powerful benefits of this art form (pg 18). The school environment brings with it challenges, such as adjusting to a new school with a disability (pg. 22) but also opportunities. My Turn contributor Lana Yeganova, co-founder and math instructor at Avatar Learning Center, shares how beginning shadow edu- cation at a young age sets students up for success (pg. 30). In this issue, we celebrate education and the many ways it can transform us, with a special focus on the arts—an outlet for curious minds to explore creatively and learn about who they are. Happy reading, and welcome back to school! N O S A E S E TH KICKO he F B F est Sale of The Year * Guaranteed not to c log for as long as y ou own your home, o r we will clean your g utters for free With T LIFETIME NO-CLOG WARRANTY TY Y MADE ONSITE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR HOME THE ONLY ONE-PIECE SEAMLESS DEBRIS SHEDDING GUTTER SYSTEM. SCRATCHGUARD® PAINT FINISH LY O N $ 99 * ation ll Insta $ 25 VISA GIF FT CARD i int t m ent etion of appo Upon compl SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE Call Today for Your FREE Estimate! 301-287-3128 *All participants who attend an estimated 60-90-minute in-home product consultation will receive a $25 VISA Gift Card. Retail value is $25. Offer sponsored by LeafGuard Holdings Inc. Limit one per household. Company procures, sells, and installs seamless gutter protection.This offer is valid for homeowners over 18 years of age. If married or involved with a life partner, both cohabitating persons mustattendandcompletepresentationtogether.ParticipantsmusthaveaphotoIDandbelegallyabletoenterintoacontract.Thefollowingpersonsarenoteligibleforthisoffer:employeesofCompany oraffiliatedcompaniesorentities,theirimmediatefamilymembers,previousparticipantsinaCompanyin-homeconsultationwithinthepast12monthsandallcurrentandformerCompanycustomers. Gift may not be extended, transferred, or substituted except that Company may substitute a gift of equal or greater value if it deems it necessary. Gift card will be mailed to the participant via first class United States Mail within 10 days of receipt of the promotion form. Not valid in conjunction with any other promotion or discount of any kind. Offer not sponsored and is subject to change without notice prior to reservation. Offer not available in the states of CA, IN, PA and MI. Expires 9/30/22. LeafGuard operates as LeafGuard of DC in Maryland under registration number MHIC License #116693 WashingtonFAMILY.com 5 |
| EDITOR’S PICKS HERE’S WHAT WE’RE LOVING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THIS MONTH BY ELENA EPSTEIN, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PARENTING PRODUCT AWARDS Playfoam Sand Sensory Set Kids develop number recognition, count- ing and fine motor skills through every bit of sculpting and squishing fun. Includes the mesmerizing soft and soothing Playfoam Sand and tools for stamping, dig- ging,squeezing and molding. $21.99, ages 3+, educationalinsights.com Musical Sound Book Series Each page has engaging illustrations, delight- ful music for kids to sing along to and lyrics that help enhance babies’, toddlers’ and chil- dren’s language comprehension and motor skills. $25 each, ages 0-5, calisbooks.com Happy Day Family-friendly, rocking kids’ tunes. Filled with positive messages about appreciating our environment, using our imaginations and validating the one and only you. $15, jenncleary.com Toniebox Starter Sets Using magnetic figures called Tonies, children can navigate storytelling and music independent- ly,opening up their world to a library of education and entertainment. Filled with content from premium partners including National Geographic, Penguin Random House and Levar Burton; plus hours of storytelling, songs, mindfulness activities and more. $99.99, ages 3+, us.tonies.com 6 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 |
| Claire the Koala Features adorable fuzzy ears handcrafted with special yarn. Each doll provides 10 meals to children in need. This product also empowers over 1,000 artisans with fair trade income since every doll is handmade with love by artisans in Peru + Nepal using nat- ural, premium cotton yarn. $68-89, birth+, cuddleandkind.com Story Pirates Podcast A wonderful mixture of funny stories and sketches based on stories written by kids, plus special celebrity guests. Perfect for car rides or just relaxing at home. Free, ages 4+, storypirates.com 120 Piece Pastel Creative Pack Designed to encourage hours of limitless creativity, fun and learning through play. The magnet building tiles encourage STEAM learning and the development of fine and gross motor skills. $149, ages 3+, con- nectixtiles.com Jot Kids Lil’ Helpers A reusable writing tablet that’s perfect for handwriting prac- tice and drawing. Features fun colors and a limited edition Lil’ Helpers collection design inspiring kids to explore fun hobbies around the house. Write with anything, and with a push of a button the tablet instantly clears. $29.99, ages 4+, myboogieboard.com Listen and Learn: Animals Kahoot! A platform that makes it easy for educators, parents and learners of all ages to create, share and host interactive learning sessions. Children create their own learning session in minutes and discover millions of ready- to-use learning experiences from educators and trusted publishers such as Disney, Star Wars™, Minecraft Education, Marvel and more. Free, kahoot.com Engage little learners in beginning reading and writing skills with the help of fascinat- ing animals. Each page includes an audio option for kids to listen to read-alouds. The fun activities provide practice of alpha- bet awareness, beginning sounds, counting, writing numbers and more. $12.99, ages 4-6, evan-moor.com For more product reviews, visit nappaawards.com WashingtonFAMILY.com 7 |
| CALENDAR Explore books, fall fun and special events this season in and around the DMV 3 FREE SIGHTSEEING TOURS Old Town Trolley Tours is offering the chance for D.C. locals to fall in love with their city all over again through their hometown pass program. District of Columbia residents and residents within a 50 mile radius ride for free when accompanied by a full fare adult guest. Hometownpass.com 1 Explore history as a family with Reston Museum’s Summer Fun days! Kids can enjoy activities and crafts while learning about the history of Reston every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon through Oct. 29. Visit facebook.com/RestonMuseum for updates. Free Restonmuseum.org CIRCO HERMANOS VAZQUEZ Help celebrate the circus’ 50th anniversary. With new ideas, technology and stunts, this show which has toured Mexico and Central America for decades is more thrilling than ever. Embrace the magic of the circus and prepare to be thrilled with acrobatics, clowns and more at the Potomac Mills Mall. Tickets: $40-60 circusvazquez.com/woodbridgeva THROUGHOUT THE MONTH Have a delightfully-spooky family adventure at Six Flags America with its family- friendly fall day on select dates in September and October! Kids can enjoy a trick- or-treat trail, corn maze and crafts, while adults can take in the festive décor and get into the Halloween spirit! One-day ticket prices vary seasonally; dates TBA sixflags.com 8 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 SUMMER FUN AT RESTON MUSEUM SEPT. 1-5 2 BOO! FAMILY-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH 4 5 SEPT. 3 NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL Celebrate the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival as a family. At the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., learn from your favorite authors and attend discussions on beloved books. Purchase books and merch to take a little piece of festival home with you. ASL interpreters and CART caption services will be available for the speaking events. Free loc.gov BOOKS: GALINA SHAFRAN / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH BY HEATHER M. ROSS ADOBE STOCK: RH2010, ELENA BARYSHKINA, SERHIIBOBYK, ASDF, JONGJAWI, ELLISIA, PIXEL-SHOT TOP 10 Family Events for September |
| SEPT. 10 HEALTHY FAMILY DAY 5K WALK Encourage a healthy lifestyle for your kids by participating in this healthy-family 5K at Prince George’s Community College, just 30 minutes from Washington, D.C. More than just exercise, this event includes chef demonstrations on healthy cooking and eating, too. The walk begins at 9 a.m., and the program runs until 2 p.m. Tickets are $25; registration and proof of COVID-19 vaccination/negative test required wordconsultingllc.com 6 7 SEPTEMBER 4, 11, 18, 22 & 29 MOVIES ON THE POTOMAC: FAMILY NIGHT – AMERICA Watch America-themed movies all month long at National Harbor. See An American Tail, Miracle, American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, A League of their Own and Minari. Movies start at 6 p.m. Free piratesguidetoboating.com SEPT. 14-18 9 ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY FAIR Experience a classic American fair with your family. Less than an hour from the DMV, The Anne Arundel County Fair features a livestock auction, exhibits showcasing local talent, Friday and Saturday night concerts, nostalgic carnival rides and that famous fair food! Hours vary by day. Admission is $10; ages 9 and younger enter free Child discount entry on Friday aacountyfair.org 8 SEPT. 17 & 18 COLONIAL MARKET AND FAIR Discover an 18th-century marketplace where you can purchase handcrafted food and wares from colonial artisans and watch as they use period crafting techniques. You and your family can even hear live music from the colonial era! Visit the marketplace at Mount Vernon from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Included with admission to Mount Vernon; members enter free mountvernon.org SEPT. 21 FAMILY STORY TIME AT CLEVELAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY 10 Enjoy songs and stories as a family with other parents and kids at the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library. Space is limited, so guests are asked to check in at the front desk for a ticket. This half-hour event beginning at 10:30 a.m. is perfect for children ages 2 to 5 years old. Free dclibrary.org WashingtonFAMILY.com 9 |
| FAMILY FUN Fall Festivals in The DMV BY HEATHER M. ROSS F Bram Fall Fest Cox Farms Fall Festival Cox Farms, 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, Virginia | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. in Nov.), Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 17 through Nov. 8; closed Monday through Friday Sept. 19-23 and Tuesdays and Thursdays through Nov. 2. Cox Farms welcomes anyone and every- one to enjoy a day of family fun on the farm with rides, delicious food, music and more to love! See a festival map online to explore attractions such as the Dino Slide and World Famous Hayride. Buy tickets at coxfarms. com beginning Sept. 1. Prices vary by day from $10-25. Fall Arts & Crafts Show Family Fall Festival Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, Virginia | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 Friends of Green Spring Gardens is inviting families to celebrate the beauty of fall. This festival will feature plant vendors, activities for kids and their families, a bake sale and more fun surprises to be announced! For updates and more information, visit face- book.com/GSFrogs or fairfaxcounty.gov/ parks/green-spring. Occoquan, Virginia | Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 24 & 25 Embrace creativity to celebrate the chang- ing of the seasons as a family with this craft festival in historic Occoquan, about 40 min- utes from Alexandria, Virginia. The two-day festival features more than 200 artisans and creators, with over 20 categories including home décor, jewelry, food and pet accesso- ries. There will also be an Imagination Alley for kids to create their own art, with demon- strations, workshops and an opportunity to help paint a 32-foot mural. Free; shuttle ser- vice is available. occoquanva.gov 10 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair Veterans Plaza, 1 Veterans Pl., Silver Spring | 1-6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 2 Join more than 70 artisans, crafters and local small businesses in celebrating cre- ativity and autum at Veterans Plaza. Admire the changing leaves and enjoy the day with your family! For additional information and updates, visit facebook.com/ChicEventsDC or silverspringdowntown.com. Fairfax Fall Festival Old Town Square, 10415 North St., Fairfax, Virginia | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8 This iconic fall community festival is cele- brating its 46th year. Beginning as a small hometown festival in Old Town Fairfax, it now features more than 400 arts, crafts, infor- mation and food vendors; children’s activities and three stages of music to entertain all ages. A concert will follow in Old Town Square from 5:30-8:30 p.m. fairfaxva.gov Bram Fall Fest Evergreen Mills Road, between Belmont Ridge Road and Loudoun County Parkway, Bram- bleton, Virginia | noon to 6 p.m., Oct. 22; rain date Oct. 23 BRAM FALL FEST: C/O BRAMBLETON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION all is finally here! It’s time for colorful leaves, warm sweaters and hot apple cider. With fewer COVID-19 restrictions, many communities are looking forward to the cozy fun of their returning fall festivals. Here are our picks of festivals to attend in the DMV to get your family into the fall spirit. |
| FAMILY FUN Do you enjoy live music, food and amusements? Get excited for axe throwing, rides, inflatables and more at this town festival. Tickets are $10- 15 for Brambleton residents and $15-20 for non-residents. Save money with online presales. Children ages 3 and younger enter free. bram- bletonhoa.com Fall Harvest Festival at Mount Vernon CHIC EVENTS DC 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 22 & 23 Put a historic spin on your fall festival by attending this celebration on the farm at Mount Vernon. Kids can meet General Washington, explore the grounds and learn about 18th century crafts and jobs. Free for members; tickets range from $13-26 for ages 6 through adulthood. Children ages 5 and younger enter free. mountvernon.org T Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair Hands-on academics. Personal growth. Ready for exploration. Upcoming Open Houses: Thursday, October 13 at 9:00 AM - In Person Wednesday, November 16 at 9:00 AM - In Person Visit our Website to Register or Schedule a Tour Preschool - Grade 8 Co-ed, Independent School in Falls Church Contact us about our Infant and Toddler Program WashingtonFAMILY.com 11 |
| HELPING CHILDREN REBUILD TRUST AMID NATIONAL VIOLENCE FIRST, IT’S NORMAL TO WORRY, AND IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE PREPARED. Traumatic Stress at Kennedy Krieger Institute. “I think parents and caregivers do need to do everything in their power to (ensure) that their child does have safety, Hoover says. “So, that means parents (and administrators and teachers) making sure school is safe to the degree they can.” This, of course, has its nuances. “As with so many things, being prepared is important, but there is a big difference between keeping water, energy bars (and) a change of clothes in the car and building a fallout shelter,” explains Dr. Sherri Widen, developmental psychologist and research scientist, and manager at Committee for Children, a global nonprofit championing the safety and well-being of children. “Talk to your child about what to do and where to go in case of emergency. Help them identify adults at school or in the community they can go to if they need help or feel unsafe, but also assure your child that they are safe and can keep being a kid.” Dr. Aronica B. Cotton, medical director of child and adolescent psychiatry services at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, wants parents to know that their fear and uncertainty surrounding community violence is normal and valid. “Just to throw in a little science…brains were made to scan the environment for danger, and so we have a bias to dangerous, negative thoughts and situations,” she says. But there are steps adults can take to ensure children are in capable hands, adds Dr. Dan Hoover, clinical child and adolescent psychologist at the Center for Child and Family 12 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 MODEL A MEASURED RESPONSE AND VALIDATE YOUR CHILD’S CONCERNS. Today’s parenting environment is tricky, acknowledges Cotton. “It can be difficult for parents to want to try and protect their children—to let their children know they’re here for them and also to balance that with giving their kids confidence that they can handle difficult situations,” she says. “So, my recommendation would be for parents to take a more mindful approach if they can—take a step back and think about how they handle difficult situations, because more often than not, kids are looking towards the parents about how to react.” Hoover agrees. “Children will often take their cues from the adults and their older siblings or their caretakers. If they sense, verbally or nonverbally, that the caregiver is really nervous…then it’s going to make the child have a lot more difficulty trusting and going to school and trying new things,” he says. “To the best of your (ability), be calm when talking to your child about the event,” Widen adds. “Modeling strong social and emotional skills will help your children respond in similar ways,” and these skills will set them up for future success. Cotton recommends beginning with validating your child’s concerns about returning to school or other places. “You say it’s understandable that they would be afraid and try to get them to think about other times when they’ve been to parades, when they’ve been to school, and nothing happened. So, yes, this bad thing happened this one time, but there’s so many other times when a bad thing didn’t happen.” NATASAADZIC / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS T he United States has seen an inflation in gun violence, with active shooter incidents becoming alarmingly more common in recent years. They increased from just three in 2000 to 40 in 2020, according to FBI data. Heartbreakingly, Americans are seemingly inundated with mass shooting scares and alerts, even in societal situations that should be safe and peaceful, i.e. parades, shopping malls and—horrifyingly—schools. It’s easy to feel helpless amid such existential threats, and there are no easy answers for parents, who are often worried themselves in looking for ways to address children’s fears of recent shootings. Three local experts share their advice on this difficult topic below. They explain how parents can help kids process situations in which their trust in schools and other community locations has been broken by outside violence. BY MEGAN CONWAY |
| BE INTENTIONAL IN HOW YOU GUIDE AND INTERACT WITH YOUR CHILD. If the brain is wired to recognize the bad, “we have to be intentional about making sure that we take time to recognize when things are going well,” Cotton explains. “Even if that’s just like pointing out to your kid, ‘Oh, there’s so many pretty pink flowers,’ or ‘Oh, look at the sunset,’ or giving them a hug or a smile…If we take time to reinforce (pleasant things, it), start(s) to convey to the child that they’re safe.” Families should encourage children to talk about how they feel, Widen notes, as talking about emotions aids in children’s emotional management (Garner 2010). This is a good time to discuss reliable vs. unreliable news sources with older children to help them “develop critical thinking skills and make good decisions based on data,” (CASEL, 2020) she adds. For children who are reluctant to discuss their thoughts about violent events, Widen advises parents to watch their behaviors for any notable changes in routines or activities, which may indicate a child is struggling. “Talk to your child during times when they open up to you the most,” she advises. Additional helpful strategies for ner- vous kids include doing things that help calm your child (i.e. snuggling with a pet or toy), encouraging things that burn off energy (i.e. physical exercise) and joining the child in these so “they feel safe and more connected to you,” Widen adds. Cotton recommends leaning on what is developmentally appropriate for kids when discussing instances of vio- lence, ensuring that news isn’t passive but comes directly from the caregiver. Cotton advises parents to watch what they have on the TV that children may see unintentionally. HELP YOUR CHILD REBUILD TRUST GRADUALLY. Managing a child’s response is essen- tial in promoting healthy coping and reintroduction mechanisms, explains Hoover “A natural response to anxiety and worry is, of course, to avoid what’s scaring us, but the problem with that is that the more we tend to avoid scary situations that make us nervous, the more scared we get. And so a big part of helping the children…is to help them face fears in a reasonable and perhaps gradual or careful way.” Hoover advises parents to encourage children to go to school and push through discomfort, especially if they are sure the situation is as safe as it can be. Sometimes, he notes, for both children and caregivers this is best accomplished with a stepwise approach. “So, step one may be stepping outside your house for a few minutes and going back in,” then getting to a further neighborhood corner and going back in, etc. “In the end, the real job is to get back out there… and then the fears and anxieties tend to fall off when you do that.” “If you or your child is really strug- gling with their thoughts or emotions about feeling safe at school or in public situations, consider looking for coun- seling in your community. A counselor or therapist may be able to help your family process the event and begin to move forward,” Widen adds. n ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR PARENTS National Alliance on Mental Illness (nami.org) The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (nctsn.org) American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (aacap.org) Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety (bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/ files/media/document/iscs21.pdf) American Psychological Association (apa.org) Language • Math • Art Music • Science • Sports Day Care • Camp >LUV^OH]LHZLJVUK JHTW\ZPU5VY[OLU=PYNPUPH For bright students with language-based SLHYUPUNKPɈLYLUJLZSPRLK`ZSL_PH Silver Spring Campus 1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 301.244.3600 Northern Virginia Campus 2705 Hunter Mill Road Oakton, VA 22124 703.745.5900 WashingtonFAMILY.com 13 |
| Removing Roadblocks to Trauma-Based Care New DMV-based nonprofit focuses on children and families seeking mental health services H igh costs no longer need to be a roadblock to families in search of trauma-based care. TRUE Center, a nonprofit providing inter- vention and prevention services for children, will offer affordable mental health services, as well as education and training to commu- nity members and professionals. “It has felt like there’s such a dispar- ity,” says Stephanie Wolf, a psychologist who started the nonprofit with four other mental health professionals she con- nected with during clinical work at a child advocacy center. They noticed in their work that families were discontinuing treatment because they could not afford it, could not make sched- uled appointment times or had needs that went beyond one type of trauma. “Many kids, especially underserved kids, tend to have multiple traumas,” Wolf says. “And the more traumas they have, and the more—what we call adverse experiences —they have, then the worse the outcomes are. Not being able to address all of them to avoid children slipping through the cracks while also making the same services acces- sible to all. At one point, almost half of the chil- dren in Washington, D.C. had experienced trauma—47.1%, according to survey results from the National Survey of Children’s Health released in 2016. Although the numbers have gone down since then—they were at 38.8% in the 2019- 2020 survey results—they are still high. The model used at TRUE involves sliding-scale fees based on families’ current financial situations and gross house- hold incomes. Renee DeBoard-Lucas, a psychologist and another founder of TRUE Center, encour- ages families to pay a small amount—even $5. Research shows that investment keeps Stephanie Wolf patients coming back. But no one will be turned away if they can’t pay anything—and no one will be together is a real disadvantage.” TRUE—which stands for Trauma, turned away for making too much either, Resilience, Understanding and Education— she explains. “The idea is that people who don’t have will address trauma more broadly, seeking 2 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 THITAREESARMKASAT / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS CO-FOUNDER PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY LINDSAY C. VANASDALAN |
| the financial resources will be able to access it as much as somebody who could pay out of pocket,” DeBoard-Lucas says. TRUE will have clinicians on hand who specialize in time-limited treatments— typically between 12 to 20 weeks—giving families a good idea of treatment length. “We want them to feel well as soon as they can,” DeBoard-Lucas says, adding that those treatment plans are also flexible to exten- sions. No family needs to worry about not finishing a treatment plan in a limited time. One example, Wolf notes, is Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention, cre- ated in Yale University’s Child Study Center, which focuses on identifying symptoms and finding coping strategies within the first three months after a trauma. If providers can reduce the top two or three symptoms, it’s less likely other symptoms will develop into something more severe such as PTSD. TRUE will also provide training to schools, other providers who do not specialize in treatment of trauma, families and commu- nity members. “We find that a lot of families will have questions about ‘what’s typical?’ ‘My child does not need treatment, or that other ways exist to respond soon after the trauma that will make treatment less likely, she explains. The training can also equip mental health professionals to treat more patients, increas- ing accessibility at other treatment centers. “We want to help the whole community be advocates for kids,” DeBoard-Lucas says. The center will be open for telehealth appointments this fall. The team also hopes to be able to offer trainings via Zoom and community centers down the road. A phys- ical location is slated for Washington, D.C. Collectively, the five founders are licensed to see patients in Maryland, Washington and Virginia, and TRUE will also be accepting professional volunteers who can donate a few hours of service to the team. Last spring, the founders were fundraising through donations and planing to seek sponsorships and grants to supplement operational costs Renee DeBoard-Lucas and hire employees. No insurance is required for treatment at is feeling more irritable. My child is having TRUE Center, but DeBoard-Lucas says she a hard time sleeping. Is that typical after a plans to accept Medicaid and limited insur- ance plans in the future. trauma?’” DeBoard-Lucas says. To donate, visit truetraumacenter.org. T Sometimes the staff might find a child OVER 60 YEARS OF MONT ESSORI EXC ELLEN C E EXPLORE • WONDER • GROW OPEN HOUSES Now Enrolling Ages 2 to 6 Toddler Program • Before & After Care Outdoor Education Classroom Montessori Kindergarten & Preschool Advanced Academic Curriculum McLean, VA • 703-356-5437 • www.brooksfieldschool.org OCT 14, NOV 4 & 16 18 MONTHS TO GRADE 6 Schedule your visit at aidanschool.org 202.387.2700 | 2700 27 th Street NW, Washington, DC WashingtonFAMILY.com 3 |
| OPEN HOUSE/PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY Open House/ Private School Directory BY WF STAFF AIDAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL aidanschool.org admissions@aidanschool.org 202-387-2700 2700 27th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008 Open Houses: 9:15 a.m. Oct. 14 & Nov, 4; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 (virtual) and 9:15 a.m. Dec. 2. Aidan Montessori School is a co-ed, independent private school for children ages 18 months through grade 6 located in Woodley Park, DC. Founded in 1961, Aidan prepares children to learn confidently, think independently, and succeed wherever they go. BASIS INDEPENDENT MCLEAN mclean.basisindependent.com stephanie.cancienne@basisindependent. com (admissions) 571.789.2256 (admissions) 8000 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22102 Information sessions: Virtual sessions at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 8 & 16; in-person session 9 a.m. Sept. 17. Grades: Preschool (age 2) - Grade 12 • Year Founded: 2016 • Coed • Enrollment: 470 • Student-Teacher Ratio 8:1 • Entrance Exam • Foreign Languages: Mandarin, Latin, Spanish, and French beginning in PK1 • Tuition Range: $25,500 - $30,000 • AP Classes • Enrichment Activities • Sports • Transportation • Extended Day • Summer Program Students, age 2-grade 12, receive a well-rounded, liberal arts curriculum with a STEM focus. (THE) BETHESDA MONTESSORI SCHOOL bethesdamontessori.com admissions@bethesdamontessori.com 301-986-1260 7611 Clarendon Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 Ages: 3-6 Open House: Tours by appointment; typically scheduled for 9:45am BMS, established in 1983, is located in the heart of Bethesda, offering two years of preschool and a kindergarten year. Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m., AMI trained teachers, art, French & computer offered, and after school activities. BROOKSFIELD SCHOOL brooksfieldschool.org sarah@brooksfieldschool.org 703-356-5437 1830 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 Ages Served: 2-6 Open House: Call or submit a form online to schedule a tour. Mindfulness, nutrition, Spanish, dance, music & art, outdoor adventure program, extracurricular activities and summer camp. CHESTERBROOK ACADEMY chesterbrookacademy.com 866-267-5685 15 locations throughout the DMV Spring Education Group 1615 West Chester Pike, Suite 200 West Chester, PA 19382 484-947-2000 Chesterbrook Academy preschools combine learning experiences and structured play in a fun, safe and nurturing environment - offering far more than just child care. Preschool is the first introduction to a lifetime of learning, a journey that should start off on the right foot. We help children discover, explore and learn to their fullest potential. CELEBREE SCHOOL OF GERMANTOWN Montgomery County 20409 Seneca Meadows Prkwy Germantown, MD 20876 301-540-4600 Celebree.com/Germantown-md/ Ages/Grades: 6 weeks to 12 years Transportation: Gibbs, Snowden Farm, Germantown Elementary, Lake Seneca, Waters Landing, Ronald Menare CONGRESSIONAL SCHOOL congressionalschool.org gherbst@congressionalschool.org 703-533-1064 3229 Sleepy Hollow Road Falls Church, VA 22042 Ages 6 weeks - 3 years Open Houses: 9 a.m. Oct. 13 and Nov. 16; submit a form for an early childhood tour online and contact rdouglass@ congressionalschool.org to schedule a tour for pre-K to grade 8. A co-ed independent day school for infants to eighth graders in Falls Church, Va. Congressional School prepares young learners for future success, inspiring them to question, collaborate, create, and lead. FEYNMAN SCHOOL feynmanschool.org admissions@feynmanschool.org (301) 770-4370 (ask for admissions) 11810 Falls Road, Potomac, MD 20854 Grades: Preschool-Grade 8 Open House: October 13, November 16 The area’s leader in educating academically- gifted children, Feynman School features extraordinary programs in science, math, language arts, theater and music designed to maximize your child’s potential. GLENBROOK COOPERATIVE NURSERY SCHOOL glenbrookschool.org membership@glenbrookschool.org 301-365-3190 10010 Fernwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817 Hours: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Open House: Call or email to schedule a tour. At Glenbrook, we nurture our children in the 16 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 early, formative years so they can define themselves as individuals. We strive for this through spontaneous play in a controlled and time structured environment. We believe that children can feel secure only when they understand and trust a set of limits. Their imagination, curiosity and interests need time to wander, expand and develop within these limits. Cooperative nursery schools are administered and maintained by the parents, allowing everyone to grow and learn together. The special nature of Glenbrook is the close working relationship between parents and teachers. Our approach builds a sense of community and togetherness for parents and children. GUIDEPOST MONTESSORI guidepostmontessori.com/northern-virginia 866-202-8593 24328 Marrwood Drive, Aldie, Va. 42945 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, Va. 4550 Walney Road, Chantilly, Va. 13251 Woodland Park Road, Herndon, Va. Ages: Infant to elementary Guidepost Montessori in Loudoun and Fairfax counties is among a growing, worldwide network of schools that offer language immersion for ages infant through elementary. HOLLY BROOK MONTESSORI SCHOOL preschoolmontessori.com info@hollybrookmontessori.com 703 573-7800 2455 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring, VA 22027 Tours available by appointment Children learn in an intimate and unpretentious atmosphere, where they respect themselves and others and care for the environment around them. We offer a complete educational and social environment and utilize the discoveries and methods of Dr. Montessori to help the child develop more fully the potential within him. The school provides a program specially suited to the needs of the child and offers individual attention to his whole development. HUNTER MILL MONTESSORI SCHOOL preschoolmontessori.com info@huntermillmontessori.com 703-938-7755 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA 22124 Tours available by appointment Hunter Mill Montessori School provides an intimate and nurturing environment for 2.75 – 6 year olds to develop their independence through the Montessori experience. We offer a complete educational and social environment and utilize the discoveries and methods of Dr. Montessori to help the child develop more fully the potential within him. The school provides a program specially suited to the needs of the child and offers individual attention to his whole development. (THE) MONTESSORI SCHOOL AT GOOSE CREEK PRESERVE goosecreekmontessori.com info@goosecreekmontessori.com 571 417-3999 42470 Rosalind Street, Ashburn, VA 20148 Tours available by appointment A brand new Montessori School in the Broadlands area of Ashburn. All of the classrooms are spacious with an abundance of natural lighting. The classrooms open to the playground with patios allowing children to freely work inside and outside. Goose Creek offers a complete educational and social environment and utilizes the discoveries and methods of Dr. Montessori to help the child develop more fully the potential within him. MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF CEDAR LANE preschoolmontessori.com info@cedarlanemontessori.com 703-560-4379 3035 Cedar Lane, Fairfax, VA 22031 Tours available by appointment Montessori School of Cedar Lane has been providing over 40 years of Montessori tradition to Northern Virginia. We offer a complete educational and social environment and utilize the discoveries and methods of Dr. Montessori to help the child develop more fully the potential within him. MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF MCLEAN mcleanmontessori.org 703-790-1049 1711 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101 Ages: 2-12 Open House: Call to schedule a tour. Preschool and elementary classes. Spanish, French, science, drama, music, P.E., computer, art, summer school, transportation available. NYSMITH SCHOOL nysmith.com; ebalberde@nysmith.com 703-713-3332 13625 EDS Drive, Herndon, VA 20171 Ages Served: 3 yrs.-8th Grade Hours: 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Virtual live tour/info session 10 a.m. daily; Contact Kmeadows@nysmith.com to schedule an in-person tour. The award winning Nysmith School is committed to making school fun. We nurture your student’s love of learning and help your child learn to their potential. Our 1:9 ratio allows us to differentiate the academic program up to 4 grade levels above grade. OLDFIELDS SCHOOL oldfieldsschool.org admission@oldfieldsschool.org 410-472-4800 1500 Glencoe Road, Sparks, Glencoe, MD 21152 Grade Range: 8-12; Type: Girls Average Class Size: 7 Teacher-Student Ratio: 1 to 5 Before-School Care: Yes After-School Care: Yes Open House: Saturday, October 15. Personal information sessions and tours offered weekly by contacting admissions office ONENESS-FAMILY MONTESSORI HIGH SCHOOL onenessfamily.org/ admissions@onenessfamily.org |
| OPEN HOUSE/PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY 240-426-2614 9411 Connecticut Ave. Kensington, MD 20895 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM; Serving students from 2 years through grade 12 Virtual Tours for high school on Thursdays at 11:00 AM For 30 years, Oneness-Family School’s award winning Montessori program has served families of students 2 years - grade 12. OFS features highly trained, supportive teachers and a diverse, engaged parent community. We create a collaborative learning environment where everyone feels successful. We foster students who are prepared to lead and succeed in a changing, challenging world by balancing college prep academics with a focus on well- being and shared values such as empathy, inclusion and equity. rigorous and award-winning Montessori curriculum. and before/ after school activities. PINECREST SCHOOL ONENESS-FAMILY MONTESSORI SCHOOL restonmontessori.com info@restonmontessori.com 703-481-2922 1765 Business Center Drive Reston, VA 20190 Hours: 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Open House: Submit a form online or call to schedule a tour. Established in 1986, Reston Montessori School is a private, coeducational school for children from 3 months through 6th grade. RMS provides academic school day, enrichment programs thesienaschool.org info@thesienaschool.org Silver Spring Campus 1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-244-3600 Oakton Campus 2705 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA 22124 703-745-5900 Virtual tours of Oakton at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and of Silver Spring at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays. The Siena School provides highly individualized, research-based, multisensory instruction and curriculumrelated field trips. Students develop critical thinking skills and acquire the tools and strategies needed to become successful and independent learners who are prepared for college. onenessfamily.org admissions@onenessfamily.org 6701 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Admissions: 301-652-7751 Ages 2 - Grade 8 Virtual tours for Lower School on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9:30 AM For 30 years, Oneness-Family School has served families who value student-centered learning and personal growth alongside a pinecrestschool.org admissions@pinecrestschool.org 703-354-3446 7209 Quiet Cove, Annandale, VA 22003 Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Ages: 3-12 Request a virtual meet-and-greet at 1 p.m. Tuesdays; outdoor tours at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Pinecrest School is a fully accredited progressive school offering small class sizes, hands on curriculum, individualized approach, and a focus on a balance of academics and social and emotional well being. Offers preschool-6th, summer camp and before/after care. RESTON MONTESSORI SCHOOL (THE) SIENA SCHOOL SPRING BILINGUAL MONTESSORI ACADEMY spring-bilingual.org admissions@spring-bilingual.org 301-962-7262 3514 Plyers Mill Road Kensington, MD 20895 Ages: 2-6; Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Open House: Dates every November and January; Submit an online form and admissions will contact you in the fall. Montessori preschool with Foreign Language programs. SPRINGWELL SCHOOL springwell.school info@springwell.school (301) 338-8273 9525 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901 Grades: K-4 A progressive school offering a unique blend of Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia. WESTMINSTER SCHOOL westminsterschool.com admissions@westminsterschool.com 703-256-3620 Preschool (3 and 4-year-olds) - Grade 8 3819 Gallows Road, Annandale, VA 22003 Open House: Virtual open house 4 p.m. Oct. 6; in-person at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 19 ; virtual 4 p.m. Dec. 6 and in-person at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 24. Schedule a tour by emailing admissions or calling Admissions Director Jori Sapper at 703-256-3620 ext. 17. Westminster School provides a unique Preschool-Middle School education based on a classical curriculum; accelerated academics enhanced by the arts; and an emphasis on personal responsibility and good character. Students enjoy small classes taught by teachers who specialize in their field. T Montessori School of McLean Where Authentic Montessori Meets the 21st Century: Ages 2-12 Cultivating each child’s unique ability to flourish in mind, body and spirit ENRICHMENTS • Science • Technology • Spanish • Outdoor Classroom • Library • Music • Drama • Art • Physical Education Extended Day • Transportation • Summer Camp 1711 Kirby Road McLean, VA 22101 703-790-1049 Accredited by www.mcleanmontessori.org WashingtonFAMILY.com 17 |
| More than Dance How dance education benefits students beyond the stage BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE 18 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 gives them that opportunity to feel good about themselves, and I think especially in today’s world it is so important for kids.” Creating a Safe Space Hope McDonald, owner of Kentlands-based Bella Ballet, recognizes that students also feel good about themselves when they have an outlet for self-expression. “Dance allows for children to create a safe space within themselves and within their dance community environment to really open up and express themselves and con- nect with the world through music and art.” “Not every child fits the same mold,” she adds, noting that while some children enjoy sports, others might find the arts make them feel alive, connected and valued for exactly who they are. “(That is important to be) able to feel like they can express themselves through that outlet.” Dance also provides an opportunity to connect with like-minded peers. Welch notes the friendships students develop during dance classes run deep. “The parents become friends and the kids become friends,” she says. “You have your school friends, but you have your dance friends—and there is nothing like your dance friends. The friendships last into adulthood.” PHOTOS BY DAVID STUCK A according to local studio owners and direc- tors. And it benefits children both socially and academically. Jen Koonce notes parents have told her about the value of the transferable skills their children learn in dance from her Vienna-based Adrenaline Studio, such as confidence, teamwork, coachability, respon- sibility and speaking up. Many parents enroll their children hop- ing dance will help them, she says, and after a year or two of dance, the feedback she receives is that the students have much more confi- dence and are participating more in school and other activities. “There is just so much value in dance for kids,” she says. Welch says once students master a skill and are able to demonstrate it, their confi- dence in that mastery spills over into other areas of their lives, too, such as being in front of others in interviews for jobs and colleges. Dawn Crafton Dance Connection finds placement of dancers in age- and skill-appro- priate classes allows them to thrive in that environment. “If the class is too hard for them, it doesn’t build confidence,” Welch says. “If it is too Skills for Success Gaining confidence is one of the big- easy, they are bored... So, giving them a gest takeaways from a dance education, venue where they are right in the sweet spot s artistic director for Dawn Crafton Dance Connection in Rockville, Kelly Welch has had parents come up to her with tears in their eyes saying how much their children have changed after just a year of dance classes. “These performing opportunities build so much confidence in the shyest of kids,” she says, noting many children come out of their shells through performing. “That part of my job is so rewarding. Just watching the growth is amazing.” Apart from physical strength, athleticism, discipline and knowledge of a new skill— all takeaways you would expect from an art form such as dance—there are other bene- fits that are more surprising. Local dance studios in the DMV are seeing social and emotional development in dance students that permeates these young lives far beyond the stage. Studio leadership delves into several ways dance has had an impact on their students, from building confidence and providing a safe space for self-expression to bridging a connection to the arts world. |
| McDonald says she hopes her students take away a feeling of empowerment and fulfillment from dance as well as a positive body image. “We try to work tirelessly to create that so that dance is that beautiful positive experience (and) when children leave they just feel good about who they are,” she says. “That is the most important thing.” studio.The program has been run- ning for nearly 20 years. In addition to their annual recital and competition teams, Dawn Crafton Dance Connection also has a performance troop that holds shows in the community sp others can see the joy of dance. One group that has experienced a growing interest in dance is boys. Many local dance studios have seen an increase in boys participating in A Gateway to the Arts dance, which was once seen as more Koonce finds dance unique in how it of a sport for girls. connects many different art forms. Welch has older male students Welch, too, sees dance as a gateway who have gone on to dance in col- to a passion for these art forms in lege, with one receiving $100,000 in her students. scholarships and another now get- “In my opinion, I feel like dance is ting ready to graduate and pursue the interpretation of music,” Koonce dance professionally. says. “I feel like dance connects all “I am getting more and more boys, of the (arts). It is visual. It is musi- and it is so exciting for us to see,” she cal. It is physical. It is everything…For says. “The boys just bring a whole me, it helps foster a connection to all different dynamic to class.” the senses.” Adrenaline Studio has one of the Many children develop a love of largest dance programs for boys in rhythm and of feeling the music, the area, including having all-boy Welch has noticed, which translates and co-ed teams on different levels. to a majority of her students partici- Koonce uses neutral green, black, gray and white studio colors in her pating in school activities such as band or chorus. “I think it just cultivates a lot of their passion for the arts,” she studio, as well as a lightning bolt symbol. “I’ve learned how to create an environment where it feels safe and says. “It spills over into a lot of different parts of the arts.” To reach students who might not have had an opportunity to encouraging to boys,” she says. “I feel like that has really helped and explore the arts, Adrenaline Studio has an afterschool community fostered the growth.” T outreach program in which classes are taught in schools and com- To find out more about the opportunities offered at these local studios, visit munity centers. Koonce says many kids will reach out afterward about joining the bellaballetdance.com, adrenalinestudionova.com and dcdcdance.com. Fall Ahead This Autumn! Move your children forward—toward school readiness, social-emotional growth, stronger literacy, friends and fun—with Ashburn and Sterling Early Learning Academies. We have programs for children ages 6 months to 12 years. SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY! elacommunity.com Early Learning Academies WashingtonFAMILY.com 19 |
| ARTS DIRECTORY BY HEATHER M. ROSS ACTING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE afyp.org; mary@afyp.org 703-554-4931 4260 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 Celebrating 25 years of fun, challenging classes for ages 5 - adult taught by theater professionals. Our after-school programs, weekend & school holiday classes, summer acting camps, and more teach skills that can be used on stage and off! BALLET THEATRE OF MARYLAND Balletmaryland.org btmmgr@balletmaryland.org 410-224-5644 Maryland Hall 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 Founded in 1978, Ballet Theatre of Maryland is Maryland’s premier professional ballet company. Housed at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis, the professional company offers a four-season series of performances in its home theatre and tours throughout the state performing approximately 40-60 performances annually for approximately 25,000 people. The Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Conservatory of Dance is the only school in Maryland that offers a fully comprehensive ballet training program for the beginner student up to the professional dancer. THE CENTER FOR BALLET ARTS centerforballetarts.com ctrbalarts@aol.com 703-273-5344 3955 Pender Drive, Ste. 105, Fairfax, Va. 22030 The Center, now in its 30th year, provides quality dance training for ages 3 through adults. Classes are offered in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, pilates and body conditioning. Home of The Ballet Arts Ensemble of Fairfax, providing performing opportunities and a fully intensive program for teens. CITYDANCE STUDIOS & CONSERVATORY citydance.net CityDance at Friendship Heights 5207 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015 202.545.7207 studios@citydance.net CityDance at Rockville (Badlands) 5200 Randolph Rd, Rockville, MD 20852 240.242.3646 inquiry@citydance.net CityDance at Rockville (NEW SUMMER/FALL 2022) 11711 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 240.242.3646 studios@citydance.net CityDance at Strathmore 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852 301-581-5204 inquiry@citydance.net Ages - 18 months-Adult Come and develop in and through dance with CityDance Studios & Conservatory. Classes for introductory to pre-professional students. Offering a curriculum of ballet training and contemporary dance techniques for all ages in DC and MD. ENCORE STAGE & STUDIO October 7 - 9, 2022 encorestage.org info@encorestage.org 703-548-1154 Encore @ Cherrydale United Methodist Church 3701 Lorcom Ln., Arlington, VA 22207 Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Thomas Jefferson Middle School 125 S. Old Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22204 Gunston Arts Center – Theatre One 2700 S Lang St, Arlington, VA 22206 Encore Stage & Studio is a national leader in theater by and for young people. We engage kids on both sides of the curtain, meeting them at their level to help them learn, grow and succeed. Encore provides inclusive opportunities for a diverse community of future thinkers, creators and leaders. HARMONIA SCHOOL OF MUSIC & ART harmoniaschool.org harmonia@harmoniaschool.org 703-938-7301 204-F Mill St. NE., Vienna, VA 22180 Harmonia School offers outstanding performing arts programs. It includes instrumental and voice lessons, and early childhood classes. Our Theater department offers one of the finest Musical Theater and Acting programs that culminate in productions. The classes are offered to all ages & all levels. Taught by highly educated and experienced teachers. IMAGINATION STAGE www.BalletMaryland.org imaginationstage.org info@imaginationstage.org 301-961-6060 4908 Auburn Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814 Ages 1-18 Imagination Stage is a holistic theatre arts organization for all children and youth, trusted by parents for more than 40 years. 20 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 Offering a wide variety of in-person theatre arts classes, there is something for everyone—early childhood, creative drama, acting, musical theatre, dance, and performance opportunities for ages 1-18. Go online or call to find out dates to audition for peformance programs and ensembles. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC ismw.org; info@ismw.org ISM North 11325 Seven Locks Road, Ste. 255, Potomac, Md. 20854 301-365-5888 ISM South 4701 Sangamore Road, Ste.LL-03, Bethesda, Md. 20816 301-320-4400 Ages: 4+ Music lessons in all instruments and voice offered to students of all ages and abilities. Optional performances and recitals available. LITTLE HANDS littlehands.com; info@littlehands.com P.O. Box 3, Centreville, Va. 20120 (Multiple locations in Northern Virginia) Little Hands has been making music with children and their families in the Washington, D.C. area since 1993. We have served thousands of families with music and movement classes in private studio settings, preschools and day care centers. From 2000- 2010 Little Hands was awarded “Maestro” status by Kindermusik International as one of the top studio programs in the country. MARYLAND YOUTH BALLET marylandyouthballet.org info@marylandyouthballet.org edd@marylandyouthballet.org (early dance classes) intro@marylandyouthballet.org (introductory classes) faculty@marylandyouthballet.org (youth and pre-professional divisions) 301-608-2232 926 Ellsworth Dr. Silver Spring, MD 20910 MYB provides exceptional training for beginning, intermediate and advanced students at one of the region’s finest schools of classical ballet. Classes offered for ages 2-adult with emphasis on love of dance, personal enrichment and pre-professional achievement. MASON COMMUNITY ARTS ACADEMY academy@gmu.edu masonacademy.gmu.edu 703-993-9889 4260 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, Va. 22030 Ages: 3 - Adult The Academy brings enriching arts instruction to the community through inspiring and innovative lessons, classes and summer programs in music, theater, visual arts, and film & video, which are open to all ages and levels. STUDIO ACTING CONSERVATORY Studioactingconservatory.org info@studioactingconservatory.org 202-232-0714 3423 Holmead Pl. NW, Washington, DC 20010 Ages: 10-17 Modeled after our adult curriculum, the Young Actors Program nurtures creativity, develops vocal and physical skills, and enhances each young actors’ ability to perform and work together as part of an ensemble. The program is for students ages 10 to 17 and previous experience is not a requirement. Full and partial scholarships are available. T |
| DIY 3-Color Sponge Paint BY HEATHER M. ROSS T his three-color sponge paint craft is simple, quick and fun for all ages. When it’s done, you’ll have a beautiful three-panel art piece you can hang anywhere. Supplies: • 3 SMALL CANVASES • 3 COLORS OF PAINT (ACRYLIC WORKS BEST) • 3 NATURAL SPONGES Step 1 Lay out all your supplies in a tidy PHOTOS BY HEATHER M ROSS area with lots of space, such as the kitchen table or a counter. Step 3 Place your three canvases side- by-side with a bit of space in between. Dip one of your sponges in the first color and allow your child to gently blot the paint onto the canvas. If you have more sponges, you can work on another canvas while your child decorates theirs. Tip: You don’t need to make any specific designs. By using three strong colors, your paintings will be eye-catching no matter what Tip: Cover the area with newspaper or a (or how) you and your child paint. disposable tablecloth to make cleanup easier! Tip: Pick up the canvas and hold it so your Tip: Cover the area with newspaper or a child can paint the edges. This will make the disposable tablecloth to make cleanup easier! painting look more complete and eliminate extra white space that would otherwise be Set up your paints. You should left over. have three separate colors. We used red, yellow and blue. If you don’t have a palette, you can use a plate. Step 2 Step 4 Before you add the second color, you can wait for the canvas to dry, but this is optional. If you don’t wait, the paints will mix together—and they might even look really cool. So, it’s up to you! Add the second color by dipping a different sponge into the next paint and then blot this color onto the canvas. Step 5 Repeat Step 4 with the third color of paint. Let the canvases dry completely. After your canvases are dry, you can hang them up in your home or office. If you hang them up in your office, be sure to take a picture of them so you can show your child how proud you are of their creativity! n WashingtonFAMILY.com 21 |
| INCLUSIVE FAMILY The IEP and Beyond: Navigating a Disability in School Does My Child Really Need an IEP plan? An IEP plan is a legal document developed for each special education student in the U.S. that describes adjustments the school will provide and goals for the child’s education. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) notes qualifying individuals have a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. The Maryland State Bar Association adds emotional disabilities that cause a difficulty in learning to those criteria. Services in Maryland are available for ages 3-21, with early intervention options for younger students. 22 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 Issa Kabeer, a teacher who works with students in the special education program at TECH Freire Charter School in Philadelphia, describes what to expect from the process. “Specialists evaluate the student for needs and the parent agrees and consents for the student to have this plan to support them,” she says. “Basically, once the evaluation is complete, the numbers show where the child is in their learning—not just English and math but social skills as well. In order to be approved for the IEP, they have to fall below a certain number compared to where they should be,” adds Amber Murray, whose child Alex, now 8 years old, went through the process before first grade in Franklin HALFPOINT / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS S tarting at a new school with a disability can be daunting. On top of new teachers, new classes and navigating how to get around in an unfamiliar space, your child will have lots of questions about how to make adjustments that would best serve them in the classroom. As a parent of a special education student, you might be wondering, ‘Does my child need an IEP plan?’ ‘How can I best help my child succeed?’ Here’s what you need to know about the IEP and other official accommodations that can be put into place at the start of the school year— plus simple ways your child can advocate for their needs on their own. BY HEATHER M. ROSS |
| INCLUSIVE FAMILY Township, about two hours west of Philadelphia. The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) also notes that special education services are designed to be adaptations that do “not necessarily mean a change in school or even a change in class.” instruction. Accommodations can be made under general studies. According to OSSE, if you believe your child might need accommodations for a disability, DC law requires your school to act on verbal requests for an evaluation for an IEP or 504 plan within three business days. What if my child doesn’t fit into those categories, but is still struggling? How can your child be their own advocate? There are some conditions that may make it more difficult for your child to learn but for whatever reason may not meet the state or school’s requirements for an IEP. Disabilities which cause difficulties in “caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working,” according to PDE, but do not meet the criteria for an IEP can still be supported with a 504 plan—from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Just like an IEP, a 504 plan should be updated every year to reassess your child’s needs, but students do not require specialized Even with the best laid plans, it’s important to be your own advocate. If your child has another condition that doesn’t qualify them for either of the above, there are still steps you can take to help your child succeed in the classroom. First, schedule meetings with your child’s teachers. Try to find out if another issue could be disrupting your child’s learning. Is something in the environment distracting? Is your child always tired in their last class? If your child is struggling with attention, consider asking teachers to move their seat closer to the front of the classroom. Perhaps your child could be seated next to a learning-buddy if they are not asking questions in class. Sometimes, it can be less intimidating to ask a peer rather than asking for everyone to hear. Teachers want your child to learn and succeed, so be open to their suggestions on how to best help your child learn. As a parent, one of the best ways to help your child learn is to communicate with their teachers. However, the most important thing you can do when your child is struggling in school is to talk to them. Do not confront them about their challenges, but share your own difficulties. It’s a good way to help your child realize that it’s okay to have a hard time. Another good way to help your child feel comfortable is to take them to a calm, safe place. This could be a place in your home, a park bench or even on a walk around your neighborhood. Children want to do well and make you proud. Make sure they know that even if they need some help, you’re proud of them. Their best is enough, and you’ll love them no matter what. T WashingtonFAMILY.com 23 |
| HEALTHY FAMILY Back to School Should My Child Get Vaccinated? health reasons or whose parents chose not to vaccinate them. “Some of those problems can be found with children who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, who are taking immunosuppres- sant medications for autoimmune diseases, Why are vaccines so important? who have rare immunodeficiencies or who “Vaccines reduced major diseases that used have diabetes,” says Dr. Caren Kirschner, to be major problems, and killers in kids,” a pediatrician at Fox Chase Pediatrics in Krugman says. “Vaccines help teach the immune system Philadelphia. “Another consideration is that chil- how to recognize and fight off diseases that can harm or kill children. This helps keep dren under 1 aren’t routinely vaccinated children healthy and prevents the spread of against measles, mumps, rubella or chicken vaccine-preventable diseases to others,” says pox,” which are all required school-age vac- Katie Lockwood, a pediatrician at Children’s cines, she adds. “Sometimes parents tell me that they Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Pediatricians also note that vaccinating think their child’s immune system isn’t your child also helps protect children who strong enough to handle vaccines because might not be able to get vaccinated for other they have a chronic health condition like 24 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 asthma or sickle cell anemia, but these chil- dren actually need these vaccines even more to prevent complications from these dis- eases,” Lockwood says. You can find an updated list of school vac- cination requirements from state health departments through the CDC at cdc.gov/ vaccines/imz-managers/awardee-imz-web- sites.html. Philadelphia also has a local immunization program. Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Phila- delphia all allow parents to opt out of these requirements for religious or medical rea- sons. Pennsylvania also allows exemptions for personal reasons. If you aren’t sure vaccines are safe for your child considering their health history, talk to your child’s doctor. FATCAMERA / E+ / GETTY IMAGES A ccording to the World Health Orga- nization, vaccination prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths globally each year. Yet, in recent years the number of unvaccinated children has skyrocketed. We talked to pediatricians to find out why and to learn how parents can keep their kids safe. Due to the pandemic, many kids missed their routine vaccinations. Local pediatri- cians note that it’s critical to preventing the spread of disease and protecting their peers that children get caught up on their missed shots. “It could get really ugly this year,” says Scott Krugman, vice chair of pediatrics at the Herman & Walter Samuleson Children’s Hospital at Sinai. “The overall numbers (of vaccinated children) have dropped significantly.” According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of children receiving their vaccines has dropped by 1 percentage point since the start of the pandemic. Chil- dren’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. also noted a significant declie in vacci- nation rates among children. BY HEATHER M. ROSS |
| HEALTHY FAMILY If your child has already had COVID-19 is vaccination still important? While a COVID-19 vaccine is not required to enter schools this year in Maryland and Pennsylvania, it is required for ages 12 and older in Washington, D.C. State and local officials also recommend it. While most people have been primarily concerned about older adults getting seri- ously ill from COVID-19, children aren’t immune to serious illness. COVID-19 was the third to fifth leading cause of death between 2020 and 2021 across most age groups, according to Krugman, and an arti- cle published in the Journal of the American Medical Association cites COVID-19 as the fourth leading cause of death for ages 15-24 from January to October in 2021. “The immune response might protect the child in the future or it might not,” Krugman says. “Children with mild cases may not have a big immune response to the virus and may still be at risk of getting it.” According to Krugman, for the best pro- tection, children who have had COVID-19 should still get the vaccine. After having COVID-19, you can wait three months after your infection before getting vaccinated, according to the CDC. For the best protection heading back into the school year, parents should be sure to take their child to get a booster shot about five months after their COVID-19 vaccina- tion, according to Krugman. Why are vaccination rates dropping? According to pediatricians, the primary cause for vaccine rates dropping is medical misinformation, aided by the ease of infor- mation sharing online. “There was a lot of opportunity for people to provide misinformation to make parents scared of the vaccine. Once you go down the rabbit hole of vaccine misinformation on the internet for (COVID-19), it’s easy to find that for all vaccines,” Krugman says. Because people are no longer used to Come see why we won seeing many of the diseases vaccines protect us from, many don’t understand how serious they can be. Krugman says that COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue greatly. The best place to get information about vaccines, their benefits and any risks is directly from your child’s pediatrician. “It’s important to share your particu- lar concerns with your healthcare provider so that they can have a meaningful conver- sation with you that is individualized and builds trust,” Lockwood says. If your child is anxious about getting a vaccine, understanding why vaccines are important can help them overcome their fears. For older children, Lockwood recom- mends a more scientific approach. For younger children, the answer could be as simple as, “to keep us healthy.” Telling your children about your experience getting vac- cinated can also help them see it’s not bad or that scary. T TOGETHER Best Restaurant! WINNE R I N G ET T YS B U R G! Come see why we won 1 BEST O 02 2 WINNE R F Best Restaurant WINNE R 2 years in a row! A neighborhood Italian restaurant using the freshest ingredients, serving our guests with “out of this world” hospitality www.gregoriostrattoria.com POTOMAC 7745 Tuckerman Lane 301-296-6168 BETHESDA 4611-A Sangamore Rd 301-347-6830 RESTON 1428 N. Point | Village Ctr 703-689-4894 DestinationGettysburg.com Sign-up for our e-letter! washingtonfamily.com/signup WashingtonFAMILY.com 25 |
| PARENT YOU SHOULD KNOW Matthew Breman BY JESSE BERMAN O ne of the aspects of Matthew Breman’s new home-based business that he is most excited about is the opportunity to spend more time with his family. In addition to daily activities such as getting the kids to and from school or helping them with homework, Breman is looking forward to incorporating fitness into their routine as well. “Regular exercise, including weekly soccer pick-up games, will continue to be an important outlet for my mental and physical wellbeing,” he says. These activities tie in directly with Breman’s new venture. In July, the Silver Spring father of three became the owner of a franchise of Apex Leadership Co. in Montgomery County, which offers a two-week program that teaches children leadership and character lessons through fitness. The program’s online fundraising platform helps schools and clubs to increase what they normally raise through traditional means. Breman lives with his wife Rachel and children Sebastian (a rising tenth grader), Aviva (a rising seventh grader), and Leora (a rising fourth grader). He spoke to Washington FAMILY about fatherhood and what he’s hoping to learn from his career in the coming months. Has your role as a father given you any insight into how Apex can best serve students and young people? Or conversely, has the work Apex does with young people given you any insight into how best to be a father to your children? Being a father has highlighted for me the importance of a) listening to, supporting, and validating our children for who they are, always with a positive attitude; and b) how critical socio-emotional or life skills are to our kids’ success, at school, in the home and eventually I am just starting out, so there will be much in the workplace. I am excited to see how Apex’s leadership to learn over the coming months and years. Nevertheless, I have been a Montgomery and character lessons, which are designed to County Public Schools (MCPS) Dad for 10 meet student needs using Positive Behavioral years, with three kids currently in MCPS Interventions Support (PBIS) best practices schools, so that will facilitate my entry to improve student/school outcomes, can into the business of working with PTAs complement MCPS’ new social emotional learning “Leader in Me” curriculum (also and schools. How do you balance the responsibilities that come with owning a franchise with the responsibilities of being a father and husband? 26 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 |
| grounded in PBIS). Apex has many fantastic testimonials from teachers and parents about the positive impact Apex has had on their kids, from how they began taking on leadership roles in the classroom to proactively doing chores and helping around the house. To anyone reading this article who may have their own business and struggle to find time to spend with their family, is there anything you’d like to say, or any advice you might have? I too am on a lifelong journey to balance work and family. I have always worked crazy hours, relying on exercise to keep me mentally and physically fit. Starting my own business will challenge me, yet I will strive to follow a few things I try to remind myself (of): 1) Plan Family Activities – planning and carving out time in the week to spend with family and/or getting a fun activity or trip on the calendar that everyone can look forward to keeps things positive when life gets stressful; and 2) Find Balance – work hard, yet stay positive and even keeled during the peaks and valleys, and try to laugh as much as possible. Laughing and smiling helps you to relax and elevates your mood and that of others around you too! T WE DO IT ALL! Tub Liners Tub and Shower Replacements PARENT YOU SHOULD KNOW Family Favorites Favorite Family Meal: to have family dinners together (Friday nights in particular), and (we) enjoy going to soccer (Washington Spirit and DC United) and baseball (Nationals or Orioles, when playing the Braves) games; also, going to see a movie and the occasional board game. Taco Tuesdays at home or Chinese take-out. Favorite Family Vacation Destination: We enjoy Cape Cod summers at the grandparents’ and traveling to different places. Over the years we have been to South Africa, Costa Rica, Sicily and Jamaica. Favorite Sports Team You Root for as a Family: I am an avid University of Georgia college football fan, along with Atlanta area pro teams (Braves, Falcons, Hawks), so my kids have had no choice but to join (or tolerate) my fandom, especially UGA football! Favorite Way to Spend the Weekend Together as a Family: Hiking and biking when the kids were younger, yet as they get older this becomes more difficult given different activities and interests. We try Tub-to-Shower Conversions FITS YOUR standards With quality you can trust and a lifetime guarantee, Bath Fitter doesn’t just fit your bath, it fits your high standards. Why have over two million people brought Bath Fitter into their homes? It Just Fits. BIGGEST OFFER OF THE YEAR OUR BENEFITS Easy to Clean, Virtually Maintenance Free * * Seamless Wall One-Day Installation 1 2 OR * 1- 833- 828-3323 bath-fitter.com/local24 1Tub-to-shower conversions and fiberglass replacements typically require a two-day installation. 2Lifetime warranty valid for as long as you own your home. *Offer ends 10/15/2022. All offers apply to a complete Bath Fitter system only, and must be presented and used at time of estimate. Minimum purchase required. Terms of promotional financing are 24 months of no interest from the date of installation and minimum deposit. See representative for details. Qualified buyers only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous purchases. Valid only at select Bath Fitter locations. Offers and warranty subject to limitations. Fixtures and features may be different than pictured. Accessories pictured are not included. Plumbing work done by P.U.L.S.E. Plumbing. MD MPL #17499, NJ MPL #10655, DE MPL #PL-0002303, MD MPL #82842, VA MPL #2710064024, IA MPL #18066, OH MPL #37445, WV MPL #PL07514, MI MPL #8111651. PA HIC #PA017017, NJ HIC #13VH03073000, WV HIC #WV053085, MD HIC #129436, VA HIC #2705155694, MD HIC #122356, VA HIC #2705096759, IA HIC #C112725, WV HIC #WV038808, MD HIC #129995, VA HIC #2705146537, DC HIC #420213000044. Each Franchise Independently Owned And Operated By Bath Saver, Inc, Iowa Bath Solutions, LLC, Ohio Bath Solutions, LLC, Mid Atlantic Bath Solutions, LLC. WashingtonFAMILY.com 27 |
| BOOK MARKED Learning from the Arts 20 Books About Art’s Impact on Kids and Teens BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES STAFF: MICHELLE HALBER, CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN AT THE DAVIS BRANCH AND MARANDA L. SCHOPPERT, HEAD OF CHILDREN SERVICES AT THE GERMANTOWN BRANCH Welcome to September! It’s a new school year, so break the mold, step outside your comfort zone and dream big. Maybe your child can take advantage of opportunities to learn or improve skills in music or the arts. Here is a list of books about kids exploring music, dance and art while learning about life. PICTURE BOOKS “Opposite Abstract” written and illustrated by Mo Willems This special book takes abstract art and cre- ates conversations around the concepts of line, shapes and color. A read that could also be of interest to art teachers or therapists. “Electric Slide and Kai” by Kelly T. Baptist, illustrated by Dar- nell Johnson Kai is the only one in the family who can’t dance, and now there is a wedding coming up. Can he finally learn some moves and be granted a dance nickname like his brothers and sisters? “We Will Rock Our Classmates” written and illustrated by Brian T. Higgins Penelope the Dinosaur wants to play her guitar at the school talent show, but dino- saurs don’t play guitar. With some help, she realizes her rock and roll dreams! “Not Quite Snow White” by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Ebony Glenn On stage, you can be anyone you want to be, and Tameika wants to be Snow White more than anything. When she overhears someone call her “too chubby” and “too brown,” Tameika doubts herself, but with a little self-acceptance and a lot of cour- age, Tameika takes the stage! This feel-good picture book reminds us that anyone can be a princess. “The One and Only Dylan St. Claire” by Kamen Edwards, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler Dylan St. Claire just knows that he is des- tined to be a star. So, when he is cast as a squirrel in the school play, it feels like the end of the world. Instead of pitying him- self, Dylan is determined to be the best squirrel the world has ever seen. A bright 28 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 and funny book, sure to inspire everyone’s inner performer. EARLY ELEMENTARY BOOKS “Tap Dance Troubles” by C.L. Reid, illustrated by Elena Aiello Emma has been taking tap dance classes and is really excited for her final performance of the year. However, due to the noise of the tapping, her cochlear implant doesn’t pick up the final notes of the number. Practice and a friend help her discover a solution. |
| BOOK MARKED “The Chance To Fly” by Ali Stroker This heartfelt middle-grade novel is about a girl who loves theater and wants noth- ing more than to “defy gravity” in her new town’s local production of “Wicked.” When her parents worry about her ability to fit in, it is up to Nat to prove to them that she can take the stage. “Clark the Shark and the School Sing” by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy Francis Clark is excited to discover that everyone in the class will be singing a song. Trou- ble comes when he learns that not only will everyone be singing, but they will also be dancing! Part of the “I Can Read! Com- ics” collection. “Sadiq and the Perfect Play” by Siman Nuurali Being in charge can be hard work. When Sadiq volunteers to be the director of a play, he thinks he needs do all the work on his own, and the pressure becomes too much. With a little help from his big sister and her school show director, Sadiq soon learns that help can come in many different forms. MIDDLE GRADE: FICTION “Better Nate Than Ever” by Tim Federle Middle schooler Nate’s parents are going away for the night just when Nate wants to go to an open call audition for a new Broad- way musical. Can he travel to NYC by bus, audition and get home before being caught? “Drum Roll, Please” by Lisa Jenn Bigelow After best friends Melly and Olivia are sep- arated into different groups at music camp, Melly tries to learn not to hide herself and her music behind her drum set. “Violets Are Blue” by Barbara Dee Twelve-year-old Wren loves special effects makeup. She loves creating a new look and becoming a different version of herself—a version that doesn’t have a best friend who hates her and a mom with a serious prob- lem. A touching, realistic novel about forgiveness and starting over. audition for the role of Elphaba in their high school’s production of “Wicked,” but will the bullying and prejudice they continue to face at school stop the show? [This book contains discussion of suicidal thoughts.] “You in Five Acts” by Una LaMarche Told from the perspective of five friends at a performing arts school in New York City, each “act” is filled with friendship, love, loss and drama. With a cast of diverse characters capturing the emotional roller coaster that is teenagerhood, LaMarche has crafted an intricate, socially-conscious narrative that is heartbreaking and sure to spark discussion. MIDDLE GRADE: NON-FICTION “A is for Audra: Broadway's Lead- ing Ladies from A to Z” by John Robert Allman, illustrated by Peter Emmerich For kids interested in some of the cur- rent and legendary female Broadway stars, this book highlights many of the greatest. Contains brief descriptions and colorful illustrations of the actors in some of their best-known performances. “Boys Dancing: From School Gym to Theater Stage” by George Ancona Photographs enhance this profile of four boys who are chosen to be part of a dance boot camp run by the National Dance Insti- tute of New Mexico, as they are given the chance to perform with 500 other students. “To Dance: A Memoir” (graphic novel) by Siena Siegel, illustrated by Mark Siegel This true story follows Siena Siegel’s love of dance as it takes her from Puerto Rico to training with the New York City Ballet during the time of founder and choreogra- pher George Balanchine. "Wink" by Rob Harrell YOUNG ADULT Learning to play guitar and discovering new “Can't Take That Away” bands provides an escape for Ross as he handles both treatment for a rare eye cancer by Steven Salvatore Genderqueer Carey is finally brave enough to and starting middle school. “Instructions for Dancing” by Nicola Yoon Evie is having a rough senior year. Her par- ents are divorcing, she discovers her dad was unfaithful and now when she sees a couple kiss, she gets a vision of how they meet AND how their relationship ends! Her attempts to remove the visions lead her to La Brea Dance Studio, where she meets a boy named X and enters a ballroom dance competition. Can she learn to value love, even knowing it will end? “Kingdom of Back” by Marie Lu Would you do anything to be remembered forever? Nannerl Mozart is just as talented, if not more so, than her younger brother, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But, being a girl in 18th century Europe, she is not allowed to compose. Nannerl’s dreams are crushed, until a mysterious stranger from a magi- cal land offers her a chance... a chance that might just take more than it gives. T WashingtonFAMILY.com 29 |
| MY TURN What is “Shadow Education” and Does My Child Need It? BY LANA YEGANOVA packed schedules. Our experience shows that children respond positively when learning envi- ronments foster this critical, exploratory thinking that aims to help them understand the “why” before the “how.” By incorpo- rating fun brain teasers, images that help children understand the problem and highly personalized lessons that require and encourage their participation, we see stu- dents come to class excited to learn. This can sometimes be the difference between strong students and those who may be fall- ing behind their peers. The importance of starting early A common subject that many students seek tutoring in, and struggle with, is math. This is often due to the way it is introduced. As educators, we believe that introducing mathematics enrichment education in early elementary school (K-2) generally leads 30 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022 to accelerated improvement in stu- dents’ knowledge, core proficiencies and logic and critical thinking skills, as well as an increased interest in mathematics. Interestingly, we have observed that students who seek tutoring with the goal of remediating poor academic performance generally enroll later in life, from seventh grade and up. In these cases, while tutoring provides immediate help, it does not generally lead to the same progress that may be achieved when starting enrichment programs at an early age. By the end of middle school, students who have not connected with math in early years may develop an adverse attitude towards the subject and are over- whelmed with problems that are not necessarily complicated but require a systemic approach. Introducing tutoring at a young age helps children build foundational skills needed for more complex prob- lem solving, resulting in more time and space for creative thinking and discov- ery to take place, which are often much more interesting to a young learner. Final Thoughts Starting early and building the foundational blocks students need to succeed contributes to keeping students engaged and positive about not only math, but other STEM sub- jects as well. If we as educators and parents can work towards providing a supportive, stimulating environment where children are empowered to learn, students can do more than keep from falling behind; they can excel. n Lana Yeganova, Ph.D., is one of five women who co-founded Avatar Learning Center, an online tutoring center which includes fami- lies and instructors based in Washington, D.C. She teaches math at Avatar and lives in the Potomac area. PROVIDED PHOTO Y ou may have come across the term “shadow education” while researching tutoring options for your child or while flipping through an education magazine, but what does it mean exactly? Shadow education is frequently used to describe private, supplementary tutoring aimed at improving student academic performance in various subjects. The term was coined in the early 1990s, and within the last two decades, shadow education has expanded to reach almost all corners of the globe, becoming a part of daily life in an increasing number of households. Researchers noticed a large increase in enrollment in shadow education programs in Germany during this expansion. In another cross-national study, it was found that approximately one third of all 15-year-old students from 64 differ- ent countries/economies participate in shadow education. At Avatar Learning Center, we see shadow education as an increasingly necessary tool for student success and academic achieve- ment, especially among younger children, whether they are a rock star student or need a little extra help grasping concepts. Especially for young minds interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), we believe supplementary tutoring is becoming more and more essential. Shadow education offers students a space to develop critical thinking skills and establish themselves as proficient problem solvers, key factors for academic success at any age. And, with access to technology and online resources becoming increas- ingly widespread, engaging in virtual forms of shadow education is rising in popu- larity. Online tutoring may also be more cost- and time-effective and even more convenient for busy parents and kids with |
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