New Kindergarten Readiness Program Announced at Kol Ami
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Nan Blank, Director of the Kol Ami Early Childhood Program is pleased to announce A Step Ahead!, a new Kindergarten Readiness Program for children who will turn five years old in the Fall of 2011.
The Kindergarten Readiness Program is designed for active exploration and child-initiated activities, as well as small-group teacher-guided learning allowing the teacher team to direct and instruct children in the exploration of the various themed units introduced throughout the school year. Our daily teacher-initiated activities will include: literacy, handwriting, math, science, art, games, songs, and morning meeting. The child-initiated individual and small group experiences will naturally occur in the art corner, dramatic play area, listening center, math manipulative corner, science center and block area. Together these experiences will ensure that children’s learning will be tangible, meaningful, and fun all the while enjoying a comprehensive Kindergarten readiness experience within a family-oriented caring community.
Each child is unique and thereby learns in different ways… some are auditory learners while others are visual learners. Some children learn best in large group settings through observation, and listening, while others learn from more intimate, small group opportunities with an emphasis on hands-on connections. There are those children who thrive in more structured environments while others prefer a more free-flowing and spontaneous learning experience. Children can and often change their learning preferences and thus benefit from different educational methods and environments while participating in different learning experiences. The program will provide both large and small group learning opportunities tailored to meet the collective needs of both the individual learner and the community.
The double-sized classroom is arranged in centers and includes a Literacy, Listening, Math, Science, Blocks, Art, Dramatic Play, and Meeting Area. The children enrolled in A Step Ahead! will enjoy a Judaic curriculum woven into their program of study including celebrating Havdalah, Shabbat, the Jewish holidays, and a year-long unit focused on Israel. A Step Ahead! meets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 9:00-2:30 and Fridays from 9:00-11:45. Class Size: 12 Children Maximum with a 1:6 ratio. Special instruction included in the curriculum will be Nature, Music, Our Garden Project, Israeli Dance and Movement, and Soccer/Gym.
The program will be held at Congregation Kol Ami at 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, New York. For more information on A Step Ahead! call: Nan Blank, Director at 914-949-4717 x107.
Citibabes Closes in Scarsdale
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Citibabes of Scarsdale, the beautifully designed child play space and family center on Popham Road has closed after just one year of operation. The 9,000 square foot center, located on the second floor of the CVS building on the Popham Road Bridge may have been too ambitious for this area.
Citibabes offered play areas, classes, entertainment, birthday party facilities, a café and a retail store and was intended as a family club for Westchester residents with young children. Priced at around $2,000 for the year, a family membership had many benefits but several factors may have contributed to the club’s inability to attract a sufficient number of customers:
- The price point may have been too high in a down economy,
- A tough real estate market may have prevented an influx of young families from moving to the suburbs this year
- The ongoing construction on the Popham Road Bridge may have deterred customers from using the club due to limited parking and the difficulties of negotiating the sidewalk with a stroller.
- Several competitive play centers and children’s program are located in the immediate area
In a note posted on their website, the club says that due to “current general economic and real estate conditions specific to this location, Citibabes has been forced to discontinue their physical operations at 7 Popham Road. However, Citibabes will still be servicing the Scarsdale community. Citibabes’ CitiSchool is officially relocating to Camp Mohawk, the Citibabes Kids Club @ Equinox continued roll-out in 33 clubs (including Scarsdale) is scheduled for 2011, and Citibabes’ signature programming is available via the Citibabes-to-Go platform in the form of classes, birthday parties, events, and more.
“We have evaluated every option imaginable to keep the Scarsdale club open to no avail,” said Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and co-founder of Citibabes. “We highly value the loyalty and support of our members and community in Scarsdale. We have focused our efforts to offer several alternatives to our families and will do everything we can to ease the transition for every child.”
According to information on the site, “pre-paid membership fees and class subscription for the period of December 31, 2010 through the conclusion of agreements will be reimbursed to all applicable Citibabes’ Scarsdale members.”
Kurt Gallagher at the Scarsdale Public Library
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Popular children’s musician and entertainer Kurt Gallagher will return to the Scarsdale Public Library on December 18 at 11 A.M. with his songs and merriment. Gallagher plays a variety of instruments including guitar, ukulele, slide whistle, and jaw harp that make him a hit with both children and adults. In the spirit of the season, Gallagher will sing holiday song.
The hour-long program will be held in the Scott Room. Registration is not required, and there is no admission fee.
For more information, call 722-1300 or visit scarsdalelibrary.org .
Models Needed for the American Girl Fashion Show
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The Junior League of Central Westchester is now accepting applications to model in its Second Annual American Girl Fashion Show®, a fun-filled event for girls and their families, friends and favorite dolls! The event will take place on Saturday, March 19 (9:30 am and 1:30 pm with mandatory rehearsal on Tuesday, March 1) and Sunday, March 20 (11:00 am and 3:00 pm with mandatory rehearsal on Thursday, March 3) at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester.
To model in the show, children must fit in a size 6x (Bitty Baby outfits) or size 10 (Historical and Just Like You outfits). Models will wear costumes matching the dolls that they will be carrying during the show.
Applications are available at www.jlcentralwestchester.org, or by phoning 914-723-6130. The funds raised by the American Girl Fashion Show® support the JLCW’s children's programs. For questions, please contact the American Girl Committee at 914-723-6130 or by email to: jlcwAmericanGirl@verizon.net
Ask the Camp Experts
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As Camp Experts we are often asked how parents can help their child with homesickness, before camp begins and when their child is away. Here are some tips that may help: We recommend that you visit the camp ahead of time and we can help to set up an orientation visit the summer before you intend to send your child to camp.
Help your child get mentally prepared for camp. In the weeks before your child leaves for camp, discuss what camp may be like and don’t offer to bring him or her home if it is not what was expected. You may be setting yourself and your child up for failure if you do so.
Four to six days before departure, send your child a letter at camp so that there is something waiting when your camper arrives.
Write a letter to the child’s counselor to provide them with information that may not have been requested on camp forms. The letter will serve as a “thank you in advance” for the special care they will be giving your child.
If your child is homesick, allow the camp staff to work it out without your intervention. Often, by the time you receive a letter indicating your child is homesick, the problem has been resolved.
And if your child is homesick, don’t insist on immediate communication with him or her as sometimes speaking on the phone does more harm than help. Remember that you had the confidence to send your child to camp, so permit the camp professionals to help.
Satisfied parents have relied on the expertise of The Camp Experts and Teen Summers for over 25 years. Call Shari Levine at 914-315-1077 or Joanne Paltrowitz at 914-472-4747 today for a personal consultation on selecting the right camp for your child.
