PHOTO BY BRIAN CHILSON
SEEING DOUBLE TWINS TIMES TWO.
BY KATHERINE WYRICK PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON
THE PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IS EXCITED TO START ANOTHER YEAR OF AVID (ADVANCEMENT VIA INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION). AVID increases student engagement while activating a deeper level of learning in the classroom. This initiative emphasizes rigorous coursework, relevance of instruction and relationships in both elementary and secondary schools. It also prepares every student with a mindset of college potential. “AVID gives students a sense of support and belonging,” said Sylvan Hills Middle School teacher Shanon Hum. “AVID opens doors for students and provides the complete picture of a successful learning curriculum. It gives students the WHY they are at school.” Teachers are also reinvigorated by having AVID in their classrooms. Teachers who participate in AVID professional learning begin to shift their belief about teaching and learning, allowing them to cultivate a growth mindset both for themselves and their students. “I’ve had some of my best student and teaching moments through the implementation of AVID,” said Daisy Bates Elementary teacher LaRisha Nelson. “I get to witness reserved students grow into collaborative group leaders, passive students uncover hidden, intrinsic motivation, and academically challenged students reveal strengths that positively change the trajectory of their
academic efforts. Through AVID, both my students and I have tapped into a wealth of knowledge and learning experiences that cause us to excel in the classroom together! By the end of the school year, we all see ourselves as important contributors to the future!” PCSSD began implementing AVID in 2019 and continues to reach more and more students each year. Some of the strategies used for elementary students are reading and writing to learn, note-taking, and time management skills. For secondary students, teachers focus on improving study and organizational skills, strengthening writing skills, and gaining “college knowledge.”
ABOUT PCSSD Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve
501.234.2000
at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.
WITH SOME HELP FROM MOM EMILY, TWINS PHILLIP AND JEFFREY (9), QUINLEY (7) AND TWINS MADELEINE AND LUCAS (6) TAKE A DIZZYING SPIN AT THE PLAYGROUND NEAR THEIR NEW HOME.
W
hen we talked to Emily Stewart Hood, there was a lot happening on her end of the line. And yet she somehow remained remarkably composed, unharried even. We caught her at a particularly chaotic time — not that life with five young children is ever chaos-free. It was move-in day for the Hoods, who had just arrived in Little Rock the previous week after having bought their new house sight unseen. Emily fielded questions from the kids and the internet guy all while directing the movers. It also happened to be her and her husband Jeff ’s 10th wedding anniversary. (Not that there was much time for celebrating at that moment.) She was also trying to wrangle the family dog, a rescue lab mix, who gets “testy” with strangers and was on high alert because of all the activity. (“Hold on a second,” she said. “No, don’t let her down there; they’re scared of her!”) Multitasking comes with the territory, and Emily is adept at it. By comparison, it was quieter on my end, save the sporadic scream-barking of my mutts and the all-too-familiar bass slapping of the “Arthur” theme song. (My son was in the midst of an endof-summer TV marathon. At least it was PBS, right?) During our conversation, the movers were in the process of unloading boxes upon boxes of books — Jeff ’s extensive library — which will temporarily be housed in the garage. In addition to being a bibliophile, Jeff, or Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, is a self-described radical writer, pastor, theologian and activist. Emily added that he’s also “one of the most intriguing people you could possibly meet.” Jeff has authored more than 40 books and has been a prominent figure in the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as a champion of LGBTQ rights and the anti-death penalty cause. In addition to
“We’re very nonauthoritarian with them and really try to be as relational as possible—
‘Here’s why I’m asking you to do this,’
‘this is why I need you to not do that,’ and ‘what could you do to fix the situation?”
organizing and participating in protests across the country, he has worked closely with families who have experienced police brutality. He walked 200 miles from Huntsville to Austin to oppose the death penalty. It will be interesting to see what form his activism takes here in Arkansas. When Jeff and I talked a few days post-move, he was facing a different sort of challenge, albeit still a tough one — navigating the LRSD system. He was in the thick of trying to get the kids registered for school and makeing sure individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504s were in place (some of the kids have special needs). Asked how he was holding up, he laughed. “I’ll tell ya, it’s been frustrating.” He feels blessed and grateful for his big family, though he admitted, “I stay tired as shit all the time.” No doubt. A bit of backstory: Emily is originally from New Mexico, Jeff from the south Atlanta area. They lived in Denton, Texas (where Emily got her Ph.D.), before moving to Boone, North Carolina, a year ago, where Emily taught at Appalachian State University. She recently accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Art Education at UA Little Rock. They are parents of fraternal twins Phillip and Jeffrey, age 9; Quinley, 7; and another pair of fraternal
“Parenting is always this big experiment because you were parented one way, and some of it was good and some of it was not, and, of course, the world is also so different, right?” twins, Madeleine and Lucas, 6. Back to move-in day. As is inevitable when talking to a busy mom on the phone, there were continuing interruptions. Someone interjected a plaintive cry of, “I’m hungryyyyyyyyyy!” which Emily patiently addressed. A moment later another someone was sounding out-of-sorts, and Emily explained that one of the kids had made a big mess and was worried about it. She added, laughing, “But our house is already a mess so I don’t even care.” I was reminded that in so many situations, surrendering to “what is” often proves to be the best strategy. At some point, one of the kids cut open an oversized teddy bear and was removing the stuffing so he could crawl inside (Google giant teddy bear prank and you’ll get the idea). Emily calmly instructed, “Don’t pull all of the cotton out of the bear right now. You need somebody with you to make sure you’re safe doing that. Can you pause the project?” Though I was beginning to get a sense of it, I posed the admittedly unoriginal question: “What’s it like having two sets of twins plus another child? All 9 and under?” But I was genuinely curious as I marveled at her presence of mind and equanimity. After a quick but not harsh admonishment to one of her kids
—“Please stop kicking the lights. Thank you.” — she responded philosophically, “Well I don’t know anything different. It just happened. If you have any sense that things unfold for a reason, if you have any belief in that, then you have to go, ‘Well, this happened and so now we roll with it.’ ” “Roll with it” seems a fitting mantra for all parents, with or without multiples. Though I suspected it might be an intrusive, indelicate question, I asked, “Do twins run in your family?” A cheeky (or insulted) mom might well have responded, “Yes! All over the place! Up and down the stairs, in the street, around the yard.” But, despite the insensitivity on my part, Emily was gracious. She confirmed that, yes, both sets of twins were conceived naturally. It turns out that if you have already had a set of natural fraternal twins or multiples, then your chances of having another set of fraternal twins or multiples greatly increases. The chance of having one set of fraternal natural twins is about 1 in 90. The odds can change depending on genetics, age, height, diet and other factors. Some other tactless things not to say to parents of multiples: •“You’ve got your hands full!” or “I don’t know how you do it.” •“Better you than me.” •Any question related to how the children were conceived or delivered. (e.g., “How did that happen?”, “Are they natural?”, “Did you take fertility drugs?”, “Did you plan this?”) •“Are you going to have any more kids?” Asked about her approach to parenting, Emily explained, “Parenting is always this big experiment because you were parented one way, and some of it was good and some of it was not, and, of course, the world is also so different, right?” Too true. A wise woman once offered me this sage insight which I’ve clung to like a life raft for years: Parenting is a series of mistakes. You’re forever recalibrating and self-correcting. In other words, it’s a process. Emily continued, “We’re very non-authoritarian with them and really try to be as relational as possible — ‘Here’s why I’m asking you to do this,’ ‘This is why I need you to not do that,’ and ‘What could you do to fix the situation?’, that sort of thing. But at the same time, they literally have no fear of us ... because we don’t give them a reason to,” she laughed. “So it gets a little tricky sometimes, especially with that many people who have that much agency. One of the things I always go back to is that my family is very creative and very resilient, and those are the things that get us through ... As we encounter the next challenge and the next, we say, ‘let’s find some creative solution.’ And we adapt and we bounce back.” It’s a parenting style — and way of being — that reflects who Emily and Jeff are and what they value. “My husband and I, even prior to meeting, were people who sought out challenges. It makes life interesting. So in some way we manifested this as well.”
Sushi... the perfect date night.
2601 Kavanaugh Blvd. | Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 660-4100 | KemuriRestaurant.com
SAVVY kids PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com
A Q&A with Emily Stewart Hood, Ph.D. Online at SAVVYKIDSAR.COM
EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@ arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL
FIND MORE AT SAVVYKIDSAR.COM
SEPTEMBER ACTIVITIES & FUN September 6
M.O.D IS NOW O.P.E.N.
We can’t wait to get our hands on those interactive exhibits and get to tinkering in that new Tinkering Studio!
NATIONAL READ A BOOK DAY
Reading should, of course, be part of a daily routine, but today is also the perfect time to support your local library. See below for September book releases that we’re particularly excited about. “Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #6)” by Ben Clanton. Ages 6-9.
September 11
LITTLE ROCK ZOO
Breakfast with a Twist — Penguins, 8 a.m. The Zoo’s African penguins are waiting to greet you with a morning bray! Did you know that they can sound like donkeys? They can also tell each other apart by their distinct voices. At this event you’ll learn about penguin calls and more while enjoying breakfast, a special keeper chat and a painting lesson. There will also be a celebration for Vinny’s birthday! Only a few spaces are left, so register now. Other Zoo happenings: Tails and Tunes ~ September Nights, every Thursday evening in September. Visit all of your favorite animals until 8 p.m. and shake your tailfeather to live music at the Civitan Elephant Stage. There will also be specialty food vendors, and beer and wine for adults. World Vulture Day is Sept. 4. Remember, they’re not dirty birds; they’re just birds with dirty habits. Wild Wines VIP Event is Sept. 17, and the main event is Sept. 18.
September 18
THE ACTON CHILDREN’S BUSINESS FAIR
This one-day market inspires kids to discover their inner entrepreneur and offers them the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses. Each participant develops a brand, creates a product or service, builds a marketing strategy and then opens for customers. There will be 15 booths at CALS Williams Library located at 1800 South Chester St., 10 a.m. –2 p.m. Apply here childrensbusinessfair.org/littlerock-williamslibrary.
CLINTON CENTER
The Clinton Center recently announced its educational programs for the 2021-22 academic year. Created for students in Pre-K–12th grade and educators, the diverse offerings are designed to inspire civic engagement and service. The Clinton Center remains closed to all visitors due to COVID-19, so all tours and programs are virtual. Check out the full catalogue here: clintonpresidentialcenter.org/education.
SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY September 1
Kindness Rocks Paint Party 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM All ages Drop by the Benton branch to paint a kindness rock for the “Kindness Rocks” project. The goal: to hide painted rocks with encouraging messages around the community!
September 2
Outdoor S.T.E.A.M. Storytime 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM (Benton) Ages 3-6 Join Mrs. Wendy and Ms. Jordan each week outside under the tent for a fun S.T.E.A.M.-based storytime. This program is designed for 3-6 year olds, but older and younger children may also enjoy it. Each week, the kids will sing songs, read stories and enjoy fun activities that encourage early learning. Registration is required and space is limited. One registration per child. Bring a towel or blanket with you to sit on. Register here: bit.ly/3my6wjg. In the event of rain, outdoor programs will be cancelled.
September 3
Preschool Yoga Storytime 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM (Tyndall Park) Ages 3-6 Preschool yoga storytime is a special interactive program designed for children ages 3-6 and their caregivers. Each class includes playful yoga- inspired movement, stories, music, breath work and relaxation techniques. This storytime provides an opportunity for children to explore themselves, the world around them and their imaginations through mindful movement and literature. Off-site location at Tyndall Park, E. Sevier St. side. Registration required; bring a blanket, towel or yoga mat for yourself and your child. Find more events online at SAVVYkidsAr.com
That’s why we are available anytime from anywhere, offering all our services in the safest possible manner – Telehealth for: • Outpatient and school-based counseling • Kaleidoscope Grief Center group support • Methodist Behavioral Hospital physician services, family therapy, visitation through Arkansas Division of Child and Family Services, and court appearances • In-person psychiatric testing with plexiglass screen and PPE
Call 877-778-1197
info@MethodistFamily.org
R E V O C S I D THING NEW
CRATER OF DIAMONDS STATE PARK
SOME T
Looking for new adventures for your family and friends? Come together at Arkansas’s 52 state parks and experience endless possibilities.
TOT COS SA ATE ST R E IV R PAR K
Pick up your FREE PASSPORT at the nearest state park today.
Plan your adventure at
ArkansasStateParks.com.
reopened!
explore how everyday ite ms are manufactured in th is exhi ition inspired y m ister rogers' factory tours!
tinkerfest 9.18.21
built by museumofdiscovery.org