Elisabeth Stubbs

Understanding Staircases and Coverings

BY ELISABETH STUBBS

Staircases are so much a part of our homes that we often take them for granted. Most of us use them every day, but we don’t really know what makes them work.

There are a surprising number of components to a staircase, so why not try to learn about some of the most-used parts? • Baluster — Vertical post that fits between the handrail and either the tread or the base rails. • Cove molding — Decorative strip that is attached under the stair nosing, which covers the joint between the riser and the tread. • Handrail — Horizontal piece of the balustrade system that sits on top of the balusters, and is supported by newel posts. • Newel — Major support post for the balustrade system, located at the bottom and top of the staircase, and at turns and critical support areas. • Nosing — Edge of the tread that projects beyond the adjoining riser. • Riser — Board that forms the vertical part of each step. • Rosette — Round or oblong piece that attaches the handrail to the wall. • Skirtboard — Usually a decorative trim piece that fits along either side of the stairs along the wall, or the baseboard of the staircase. • Stringer — Framework upon which the stair structure rests, usually two pieces. • Tread — Horizontal portion of each step, the part that is walked on.

Stairs are functional; that is why they exist. Yet, since most stairs are at or near our front door (sometimes the first thing one sees when they walk in), we need for them to be pretty. Stairs can be carpeted, wood or a combination of these — stained wood with a runner.

There are a couple of good reasons to have carpet, or a runner, on the stairs. First, especially if you have children in the house, having the stairs covered will cut back on the noise. Nothing says teenage boy

A wood staircase with a decorated carpet runner.

like the noise they make thundering up or down the stairs. While wood stairs are beautiful, a covering of some sort makes them safer as well. For dogs, for children and, especially, for older adults, a slip on the stairs can be tragic. A runner is a nice compromise that is safe and beautiful. Runners can be made from carpet, and patterned carpets make especially great-looking runners. As a rule of thumb, a runner should cover 80% to 90% of the stair tread. Runners made from carpet can be serged or bound. Serged is somewhat like a blanket stitch, sewed around the cut edge. Bound means a piece of material (usually fabric) is sewn onto the carpet, forming a new finished edge.

Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors and More, one of Atlanta’s top-rated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.

Cherokee Charter Academy serves students in grades K-8. Enrollment is underway for the 2021-22 school year. For more information or to apply online, visit

www.cherokeecharter.org.

An informational session will be held in person at 6:30 p.m. May 11.

Participants can meet the principal and teachers, and take a guided tour of the school.

100 Days of Kindergarten Dress Up

Cherokee Charter Academy

Kindergarteners are assessed by stage, not age.

Kindergarten enrollment at Cherokee Charter Academy is underway, and school officials have a message for parents of first-time students: stage is more important than age.

“Students must gain a level of learning beginning in kindergarten that builds upon itself each year to help students succeed in the next year,” Principal April Wallis said. “We believe stage is more important than age, and the sooner we can align a student’s ability with their grade level, the better that student will perform throughout their years in school. We have witnessed the effects of students who progress before they are ready, and the outcomes are heartbreaking.”

Cherokee Charter Academy has made a commitment to future students and their families; students who are six years old can enter kindergarten instead of first grade, if that’s the parents’ choice, or if assessments determine that the child would do better in a kindergarten setting.

“As a parent, my child’s education is very important to me. I take comfort in knowing that I can collaborate with my child’s teachers to provide the best education plan for her,” said Matthew Wasilewski, parent of a Cherokee Charter Academy student.

“That is why, when given the choice, I consulted with my daughter’s teachers and decided to place her in a Transitional 5’s (T5’s) class for the 2020-21 school year. My daughter’s young age, combined with her progress, prompted me to make this decision. It was the right decision. She is excelling this year, loves her peers and is becoming more and more passionate about learning,” he said.

According to Cherokee Charter Academy kindergarten teacher Rachel Dunlap, the early learning benefits of kindergarten provide an important foundation to prepare students for first grade and beyond.

“When a kindergarten child enters the classroom, they learn important social skills that they may have never had to this point,” Dunlap said. “They learn to interact with other students and adults in a productive way, how to sit still and pay attention in class and how to act appropriately in a classroom setting. These skills set them up for success in the coming years.”

In addition to social and emotional learning, Cherokee Charter’s kindergarten curriculum such as Made for Me literacy, which correlates to the Georgia Standards of Excellence, teaches foundational skills such as fine motor skills, problem solving, letters, sounds, counting and how to read and write numbers and sentences.

“We use problem-based learning, where students are given a problem for which they have to work collaboratively,” Dunlap said. “For example, my students recently worked together to create a store. They learned about inventory, stocking, sales, money, etc., which is basically every aspect of running a store, including taking turns being the salesperson or the customer.”

Wallis recommends the following resources for parents wondering what is best for their children.

• www.firstthingsfirst.org/episode5-kindergarten-readiness-is-lifereadiness • www.eskaykids.com.au/the-benefitsof-kindergarten • www.ffyf.org/new-harvard-studyreveals-lasting-benefits-quality-earlychildhood-education