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TOP PICKS: 2012 SUMMER ACADEMIC CAMP GUIDE
Summer Brain Gain: Keeping Young Minds Active During Summer
MomCom AUSTIN
SUMMER CAMP FOR MOMS Inside the Brainchild of Trish Morrision
COMPARE SCHOOLS SIDE BY SIDE Including Cedar Park, NW Austin, Central and SW Austin
SATURDAY, JULY 28 10 AM - 4 PM
Central Market
School
FAIR
4001 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78756
Area Private Schools, Charter Schools, Preschools, Local Resources, After-School Programs, Tutors, Health & Wellness and more!
YOUR ONE STOP DESTINATION FOR GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL READY! FREE FAMILY FUN Live entertainment, Speakers, Art and Crafts Face Painting, Balloon artist, and FREE GIVEAWAYS!
PRE-REGISTER FOR FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES SCHOOLCHOICEMAG.COM FOR EXHIBITOR OR MORE INFO: 512-537-OACK (6337) Sponsored In Part By:
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School Choice
Education. Your Kids. Your Choice.
CONTENTS 4
Parent to Parent
6 Summer Brain Gain: Keeping Young Minds Active 8
Preschool Guide
10
K-12 Independent School Guide
13
Summer Reading Programs and More!
14
MomCom Austin| Without the Girl
We graciously thank our advertisers for their support of School Choice magazine. PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brandee Davis BDavis@SchoolChoiceMag.com ADVERTISING SALES Marina Herrera Emily Roden Advertise@SchoolChoiceMag.com ART DIRECTOR Jaymar Davis Beempowered.net COVER PHOTO Kristen Vest Kristen Vest Photography kristenvestphotography.com
School Choice is a publication of The Austin City Kids non profit organization based in Austin, TX. Austin City Kids assumes no responsibility for errors, changes, or omissions. Information may have changed since press time, so please verify all information when contacting a school or educational resource. Views expressed in School Choice do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part of any element of this publication is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the publisher.
For additional copies or further information please contact: THE AUSTIN CITY KIDS FOUNDATION P:512-537-OACK (6225) www.AustinCityKids.com www.SchoolChoiceMag.com
School Choice
FALL 2011
3
Parent to Parent Letter from the Editor By: Brandee Davis
I remember being in high school when Will Smith’s “Summertime” came out. For my friends and I it was our anthem for the summer of 1996. Fast forward sixteen years, a husband, two kids, a dog and a new puppy later and right now my number one priority is avoiding the dreaded “I’m bored!”. However filling up a summer calendar for my two girls without breaking the bank is proving a little challenging.
It may seem like school just let out, but on July 28, is our first annual Back to School Fair at Central Market on North Lamar. Mark the calendar for fun and check out the wide range of after-school, K-12 and preschool opportunities available for your kids. Whether you have your summer planned out or still signing up for classes, be sure to carve out some time to enjoy “summer summer summertime” Happy Reading,
Brandee Davis
In this issue you will find a list of free area summer reading programs. Each program offers cool incentives to keep kids engaged. Research has shown that kids can lose as much as 2 months of academic skills over the summer. In article, Summer Brain Gain we recommend our favorite camps that focus on the 3 R’s - Reading, Writing and Arithmetic for school age kids.
SCHOOL CHOICE IS HIRING We are looking for new team members
Advertising Sales, Full or PT (SW Austin, NW Austin, Cedar Park and Round Rock)
Do you have an interest in local education issues? Are you a self-starter? Do you have experience building strong relationships? Must own a car, laptop and cell phone This is a work from home position. SUBMIT RESUME TO BRANDEE DAVIS bdavis@schoolchoicemag.com
Other Team Roles: Community Outreach Coordinator Web Production Associate Assistant Sales Executive
For More Information Email: BDavis@SchoolChoiceMag.com
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Learn. Lead. Create. Collaborate.
★
Austin’s only Montessori/Unity-based Preschool Teaching balanced lives from the ground up!
A private independent school for girls
Grades k-8 | 478-STAR | w w w. t h e g i r l s s c h o o l . o r g
18 Months to 5 years of Age Half-Day, Year Round Language, Phonics, Math, Music, Art, Yoga, Truth for Tots and play, play, play! Wee Wisdom Preschool is a spiritual community that is actively committed to inspiring and guiding our children as they grow in knowledge, wisdom and faith. www.WeeWisdomSchool.org 512-335-4449 Lisa Hammel, M.Ed., Director
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FALL 2011
School Choice
WHAT IS MATHNASIUM ? Mathnasium is a learning center where kids go after school and during the summer to catch up, keep up & get ahead in MATH. Every day, students around the world attend Mathnasium learning centers to boost their math skills. Nobody teaches math like we do, we make math make sense.
School Choice Academic Camp Spotlight
specific programs please contact the location near you. Call us today for more information!
LOCATIONS
There are over 300 locations across the nation; several local locations we would like to highlight are:
(512) 837-MATH (6284) northwesthills@mathnasium.com www.mathnasium.com/northwesthills
At Mathnasium students engage, one-on-one, in a unique combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written exercises that cover (and surpass) state math standards. Basic math skills are blended with a program specifically designed to help students get more confident in math. Sophisticated assessments shape a customized learning program for each student designed to close
Georgetown (Williams Dr. and Austin Ave.) 900 N Austin Ave. (512) 869-MATH (6284) georgetowntx@mathnasium.com www.mathnasium.com/georgetowntx
Round Rock (Gattis School Rd. and A.W. Grimes Blvd.) 1500 South A.W. Grimes Blvd. (512) 415-5371 roundrock@mathnasium.com www.mathnasium.com/roundrock
any educational gaps that they may have and jump ahead when they are ready for more advanced math challenges. Mental math is emphasized. We also help students with their homework during the school year.
North Austin
Steiner Ranch
(183N and Anderson Mill) 10401 Anderson Mill Rd. (512) 331-MATH (6284) northaustin@mathnasium.com www.mathnasium.com/northaustin
(Shops at Vista Ridge) 4308 N. Quinlan Park Road steinerranch@mathnasium.com (512) 284-9849 www.mathnasium.com/steinerranch
Northwest Hills (Far West and Mopac) 3742 Far West Blvd.
Westlake Coming Soon! (512) 837-MATH (6284) for more information!!!
OUR APPROACH
OUR PROGRAMS Mathnasium has a variety of school year and summer programs, as well as, camps to meet the particular needs of each child and family. For information on our
Avoid the Summer Slide!!!
w g No llin er ro mm En Su r fo
99 Power Math (Review last year & preview next year) 99 Algebra I, Geometry, and Advanced Math preparation 99 Half day and 2 hour camps 99 Grades K–12 99 Comprehensive assessment 99 Individualized learning plan 99 One-on-one instruction 99 Flexible schedule
Summer is a great time to catch up and get ahead! In our relaxed, homework-free environment, Mathnasium enables kids to focus on what they need most. Call today!!! www.mathnasium.com North Austin (183N and Anderson Mill) (512) 331-MATH (6284)
Georgetown (Williams Dr. and Austin Ave.) (512) 869-MATH (6284)
Northwest Hills (Far West and Mopac) (512) 837-MATH (6284)
Steiner Ranch (Shops at Vista Ridge) (512) 284-9849
Round Rock (Gattis School Rd. and A.W. Grimes Blvd.) (512) 415-5371
Westlake Coming Soon! (512) 837-MATH (6284) School Choice
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5
Summer Brain Gain: Keeping Young Minds Active During the Summer Months In the picuture: Two students who are members of St. Gabriel’s Catholic School’s after school robotics class which runs through the summer as a camp.
Summer Slide is Real! Unfortunately summer slide does not refer to the latest water park attraction. With no teachers and no books, will your kids really remember everything in the fall? The answer is NO! Research shows that each fall teachers across the nation spend as much as up to 6 six weeks reteaching concepts to get students caught up. The information that students lose is called “summer brain drain”. About 40% of math skills and 30% of language skills can go out the window over the summer.
Make Learning Fun at Home! Math skills don’t have to involve a textbook. Things like having your child help you cook. Following a recipe and helping add up ingredients or tracking the weather and converting Fahrenheit to Celsius are simple ways to sneak in math skills at home. Start a book club. Summer is not the time to get your child up two or three reading levels. Many local libraries are able to help you to pick age and reading level appropriate books.
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FALL 2011
School Choice
Why an Academic Summer Camp? Academic summer camps or summer learning programs create a vibrant community of kids sharing a common interest in a particular subject. No matter the academic subject, summer learning programs are designed to provide challenging, intellectually stimulating
Mathnasium mathnasium.com/northwest-hills Power Math - PreK - Calculas At Mathnasium students engage, one-on-one, in a unique combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written exercises that cover (and surpass) state math standards. Basic math skills are blended with a program specifically designed to help students get more confident in math
St Paul Lutheran School stpaulaustin.org Texas Our Texas - PreK-6th grade This year’s theme is “Texas Our Texas.” We hope to share with our campers the diversity, resources, beauty, and blessings that God has showered upon this Earth and how He continues to bless this Earth.
St. Gabriel Catholic School www.sgs-austin.org/summer American Girl Inspired History Camp - Ages 7-11 This very special camp pays tribute to the olden times by playing games, doing crafts, learning history and exploring the lives of our favorite American Girls. Dolls’ stories will be shared and brought to life through this interactive experience
Badgerdog Literary Publishing Co www.badgerdog.org Creative Writing Camp - Rising 3rd Grade + Austin’s award-winning writers inspire students to write creatively and gain practice revising and editing their work during three-week workshops.
ACE Academy summerwonders.org Summer Wonders - PreK - 12th
on a handful of the most important skills that you’ll need for next year, and practice them so that they feel easy and comfortable.
Central Texas Writing Project centraltexaswritingproject.ning.com Young Writers Camp - Ages 6-18 The Young Writers Camp offers students the time and opportunity to explore their writing interests, discover their strengths, and learn more about the craft of writing. This program provides in-depth writing instruction, structured workshop time, flexibility in writing assignments, and daily opportunities to share writing with peers
St. Gabriel Catholic School www.sgs-austin.org/summer Robotics Camp - Rising 4th and 5th grade This camp is ideal for children who have little or no experience with robotics. Students will first learn to build in a fun, hands-on learning environment with Lego Mindstorms NXT bricks.
Summer Wonders is a full or half-day program that allows students to explore diverse subjects in a challenging, creative environment through an integrative, hands-on non-traditional approach.
The Khabele School www.khabele.org Young Einstein - Rising 1st - 8th grade At Camp Khabele, 1st-8th grade students delve into the inspiring world of Science and Art. Each week, kids explore an Arts theme (from photography to drama) or a Science theme (from astronomy to tinkering)
Oxford Learning www.oxfordlerning.com/littlereaders Little Readers - Ages 3-6 Little Readers® is the only learning and reading tutor program that offers cognitive skills development (the basis for all learning) along with an enriched academic curriculum forc hildren aged three to six .
Sea World San Antonio seaworldparks.com Ocean Quest Campers ages 5 to 12 will get a close-up look while exploring SeaWorld and examining the habits and habitats of sea lions, whales, penguins and more!
Math for Keeps mathforkeeps.com Summer Math Booster - Rising 5th grade + The theme is practicing math so it sticks. For high-achievers, those who struggle, and for every math student in-between. We will focus
St. Paul
Lutheran School
Summer Camp 2012
TEXAS OUR TEXAS May 30 - August 8 Ages 3-12 7:00 am TO 6:00 pm
Daily Activities:
Arts and Crafts Field Trips/Special Events Swimming/Water Activities Bible Stories Snacks and more!
www.stpaulaustin.org
NOW ENROLLING 3407 Red River, Austin, Texas 78705 ▪ 512-472-3313 School Choice
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7
School Choice Preschool Preview Guide 2012
PRESCHOOL GUIDE 2012 - 2013 Cedar Park - Northwest Austin Area Schools Name of School
Admission Contact
Challenger School 15101 Avery Ranch Blvd, 78717 www.ChallengerSchool.com
Dr. John’s Sports Center 1800 Clover Lane, Cedar Park 78613 www.DrJohnsSportsCenter.com Goddard School of Cedar Park 1905 El Salido Pkway, Cedar Park, TX 78613 www.GoddardSchool.com
Molly Bauer Phone: 512.341.8000
Summit Christian Academy 2121 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613 www.SummitEagles.org
Avg. Class Size
Tuition
Pre-K through 1st Grade Half and All Day Classes
24
$2,800 $9,480 Full day child care $160/ week. Half Day Big Day for Pre-K $100/week. Part time and full time options, call for details
Director: John Krampitz Phone: 512.259.7545
Pre-Kindergarten designed for active children ages 4 & 5. Offering full and half day curriculum utilizing Scholastic’s Big Day for Pre-K.
15
Director: Lisa Tate Phone: 512.258.5292
Infant Child Care, Preschool, Private Kindergarten, Summer Camps, After School Care
Low Ratios based upon age
6 weeks - Afterschool/Summer Camps
Below state ratios
From $295875/mo
Infant Care, Preschool, After School
Low Student to Teacher Ratio
Visit School Website
PreK-12th Grade ACSI/SACS
PreK 14 Kinder 16
PreK $5,475 Kinder $8,315 1st -6th: $8,495
Montessori/Traditional 18 mos.-5 yrs.
Toddler l & ll 12:2, 3-5yrs 20:2
$225/2 days $450/4 days
Spanish Immersion Infants, Toddlers, Preschool, Prek, After School and Camps
Varies depending on age
Depends on Age
Programs Offered
Avg. Class Size
Tuition
Serves Grades Pre-K through 8th
10-12
$5,500 $8,200
Little Acorn Academy Director: 3200 Hatch Rd, Cedar Park, TX 78613 Stephanie Nowell www.LittleAcornAcademy.com Phone: 512.331.5400 Serendipity Learning Center 900 Nelson Ranch Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613 www.SerendipityLearningCenter.com
Programs Offered
Director: Cathy Lovelady Phone: 512.401.0800
Registrar:Kim Walker Phone: 512.250.1369
Wee Wisdom Preschool 9905 Anderson Mill Road, 78750 www.WeeWisdomSchool.org
Director: Lisa Hammel, M.Ed. Phone:512.335.4449
Young People’s Workshop (2 Locations) 3640 Bee Cave Rs (SW Austin) 3620 Hillside Drive (Brushy Creek)
Director: Monica Moreno Phone: 512.329.5611
Central and Southwest Austin Area Schools Name of School
Admission Contact
Bannockburn Christian Academy 7100 Brodie Lane, 78745 www.BCAaustin.org
Admissions: Mandy Maclay Phone: 512.892.2706
Cathedral School of Saint Mary 910 San Jacinto Blvd, 78701 www.SMCSchoolAustin.org
Director: Greg Vidal Phone: 512.476.1480
Private School PreK - 8th
12
Schedule a Visit
St. Gabriel's Catholic School 2500 Wimberly Lane, 78735 www.SGS- Austin.org
Admissions: Erin Guerra Phone: 512.327.7755
Private School PreK-8th
10
Schedule a Visit
St. George’s Episcopal School 4301 North IH 35, 78722 www.stgeorges-austin.org
Director: Laura Colangelo Phone: 512.452.6063
Offers classes for children ranging from 18 months to PreK (4 to 5 year old)
See Website
$415 - $675 per month
Southwest Family Fellowship MDO 8203 West Hwy 71, 78735 www.SWFamilyFellowship.com
Director: Lorinda Moya Phone: 512.301.6667
Mother’s Day Out Program
1 to 6
$275 Infants $225 2-5 year olds
Handwriting Without Tears, Zoophonics and Creative Curriculum
10
$860 a month
The Rise School of Austin 5206 Balcones Drive, 78731 www.RiseSchoolAustin.org
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School Choice
Director: Emily Greer, M.S., CCC-SLP Phone: 512.891.1682
Registered With State and/or Accreditation
School Hours
More about the School
$70
Yes
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Visit Challenger School online at www.ChallengerSchool.com
Yes
Child care 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Big Day for Pre-K 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
: Dr. John’s Sports Center is a neighborhood recreation center that offers Pre-Kindergarten, After School Care, Summer Camps, Sport Development Clinics and Recreational Leagues for children ages 4 - 12.
None, $50 deposit applied to tuition
Varies based upon program
Yes
6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
We are one of a very few schools in the country to have national accreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and by the National Accreditation Commission.
$100
Yes
6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Our unique 3-track lesson plans give our teachers options to mold the weekly and monthly lessons to their class and their ever changing abilities and interests.
$75 One time registration fee $50 Supply Fee
Yes
6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Our school offers a loving, rich and alive learning environment that combines a nurturing family atmosphere with a progressive approach to education.
K-12th: $100.00
Exempt, Private School
8:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
At Summit Christian Academy, we offer an Impact Education program, classes meet on a weekly basis. Elementary students explore the countries and cultures where missionaries serve.
$150 registration fee $50/semester materials fee
Yes
M/W, T/Th or M-Th 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Austin’s only Montessori/Unity-based Preschool Teaching balanced lives from the ground up! Curriculum includes: Language, Phonics, Math, Music, Art Yoga, Truth for Tots and play, play, play!
Yes
NAEYC- Pending
7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The core curriculum at YPW Spanish Immersion Preschool is designed to spark and maintain children’s interest in Spanish by engaging them in creative and enjoyable cultural activities such as dancing, singing, cooking, art projects, and games.
Application Fee
Registered With State and/or Accreditation
School Hours
More about the School
$150
Yes
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
BCA combines affordable Bible-based teaching with accredited higher-level education for South Austin families.
See Website
TX Catholic Education Dept
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
As Christian educators share the privilege and responsibility of facilitating the growth of the whole child.
Pre-Kindergarten Packet Available Online
Catholic, non-church affiliated
Morning Class (8 a.m. - Noon) Afternoon Class (11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
St, Gabriel’s Catholic School delivers the academic advantage of 21st century skills and tools that children need to be successful in today’s world and to help others as well.
Under the auspices of St. 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. with George’s Episcopal Church. Before and After Care
St. George’s Episcopal School is an inclusive community, inspiring preschool children to love learning by nurturing each child’s mind, body and spirit.
$250.00 Registration Fee
$100 yearly registration
$75.00 $400 Registration Fee
Ministry of the Church
Yes
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The mission of SWFF Mother’s Day out program is to offer a fun, caring and educational experience while in a Christian environment.
8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Rise School of Austin offers a unique blend of services to children with special needs as well as without special needs. The program is a highly stimulating social environment for children who can participate in a group setting with 3:1 ratios. School Choice
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School Choice Preschool Preview Guide 2012
Application Fee
School Choice K-12 school Guide 2011
K-12 School Guide 2011 -2012 Austin Area Private Schools Name of School
Admission Contact
ACE Academy 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd, 78756
Austin International School 12001 Oak Knoll Drive, 78759
Bannockburn Christian Academy 7100 Brodie Lane, 78745
Girls' School Of Austin 2700 McCall, 78703
Hill Country Christian School of Austin 12124 N. RR 620, 78750 Kirby Hall School 306 W. 29th Street, 78705
Odyssey School 4407 Red River St, 78751
Paragon Prep 2001 Koenig Lane, 78756
The Griffin School 5001 Evans Ave, 78751
Parkside Community School 1701 Toomey Road, 78704
St. Gabriel's Catholic School 2500 Wimberly Lane, 78735
St. Paul Lutheran School 3407 Red River Street, 7805
Grades Offered
Avg. Class Size
Tuition
Donna Hulsey Phone: 512.206.4070
PK - 12th
10
$5,000-$12,500
Christine Christy Phone: 512.331.7806
PK-5th
15
$10,300
Mandy Maclay Phone: 512.892.2706
PK - 5th
12
$6,150
Frances Ramburg Phone: 512.478.7827
K-8th
16
$10,000-$10,200
Shannon Ficklin Phone: 512.331.7036
PK-12th
20
$5,100-$9,500
Helen Roberts Phone: 512-474-1770
PK-12th
10
$8,550
Elizabeth Moore Phone: 512.472.2262
6-12th
8
Call for details
David McGrath Phone: 512.459.5040
3-8th
13
$11,250
Caroline Wilson Phone: 512.454.5797
9-12th
8
$12,990
Elizabeth Kalbacher Phone: 512.472.2559
PK - 5th
10
$7,300-$7,900
Erin Guerra Phone: 512.327.7755
PK-8th
10
$7,525-$14,900
Mary Eifert Phone: 512.472.3313
PK-8th
12
$5,750
Texas Charter Schools - Austin Name of School Austin Discover School 8509 FM 969 Ste 200, 78724 Phone: 512.674.0700 East Austin College Prep 6002 Jain Lane, 78721 Phone: 512.462.2181 Meridian School 2555 North I-H 35, 78664 Phone: 512.660.5230
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School Choice
Grades Offered
TEA Rating*
K-6th
2010 Recognized
Harmony School of Science 11800 Stonehollow Drive, 78758 Phone: 512.821.1700 Harmony Science Academy 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy, 78660 Phone: 512.251.5000
6-8th
K-12th
Name of School
Opened in Fall 2011
Harmony School of Excellence 2100 E. St. Elmo’s, 78744 Phone: 512.693.0000
Grades Offered
TEA Rating
K-8th
2010 Exemplary
6-12th
2010 Recognized
K-12th
2010 Not Reported
Type Of School
Extracurricular Programs
Open House Dates
Tuition Assistance 6% of students
Independent, Gifted and Talented
Multiple [Mandarin, Chess, Fencing, Robotics, more], After Care
2nd Wednesday of each month
Not Reported
International education Foreign Language Immersion
Multiple [Acting Club, Chess, Dance, more] including before and After Care
Nov. 5th
Yes
Bible based Christian Higher -level
Yes including After Care
January 12, Feb. 9, March 8, April 12
Yes
Girls school
Multiple - Various Clubs, After Care
Jan. 24
Yes 20% of Students
Classical Christian College Prep
Multiple [Cheer leading, Baseball, more], After Care
Call to schedule a tour
Yes
Christian College Prep
Multiple [Piano, Yoga, more] After Care
Call to schedule a tour
Call for details
Alternative Moderate Learning Disabilities
Drama, Art, Culinary Arts, Spanish
Call to schedule a tour
No
College Preparatory
Multiple [Football, Volleyball]
Oct. 9th
Yes 25% of Students
College Prep Emphasis on arts
Multiple [Fine and Performing Arts, Academic Enrichment]
Oct 27th
Not Reported
Montessori
Before and After Care
Call to schedule a tour
Yes 17% of Students
Catholic, non-church affiliated
Yes, Aftercare
Nov.15, Jan. 10, April 3
Yes
Lutheran
Yes, Before and After Care
Oct. 19
Name of School
Grades Offered
Harmony Science Academy 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy, 78660 Phone: 512.251.5000 Responsive ED 1701 W. Ben White Blvd, 78704 Phone: 512.444.8442
NYOS - Magnolia McCullough 1605 Kramer Lane, 78758 Phone: 512.275.1593
TEA Rating
Grades Offered
Name of School NYOS - Secondary School 12301 N. Lamar Blvd., 78753 Phone: 512.583.6967
TEA Rating
4-12th
9-12th, Night Campus
PK-3rd School Choice
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11
School Choice K-12 school Guide 2011
"Financial Aid Available"
Cathedral School of Saint Mary Excellence in Education since 1866
901 San Jacinto Blvd. Austin, TX 78701 â—? (512) 476-1480
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FALL 2011
School Choice
Created by Parents for Parents
Summer Reading Programs and MORE! For any parent who needs a little extra incentive to get the kids reading this summer
School Placement Consulting Agency Helping Families Find the Right School
New to Austin? Looking for the Right School? Don’t have much time?
1. Barnes and Noble Read any 8 books and record them in the downloadable Reading Journal. Turn your journal in at your local B&N Store and viola! Your child will be able to choose a FREE BOOK from the Barnes and Noble Reading Journal list at the store.
2. Book People Seize the Summer and Seize the Book Book People has put together a list of 6 great books per age group for your kids to read over the summer. Just stop by and pick up a reading log bookmark. Turn it after you have read 6 books. Join BookPeople on August 11th for a Summer Reading Celebration and receive a special prize!
3. H.E.B. Summer Reading Club Pick up a form at your local H.E.B., read and log 10 books, then mail in the form for a cool prize! Super easy!!
4. Book It! Summer Break Challange Read 5 books and enter to win a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” summer fun prize package. Go to bookitprogram.com for more details. Deadline to enter August 15th.
5. Reading Programs at Your Local Public Library SCHEDULE A FREE DISCOVERY CONSULTATION Our goal to help you findthisthe Receive 15% Offis Comprehensive Package | Just Mention Ad right school for your child.
512.576.2500
AustinCityKids.com
We provide each of our families with individual attention first Upcoming Events | Free toand Attend hand knowledge of local and out of REGISTRATION REQUIRED state educational Register at www.AustinCityKids.com opportunities. TYPES OF PLACEMENT
K-12 Private School Preschool Boarding School2-5 P.M. SATURDAY, SEPT. 24TH, Charter School Center UT Commons Learning (ACROSS FROM THE DOMAIN) Traditional Public School
Customized School Guide
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation Today FEBRUARY 2012 512-537-OACK (6337) DETAILS RELEASED ON www.austincitykids.com OCTOBER 2011
Whether you live in the greater Austin area, Round Rock, Pflugervillle, Georgetown or Cedar Park, chances are your local public library has a wonderful summer reading program! In additon to logging the books your kids read, area libraries are also hosting free events throughout the summer to keep kids engaged. Visit your local library for more details.
6. Scholastic Summer Challenge Be a part of a national initiative to read over 64,213,141 minutes this summer. That number happens to be last year’s world record. The 20 schools wiht the most minutes will be featured in the 2013 Scholastic Book of World Records. For details on how to get your school involved visit www.scholastic.com/summer
7. Feed Your Brain Reading Program
Summer
Half Price Books’ reading program ends July 31st. Kids ages 14 and under can earn Half Price Book “bucks” for reading at least 300 minutes in the months. The top reader in each age group at each store will also win a $20 HPB gift card!! Special note : Grown ups may read aloud to kisd who are still learning. Pick up a reading log at your local Half Price Book store or visit www.hpb.com/community
School Choice
FALL 2011
13
Real Moms. Real Talk.
Without the girl, there’d be no dream. Change comes whether you’re ready or not. Choose to shine.
By Trish Morrison, MomCom Austin I was a reluctant mother. My daughter Delilah was a surprise, one that we eventually welcomed but one which also made me stop and question myself. Was I ready to be a mom? Could I do it? As an “advanced maternal age” mom, what would I have in common with younger, more mom-like women? After an easy pregnancy, (I was one of those “I love being pregnant” annoying women), I thought that I might just be able to tackle motherhood. After all, if I could get through pregnancy and actually enjoy it, I could do anything! Right? Then she came out. Looking more like an old man than a sweet baby girl, Delilah was everything and nothing like what I expected. She was tiny and beautiful with her big nose, jet black hair and brown eyes. She
School Choice Coupon Code MOMSROCK25
Despite all of my anguish and my fears, that little girl and I bonded. We bonded so hard that she’s often reluctant to let anyone in our inner circle of mama and daughter. Even Homero has had to wedge his way in. Maybe the whole time I was fretting, she was watching me, waiting for me to settle down. Maybe she knew I’d come around and she was silently cheering for me. My family is everything to me. I can’t imagine living life any other way. Motherhood is still hard sometimes but it’s always HOME. Out of isolation came strength. Out of fear came fortitude. And that reluctant mother? She’s gone. I’ve embraced motherhood and I’ve made a business out of celebrating it. That’s why I’m here today, to invite you to celebrate it with me.
ABOUT MomCom Austin
MomCom Austin is a bi-yearly event (in January and June), which brings together moms of diverse ages, backgrounds and life experiences to support each other and welcome each other into the mom community while forming new frienships, embracing our imperfections, and realizing that you have everything you need to succeed right within you.
Trish Morrision is the founder of MomCom Austin, an event for working and entrepreneurial moms. She is blessed wiht a patient and kind husband and a tenacious, brillant daughter, who sometimes drives her crazy.
stared up at me as if asking, “What the hell am I doing out here? Put me back in!” She was as much a reluctant daughter as I was a reluctant mom. During the first few months of her life I cried a lot. My husband, Homero, says I cried more than Delilah did. Motherhood wasn’t easy for me. It had taken away my identity and had left me isolated from everything I knew. I was trying so hard to do everything perfectly and nothing seemed right. My relationship with Homero suffered as my guilt about my unhappiness grew. This was supposed to be the best time of my life, wasn’t it? It was supposed to be rainbows and bluebirds. Why was I so miserable?
Real Moms. Real Talk.
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