Contents
16
January 2017
departments kids in the kitchen
27
Terra’s Kitchen
health
12
features
22
Health Tips: Fun Ways to Build a Healthy Family
23
Health & Fitness Directory
26
Superfood Juice for a Healthy Family
10
A New Year’s Countdown
12
A Parent Pep Talk
14
7 Tips to Prep Your Child for Social Media
15
The Screen Time Story
16
Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
18
Better School Lunches All Week Long
every issue
28
Fashion: New Year! New You!
20
January 2017 Calendar of Events
30
National Mentoring Month
38
Reel Life with Jane
education
32
St. Johns County School News
36
Flagler school Board News
business spotlight
On the Cover
London Photo by:
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Flagler Hospital - ReShape
Next Issue: February Education/College Edition Plus: Romantic Getaways, Children’s Dental Health Special Directories: Private Schools, Pre-Schools, After School Programs & Dentists
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www.FlaglerParent.com (386) 437-0300
Reader Services Calendar Submissions: We publish information about family events within and surrounding our county. We would love to hear from you! If you have a family event, fundraiser or childrens activity/program please send your information to editor@bradymediainc.com Deadline for submitting information is approximately one month prior to the month in which the event will occur. Subscriptions We now have subscription service direct to your home. We are offering these services for only $10 per year for 11 issues of Flagler Parent Magazine. You can also subscribe for FREE to our digital edition for your iPad, iPhone, NOOK, Kindle Fire, or Android Device. Visit our website www.bradymediainc.com and click SUBSCRIBE. Feedback: We Welcome Your Feedback & Thoughts. In our continuous effort to improve our publications, we look forward to your thoughts, questions and feedback on how we can better tailor information to your families needs. Please feel free to send me an email at Charlie@bradymediainc.com.
St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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What’s New in Print & Online
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Coming Soon! Camp Directors Call Now For Your Participation Package!
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The Camp Fair & Summer Vacation Expo showcases places that build lifelong memories for children! Volusia & Flagler County parents will find it much easier and faster to choose a summer camp for their children at the only expo of its kind in the area. The 2017 Camp Fair & Summer Vacation Expo provides busy parents with a one-stop resource for information regarding available daily activities, cost, and much more, with a variety of summer conveniences assembled under one roof. The expo features demonstrations all day long by karate classes, the police department, the fire department, and much more. We’re planning a great show for you this year, check our website for details.
Special Child - Launching February 2017! A quarterly magazine dedicated to special needs families and care-givers. Parents and caregivers of children with special needs often face a whole different situation and set of challenges and joys. They require more resources, education and support. Special Child Magazine is a resource dedicated to providing just that. Filled with educational articles, local resources, easyto-use directories, product reviews, shopping guides and much more. Special Child Magazine does the research and prvides the reources available in our area for special families. Special Child Magazine will give you all the tools you need to be informed and proactively parent and care for your special child. Our expert advice heps you make the best decisions that are right for your family. Inside you’ll find: product reviews, local resources, ask an expert, recipes, DIY decor ideas, and much more!
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Parent to Parent Publisher / Editor Charlene Michaux charlie@bradymediainc.com 386-547-0161
Associate Editor Deb Wind 386-299-6684 debwind@bradymediainc.com
Charlene Michaux Publisher/Editor charlie@bradymediainc.com Happy New Year! I love the opportunity the new year brings to take notice of the past year and decide what changes can be made to brighten the future. The most common focus for the new year is health and wellness – eating better and exercising more. There are many good reasons to embrace a healthier lifestyle – you’ll feel better, sleep better and look better. The new year is also a good time to declutter and simplify – move old things out to make room for the new. This holds true for both physical items and emotional baggage. Once we make the room, we can determine what we’d like to welcome into our lives. It can be exciting to think about and plan for new friendships, hobbies, work, adventures and more. We dive into the new year with the best intentions and then, well, life gets in the way. As a full time working mom I know first-hand how objectives that seem to be on the right track can be easily be derailed. Hang in there, and know you’re not alone! Check out some great articles this month on your health, wellness and beauty! Plus, big news this month! We are celebrating 9 years! January 2017 marks our 9th Year in publishing and we’re going strong as ever! We couldn’t have made it this far without the loyal support of our advertisers, our sponsors and YOU, our devoted readers. My most sincere and deepest gratitude to everyone who has helped us grow each and every year! As always if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please reach out to me. I can easily be reached by email at charlie@bradymediainc.com! I wish you the most healthy and prosperous New Year!
Charlie
Photography Marina Pierre 386-283-8005 marina@marinas-photography.com
Contributing Writers Deb Wind Amy Lukasik Christina Katz Lara Krupicka Christina Melnyk HInes
Flagler Parent, Volusia Parent, and St. Johns Parent Magazines are published by Brady Media, Inc. and are copyrighted 2008. Brady Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission from Brady Media, Inc. is prohibited. Flagler Parent and Volusia Parent reserve the right to reject advertisements or listings that are not in keeping with the publication’s satndard. Submissions are welcome, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials. Flagler Parent and Volusia Parent do not endorse or assume responsibility for information, products, services or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The Flagler County or Volusia County School Boards are not affiliated with these publications in any manner, nor do they endorse ro assume any responsibility for any of the information or advertisements contained in therein.
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St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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A New Year’s Countdown That Will Have You Looking Up By Lara Krupicka
10...9... 8. Across the globe the last seconds before midnight on December 31st draw people together to follow the tick of the clock. The collective countdown heightens our anticipation. It culminates our celebrations. And it anchors us in the transition from old year to new. Why not bring that same sense of anticipation into the hours and days past midnight by looking ahead to how you want to spend the next twelve months. Count down from ten to one the plans, intentions and activities that will make it the year you hope for. Check out the prompts below for ideas to start your countdown.
10 Create a list of ten new date night activities or destinations you want to pursue with your spouse in the coming year. You could format it as a passport book listing each of the ten options on a separate page. Then stamp or write the date on the activity’s listing when you complete it. For suggestions, check out the book Take Your Marriage from Good to Great One Date at a Time by Steve Pare.
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The holidays can be a great time to catch up with those we don’t see often. But instead of waiting until next December for a frenzy of socializing, spread the good times out across the year. Scan your contact list or Facebook friends roster for nine people you would like to see face-to-face. Then make a plan for contacting them to arrange a meet-up. Your 10 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
list may even spur a road trip (see number 6).
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Are you sleep deprived? Carving out eight hours each night for sleep could be one of the best moves you make for yourself this year. According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep has an impact on your immune system, mood, cardiovascular health, appetite, stress hormones, reasoning, problem solving, and more. If a child’s sleep challenges prevent you from catching enough z’s, sleep expert Malia Jacobson has resources for parents on her website, maliajacobson.com.
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Declutter your house by collecting seven items to give away. If that does not make a dent, collect another seven to throw away. Repeat this activity on a room-by-room basis for further deep purging. And if you can
engage the whole family in contributing, you could amass enough for a garage sale this spring.
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Gather ideas for six family outings you dream of taking together in the year ahead. Make it a goal to go on bi-monthly excursions. Or use the summer months to complete all six. Look for local attractions to explore your home region. If you’re anticipating a road trip, choose activities and outings to coincide with your vacation plans.
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Consider five of your strengths or skills. For each, brainstorm one new way you can put it to use, whether to improve everyday life or to contribute to your job or an organization you belong to. By doing so you create a win-win as you sharpen your skills and make an impact on others.
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Bob Goff, author of the bestselling book Love Does, likes to quit something every Thursday. You don’t have to be so radical. Instead devise a list of four things you want to leave behind in the New Year. Your list may include bad habits, unhealthy relationships, or a volunteer position that no longer fits your life.
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Aim for dinner together as a family three or more nights out of the week, as researchers suggest the benefits to your children, such as improved psychological well-being, greater academic achievement, and protection against the effects of cyberbullying, start accruing after three meals together weekly. Make time for conversation or play a game. TheFamilyDinnerProject.org offers suggestions for conversation prompts, dinner games and recipes.
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Dream up two projects you would like to pursue in the next twelve months. They could be home improvement projects, service projects to help a charitable organization, or craft projects to give as gifts throughout the year.
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Many people like to choose a word that describes their hopes for the coming year. What word would you choose? Post your word in a location you will see daily, such as on your bathroom mirror or the refrigerator door. Notice how it shapes your days and inspires you to live up to it. Happy New Year! Using a countdown like this one, you can count on living more purposefully. Prepare to celebrate your best year yet! St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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Expect Memories, Not Mayhem From The Middle School Years:
A Parent Pep Talk
By Christina Katz
Any parent who has survived the middle school years will assure you that you can navigate them, too. Although the honeymoon period of elementary school is over and middle school comes with ample trials and tribulations for most kids, try not to expect the worst. Parents who welcome the challenges of middle school as opportunities for growth will be still be smiling by the time they attend the eighth grade promotion ceremony. Expect your child to face and overcome hurdles in middle school. Middle school is supposed to be about making mistakes and bouncing back from disappointments. Kids who navigate turbulence with spunk will mature in middle school. Kids who struggle with self-awareness and assertiveness are going to need extra support to develop skills they will need in high school. If you want your kids to thrive in middle school, don’t leave them to their own devices. Parents who expect everything to be hunky dory all the time will likely be disappointed. Parents who think kids can figure everything out for themselves at this age with little adult supervision may want to 12 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
wake up. This is middle school, the preparation for high school, which is the preparation for college, which is preparation for adulthood. Your child is going to need you each and every day. Middle-schoolers are embarking on a two or three-year journey and they will come out the other end of the process transformed. Whether or not they are changed for the better is largely up to you, parents. Here is a list of some of the challenges middle school kids face and how tuned-in parents can help. Expressing Individuality At the end of the summer, sit down with your child and make a list of words that describe who he is. Do this every year before heading back to school to remind your student that he has interests and he’s allowed to like whatever he chooses. This list will evolve over the years, and that’s great, too. Expanding Learning Abilities Middle school is an opportunity to try new ways of learning. Kids will get to do science labs for the first time, peer edit each other’s writing, work on projects with partners or in
groups. Talk to your kids about how they are adjusting to these new learning modes so you can help smooth the way. Dealing With Social Pressures How much social pressure exists in middle school? Tons. So role up your sleeves, parents, and always be ready to trouble-shoot. The best advice takes your child’s personality into account and eschews going along with all the crowds all the time. Middle school is a great time for kids to learn how to say, you do things your way and I’ll do things mine. Keeping Up With School Assignments & Project Deadlines Kids tend to procrastinate. Some have trouble understanding that projects and papers must be worked on incrementally to be adequately prepared. A little bit of planning support goes a long way until dreamy tweens can get the hang of due dates. Navigating The Online World. Your child is carrying a phone, a camera, and a computer in her pocket. Giving kids too much responsibility too soon can lead to
extra expenses and shaken confidence. So trust your instincts, parents. You will know when your child is ready to embrace the job of caring for a phone. Finding Healthy Tribes Kids will be kids but no parent wants their child hanging out with a bunch of troublemakers. Your child’s peer group has a huge influence on his daily life. Teach your kids to choose friends wisely and to distance themselves from those who make consistently unhealthy choices. Communicating With Teachers And Coaches You know how to do this, but now it’s time to let your child step up and converse with authority figures. You can encourage her, confirm it’s happening, and even follow up with adults to make sure your child isn’t blowing you smoke. But let her do it or she won’t learn how. Confronting Bullies Not avoiding bullies. Not hiding from bullies. Not doing whatever bullies want so they won’t pick on you. Confronting bullies means being able to stand up to someone being mean to your child whether his friends will back him up or not. Let your kids know you expect them to stand up for themselves and for others in need assistance and watch them do it. Becoming A Positive Contributor Everyone hates substitutes. No one likes the new math teacher. That kid is so weird. But guess what, kiddo? It doesn’t matter because you are expected to be kind and respectful to everyone at your school, including teachers and substitutes. Furthermore, you will actively contribute in your classes and make positive contributions to your school on an ongoing basis. Got it? Bouncing Back From Failure And Disappointments Perhaps the toughest days in middle school are the not-making-the-cut days or the performing poorly on the test days or the getting sent to the principal days. How you respond to some twist on this trope is important. Kids need to process their feelings before they can bounce back and do the right thing. Be calm and patient as you help them figure it all out. Test-driving Romantic Relationships Some kids will dive right into relationships in middle school. Others will stay on the sidelines so they can spectate and speculate. Others may not seem interested at all. This is the beginning of practicing intimacy, so be sure to have lots of conversations with your child about the differences between healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships. Prioritizing Needs Kids have needs and those needs matter even when life is hectic. Maybe your daughter needs a jog bra for gym class. Maybe she needs a new notebook for algebra. Maybe she needs you to sign a field trip form and write a check. Have a regular plan-the-week meeting on the weekend to discuss what your child is going to need from you and avoid last-minute crunches that create needless stress and bickering. Learning About The World There is a whole wide world out there, and now your child is old enough to start learning about all of its complexities. What a great time to teach your child about respecting diversity, tolerating differences, and envisioning a more peaceful world. They can practice all of these principles right in middle school. Remembering To Rest Taking nice long baths with soft music and candles. Pulling the black-out curtains for a threehour afternoon nap. A six-episode, BBC Pride And Prejudice binge-watching sessions to recover from the sniffles. Growing kids need to unwind sometimes, but they may have trouble recognizing this. When this happens, give them a nudge in a decompressing direction. Shining Despite Speedbumps Guess what, parents? Your kid is going to stumble, fall, and maybe even face-plant in middle school. But he will still have plenty of shining moments, where he is ecstatic and in his element. If your child isn’t having enough moments like these, call a family meeting, put your heads together, and look for new opportunities where he is more likely to succeed.
How Parents Can Help Kids Navigate Middle School Be there. Listen. Talk with them. Appreciate them. Relax with them. Encourage them. Set clear limits. Help them prioritize. Discuss expectations. Touch base daily. Monitor online life. Notice what’s emerging. Keep them active. Ignore unhelpful people. Applaud progress. Address over-commitment. Tackle tough topics. Be approachable. Hug them often. Celebrate proud moments.
What If Your Child Has A Wake-up Call? If your child has a wake up call, try your best to stay calm. Never focus on what others will think. In fact, you may want to detach yourself from well-meaning friends for a time, as you address your child’s needs. A wake-up call is often a cry for help. Is your child getting as much attention and support as she needs? Sometimes a wake-up call is a by-product of the company your child keeps. Is your child getting mixed up with kids who thrive on acting out? If your child is in trouble at school, don’t make school professionals into enemies. Work with them to make sure your child has all the academic and creative outlets he needs. Kids who get in trouble at this age are often bored, under-supervised, and craving outlets. Keeping kids engaged, challenged, and in healthy routines can insure kids stay safe and productive throughout the middle school years.
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to help your kids learn that the person standing in front of them is the greater priority at the moment. Follow the rules. Most major social media sites require that members are 13 and older in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA). Many of these social networks can expose kids and Protection Act (COPPA). Many of these social networks can expose kids to mature content and sketchy individuals. To familiarize a younger child with social media, check out apps like YourSphere.com, which requires parental permission, is COPPA compliant, and helps kids learn the ins and outs of online interaction in a safe environment. Take advantage of teachable moments. Use the news, popular television shows and even trips to the mall as opportunities to discuss appropriate online and offline social behavior. Talk about issues that can happen like predatory behavior, cyberbullying and social media gossip, and proactive steps they can take to protect themselves. Ask your child how she would respond if someone made her feel uncomfortable, asked personal questions or bullied her.
7 Tips to Prep Your Child for Social Media by Christa Melnyk Hines Today’s kids practically cut their teeth on electronic devices. But as parents can attest, that doesn’t mean kids automatically know how to conduct themselves positively and respectfully online. Introduce social media and online networking slowly and steadily from the time your child holds his first device. Here’s how to begin social media training your child. Create a Digital Citizenship Contract. Online behavior is an extension of our real life. Remind your kids to treat others online in the same courteous way they would treat people in person. By creating a family digital citizenship contract, you can open the discussion about appropriate online conduct and clarify your family’s values, rules and consequences. Even if your child won’t be interacting with others just yet, contracts offer a good way to begin establishing expectations and rules around electronics. 14 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
Establish boundaries. Too much online use can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety and can affect a child’s quality of sleep. Crequality of sleep. Create “sacred spaces” or tech-free zones like during meal time to encourage family conversation. Integrate unplugged time to allow for unstructured creativity and play. Have your children turn in their phones or other devices at bedtime to ensure adequate rest. Model appropriate social interaction. Your kids watch and learn from you. Show them how you interact in social media, including examples of your posts. Grow conscious of when and where you use your smartphone. Put your phone aside while driving, when your child is talking to you and when interacting with others in public, like a cashier or restaurant server. Make eye contact and show courtesy toward others to
Monitor and discuss. Go through your child’s electronic devices, review texts, photos and profiles. Make sure all of your child’s friends are people she actually knows in real life. Is she interested in downloading a particular app? Review it with her and discuss any red flags or concerns you have. CommonSenseMedia.org is a helpful resource for helping you make an educated decision about different apps, sites and games. Strike a balance. Extracurriculars like sports, scouts, theater and 4-H give children many opportunities to develop presentation and leadership skills and offer a healthy balance between online and offline interaction. Empower your child with the skills to manage social media with confidence and poise, and she’ll enjoy the multiple advantages of exercising her creativity and voice while making savvy decisions when it comes to interacting with others Download a digital citizenship contract here: http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/ KidPledge1.pdf
Did you know? 59% of kids have tried a social network by age 10. 43% of 8 to16 year olds have messaged a stranger. 21% of kids post a negative comment only starting from the average age of 11. Source: knowthenet.org
Learning resources for kids, teens and parents netsmartzkids.org http://www.netsmartz.org/ Teens - Includes real life stories from teen victims PBS Webonauts Internet Academy on PBS.org FBI.gov cyberwise.org - “No Grown-Up Left Behind” - educational articles, tips and advice Common Sense Media - movie, video game, app reviews and educational articles ThatsNotCool.com - educational resource for teens that includes call out cards to manage bullying/ stalking behaviors; information on dating abuse and other issues facing teens. Safe Social Media Sites for Kids Club Penguin (ages 7 and up) PlayKids Talk - KidsSafe Messenger (ages 7 and up) Disney Mix (ages 8 and up) GeckoLife (ages 8 and up) - social network for families Source: Common Sense Media.org
According to Common Sense Media, 72 percent of kids ages 0 to 8 have used a mobile device to play games, watch videos or use apps. The amount of time that they spend with devices has tripled in the past three years, with some research suggesting that kids spend an average of 7 hours a day in front of screens.
The Screen Time Story In May 2013, Screen Time founder Steve Vangasse noticed his three kids were spending a significant time in front of their screens. As a software engineer, he knew the benefits of using technology—but he had concerns that too much screen time could compromise his kids’ growth as well as their interest in offline activities. When his oldest son disappeared from family functions and time together only to be found plugged in elsewhere, Steve thought of his own childhood full of play and puddles and simple joys—the type of childhood he didn’t want his own kids to miss out on. With that in mind, Steve decided to build a solution—something that would help his kids get a healthy balance of online and offline activities. His app quickly became so useful for his family and friends that he decided to release it on Google Play Store to serve as a solution for others—namely parents who, just like him, wanted to encourage a blend of online and offline discovery in their children’s lives. The app, now known as Screen Time, became extremely popular after the winter holidays, with children receiving devices for Christmas and parents quickly realizing the problems too much access to technology created. A few months later in spring 2014, Steve resigned from his job as a developer to devote himself to Screen Time full time. He has since built a team that is passionate about furthering this “for parents by parents” app with the goal of helping families, especially children, create balance at home and in life between tech use and offline endeavors. Today, the Screen Time app ranks No. 1 in its category on Google Play.
About Screen Time Screen Time is a device management app that helps parents ensure their kids are balancing their use of technology with real-life adventures and activities. Built by parents for parents and launched in 2013, Screen Time includes features such as daily time limits, a pause-and-play button, app blocking, online monitoring and more. With over one million downloads worldwide, Screen Time offers a free 14-day trial and is available for iOS and Android wherever you get your apps. www.screentimelabs.com.
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Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by advocates of nonviolence such as Mahatma Gandhi, King sought equality for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King Day will next be celebrated on 16th January 2017 in the US. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader of the civil rights movement in 1960s America, which meant that he hoped that black people and white people would begin to live to16 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
gether peacefully, with equal rights. He was assassinated in 1968. When we teach children about Martin Luther King Jr now, we teach how one man, full of determination, made a change in the world. We teach that everyone, in their own way, can make a difference - however small, for good (or bad). We teach that it is possible, but not easy, to move mountains in a peaceful way. Many classrooms are now using a “dove of peace” to celebrate MLK Day for just this reason. We’ve got a variety of MLK Day activities to suit all ages below, looking at the historical perspective, the man himself, his most famous words, equality, and peace. Wouldn’t it be terrible? Wouldn’t it be sad? If just one single colour was the colour that we had? If everything was purple? Or red? Or blue? Or green? If yellow, pink, or orange was all that could be seen? Can you just imagine how dull the world would be If just one single colour was all that we could see?
Classroom Project to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day This beautiful peace wreath craft that would be the perfect addition to classroom for Martin Luther King Jr Day or Black History Month. As a collaborative project, your students will find out firsthand what it means and how it feels to work together toward a common goal, as well as observe how each of their personal contributions is necessary and important in order to create a beautiful and full wreath to display! To create hand prints for the wreath... Have students trace and cut their hand prints from multicultural construction paper. Provide students with multicultural paint, inviting them to use a paintbrush to cover their hand with paint and gently press it to a piece of white card stock. When dry, have them cut out their prints and arrange them into the shape of a wreath. Of course, you can always use multicultural markers to trace and color, then cut! You can make it even more special by writing each child’s name on their artwork!
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Send real fruit instead of fruit-flavored or artificial fruit snacks. Stock up on small, no-leak containers before school starts so you won’t be afraid to chop up ripe fruit and send it to school. For variety, use whatever fruit you have on hand and make a simple fruit salad every Sunday night. Chop up whatever veggies you have on hand on Sunday and separate into bags or containers for the week. Include a bit of damp or dry paper towel to keep veggies moist or dry—whichever helps them last. Try homemade trail mix for snack time. You can come up with combinations that are customized for each child if you visit the bulk foods section of your grocery store and create combos to offer a week at a time. Have “Thermos Thursdays” and send something hot to school like soup, mac n’ cheese, or pasta. Be sure to heat the food up well before pouring into your child’s thermos. Put the lid on tightly but not so tight your child can’t get it open.
The Happiest Kid In The Cafeteria:
Better School Lunches All By Christina Katz
Eating meals together at home is important for families, but don’t underestimate the importance of the meal you send to school with your child each day. In the same way that it is important to sit down and break bread with our family, kids sit down at school and do the same with peers of their choosing. A positive experience eating lunch at school begins with a positive experience opening up that lunch box and finding out what’s inside. The same old peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, and apple may work for the first couple of years of school, but as a child gets older and develops more sophisticated preferences, you can do better. Work together with your child to create portable, healthy meals your child will feel proud to eat. Instead of complaints about how friends have better lunches, you’ll start to hear stories about the funny conversations that 18 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
happened at lunch or who traded what for what. With a little bit of effort, you’ll notice that your child conveys a content, relaxed tone about lunchtime, exactly like the one you strive to create at dinnertime at home. So when it comes time to whip up a great school lunch, keep these simple tips in mind: Experiment with nut butters. Why limit your child’s sandwich to just peanut butter when there is also almond butter, cashew butter, and sunflower seed butter? Or consider a healthy brand of chocolate nut butter with whole-wheat pretzels for dipping. Expand your sandwich-making repertoire. For variety, cut sandwiches into halves, triangles, quarters, or use a cookie cutter to make shapes. Use whole grain rather than white bread. Experiment with whole grain wraps, bagels, pita, flatbread or naan.
Send low-fat milk in a thermos instead of sugary juice or let them buy milk at school. If you don’t want to send sugar-loaded juice, try flavored waters. In a pitcher refrigerate water with lemon, lime, berries, or herbs. Test flavors over the summer to discover what combinations kids prefer. Make homemade cookies or bars over the weekend and store properly to last all week. Freeze, if necessary—they will thaw by lunchtime. If your child is new to the school, include an extra treat to offer to new friends. Remind them to eat veggies to keep the treats coming. Why not give them something to look forward to each week? Offer bonus sweets in moderation. Keep a secret stash to offer on the last day before the weekend. Just a little something to help them celebrate the weekend with their friends like a tiny bag of jelly beans, a lollipop or two, or a couple of chocolate kisses. Once a month, let them get hot lunch— but only once a month. Make a big deal about going over the hot lunch schedule and picking out a day. Then see which type of lunch they prefer. If you play your lunch-making cards right, hot lunch once a month won’t steal the show.
St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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12PM-4PM
Palm Coast Farmers Market
10AM – 2PM Marineland Marina hosts the Salt Air Farmers Market every Sunday. www.saltairfarmersmarket.com
Salt Air Farmers Market
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386-428-4828
MDC Dolphin Discovery Boat Tour 2PM-4PM
4PM-5PM Ormond Beach
Skate & Shake Super Sunday Session
12PM-4PM European Village 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast
Palm Coast Farmers Market
10AM – 2PM Marineland Marina hosts the Salt Air Farmers Market every Sunday. www.saltairfarmersmarket.com
Salt Air Farmers Market
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DME Sports Junior Nights
Prague Philharmonic
10:30AM-11:30PM Weekly storytime at St. Augustine’s Barnes & Noble 1930 US 1 South St., St. Augustine
Storytime at Barnes & Noble
6PM-7:30PM Fundamental skill development for the little ones. Ages 6-11 DME Sports Club Facility 2441 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach
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6:30PM-8PM Flagler Beach United Methodist Church 1520 S. Daytona Ave. Flagler Beach
Boy Scouts of America Troop 472
10:30AM-11:30PM Weekly storytime at St. Augustine’s Barnes & Noble 1930 US 1 South St., St. Augustine
Storytime at Barnes & Noble
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6PM-7:30PM Fundamental skill development for the little ones. Ages 6-11 DME Sports Club Facility 2441 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach
DME Sports Junior Nights
10AM – 11AM 196 N. Industrial Dr., Orange City www.fitclubgymnastics.com
Fit Club Gymnastics Tot Open Play
Mobile Food Pantry 10AM – 1PM Precious Hearts Foundation 1-877-731-2210
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Jan 13th - 15
Flagler Film Festival
Sunrise to early afyernoon Friday & Saturday year round Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach Farmer’s Market
6PM-10PM
Parent’s Night Out at the Alligator Farm
Sunrise to early afternoon Friday & Saturday year-round Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach Farmer’s Market
5PM-8PM Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach First Friday
370 Zoo Pkwy., Jacksonville
Firefighter Friday at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
DUSK 26 Riverside Dr., Ormond Beach
Movies on the Halifax
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7:30PM Flagler Auditorium 5500 E. Hwy. 100, Palm Coast
The State Ballet Theatre of Russia presents: Cinderella
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Lowes Build and Grow Clinics
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9AM-10AM Every Saturday morning! 245 Industrial Park Ave., New Smyrna Beach
NSB Skate Park: Free Skateboarding Lesson
9AM-1PM Daytona Flea & Farmers Market 2987 Bellevue Ave. extension, Daytona Beach
Classic Car Cruise-In
Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens 78 East Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach
Dogapalooza 2017
Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
City of Palm Coast 10th Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Event
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Karate Classes for Kids, Youth & Adults
10AM – 2PM Marineland Marina hosts the Salt Air Farmers Market every Sunday. www.saltairfarmersmarket.com
12PM-4PM European Village 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast
Palm Coast Farmers Market
10AM – 2PM Marineland Marina hosts the Salt Air Farmers Market every Sunday. www.saltairfarmersmarket.com
Salt Air Farmers Market
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12PM-4PM European Village 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast
Palm Coast Farmers Market
30 6PM-7:30PM Fundamental skill development for the little ones. Ages 6-11 DME Sports Club Facility 2441 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach
DME Sports Junior Nights
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6PM-7:30PM Fundamental skill development for the little ones. Ages 6-11 DME Sports Club Facility 2441 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach
10AM – 2PM Marineland Marina hosts the Salt Air Farmers Market every Sunday. www.saltairfarmersmarket.com
24 DME Sports Junior Nights
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8:30AM-3PM 700 Sandpiper Ave. New Smyrna Beach
Marine Discovery Center School Holiday Camp
6PM-7:30PM Fundamental skill development for the little ones. Ages 6-11 DME Sports Club Facility 2441 Bellevue Ave., Daytona Beach
DME Sports Junior Nights
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12:30PM-2PM Sponsored by the MOMS Club of Bunnell-Palm Coast. Wadsworth Park, Flagler Beach
Messy Tuesdays at the Park
Salt Air Farmers Market
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12PM-4PM European Village 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast
5PM-6PM Mondays & Wednesdays Palm Coast Community Center 305 Palm Coast Pkwy., NE www.shotokankarateusa.org
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Salt Air Farmers Market
Palm Coast Farmers Market
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Hilton Daytona Beach Resort/ Ocean Walk Village 100 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach
Daytona PWG Wedding Show
European Village 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast
7:30AM-10AM High Bridge Park 39 Highbridge Rd., Ormond Beach
Sunrise to early afyernoon Friday & Saturday year round Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
10:30AM-11:30PM Weekly storytime at St. Augustine’s Barnes & Noble 1930 US 1 South St., St. Augustine
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Sunrise to early afyernoon Friday & Saturday year round Veteran’s Park, Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach Farmer’s Market
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Flagler Beach Farmer’s Market
Fish & Learn
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3PM North 18th Street, Flagler Beach
Free Thai Chi on the Beach
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Sarah Chang
7:30PM-9PM Flagler Auditorium 5500 E. Hwy. 100, Palm Coast
Adam Trent - Magic & Illusion
12PM-9PM Hilton Garden Inn 55 Town Center Blvd., Palm Coast http://flaglerfilmfestival.com/
Storytime at Barnes & Noble
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10:30AM-11:30PM Weekly storytime at St. Augustine’s Barnes & Noble 1930 US 1 South St., St. Augustine
Storytime at Barnes & Noble
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Peabody Auditorium 600 Auditorium Blvd. Daytona Beach 386-253-2901
with Sarah Chang
charlie@bradymediainc.com or mail to: 800 Belle Terre Pkwy., Ste. 200-207 Palm Coast, FL 32164
To submit an event, send your information by the 10th of the preceding month to:
Submit Your Event!
9AM-10AM Every Saturday morning! 245 Industrial Park Ave., New Smyrna Beach
NSB Skate Park: Free Skateboarding Lesson
55th running of theRolex 24! Daytona International Speedway 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach 386-253-7223
Rolex 24 at Daytona
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4PM-7PM Every 3rd Saturday East Indiana Ave., DeLand
Cruisin’ Downtown DeLand
10AM-3PM Calvary Christian Center www.campunique.org
Camp “U”Nique
9AM-10AM Every Saturday morning! 245 Industrial Park Ave., New Smyrna Beach
NSB Skate Park: Free Skateboarding Lesson
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9AM-10AM Every Saturday morning! 245 Industrial Park Ave., New Smyrna Beach
NSB Skate Park: Free Skateboarding Lesson
10AM-11AM www.lowesbuildandgrow.com
health
Health Tips:
Fun Ways To Build A Healthy Family There is nothing better than being able to go outside and be active with your kids. This is a great way to build long-lasting memories and keep everyone happy and healthy. Getting your family to stay healthy doesn’t have to be boring, especially if you do it together. There are so many fun and active activities you can do with your family to stay happy and healthy — even just in your own home. Here are just five things you can try to get everyone off their phones and onto their feet. Build A Fort Building a fort is a great opportunity to have everyone work together to accomplish something great. This not only keeps everyone up and moving, but it also helps inspire creativity. You can keep your building plans safe for children by using a few cardboard boxes, blankets, pillows, and whatever else you can find laying around. With materials like this you are sure to create a fort built for kings. This family activity will bring the whole crew out and provide a great bonding experience for everyone while you are staying active and engaged. Dance It Out Having a dance party is definitely a fun way to get everyone up and moving! 22
Flagler Parent • January 2017
There are tons of advantages that come with dancing! Who doesn’t love to dance? Although you can’t exactly take the kids to a nightclub, you can have your own dance party in your living room. You can even break out the disco ball and strobe lights for the first time in years. You can pick a theme for the dance and have your family decorate the house accordingly. Then, be sure to play your kids’ favorite songs so that they stay excited and engaged! This is definitely something that can be a blast for the whole family! The grownups can keep the party going after the children go to bed by sipping on delicious adult drinks, such as those at Monin, to help them relax and cool down after all the excitement. Set Up An Athletic Event Gym class isn’t the only place where kids can go to run around. Why not do it at home? A fun way to make that happen is to set up a race in your own backyard! You can set up a meter dash or even have a relay race with makeshift batons! Things like this are more fun if the whole family participates. You want to make sure to do everything you can to get everyone involved. You can even set up more challenging events for older kids, such as an impromptu shotput competition or even a neighborhood bike race.
.Make Chores Into A Game This is a really great way to help everyone actually enjoy helping out around the house. One idea is to have your family race the clock to see who can finish all of their work the fastest. Or you can see who can sweep the biggest amount of dirt from the kitchen floor. In the fall, your kids can try to rake the best pile of leaves and jump in them after as a reward! These are just some ideas to liven up simple tasks and make them a bit more active and fun for everyone. These cardio activities will help your family stay fit and keep your home tidy as well. Find A Sport For Everyone A family game of football or whiffle ball can definitely keep everyone together and moving. Consider setting up a makeshift basketball hoop in your driveway for a dunking contest or a place where the little ones can practice their game. All you really have to do is find a sport that everyone in your family enjoys and then you can all play together. This is not only a great way to bond with your family and keep everyone active, but it also can provide you with a great opportunity to teach your children important life lessons. Overall, these five family activities are sure to keep your family active and having fun together. However, don’t forget to eat healthy as well. As long as you stick to a healthy meal plan and a fitness schedule, your family will be sure to stay happy and healthy.
World Gym 1650 US-1 St Augustine (904) 829-3443 and 1947 Florida A1A St Augustine (904) 471-8887 Aerial Athlete 1701 Lakeside Ave Unit 1 St Augustine (904) 494-8359
Ketterlinus Gym 60 Orange St St Augustine (904) 209-0377
Anytime Fitness 4268 Oldfield Crossing Dr Suite 201 St Augustine (904) 268-0411 and 540 State Rd 13 St Augustine (904) 770-7941
LA Fitness 985 Atlantic Blvd St Augustine (904) 853-2210
Anastasia Fitness 1045 Anastasia Blvd St Augustine (904) 471-4300 Bar Method 1000 S Ponce De Leon Blvd #7 St Augustine (904) 679-4045 Bikram Yoga North St. Augustine 10440 US-1 #105 St Augustine (904) 342-2056 CrossFit Atlantic 1605 Old Moultrie Road St Augustine (904) 342-5512 CrossFit Hardnox 110 Cumberland Park Dr #201 St Augustine (904) 477-4436 DRiV FiTNESS / CrossFit DF 235 State Road 207, Suite 4B St Augustine (904) 586-8700
Mind Body Yoga LLC Integrative Yoga Therapy 1181 Neck Rd St Augustine (904) 514-3172 Now & Zen Yoga & Pilates Studio 224 San Marco Ave St Augustine (904) 430-3753 Pilates Haus 1820 State Rd 13 St Augustine (904) 655-1822
Flagler Organics 1504 Old Moody Blvd, Bunnell 386) 338-2464 Richard’s Foodporium 9 Old Kings Rd N, Palm Coast (386) 445-1300 St. Johns County Berry Stacks Hydroponic U-Pick Farm 2495 FL-207, St Augustine (904) 824-4210 Rype & Readi Farm Market 5780 County Road 305, Elkton Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Powerhouse Gym 1352 Beach Blvd (904) 241-5227 and 11740 San Jose Blvd # 2 (904) 880-1067 and 753 Atlantic Blvd (904) 242-4967
Farmer’s Markets
Fighting Chance Fitness 110 Cumberland Park Dr #102 St Augustine (904) 810-1051
Thrive Chiropractic, Nutrition & Yoga 193 San Marco Ave Powerhouse Gym 1352 Beach Blvd (904) 241-5227 (888) 475-4004
Go HQ 1741 Dobbs Rd #13 St Augustine (904) 540-6076
Flagler Green Market 220 S 3rd St., Flagler Beach (386) 693-4901
Diane’s Natural Market Riverside Center, 248 FL-312, St Augustine (904) 808-9978
The Exchange Fitness 10 Commerce Lake Dr #112 St Augustine (904) 770-0757
Florida Get Fit 2780 FL-16 St Augustine (904) 669-7069
Flagler County
Planet Fitness 2477 US-1 St Augustine (904) 794-0559 and 1514 County Rd 220 #400 St Augustine (904) 639-5667
Every Body Fitness 107 Nature Walk Pkwy St Augustine (904) 287-2101
Flagler Nutrition 172 FL-312 (407) 443-1904
Get Healthy in 2017! Here are some local retailers that can help guide you on your journey!
Go Fresh Farm Market 575 A1A S #109 St Augustine (904) 217-0568
Salt Air Farmer’s Market Marineland 9505 Oceanshore Blvd Hours: Sundays 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Farmers Market at the Pier 350 A1A Beach Blvd St Augustine Hours: Wednesdays7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Old City Farmers Market 1340 A1A South St Augustine Hours: Saturdays 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Total Healthy Experience Fitclub Suite 104, 5543 A1A St Augustine (904) 342-8100 University of St Augustine for Health Sciences 1 University Blvd, St Augustine (904) 826-0084
St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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business spotlight
More about the ReShape Procedure:
Heather Conlon
Innovative Non-Surgical Weight-Loss Procedure Now Offered at Flagler Hospital Heather Conlon has been struggling with The reshape program includes dual balher weight since she was in high school. Like loon technology, a comprehensive one year many people, managing her weight over the weight loss support program and proven years has been a roller coaster ride, expe- results. After meeting with Dr. Marema, Heather riencing highs and lows as every successful was able to get scheduled weight loss effort was soon right away. She had the followed by even greater procedure in April of 2016 weight gain - no matter and lost 50 pounds during how hard she tried to stay the 6-month period the on track. balloon was in. Recognizing that she “Everything went exactly needed some help achievas explained to me,” she ing a healthier lifestyle, said. “More than anyHeather began researchthing, I am really enjoying ing weight loss procean increased energy level. dures and surgeons. Her I am able to have fun, be mother served as an inactive and just love that I spiration having lost and can spend more quality kept off over 100 pounds time playing with my 11/2 after having a gastric band year-old-daughter daughprocedure more than four Dr. Robert Marema ter, Poppy Jane.” years ago. No matter what motivates you—from imDuring her research, Heather was surproving your health and increasing your prised to learn about the new ReShape energy to improving your confidence and procedure currently be performed at loving your reflection in the mirror—having Flagler Hospital by Dr. Robert Marema. the right tools and resources to help you be The Reshape Dual Gastric Balloon is a successful can make all the difference. proven weight loss procedure that is Learn more about the ReShape program at non-anatomy altering and completed in www.FlaglerHospitalWeightLoss.com. about 20 minutes on an outpatient basis. 24 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
The ReShape Procedure is a new, FDA approved, non-surgical approach to weight loss that is proven to help people achieve and maintain significant weight loss. The ReShape Procedure was specifically designed for patients with a lower BMI (between 30–40). In a recent study, patients lost more than twice as much weight with ReShape than with diet and exercise alone.1 Most ReShape patients keep the weight off or continue to lose, even after the balloons are removed. With ReShape, two connected balloons filled with saline (salt water) are placed temporarily inside your stomach in an outpatient medical setting. The procedure lasts about 20 minutes while you are comfortably sedated under light anesthesia. The balloons remain in the stomach for six months, helping you lose weight and encourage healthy eating habits by taking up room in your stomach. You can still eat the healthy foods you enjoy, but the balloons act as built-in portion control, helping you feel full and less hungry. The balloons are a weight loss jumpstart, and are only part of the procedure. You also receive a full year of personalized coaching to support your success and help you make the changes that will encourage a lifetime of healthy living. ReShape combines the portion-controlling benefits of the balloons with comprehensive coaching to change your eating habits, enhance your physical fitness, and help you adopt a healthy lifestyle that supports long-term success.
St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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health
Simple & Healthy Superfood Juice
Ingredients: • 2 cups of fresh organic orange juice • 1 cup of frozen wild organic blueberries • 1 cup fresh, rinsed or frozen organic strawerries or 1 cup fresh, rinsed raspberries or frozen organic raspberries • Handful of fresh parsley leaves, rinsed • Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, rinsed • 1-2 mini cucumbers • 2 long stalks of celery or 4 sh rt • 6-10 baby carrots
Delicious & Extra Nutritious: Superfood Juice For A Healthier Family By Christina Katz
Do you have any unhealthy eating habits in your family? If so, you might want to introduce superfood juice into your diets year-round or whenever family health is suffering due to stress or illness. Throughout the school year, why not start every morning with a glass of juice? During the summer, freeze juice into cubes to add to lemonade or limeade. Superfood juice is just as versatile as whatever juice your family already drinks. Pulverize cubes to make slushies or add a banana and yogurt to juice make smoothies. I’m sure you have heard about superfoods. Though there is no official scientific definition of the word, superfoods get their name from their high content of vitamins and minerals. They also often contain antioxidants, micronutrients, and phytochemicals, which many believe assist in the prevention of cancer and other diseases. Even though our family gets flu shots every fall, it’s often hard to dodge the com26 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
mon colds and viruses going around all winter long. In the spring, there are allergies that seem to come out of nowhere. Summer sometimes throws us a curve ball with an unexpected cold or virus. And in the fall, those pesky allergies kick back in. This year, I started making superfood juice at the first sign of a sniffle and discovered that nothing tastes better when I’m feeling run down. Give it a try. If it tastes good to family members, they can likely benefit from it. During the warmer months, try using fresh fruits and veggies. But don’t feel badly about buying frozen berries and storing them in your freezer. You may have better luck finding wild organic blueberries in your grocer’s frozen food section any time of year. Whatever helps superfood juice become a regular part of your family’s diet is the right strategy for you. Enjoying the juice regularly is a fun way to improve your family’s health, enrich your diets, and encourage kids to eat more superfoods throughout their lives.
• 1 apple quartered and cored • 1 pear quartered and cored • 2 handfuls of Power Greens (spinach, kale) Use a blender, but if you have a juicer, use that instead. Combine berries and juice in blender, blending as you add each ingredient to the juice. Set aside half of the juice-berry mixture and add half of the rest of the ingredients to each batch. Once all of the ingredients are blended, fill the blender to the top with more orange juice and run it a bit longer. You don’t want the juice to be too thick because next you will pour it through a strainer. The juice will still be pulpy after you strain it, but at least you won’t have to chew it. It may take a few minutes for the juice to strain thoroughly. Be sure to get every last drop. Strain juice into a large stainless steel bowl and then pour the entire batch into a pitcher. Be sure to keep your juice refrigerated. Rinse or wash blender, bowls, and utensils right after using to save yourself a headache later. Avoid splashing superfood juice, as it will stain. I pour my glass and drink it right over the sink, rinsing out my glass once I am done. If you do spill some onto clothes, treat and launder them immediately.
kids in the kitchen
It’s as easy as 1-2-3 1. Choose your recipes You can choose from the recipes created by our culinary team or let us choose the ones we think you’ll enjoy. There’s no commitment; you can skip meals or cancel at any time. (Don’t worry, we’ll remind you that your order is ready before it ships!) 2. We chop & deliver We source the highest-quality ingredients and do most of the prep for you. Once we’ve diced, chopped, and portioned, we deliver to your door in our climate-controlled vessel. 3. Enjoy in 30 minutes or less Our step-by-step recipes and prep work mean that dinner will be ready in 30 minutes or less so that you have more time for what’s important. Focus on bringing friends, family, and great conversation back to the dinner table! “Healthy eating has never been easier. Whether you are looking for delicious and nutritious meals that are low-calorie, Paleo, vegetarian or gluten-free, Terra’s Kitchen has a little something for everyone. Regardless of your tastes and mealtype preferences, our goal is to help you provide healthy meals for your family that are balanced, clean, plant-strong™, nutrient-dense and feature heart-healthy fats.” - Dr. Lisa Davis Nutrition Director, PhD, PA-C, CNS Terra’s Kitchen Website: http://www.terraskitchen.com/ Cost: $64.99 minimum, shipping is always free! Meals cost between $9.99 - $17.99 depending on protein/meal type. Delivery Method: High-quality ingredients are prep-prepped and then delivered in a climate-controlled Vessel. The eco-friendly delivery Vessel is reusable, and Terra’s Kitchen picks up the Vessel the next day to reuse up to 100 times on future orders.
Healthy Family Dinners with Terra’s Kitchen Haven’t tried one of those food subscription services yet? Check out what we found for families. Terra’s Kitchen believes in sourcing clean, sustainable ingredients that are antibioticand hormone-free, as well as non-GMO and organic, when possible. Our meals nourish via fresh food delivery to support healthy lifestyles, including Paleo, gluten-free, and vegetarian. You should feel good about what you’re feeding others because we make clean eating a priority. Make family mealtime easier with healthy meal delivery service, Terra’s Kitchen. Offering delicious recipes like One Pot Taco Pasta and Turkey Spinach Meatballs, here’s a few ways Terra’s Kitchen is a family-friendly service for quick but nutritious meals: Pre-Chopped Ingredients: For each recipe, Terra’s Kitchen delivers the ingredients pre-prepped, meaning diced, chopped, and portioned, to your door in our climate-controlled vessel (pictured above).
30 Minutes or Less: The step-by-step recipe cards and pre-prepped ingredients mean that dinner will be ready in 30 minutes or less so that you have more time for what’s important. Focus on bringing friends, family, and great conversation back to the dinner table! Recreating The Family Dinner Experience: On each recipe card, Terra’s Kitchen includes “Table Talk” topics and questions to encourage conversation at the dinner table beyond “how was your day? St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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feature
January is National Mentoring Month 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor. Why Mentor? Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset.
Young Adults Who Were At-Risk for Falling Off Track But Had a Mentor Are: 55% more likely to enroll in college 78% more likely to volunteer regularly 90% are interested in becoming a mentor 130% more likely to hold leadership positions. Positive youth development research has long demonstrated that youth benefit from close, caring relationships with adults who serve as positive role models. Today, 8.5 million youth continue to lack supportive, sustained relationships with caring adults. Mentoring—which matches youth or “mentees” with responsible, caring “mentors,” usually adults—has been growing in popularity as both a prevention and intervention strategy over the past decades. Mentoring is often one component of a program that involves other elements, such as tutoring or life skills training and coaching. The supportive, healthy relationships formed between mentors and mentees are both immediate and long-term and contribute to a host of benefits for mentors and mentees. 30 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
Benefits for youth: Increased high school graduation rates Lower high school dropout rates Healthier relationships and lifestyle choices Better attitude about school Higher college enrollment rates and higher educational aspirations Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence Improved behavior, both at home and at school Stronger relationships with parents, teachers, and peers Improved interpersonal skills Decreased likelihood of initiating drug and alcohol use
If you’re interesting in mentoring our youth, you can partner with several organizations listed below. 4‑H NATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM www.4-h.org Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Florida Glen Marie Hamilton, Program Manager GMHamilton@bbbscfl.org or 407-4782996 ext. 114. Child Advocate- Guardian ad Litem 50 North Beach St Daytona Beach, FL 32114 Children’s Home Society of Florida 1485 South Semoran Blvd., Suite 1448 Winter Park, Florida 32792 (321) 397-3000 info@chsfl.org Community Partnership for Children 135 Executive Circle Daytona Beach, FL 32114 Florida Mentor Network 1725 5th Street Daytona Beach, FL 32117 386-274-4172 Futures Foundations for Volusia County Schools Sheila Rees, TSIC Program Coordinator Phone: 386-255-6475 ext. 50724 Girl Scouts of the USA Be the Role Model She’ll Always Remember Reach out to your local chapter Volunteer Child AdvocateMake a Difference 125 West New York Avenue DeLand, FL 32720 More information can be found by visiting www.mentoring.org.
Mentors
Hard to Find, Impossible to Forget Greens for Teens is a unique program for local school aged children in Flagler County. “We believe in integrating education, sports and community as they are closely tied”, Renny Roker. Helping children build character and positive behavior towards themselves and others by creating an environment that promotes values like honesty, hard work, passion, responsibility and learning. We are seeking individuals to work with our students who place an emphasis on building confidence and reliability. You don’t play golf well? That’s fine. We are looking for retired and actively employed executives, administrators, public servants, professionals and tradesman. We are interested in life experience. With the help of mentors, we use golf as a means for our children to make new friends and learn a sport that can be played for life. As a result, we will strengthen our community with engaged and thoughtful citizens. Mentors change the
world one life at a time and help our future leaders, educators and policy makers. As a mentor, we are seeking a couple of hours of your time. Once a month, play a round or dive some balls at no cost at the Palm Harbor Golf Course. While you are playing, we want you to get to know your mentee, find out their interests and share your own interests. As an adult mentor, we are hoping that you will develop a relationship that can support the child academically, socially, and personally. Who knows? Perhaps you will find a future employee for your business or influence someone to follow in your shoes. You might even learn something new. If you are interested, please contact Linda and Linda@greensforteens.net We rely on sponsors to help provide this FREE program for Flagler County School aged children, if you are interested in making a difference in the lives of local children, please call Renny Roker at 386-225-3965. St. Johns Parent • January 2017
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education St Johns County School News January 5 Classes Resume for Students / Second Semester Begins January 16 Martin Luther King Day – Student/Teacher Holiday January 20 Report Cards Issued January 10 School Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. First Coast Technical College, Building C, located at 2980 Collins Avenue. January 18 St. Johns County District Spelling Bee School Board Auditorium at 40 Orange Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Character Counts! The CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee is calling all walkers, runners and fitness enthusiasts to participate in the CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 9 a.m. The run/walk will begin and end at Palencia Elementary School located at 355 Palencia Village Drive, St. Augustine. Walkers and runners will enjoy a course running through the neighborhoods of Kensington and Las Calinas and can choose to participate in the 6K (3.73 miles) or 3K (1.86 miles) distance. Registration fees are as follows: 6K-$25 before January $30 January1-February 3 $35 on race day 3K-$20 before January 1 $25 January 1-February 3 $30 on race day Registration forms and more information are available online at www.racesmith. com/races/CHARACTERCOUNTS.html.
Local Coalition’s Book Bag Project Huge Success Every fall and spring season, the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida (ELC) host a book-bag distribution for both three and four-year-old children in Putnam, St. Johns, Clay, Bradford, Baker and Nassau counties. In 2016, more than 1000 book bags were distributed to local child care and preschool classrooms. Each bag consisted of 10 age-appropriate books as well as information for parents about the importance of reading to children. The bags were delivered to the children by ELC volunteers, ELC Early Outreach Manager Joan Whitson and various children’s book characters. This year’s characters included Eric Litwin’s Pete the Cat and Curious George. “At ELC, we want to provide books for every child, especially those from families with lower incomes so they all can have the same advantages that reading brings,” Joan Whitson, Early Literacy Outreach Manager said. Studies show children who are read to at an early age is the single biggest factor in improved school readiness scores and vocabulary in young children. ELC funds this program through grants, book donations and donations from local civic groups. ELC welcomes groups to conduct book drives for them. The books need to be pre-school age appropriate. To help support this program contact Joan Whitson at 904-342-2267 or jwhitson@elcnorthflorida.org. 32 St. Johns Parent • January 2017
Race proceeds will support CHARACTER COUNTS! initiatives throughout the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD). The run/walk is open to all ages, and the top three winners will be awarded in each of the age categories as well as the overall male and female finishers. A cash donation will be awarded to the top three schools with the most registrants. Last year these schools were Ocean Palms Elementary and Valley Ridge and Liberty Pines academies. All race registrants will receive a tech t-shirt and lots of other goodies from area businesses and organizations. At the finish line, each race participant will receive a commemorative dog tag which is the third design in its series. This event is produced by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee and is presented by Beaver Toyota with support from businesses and community groups. Action News Jax CBS47/FOX30 is the official media sponsor of this run/walk. The SJCSD, along with area businesses, youth organizations and civic groups, selected the national character education program of CHARACTER COUNTS! as a countywide initiative to instill positive character traits in young people throughout the county. Additionally, the SJCSD became the first school district in Florida to implement Pursuing Victory With Honor in all of its athletic programs. Character education is an important part of every School Improvement Plan and a major component of the Student Code of Conduct and the school district’s Strategic Plan.
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education
Teachers of the Year 2016-2017 Teachers of the Year Elementary Schools John A. Crookshank Elementary
Ms. Renee Hobbs
Cunningham Creek Elementary
Ms. Dana Kelly
Durbin Creek Elementary
Ms. Kara Bird
W. D. Hartley Elementary
Ms. Kathleen Schooley
Hickory Creek Elementary
Ms. Wendy Teaman
R. B. Hunt Elementary
Ms. Agatha Christine
Julington Creek Elementary
Ms. Wendy Gilbert
Ketterlinus Elementary
Ms. Mary Ballinger
Otis A. Mason Elementary
Ms. Laura “Anje” Newbold
Mill Creek Elementary
Ms. Carolyn Ramsay
Ocean Palms Elementary
Ms. Lauren Tate Wade
Osceola Elementary
Mr. Ryan “Kirby” Quam
Palencia Elementary
Mr. Laura Simpson
PVPV/Rawlings Elementary
Ms. Leslie Cabo Dal Molin
South Woods Elementary
Ms. Sally Cunningham
Timberlin Creek Elementary
Ms. Lisa Barnett
Wards Creek Elementary
Ms. Kristin Fanning
The Webster School
Mr. Richard R. Thomas Jr. K-8
Liberty Pines Academy
Ms. Kristin Latshaw
Patriot Oaks Academy
Ms. Allyson Jordan
Valley Ridge Academy
Ms. Megan Leighty
Secondary Schools Bartram Trail High Ms. Claire Bynum Creekside High Ms. Mallory Padgett Fruit Cove Middle Mr. Steven Whitmer Alice B. Landrum Middle Ms. Sandra Pagliughi Pedro Menendez High Ms. Celeste Bowker R.J. Murray Middle Ms. Jodi O. Lanford Allen D. Nease High Ms. Susan Lycke Pacetti Bay Middle Ms. Jennifer Cooper Ponte Vedra High Mr. Charles Cerrato Gamble Rogers Middle Ms. Robin Rucker Sebastian Middle Ms. Kristina Harvey St. Augustine High Ms. Nancy Snell St. Johns Technical High Mr. Ryan Sirak Switzerland Point Middle Ms. Rachel Farris Alternative Schools Gaines Alternative and Transition Ms. Heather May Technical Schools First Coast Technical College Mr. Ronald Story Virtual Schools St. Johns Virtual School Ms. Ginger Baker-Sanhueza
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St. Johns Parent • January 2017
2016-2017 Rookie Teachers of the Year Elementary Schools John A. Crookshank Elementary Ms. Jenny Moore-Jones Cunningham Creek Elementary Ms. London Marlar Durbin Creek Elementary Ms. Victoria Cobb W. D. Hartley Elementary Ms. Kimberly R. Sikes Hickory Creek Elementary Ms. Aishla Acevedo Rodriguez R.B. Hunt Elementary Ms. Cagney Carbone Julington Creek Elementary Mr. Trey Lewek Ketterlinus Elementary Ms. Pamela P. Jett Otis A. Mason Elementary Ms. Virginia Jones Mill Creek Elementary Ms. Danielle Johnson Ocean Palms Elementary Mr. Christopher Arcuri Osceola Elementary Ms. Alexandria L. Pappas Palencia Elementary Ms. Angela Erney PVPV/Rawlings Elementary Ms. Susan Luce South Woods Elementary Ms. Sydney Newton Timberlin Creek Elementary Ms. Whitney Fischer Wards Creek Elementary Ms. Lauren Seckinger The Webster School Ms. Stephanie Colsant K-8 Liberty Pines Academy Patriot Oaks Academy Valley Ridge Academy
Ms. Jenna Josephson Ms. Megan Doxzon Ms. Sarah Lively
Secondary Schools Bartram Trail High Ms. Kathryn Gouch Creekside High Ms. Kaley Still Fruit Cove Middle School Ms. Kristen Alford Alice B. Landrum Middle Ms. Martha Wray Pedro Menendez High Ms. Kathleen Wolfe Allen D. Nease High Ms. Amy Gruhn Pacetti Bay Middle Ms. Anna L. Armitage Ponte Vedra High Mr. Philip Sabado Gamble Rogers Middle Ms. Morgane Van Waeyenberghe Sebastian Middle Ms. Kate E. Ducote St. Augustine High Ms. Lynne Tiner St. Johns Technical High Mr. Jarrod Branco Switzerland Point Middle Mr. Michael Shine Alternative Schools Gaines Alternative and Transition Mr. Raymond K. Howe III Technical Schools First Coast Technical College Mr. Matthew Provost
Flagler Parent • January 2017
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JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM One Reel – Even the Force can’t save it. Two Reels – Coulda been a contender Three Reels – Something to talk about. Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick! Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.
Here’s a sneak peek at what’s new in theaters and home entertainment this month. Note that release dates are subject to change. HIDDEN FIGURES Rated PG for thematic elements and some language In Theaters 1/6 Ok for kids 9+ 20th Century Fox
Reel Preview: Directed by Theodore Melfi, “Hidden Figures” is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe). These brilliant African-American women working at NASA served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. This stunning achievement restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. Also stars Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge and Glen Powell. MONSTER TRUCKS Rated PG for action, peril, brief scary images and some rude humor In Theaters 1/13 Paramount
Reel Preview: Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp (Lucas Till), a high school senior, builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town and a most unlikely friend. Melding cutting edge visual effects and state-of-the-art CGI, Monster Trucks is an action filled adventure for the whole family that will keep you on the edge of your seat and ultimately touch your heart. Directed by Chris Wedge, this movie stars Lucas Till, Danny Glover, Rob Lowe and Amy Ryan. 38
Flagler Parent • January 2017
A DOG’S PURPOSE Rated PG for thematic elements and some peril In Theaters 1/27 Universal Reel Preview:
Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, “A Dog’s Purpose,” from director Lasse Hallström (“The Cider House Rules,” “Dear John,” “The 100-Foot Journey”), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. This family film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson and Peggy Lipton. SPLIT Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content and behavior, violence and some language In Theaters 1/27 Ok for Kids 14+ Universal, Blumhouse Reel Preview:
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan returns to the captivating grip of “The Sixth Sense,” “Unbreakable” and “Signs” with “Split,” an original thriller that delves into the mysterious recesses of one man’s fractured, gifted mind. While the mental divisions of those with dissociative identity disorder have long fascinated and eluded science, it is believed that some can also manifest unique physical attributes for each personality, a cognitive and physiological prism within a single being. Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley), there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch), Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him.
Flagler Parent • January 2017
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