September Kid Life 2014 by Denton Media Company

September 2014

Welcome September 2014 | Vol. 8, No. 1 Publisher: Bill Patterson The contents of this free publication are copyrighted by Denton Publishing Company, 2008, a subsidiary of A.H. Belo Corp. (www.ahbelo.com, NYSE symbol: AHC) with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Kid Life is published monthly by Denton Publishing Company, 314 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX 76201. E-mail: drc@dentonrc.com

On the cover: Camp Abilities Texas, a weeklong program that takes place each July, teaches campers new ways to deal with challenges.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Scott K. Parks

Editor sparks@dentonrc.com 940-566-6879

Counseling column . . . . . . . . . . 2 Top of the List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Denton ISD update . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Teachers & principal profiles . . . .8 Star Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Special delivery. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Lunchbox bites. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Library events . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Shawn Reneau

Advertising Manager sreneau@dentonrc.com 940-566-6843

Courtesy photo/Denton ISD

Find a cure for The Morning Frenzy Hello, Friend! It’s almost time for school to start again. Are you excited? Most kids are excited about going back to school – at least for the first week. Your teachers, principals, and counselors are already learning new things to share with you this year, so they are excited to get back to school, too. As exciting and fun as that first week of school tends to be, I do need to warn you about one thing that sometimes starts during the second week of school. It causes headaches in the morning, constant rushing around and sometimes creates really bad moods. And if you’re not careful, it can stay a problem until the last week of school. What is this crazy thing? It’s called The Morning Frenzy. The Morning Frenzy happens when family members are rushing around, searching for all the things they need before leaving – especially when there is not a lot of time! I bet you know exactly what I’m talk-

ing about! Ask the adults you live with if they have ever suffered from The Morning Frenzy. Here’s the good news: There is a cure. To cure The Morning Frenzy, start planning the night before with these simple steps. 1. Get your homework done before supper. If you need papers signed or need to talk to an adult about a school-related activity, do that the night before. 2. Put your backpack on your Launch Pad. A Launch Pad is the place where astronauts put everything they need for their mission trips into space. Everything. (Because rockets can’t just turn around and come back to pick something up!) Your Launch Pad is where you always put what you need for your missions the next day, like school. 3. Pick out your clothes (even your clean underwear), shoes, socks, coat – especially if it’s cold. Neatly stack it near your Launch

Pad. You will be happy the following morning when all you have to do is pick up your clothes and put them on and you won’t have to hunt under the bed for your shoes or a pair of clean socks. 4. Go to bed at a reasonable bedtime. All growing elementary school kids need about 10 hours of sleep. That means reasonable for you is between 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Your body will grow strong, your brain will stay awake at school, and you will be in a happier mood if you get the right amount of sleep. 5. When the alarm rings in the morning, take care of your business and find everything you need to start your day — on . . . your . . . Yep! That’s right!! On your launch pad! No more headaches, no more bad moods, and no more Morning Frenzies. - Rene Shelton is the elementary counseling coordinator for Denton ISD. She can be reached at rshelton@dentonisd.org.

Reviews

TOP OF THE

LIST

- Here are the top picks from Dana Tucker, the Youth Services Librarian at North Branch Library

{BOOKS}

Little Green Peas by Keith Baker, 2014 Little green peas make their way into collections of objects of many different colors, from blue boats, seas, and flags, to orange balloons, umbrellas, and fizzy drinks. Ages 3-7 President Taft is Stuck in the Bath by Mac Barnett, 2014 George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature - well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now how did he get unstuck? Author Mac Barnett and illustrator Chris Van Dusen bring their full comedic weight to this legendary story, imagining a parade of clueless cabinet members advising the exasperated president, leading up to a hugely satisfying, hilarious finale. Ages 6-9 Odd Duck by Cecil Castelluci, 2013 Theodora is a perfectly normal duck. She may swim with a teacup balanced on her head and stay north when the rest of the ducks fly south for the winter, but there’s nothing so odd about that. Chad, on the other hand, is one strange bird. Theodora quite likes him, but she can’t overlook his odd habits. It’s a good thing Chad has a normal friend like Theodora to set a good example for him. But who exactly is the odd duck here? Theodora may not like the answer. Ages 6-10 Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa De Los Santos, 2014 When thirteen-year-old Margaret’s father is sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit, she knows the only way to save him is to use the forbidden family power of time travel. 279 pages, ages 9-12 Courage Has No Color: the true story of the Triple Nickles: America’s first Black paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone, 2013 Examines the role of African-Americans in the military through the history of the Triple Nickles, America’s first black paratroopers, who fought against attacks perpetrated on the American West by the Japanese during World War II. 147 pages, ages 10 and up

{MOVIES}

Wild Kratts (2013) Creature teachers Chris and Martin Kratt will take families along on extraordinary animal-powered adventures. The show transforms the Kratt Brothers into animated versions of themselves, allowing the real-life zoologists to visit wild animals in their little-seen habitats and showcase key science concepts. Not rated Wordgirl vs. the Energy Monster (2013) Super hero WordGirl and her monkey sidekick fight crime using her superhero strength and her colossal vocabulary. Not rated The New Muzzy: Spanish Level I, II (2012) Muzzy brings language to life for beginning to early intermediate learners, employing a natural immersion approach modeled on the way we all learn our first language. Not rated Rio 2 (2014) Jewel, Blu and their three kids are leaving their domesticated life in that magical city for a journey to the Amazon. They encounter a menagerie of characters that are born to be wild. Rated G Paw Patrol (2013) A CG, action-adventure preschool series starring a pack of six heroic puppies: Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble, and Skye, who are led by a tech-savvy ten-year-old boy named Ryder. With a unique blend of problem-solving skills, cool vehicles and lots of cute doggy humor, the Paw Patrol works together on high-stakes rescue missions to protect the Adventure Bay community. Not Rated

September 2014

Denton ISD Update Denton hosts camp for children with visual impairments

Photo courtesy of the Denton school district

Children with visual impairments are often just as capable athletically as their peers, yet they frequently lack focused instruction, leaving them left out. With Camp Abilities Texas, these children learn their true capabilities. Camp Abilities Texas, a weeklong program that takes place each July in Denton, offers students who are visually impaired, blind, or deafblind with activities that are modified to teach them new ways to take on challenges. The camp is a joint effort between Texas Woman’s University, Denton Independent School District, the Denton Public School Foundation and the state government’s Division of Blind Services. The program is based on the original Camp Abilities, which was founded in Brockport, N.Y., by Dr.

Lauren Lieberman in 1996. Several members of the Camp Abilities Texas staff have worked for the original camp, leading to their decision to found its Denton counterpart in 2012. The camp served 17 students this year, up from last year’s 11. Diane Briggs, assistant director of the camp and a Denton ISD teacher for the visually impaired, said the program is about showing students what they’re capable of achieving. “This camp really helps empower children with visual impairments,” she said. “It helps them do things they’ve been told all their lives that they can’t do – that’s a very important message.” Campers are assessed at the start and end of camp to gauge their fitness improvements. Those assessments are then provided to P.E.

teachers at the students’ schools. Over the course of the program, campers are instructed in goalball, beep baseball, track and field, swimming, fitness and tandem biking every day. At Camp Abilities Texas, each student is paired with a coach/counselor for the duration of the week. The duos form bonds that help make instruction easy, though they also gain friendships in the process. Alex Ortez, an incoming Myers Middle School sixth-grader who attended Rivera Elementary last year, said this year’s camp – his first – was an exciting experience. “Mrs. Briggs told me about it and really wanted me to come to camp this year, and I got my mom to agree and let me go,” he said. “All the sports were new to me except swimming, and I even got better in

that.” T.J. Smith, an incoming sixthgrader at Navo Middle School who attended Cross Oaks Elementary last year, shared Alex’s enthusiasm, saying he hopes to compete on Navo’s track and field team in seventh grade. This year, T.J. set the camp record with a long jump of 8 feet, 8 inches. In addition to his track and field success, T.J. said Camp Abilities Texas is where he learned how to swim backwards, among many other first-time sports techniques. Alex’s coach, TWU graduate student Colin Hilley, said the program has helped all its campers reach their potential. “The coaches are really here for motivation,” he said. “I modify the activities so Alex can be successful, but he’s putting all the work in. I

love working with him, and once I got involved, I knew this was an amazing camp. You see stuff like this featured on TV sometimes, but how great this is doesn’t really hit home until you’re involved.” Like the other coaches, Hilley said he hopes to continue working at the camp next year. If he does, he’ll join a list of staffers who take tremendous pride in the camp. Many travel from great distances, including coaches trekking to Denton from Wisconsin, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Utah and New York. “We all love it, obviously, or these people wouldn’t keep coming back,” Mrs. Briggs said. “It’s really a cooperative effort through a lot of people and organizations, and it’s something I think both the counselors and the children will always remember.”

Notas sobre su zona escolar Denton es anfitrión de un campamento para niños con deficiencias visuales

Photo courtesy of the Denton school district

Los niños con discapacidades visuales son a menudo igualmente capaces atléticamente como sus compañeros, mas con frecuencia les falta instrucción enfocada, que los hace quedarse afuera. Con Campamento Habilidades Texas, estos niños aprenden sus capacidades verdaderas. Campamento Habilidades Texas, un programa de una semana que se lleva a cabo cada julio en Denton, ofrece a los estudiantes con discapacidad visual, ciegos o sordos y ciegos con las actividades que se han modificado para enseñarles nuevas formas de afrontar retos. El campamento es un esfuerzo conjunto entre Texas Woman’s University, Denton Independent School District, Denton Public School Foundation y el gobierno del estado de la División de Servicios para el Ciego. El programa está basado en el Campamento Habilidades original, que fue fundado en Brockport,

N. Y. por la Dra. Lauren Lieberman en 1996. Varios miembros del personal del Campamento Habilidades Texas ha trabajado para el campamento original, que los llevó a la decisión de fundar su contraparte en Denton en el 2012. El campamento sirvió 17 estudiantes este año, cifra superior a la del año pasado de 11. Diane Briggs, subdirectora del campamento y una maestra para las personas con deficiencias visuales del Denton ISD, dijo que el programa es para demostrar a los alumnos sobre lo que son capaces de lograr. Dijo “Este campamento realmente ayuda a empoderar a los niños con discapacidades visuales.” “Les ayuda a hacer cosas que se les ha dicho todas sus vidas que no pueden hacer- que es un mensaje muy importante.” Los campistas se evalúan en el inicio y al final del campamento para medir sus mejoras de la salud física. Esas evaluaciones entonces

son proporcionadas a los maestros de Educación Física (P.E.) en las escuelas de los estudiantes. Sobre el curso del programa, los campistas son instruidos en el goalball, el béisbol de pitido, pista y campo, la natación, gimnasio, y bicicleta en tándem cada día. En el Campamento Habilidades Texas, cada estudiante es emparejado con un entrenador/consejero por la duración de la semana. Los dúos forman vínculos que ayudan a que la instrucción sea fácil, aunque también obtienen amistades en el proceso. Alex Ortez, un alumno del sexto grado entrante a la Secundaria Myers que asistió a la Primaria Rivera el año pasado, dijo el campamento de este año – su primero – fue una experiencia emocionante. Dijo, “La Sra. Briggs me dijo acerca de ello y realmente quería que viniera al campamento este año, y conseguí a mi mamá a que estuviera de acuerdo y me dejó ir”, dijo. “Todos los deportes eran

nuevos para mí excepto natación, y hasta mejoré en eso.” T. J. Smith, un entrante de sexto grado a la Secundaria Navo que asistió a la Primeria Cross Oaks el año pasado, compartió el entusiasmo de Alex, diciendo que espera competir en el equipo de pista y campo de Navo en séptimo grado. Este año, T. J. estableció el récord del campamento con un salto de longitud de 8 pies, 8 pulgadas. Además de su éxito en pista y campo, T.J. dijo que Campamento Habilidades Texas es donde aprendió cómo nadar hacia atrás, entre muchas otras técnicas principiantes de deporte. El entrenador de Alex, estudiante de posgrado de TWU Colin Hilley, dijo que el programa ha ayudado a todos sus campistas alcanzar su potencial. “Los entrenadores están realmente aquí para motivación,” dijo. “Modifico las actividades para que Alex pueda tener éxito, pero él pone todo el trabajo. Me encanta

trabajar con él, y una vez que yo me metí, supe que este era un campamento increíble. Puede ver este tipo de cosas a veces aparecer en la televisión, pero lo grande de esto no se aprecia realmente hasta que usted participa.” Al igual que los otros entrenadores, Hilley dijo que espera seguir trabajando en el campamento el próximo año. Si lo hace, se unirá a una lista de miembros del personal que toman orgullo tremendo en el campamento – muchos viajen de gran distancias, inclusive entrenadores que viajan arduamente a Denton de Wisconsin, Maryland, Utah, Pennsylvania y Nueva York. “A todos nos encanta, obviamente, o estas personas no seguirían regresando”, dijo la señora Briggs. “Es realmente un esfuerzo cooperativo entre muchas personas y organizaciones, y es algo que pienso tanto los consejeros como los niños siempre recordarán.”

September 2014

Kid Clubhouse

Artistic Endeavors

Denton ISD hosted its first districtwide art show “On the Square, Outside the Box” at UNT on the Square in May. Elementary students (clockwise from upper left) Abbey Kirk (Stephens), Mia Curtis (Rivera), Frida Gomez (Ginnings) and Tanner Dias (Cross Oaks) had the work they created with the help or inspiration of their teachers Megan Trammell, Jamie McCormack, Kay Adamson and Stacy Bzdok on display at the event.

September 2014 Monday

Sunday

Thursday

No school Labor Day Holiday

First quar ter

Architect Louis Sullivan born (1856)

Last Titan III rocket launches (1989)

Tennis player Jimmy Connors born (1952)

Friday

England’s King Richard I (the LionHeart) born (1157)

Full moon

Physicist Arthur Holly Compton born (1892)

Augusto Pinochet overthrows President Allende and Chilean government (1973)

Grandparents Day

Last quar ter

Camp David Accords completed (1978)

Comet Ikeya-Seki discovered (1965)

Battle of Chickamauga Creek begins (1863)

Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (1956)

Papua New Guinea achieves independence (1975)

Saturday

Social reformer Margaret Sanger born (1879)

Wednesday

1 Germany invades Poland (1939)

Tuesday

Treaty of Understanding and Cooperation signed (1934)

Protesters meet in London to try and keep foxhunting legal (2002)

Otto von Bismarck is appointed prime minister of Prussia (1862)

New moon

Sonny Liston becomes world heavyweight boxing champion (1962)

The Beatles release Abbey Road (1969)

The Tonight Show premieres (1954)

Racehorse Greyhound establishes a trotting record for one mile in 1:55 1/4 (1938)

Black Friday (1869)

Birth flower: Aster Visit www.dentonisd.org for more information on Denton Independent School District events and holidays. Moon phases taken from www.sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/phase/phase2001cst.html. Learn more about the historical events and information on this calendar by visiting the Encyclopedia Britannica at www.britannica.com.

Head of the Class Debbie Smith is 2014 Jostens Borman Teacher of the Year Debbie Smith has been a

1987. She is always giving of her time to help other learn and was awarded the Borman Teacher of the Year award for this trait previously in 2002. Mrs. Smith is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oneonta, where she received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Her teaching philosophy: How do I accomplish goals in my classroom? I allow my students to make mistakes and feel comfortable doing it.

September teacher for 31 years, all with Denton ISD at Borman 2014

Elementary. Mrs. Smith began her career as a substitute teacher working with both Denton and Lewisville ISD in 1982. A year later, she landed a spot as a 2nd-grade teacher at Borman and has been educating students at the school since then. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Association of Texas Professional Educators and has worked with student teachers every year since

Kelley McGee is 2014 Jostens E.P. Rayzor Teacher of the Year Kelley Quinn McGee is entering her fifth year of teaching, all with Denton ISD. Mrs. McGee began her career with the district as an art teacher at E.P. Rayzor Elementary. She was at the school for four years until making the switch to help open the new Adkins Elementary this school year. Mrs. McGee is a Texas Art Education Association Leadership Scholar, a member of the Denton County Art Education Association, served as chair of the Lantana Community Art Show and the

Denton ISD districtwide art show and has been awarded numerous

grants for classroom art projects by the Denton Public School Foundation. Mrs. McGee is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where she received her bachelor’s degree in visual arts studies. She also holds master’s degrees in art education and art museum certification from UNT and the University of Florida. Her teaching philosophy: I want to be the person that encourages students in many different areas of the arts to pursue their talents and dreams and to use these skills to become more successful in life.

Meet Hodge Elementary principal Patty Jensen

Name: Patricia Jane Jensen Nickname: Patty My School: Hodge Elementary My School’s mascot: Owls Where you were born: Salem, Oregon My favorite food is: Spaghetti with meat sauce My favorite color is: Green My favorite subjects in school were: Spanish and math My favorite teacher was: Mr. Howard, my 8th-grade History Teacher My most memorable moment as a child was: Driving to my Grandma’s house with my family for Thanksgivings. It truly was over the river and through the woods (and a few mountains as well). Do you have any pets? Yes, a Beagle named Bruchi. My hobbies are: Reading, running, walking, watching sports, cooking, playing piano, quilting with my mom (in the summers)

Star Student Gwyneth Zavala Name: Gwyneth Ann Zavala

Nickname: Gwyneth Paltrow Community/school activities: Choirs, basketball, dance, volleyball

School/grade: W.S. Elementary/5th Grade

Ryan

Birthdate/place: February 16/ Arlington,TX

The Thing About Georgie By Lisa Graff

Family: Mario (dad), Nixie (mom), Zaylee (sister) and Jake the dog

The best movie I’ve ever seen is: Legally Blondes

My hobbies are: Minecraft, Netflix, playing with Jake and Zaylee, FaceTime Friends

I wish I knew how to: Play football I’m so sick of: Frozen

My favorite school subject is: Science!!!

My worst habit is: Scratching things

Two people I’d most like to meet are: Kenny Chesney, Dirk Nowitzki

My favorite restaurant is: Cheddars

What’s in my iPod/CD player right now: I’m Yours By Jason Mraz

When I finish school I plan to: Go to college, audition for an acting career The best book I ever read was:

My hero is: My dad The best summer I ever had was: Destin, Florida, in 2011 If I had $100 I would: Donate it to charity My goal for this year is to: Not cry at 5th-grade ceremony

HEARING PROBLEMS? If your child has failed their hearing screening at school or is having difficulty listening to or hearing the teacher, Denton Hearing Health Care can be your first point of contact to conduct a diagnostic hearing test and central auditory processing screening. For children with chronic middle ear problems, swimmers ear, or P.E. tubes, we can make colorful custom made earplugs to prevent water from entering the ear canal. These are floatable and can be used when swimming or bathing and may also be used for sound protection as well.

The best movie I’ve ever seen is: A tie between White Christmas and Sound of Music My favorite thing about my school is: Being in a dual-language environment. That’s really my pas-

sion and I’m excited to build upon the things they have done and ultimately I want to continue a strong emphasis on community, involving the parents, and an unwavering focus on student learning.

Dr. Judith Caudle and Dr. Chris Caudle have served the children in Denton County and the surrounding areas for over 25 years.

940-387-0550

www.dentonhearing.com

2540 Lillian Miller

Ste 100 Denton, Texas H1

Special delivery

Students receive books for summer reading 9 After more than 20 years working in education as a teacher or librarian, Michelle Lynn sees the value of students having regular access to books – even those students whose families sometimes struggle to make ends meet. So with summer approaching and many of her own students likely not having consistent access to the library or books, Mrs. Lynn came up with a solution. Instead of hoping these students would somehow make it to the library or get new books to read, the Evers Park Elementary librarian would bring the library and books to them. “My motivation was simple in that if many of these kids weren’t going to be able to get to the library to get books they wanted, then we were going to have to find them and put books in their hands,” Mrs. Lynn said. Mrs. Lynn and Dana Tucker, a librarian with the city of Denton, quickly joined forces and recruited city and Denton ISD librarians to begin collecting books. They partnered with several local businesses to set up donation boxes throughout the city and school district to collect books for their summer reading project. Books were collected throughout the month of June and, with the help of the Denton Parks and Recreation Department, distributed at 18 locations including Hodge Elementary, Denia Park Recreation Center and Lincoln Park mobile home community in Denton and its surrounding areas after the Fourth of July holiday. Each of the spots where children received books served a dual

purpose, with those same students also picking up a free meal through the city’s participation in federal summer nutrition programs. Watching children grab a sack lunch and get so enthusiastic about the opportunity to sort through boxes of free books that they could take home and read made the project worthwhile, said Mrs. Lynn. “As teachers, we’re used to getting the summer off, so I’ll be honest in saying that I wasn’t looking forward to spending several hot summer days carrying large boxes of books to hand out to kids, but it was a truly wonderful experience,” she said. “Seeing them get all excited and walk away with books in their hands and smiles on their faces definitely made it easier to do.” Through their partnership and community outreach, Ms. Tucker and Mrs. Lynn collected 5,000 books and distributed them to children ranging in ages from 2 to 18. They see themselves continuing the summer book delivery project next year with additional support to distribute what they collect or in “a couple years” once they recharge and come up with ways to make the book distribution process easier. Ultimately they both stress the importance of summer reading and providing students access to books. Dr. Julie Wood, former faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said a few years without summer reading leaves a student behind others who regularly read in summer.

September 2014

Lunchbox Bites

10 Colby Cobb Salad with Yogurt Dressing

September 2014

Makes 6 Servings Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 20 min Ingredients For the dressing: 2 cups fat-free plain yogurt, divided 4 large basil leaves 1/4 cup parsley, stems removed 2 tablespoons chopped chives 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 1/4 teaspoon additional pepper (optional) For the salad: 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce (1 small head) 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup diced cucumber 2 slices cooked turkey breast, cut into strips 2 tablespoons bacon bits 1 egg, hard boiled and chopped 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby or Colby Jack cheese For the dressing: Place 1 cup of yogurt, basil, parsley, chives, lemon juice, honey and pepper in a blender or food processor. Cover and pulse until smooth (dressing will be green in color). Pour yogurt mixture into a medium bowl; stir in remaining yogurt and mayonnaise until just blended; refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: Dressing may be prepared up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the salad: Place lettuce at the bottom of a bowl and sprinkle the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, turkey,

bacon bits, egg and Colby cheese on top. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss lightly. Nutritional Facts Calories: 210

Total Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 70 mg Sodium: 350 mg Calcium: 35% Daily Value

Protein: 16 g Carbohydrates: 14 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g - Recipe courtesy of 3-EveryDay, the National Dairy Council

Library events

September library events offered

Mother Goose Time Stories, songs and activities promote bonding between infants and their caregivers. Best for newborns through 18 months and their caregivers. 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays, at South Branch Library 9:30 a.m., Fridays, at North Branch Library

Baby and Toddler StoryTime This program for children ages 0-3 is designed to promote literacy and caregiver bonding through books, songs and fingerplays. Parents and children are invited to stay and get acquainted with one another after StoryTime. We will put out toys for the children to play with while the adults chat. 7 p.m., Wednesdays, at North Branch Library Toddler Time Participate with your toddler in these special classes that promote literacy and social interaction through stories, songs and toddlerappropriate activities. For toddlers 12-36 months and their caregivers. 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays, at South Branch 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays, at Emily Fowler 9:30 a.m., Thursdays, at North Branch Toddler Play Time Running late for Toddler Time or want to stay afterwards for more library fun? Join us for this comeand-go program that encourages independent toddler play with literacy and sensory activities. Every week we will feature at least one new activity that can easily be replicated at home. Children learn through play, so take a breather and let your toddler learn while you visit with other parents. Best for ages 12-36 months. 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., Tuesdays, at South Branch Library 10 a.m., Thursdays, at North Branch Library StoryTime Join us for interactive preschool classes that use stories, songs, and

puppets to build early literacy skills and prepare children to learn to read. For children ages 1-5 and their caregivers. 11 a.m., Wednesdays, at Emily Fowler 10 & 11 a.m., Thursdays, at South Branch 11 a.m., Fridays, at North Branch 10 a.m., Saturdays, at South Branch

Big Denton Playdate Engage in fun games designed to delight young children and encourage early literacy. Come to play and leave ready to turn ordinary household objects into your child’s favorite toy. Denton ISD, Denton Public Libraries, and UNT will provide hands-on examples of different engaging activities at this free come-and-go program. For children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. 10-11:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 6 at Emily Fowler Preschool Dance Party Toddlers and preschoolers are invited to shimmy, shake and sing along to favorite tunes. We will provide shakers, scarves and bubbles so they can dance their sillies out! Best for ages 1-5. 10 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Emily Fowler Read to Rover Give your child an opportunity to practice reading one-on-one with a trained, certified therapy dog. Sign up for our Read to Rover program, made possible by a partnership with the Therapy Pals of Golden Triangle. Registration required. For children reading on their own, ages 6-11. 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Emily Fowler 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 20 at North Branch Library Twilight Toddler Time Stories, songs, and activities in this evening StoryTime for toddlers (ages 12-36 months) and their caregivers.

items to create open-ended works of art. We will read a book that ties into our item of the month and then create our works of art. Best for ages 3-5. Registration is required. Call 349-8752 to register for this painting with sponges class. 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16 at North Branch Library

6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9 at Emily Fowler

Super Kids Book Club Do you love chapter books like Horrible Harry and Magic Treehouse? Join this book club and participate in activities that celebrate some of your favorite chapter book series and authors. Ages 6-10. 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10 at Emily Fowler WWII: Helping Allies Grow What happened to the people in Europe during World War II? Learn about WWII and find how tulips help save one town in Holland. Best for ages 5-8. 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11 at South Branch Library

LEGO Builders Club Drop in and get creative by building with the library’s LEGOs. All LEGOs provided by the library (please don’t bring your own). Ages 6 and older. 4:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12 at Emily Fowler Preschool Play and Read Help your child’s early literacy skills while having fun as a family! This come-and-go program offers children age-appropriate games, activities and crafts that assist in developing pre-reading skills. For children ages 3-5 and their caregivers. 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 13 at North Branch Library No Paintbrushes Allowed Bring your preschooler to the library for a sensory art experience using both unusual and everyday

Karma Wilson StoryTime Celebrate one of our favorite authors - Karma Wilson! We will read stories, sing songs, and make crafts inspired by this amazing author and books. Ages 1-5. 11 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Emily Fowler Light Up the Sky with Fireflies Why do fireflies glow? Find out and create a glow bottle. Best for ages 5-8. 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18 at South Branch Library Maker Kids: Rubber Band Bracelets Learn how to create colorful, fun bracelets with brightly colored rubber bands using various loom techniques. Registration required. Ages 6-10. 4:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 19 at Emily Fowler Read to Rover Give your child an opportunity to practice reading one-on-one with a trained, certified therapy dog. Sign up for our Read to Rover program made possible by a partnership with the Therapy Pals of Golden Triangle. Registration required. For children ages 6-11. 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 20 at North Branch Library Family Fun with Board Games Bring the whole family for an afternoon of board games, from classic ones to cooperative board games. Cooperative board games, like “Max the Cat” (Family Pasttimes), encourage players work together to beat the game, not each other. All ages. 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 21 at Emily Fowler

Preschool Science Play: The Five Senses We will read stories, sing songs, and then explore science through play. Join us to learn about how our five senses work and how they help us learn about our world. Best for ages 3-5.. 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 23 at North Branch Library Homeschool Science Club Homeschoolers, come explore science with simple and fun experiments for children ages 6-10. Registration required for this class on rocket science. 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 24 at Emily Fowler

Art Adventures Do you like art? Do you like making art? Join us for Art Adventures and experience different artistic mediums! Registration required for this painting with food class. Ages 6-11. 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25 at Emily Fowler Preschool Science Play: Water Read a story and then explore water science through play. Best for ages 3-5. Please register in advance, at 349-8752. 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 26 at South Branch Library

Teen programs Teen Advisory Board Help plan & run library programs. Discuss books, movies, and music. Work on service-related projects and earn community service hours! For teens ages 11 - 18. For more information, call Juli Gonzalez at 940-349-8741. 6:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9 at North Branch Library Scratch Programming for Teens Learn the basics of programming with Scratch, make games, animations, and more. Class size limited, registration required. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3 & Sept. 17 at North Branch

September 2014