Miami Dade Family Life June 2020

MIAMI-DADE

COMPLIMENTARY

JUNE 2020

VIRTUAL roadTRIPS PUT YOUR MOUSE IN DRIVE AND GO

summer

SAFETY KEEPING KIDS OUT OF HARM'S WAY

Grads& Dads

COUNT ON US

When she’s hurt outside,

you hurt inside.

COUNT ON US When your child gets sick or injured, the world seems to stop. In those moments, you want real miracles—exceptional care without worrying whether your child’s doctor or hospital has the specialized expertise and services required for the most complex cases. That’s why families count on us for emergency care.

To learn more about our pediatric emergency rooms at Holtz Children’s Hospital and Jackson North Medical Center, visit ExpertKidsCare.org.

contents

JUNE 2020

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LESSONS FROM QUARANTINE Forced time at home reveals surprising truths.

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SUMMER SAFETY Tips for keeping kids safe as outdoor fun takes center stage.

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DOTING ON DAD Good ways to spend time together this Father’s Day.

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HATS OFF TO THE CLASS OF 2020 Graduating seniors will move forward and make their mark on the world.

departments

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MIAMI & MORE

FAMILY FUN

SPECIAL NEEDS

WORDS OF WISDOM

Hurricane prep goes virtual; summer reading program launches; and more.

Put the mouse in drive and take your family on a virtual road trip.

When schools closed their doors, parents stepped up to teach.

Passing the buck could come back to bite.

M I A M I - D A D E F A M I LY L I F E

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MIAMI-DADE

Our mission is to enrich family life in Miami-Dade County by offering the highest quality publication and an unparalleled commitment to our readers and our community.

PUBLISHER Lisa Goodlin ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Stacey Jacques EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michelle Liem MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Jhon ASSOCIATE EDITOR Shannon Pease-Severance STAFF WRITER Greg Carannante SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Suzy Miguelez • Sheila Ranson Rick Charnack CREATIVE DIRECTOR Carrie B. Weeks

JUNE 8 - AUGUST 14 | AGES 4 -12 THIS ALL-NEW, ALL-INCLUSIVE PROGRAM FEATURES: - Curated art packages for pick-up or delivery straight to you - Live daily video instruction for step-by-step interactive learning

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THE BASS

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Miami-Dade Family Life is published twelve times per year by Family Life Media Group. It is distributed free of charge throughout Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade Family Life is not responsible for statements made by advertisers or writers. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of information we print, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from omissions or errors. All photography and letters sent to Miami-Dade Family Life will be treated unconditionally, assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is forbidden.

Copyright 2020 by Family Life Media Group.

All rights reserved.

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&more

MIAMI

The perfect storm PANDEMIC PUSHES HURRICANE PREP ONLINE

W

ith the start of hurricane season this month, South Florida families are turning their attention to the tropics.

The Eye of the Storm, a family event usually held in May at the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS), is taking its hurricane education online this year to help South Florida prepare.

Meteorologist Erik Salna, an associate director at FIU’s Extreme Events Institute and International Hurricane Research Center in Miami, is the force behind Eye of the Storm.

He started the event five years ago.

“We live in the hurricane capital of the United States, so who needs to be most prepared?” Salna said. “It has to be a way of life, it has to be a culture of preparedness that kids are brought up with and understand.”

He worked with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to move hurricane preparation information into a family-friendly setting.

“At the science museum, we wanted to bring in this new flair of interactivity and fun. ... It was just a different way to present the content.”

With the pandemic closing museums, Salna now plays host to the Eye of the Storm virtual series. “All the content that you would see and hear at the event here at MODS, now we’re just translating all that content to the series of videos.”

The Eye of the Storm launched June 2. New videos will be posted every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday throughout June on MODS’ YouTube channel (youtube.com/discoveryandscience) and social media outlets (@modsftl).

“Each episode goes through one of the different aspects of hurricane science and hurricane preparedness,” said Joseph P. Cox, president and CEO at MODS. The 12 videos are designed to be educating and entertaining. “In each episode, we meet a partner (such as a NOAA Hurricane Hunter or FIU Wall of Wind researcher), and they talk about what they do. ... There’s a segment in each one called Brainstorm, where the museum education team creates a cool thing that you can do that aligns with what you just learned,” he said, such as making paper airplanes.

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Not everything can be done at home. “One of the highlights of the physical event was launching planks of wood at windows,” Cox said. “With the Brainstorm piece, we actually built an air cannon of our own and put it out in the science park and destroyed a watermelon.”

Cox credits Salna and the museum education team with keeping the message family-friendly. “It’s important, but let’s make it fun so it’s really engaging,” he said.

Salna said each episode introduces an expert who talks about science. “But then we purposefully switch gears on the questions.

How did you get interested in meteorology? What’s your most memorable experience?”

That aspect is something the physical event couldn’t deliver, Cox said. “You can definitely get a lot more insight into the hurricane process,” as well as different STEM careers, he said.

“It’s really well done.”

READY… SET…READ! Library launches summer program

The Miami Public Library has relaunched its summer reading program, rewarding patrons with prizes for reading, learning and trying new things.

The “Imagine Your Story” Online Summer Program runs through July 31, allowing readers to track the books they’ve read in the Beanstack program.

Users earn points by reading, writing book reviews and completing online activities.

Readers in four different categories — 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, Children’s, Teen and Adult -- can earn digital badges and rewards for meeting reading goals and completing digital challenges.

The registration packet and program rewards can be picked up by calling 918-541-2292 to make an appointment.

Teens are eligible for the Page Turners Reading Challenge.

When they read at least five books, log them, and write at least two reviews or complete two craft challenges, they will earn a digital badge and ticket. Earn seven badges to receive a gift card to a local business and be entered to win a free book.

Each week of the Summer Reading Program, the library is also offering GRAB ‘N GO craft kits that can be picked up curbside and completed at home. Call 918-541-2292 to schedule a time to pick up at the library Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of each week.

Visit https://miamipl.okpls.org for more information.

New Exhibit at: Build Your

Kingdom June - August , 2020

PLEASE VISIT CMON.ORG FOR MUSEUM HOURS

15080 Livingston Road, Naples, FL 34109 (239) 514-0084

Advance tickets required. Visit Cmon.org for details.

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&more

MIAMI

A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR INFO AND FUN

VIRTUAL CLASSES

THEATRE DANCE with CHARLIE SUTTON BROADWAY VETERAN

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The Children’s Trust website StayHome.Miami isn’t taking a break during the summer. The site provides a wealth of valuable information for parents and caregivers, including free videos, Zoom workshops to help parents manage stress and learn how to support their children, useful tips, and links to activities for kids.

One program designed with caregivers in mind is the Parent Club.

The Children’s Trust has partnered with local parenting experts and Miami-Dade County Public Schools to deliver relevant information about raising happy and healthy kids. Sessions are divided into two categories – one for caregivers with children up to 12 years old and another for those with teens ages 13 to 16. Normally workshops take place in person, but these days, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, workshops have gone virtual. Participation is free on Zoom, and topics include Positive Parenting, Raising Resilient Children, The Building Blocks of Child Development, and more. A complete schedule, which runs the gamut of times and dates, can be found on the website along with a registration link.

There’s lots of fun stuff for the little ones on the website, too. Free resources for kids include read-aloud e-books, downloadable coloring books and more. Coach-led soccer videos encourage exercise and teach basic skills kids can practice at home, while a crafting category gives stepby-step instructions on how to make your own Origami creations like a baby shark. You can always have fun folding up sharks with the little ones and then leave them by the sink to encourage hand washing to the Baby Shark song. The website has a video for that too! To explore on your own, visit stayhome.miami or www.thechildrenstrust.org.

Unique county park reopens its doors Miami-Dade County is welcoming visitors to the Preston B. Bird/Mary Heinlein Fruit & Spice Park in the Redlands with a discounted admission of $5 for adults (under 12 are free) and a special weekend tour.

The Fruit & Spice Park is the only tropical botanical garden of its kind in the United States, according to the parks department. The tropical climate of the 37-acre facility hosts over 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and nuts, and other commercially important plant specimens from around the world.

The park offers “Around the World in an Acre,� an easy walking tour starting at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays near the normal tram departure spot. The area includes plants from a large variety of places within a relatively small distance.

Several events at the park, including the Summer Fruit Festival and Mango Mania, have been canceled but the annual Blues and BBQ Festival has been tentatively rescheduled for the fall.

Visit redlandfruitandspice.com for more information.

Deering Estate 16701 SW 72 Avenue Miami, FL 33157

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LESSONS from

QUARANTINE

BY JENNIFER JHON

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With the reopening of South Florida, I find I’m going to miss some aspects of the shutdown. The open road, while it led to nowhere, isn’t mine anymore, and I can no longer ignore all the mirrors in my house on the premise that “No one is going to see what I look like anyway.”

As we consider venturing outside the home, here are 10 lessons I’ve learned while trapped inside it.

I have far too many clothes.

Really. Even when I WAS leaving the house, I didn’t need all these clothes.

Now that I’m NOT leaving, my wardrobe has shrunk to: • 4 pairs of comfy pajamas • 2 sundresses • 1 pair of capris • 3 pairs of shorts • 5 T-shirts • 1 bra (for very special occasions only) I’ve put on jeans only once since schools shuttered. I used to live in jeans. I have 12 pairs in my closet. It’s a good thing I don’t need them anymore, because none of them fit anyway.

I’m way more antisocial than I thought I was.

Yes, I’m going crazy being stuck in the house, but it’s not because I miss people. I miss places.

I want to go to the beach, go camping, ride a roller coaster. But I am going to miss being in an empty store, driving on an empty interstate and being the only person in line at the Costco gas station.

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I loathe exercise.

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The only thing that made exercise fun before was doing it with friends. My kids hate exercise as much as I do. I can talk them into going on a bike ride with me, but after about 10 minutes, I inevitably regret it, because they WANT TO GO HOME. And forget about walking.

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Makeup is overrated.

I wasn’t too much into makeup before this whole thing started, but I did love my Lipsense lipsticks.

Now that I’ll be covering my mouth in public for the rest of 2020 and beyond, the only thing I’ll need to worry about replacing is my mascara.

Even my sunscreen use is down, because with a hat over my un-cut hair and a mask on my face, only my neck is exposed to the sun’s rays.

Adults need adult time.

DIY haircuts aren’t worth it.

I actually learned this lesson before the quarantine, thanks to a sound scolding by my son’s barber and a pinky promise to “never try this at home again.” The promise of a repeat humiliation has kept me from reaching for the scissors. I keep telling myself he looks good with long hair anyway.

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Some people aren’t made for cooking.

Even with all this time at home, I have not embraced the chef life. I would love to eat all the delicious meals I see posted on my friends’ Facebook feeds, but I have no interest in learning how to make them myself. The only food picture I posted during the quarantine was a steak meal, because I do like to grill. But the rest of the time, I simply salivated over Instagram-worthy meals and whined to my sister (who is an excellent cook) about how I need her to be stuck at my house instead of hers.

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Sunshine really is nature’s vitamin.

I don’t mind the rain nearly as much as some of my friends do, especially when it is watering my mango tree. But spending time outside in the sun, even for just a few minutes, can bring me zen unlike any other. My inflatable wading pool has been probably the best $20 I’ve ever spent, because it allows me to stretch out in the sun, close my eyes and imagine myself on a tropical beach instead of stuck in the same yard I’ve been confined to for the past three months.

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This was another lesson I learned before, but had forgotten.

Nowadays, I find myself flashing back to the times I spent home with my newborn babies, and how isolated I felt when I didn’t spend time with other people my age, or at least over the age of 18. I literally just had my daughter ask me the same question (“What time is lunch?”) four times, and get angry when my answer didn’t change. She finally asked me, “What time on a digital clock?”

(12, colon, 00) THIS is why I need adults in my life.

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Nothing matches meeting IRL.

While video calls are great for seeing family and friends who live far away, I find video chats make me miss my friends more when I’m used to seeing them every day or every week. I got to do a socially-distanced meet-up with two close friends last week, and it was incredible how much better I felt after spending time with them in person, even though we sat 8-10 feet away from each other. We couldn’t hug or even elbow bump, but having a live conversation made all the difference.

My family is more flexible than I thought.

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Home schooling was tough, and being away from friends is discouraging, but if you had told me four months ago that the kids and I could survive being stuck at home together for longer than 48 hours -- and that we could even be happy about it -- I would have called you crazy. We have had our moments. All three of us have completely lost it a time or two. But it isn’t anything some deep breathing and some time out can’t fix.

Two months ago, when there seemed no end in sight, I didn’t feel this way. I felt like a complete failure, because when other families posted about loving to spend time together, all I could think about was how much I wanted time apart. But we’ve finally found a balance. And I’m not going to let that lesson go.

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summer

SAFETY Keeping kids out of harm’s way

BY JENNIFER JHON

S

ummer in South Florida means long days of freedom for students without any school assignments to keep them sitting at their computers.

And as pools and parks reopen across South Florida, the chance for fun in the sun lures many outdoors.

But parents need to recognize the hazards particular to summer and take steps to keep their kids safe.

With so much water in South Florida in backyard and community swimming pools, canals, lakes and beaches, water safety is paramount.

“Drowning prevention is one of our top initiatives,” said Tongelia Milton, the executive director of communications for the YMCA of South Florida. “We do a lot of work around that.”

According to the YMCA’s Water Safety Month website, Florida leads the nation with the most child drownings of all ages under 18 by more than double the next closest state. About 80 percent of those drownings involved children under the age of 5 who were out of sight or missing for less than five minutes.

The www.Floridahealth.gov website states that annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown before their fifth birthday.

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The problem has only gotten worse with the shutdown that closed schools and forced many parents to work from home.

“So far in 2020 [as of May 15], there have been 22 fatal drownings, all under age 6, in the state,” Milton said.

In that time, there were 8 drownings and near-drownings in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, she said. “In any given year, we will have anywhere from 8 to 15. Given that there were that many in the first five months of the year, that’s significant.”

May was National Water Safety Month, and the YMCA used that month to highlight the Water Watcher program.

The program promotes constant, active adult supervision to prevent drownings.

“There needs to be a designated person, especially when there are gatherings,” Milton said. “If everyone is watching the kids, no one is watching the kids.”

Especially in larger groups, she said, “make sure there is a designated person responsible for watching the kids, and they’re not distracted on their cell phone.”

Above all, the Water Watcher needs to be diligent about paying attention to the kids and what’s happening with them.

Adult supervision is only one of three layers of drowning prevention, Milton said. The second is making sure you have proper barriers in place around pools, and alarms on windows and doors in homes.

“A lot of times, you turn your back, and you don’t know where [the kids] are.

They’ve gone out a door or something like that.”

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The third layer is swim lessons, Milton said, “making sure your kids know how to swim, or at least know how to turn over and float until they can get to the side of a pool or someone can get to them.”

Parents can learn more about water safety and the YMCA’s free swim lessons for children at https://ymcasouthflorida. org/water-safety-month/.

Bicycle Safety With Florida’s daily dose of sunshine, bicycling is another popular pastime.

And those bike helmets you see cyclists wearing aren’t just for looks — Florida law requires that all cyclists age 16 or younger wear a bike helmet while riding.

The helmet must be properly fitted, must meet the federal safety standard for bicycle helmets, and must be fastened securely on the rider’s head.

Danielle Quinones, a Broward Sheriff’s deputy with the crime prevention unit for the city of Weston, stressed the importance of wearing a properly fitted helmet for protection. “I know I see all the time the kids without the helmets.”

She said she also sees parents riding far behind their children, which puts the kids at risk when they get to intersections in front of their parents. “When they go riding, make sure they have a clear view of their child in front of them,” she said.

Fitting your bike helmet

Parents should also coach their children always to stop at the crosswalk. “Make sure it is clear before entering or making turns,” Quinones said.

Cyclists should follow the same rules as vehicles, she said. “Technically, they have to stop at a red light before making their turn.”

Also like vehicle drivers, bicyclists both young and old need to keep their attention on the road, “not on their cell phones,” Quinones said.

She encouraged families to stick to the sidewalk, however, and not ride in car lanes.

Although the sun sets later in the summer, families still sometimes ride their bikes in the evenings, which involves taking special care.

“If you’re riding at night in the dark, you have to have a light. You need to have bicycle lights front and rear,” she said.

Cyclists riding at night should also wear reflective clothing, she cautioned.

Lights on the wheel spokes, as well as other types of decorations, are fine if it doesn’t impact the bicycle.

More important than bike bling,

however, is bike safety, and the helmets are an important part of that. “That’s a big thing, the proper-fitting helmet,” Quinones said.

Coronavirus Care Besides summer’s usual concerns, such as sunburn and heat stroke, the pandemic presents another issue: How to have fun while social distancing.

Milton encouraged parents to look at modifying activities so their kids can participate safely.

Instead of playing basketball games where they would have contact, for instance, kids can challenge each other to drills they do with their own balls.

If families are considering summer camps, Milton said, “parents should consider looking at the ratios that whatever location they choose has for the kids. They should be looking at what their processes and procedures are for activities.”

At the YMCA, “they’ll still be doing activities and having fun, but there will be no contact with other kids. ... The YMCA will also have temperature checks at drop-off and practice social distancing.”

Follow these tips from the Florida Department of Transportation and www.alerttodayflorida.com for your best helmet fit: • Buy/Fit the Helmet For Now. Buy a helmet that fits your head now, not a helmet to “grow into.”

• Ensure Helmet Comfort. If you buy a helmet that you find comfortable and attractive, you are more likely to wear it. Readjust as necessary to ensure the helmet fits properly each ride.

• Cover Your Forehead. Adjust the helmet fitting based on your helmet first being in the correct position: level on the head and low on your forehead, one or two finger-widths above your eyebrow.

• Adjust Straps Until Snug. Both the side and chin straps need to be snug.

Adjust the slider on both side straps to form a “V” shape under, and slightly in front of, the ears. Lock the slider if possible and then buckle your chin strap.

Tighten the strap until it is snug, so that no more than one or two fingers fit under the strap.

• Avoid Helmet Rocking. Your helmet should not rock forward or backward, or side to side on your head. If your helmet rocks more than an inch, go back and readjust the straps.

• Be a “Roll” Model for Safe Behavior.

Everyone — adult and child — should wear a bicycle helmet each time they ride. Wearing a helmet on every ride can encourage the same smart behavior in others.

• Helmet Certification. Bicycle helmets sold in the U.S. must meet the standards issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Look for the certification label inside the helmet.

• Replace a Helmet. Replace your helmet when it has been in a crash; damage is not always visible.

• Helmet Laws. More children ages 5-14 go to emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries than with any other sport; many are head injuries. Like car crashes, bicycle crashes can happen at any time, involving not only children, but adults, many of whom are skilled riders. Helmets are the single most effective piece of safety equipment for riders of all ages.

For more information on bicycle safety, visit www.AlertTodayFlorida.com.

Dad

Doting on From making homemade cards to gifting tacky ties, there are plenty of things you can do to express your love for Dad.

Spending time together tops our list.

Here are some ways to celebrate with your patriarch this year.

Explore the Outdoors

DINOSAURS LIVE! AT ZOO MIAMI Bring Dad for a zoo-wide Jurassic adventure with more than 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs on the grounds. Included with Zoo admission.

Space is limited. Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152 St., Miami, 305-251-0400 www.zoomiami.org BUTTERFLIES WITH POP Take time to relax and experience the beauty of butterflies with Dad on his special day. Butterfly World is home to thousands of live butterflies and hundreds of birds. Butterfly World, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek, 954-977-4400, www.butterflyworld.com DRIVE-IN WITH DAD Typically an indoor entertainment destination, Dezerland Park in Miami has recently added a unique approach to fun by offering an outdoor drive-in theater with family-friendly weekend flicks and onsite concessions delivered to your car. The venue is located at 14401 NE 19 Ave., North Miami. For a schedule of movies and times, visit www.dezerlandpark.com.

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GO GOLFING Learn some new skills or brush up on the ones you have by hitting the golf course with the family. All of the Miami-Dade County-operated golf courses have reopened, except for Briar Bay, which is under construction.

Options in the park system include four 18-hole golf courses, two 9-hole golf courses and one mini golf course. Reservations can be made online at www.miamidade.gov.

FUN AT FLAMINGO GARDENS Spend some together time venturing through the beautiful botanical gardens and viewing native wildlife including alligators, bear, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacocks, and of course, flamingos. Visitors are required to purchase an online ticket for a specific time slot in advance. Flamingo Gardens, 3750 S. Flamingo Rd., Davie, 954-473-2955, www.flamingogardens.org

Fishing Fun

FIND YOUR FAVORITE WATERWAY You don’t need an organized fishing trip in order to cast a line. Pack a picnic and head to your favorite fishing spot – ocean, island or inlet – for a relaxing afternoon with dad. If you are seeking a spot, Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables has a unique man-made atoll on Biscayne Bay, popular with the fishing crowd.

Get Crafty

ORIGAMI PAPER CRANE Paper cranes are said to bring good fortune. You can either learn to fold them up with Dad, or surprise him by making a bunch and then hanging them around the house. The Miami-Dade Library System has a video tutorial posted at https://youtu.be/pVgsQKWrX0o.

SPA-TASTIC SCIENCE Have an at-home spa day with Dad by making your own products including a face scrub, beard balm, hair conditioner and toothpaste. This virtual program is for all ages and takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. The cost is $5 per person. Participants will receive a Ring Central Virtual Classroom invitation upon registration at www.yeafrog.org/virtual-interactive-programs.

With the launch of Zoocademy with Ron we’re now offering animal videos and

Magill,

educational activities that families can enjoy from the comfort of their living room!

Visit ZooMiami.org/Zoocademy toda y!

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grad

CON

ULATIONS!

HATS OFF TO THE CLASS OF 2020

BY SHANNON PEASE-SEVERANCE

T

hey came, and they conquered. And now, graduating seniors from Miami-Dade County and beyond will move forward and make their mark on the world.

Whether they choose to continue on to college, attend a technical school, join the armed forces or head straight into the workforce, their hindsight will be 2020 – an unprecedented year to one day look back on, learn from, and prepare them for the road ahead. And although they were unable to cap off their high school days with traditional pomp and circumstance, they did so with style and grace, and could very well be remembered as one of the most resilient and resourceful groups of grads in history.

COMMENCEMENT CELEBRATIONS This year, in lieu of graduation ceremonies, high school seniors marked milestones with virtual commencements, car processionals and other contact-free festivities. On June 20th, seniors from Christopher Columbus High School, an all-male Catholic School in Miami, will cross the finish line at Miami Speedway. The unconventional, yet profoundly creative ceremony, allows each student (with their family in the vehicle) an opportunity to cruise through and collect their diploma through a passenger-side window after their name is announced. The morning will also include speeches, speakers and a chance for graduates to take a victory lap around the racetrack. No spectators will be allowed in the stands.

KUDOS TO THE CLASS Cities and celebrities are also commending grads in creative ways.

The Village of Palmetto Bay organized a local “Honk for Seniors” Car Caravan, and posted a special online shoutout to graduates with a Slideshow Salute featuring seniors from a variety of schools.

You can watch the video at www.facebook.com/80499470744/ videos/547287869273084/. A host of celebrities including Will Smith, Camila Cabello and Dwayne Wade also sent congratulations to MDCPS grads virtually through a video compilation that can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/K37OUlomqUk.

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LAUDING THE LEADERS Educators and administrators who work tirelessly to help shape the minds and lives of students were also recognized recently. In a virtual ceremony, Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Rafael Villalobos was named 2020 Principal of the Year and Lamar Johnson was named 2020 Assistant Principal of the Year in an annual event sponsored by the Dade Association of School Administrators (DASA).

Villalobos, leader of John A. Ferguson Senior High, has worked throughout the school system for more than 20 years.

A Miami-Dade County Public Schools press release stated: “Villalobos’ love and passion has resonated in every school he has led. His leadership has yielded major impacts, as evidenced by substantial increases in graduation rates, academic performance, and in the pioneering of innovative educational programs.”

Johnson, an assistant principal at Jesse J. McCrary, Jr. Elementary, began his career in 2008 as a Miami Teaching Fellow.

In addition to accolades, both administrators, as well as the runners-up (Leon Maycock, principal of Miami Edison Senior High School, and Celethia Passmore-Mack, assistant principal of Dr. Manuel C. Barreiro Elementary), will receive prizes.

head of the class 2020

AMERICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL

Plantation: 12200 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation • 954-472-0022 - Boca/Delray: 6200 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach • 561-495-7272 www.ahschool.com

P L A N TAT I O N C A M P U S

Arnav Kumar

Carol Jiang

WEIGHTED GPA: 6.10 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: U.S. Presidential Scholar

WEIGHTED GPA: 6.05 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: U.S. Presidential Scholar

Semifinalist, National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Physics Bowl, Special Olympics Volunteer, Bassoonist – Florida Youth Orchestra ACCEPTED TO: Princeton, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon WILL ATTEND: Princeton University

Semifinalist, National Merit Finalist AIME qualifier, Mu Alpha Theta, Cleveland Clinic Arts and Medicine Award, Pianist/ Violinist-FFMC, Principal Associate Concert Master-FYO ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

B O C A / D E L R AY C A M P U S

Anish Ravichandran

Smit Viroja

Sophia Zheng

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.9 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.9 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.87 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist, Founder-American Mathematics Competition Preparatory Class, Mu Alpha Theta, 1st Place-Sigma Xi National Science Research, Violinist-FFMC State Convention Nominee ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist, National AP Scholar, Founder-OrangeMath Tutoring, President-Mu Alpha Theta, President-Chess Team (U.S. Top 5) Neuroscience & World Quest Teams ACCEPTED TO: Rice University, University of Southern California WILL ATTEND: Rice University

National Awards-Mu Alpha Theta, State Winner-Scientific Research, 3rd Place Pianist-American Protégé Romantic Music Competition at Carnegie Hall, Co-Organizer– TEDxYouth@AHSDelray ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vanderbilt University WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

June 2020 | M I A M I - D A D E F A M I LY L I F E

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FAMILY fun

Put your mouse in drive TAKE YOUR FAMILY ON A VIRTUAL SUMMER VACATION

BY SHANNON PEASE-SEVERANCE

Y

ou don’t have to fill up the gas tank or pack a bag for this excursion, AND you won’t have to hear “Are we there yet?” even once.

Just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

DESTINATION 1: THE FLORIDA KEYS Dive into an online adventure that starts at the southernmost tip of the Sunshine State – the Florida Keys. We begin with a trip to the Dry Tortugas.

Located on a cluster of islands at the far tip of the Florida Keys, this National Park

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is home to historic Fort Jefferson, a 19thcentury fort made of more than 16 million bricks, surrounded by crystal clear water with a diverse ecosystem. The park is slowly increasing recreational access, but you can go to artsandculture.withgoogle. com/dry-tortugas any time to visually explore the fort or dive down deep to a shipwreck.

DESTINATION 2: MIAMI Dry off and buckle up: We’re heading to Miami! Known for its beautiful beaches,

| miamidadefamilylife.com

art deco style and rich culture, Miami has a lot to offer. You can now venture out as beaches and businesses begin to bustle once again, or stay home and take a virtual tour of one of the area’s top spots. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is a vision that never grows old. The 1916 waterfront estate on Biscayne Bay is a stunning National Historic Landmark with 32 ornately decorated rooms and 10 acres of sprawling gardens.

Take the family on a virtual tour of the

home — which includes a “walk” around the rarely seen swimming pool grotto — while learning more about local history at www.vizcaya.org. The website also includes Zoom backdrops, behind-thescenes videos, zenscapes and more.

Although the Main House portion of the estate remains closed temporarily, the outdoor gardens are now open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday through Monday. Those who are looking for more outside time and less screen time can opt to stroll around the lush gardens for a discounted fee.

Detour – A dozen miles south of Vizcaya on U.S. 1 is the Deering Estate, a 444-acre preserve and historic site.

Select portions of the main house and the outdoor gardens are now open to the public, but its normally scheduled tours have moved online, giving virtual visitors access to a wealth of information.

Through the Virtual Field Trips link, viewers can learn how to wade out into the seagrass beds of Biscayne Bay to explore the aquatic life, observe a dissection to learn about the unique characteristics of various marine animals,

and explore Deering’s natural areas to find plants that have been used by past civilizations. Visit www.deeringestate.org for more information.

DESTINATION 3: THE EVERGLADES Now we follow the River of Grass to Broward County. The Everglades is truly an ecological gem of South Florida.

It’s a place to get in touch with nature, see alligators or speed across the wetlands in an airboat. Everglades Holiday Park, a West Broward locale and home to the television series Gator Boys, recently reopened for real-life adventure, but you can also take the family on a virtual airboat ride from the comfort of the couch at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1T9wcGO-Pc8. Visit www.evergladesholidaypark.com or Facebook @EvergladesHolidayPark to learn more.

DESTINATION 4: DISNEY WORLD For our final day of virtual vacay, we head to the happiest place on Earth!

Disney World’s theme parks have not reopened just yet, but the family can still have a magical time online. Beat the heat and avoid the lines with a virtual

tour of Walt Disney World Resort.

Go to www.visitorlando.com/en/thingsto-do/virtual-tours/walt-disney-worldresort and use your mouse-power (your actual computer mouse, that is) to guide yourself down Magic Kingdom’s bustling Main Street toward Cinderella’s castle for a 360-degree tour or take a wild ride on Big Thunder Mountain at https:// disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/04/ disneymagicmoments-take-a-wild-virtualride-on-big-thunder-mountain-railroadat-walt-disney-world-resort/.

Travel Tip: Our summer plans may not have turned out exactly how we envisioned them, but there is always something new to explore. As Walt Disney once said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

Shannon Pease-Severance is a writer and Miami-Dade Family Life’s associate editor.

Already this summer, she and her family have traveled to Japan, Bora Bora and Spain – virtually, that is.

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CONNECT and SHARE with other SOUTH FLORIDA PARENTS • Family Fun • School News • Parenting Advice • Kid Cooking Tips • Online Resources and more!

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@ SFLFamilyLife to stay informed

Growing Beyond Earth

Summer Experience

Do you want to help Fairchild and NASA feed our astronauts?

Join us this summer to grow vegetables in the same type of garden the astronauts use on the International Space Station!

Six-week virtual summer experience. Great for all ages!

Your mission begins June 29 Learn more at fairchildgarden.org/spacefarmer

June 2020 | M I A M I - D A D E F A M I LY L I F E

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SPECIAL needs

A lesson in learning PARENTS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE WHEN SCHOOLS CLOSED THEIR DOORS

BY JENNIFER JHON

T

he recent shift in South Florida to schooling at home was a struggle for many families, but it posed a particular challenge for students with special needs.

Students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) receive allowances in school to accommodate their learning challenges.

Some receive academic instruction or specialized therapy in a small group, others have teacher’s aides in the classroom.

Many have altered assignments, accommodations for movement and more.

The sudden switch to a home environment may have removed some of those supports, but it allowed parents to take a much greater role in their children’s education.

Mandy Crespo, a mother of two in Miramar, had a son with special needs in fourth grade when distance learning went into effect.

“Before the pandemic, he was always behind in class, there was never enough time in the school day for him,” Crespo said.

“He was actually begging for something to help him to focus.”

Her son is in a mainstream fourth-grade class, which means

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he switched between two teachers for his classes. “He had trouble transitioning and keeping up. ... He would constantly forget his books, his binders, his agenda book with what he was supposed to do at home, and it was super frustrating for both him and my husband and I.” An IEP added accommodations for his classwork and homework, Crespo said, but he still was having trouble.

Then distance learning began, which gave him flexible time to finish work throughout the day. His teachers made it clear what to turn in on Friday, and he finished it on time with very little, if any, parental help, she said.

Not only are her son’s grades better, she said, but he is more confident and is not anxious anymore. He would wake up and cook breakfast without worrying if he would be at school on time, she said. “He is calmer now.”

Despite their success, Crespo said they plan to send their son back to school for fifth grade, if possible, because he plans to have a role on his school’s morning announcements, and he wants to experience the many fifth-grade milestones.

For middle school and high school, however, she thinks virtual schooling might be best.

“The one good thing this pandemic showed me is that he is capable of and does better in this type of environment. Although he could do middle school with six different teachers, I don’t think that will be the best for him.”

Fabiola Pepe, the mother of a seventh-grader in Coral Springs, liked seeing first-hand during the shutdown what her daughter struggles with and how much help she needs, but she said the negatives of schooling at home outweighed the positives.

Her daughter has an IEP for a learning disability, and before the schools closed, she was really starting to do well. “She had opportunities to get help. They offered once-a-week instruction for smaller groups,” Pepe said. “Now due to the quarantine, I feel my daughter lost every opportunity to excel in the seventh grade.”

After two weeks of schooling at home, her daughter’s IEP teacher reached out to Pepe. “She, of course, was helpful and let us know their services were open when we needed it.”

But it wasn’t enough, she said. “The first couple of assignments were difficult, as there were no clear instructions. ... Her reading teacher was the most helpful. (But) her math teacher would only send links to Khan Academy for help, and that’s it! For a typical learner, this was probably OK. However, for someone like my daughter, it was super confusing.”

Pepe said she feels her daughter was one of many struggling to adjust. In her classes, she received only an assignment and a day and time to complete it, with no real teaching.

“You’re not learning anything by doing this. Children with learning disabilities will most certainly struggle further.

I feel, at least for this group, some sort of video instruction would’ve helped.”

Pepe said if schools resume distance learning in the fall, she hopes the system will work differently. “I hope that at least the government would provide some assistance with getting the kind of virtual education that these kids deserve.”

Johanna Ward, an ESE teacher at Silver Ridge Elementary, said one of the challenges of schooling from home, especially for students with special needs, is that everyone is different.

“We all learn differently, and if someone has a disability, then it is something else [to deal with] as well,” she said. “It adds up.”

Teaching such students means being flexible, Ward said.

“It is taking the time to observe, and trying different strategies, and seeing what works best with the child.”

Closing school campuses, for her, meant learning all the programs available online. “It took a little bit for me to learn and navigate that,” she said.

Although she was encouraged not to do live video with students, she said, “I still ended up doing it because if I have them do it on their own, I don’t know what they’re doing and how.”

Because she teaches in a smaller, special-needs classroom, she did one-on-one video. “It just took some time,” she said.

During the summer, Ward said, she’s going to continue researching distance-learning options. “I’m trying different things to prepare for August, other ways to be able to do it.

It’s not that easy for our students.”

Jennifer Jhon is Miami-Dade Family Life’s managing editor who still has a lot to learn as a home-school teacher.

Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed with autism

Lack of speech is a sign of autism. Learn the others at autismspeaks.org/signs.

June 2020 | M I A M I - D A D E F A M I LY L I F E

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WORDS of wisdom

‘Ask your mother’ PASSING THE BUCK COULD COME BACK TO BITE YOU

BY RICK EPSTEIN Here’s my Father’s Day gift to new dads: A warning about the phrase “Ask your mother.”

It starts rolling out of the paternal mouth once kids are about 3 years old, and it can be habit-forming.

It’s 4:30 p.m. on a Friday, and I’m in the office bravely crawling toward the finish line. My 20-something staffers are planning their Friday-night festivities, and for that, they need no input from me.

But there is one person whose plans for a wild weekend involve me, and it’s not my wife. I feel a vibration, and for a moment I wonder if I’m wetting my pants. No, it’s my phone. My 14-year-old daughter, Wendy, says, “Hi Dad, can Kourtney, Bree, Heather and Morgan sleep over tonight?”

This is the time to say, “yes ... on one condition,” and then name something that will advance the cause of righteousness.

But nothing comes to mind. Like I said, it’s been a long week.

So on the off-chance my lovely wife, Betsy, will do better, I say, “Ask your mother.” Besides, it would be unfair to approve the mayhem that will cause Betsy to spring angrily out of bed every couple hours to tell the revelers to quit shrieking, or come back inside the house, or put the furniture back where it was.

My wife is also at work. She is about to hear that half the cheerleaders in town are coming over for an all-night pep rally and that “It’s OK with Dad if it’s OK with you.”

If I were on my game, I would speed-dial Betsy and give her a heads-up so she can be ready. “Unity of command” is a basic military principle, and it’s even more crucial in parenting.

When Betsy and I are both at home, we confer privately and present our rulings with a united front. But at work, we are not only divided, but tired or sometimes distracted by actual work.

Then Wendy can knock us off one at a time.

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Obviously, I’m willing to pass the buck, but I’d like to pass it with nuanced precision.

How about this: As Betsy leaves for work, I hand her a sealed envelope containing the secret codes for the day.

She hides it in her purse.

At 4:59 p.m., Wendy calls her and says, “Mom, can I have a sleep-over?”

“Did you ask Dad?” asks Betsy, ripping open the envelope.

“Yes,” says Wendy. “He said to tell you: ‘The poodle is blue.’”

Betsy scans the code sheet. Down the left side are spy-type phrases, such as “Does this train go to Munich?” paired with precise messages, such as “I’ve just said no 100 times; it’s your turn.” Other messages include, “It really IS alright with me,” and “I WANT to say no, but can’t think of a good reason; can you?”

Ah, here it is: “The poodle is blue.” Today it means: “I might not come home tonight.”

But this is whimsy. I have nowhere else to go.

I don’t hear anything more until I’ve staggered up the front steps and fallen onto the couch, barely missing Betsy, who is already basking in the glow of the TV. She says, “The girls will be arriving any minute, so you and Wendy better go out and pick up pizzas for dinner and some ice cream. You can’t expect your party to throw itself.” Apparently Wendy has exaggerated my lack of opposition into eager co-sponsorship.

“OK,” I say.

Wendy chimes in: “Dad, can we get M&Ms, too? They’re good on ice cream, plus we like to throw them at each other.”

“No!” I said. Sometimes a man has to take a stand.

Rick Epstein is a freelance writer and author of Rookie Dad and The Right Number of Kids. His code phrase for the day is “I’d like sardines on that pizza.”

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1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132 | 305-434-9600 | frostscience.org The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. This project is supported by the Building Better Communities Bond Program and the City of Miami. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. Frost Science is an accessible facility. All contents ŠPhillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. All rights reserved.