New York Family September 2014

DAYCARE RE-IMAGINED

LIVING LOCAL HISTORY SEPTEMBER 2014

established 1986

SEPTEMBER 2014

M RNING

GLORY WWW.NEWYORKFAMILY.COM

CBS This Morning’s Norah O’Donnell On Reporting The News Raising Three Kids

NOMINATE A

PARENT

HERO page 12

&

TOTS TO TWEENS

BEST KIDS’ CLASSES

IN THE CITY

BACK-TO-SCHOOL

CHECKLIST:

FASHION FOOTWEAR HAIR CARE SCHOOL SUPPLIES ADMISSIONS

NEW YORK FAMILY

101 COVER_0914.indd 1

8/20/14 5:49 PM

LUNA_0914NYF_SPREAD.indd 1

8/20/14 4:36 PM

LUNA_0914NYF_SPREAD.indd 2

8/20/14 4:37 PM

LESTERS_0914NYF_SPREAD.indd 1

8/20/14 11:14 AM

CLOTHING • SHOES • ACCESSORIES 1534 2nd Ave @ 80th Street Manhattan

LESTERS_0914NYF_SPREAD.indd 2

Other Locations: Brooklyn • Greenvale • Rye Brook

8/20/14 11:15 AM

EBLCoaching_0914.indd 1

8/20/14 11:18 AM

DWIGHT_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:19 AM

contents pg. 14

SEPTEMBER newyorkfamily.com

pg.80

pg.54

pg. 61

FEATURES 54 | Anchor Mom “CBS This Morning” co-host Norah O’Donnell reports live on journalism, early-rising, and being a mom-of-three 61 | Class-ic Favorites Our annual guide to fall classes—for kids of all ages, from tots to tweens—is proof that there’s tons of fun & learning to be had outside the classroom 80 | Supply & Demand Set your students up for success with a guide to savvy school supplies from New York Family and KidzVuz 85 | Gaining Admission As private school and nursery school applications come due, here’s what to think about 90 | The Craft Of Teaching The case for making teacher education the priority for improving America’s schools

pg. 96

18 | National Treasure Explore the rich history of the Roosevelts with documentarian (and dad) Ken Burns’ local picks

COLUMNS 10 | Editor’s Note A song for a new season 12 | Events & Offers Admissions trends and advice for back-to-school, Blackboard Awards for Schools and Principals nominations, and parent hero nominations 20 | It’s My Party Birthdays at Make Meaning, Sports Club/LA, and Temple Israel with Simply Sports 22 | Scoop Do-gooder diaper bags, the ultimate shopping app for parents, a cool new school downtown, and more

FAMILY FUN GUIDE

24 | Lysst Send your students back to school in fine fashion with our style syllabus for fall

14 | 10 Great Events For September Puppetworks does Hans Christian Andersen, the 5th Annual World Maker Faire, the inaugural Central Park Horse Show, and more

28 | Treats Hit your stride with our fab fall footwear picks for kids

6

New York Family | September 2014

TOC_0914.indd 6

33 | Starting Out With a focus on early learning and child development, Explore+Discover plans to be a daycare center like no other 37 | Parent In Profile As she celebrates 20 years of her eponymous kids’ salons, Cozy Friedman takes her brand to the next level with her new and improved line of signature hair care products 40 | Special Place At the popular Kids at Art, children learn the joys and challenges of creativity and other life lessons 44 | A Good Idea York Avenue Preschool doubles down on their educational offerings 48 | Education Many parents—locally and globally— turn to The School Choice Group to help find the right educational setting for their child 96 | The Last Word When his young space-obsessed son expresses concern about the future of our galaxy, the author wonders what, if anything, to do about it Cover Photo by Sarah Merians Photography.

Location: “CBS This Morning” Studio.

On Norah O’Donnell: LK Bennett dress.

Backpacks: (left to right, above) Flavia Carvalho for Adelaide New York in Polka Fuchsia, Kipling Ravier Backpack in Breezy Turquoise, Kipling Seoul Print Backpack in Circles and Stripes. www.newyorkfamily.com

8/22/14 12:51 PM

DASHA_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:26 AM

SEPTEMBER 2014 EDITOR AND CO-PUBLISHER Eric Messinger

fall term

abc’s of jazz sept 23–nov 16

emessinger@ manhattanmedia.com SENIOR EDITOR Mia Weber mweber@ manhattanmedia.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Vespoli lvespoli @ manhattanmedia.com ART DIRECTOR Holly Morrison hmorrison@manhattanmedia.com ADVERTISING DESIGNER Rachael Tucker rtucker@manhattanmedia.com

interactive jazz classes for kids and adults

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Heidi Green, Karen Haberberg, Michael Jurick, Sarah Merians, Andrew Schwartz, Ali Smith

new this term: sibling classes! now siblings can sing, dance, and play together at webop.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leah Black, Nicole Goldstein, Jaime Rochelle Herndon, Tiffany Lu, Gavriella Mahpour, Emily Murphy, Rachel Simons PUBLISHER John Hurley FOR INFORMATION ON THE BABY SHOW 212.268.3086, jhurley@ manhattanmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Mary Ann Oklesson maoklesson @ manhattanmedia.com SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR Alex Schweitzer aschweitzer@ manhattanmedia.com SALES ASSISTANT Erik Bliss ebliss@ manhattanmedia.com CIRCULATION Aaron Pollard apollard @ manhattanmedia.com ACCOUNTS MANAGER Kathy Pollyea kpollyea @ manhattanmedia.com

Manhattan Media CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Richard Burns EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Hilary Vartanian GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS Shawn Scott

PHOTO BY LAWRENCE SUMULONG

ASSISTANT TO THE CHAIRMAN Clara Quiroga

8

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL Dennis Rodriguez

enroll today • 212-258-9922 • ages 8 months to 5 years

Official Media Partner

jazz.org/webop

New York Family | September 2014

MASTHEAD_0914.indd 8

New York Family is a division of Manhattan Media, publishers of AVENUE magazine, and The Blackboard Awards.

© 2014 Manhattan Media, LLC | 72 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10016 | t: 212.268.8600 | f: 212.268.0577 www.manhattanmedia.com

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 5:56 PM

GLENWOOD_0514NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:27 AM

Photo by Sarah Merians Photography

editor’s note

A SONG FOR A

NEW SEASON It’s mid-August and I’m writing this letter after returning home from the Berkshires with my two children, Elena and Adam, ages 14 and 10, who were at sleepaway camp for seven weeks. I’m at once over-tired and overjoyed. I’m so happy to see them, I’m behaving like the dad I always want to be but rarely am: Patient, doting, hopeful, and quicker to empathize than to complain. And as if this recent family reunion weren’t enough of an emotional supercharge, I also recently met a woman who told me that, a year ago, she expected to never see, hear, or walk again. I shared a table with her and her husband at an informal cabaret at the Seven Hills Inn in Lennox, MA, near my kids’ sleepaway camp. She felt very blessed just to be there listening to classics from the American Songbook which (like myself) she loves. And the rest of us in the room—including the performers—felt very blessed to share this time with her.

I have my occasional swells of idealism and then, like most people, I revert to form. Still, I think it’s just fine to be writing this note through the clarifying lens of someone who feels a bit more conscious of his mortality than he usually does. It makes

Our editorial and art team on set at CBS with Norah O’Donnell.

me wonder, what do I want to do as a parent, a husband, and an editor that I’m not already doing?

Or what can I be doing better?

September is a busy month for parents as they help their children transition into the routines of fall, and this issue tries to help with a whopping guide to enrichment and activity classes for children of all ages, lots of back-to-school stories, and a trove of good ideas for family fun. But I hope you’ll rummage through this with a very selective eye. I worry that, as a parenting generation, we spend too much time trying to improve our children and not enough just enjoying them. There, I said it.

Have a happy September, Eric Messinger Editor, emessinger@manhattanmedia.com

Fall Classes Begin September 8th Sign up TODAY for a class in Gymnastics, Sports or Early Preschool Enrichment Register by September 6th and SAVE $50 per Class!

Join us on Facebook

Call us today at 212.737.2989 or visit us at www.74magic.com Under the red canopy at 510 East 74th Street 10

New York Family | September 2014

EDNOTE_0914.indd 10

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 5:56 PM

What will your child Explore+Discover today?

Give your child the E+D advantage.

Discover your new home for the finest in early education and daycare for infants and toddlers.

Discover the E+D Difference: • Early education for infants & toddlers • Daycare services like no other • Highly trained early education staff • Eight age-appropriate classrooms • Three dedicated teachers for each class • Arts-oriented curriculum • Private outdoor play area • Daily exposure to art, literature, music and natural materials • Flexible weekly and daily scheduling

Don’t miss out.

Space is limited.

Center opens September 8 444 Second Avenue (at 26th Street)

To register for a tour or to learn more about Explore+Discover, contact us at: info@explorediscover.net or 212.867.3386 explorediscover.net EXPLORE_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:28 AM

events & offers TELL US ABOUT AN

AMAZING PARENT HERO

We all know them, and can’t thank them enough. They are the parent-volunteers who go above and beyond to help our children’s schools, sports teams, community groups, religious organizations, culture centers, parks, and charities. They are the everyday parent-heroes who make life a little better—and in some cases, a lot better—for other parents and children in their orbits. Please take a minute to tell us about a parent-volunteer whose efforts you admire and appreciate—we’d like to honor a selection of the nominees in a special feature in a future issue of our magazine. To nominate a special parent-volunteer, visit newyorkfamily.com/nominate-parent-hero.

HELP YOUR SCHOOL OR PRINCIPAL

WIN A BLACKBOARD AWARD!

The prestigious Blackboard Awards honor local schools, principals, and teachers of excellence from every educational sector—public, private, charter, and parochial—and from nursery through high school. We’re currently accepting nominations for the Awards for schools and principals. If you love your child’s school or principal, please submit a nomination at blackboardawards.com.

SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTERS The best way to follow New York Family on a daily basis is with for our free weekly e-newsletters at newyorkfamily.com. Covering parent needs from bump to tween, the newsletters include: *New York Family Baby on Tuesdays For new and expectant parents (with children up to toddler age), our Baby newsletter offers a lively mix of pre- and postnatal resources, parenting tips, news, shopping, and personal essays. *Weekly Scoop on Wednesdays For parents with children from toddlers to tweens, the Weekly Scoop is a trove of our best ideas and resources for raising kids and enjoying family life in the city, including tips on classes, parties, shopping, education, family fun, hot topics, and parental musings—not to mention weekly giveaways. *Weekend Planner on Thursdays For parents with children of all ages, our Weekend Planner offers a brief but incredibly handy tip sheet of our favorite family events and activities around town over the weekend.

12

New York Family | September 2014

NYFCONTEST_0914.indd 12

GO BACK-TO-SCHOOL

WITH NYF!

New York Family doesn’t stop covering education and admissions trends once the back-to-school season ends!

Check us out online all year long, at newyorkfamily.com, for the latest news, trends, and advice—including databases of great school listings and interviews with top pros in the industry. Plus, if you’re in need of more BTS shopping lists, we’ll have plenty of gear roundups online all through the fall.

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 5:55 PM

calling All

k ds

Green Ivy Schools

Engaging experiences in language, cooking, dance, robotics, camps and a whole lot more.

Feature programming by: Children’s Museum of the Arts | TADA! | Super Soccer Stars NY International Children’s Film Festival | 8 and Up | Mandarin Seeds Red Carpet Improv | Urban Golf Academy | YoReMi and more!

Green Ivy Green Ivy Enrichment Schools GREEN_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

See the full schedule & registration at GreenIvySchools.com Battery Park City - Battery Park Montessori, 21 South End Avenue Financial District - Pine Street School, 25 Pine Street

8/21/14 12:55 PM

family fun

MUSEUMS

MUSIC

THEATER

ATTRACTIONS

FOOD

10

Great Events for September Clockwise from far left: Wave Hill Honey Weekend, Luna Park, and the World Maker Faire.

By Tiffany Lu

KIDS ON THE BLOCK SEPTEMBER 14 [All Ages] Hit the streets for 92Y’s 19th Annual Street Fest, where kids will love the Kid Central Zone. They can watch performances on the Kids and Family stage, or have fun with activities like arts and crafts, drop-in drawing, or the Tiny Tumblers Toddler Obstacle Course. For kids under five, there will be special activities from 92Y Wonderplay Early Childhood Learning.

Free; 12-5pm. Lexington Avenue (from 79-94th Streets), 212-415-5500, 92y.org HORSING AROUND SEPTEMBER 18-21 [All Ages] Saddle up and get ready for the Central Park Horse Show to make its inaugural debut this fall! This outdoor equestrian sporting event will showcase some of the best show jumpers and riders in

14

New York Family | September 2014

10GREATEVENTS_0914.indd 14

the world at the Trump Rink in Central Park. Daily exhibitions and competitions (including the Rolex Central Park Grand Prix) will feature different breeds and disciplines and a dressage showcase.

Additionally, 50 percent of the matinee tickets will be donated to local children’s groups in order to broaden the exposure of equestrian sport. $30 matinee, $250 evening; Various times, Central Park South at 59th Street and 6th Avenue, 540-687-6341, centralparkhorseshow.com

MEET THE MAKERS SEPTEMBER 20-21 [All Ages] At the 5th Annual World Maker Faire, makers will be sharing everything from robotics to food making to DIY crafting in what has become the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth. Be sure to buy a ticket and drop by to get to know what innovations are shaping the future and the people behind them.

Price varies; 10am to 7pm.

47-01 111th Street, 707-6025552, makerfaire.com

TRICKS AND TREATS SEPTEMBER 20 - OCTOBER 26 [All Ages] With all the excitement and sugar buzz, Halloween seems to come and go too quickly each year. Luckily, Luna Park in Coney Island is hosting their 2nd Annual Halloween Harvest, so kids and fams can dress up and celebrate all season long! Every weekend through the end of October, there will be pumpkin painting, free activities, scavenger hunts, seasonal food, and more.

Free with admission; 12pm to 8pm. 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-373-5862, lunaparknyc.com continued on page 16

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 5:58 PM

PETERCOOPER_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:28 AM

10 GREAT EVENTS

family fun continued from page 14

Clockwise from above left: the 92Y Street Fest, the BBG Chile Pepper Festival, and the Queens County Fair.

MUSEUM MADNESS SEPTEMBER 27 [All Ages] Museums all across the country (including many in NYC—like the Morgan Library and Museum and the Museum of Arts and Design) will be opening their doors for free, in the tradition of Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Institution, for the 10th Museum Day Live!

Each household can download two tickets online for free admission at any participating museum that day.

Free; various times. At participating museums, smithsonianmag.com

CHILE PEPPER FEST SEPTEMBER 27 [All Ages] Brooklyn Botanic Garden is heating things up with the 22nd Chile Pepper Festival. Come for a fiery day of live music and dance, and all kinds of foods utilizing Chile peppers. There will also be a farmer’s market and

16

New York Family | September 2014

10GREATEVENTS_0914.indd 16

tours exploring Chile pepper plantings at the Garden. Join BBG in celebrating both Chile peppers and the cultures that use them.

Free with admission; 11am to 6pm. 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-623-7200, bbg.org

Courtesy of the Queens County Farm Museum

SEPTEMBER 20-21 [All Ages] Take the family out to the 32nd Annual Queens County Fair for a whole day of authentic county fair traditions like a corn maze, pie eating- and corn husking-contests, pig races, hayrides, carnival rides, games, circus entertainment, kids’ crafts, live music, and more!

Children 12 and under $5, Adults $9; 11am to 6pm. 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens, 718-347-3276, queensfarm.org

KIDS 4 KIDS SEPTEMBER 27 [All Ages] Come by the Kids 4 Kids Family Festival at Chelsea Piers for a day of activities, arts and crafts, games, gourmet food, music, meeting celebrities, and more! Hosted by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the event is both a good time and for a good cause: creating a world where no child has AIDS. Price varies; 3pm to 6pm. 62 Chelsea Piers, 202-296-9165, pedaids.org

THE HORT’S 2ND ANNUAL GREEN FAMILY CIRCLE LUNCHEON SEPTEMBER 30 [All Ages] Join the Horticultural Society of New York (the Hort) for their 2nd annual Green Family Circle Luncheon and Lecture. Hosted at Doubles restaurant, this lovely lunch will feature a lecture by Dr. Lawrence Rosen—an internationallyknown pediatrician and the founder of the Whole Child Center—titled “The Healing Power of Nature: A Pediatrician’s Perspective.” While the event will certainly be enjoyed by intellectually

curious parents, kids are welcome to join the fun and indulge in a delicious lunch.

Be sure to register by September 19, as seating is limited. $100, Green Family Circle member, free, 12pm. Doubles, 781 5th Avenue, 212-757-0915, thehort.org HONEY AT THE HILL OCTOBER 4-5 [All Ages] Celebrate bees and their honey at Wave Hill with a weekend of fun and educational activities. There will be bee-centered family art projects, a candle making workshop, honey tastings, a demonstration on extracting honey, and an information station where you can try on real beekeeping gear!

Free with admission; various times. West 249th Street, 718-549-3200, wavehill.org

events

COUNTY FAIR FUN

For more event picks for families, check out our Family Calendar at newyorkfamily.com/events

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 5:59 PM

Newport, a luxurious, resort-like waterfront community located just a 15-minute train ride from Manhattan, has remained a well-kept secret for some time now.

As renters have begun to explore new options with greater value, the secret has become harder to contain!

Unparalleled Residences

Abundant Amenities and Activities

- Starting from $1,800 per month

- Award-winning Newport Green waterfront park

- 11 high-rise rental towers

- Playground with jungle gyms and splash pad

- Dazzling Manhattan views, oversized windows - Spacious, Open layouts with hardwood floors - 24-hour doormen - Parking and laundry facilities

Inspired Urban Lifestyle - 300 acre community, green spaces year round

- Outdoor movie screenings, concerts and festivals - Seasonal ice-skating rink, carousel, onsite fitness center and indoor pool, free Wi-Fi in the park and more!

Transportation Made Easy - 15 minutes to Manhattan by Path train - Holland Tunnel minutes away

- 154-berth marina and yacht club

- Multiple parking garages

- Premier Elementary School

- Bus and Light Rail accessibility

- Steps from Hoboken

Call us today at (888) 823-9617, or visit our leasing office at 100 Town Square, Jersey City, NJ 07310.

newportrentalsnj.com OFFICE HOURS: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 10am - 6pm Thur 10am - 7pm

Sat 10am - 5pm Sun 11am - 5pm

(888) 823-9617 LEFRAK_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:29 AM

Courtesy of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, National Park Service, Oyster Bay, NY

family fun

NATIONAL TREASURE Ken Burns Explores The Rich History Of The Roosevelts At Some Of New York State’s Top Historic Sites

By Anastasia Capatina With the school year just around the corner, there’s no better time to brush up on your history! Before the hectic school-year routines start up again, take a moment to get to know your own backyard with a trip to one of New York’s top historical sites. But don’t take our word for it—take it from award-winning filmmaker and fatherof-four Ken Burns. He recently visited the homes of the Roosevelts while working on his latest project, a sevenpart 14-hour-long series called “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History,” which premieres September 14 on PBS. Back from visiting the homes and favorite respites of the Roosevelts for his film, Burns chatted with us about the best places to feel the ghosts of great historical figures, relax with the family, and have some good oldfashioned fun.

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT’S HOME Hyde Park, Ages 8+ “[Franklin D. Roosevelt has] had an amazing, amazing importance in American history and you can feel that in the house! There’s also a library that’s now just been rebuilt with a superb exhibition and if you want to understand the United States in the 20th century, you couldn’t do better than to walk through the exhibit of Franklin Roosevelt’s life and his world. You can understand about his struggles with polio, find out about his depression, and learn about the first and second World Wars.” nps.gov/hofr

18

New York Family | September 2014

FAMILYFUN_0914.indd 18

Theodore Roosevelt’s Home at Sagamore Hill.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S HOME Val-Kill, Ages 8+ “There are two other important houses: the property farther away, Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s house, and a beautiful little cottage called Top Cottage, where the President served the King and Queen of England the first time they came to the United States in 1939.” nps.gov/elro

THEODORE ROOSEVELT’S HOME Sagamore Hill, Ages 8+ “[Theodore Roosevelt] loved being at Sagamore hill, he loved presiding over games and races and horses and dogs and swimming and boats and all sorts of stuff. He was the most energetic of our presidents and it’s really clear there. It’s a big, rambling house with three stories and a gazillion bedrooms.” nps.gov/sahi

BROOKLYN BRIDGE All Ages “Brooklyn Bridge is one of the greatest experiences! The historian David McCullough says it’s like standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon and I believe it. And as you walk across, you can see the great expanse of lower Manhattan but also Midtown through the beautiful cables, the seagulls, the harbor, there is the Statue of Liberty and now Brooklyn, which is getting ever more vibrant. I don’t know how many times I walked across it, maybe a hundred, and it never fails to excite me!” nyc.gov

CHAUTAUGUA INSTITUTION All Ages “The Chautaugua Institution is the pursuit of happiness made manifest.

I’ve been there three times and

bringing my family for an entire week.

It’s just a spectacular place. There’s a little beach for kids to swim on and boats to rent and sailboats to on in and there are baseball games, it’s a number of things. It’s a life of the mind, a life of the spirit, a life of the body, a life of the heart.”ciweb.org

WOMEN’S RIGHTS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK Seneca Falls, All Ages “It would take too many decades until women got the right to vote, but all during the rest of the 19th century and into the 20th century, history has been giving women more and more rights and [Seneca Falls] is the birthplace of that impulse. I am the father of four daughters, but it’s for anybody who cares about it, because there’s nobody alive who doesn’t have a mom. It’s very important to honor them. You could get to see the house of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, you could see a wonderful museum.” nps.gov/wori

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME Cooperstown, All Ages “There is no more perfect place to have the National Baseball Hall of Fame than in Cooperstown, New York, at the base of Lake Otsego, a beautiful lake.

You don’t have to be a baseball fan [to visit] because you can go there and enjoy the Glimmerglass Opera, there’s a great cinema, Cooper Museum, and a farm museum for kids! It has got to be, like the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, on everyone’s bucket list no matter what your preference in sports is.” baseballhall.org

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:00 PM

WARBURG_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:38 AM

birthdays

IT’S MY PARTY

1

2

3

Devon Oser celebrates her 5th birthday at Make Meaning.

1. Birthday girl Devon cracks a smile with her loving mama. 2. Little artists paint up a storm at this crafty celebration.

3. Devon gets set to blow out her candles and snack on some cake!

Photos by Suzanne Cohen Photography (suzannecohenphotography.com)

1

2

3

Landon Lipton celebrates her 8th birthday at Temple Israel with Simply Sports.

1. Landon’s friends team up to “bend it” like the birthday girl. 2. We bet Logan is wishing for plenty of great goals as she blows out her candles. 3. Soccer star Logan is all smiles with her cool caricature.

Photos by Heidi Green Photography (heidigreen.com)

1

2

3

Hadley and Reese Brooks celebrate their 4th and 2nd birthdays at Sports Club/LA. 1. The Brooks sisters gather ‘round for some snacks with the “Frozen” crew. 2. Hadley and Reese’s candy bar is a princess-worthy treat. 3. The birthday sisters and their friends “let it go” as they play limbo with Olaf.

Photos by Heidi Green Photography (heidigreen.com)

LOOKING FOR PICTURE-PERFECT BIRTHDAY VENUES? VISIT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM/BIRTHDAY-PARTIES 20

New York Family | September 2014

ITSMYPARTY_0914.indd 20

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:00 PM

Lets Dress Up0514NYF_FP.indd 1 Lets Dress Up0513NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:38 AM 4/18/13 2:36 PM

scoop

KEEPING PARENTS IN THE KNOW

NEW PARENTS The FEED Diaper Bag The FEED company, and its co-founder Lauren Bush Lauren, has a mission to create products that help feed the world. With each purchase of a FEED item, a donation is made to one of three organizations that help to fight world hunger. Recently, FEED designed a new diaper bag crafted from natural burlap and cotton— plus, it has an adjustable strap, three large pockets on the inside, two end pockets for bottles, and a large exterior pocket with a zipper. The best part? The purchase of a FEED diaper bag will provide a mother and child in need with micronutrients for one year. feedprojects.com

SCHOOL Photo by Ben Asen

The Pine Street School Located in the Financial District, with an entrance at 25 Pine Street, the new Pine Street School is a school that promises to grow with your child.

It will offer a Montessori-infused International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for students in preschool through grade 8, with a Spanish immersion option. Their 85,000-square-ft of state-of-the-art space across three floors in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street serves as an open learning environment for students! The Pine Street School is currently enrolling for preschool through grade 1. greenivy.com/pine-street

GOOD CAUSE AERIN x First Book Aerin (New York mom Aerin Lauder’s lifestyle brand) has teamed up with First Book (a charity that donates books to kids in need) to create two book bundles for kids. The bundles make great gifts and all proceeds go to First Book. Tied in a signature Aerin ribbon, the bundle for ages 0-3 contains Jan Gerardi’s The Little Gardener, Dorothy Kunhardt’s Pat the Bunny, Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, and P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? and Go, Dog. Go! The bundle, for ages 4-8 includes Joan Yolleck’s Paris in the Spring with Picasso, Tad Hills’ Duck & Goose, Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town, and Leo Lionni’s Frederick and His Friends and A Color of His Own. aerin.com

APP Shop For Kids from TTPM The Shop For Kids app from TTPM makes it easier than ever to find and purchase toys, baby gear, electronics, and more. The Shop For Kids app features independent video reviews (from the editorial team at TTPM), product ratings, price comparisons, and info on upcoming sales—this means, that you can stream video reviews and compare prices while you shop! Recently, TTPM optimized the Shop For Kids app for the iPad—taking their mission of retailer demystification to the next level. Shop For Kids is available for the iPhone and iPad in the iTunes app store. ttpm.com

22

New York Family | September 2014

SCOOP_0914.indd 22

TELEVISION SHOW Space Racers Space Racers, an animated television series developed with NASA, by a local dad, debuted on New York TV stations last month and is going strong! The show is aimed at pre-readers and designed to encourage STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. The show follows the adventures of Hawk, Robyn, and Eagle, exploring space and using cognitive skills to solve problems. The corresponding website provides lesson plans for parents and teachers, television clips and episodes, interactive games and activities, and printable worksheets that families can do together. A show that combines fun and learning for ages 3-6: it’s something the whole family can enjoy! spaceracers.org FOR MORE TIPS ON LOCAL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES, CHECK OUT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:01 PM

ASPHALT_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:39 AM

lysst

S

By Lyss Stern & Mia Weber

TYLE SYLLABUS Send Your Students Back To School In Fine Fashion With Our Fave Fall Looks Pug Life A quick walk in any NYC park will tell you: pugs are the hottest dogs in the city! So channel their sense of quirky confidence with Mini Rodini’s Pug Sweatshirt.

The style is cozy for chilly fall days and the graphic is totally delightful. $56, alexandalexa.com

Mad For Plaid The cool combo of plaid and denim is a back-to-school necessity, so it’s no surprise that the must-have girls’ jeans for fall are Hudson’s fashion-forward (and comfy!) red-andblack plaid pair. $69, hudsonjeans.com

Urban Renewal Nothing says city-savvy style like a palette of chic silver and gray hues. NYC kids’ shopping staple Lester’s offers up this fab look, which includes a faux-fur vest ($77), tee with thumbholes ($36), and zippered sweatpants ($58) from T2 Love—as well as snappy wedged sneakers by Amiana ($79-84). lesters.com

Skirting The Issue A traditional kilt-style skirt gets a modern kick, thanks to Ralph Lauren’s suede style that’ll make any girl look great on her first day of school—and for the entire year to come. $365, ralphlauren.com

FOR GIRLS

Local Love Go whimsical this fall with a printed French Terry dress from NYC-made brand NOCH mini (local mom and Parsons alum, Jina Jang, is the creator).

This sweet dress is made from all sustainable materials and features a jaunty pennant flag print. $150-154, nochdesign.com

24

New York Family | September 2014

LYSST_0914.indd 24

Prep’s Cool The new kids’ line from DSQUARED2 continues to make a splash with its prepster-meetseuro fall collection— it’s full of topquality investment pieces sure to last your child into their tween years.

We love this 100 percent cotton shirt ($188), mohair and alpaca sweater with crystal buttons ($323), wool and cashmere coat ($1,142), and denim pants ($200). dsquared2.com

What Does The Fox Say? Little zoologists can take a walk on the wild side in one of Mini Boden’s adorable, critter-print dresses, adorned with furry and feathered friends—we can’t get enough of the feisty fox style. $44, bodenusa.com continued on page 26 www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:03 PM

Green your family with a membership to The Hort! !

ODAY T N I O J ber

m ore me View m online at ts benefi ily

t.org/g thehor

m reenfa

Join now to reserve your seat: LUNCHEON & LECTURE Dr. Lawrence Rosen

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

"The Healing Power of Nature: A Pediatrician’s Perspective"

Green Family Circle members receive free admission! ($100 value)

Members also enjoy the following benefits: • Invitation to a complimentary Farm Tour and Family Picnic

• VIP access to the Green Bean Bash, our annual family celebration

• Quarterly newsletter highlighting innovative green activities

• 20% off customized birthday parties • Discounts on family-friendly programs

• Custom garden consultation

The Horticultural Society of New York | thehort.org/greenfamily | membership@thehort.org

HORTICULTURAL_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:40 AM

continued from page 24

FOR BOYS Blue Scholar He’ll go back to the classroom not just in any schoolboy blazer, but in the nattiest one on the block. Oscar de la Renta’s tweed jacket with brown detailing and suede elbow patches is picture-day perfect. $295, oscardelarenta.com

All-American Indulge in some classic Americana this fall with fresh tops for boys from Lands’ End. End We love the look (and your kiddo will love the warm feel) of layering the plaid Poplin Shirt ($29) over the striped Long Sleeve Pattern Block Super-T ($17.50). landsend.com

He Was A Skater Boy Hit up Lester’s for the coolest threads for boys. For an extreme (but still dress codeapproved) ensemble, try City Threads’ Rock & Roll Letters Zip Hood sweatshirt ($61), Junk Food’s The Police Black Raglan tee ($38), and Seven for All Mankind’s Straight Jean ($69). lesters.com

Bike Lane Dress your little hipster in a stately Teal Bicycle Sweater from Andy & Evan! Complete with scholarly patches on the elbows, this pedal-pushing v-neck is a perfect fall pick. $44-46, andyandevankids.com & amazon.com

Style Like A Fox Look no further than NYC’s own Hartstrings department store for fab autumnal togs.

For animal-loving little dudes, we love the Red Fox Sweater Vest from the Kitestrings line! Complete with a classic intarsia knit, this fun v-neck is a must keeping warm this fall. $48, hartstrings.com

26

New York Family | September 2014

LYSST_0914.indd 26

Camo Ready Get your little guy all set to face his academic battles with Appaman’s Prospect Pants in a cool camouflage print. The unique chain detail on the front right pocket adds a dash of panache. $51, appaman.com

Tiger Brother Go wild for back-to-school with sleek and unexpected picks from Mini Rodini for boys. We love the combo of the Tiger All Over Print Jacket ($131), Dotted Shirt ($93), Panther Fit Demin ($103), and Tiger Sneaker ($93). minirodini.com

Musical Clothes Under Armour’s royal-blue boys’ hoodie is in tune and on trend, featuring In Your Hood builtin and machine-washable speakers and a device pocket—perfect for catching some tunes on the go this fall. $64, bloomingdales.com www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:03 PM

try on & win SATURDAY, SEPTEmbER 13 9:30am-4pm Visit Tip Top Kids Shoes for a Clarks back to school event. When your kids try on a pair of Clarks Kids shoes, they’ll receive a free gift.* Come see the style, comfort and quality that goes into every pair of Clarks Kids shoes.

155 West 72nd Street New York City, NY 10023 tiptopshoes.com Like us on Facebook: Tip Top Kids Shoes *While supplies last.

homework x 4

One bed + seven feet for homework + 15 feet of shelving + 45 cubic feet of storage = one powerfully functional space.

40+ customizable solutions to multiply every space. Designed and made in Italy by : the global leader in transformable furniture design for over 50 years. Available exclusively from Resource Furniture.

969 Third Avenue @ 58th Street New York, NY 10022 212 753 2039 | resourcefurniture.com

New York | Los Angeles | Toronto | Vancouver | Calgary | Mexico City

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 6

8/20/14 11:43 AM

treats

THESE SHOES WERE MADE FOR

1

SCHOOLIN’ Hit Your Stride With Our Fab Fall Footwear Picks For Kids 2

We all know that no outfit is complete without a pair of shoes, so make sure your children’s closets are full of glam, spunk, and comfort this season! For back-to-school looks that let your little ones express themselves in the coolest ways, check out some of the latest styles including fun new patterns, animal prints, and vibrant colors.

By Nicole Goldstein & Mia Weber 1. Any former-rocker parents can get ready to feel some nostalgia as Dr. Martens’ Kids’ Delaney boot, in Vinatge Garden Softy, proves that everything old is new again!

The flower pattern adds a girly flare to the time-tested footwear statement. $85, drmartens.com 2. The Venettini 55-Glory moccasins aren’t just about their super-fun snake skin-inspired exterior—they’re quick to get on and off in a snap as well. The autumnal maroon color is also sure to be easy to match with any outfit this season. $80, venettini.com

3

4

3. No shoe-tying experience is necessary with the Morie M shoes by Umi.. With their cool studs, these punk princessinspired moccasins are a great fit for edgy kiddos ages 1-9. $65, umishoes.com 4. Boat shoes are always in style for any budding scholar, and Sperry Top-Sider’s Halyard Lace shoe will add a touch of preppy panache to your little sailor’s back-to-school wardrobe. The salt-washed canvas upper also gives the shoe a worn-in look that is super hip. $40, sperrytopsider.com

5

5. Ivanka Trump’s Chain Boot—with a luxe gold details— will catch the whole class’ attention on the first day of school. Your little lady is sure to exude some highfashion confidence as she turns hallways into runways. $72, lesters.com 6. Let your kids splash in the puddles this fall with TOMS’ new Rain Boot for kids (we love the red/black color combo for both boys and girls). The bright color will match perfectly with fun fall outfits and the vulcanized rubber will keep feet dry when the wet season starts. $59, toms.com

6

continued on page 30

28

New York Family | September 2014

TREATS_0914.indd 28

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/22/14 10:25 AM

VENETTINI_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 11:46 AM

continued from page 28

7

7. Get comfy and cozy this fall with the iconic Australian boot that’s here to stay in the States. This season, girly-girls can show off Ugg Australia’s Classic Rainbow Boot for a pop of color and flare that’s sure to pass any style test with flying colors. $100-$140, lesters.com

8

8. Clarks Kids Holbay Hi boots, in navy leather, are comfy and eye-catching with their lime green laces and classic white soles. An inside zipper allows for easy on and easy off. Toddler, $65; junior, $70; tiptopshoes.com

9

9. This shimmery silver Naturino mary-jane will bring out the budding fashionista in your child. Paired with a casual dress or pair of jeans, this fun footwear is sure to add a dose of shimmer to any school day ensemble. $32.75-33.75, naturinoshop.com

10

10. Dress like dad from head to toe! Made from genuine Italian leather, the Kids Classic Wing Tips, in Roasted Cider, from J.Crew’s crewcuts line will have your little guy looking oh-so-snazzy for school. $118, jcrew.com

11

12

13

30

New York Family | September 2014

TREATS_0914.indd 30

11. To celebrate Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary, Sanrio and Vans have partnered up to create a limited edition line of shoes for women, kids, and toddlers. The Vans x Hello Kitty collection has an assortment of styles that will wow the kids in school—we love the Hello Kitty Authentic for girls in Leopard/True White. $42, vans.com/hellokitty 12. Taking animal prints to the next level, these comfy shoes are sure to delight any animal-loving young students. The Raccoon & Trash Boys; Loafer from Zooligans flex like an animal’s paw and promise comfort from dropoff til the last bell rings. $31.99, zooligans.net 13. They may have a camouflage pattern, but your child will certainly stand out on the playground in Ralph Lauren Kids’ Ethan Mid Canvas Sneaker. Just try keeping up with your little guy this fall as he’s running around in these crazy kicks! $40, ralphlauren.com

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/20/14 6:05 PM

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 18

8/20/14 3:06 PM

DESTINATION1_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:02 PM

starting out

DARE TO CARE

By Jaime Rochelle Herndon

Photo by Jennifer Lee Photography

With A Focus On Early Learning & Child Development, Explore+Discover Plans To Be A Daycare Center Like No Other Little students at Explore+Discover.

For the last decade, if not longer, the preferred type of childcare among most affluent city parents has been to hire a nanny—with the appeal of having a trusted, experienced, and loving adult focused solely on your child. But the local nanny vs. daycare vs. au pair debate may soon go through a shake-up with this month’s opening of a daycare center rooted in the kind of developmental activities and experiences, community-mindedness, outstanding facilities, and experienced and educated teachers one more typically expects from the best nursery schools in the city.

If the center, Explore+Discover, sounds like a gamechanging experience in early childcare and learning, its founders think it’s also an idea that new parents will deeply value. “Think about that parent who is going back to work after being home with her baby for a few months; think about the busy stay-at-home parent who could use quality help for half the day but not the whole day,” says Daniel Koffler, co-president of K3 Learning, the education company starting Explore+Discover, and a new father himself. “Those parents will know that their children are not only being taken care of in a warm and wonderful environment, but they’re going to be engaged by teachers who really understand babies and toddlers in fun classes with music and movement and all that great stuff.”

For children ages 3 months to 2 years, Explore+Discover has transformed a 5,000-squareft commercial space on 2nd Avenue and East 26th Street into an early childhood dreamscape of color and cheer, with eight classrooms, a central gathering space, a children’s library, and a private room for nursing mothers. Rare for a daycare facility, there’s www.newyorkfamily.com

STARTINGOUT_0914.indd 33

also a secure and private outdoor play space adjoining the side of the building. A child can be enrolled at Explore+Discover for two, three, or five days a week, for half or full days, with the center open from 8am to 6pm. Admissions is rolling.

To create a daycare center like no other, K3 recruited veteran NYC early-childhood educator Renee Bock as Explore+Discover’s educational director, to hone its vision and oversee the implementation of the flagship site as well as future locations. She’s been joined by Jacqueline Marks, a onetime colleague of hers at the JCC in Manhattan, now the director in charge of the everyday running of the center. The women’s passion for their work infuses their conversation, especially when talking about Explore+Discover’s approach to caring for and educating little children, which, they say, is, in part, inspired by their experiences with an educational philosophy known as Reggio Emilia.

Started years ago by an Italian educator, in general terms, Reggio favors a learning environment in which children have an active and welcome role in the unfolding of an activity. There are lots of nursery schools across the country that incorporate Reggio principles, including such popular local schools as Beginnings, Tribeca Community, and the nursery at the JCC in Manhattan, where Bock and Marks originally met. While Explore+Discover’s curriculum itself is an amalgam of many influences, you can hear distinct echoes of Reggio’s child-centered approach in its plans and hopes. continued on page 34

June/July 2014 | New York Family

33

8/22/14 12:49 PM

“We work with the assumption that children are born learning and the first three years are an incredible time of potential, and that every day counts. We believe in responsive education and care, and that curriculum and care are related to each other,” Bock says. “Attachment is a central component of a child’s learning at that age, so we’re bringing all those strands together to develop a responsive curriculum that engages with children’s interests, age-appropriate developmental phases, uses exploration, and is play-based.”

Marks elaborates on the “three core components” of their approach to day care and early learning.

“Our vision of the child is that they are competent, creative, and capable from the start. That’s our underlying understanding of who the children are that come to us,” she says. “We view families as our partners and work in tandem with them. We also see teachers as researchers. You’ll see teachers observing and recording what children are up to. The teachers review their findings to understand who these children are and what they’re interested in, and make adjustments to the curriculum based on the group that they are working with.”

Reflecting on how children develop, Explore+ Discover’s classes are broken down into three age groups: 3-9 months, 10-14 months, and toddlers, who are 15 months and up. Respectively, there are eight, ten, and 12 students per class, and each class has three full-time teachers. The plan is for each cohort of teachers and students to stay together for the duration of the children’s time at the school. Not surprisingly, Bock and Marks are very excited about the team of educators they have assembled, nearly all of whom have a Master’s or an advanced degree in education or early childhood.

And here’s something you don’t hear every day about daycare training: Last month Explore+Discover hosted a two-week-long event, called the Creative Brain Institute, in which leading experts in infant and toddler education and neuroscience visited the center to discuss early childhood development with the staff.

While caring for and educating little children is their essential mission, Bock and Marks intend Explore+Discover to be a place where parents and private care-givers also feel like they’re a welcome and active part of the community. It’s even built into the center’s design: After dropping off their children, parents and caregivers will be able to chat in the community gathering space, and at other times they’ll be able to assemble there with their children for sing-alongs, parties, and other special familyminded events. Bock says they also plan to support parents with special seminars for them on popular topics in child development and behavior.

While it’s not a matter of child development, Explore+Discover also plans to play a leadership role in helping their families navigate the nursery school admissions process in the city. With lots of experience in this area, Bock and Marks know how important an issue it is for many local families, and they’ve already been reaching out to local nursery

34

New York Family | September 2014

STARTINGOUT_0914.indd 34

Photo by Karilyn Sanders Photography

continued from page 33

Jacqueline Marks (right) and Rene Bock.

schools to let them know about Explore+Discover, and how they’ll soon enough be guiding lots of families through the process.

But first thing’s first. If there is a kind of bottom line to the Explore+Discover experience, it’s this: To encourage children to explore, and be curious, and enjoy what the world has to offer them. Stimulating all the senses of the children, Bock says, especially those who are pre-verbal, is a crucial way of involving them in the larger world.

And as for daycare vs. nanny?

Naturally, Bock hopes that parents will look at an early learning center like Explore+Discover and see an approach that offers all the advantages of a caring nanny and more: An educated and loving community dedicated to their child’s well-being.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EXPLORE+DISCOVER, VISIT EXPLOREDISCOVER.NET.

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/22/14 12:50 PM

S OM E A PPS ARE GRE AT FOR KILLING TIME. THIS ONE’S GRE AT FOR SAVING IT. To help make your life easier, we’ve created the My conEdison app for AndroidTM and iPhone.® Use it to pay your bill, view your billing and payment history, submit a meter reading, and more.

It also lets you access our interactive outage map, showing you which areas are affected and providing estimated restoration times.

Simply put, it’s an app that’s worth its weight in kilowatts.

And you can download it for free at Apple’s App StoreSM and the Google PlayTM Store.

For more information, go to conEd.com/App, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter.

1

05369_CON_6p75x4p5_m1a.indd

Saved at

8-5-2014 4:17 PM

Job info Job Client Media Type Live Trim Bleed Pubs

from

by

MS-208-098charlie

Approvals 05369 ConEd Color Magazine None 6.75” x 4.5” None NY Family

Printed At

Charlie Katz / Charlie Katz

None

Fonts & Images Art Director Copywriter Account Mgr Studio Artist Proofreader

CC Gate NM TMC LS

Fonts Minion Pro (Regular), League Gothic (Regular), Helvetica (Regular) Images CON_LgPlgLckV_4c_v2.eps (25%), CON_ PRDRW241535_4c133ls.ai (44.64%), CON_ TrnsmWrs_4c133ls_v1.psd (CMYK; 4452 ppi, 4166 ppi; 6.74%, 7.2%), CON_Cafe_4c133ls_ Sm_v1.tif (CMYK; 416 ppi; 72.01%) Inks Cyan,

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 16

Magenta,

Yellow,

Black

8/20/14 3:12 PM

SARAH_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:13 PM

parent in profile

CREATE, SUCCEED,

As She Celebrates 20 Years Of Her Beloved Kids’ Salons, Cozy Friedman Takes Her Brand To The Next Level With Her New & Improved Line Of Signature Hair Care Products

By Mia Weber One thing is for sure—Cozy Friedman, the founder of Cozy’s Cuts for Kids, knows what kids like. Simply step into one of her salons. On a hot and humid day this past June, the kiddos getting their coifs freshened up at Friedman’s 2nd Avenue Salon on the UES didn’t just look cool and comfortable, but, amidst the bright colors, myriad of toys, complimentary lollipops, and Mini Cooper barber’s chair, each little customer looked like they were having an absolute blast.

What’s more: Friedman—a shrewd entrepreneur and mom of two teenage sons—also has a keen awareness of what parents want. She realized 20 years ago that what parents wanted was a salon where kids could relax and have fun—a realization that resulted in her salons on the Upper East and West Sides and, years later, with her Guide to Girls’ Hair, and her signature So Cozy product line. Friedman’s line of salon-quality and non-toxic shampoos, conditioners, and styling products is unique because it’s specially formulated—through a rigorous testing process that Friedman personally oversees—specially for kids of all hair types and ethnicities.

“One of the key points of this brand is that we’re really targeting mom because all these other brands that are out there, so many target the kids. But the mom is the purchaser,” Friedman explains.

After a decade of managing a successful wholesale business for So Cozy (which placed the line in over 200 stores across the country), Friedman recognized a niche in the market to take her business to the next level. This fall, the So Cozy line will www.newyorkfamily.com

PARENTINPROFILE_0914.indd 37

Photo by Karen Haberberg Photography

REPEAT Cozy Friedman at her Upper East Side salon.

make a revamped re-entry to the marketplace with rebranded and improved packaging, and will see select product groupings hit shelves at Sephora, soap.com, Ricky’s, and giggle.

“We’re launching with Sephora, which is incredible because Sephora doesn’t sell any children’s products.

But what they’re found is that they have plenty of moms shopping in the store, who would love to buy their kids’ products where they buy their own products,” Friedman says.

This partnership with Sephora is thanks in large part to Friedman’s rebranding efforts, which she undertook with entrepreneur and father of two Scott Gurfein. “What I realized is that I was really on to something with this business and this concept.... I really felt the business could go so much further, but I couldn’t do it on my own,” she says.

Serendipitously, after being introduced by a mutual friend, Friedman’s interest in expanding her professional reach gelled perfectly with Gurfein’s eagerness to become involved in a new consumer business venture; and not only did Gurfein feel drawn to the excellent business opportunity, but, as a dad himself, he also felt a personal pull to the product line.

“Between baby and adult there was nothing addressing the needs of moms in caring for the hair of their children—as a new parent for the first time, at that time, I related to the concept,” he says.

The new look features sleek containers (all of which are specifically designed for a child to easily grip and use) and updated designs that mirror the core of the continued on page 38

September 2014 | New York Family

37

8/21/14 2:30 PM

continued from page 37 Products from the new So Cozy line.

So Cozy brand, but with a modern twist. “We wanted to make sure that the packaging reflected the roots of the brand—which is sort of urban New York,” Friedman says. “[Some of the graphics] come from a subway map and [some] are inspired by Keith Herring, a New York artist—we just wanted to be very clear about this is who we and this is what we do.”

And what So Cozy does is evidenced clearly in each of the three product groupings hitting the market just in time for back-to-school season. The Cinch group (“It’s so easy, it’s a cinch) includes Detangler + Leave-In Conditioner, 3-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner + Body Wash, 2-in-1 Shampoo + Body Wash, and

38

New York Family | September 2014

PARENTINPROFILE_0914.indd 38

Super Hydrating Conditioner. The Behave group (“styling products to make your hair behave”) includes Styling Mousse Medium Hold, Styling Cream Soft Hold, and Styling Gel Medium Hold. And finally, the Boo! lice prevention (“It’s better not to get lice!”) group includes Lice Prevention Spray, and Lice Prevention Shampoo.

And of course, in the vein of staying true to the original roots of the company, the same customformulations, high quality, and “no nasties” guarantee— which assures that all So Cozy products are free of parabens, sulphates, propylene glycol, artificial colorants, wheat, gluten, and nuts—are still in place as the brand grows. However, in addition to the new packaging, the new products also feature some new and unique scents—like Pear-fection and Guava-rama—which, like the products themselves, promise to appeal to adults as well as to kids. “We wanted happy fragrances that weren’t [too sweet] like blueberry or rootbeer float,” Gurfein explains. “So each product actually has its own fragrance as opposed than having one fragrance across the line— they all synergize beautifully.

Proving that the synergy isn’t stopping any time soon, hair-savvy kids and parents alike will be delighted to learn that there are big plans to launch more new and improved So Cozy groupings in the pipeline. Friedman proudly reports that a swimmer’s group called Splash, a curly hairspecific group called Boing, and a lice elimination line to go with the Boo! group, are all in the works.

To learn more about Cozy’s Cuts for Kids and the new products from So Cozy, visit cozyscuts.com.

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:31 PM

PROBLEM.indd 1

8/21/14 4:03 PM

special place

O T E M TI

Photo by Andrew Schwartz

E T A E R C

A young student enjoying painting time at a Kids at Art class.

At The Popular Kids At Art, Children Learn The Joys Of Creativity & Other Life Lessons

By Jaime Rochelle Herndon Amid a row of shops on 2nd Avenue on the Upper East Side, Kids at Art might seem like any other store until your eyes land on the colorful, whimsically-painted tables in the window and the painted figurines that sit upon them. Behind those, on the wall, are rows of pictures of smiling children holding up hand-drawn and collaged artworks. Walking into the bright, high-ceilinged studio, the white walls and hardwood floors are juxtaposed by brightly painted chairs and cabinet doors, along with artwork drawn by children of various skill levels and ages hanging from almost every wall. Sunlight streams through the large windows and two tables are in the center of the room, covered in brown paper and bowls of crayons, charcoals, and pastels. The morning session of art camp is coming to an end, and students are showing off their projects, begging for just “five more minutes.”

Laughter and little-kid chatter rings out, along with calls of: “Wendy! Wendy!” and “Wendy, look at what I made!”

The “Wendy” in demand is Wendy Miller, the founder of Kids at Art. Coming from a long line of family artists and an artist herself (she’s the one behind the painted furniture), Miller has worked in professional photography and fashion, along with running her own greeting card business. Eventually, she decided to try to merge two of her passions: making art and working with children, and launched Kids at Art 14 years ago. “I thought about what

40

New York Family | September 2014

SPECIALPLACE_0914.indd 40

I loved doing the most, and I felt like this would feed my soul, doing something hands-on, instead of looking at a computer screen all day,” she says.

Originally located on Lexington Avenue, Kids at Art moved to its current location almost two years ago, and Miller can’t say enough about the great neighborhood.

“We’re in such a good space and area—there’s Cozy’s [Editor’s note: see page 37 for the latest on Cozy’s], Kids in Sports, Naturino,” she explains. “Twice a year, we all have a block party called ‘Kid Row.’ The next one will be in October. There’s shopping, face painting, karaoke, glitter tattoos, other activities.”

Once the morning session of camp empties out and the full-day kids are eating lunch with the assistant teacher, Miller leads me to a quiet space in the back, cautioning me to watch out for any leftover snacks that might have found their way to the floor, since it’s been a busy morning. We sit on chairs that are beautifully painted with flowers; mine in shades of red, orange, and yellow; hers in shades of lavender, blue, and seafoam.

On a table in the back of the room are piles of art projects from past classes and art sessions, along with those from the morning’s art session that are drying.

There are drawings in the style of Matisse, paper plate puppets of ladybugs, pictures utilizing various watercolor techniques for different textures, and self-portraits. Piled on a shelf above the table are pastel decoupage flowers in a paper pot and plaster masks of animal faces.

“The kids drew that bus one year,” Miller tells me, pointing to a large crayon poster of a bus full of children that reads: “Kids at Art.” She laughs, clearly in love with it.

“They drew me as the bus driver.” continued on page 42 www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:32 PM

The Ultimate Birthday Party!

Birthday dreams come true at The Gaga Center

Come celebrate your child’s next birthday with us!

Our high energy parties are 90 minutes of pure gaga fun. Music, pizza, juice, paper goods...we take care of it all!

BOOK NOW! www.gagacenter.com

Email play@gagacenter.com or Call 212.920.7884

www.gagacenter.com • 230 East 93rd Street, New York, NY 10128 • 212.920.7884

GAGA_0814NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:24 PM

Photo by Andrew Schwartz

continued from page 40

Believing that every child has the ability within them to create, Kids at Art hosts group classes for children from ages two through adolescence, as well as private lessons, summer camps and birthday parties. Variety is key to Miller’s art classes— Kids at Art founder, Wendy Miller. children don’t do the same project over and over again. Projects including everything from basic painting, drawing and sculpture to mixed-media, collage, acrylics, and more.

In conjunction with the Fashion Class, there are fashion design and sewing classes that culminate in a fashion show. For older artists, there’s life drawing classes and portfolio help. But it’s never just about the art; Miller also sees social and personal benefits to the lessons.

“The kids work together to an extent, so it’s a good social experience for them, helping each other,” she says. “Also, many kids make a few lines on a piece of paper and say they’re finished, but they’re really not. I encourage them to keep going. Maybe it’s the city, it makes you rush things. With all the electronics,

everything’s so fast, everybody’s always looking for the new thing. I urge them to take their time. I try and nurture this, to tell them to slow down and focus and work on something for an extended amount of time— and eventually, they do.”

This afternoon, a small group of children are decoupaging boxes with Mod Podge, colored tissue paper, pattered scrapbook paper, and magazines.

They giggle as they cut out shapes and combine them to make masterpieces or silly combinations before gluing them onto their wooden boxes. Miller is right alongside them, making a box of her own while guiding them on shapes and patterns. Though the summer has barely begun, the kids seem to know each other well, and one little girl teases Wendy that she has been taking classes with her forever.

For Miller, that kind of long-term relationship with a child is one of the most rewarding aspects of her work because she gets “to see how far a child has come from the time they start to the time they end.

They’re really sophisticated, it’s impressive. And it makes them feel good, to see what they’ve achieved.”

What’s in store for Kids at Art? If Miller had her way, there’d be “at least ten more Kids at Art stores!”

At the same time, she is deeply committed, if not downright joyful, about taking it one art project— and one child—at a time.

FOR INFO ABOUT KIDS AT ART’S CLASSES AND OTHER OFFERINGS, VISIT KIDSATARTNYC.COM.

M U OV E ED S c to ent 82 er nd ha & s 2n d!

Upper West Side 506 Amsterdam Avenue

www.mathnasium.com 42

New York Family | September 2014

SPECIALPLACE_0914.indd 42

Union Square 46 E 11th Street

Upper East Side 240 E 82nd Street

212-828-MATH (6284) www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:33 PM

Photo: Nancy Adler

FALL CLASSES BIRTH–12 YEARS EXPLORE. PLAY. GROW. CONNECT. sports | tumbling | gymnastics | pre-nursery music | art | ballet | aquatics | dance | science yoga | fencing | jewish life | cooking Fall classes start on September 8.

Limited spots left for fall. Trials available.

Visit jccmanhattan.org/familylife or call 646.505.5708 /jccschoolage

/jccnycfamilies

JCC MANHATTAN 334 AMSTERDAM AVENUE / 76TH STREET 646.505.5708 / JCCMANHATTAN.ORG A BENEFICIARY OF UJA-FEDERATION

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 10

8/20/14 3:30 PM

a good idea

DOUBLING

DOWN

on

EDUCATION Photo by Andrew Schwartz

After Years Of Operating As Two Separate Preschools Under One Roof, York Avenue Preschool & Early Learning Foundations Preschool Are Becoming One

By Eric Messinger

The leadership team of York Avenue Preschool.

Before the eyes of all current and future students’ families, the well-regarded York Avenue Preschool is in the process of transforming into one of the largest private nursery programs in the city. But it won’t be moving from its long-standing location at the southeast corner of York Avenue and East 80th Street. Nor is it taking on a major capital renovation. What’s going on?

You might say that it’s expanding from within.

The same site that houses York Avenue Preschool is also home to Gymtime Rhythm and Glues, a popular Upper East Side children’s enrichment and activity center known for its developmental and team gymnastics programs, as well as classes in cooking, Tae Kwon Do, and a variety of other activities.

Another Gymtime pillar has been its Early Learning Foundations Preschool, also known as ELF. Originally a preschool alternative program, over the years ELF has distinguished itself from the alternative learning pack by offering a genuine nursery school curriculum and setting with experienced teachers and leadership.

In fact, the most significant distinction between ELF and more prominent nursery schools like York Avenue Preschool has not been what’s happening in the classroom, as much as the admissions policies and the ex-missions policies (or lack thereof) on the back end.

As a member of the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY), the accrediting group for most well-established, local independent schools, York Avenue Preschool follows a rigorous annual admissions process that yields, year in and year out, a stable community of families and a robust PTA. And when it’s time for families to begin the

Kindergarten application process—private or public— York Avenue Preschool is there to offer them truly dedicated and savvy guidance.

ELF, which is not part of ISAAGNY, has never veered from its original plan to allow any interested families to sign up on a semester basis (much like they would sign up for any other Gymtime program).

The big testament to ELF’s success, however, is that it still attracts many of the same families from year to year, even though they only have to commit to one semester at a time.

But while having two successful preschools under one roof seemed like a good idea for a long time— because there were enough local families for whom the cost of, or the commitment to an ISAAGNY school didn’t make sense—Michael and Bonni Branciforte, the husband-and-wife team who founded both schools, believe it’s the right time for the schools to merge.

“I honestly didn’t feel this way in the past, but now I feel like York Avenue Preschool has really hit its stride as a top program,” Michael says. “The leadership team is very strong, families love the school, the curriculum is great, the ex-missions are very impressive. And what’s been especially encouraging is seeing how well the educators from both schools have come together to create a bigger and better school—and also how well the families at both schools have taken the news.”

“The more we looked at it, the more it seemed like the schools were mirroring each other,” Jean Monaco, York Avenue’s head of school, says.

44

New York Family | September 2014

GYMTIME_0914.indd 44

continued on page 46

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:34 PM

Weill Music Institute

Family Concerts Ages

5–12

Tickets from

$10

Sunday, October 19, 2014 at 1 PM Zankel Hall

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Lead funding for UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa is provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, The Howard Gilman Foundation, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Additional support is provided by the Mai Family Foundation, South African Tourism, and South African Airways.

UBUNTU is held in collaboration with the South African Consulate General in New York in celebration of South Africa’s 20 years of freedom and democracy.

Ages

5–12

Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 3 PM Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage

The New York Pops

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Ages

7–12

Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 3 PM Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage

Take the Stage with Broadway Stars

Carnegie Hall Family Concerts are made possible, in part, by endowment gifts from The Irene Diamond Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Lester S. Morse Jr., and the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund.

Thanks to New York City Department of Homeless Services for supporting young fathers and their families at these concerts.

Sunday, September 21, 2014 Resnick Education Wing

Family Day

Ages

3–12

Free

Carnegie Hall celebrates families by offering free interactive and fun musical activities in its brand new Resnick Education Wing.

Visitors can compose songs, try their hands at conducting, explore a “sound playground,” and take in a performance.

Make your reservation starting September 3.

Visit carnegiehall.org/FamilyDay for more information.

carnegiehall.org/FamilyConcerts | 212-247-7800 | Box Office at 57th and Seventh Photos: Ladysmith Black Mambazo by Luis Leal; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer under license to Character Arts, LLC; Take the Stage with Broadway Stars by Richard Termine; Family Day image by Stephanie Berger.

Artists, programs, dates, and ticket prices subject to change. © 2014 CHC.

CARNEGIE_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:29 PM

continued from page 44

Monaco, who will continue on as the leader of the combined school, adds: “It began to seem like you’re only fighting yourself with all these options. Why not instead just give the full-fledged experience to as many families as possible?”

The two schools will continue to operate independently for the coming school year, and then will open as one school in September 2015. But the admissions process for next September begins this month, as parents begin to send in applications and sign up for school tours.

Families who were enrolled in ELF for the 20142015 school year have already been guaranteed admission to the combined school if they want it for the 2015-2016 school year.

“Selective admissions doesn’t mean that you are omitting them from the process. It means that you are taking a good look at who’s applying and how they can best fit into your community,” says ELF’s current educational director, Victoria Versace McLaughlin, who will become York Avenue’s new educational director.

While the Brancifortes are still very hands-on in overseeing Gymtime’s athletic and enrichment programming, they leave the running of the preschools to the educators and admissions experts.

In addition to Monaco and McLaughlin, other key staffers include assistant director Karyn Alston (née Smith), and admissions director Nancy Baldaro.

For months now, the team has been laying down the essential groundwork for the combined school by establishing a curriculum that reflects both schools’

46

New York Family | September 2014

GYMTIME_0914.indd 46

best practices, or as Monaco puts it: “Finding the commonalities in philosophy, while making sure that the history is acknowledged and built on properly.”

McLaughlin elaborates: “We have an integrated philosophy, which means we take the best from many different areas of learning. We are also a play-based school because all early childhood has roots in play.

We are academic in the sense that we recognize that it’s important to teach children teachable skills and knowledge, so that they are ready to move on to the next step. And we are sequential in that our curriculum builds on itself to prepare children for the next step, wherever they are going.”

At capacity, the combined nursery school will have about 160 students divided among 10 classrooms. There will also be a library and access to Gymtime’s signature gyms, cooking classroom, and art space. The team also hopes to build a music room stocked with age-appropriate instruments.

The school’s largest entry point (i.e. when it’ll have the most available spots) is expected to be for 2-yearolds, with some additional spots for 3-year-olds.

But once you’re in, you can count on being part of a school that values community, with a loving staff that will get to know your child almost as well as you do.

FOR MORE ABOUT YORK AVENUE PRESCHOOL, VISIT YORKAVENUEPRESCHOOL.ORG.

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:35 PM

BOUNCE_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/22/14 11:14 AM

education

WISE

CHOICE

Photo by Nick Saraco Photography

Many Parents—Locally & Globally—Turn To The School Choice Group For Help In Finding The Right Educational Setting For Their Child

By Jennifer Kelly Geddes

Moving your family is an incredibly nerve-wracking endeavor—from the endless packing, to parting with close friends, to setting up a new house and joining an unfamiliar community. Of course, one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is figuring out where your kids will go to school. That’s where Liz Perelstein comes in. The founder of one of the largest and most wellregarded school advisory and placement services in the world, she too once had to pull up stakes, though in her case the location had the added stressor of being thousands of miles away—from Westchester to London. “My husband got a new job at an investment bank in London in 1997 and we ended up having to move on two months’ notice,” she recalls. “Our daughter and son were in the grades 4 and 6 and it was February, smack in the middle of the school year.”

Her children were upset, to say the least—and Perelstein admits to a few teary moments herself.

“My daughter wasn’t good with change in general and they both had a hard time saying goodbye to friends and quitting their sports teams. And of course my professional life was turned upside down, too,” Perelstein says. At the time, Perelstein, who has a background in education, was working as a deputy principal at a school in Westchester as well as serving on her local school board.

The kids were enrolled in The American School in London and began to thrive, but Perelstein later realized her son probably would have been better suited to the British style of learning. “The fact was, I only considered one place for my kids—and I’m an education professional!” She figured that if someone with her background hardly shopped for a school, then there probably were many expat parents who didn’t do much research either.

48

New York Family | September 2014

EDUCATION_0914.indd 48

Founder and Chair of The School Choice Group, Liz Perelstein.

Her mission became clear: Perelstein wanted to help other parents settle into their new lives by better understanding the education options for their children. “I started by visiting a lot of the London schools in order to learn each teaching style, and then I put together a brochure. I called myself an ‘education consultant’ and, after an article was written about me, I mailed both documents to various investment banks offering my school services,” she explains. A large firm reached out and gave her a try; a second client soon followed. Word spread, more companies called and, in a matter of months, The School Choice Group was born. “At first I thought I could structure my own time, but the business grew quickly—it was soon in charge of me.”

Sixteen years later, The School Choice Group, headquartered in White Plains, NY, now has over 140 admissions consultants working in cities and business centers around the world, with a significant presence in New York City and the metropolitan area. Multinational corporations such as American Express, PepsiCo, Microsoft, and Starbucks hire their division for corporate clients (School Choice International) to help their employees learn about the schools in their new locations and find a good fit for their children. At the same time, many individuals now also avail themselves of the company’s school advisory services through their private client division (School Search Solutions). Whether you’re a family continued on page 50

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:36 PM

103 W 96th St, New York, NY 10025

UpperValleyPreschool.org

| 212-257-4749

Where daycare and preschool meet in NYC Every day is a new adventure

RODEPH SHOLOM SCHOOL A connected community where students love to learn and learn to lead

Office of Admissions 10 West 84th Street NYC 10024 / 646.438.8600 admissions@rssnyc.org www.rodephsholomschool.org

Now accepting applications for fall 2015 in nursery school through 8th Grade. Financial aid available.

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 11

8/20/14 3:32 PM

continued from page 48

who’s relocating for a corporate opportunity, or another who lives locally and seeks advice on area schools, the savvy consultants at The School Choice Group aim to make your school search process more informed and less stressful. Services range from phone consultations, which include in-depth explanations of public, private and boarding schools, as well as gifted and special needs programs, to fullservice packages, which include setting up tours, arranging interviews, scheduling tests, reviewing applications, and interview prep.

After three years in London, Perelstein and her family returned to the United States—and her business followed. “I saw a similar need for this service in New York City and several UK firms helped to put me in touch with their US counterparts,” she says.

For families in the New York City area interested in their private client services, the key contact at School Search Solutions is Roselyn Drake, who oversees a staff of half a dozen consultants and researchers who serve hundreds of local families each year. Drake, a long-time educational consultant who previously worked in private school administration, is well-acquainted with the only-in-New-York school competition and the level of angst it can trigger, having gone through the private school admissions process for her daughter, now in middle school.

School Search Solutions operates much like the the corporate branch: families can choose from a short consultation to a more in-depth approach.

“We offer an extensive array of services that include meetings with the parents and child, interview preparation, a review of school records, outside testing, and essay review,” Drake explains.

Once a full picture of the child is created, a list of schools (usually 8-10) is compiled. “We try to ease the anxiety of the process and reframe education, so that it’s not about the name or reputation of the school but the right fit for the child.”

Families tend to come in droves in the late summer and early fall when applications are released, but School Search Solutions works to place kids

throughout the year. Requests for private school help edge out those for public, though Drake’s staff advises on every academic option a family might be interested, including nursery school, G&T, special needs programs, specialized high schools, and boarding schools. They also regularly consult with families who are moving from the city to other parts of the Tri-State area (i.e. to the suburbs).

School Search Solutions’ invaluable assistance is reflected in their carefully cultivated relationships with admissions directors. “We’ve earned a tremendous amount of trust from all kinds of schools, to the point where we get calls from them when there’s an opening in a class that they’d like to fill,” Drake says.

This insider knowledge (for example, a single spot in third grade for a boy) sometimes gives Drake’s staff the ability to send candidates for consideration before the opportunity is widely known.

Drake also underscores the excellent work the company’s research team performs to be deeply familiar with education models around the world.

This allows them to better help parents who might be used to a school system that’s very different from their new options. For similar reasons, her team stays up-to-date on the various changes in New York City’s public and private school admissions and curriculum policies.

Being deeply familiar with what schools are truly like, and how changing education policies and trends impact them, is the heart of School Choice’s success because it allows their consultants to help families really hone in on schools that would truly be a good fit for their child. Perelstein reports that her company has a near-perfect record.

“The vast majority of the kids we work with get a spot in a school that suits them,” she says. “Where they’ll do well and, we hope, be happy.”

VISIT SCHOOLSEARCHSOLUTIONS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THEIR SERVICES, OR CONTACT INFO@SCHOOLCHOICEINTL.COM.

$20,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PASSIONATE YOUNG LEARNERS (GRADES 2-8) IN NEW YORK CITY! In partnership with the Parents of Accelerated Learners (PAL) Workshops, NYC, School Search Solutions is presently welcoming applications for the second annual Michael Perelstein Memorial Scholarship Fund, also known as the Discover Your Passion Competition. Designated specifically for New York City-based students in grades 2-8, the scholarships (which total $20,000) are awarded to children who show exceptional promise and passion for their unique individual interests and passions—including academics, sports, music, the arts, community service, entrepreneurship, technology, and more. The deadline to enter is September 15, 2014.

Visit schoolsearchsolutions.com for more info and to apply!

50

New York Family | September 2014

EDUCATION_0914.indd 50

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:36 PM

© 2014 Blue Man Productions, LLC.

Love and Learning A Warm, inclusive community that values every child, parent, and teacher.

Ages 2-5

Accepting applications for the 2015-2016 school year.

251 West 100th Street New York, NY 10025 (212) 316-1555 www.morningsidemontessori.org

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 14

SAVE 20% USE CODE: FAMILY EXCLUDES SAT. PERFORMANCES

ASTOR PLACE THEATRE 434 LAFAYETTE STREET

1.800.BLUEMAN BLUEMAN.COM

8/20/14 3:36 PM

NEW YORK FAMILY PARTNER

A LETTER TO NYC PARENTS

ALEXANDER ROBERTSON’S FROM

HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Parents, I’ve never tried to calculate an exact number but I know that, as an educator, I’ve been responsible for thousands of students during my career. And you know what’s most remarkable and wonderful to me about that? I still have memories of many of them, as well as of their parents. When the students come back to visit as adults—to check in and sometimes to ask advice—the intervening years never really seem that long.

I’d like to think that my experience overseeing several generations of students at a few noted city private schools helps me be a voice of experience and assurance to families whose children I’m responsible for now—in my position as the head of the Alexander Robertson School, an independent K-5 school with a small Pre-K, on the Upper West Side.

Though in a larger sense, it’s not only the families who are already in our school that I try to help. This fall and winter I’m likely to meet several hundred families looking for a school to send their child to next year. Naturally, I’m quite proud to tell prospective families about Alexander Robertson, but some of my most important advice is more general—more about identifying the kinds of qualities that parents should be thinking about in evaluating any school. I’m always happy to share because we all—parents and educators alike—want the same thing: To make a great match.

No city has anywhere near the number of good private schools that New York does, and there’s actually quite a bit of variety among them. So one of the first things I like to emphasize to parents entering the private school admissions process is to give yourself some allowance to be excited about this opportunity. As I see it, in searching for a good school, you’re honoring a basic human urge to provide for your child as best you can.

Schools are looking for families who will be positive parts of the school communities for years to come. They want parents who have done their research and really know what they want. Therefore, use this process as an opportunity to explore your preferences: What kind of educational philosophy do you like? How do you feel about single-sex schools vs. coed? What about the social tone of the school? Do you like uniforms? How important is student diversity? Most private schools have relatively small class sizes, but not all have the kinds of enrichment or extra-curricular activities you may want. For each particular school you need to ask yourself, all in, would you be excited about having a child at the school

ADVERTORIAL_ARS_0914.indd 22

Young learners at ARS.

and be equally excited yourself about being part of that school community? Trust your instincts: If the answer is not a solid “yes,” that does not bode well.

Also, when you’re looking for a school for a child who is going into Kindergarten, try not to give much weight to that school’s college admissions record. The prestige factor is enticing, but also misleading. For children who are 4 years old, there’s not enough evidence yet to reliably predict what their learning style, interests, and challenges will be in higher grades. It’s better to choose a school based on whether you think your child will thrive there right now. Get the fit right now; and chances are your child will grow up as a confident learner who likes school, whatever path ultimately emerges.

Look at the school leaders and think, do you like what you see? Likewise, ask about the faculty. Do they have a good number of revered and experienced teachers in addition to passionate newcomers? Additionally, I always recommend that parents reach out to families whose children attend the school presently. If they seem like good, smart, and reliable people, their testimony is invaluable.

One last word for parents of siblings. While it is convenient to have your children at the same school, what might have been a great fit for the first child might not be as good a fit for the other. So be open to looking around.

There’s a lot more to say, of course, and I hope to be continuing this important conversation with some of you in person—especially if you like the sound of a small nurturing school with strong academics (including a wonderful STEM curriculum), and a true commitment to community, diversity, and personal ethics.

Best wishes to you and your child, Irwin Shlachter Head of School at the Alexander Robertson School Parents interested in learning more about ARS, including its new Pre-K and expanding Kindergarten, should visit alexanderrobertson.org, or contact the admissions office at 212-663-2844 or admissions@alexanderrobertson.org.

8/21/14 2:38 PM

HCK_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/22/14 10:43 AM

ANCHOR

MOM ning” r o ell M n s n i h o T D ah O’ rnalism, “CBS r o N ost Jou n O Co-H e v rts Li o eing A p B e R & ising R y l r e Ea -Thre f O Mom

On Norah O’Donnell: Burberry London dress; Prada heels.

54

New York Family | September 2014

COVERSTORY_0914.indd 54

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:40 PM

J

By Bridg et Photos b Moriarity yS Photogra arah Merians phy Hair by J Brandic eanna Mirante. e Collet Makeup ta Marcocc b ia & Fra . Styled by Daw y n Taylor. n

ust ask Norah O’Donnell—a co-host of “CBS This Morning”—how she balances work and family and you’ll find that, in keeping with her journalism background, she’ll answer by challenging the premise of the question itself. Though she juggles a vibrant career and three young children—fraternal twins, Grace and Henry, 7, and daughter Riley, 6—and shares the vulnerabilities of any working mother, she rejects the guilty feelings often elicited by such an inquiry. In fact, she worries about the larger impact this line of questioning might have on the next generation. “I don’t want any woman starting her career to think that she won’t be able to balance work and family,” O’Donnell says. “My biggest concern is that we’re not scaring off young women who have the potential to be ferocious leaders who can enact great change in business, politics, sports, and the media.”

At 40, O’Donnell is proving a pioneering figure herself. She grew up in a military family—her father was an Army physician—which she credits, in part, for her appetite for the news. “The things that happened around the world and certainly in Washington affected my dad’s life and family’s life acutely,” she says.

Then, in her senior year at Georgetown University, an internship with ABC ignited her passion for journalism. Fast-forward a few years, and she was working for NBC covering the Pentagon, Congress, and the White House after serving as a print reporter at Roll Call. In 2011, she decamped for CBS, where she served as Chief White House Correspondent prior to her role with “CBS This Morning.”

She also contributes to “60 Minutes,” where she made her debut by interviewing Facebook COO and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg. “That was a real professional milestone: to be able to report for ‘60 Minutes,’ which I consider the gold standard—the most watched news program in the country.”

Though her schedule is far from relaxed—she’s at work by 5am—her job, she says, is in some ways “perfect” for a mom.

“I’m gone in the mornings, but most of the time, I’m home in the evenings. And I have weekends, for the most part, for the first time in my career,” she notes. continued on page 56

www.newyorkfamily.com

COVERSTORY_0914.indd 55

September 2014 | New York Family

55

8/21/14 2:40 PM

continued from page 55

O

’Donnell has a dedicated co-parent: her husband, Geoff Tracy, a Washington, DC-based restaurateur, whom she’s dated since she was 17. He commutes to their Upper West Side abode, but she says that the family also spends time in DC. And while O’Donnell has confessed that often her heart is in DC, the Big Apple has been growing on her. “New York is such a fantastic city. I’ve lived here now for two years, and I still feel like there’s so much more for me to explore. It constantly amazes and surprises me,” she says, noting that it’s often the simple pleasures that keep the family entertained. “We’ve really enjoyed going out to dinner and walking to dinner. Even though my kids are young, we’ll walk a mile or mile and a half to a restaurant and then walk a mile and a half home. There’s nothing better.”

What was your first big career break?

I think one of the first big breaks was being hired at Roll Call, a well respected Capitol Hill newspaper…

They asked me to write a story about Congressman Patrick Kennedy, from Rhode Island, and how he was being groomed to take over the DCCC, the House Democrat’s fundraising arm. They put it on the front page of the politics page…There’s nothing that makes you more proud than that first big break when you see your byline in a story.

What has been your favorite interview?

I was very proud of our interview with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who was shot in the head for advocating for girls’ education in Pakistan. I think she represents a tipping point in the world, which is that the focus on girls’ empowerment and education is the way to move a lot of these societies out of poverty and terrorism. It was the most moving interview for me, because she said “I may be afraid of ghosts, I may be afraid of dragons, but I’m not afraid of the Taliban.”

How is it that a 16-year-old girl is not afraid of the Taliban after they tried to assassinate her? I’ve never met someone with so much courage who’s just 16.

How does “CBS This Morning” distinguish itself from other morning news programs?

We say that the news is back in the morning. We are trying to adhere to the values of CBS news, which are original reporting and great storytelling, and we want our two hours of live programming to be a showcase for that. We know that we’re still third in the ratings, but we’re growing. We’ve experienced some of the best growth this show has ever seen, and we’re extremely proud about that. We do less entertainment news, we do less celebrity news, we do less cooking segments than our competitors, and that’s okay.

Describe your typical day.

This is the first time that I’ve actually had a semi-regular schedule in my career as a journalist. I’m at work at about 5am, in the morning. I read 5-6 newspapers while getting my hair and makeup done, get briefed by a senior producer at about 6am, and then, at about 6:20am, come down to start speaking with affiliates

56

New York Family | September 2014

COVERSTORY_0914.indd 56

and do some pre-show routine. The show runs from 7-9am, then from about 9-10am, we do post-show affiliates and enhancements to the show or West Coast updates. And typically the rest of the day includes working on “60 Minutes” pieces and doing interviews or meeting with potential interview subjects. Sometimes, there are days where I’ve done the show, flown to Detroit, done a “60 Minutes” interview, and flown back and landed at midnight. That happens once every two weeks. Or I’ll fly to Washington for an event, or fly to Boston to try to do a meeting with someone I’m trying to get for a “60 Minutes” piece.

What is the favorite part of your day?

When I get in [to work] and start looking at the newspapers. I wake up every day excited about the news.

Even when I’m tired I reach for my phone and say “I wonder what’s happened overnight.” I’m truly a news junkie, and I can’t get through the papers quickly enough. The great fortune is that I work with Charlie [Rose] and Gayle [King], who are also the same way.

You’ve been with your husband since college— did you always imagine having a family together?

We did. We started dating when I was 17 and got married 10 years later, so my husband and I are, first and foremost, best friends. And I think because we were both so busy in our careers, we were nervous about starting a family and whether we would be able to make that commitment and be great parents given our busy schedules. Now, we wish we would have had more kids. They’re the joy in our lives.

Have there been any surprises about marriage?

I don’t know if it’s a surprise, but I think the most important thing about marriage is to develop your own identity independent of your spouse and then respect and cheerlead for your spouse’s separate identity. One of the great things is that my husband and I both have our own careers—I’m his number one fan, and I know he’s mine. There’s no place I want to eat other than Chef Geoff’s, and I know he watches my show everyday. There’s nothing better than knowing you have someone in your corner at the end of a long or difficult day, and that’s one of the things you learn over time, the importance of that.

What was your own upbringing like?

It was a busy household, because there were four kids…We moved all around the world. A lot of my childhood was influenced by the fact that my father is a veteran and served in the Army. When I was young, we lived in Germany, then we lived in San Antonio, Texas, then we did a tour in Seoul, South Korea, and back to Texas. They say that kids growing up in the military are pretty adaptable because they’re used to going to new schools with new people—I think that’s one of the things that helped me be a good journalist.

continued on page 58 www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:40 PM

APEAINTHEPOD.COM

©2014 Destination Maternity Corporation ® . All Rights Reserved.

On model: A Pea In The Pod Jacket & Shirt, AG Jeans. Jacket available 10/1/14.

P R I O R I T I E S C H A N G E , S T Y L E D O E S N ’ T.

TM

Als o available at D est ina t io n M a t er nit y ® st o r es, d es ti n a ti on ma te rn i ty.c om a n d s e l e c t M a c y ’ s l oc a ti on s .

only at

DESTINATION2_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:37 PM

Inset photo courtesy of CBS

continued from page 56

Above: Norah O’Donnell strikes a pose with some vintage CBS props.

Inset: interviewing President Obama.

Tell us about your children—what are the joys and challenges with each?

Riley just turned 6, and I have twins, Grace and Henry, and they’re 7. There’s such a special bond between twins, as parents of twins say. The best thing is to see them, even at age 7, talking and arguing like an old married couple. They intimately understand one another. Grace has executive leadership skills. She’s very clear about how she would like the day to unfold and what activities she would like everyone to engage in…Her twin brother, Henry, is an incredible athlete.

He’s also just a charming young boy, and I think that comes with having two sisters. And Riley, our 6-yearold, is a true delight. While she’s the youngest, she’s, in some ways, the most mature. She’ll always get up, dress herself, make her own breakfast, and have her hair brushed, while the twins are still in their pajamas late into the morning on a Saturday.

You had three kids in 14 months, during 2007-08.

When you had Riley, did you think it would be easier after having twins or did it feel very soon?

It was all sort of a surprise. It was overwhelming—we had three cribs in one room, and I was back working.

It was difficult to ever get out of the house. We had to buy a minivan to fit all three kids. All the dentists who read this will be shocked, but, at night, I used to just leave the bottles in their cribs because I couldn’t keep getting up in the middle of the night to deal with three kids, because I had to work in the morning. Only one of them got baby bottle tooth decay, and those teeth have since fallen out in the last six months. So it wasn’t the ideal situation, it wasn’t the best parenting in the world, but it’s how we made

58

New York Family | September 2014

COVERSTORY_0914.indd 58

it work. But now, at the age they are, it’s such a joy, because they’re all best friends.

Do you have any advice for parents expecting twins?

Well, first I would say “congratulations”—there’s nothing greater in the world, it’s a double amount of joy. Two, I would say the advice that someone gave me is: hire an arsenal of help, because it’s just overwhelming at times. Make sure that you really plan out time to get rest for yourself and time for you and your spouse or partner to get away together.

Don’t feel guilty about bringing a babysitter in on the weekends.

How has motherhood influenced your professional life?

I think motherhood made me a much better journalist, better person, better wife. It matured me in a way.

It focuses you in terms of being efficient at work, being efficient at home, because you just have to be.

It makes you more compassionate and understanding about what’s happening in the world. Motherhood definitely made life much better.

In turn, how has your professional life influenced you as a mother?

I think great journalists constantly ask questions, and being a good parent is constantly asking questions.

From the day you go to the doctor when you’re first pregnant and you say: “Why do I feel this way?” For a journalist who asks a lot of questions it translates into being a mother who is always interested in my children’s health and well being and how to be a better mother. www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:41 PM

wollmanNew.pdf

1

11/6/12

10:45 AM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

www.trumprink.com TrumpRink0913NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:38 PM

CHELSEA_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:39 PM

CLASS-IC FAVORITES Our Annual Guide To Fall Classes Is Undeniable Proof That There’s Tons Of Fun & Learning To Be Had In The City For Kids Of All Ages Edited By Mia Weber

W

hile fall is a great time to return to school-day routines, it’s also a great time of year for kids to try something new or pursue a passion on a new level. From sports to art to technology, NYC has no shortage of stellar extra-curricular offerings to inspire and engage your youngster’s growing mind.

The French Institute Alliance Français www.newyorkfamily.com

CLASSES_0914.indd 61

September 2014 | New York Family

61

8/21/14 2:44 PM

continued from page 61

Kids say bonjour to French at FIAF! Fun French classes and creative workshops for toddlers, kids & teens!

Classes start Sept 22 in Manhattan & Brooklyn Register now! fiaf.org/ kidsclasses

14th Street Y: The Bigger Bookworms class, for ages 3-5, will explore a different book each week using art, creative movement, and drama to deepen children’s understanding of narrative while building vocabulary, pre-writing, and literacy skills. 14streety.org 74th St. MAGIC: Tiny Tumblers for the Tummy Set is a 45-minute class for ages 2-6 months and their caregivers.

Classes in MAGIC’s baby gym promote awareness and alertness, with emphasis on tactile, auditory, and visual stimulation. There is a tummy time component to each class as well. 74magic.com 92Y: The Circus Playground class, for ages 5-7, will make your child’s dreams of joining the circus come true! Kids will learn the fundamentals of circus skills, like juggling, low tightwire, and plate spinning, while improving coordination and balance. 92y.org ABC Do-Re-Me: The Musical Playdate program provides a perfect balance between laughing and learning. Instruments, dance, and singing add to the party at this 45-minute dropin class is designed for children ages 0-5 years and their caregivers. abcdoremeNYC.com apple seeds: The scribble and dribble combo class will get your child’s creative juices flowing with watercolors, oil pastels, and spin art. As their masterpieces dry, smocks are traded for athletic gear as kids then gear up for the sport of the week in apple CORE training. appleseedsplay.com Applause NY: Boys Jr. Hip-Hop Crew, for ages 3-5, is a fun-filled boys-only dance class! With the help of Applause choreographers, your child will learn the latest moves to today’s hottest music that they will perform at the end of the semester. applauseny.com

The Diller-Quaile School of Music 24 E. 95th St. w New York, NY 10128 w 212-369-1484

Visit www.diller-quaile.org for a complete listing of Early Childhood, Instrumental & Vocal, Adult, and Community Programs for 2014-2015.

DQ 62

Accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community & Precollegiate Arts Schools

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 62

Advantage Tennis Club: The QuickStart program for ages 10 and under makes learning tennis fun. Advantage uses USTAapproved foam balls, mini-nets, and age-appropriate drills.

Kids will improve their eye-hand coordination, footwork, and basic stroke movements. advantagetennisclubs.com American Museum of Natural History: Live animals, performances, stars, and stories in the Hayden Planetarium are just a few of the experiences your family will enjoy in AMNH’s Family Series that runs from October to June. Programs will engage families with children ages 4-11. amnh.org

Art Farm in the City: Children’s recording artist, Laurie Berkner, is partnering with the Art Farm in the City for new The Music in Me classes. Laurie has created a curriculum based on her experience as a preschool music specialist, and as a children’s musician. Each session features a 30-minute music lesson and 15 minutes of farm time in the Art Farm’s petting zoo. Classes are available for ages 12-24 months and 2-4 years. For more info, see page 72. theartfarms.org Art Muse: The Bi-Monthly Kids Series running from fall of 2014 through May 2015 introduces children to art discovery at New York City museums through thematic and interactive tours that offer props, costumes, and art projects. Tours conclude with a related art project. artmuseny.com www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:44 PM

A BOUTIQUE TOY STORE, PARTY SPACE & ART STUDIO ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE Walk-In Art, Workshops, Classes, Special Events & More!

Above: Bilingual Birdies; inset left: apple seeds.

Asphalt Green: This fall, sign up for Asphalt Green’s co-ed Youth Basketball League for ages 7-9 and 10-12. This league provides expert instruction and game play in a fun but competitive environment. Each team will be designated an instructor coach and every player will get equal playing time. asphaltgreen.org & asphaltgreenbpc.org Atlantic Acting: Atlantic’s Performance and Playwriting class will bring together the elements of storytelling and performance with a final “open rehearsal” performance written, directed by, and starring students. Students should come to class prepared to create, write, act, and have fun. atlanticactingschool.org

New After D a rk Pa rt y Optio n s fo r Te en s, Twee n s, a n d Adu lts! se s, Clas w e N ie s, Pa r t k-I n s ! a W l a nd

ALWAYS THE BEST PARTIES! www.craftstudionyc.com

Baby Fingers: Whether you intend to incorporate sign language in your life for the long term or simply during this pre-verbal/developing verbal time, watch in awe as your child discovers language. The program includes language, infant massage, and family yoga. mybabyfingers.com

1657 3rd Ave NYC 10128 • 212.831.6626

The Ballet Academy East: The Young Dancers Program offers dance classes for ages 18 months to 6 years. Children develop strength, coordination, and musicality in a creative and positive learning environment. Classes have two teachers as well as live music. balletacademyeast.com

Follow along online for all of the latest and greatest parties and crafts!

The Ballet Club: The Performing Arts Pre-Professional Division is the Ballet Club’s program for ages 6-18 that strives to provide the best ballet training while instilling a love of learning. The program has an emphasis on technique, choreography, and performance. theballetclub.com

BRINGING THE MAGIC OF OUR ART STUDIO TO YOUR NEXT EVENT

www.craftstudiotogo.com

Ballet Hispanico: The bilingual Adventures in Dance program at Ballet Hispanico encourages young children to explore a world of creative dance and Latino culture. Children’s selfexpression will flourish as they form friendships in this lively and educational atmosphere. ballethispanico.org Ballet School NY & NYTB: Ballet School NY—now in a new studio—offers children ages 3 and up a program of serious classes and professional performance opportunities. As one student says: “BSNY has not only taught me dance but also discipline and determination to gets things right.” nytb.org

Birthdays, Mitzvahs, Sleepovers, Camp Reunions & School Events!

- We Travel to Your Home or a Location of Your Choice

continued on page 64 www.newyorkfamily.com September 2014 | New York Family

CLASSES_0914.indd 63

63

8/21/14 2:44 PM

continued from page 63

Bija Kids: Bija Kids’ Sound Studio classes for ages 0-6 are creative and movement-filled and incorporate rhythm, singing, instruments, and fun! Each weekly session includes music from around the world as well as opportunities to dance and play. bijakids.com Bilingual Birdies: This fall come jam with Bilingual Birdies and learn Spanish for free at the NYPL! Families with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are welcome to engage through a dynamic combination of live music, sing-alongs, movement, dance, puppetry, and theatre-based games. bilingualbirdies.com Book Nook: Children will get cozy with literacy and everything in between at Book Nook. Classes for ages 1.5-5 explore reading, handwriting, fine motor skills, and more. booknooknyc.com Bounce & Flip: Bounce & Flip’s preschool classes will introduce the basic gymnastics skills to assist in developing self-confidence and technique. The preschool series will offer classes taught with parent participation for ages 18-36 months and without for ages 3-5 years. bounceandflip.com Broadway Dance Center: The Children & Teen Program offers dancers ages 3-18 elite training with today’s leading teachers and choreographers. The 32-week program delivers the finest dance experience for your child by offering a wide variety of high-quality class options. broadwaydancecenter.org

musical theater

classes

september 22-december 17 gotta sing! got

ta dance!

SATURDAYS

Ages 3-4 11a.m. - 12 p.m.

Ages 5-6 12:15 - 1:45 p.m.

Ages 7-9 2- 3:30 p.m.

Ages 10-14 3:30 - 5 p.m.

TUESDAYS

Ages 2-3 10:40 - 11:30 a.m.

Ages 4-5 Ages 6-8

3:15 - 4:15 p.m.

4:15 - 5:45 p.m.

when school is out... tada

is in!

Week-long Camp September 2-5

1-day camt.ps 26 Sept. 2 Sept. 25

Sep Oct. 16

Chabad Preschool at Beekman Place: In the Baby Loves Shabbat program, tots ages 6-18 months can experience Jewish songs, traditions, and music! Accompanied by a guitarist, kids and their caregivers enjoy Shabbat songs, parachute play, candle lighting, and Challah baking. beekmanjewishpreschool.com

Caregiver stays in class.

Ages 6-8 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Ages 9-14 5 - 6:30 p.m. + Audition Technique

MONDAYS

Carousel of Languages: This children’s foreign language program now offers two-hour morning enrichment classes for ages 3-5. Choose from Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Italian. Music and movement, dramatic play, and culturespecific projects are all involved. Hour-long classes are also available. carousellanguages.com

WEDNESDAYS NEW! TADA! in Tribeca at Tamid NYC Ages 3-4 3- 4:00 p.m.

Ages 5-7 4:15 - 5:45 p.m.

Want to learn

more?

FREE

Open house

Sept. 20

Chelsea Piers: Chelsea Piers’ developmental gymnastics classes (for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, ages 5-16) are geared toward skills development and fitness.

Children are organized in groups by gender, age, and ability.

CP is a USA Gymnastics gym and has the only competitive boys team in NYC. chelseapiers.com Child’s Play NY: At Child’s Play NY your children will be encouraged to use their bodies, voices, and minds to re-create children’s literature. Your child will interact with others their age, and will enjoy the story telling through play as well! childsplayny.com Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA): CMA’s After School program offers the Exploring Print and Textiles class to ages 6-8. Kids will explore design principles including pattern,

15 WEST 28TH ST. NEW YORK, NY 10001 WWW.TADATHEATER.COM continued on page 67

64

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 64

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:46 PM

ARTFARM_0814NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:40 PM

Seriously Art-Rageous Parties!

•BIRTHDAY PARTIES Ask For a

FREE Trial Class

•ART CLASSES •PLAY DATES •GROUP EVENTS

•GLITTER TATTOO ARTISTS •FACE PAINTERS •STORY ART!

The mobile art program that brings the fun to you!

FRENCH • SPANISH ITALIAN • CHINESE Ages 6M-9Y • Full Immersion • Native Teachers

CLASSES PRESCHOOLS & CAMPS Featuring the Thibaut Technique®, perfected over 40 years and recognized by The New York Times, PBS, People, Parents, Wall St. Journal, Fox, BBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN.

AWARD-WINNING MATERIALS MANHATTAN Upper Eastside • LI • NJ

212.628.2700

www.LanguageWorkshopForChildren.com

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 18

www.nyletsgoghart.com 917.704.0102

8/21/14 10:13 AM

continued from page 64

form, and function through fabric printing, weaving, and tote bag design. Students will be introduced to batik designs, will turn a painting into fashion inspired by Yves Saint Laurent, and more. cmany.org Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM): Ease into preschool with CMOM’s Preschool Prep! These classes allow children and their grown-ups to gradually separate, readying them for the preschool experience. Teachers support children as they gain self-confidence in stimulating environment and develop the social skills and curiosity. cmom.org Church Street School for Music & Art: In the Creative Arts Club afterschool program, students explore a rotating schedule of workshops to explore digital photography, animation, sewing, drawing, painting, sculpture, bookmaking, printmaking, and more. The semester wraps with an art show and performance! Includes pickup from local schools and snack. churchstreetschool.org Citibabes: CitiBitty, Citibabes’ newest class for the 12 months and under age group, focuses on the earliest stages of learning. CitiBitty centers on a baby’s physical, cognitive and social development through age appropriate play, creating opportunities that aid babies in reaching developmental milestones. citibabes.com Collina Italiana: Giardino dei Bambini is a morning drop-off playgroup for ages 2-5. Experienced instructors provide multiple opportunities for kids to learn Italian through play, while learning important socialization skills. The program offers language learning through activities, songs, dance, theater, and hands-on creativity. collinaitaliana.com Columbus Gym: Columbus Gym’s new Move and Groove class combines a Tiny Tot Fitness class with an interactive concert and music session with Teacher Richard. After children move around the gym exploring gymnastics equipment, they’ll groove along to sing-alongs and play with musical instruments. columbusgymnyc.com ConstructionKids: Children learn to use real tools in a safe and creative environment in ConstructionKids’ After-School program. Projects vary from animals, vehicles, and go-carts, to making toys and buildings in this dynamic hands-on program for all types of learners. constructionkids.com The Craft Studio: Construction & Science meets art in this program for ages 6.5-9. Kids will build volcanoes, twisters, cities, terrariums, DNA, and more! They’ll explore the science of building, the art of science, and make a project each week exploring different themes. craftstudionyc.com Creative Play For Kids: Paint and play in the new Messy Movers classes. This dynamic music, movement, and art combo allows babes and tots to move to upbeat music, explore messy art projects, and climb, jump, and play. It’s the complete sensory experience for babies and toddlers! creativeplayforkids.com continued on page 68 www.newyorkfamily.com

CLASSES_0914.indd 67

FALL CLASSES BIRTH–12 YEARS EXPLORE. PLAY. GROW. CONNECT. sports | tumbling | gymnastics | pre-nursery music | art | ballet | aquatics | dance | science yoga | fencing | jewish life | cooking Fall classes start on September 8.

Limited spots left for fall. Trials available.

Visit jccmanhattan.org/familylife or call 646.505.5708 /jccschoolage

/jccnycfamilies

JCC MANHATTAN 334 AMSTERDAM AVENUE / 76TH STREET 646.505.5708 / JCCMANHATTAN.ORG A BENEFICIARY OF UJA-FEDERATION

September 2014 | New York Family

67

8/21/14 2:46 PM

continued from page 67

Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance: Explore creative movement, dance and music in Cumbe’s innovative class for young children: DrumDance. Students ages 3-4 exercise their imagination, build coordination, and develop confident self-expression, through a combination of dancing, singing, drumming, and storytelling. cumbedance.com Diller-Quaile School of Music: Love to draw, paint, and make collages and sculptures? If so, join the Diller-Quaile School of Music for art classes for children 21 months through 6 years.

Also, come explore creative music classes! diller-quaile.org Discovery Programs: Discovery will begin special needs gymnastics classes this fall for ages 2-5. This class is designed to give children with special needs an opportunity to learn gymnastics in a comfortable setting. Instructors will focus on gross motor skills and increasing muscle tone and coordination. discoveryprograms.com East Side Tae Kwon Do: Martial arts classes from East Side Tae Kwon Do are a great way to help your child build their self-esteem. Through these classes they will excel and learn skills that will help them in everyday life. eastsidetaekwondo.com Eastside Westside Music Together: In a Music Together class, caregivers will have fun making music with their baby, toddler, or preschooler. The developmental benefits are off the charts and the bonding benefits are priceless. eswsmusictogether.com EBL Coaching: Students in grades pre-K-12 build core reading, writing, and math skills using research-based, multi-sensory strategies in EBL Coaching’s After School and Weekend Programs. Students use magnetic tiles, shaving cream, and mini white boards to develop skills. Programs for students with ADHD and learning disabilities are also available. eblcoaching.com Fastbreak Kids: At the Fastbreak Kids Multi-sport Program, every 2-3 weeks children will be introduced to a new sport including basketball, baseball, soccer, football, tennis, and floor hockey. Each class will help develop coordination, agility, and instill a love of team play in each child. fastbreakkids.com French Institute Alliance Francais: Broaden your child’s linguistic horizon with FIAF’s French classes for kids ages 1–17! Kids discover French through weekly immersion classes or fun, hands-on workshops that activate your child’s imagination through cooking, art, and music. fiaf.org FreshMade NYC: In the Brunch N Much class, toddlers learn to create the freshest and healthiest versions of brunch classics. The options are endless as young chefs explore making everything from pancakes to superfood smoothies. This class will focus on cooperation and sharing. freshmadenyc.com Fukasa Kai: These martial arts classes for ages 3-14 offered in the World Yoga Center, are age-appropriate, noncompetitive, and focus on technique, physical aptitude, and self-defense. Classes are goal-oriented, with set curricula

Clockwise from top left: KTUGA, Instituto Cervantes, and Jodi’s Gym.

leading to earning accredited martial arts ranks and belts. fukasakai.com The Gaga Center: Calling all gaga fans in grades K-6. Join the fun this fall in afterschool gaga sessions. Classes will include one hour of gaga fun with a warm-up, instruction, and lots of time to play. gagacenter.com German-American School: The German-American School offers a unique New York State-accredited afterschool German language program. Children from diverse backgrounds learn German by play-acting, singing, memorization, writing, reading, and speaking in German. german-american-school.org Gymboree Play & Music: Encourage curiosity and build selfconfidence in your child through School Skills, a drop-off preschool alternative that combines art, science, Leap Frog Phonics, Handwriting Without Tears, and more to build key social, emotional, and intellectual skills. gymboreeclasses.com Gymtime: At Gymtime’s Tiny Tot Fitness program, infants and toddlers (ages 7-18 months) are lead through structured movement, music, and motor activities that stimulate growth and development. The Tiny Tot mini-gym is designed to engage specific skill sets including balance, coordination, cross-lateral movement, motor skills, and independence. gymtime.net Hands On!: Using a special instrument-based curriculum, this music studio introduces infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to popular folk tunes, nursery rhymes, and lullabies. Hands On! Musical Experience classes feature stories with puppets, music, instrument exploration, and movement. handsonformusic.com continued on page 72

68

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 68

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:48 PM

R PeErks UeaMt M S r e e. .

G AdM rP aCn f es FALL SESSIO N STARTS SEPTEMBER 27

Group and Private Tutoring and Classes for Adults and Children 1556 Third Ave Suite 603 212.427.7770 • www.collinaitaliana.com info@collinaitaliana.com

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 15

i bl e ayetxim p..l.fl fdourle i n g!! h e b rs sc mem

Register fo r k id s Now ! 9 m o s to 12 yrs

yrs. of Fun, Frien ds, & Fitness !

Gymnas tics Parties Camps Prescho ol Enric hment Combo Classes Open P lay Music Fitness

www.jodisgym.com 244 E. 84th St. NYC • 212.772.7633

8/22/14 10:54 AM

WHO SAID SCIENTISTS DON’T HAVE FUN? OUR KIDS HAVE A BLAST AT

Rutgers Community Programs

SCITECH KIDS

AFTER SCHOOL & WEEKEND PROGRAM Saturday, September 6, 2014 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

@ Rutgers Presbyterian Church 236 West 73rd Street, NYC (just west of Broadway)

Fall is a great time for kids to explore the wonders of science. SciTech Kids sparks a child’s innate curiosity and creativity about STEM through rich, hands-on, captivating experiences.

Whether a SciTech Kids Explorer (ages 3-5) SciTech Kids Adventurer (ages 6-8) or SciTech Kids Investigator (ages 9-12) SciTech Kids inspires kids to think like scientists.

BUDDING SCIENTISTS ENJOY THEMES INCLUDING:

your Bring n, e childr ss e and dr ss! e for a m

• Human body • Earth & Space • Robotics • Living Organisms • Coding • Light & Sound • Air & Water

W Art W W Mandarin W W Movement W W Dance W

• Electronics AND MORE

Playgroups: W Mommy & Me W On My Own

To register call (212) 804-7055 or sci-techkids.com New York Junior League

Please RSVP: Jennifer Moore 212-877-8227 ext. 212 or jmoore@rutgerschurch.org

G

W Ready, Set, Go! W Program for Preschoolers

www.rutgerschurch.org W www.facebook.com/rutgerscommunityprograms

130 East 80th Street (Park & Lexington)

Co umbus ym

SPECIA L DIS New fa COUNT milies at tending will $25 off a receive si $100 off ngle class or Ready, Set, Go!

Gymnastics

CLASSES AGES 10 MONTHS TO 12 YEARS

Established in 1988, Columbus Gym is the largest and longest running gym program on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Our state-of-the-art 3000 square foot gymnasium features every piece of equipment imaginable for superb classes and birthday parties.

Columbus Gym classes keep the spirit of fun while teaching children 10 months to 12 years. The Tiny Tot Fitness Program concentrates on balance, coordination, and fine motor skills along with sports, props, and circle time. Mini gym/super gym classes provide an introduction to basic skills using all pieces of apparatus (vault, balance beam, bars, floor, and trampoline).

All classes are non-competitive and child-friendly.

FABULOUS GYMNASTICS BIRTHDAY PARTIES!

212-721-0090 • 606 Columbus Avenue (89th & 90th Sts.) • www.columbusgymnyc.com

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 8

8/21/14 11:00 AM

HudsonWay EST. 2005

IMMERSION SCHOOL Formerly BILINGUAL BUDS

“A new A.C.T. milestone Drop-off classes for toddlers.”

First Steps Let HudsonWay Immersion School give your child the skills to build a bright future. Our immersion approach can lead to higher academic achievement and a leg-up in the global world.

Navigate the World®

Mandarin Chinese • English Preschool | Day School (K-5) After School | Summer Camp

Now Enrolling!

Learn More at www.hwis.org

175 Riverside Boulevard • New York, NY • (212) 787-8088

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 9

Register NOW for Classes • 12 - 48 mos • 18 - 36 mos • 24 - 38 mos • 26 - 38 mos • 33 - 60 mos • 48 - 66 mos

Winter Indoor Playstation One to One Classes NEW! Drop-off Classes Learning new skills on their own Nursery Sections Pre-School Summer Camp

From 12 mos - 5½ yrs • spacious gym with mats • bikes • climbing equipment classrooms • gardens • kitchenette • nature centers and more!

www.act p r ograms. or g • 212-316-7 53 0

8/20/14 3:48 PM

continued from page 68

MAKING MUSIC WITH LAURIE BERKNER

By Nicole Goldstein Laurie Berkner is an award-winning and bestselling children’s music artist who started as a preschool music teacher, and worked her way to becoming the first artist to appear in music videos on Nick Jr. Recently, she has been busy creating a new class for kids called Music in Me. According to Berkner, the class will include “lots of movement and lots of fun!” Classes will primarily feature music from Berkner’s catalogue and will be taught by energetic teachers at a variety of venues—with each venue offering something different. Music in Me will be offered at Third Street Music School, Freshmade, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and the Art Farm in the City (see page 62).

And while the class will vary by venue, one theme will remain constant. “One big part of it is to make sure that kids have fun making music with other kids, with their caretakers, and with their teacher,” Berkner says. “I really want kids to come to the class to feel ownership over the music, to feel confident and happy to be expressing themselves in the classroom setting.” If you ask us, it sounds like music to any family’s ears!

Visit laurieberkner.com for more info!

HiArt!: When it comes the Japanese style of drawing known as manga no one does it like art-savvy HiArt! Manga gives kids a systematic and beautiful way to draw the world around them and to develop their own stories and characters. hiartkids.com HudsonWay Immersion School: HudsonWay Immersion School’s (formerly Bilingual Buds) afterschool programs in Mandarin and Spanish, for ages 2-12, use engaging content and teaching strategies from their immersion day school to make language learning enjoyable and effective. hwis.org Instituto Cervantes: At Instituto Cervantes, students learn language through a fun, multicultural Spanish course, running for 10 weeks and meeting once a week on weekdays or Saturdays. Classes are taught by native Spanish-speaking teachers and students are assigned to groups according to their age and level. newyork.cervantes.org Jazz at Lincoln Center: Jazz at Lincoln Center’s WeBop program invites families to swing to their favorite nursery rhymes and jam with a live jazz quartet as you and your child explore the ABC’s of Jazz. These classes offer a creative outlet for children to explore jazz through movement, songs, storytelling, and play. jalc.org

The JCC In Manhattan: Tae Kwon Do @ The JCC teaches basic kicking and striking techniques, with an emphasis on developing kids’ focus and self-esteem. During the semester each student will participate in a belt test to advance to the next belt level. jccmanhattan.org Jodi’s Gym: Do you have a preschooler who is always on the move? Jodi’s Gym’s Tumbling Tots program, for ages 3-5, will keep them flipping head-over-heels. In a class filled with giggles and laughter, your child will develop self-confidence while experiencing the joys of gymnastics. jodisgym.com Joffrey Ballet School: Kids in the Joffrey Ballet School are trained in classical and contemporary ballet, as well as in other forms of dance, including modern, jazz, and hip hop. A Children’s Program, for ages 2-9, also offers Dance with Me (for little ones and their caregivers). joffreyballetschool.com Karma Kids Yoga: The CircusYoga class blends yoga with the celebration of circus. It fosters connection, play and communication through Circus Skills, like juggling, hooping, and more. CircusYoga principles include courage, trust, connection, collaboration, listening, community, and celebration. karmakidsyoga.com Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy: Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy is offering classes with new partners including Asphalt Green, 92Y, Reebok Sports Club, and The Club of Riverdale. Check out their new Early Birdie classes for ages 3-4, offered from 10am to 2pm in various parks.

Their program promotes physical literacy needed in any sport, while ensuring that each child is actively engaged. ktuga.com Kids at Art: Children ages 5-12 learn the basics of art in a warm, nurturing environment, where everyone is an artist.

Children will learn to use paint, pencil, watercolor, and more. Kids will also learn about collage, sculpture, plaster, printmaking, and papier mache. kidsatartnyc.com Kids at Work: Mess it Up, at Kids at Work in Chelsea, features sensory and science-based art experiences that are designed for active and curious children. Literary and seasonal themes are introduced via vibrant and interesting stories, and a simple preschool-like structure is introduced in an informal manner. kidsatworknyc.com Kids in Sports: Come join Kids in Sports this fall for their new and improved Pre-School Athlete Multi-Sport class. This separation program offers children ages 2.54 an opportunity to combine an athletic program with a classroom segment. kisnyc.com Kidville: KVU Grad is Kidville’s new 3s program coming this September. KVU Grad is a developmental progression from the KVU series of classes which includes KVU Prep and KVU. Each day at KVU Grad features group activities, science exploration, reading time, and structured gym activities. kidville.com continued on page 74

72

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 72

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:48 PM

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 19

8/22/14 10:57 AM

continued from page 72

Now Registering for the 2014-15 School Year BALLET ACADEMY EAST

Register Online,

by Phone or in Person

Pre-Professional Ballet Division Ages 6 - 19 Boys’ Scholarship Program Audition Dates: 8/27 & 9/15 Sign up online or by phone

Pre-Ballet, Tap and Modern Ages 3 - 6

Petit Dancers

Ages 18 months - 2 years

Adult Open Classes All Levels - Start Anytime Ballet, Tap, Zumba, Jazz, Modern, Pilates and Yoga

1651 Third Avenue New York, NY 10128 212-410-9140 • info@baenyc.com www.BalletAcademyEast.com

Kumon: Kumon is the world’s largest after-school math and reading program. The Kumon Method has helped millions of children achieve more than they ever thought they could. At Kumon, your child will build skills that lead to success inside and outside the classroom. kumon.com La Scuola Di’Italia: The Scuola Marterna Preschool program is designed for the pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten years. It focuses on the development of the child from an intellectual, cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical standpoint—all with bilingual Italian/English instruction. lascuoladitalia.org Language Workshop for Children: The Language Workshop for Children’s Family Preschool, for ages 20 months to 3 years, lets parents and caregivers share their child’s bridge to preschool experience. French or Spanish immersion activities blend into a classic early development environment. languageworkshopforchildren.com Launch Math & Science: In Launch Math & Science Centers’ new Math & Music Toddler Program, tots ages 18-42 months begin to foster a love of math. Parents and caregivers participate with children during finger play, math activities, and games—all set to guitar music. launchmath.com Let’s Gogh Art: Your child will take a tour of the world, while learning about art projects from each country in the Passport to Creativity class. Kids will explore different forms of art, creating works of art from using countries of world as an inspiration! nyletsgoghart.com Lil’ Yogis: If your little one likes to shake it be sure to check out Yoga Hip-Hop this fall! Classes will be at Reebok Sports Club and Studio Maestro on the Upper West Side and at Sprout San Francisco on the Upper East Side. Each week children will learn yoga, body isolations, and dance combinations. lilyogisnyc.com The Little Gym: The Little Gym’s gymnastics program for preschoolers and Kindergarteners has been designed to help children reach developmental milestones. Independent from parents, kids learn gymnastics fundamentals and have plenty of fun. Try the Funny Bugs class for children ages 3-4. thelittlegym.com

La Scuola D´Italia is a private unique Italian / English bilingual and bicultural school reflecting the best features of the Italian and American education.

Knowledge of the Italian / English language is not a prerequisite for admission to Pre-K through 9th grade.

La Scuola D´IItalia is chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York and by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Italy.

The school is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools.

In addition to our program, we offer a summer camp, please contact us at our main campus for more information and to register.

www.lascuoladitalia.org Tel. 212.369.3290 email: secretary@lascuoladitalia.org

74

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 74

Little Maestros: Award-winning, early-childhood educatorapproved infant and toddler music program dedicated to providing an unparalleled experience, Little Maestros continues to raise the bar in its specialty: children’s music classes and parties. littlemaestros.com Loop of the Loom: Let little ones spin a yarn of pure fun with Loop of the Loom’s regular kids’ classes. Creative and fun weaving classes will be offered Tuesday through Friday this fall. loopoftheloom.com Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center: The Musical Theater Workshop, for ages 8-12, invites you to belt out tunes like Idina Menzel at this year-long workshop. Build your singing and acting skills in the fall, and then perform in an original musical in Merkin Concert Hall in the spring. kaufmanmusiccenter.org www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:49 PM

Mad Science of New York City & Westchester: A private Mad Science home club is a great way to create an engaging weekly playgroup that’s so much more than play. The curriculum offering this fall is Junior Explorers with topics like the Science of Magic, Optical Illusions, and Radical Robots! newyorkcity.madscience.org Manhattan Tennis: MTA’s Quick Start Program for ages 4-7 is all about keeping it fun and exciting, while establishing a foundation for motor skill development. Basic movement and coordination skills will be introduced as kids learn to send the ball with their hands and scaled down racquets. manhattantennisacademy.com

Introducing

BABY STEPS Classes

(ages 3mos. – 2 yrs.) starting sept 15 Fall Dance classes (2 –18) begin sept 8 Register today at stepsnYc.com/school

Mathnasium of Manhattan: The Mathnasium Enrichment Program is offered year-round for qualifying students in grade 2 through Algebra 1. This program allows foreight scheduled instruction hours per month. Each instructor works with 1-3 students every hour in a semi-private setting, combining individualized instruction with independent work! mathnasium.com MusiBambino: At MusiBambino, kids get to play real music instruments and imitate their teachers in fun group ensembles with friends. Specially-designed kid-sized violins, cellos, accordions and more await the touch of curious little hands. musibambino.com

Training the dancers of tomorrow

Musical Kids International/I’m Bilingual: Spanish and The school at steps is a division of steps on Broadway Puppets is a full Spanish immersion class from I’m Bilingual 2121 Broadway @ 74th st, NYC 10023  212-874-3678 Photo: E. Patino for ages 2.5-5. Children learn Spanish vocabulary through fun arts-based activities, including creative art projects, Teaching German Since 1892 memory games, interactive multimedia, live music, and SAS_NYFamilyBabyStepsQtr.indd 1 8/6/14 3:10 PM Spanish stories. imbilingual.com Music for Aardvarks: Music for Aardvarks’ interactive music classes for babies and toddlers are a refreshing alternative to the traditional music class for kids. The informal, classes incorporate singing, dancing, storytelling, and jam sessions all to original tunes that celebrate kids growing up in NYC. musicformanhattan.com My Gym Harlem: In My Gym’s Tiny Tykes classes, for ages 7-13 months, children are led through a variety of beginning stretches, exercises, songs and dances, balance and agility skills, tumbling, and more. mygymisfun.com New York Code + Design Academy: Designed for teens 13-18 without any prior experience in web design or development, the Web Development for Teens afterschool course provides instruction in the core skills and technologies of web development including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with some Ruby. nycda.com New York Jazz Academy: The dynamic Jelly Jamz curriculum draws upon classic and modern jazz, original songs, and folk music to encourage musical development.

Through song, dance, rhythm, and movement, toddlers ages 6 months to 4 years experience an exciting musical repertoire. nyjazzacademy.com continued on page 76 www.newyorkfamily.com

CLASSES_0914.indd 75

GERMAN for CHILDREN

After School Program Low Tuition No Previous German Required Children’s Classes Meet once a Week Minimum Age 4 Years NY State Accredited

212-787-7543 Four Convenient Locations: • Garden City • Franklin Square • Queens (Ridgewood) • Manhattan Classes Start In September

www.german-american-school.org September 2014 | New York Family

75

8/21/14 2:49 PM

continued from page 75

Above, left to right: HiArt!, Asphalt Green.

NYChessKids: One of the largest youth chess programs available, NYChessKids spreads its love for the classic game through organized tournaments and afterschool chess programs throughout the city. nychesskids.com NY City Explorers: Preschool 101 is an educational enrichment program that provides children ages 22 months to 4 years with an opportunity to experience a classroom setting and social environment. Classes all include engaging activities. nycityexplorers.com & brooklynlearninggarden.com NY Kids Club: The new 18-23 month preschool program incorporates art, gym, and music, with a focus on sensory and social development. Students are introduced to age-appropriate letter identification, receptive language development, and more. nykidsclub.com Peridance Capezio Center: The School at Peridance offers dance classes for students of all ages. Check out their exciting new class Djoniba Dance & Drum Kids for ages 5-8 that offers a fun filled curriculum of African dance and drumming. peridance.com Physique Swim School: Young swimmers will make a big splash this season with Physique Swimming’s fall schedule for kids. Their year-round programs allows boys and girls ages 3 and up to have fun getting comfortable with aquatic environments, all while building foundational swimming skills. physiqueswimming.com Planet Han: The Han Builders class is designed to foster a love of basic architecture and to teach children about famous buildings and structures around the world. Classes include hands-on building activities using multiple mediums, including LEGO, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, pasta, and many others. planethanchinese.com Playgarden: Little ballerinas leap, twirl, and plie to live piano music in Playgarden’s Playballet program. Singing teachers

76

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 76

lead classes, for dancers 18 months to 5 years, in custom games, songs, and barre. playgardennyc.com Poppyseed Pre-nursery: Popping Tots class has it all— amazing art, extravaganzas with instruments, story circles, dancing, tumbling, and more! Tots and moms boogie and bond while forging new friendships. Poppyseed is the perfect bridge between home and nursery school. poppyseedprenursery.com Prenatal Yoga Center: Learn American Sign Language through songs and play with other parents, babies and toddlers (newborn through 15 months) at PYC’s Baby Fingers class. Go home each week with new vocabulary and tunes to enhance communication between you and your child. prenatalyogacenter.com Private Picassos: In-Home Group Art Classes come directly to your home! All themes are age-appropriate and allow our students to explore different mediums. Kids will draw detailed self portraits, create Pollock splatter paintings and build unique recycled robots! privatepicassos.com RoboFun: Children in grades 3-6 will write scripts, create storyboards, and design characters using multiple types of media (including clay, paper, and toys) in order to shoot their own stop-motion animation videos. robofun.org Royal Swim: The Royal Swim Team is a competitive swim club for kids ages 5-18 and older. The mission of the team is to provide a safe, competitive program that is perfect for the whole family and swimmers of every age. royalswimteam.com Rutgers Community Programs: The Ready, Set, Go program nurtures creativity and curiosity in a warm environment where children ages 2.9-3.9 learn through play. Children will enjoy hands-on activities in art, literacy, science, movement, and music. rutgerschurch.org continued on page 78 www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:49 PM

New York City’s Premier Art Studio for Children, Teens and Adults!

ArT CLASSeS ❤

Summer CAmP ❤

ArTY PArTieS 1412 Second Avenue (Bet. 73rd & 74th St.) www.kidsatartnyc.com ❤ 212-410-9780

Real World Math & Science...

Out of This World Fun!

Inspiring Math Instruction

Toddler & Pre-K / K Classes !

Tweens Tots to ings! e f te Of r a iv r P roup &

G

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 20

8/20/14 5:25 PM

continued from page 76

Super Soccer Stars: Super Soccer Stars teaches soccer skills in a fun, non-competitive and educational environment.

Through their age-specific curriculum, they use soccer to nurture, build self-confidence and develop teamwork. Kick & Play, their parent-child pre-soccer program, is perfect for ages 12-24 months. supersoccerstars.com & kickandplay.com SwimJim: SwimJim believes children learn best in a friendly environment where they feel at ease, which enables young swimmers to learn basic and advanced skills. Classes for all ages are offered at five NYC locations. swimjim.com

Above: Super Soccer Stars; inset left: TLB Music.

SciTech Kids: After-School and Weekend Programs enable budding scientists, ages 3-15 the ability to discover and explore STEM+the Arts (STEAM) through observations, experimentation, storytelling, and creative play. This fall, budding scientists will learn about ecosystems, chemical reactions, robotics, e-textiles, botany, 3D printing, and more. sci-techkids.com The School at Steps: The School at Steps introduces new mommy/daddy-and-me classes for the youngest of dancers this fall! Baby Steps 1 (for ages 3-9 months) is designed for parents to get their pre-pregnancy bodies back while bonding with their child. stepsNYC.com Soccer by Coach Fher: Soccer by Coach Fher is offering outdoor soccer skills classes for little ones, starting at age 2. With classes on both the Upper East and the Upper West Sides, these classes are must-dos for the back-to-school season! coachfher.com SocRoc: Toddlers learn to kick, dribble, and score goals at SocRoc Soccer! Class starts with a song followed by fun fitness and stretching exercises. The bulk of the class involves teaching kids to use their feet with colored soccer balls, cones, and discs. jcsocroc.com socialskillz: -): Back2school bootcamp at socialsklz:-) is a fresh, fun, and unfiltered two-day workshop that prepares kids socially and emotionally for the school year. Covering everything from making a first impression to lunchroom do’s and don’ts, your child will be equipped with stand-out “sklz” for success! socialsklz.com SPORTTIME Randall’s Island: Junior Tennis Kinetics is SPORTIME’s junior development program dedicated to meeting the needs of their Junior Tennis and Sports Members. JTK offers a tennis program for juniors in a safe and enriching environment. sportimeny.com StageCoach Theatre Arts: The Early Stages class is perfect for youngsters ages 4-6 who have big imaginations. The 90-minute sessions introduce kids to singing, dancing, and acting in a fun environment. stagecoachschools.com

78

New York Family | September 2014

CLASSES_0914.indd 78

TADA! Youth Theater: TADA! is now offering their Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! Jr. classes in TriBeCa! The fall program will lay the foundations of musical theater and character development using theater games, songs and dance numbers. tadatheater.com Take Two Film Academy: Get into the act with Take Two Film Academy’s filmmaking and acting workshops. Students learn the entire filmmaking process from screenwriting to storyboarding, as well as directing, acting, and editing. taketwofilmacademy.com Tennis Innovators: TI’s 10 & Under Tennis Academy provides a fast paced, high energy, totally fun learning experience. Offering classes throughout NYC for players as young as 3, TI ensures small groups, great pros, and innovation! tennisinnovators.com TLB Music: Kids explore the orchestra in TLB Music’s “Ollie and the Orchestra” music class series. Each week, students meet a new instrument (everything from the snare drum to the saxophone) and a new style of music. tlbmusic.com West Side Taekwondo: Pee Wee kids (ages 4-5) learn to focus, listen and learn self-control using the Korean art of taekwondo. The exercise increases aerobic capacity, sharpen motor skills, and enhances flexibility. westsidetkd.com YMCA: Kids Crafts at the Ridgewood Y is open to ages 5-12.

Kids participate in themed mixed media art projects. The class design allows participants to use their creativity and imagination. ymcanyc.org Yogi Beans: Family yoga instills communication and respect between beans, parents and even siblings! Have fun learning basic yoga poses and build teamwork skills using partner poses and games. Classes conclude with family-friendly meditation. yogibeans.com Yorkville Youth Athletic Association: Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in Manhattan and Yorkville is introducing fall league play. Your child can learn the basics in the Introductory Clinic or new League Play. yyaa.org ZGT: Watch as your child seamlessly develops language, social, music, and math skills in ZGT’s Mommy and Me class.

Come sing and dance in Mandarin as you learn the basics of this beautiful language. ZGTnewyork.com

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:49 PM

Come Play Yoga at Karma Kids Yoga!

c

Yoga for Babies Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Families Community Yoga CircusYoga Prenatal Yoga Free Story Time Yoga Yoga Birthday Parties Special Events Teacher Training

Karma Kids

c

Dance!

rock the boat!

Karma Kids Yoga 104 West 14th Street Peace-In Studio 102 West 14th Street karmakidsyoga.com | (646)638-1444

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 24

Our unique and fun approach to dance focuses on building physical strength and flexibility, focus and attention, body awareness, confidence and self-esteem, and a love for dance! Karma Kids Dance classes will help kids become more confident movers and dancers at any age, whether they want to dance forever or just for fun.

Karma Kids Dance classes run from September 29th through December 5th, for 10 weeks.

8/20/14 5:27 PM

&

SUPPLY DEMAND Set Your Students Up For Success With Our Guide To Savvy School Supplies

By Rebecca Levey & Mia Weber 1

3 2

4

6

5

7

AGES 3-8 Whether you’re prepping your little one for their very first day of nursery school, or their big step into Kindergarten, fun and age-appropriate gear is a must. The New York Family team has combed the marketplace for our fave picks for the littlest scholars this back-to-school season!

1. Loungefly For Hello Kitty Printed Denim Pencil Case: Hello Kitty has long been a favorite of little girls—so send her off on her first day with an adorable pencil case emblazoned with HK’s reassuring visage. $5, sanrio.com 2. Badtz-Maru Cell Phone Cleaner: Snooze: Most parents have first-hand knowledge of just how much of mess enthusiastic kiddos can make—which results in

smudged screens all around.

Pass on the value of cleanliness with a squishy Sanrio screen cleaner. The best part?

The soft shape of the item lets it double as a fun toy! $7, sanrio.com

alphabet—is sure to make a great addition to any learning environment, and is available at a great price point through School Specialty. $54.99, store.schoolspecialty.com

3. Land of Nod Teacher’s Pet Backpack: What does the fox say? He says it’s time to head back to school! We love this kid-friendly pack in a fierce fox motif. It’s especially great for young kiddos heading to preschool or Kindergarten, as it’s like a built-in animal friend. $29, landofnod.com

5. GamaGo Gnome Stylus: If your child is getting their first introduction to touchscreens and tablets this year, hook them up with a cool stylus that makes tapping the screen—and keeping it free from smudges—a snap.

GamaGo’s cheeky gnome version is as whimsical as it is practical. $10, gamago.com

4. Learning Resources Canvas Alphabet Bean Bags: A staple of many preschool and nursery classrooms, bean bags are always in high demand. This great set of 26—each with a letter of the

6. XO Tablet: Designed especially for kids (think durability and a kid-friendly size) and loaded with tons of original educational content, hundreds of classic books, and more, the XO—which is a affiliated

8

with One Laptop Per Child—is great for kids just getting used to having their own electronics.

The different “dream” themes (from scientist to musician), parental monitoring tools, and Android option make it a perfect fit. $149, toysrus.com 7. Staples Animal Pencil Sharpeners: Help your little ones keep their pencils as sharp as their minds with cute critter sharpeners from Staples! We can’t get enough of the pig and penguin options. $0.99, staples.com 8. Big Grid Whale Notebook: Available at beloved Park Slope toy store Norman & Jules, this nautical notebook is full of grid paper that can have endless uses for kids in their first years of school as they begin to learn the basics of charts, graphs, more. $9, normanandjules.com continued on page 82

80

New York Family | September 2014

KIDVUZ_0914.indd 80

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:52 PM

Success Starts Here.

From the age of two, your child will begin learning a new language. From age three, your child will discover reading. And from the age of four, they will learn a musical instrument. Imagine what your child will achieve by age 12. We are part of a successful network of international schools where students’ accomplishments rank among the highest in the world. Students from our schools have been accepted to the world’s most renowned colleges and universities, including Harvard, McGill, MIT, Oxford, Princeton, and St Andrews.

To find out more, call to schedule a private tour.

World Class Learning Academy, New York An International School for Children Ages 2 to Middle School.

Inspired. Successful. Empowered.

www.wclacademy.org • 212.600.2010 • 44 East 2nd Street • New York, New York 10003 • infowcla@wclacademy.org

WORLDCLASS_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

8/20/14 3:56 PM

FOR KIDS & FAMILY

continued from page 80

11

12

9

10

16

13 14

AGES 8-12 As kids grow up, tech supplies and trendy gear take center stage. Rebecca Levey, co-founder of KidzVuz—safe, moderated videos on sports, fashion, books, movies, and more, made by kids, for kids ages 6-14—weighs in on her expert recommendations for older kids and tweens.

marking and notating text books and class notes, making everything easy to find, and to remember, while the Grid Notes stick onto surfaces, making it easy and neat to insert a graph, chart or math equation into any notebook page. Writable Flags: $4.49; Grid Notes: $3.99; post-it.com

9. Built NY Spicy Relish Tote: There’s only one question that matters when buying a lunch bag—does it go in the wash?

These Built NY lunch bags are made of neoprene so they keep food cold, look super-stylish, are incredibly lightweight, and most importantly you can toss them right in the washing machine. $29.99, builtny.com

11. R2-D2 MIMOPOWERBOT: Now your kids will have no excuse when they forget to text you after school. This portable rechargeable battery charger comes with multiple tips to fit any cellphone or tablet so the force will always be with them. $59.99, mimoco.com

10. Post-It Study Products: Taking notes in the margins is so last century. Post-It’s Writable Flags are great for book-

82

12. School Specialty: NYC public school parents are often called upon to help supply their child’s classroom. School Specialty is a well-regarded one-shop-stop of every kind

New York Family | September 2014

KIDVUZ_0914.indd 82

15

of school supply where, in addition to shopping for their child’s individual supply needs, a parent can buy economy-minded class-size packs for their classroom. You can buy large class-ready packs of crayons, markers, and much more. store.schoolspecialty.com 13. Minecraft Creeper Backpack: If your kids insist that The Creeper ate their homework (or at least ate up their homework time) then this backpack is for them. Fully padded with three compartments to hold their stuff, this backpack is just as functional as it is awesome. $39.99, thinkgeek.com 14. Jonathan Adler Seasons Mini Keyring ID: Make it easy and stylish for your kid to keep their Metrocard, money, and keys all together with this

wallet-key ring combo by design guru Jonathan Adler. $7.95, barnesandnoble.com 15. Lands’ End Featherlight Backpack: If there were a backpack Hall of Fame, the Lands’ End Featherlight would surely be the first inductee. These backpacks have everything a kid needs to haul their stuff all school year long, including a padded compartment for a laptop or tablet, an outer bungee cord to hold that jacket they will inevitably take off in the schoolyard, and a water repellent finish. $54, landsend.com 16. Lenovo Yoga 2: As the name implies, the 13-inch Lenovo Yoga bends and flips to convert from regular laptop to flat tablet. It runs Windows 8.1, weighs just over 3 lbs, and has an 8-hour battery life. $899, shop.lenovo.com

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:52 PM

A French-American Education in New York City

LYCÉE FRANÇAIS DE NEW YORK

Open House 2014 for

Pre-K, Pre-K french ImmersIon, KIndergarten

• September 24

• October 6 6pm to 8pm

Register at LFNY.org/OpenHouse

• November 6

505 East 75th street New York, NY 10021 212.439.4215

IN

PENDENT

We’re Closer Than You Think.

Dwight-Englewood School | Preschool (age 3) - Grade 12 Register today for our upcoming Open House and Open Doors events!

Visit us online at d-e.org or call 201.984.4547

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 21

315 EAST PALISADE AVENUE ENGLEWOOD, NJ 07631

8/20/14 5:31 PM

For some, it’s kindergarten.

A G r Ow n-U

P Co me dy A

By

For these parents,

it’s war.

b o u t K ind e

r g A rt e n A

d m is s io n s

GreG edwards & andy sandberG Directed by andy sandberG

ApplicationPendingPlay.com

Tickets now on sale!

Performances begin This Fall Cherry Lane Theatre • 38 Commerce St • 212-352-3101

APPLICATION_0914NYF_FP.indd 1 APGEN3866_NY_Fam.indd 1

8/20/14 3:55 PM 8/15/14 3:01 PM

GAINING

ADMISSION

As Private School & Nursery School Applications Come Due, Here’s What To Think About

By Eric Messinger www.newyorkfamily.com

ADMISSIONS_0914.indd 85

September 2014 | New York Family

85

8/21/14 2:53 PM

continued from page 85

A

s the editor of New York Family, I field a lot of questions about local school admissions. To keep my job, I put in a lot of time to gather good answers.

What follows are questions that, for the purposes of this article, are editorialized to reflect areas of deep concern or confusion to parents. To clarify, this isn’t going to be a stepby-step guide. We have those online, at newyorkfamily.com, if you need them. Instead, I’m going to focus on some of the hot-button topics. This month I’ll cover private school and nursery school admissions. Next month, I’ll turn to public, charter, and parochial schools.

PRIVATE SCHOOL HOW MANY SCHOOLS SHOULD A FAMILY APPLY TO? The short answer is 6-8. The long answer is 6-8, too, if you’ve really done your homework and are not just applying to the most competitive schools. Don’t do that. You want to apply to schools that you’re really jazzed about being a part of, not just for your child but also as a parent. The schools will read you as well as your child. They’ll assess whether they think your family will be a good fit at the school. That’s why you want to truly focus on schools that you really would like to be a part of.

affiliated with the school and doesn’t really know your child. Like a recommendation from the President of the United States, for example. Sounds impressive, but it’ll mark you as pretentious.

ARE ANY SCHOOLS “SAFE” SCHOOLS? IF YOU DON’T ALREADY KNOW, HOW CAN YOU LEARN WHICH SCHOOLS ARE THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER? Even though you’re only applying to Kindergarten, the most competitive schools to get into are typically the ones with a really good record for college admissions and very strong academics.

Schools like Trinity, Dalton, and Horace Mann, for example.

WHEN DO THE APPLICATIONS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED? I don’t want to freak you out, but the right answer for a popular school is September, or as close to September as possible. The reason is that many popular schools will just stop accepting applications after they receive a certain number—a number which they know from experience can lead to a full class.

Beyond that, they don’t really have the capacity to process all of the applications they receive. I remember betting shut out of applying my son to an all-boys private school because I hadn’t gotten the application in on time and it was only mid-October.

CAN HAVING A LOT OF MONEY HELP? Yes, but unless you have a lot of money, why worry about it?

As it was explained to me, at each school a small percentage of the total number of families donate a good deal of the school’s fundraising monies. And, yes, if you have that kind of money, chances are your child will be a very appealing candidate to almost any school. It’s the same at the college level, so why be surprised that it happens at lower levels?

WHAT ABOUT CONNECTIONS? You might say there are good connections and bad connections, and it’s worth discussing the difference. A good connection would be someone presently affiliated with the school (like an active parent or board member) who knows you (and ideally your child), and would be happy to send in a note on your behalf. But be real here: Is this person someone you like and have respect for? If not, other people might not like them either. A bad connection, believe it or not, would be someone who is famous but isn’t really

86

New York Family | September 2014

ADMISSIONS_0914.indd 86

Well, the safest private schools are ones that are new and have a lot of spots to fill. This doesn’t mean that they are bad schools; it might just mean that, because they are less proven, there are fewer families who are willing to take a chance on them. But you might think they’re great and worth taking a chance on. I should also note that just because an established school might have a reputation for being one of the lesser competitive private schools when it comes to college admissions, that doesn’t make it a “safe” school. It may still attract many more applications than it has seats to fill.

HOW DOES ONE RESEARCH PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SCHOOL MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOUR CHILD AND FAMILY? For starters, when you’re still doing research to determine which schools to request applications from, you can look to school websites, Victoria Goldman’s Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools and Selective Public Schools (she has another guide for nursery schools), the Parents League, (which offers some admissions counseling as well public seminars and school fairs), and trusted friends and acquaintances who have children at schools you might be interested in. If you have a child at a private nursery school in the city, then chances are that the school offers dedicated ex-missions support, provided either by the head of the nursery school or another school official. Usually, this is a fortunate thing. The nursery school official will not only help you hone a list of schools to apply to, they’ll ultimately act as a kind of intermediary between families and on-going school applications, helping to insure that the best matches take place. Now, if for any reason you don’t feel like you’re on the same page as the person at the nursery school who is representing you, that’s a tricky situation. You may be justified in thinking that the school doesn’t really get your child; or in fact, they may be giving you good advice but you’re not ready to hear it. In situations like that, it’s probably wise to turn to a private admissions consultant for additional guidance. continued on page 88 www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:54 PM

This is the age of

ENGAGEMENT Pine Street School is an innovative global education for preschool through 8th grade.

Pine Street School GREEN IVY SCHOOLS

Join us for a tour of our new and inspiring space.

Write to info@Greenivy.com for details. | GreenIvy.com

GREEN_0914NYF_FP.indd 2

Pine Street School 8/21/14 11:02 AM

continued from page 86 indication of their interest to the schools they are most interested in. That message may be conveyed by your emissary from your nursery school, but if that option is not available to you, you may need to convey it yourself.

ULTIMATELY, HOW SHOULD YOU DECIDE WHICH SCHOOL IS YOUR FAVORITE? You’ll probably start the admissions process with certain ideas about what kind of school you’re looking for and the factors that are most important to you. Then you’re going to see a bunch of schools and hear from other sources, and your priorities may change—or not. But if you do the work, by the end of the process you will almost certainly have a gut feel for which schools, all in, are on the top of your list.

WHAT’S THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PART OF THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS? THE STUDENT INTERVIEW, THE PARENT INTERVIEW, THE APPLICATIONS, OR SOMETHING ELSE? The thing with private school admissions, unlike public school admissions or even nursery school admissions, is that it’s a really involved process. It entails a number of visits to each school, because in addition to the school tour and the interview, some schools will host special nights to highlight specific virtues— one occasion I remember, for example, was a parents’ panel to discuss a school’s commitment to diversity. And here’s the thing: It’s all evidence gathering for the schools. They’re trying to figure out whether your child and your family would indeed be a good fit for their school community—and they put a lot of time into this because these are long and expensive relationships.

They want them to be good relationships. That said, obviously, the interviews are of primary importance. Children should be overly prepped for them, but you may want to include some encouragement about being polite and enjoying yourself.

Parents should come prepared and be on good behavior. Come with a few of your favorite anecdotes to share about your child; better to share those than just generalizations about their intelligence or charm. If you’re part of a couple, make sure both parents take turns sharing.

HOW DOES THE DEMISE OF THE ERB CHANGE THINGS? The ERB was shorthand for the IQ test that private schools used for many years to get more evidence of a child’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s been dropped because so many parents started hiring private tutors to prep their kids that it no longer seemed like a reliably objective measure, and its use became a source of much anxiety among parents who didn’t know whether to play by the rules or not. In its place, a few schools are adopting another IQ test, but most schools are formulating their own tests. “Test” is a funny word though, because the assessment often will amount to a series of activities that most children will recognize as fun, such as telling a story about a picture they are shown. Should you provide your 4-year-old with formal prepping in the hope of preparing them for the kinds of activities they may encounter? This doesn’t seem like a necessity to me. I always liked that idea the young children who grow up being read to and exposed to all sorts of play and amusements are probably as ready as they should or can be.

IN THE END, SHOULD YOU SEND A FIRST-CHOICE LETTER? It’s recommended that schools not require them of parents.

Still, it’s a good idea for a family to give a very strong

88

New York Family | September 2014

ADMISSIONS_0914.indd 88

NURSERY SCHOOL DO ALL THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT PRIVATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS APPLY TO NURSERY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS? Yes, for the most part. But let’s also be real: If you’re applying for a nursery school spot for when your child is 2, that means he or she is only a 1-year-old at the time that you’re submitting the application and going on nursery school interviews. Usually there’s a parent interview, which may be conducted as part of a group, and a play session in which the child is observed by the school’s teachers. Try not to stress out too much about any of this; the schools don’t expect 1-year-olds to act anything other than the way 1-year-olds act.

IS NURSERY SCHOOL WORTH THE MONEY? IS PRIVATE SCHOOL WORTH THE MONEY? Only you can decide that for yourself, of course. But I can share my sense of what’s valuable about these experiences. Chances are, a nursery school will provide your child with his or her first regular group of friends and will help him socialize with others and discover lots of fun interests. For many new parents especially, a nursery school also provides their first community of parent friends—which can be quite wonderful. With their community of trained and nurturing educators, I’d also say that nursery schools are often a kind of early-alert system for picking up on your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and the presence of any special needs that may not be as apparent to you. As for private school, I feel obligated to point out two things: Most parents I know with children in private school are very pleased with their education; I myself have children in public school, one in a good neighborhood school and one in an elite G&T school. I feel like private schools, with their smaller classes and studentteacher ratios, are more likely to not only understand the nuances of a child as a learner, but also be able to nurture that child in a more dedicated fashion. Then again, I will tell you that my children have literally always had teachers who got them, who cared about them, and who did a good job of moving them in the right direction—and so far, I feel very good about their experience with public education in the city. With one big caveat: There rarely is too much class time spent on prep for standardized tests. That needs to be adjusted in a big way.

FOR MORE INFO ON ADMISSIONS NEWS & TRENDS, VISIT NEWYORKFAMILY.COM. www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:54 PM

The Parents League o f

n e w

y o r k

WE KNOW SCHOOLS Preschool • Kindergarten • Lower Grades Upper Grades • Special Needs Schools Boarding Schools • Publications • Lectures Panel Discussions • School Fairs Connecting families with independent schools for over 100 years

Become a Member

www.parentsleague.org

212-737-7385

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 25

the mandell school character • grit • perseverance • integrity • leadership

At Mandell, the development of skills and the pursuit of academic excellence are deeply connected to the love of school and the joy of collaborative exploration.

• Pre School and K-8 • State-of-the-art facilities • Offers a comprehensive and innovative curriculum with an emphasis on the development of the whole child To learn more, contact admissions at: (212) 222-2925 K-8 Location: 795 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10025 mandellschool.org

8/20/14 5:34 PM

THE

OF

CRAFT

TEACHING The Case For Making Teacher Education The Priority For Improving America’s Schools

By Eric Messinger Elizabeth Green, education journalist and cofounder and CEO of the education news organization Chalkbeat, believes that to fix America’s education system, we must focus on our most valuable resource: Teachers. We sat down with Green—whose respect for teachers became transcendently clear— to discuss her book, Building A Better Teacher: How Teaching Works (And How To Teach It To Everyone).

Tell us about your background in journalism and education. How did you come to write this book?

I’ve always covered education as a journalist, and that came out of my social justice concerns beginning when I was in high school in the DC area.

My school was like Stuyvesant put inside a large, struggling high school. It was very class and race segregated, and I became fascinated and troubled by the gaps in my own high school and became interested in the politics of education, especially race and class issues. Then in 2009, I was assigned to write about this new, big political issue: Teacher quality… As I got into the story, I realized we were all thinking about this fundamentally the wrong way, because while there are a lot of politics at play, the bottom line is education, and how teachers and students work together in schools. I came to see everything I had covered in a different light...and that’s why I was determined to write this book. I want to help other people see how teaching really works and what it really takes, because then we can start a conversation about what it will really take to improve schools.

To me, the book is a social history of effective teaching innovation and where it took hold, where it didn’t, and the challenges it’s faced along the way.

Yes, and I was surprised to find that there’s a fascinating story of people trying, over the last century, to treat teaching as a craft and being repeatedly foiled in that effort. I want to help readers see what great teaching looks like, and can look like, and the way our innovation efforts are stymied.

Do you think that the teachers who read your book will be surprised by your findings?

I’ve been excited to see teachers’ early responses to the book, because until now the dialogue about teaching and teachers has been infused with political rhetoric that is so detached from the day-to-day reality of what that job entails, and that disconnect is responsible for a lot of justifiable anger from teachers today. There have been two main policies being promoted to try and change [teaching]: One is the idea of accountability—that teachers aren’t trying hard enough, that if we put consequences on the line, then they’ll really start to try. The other policy is [to give them more] autonomy… [because] teachers will choose to do what’s best for their students. There are 3.8 million teachers in this country, and you could count on your hand the number of them who are deliberately lazy. But if they’re completely free to do whatever they want, that’s its own form of insanity. To me, teaching is such challenging and important work, nobody should be recreating the wheel on their own. continued on page 92

90

New York Family | September 2014

ELIZABETHGREEN_0914.indd 90

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/22/14 10:29 AM

park children’s day school 4 W e s t 7 6 th s t r e e t at c e n t r a l p a r k W e s t

Founded in 1963, PCDS is a non-sectarian early childhood school with a developmentally appropriate curriculum serving children 2–5 years old.

celeBratinG 50 years oF play at park aVenUe christian chUrch day school

Please visit our website at www.parkchildrensdayschool.org to download an application.

A uniquely diverse, coeducational, Pre K-8 independent school linking a challenging academic curriculum with an innovative farm program.

Tours Tuesdays & Fridays at 9:15am beginning September 16th Farm Festival Saturday October 18th 11:00am - 4:00pm Open House Thursday, October 23rd at 6:30pm RSVP to Miriam Young Associate Director of Admissions Mónica Amaro Director of Admissions admissions@manhattancountryschool.org

7 E. 96th St 212.348.0952 manhattancountryschool.org

open hoUse thursday, november 6, 2014 6:30–8:00pm rsVp 2 12 . 2 8 8 . 32 47

The IDEAL School & Academy is New York City’s only independent inclusion school. At IDEAL, we are dedicated to creating a diverse community that affirms and accepts the full identities of all people, while inspiring academic excellence, creative leadership, and a desire to build a more just and equitable world.

Our K-12 program strives to develop students who are intellectually curious, independent, and creative; are self-confident, have self-respect, and are willing to take risks; are prepared to be responsible, productive citizens, and ethical and compassionate human beings; have had the opportunity to learn from peers and to be mentors; have a true appreciate for differences and are therefore adaptable to a changing world; and are prepared to flourish in a global and diverse community.

To learn more and to apply, contact our Admission Office at 212-769-1699 or admissions@theidealschool.org The IDEAL School & Academy 314 W. 91st Street, NY, NY 10025

www.theidealschool.org

•Partials_TEMPLATE_RT.indd 27

8/20/14 5:36 PM

continued from page 90

One of the most powerful experiences you had was in Japan. How is a Japanese classroom lesson structured differently than an American lesson?

In most American math lessons and most school lessons, the structure is what teachers call I/We/ You. So I do, we do, you do. The class starts with the teacher saying: “Today we’re going to learn about long division, I’ll show you the steps for long division. I’ll give you a sample problem and walk through the steps.” Then the next part is trying an example together…and the final part is: “Everyone open up your textbook, we’re going to go through practice problems.” So I’m going to do it, you’re going to do it together, and then you, the student, will do a bunch of practice problems. In Japan, the structure of a lesson is radically different. Instead of I/We/You, it’s structured in what I call You/Y’all/ We. The class starts with a problem assigned to all students to work through on their own. Instead of many problems, throughout the course of the lesson, there’s only one problem for the class… If you use a really good problem, you can get a lot out of it. If you use a small problem you repeat in multiple ways, you’re just repeating the same simple idea multiple times. A bigger problem can help kids dig in… After they work on a problem (you), they work on it together (y’all), and then there’s a classroom discussion, and these are amazing, beautiful pieces of art. You take the group nature of the classroom and turn it into an advantage.

“What teachers need is not unlike what students need. They are learners of another kind, and like students, need some kind of common experience.”

How do the teachers teach each other there? You found that it was hard for a Japanese master teacher to explain the difference to his American cohorts because we don’t have a word for it.

Japanese teachers begin from the premise that teaching is a craft, and something they need to get better at over time. If you’re going to do that with teaching, one fundamental thing is required— you need to see other people teach, and have other people watch you teach. In the US, teachers rarely have anyone see them work, other than their students… [In Japan], there’s a culture of regularly having public lessons that other teachers come to see... Because of the structure, Japanese teachers become kind of famous among each other. The more famous teachers will attract a thousand people to their lessons, and these lessons will be held in an auditorium… In Japan, they say: “I’m going to present

92

New York Family | September 2014

ELIZABETHGREEN_0914.indd 92

Photo by Daniel Deitch

There’s a [need] for a new conversation that’s not just about accountability or autonomy. What we need is support to do the work so we can really help kids.

Elizabeth Green

to you the thing I’m struggling the most with.” The public lessons are the kinds of pedagogical ideas that are the most challenging. They’re creating a laboratory... The master teacher is trying out something new and different in front of his peers so everyone can figure out together what’s going on.

One of the themes in your book is that teaching largely is something that can be taught.

A few reasons I came to think that is that a lot of research has been done to isolate the personality trait that is connected to effective teaching, and despite thousands of studies—it’s not extraversion, not warmth, there’s nothing. On the other hand, there’s the fact that researchers studying great teachers have found that they have a special kind of knowledge and skill set. When the same researchers give tests on this knowledge to professionals—like a mathematician getting tested on the knowledge that a third great teacher needs to teach addition and subtraction—the professionals will fail those tests.

Reading this book as a parent, it occurred to me that a lot of parents who take an active interest in their kids’ schooling and homework really may not be helping them learn.

You’re getting to the most amazing thing that great teachers do. Great teachers are able to guide students without doing it for them—they do that continued on page 94

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:55 PM

NEW YORK FAMILY PARTNER

ASK THE ADMISSIONS EXPERT TOP TIPS FOR FINDING THE BEST SCHOOL MATCH

By Karen Lee Mah, Field Supervisor, Special Needs New York & Director of Recruitment, School Search Solutions, a Division of The School Choice Group

Define The Match: When finding a match, a parent needs to understand both sides of the equation. Who is your child and which schools would be the best match?

Who Is Your Child? Some students are scholars. Others are “scholar athletes” or artists. Their personality may be outgoing or they could be a deep thinker. Start with academics and allow yourself to fully embrace your child for who he or she is. You can have a straight-A student who is not a scholar but rather good at “school” and memorization. You can tell your child is an intellect from the depth of questions they ask about topics and life. Their curiosity level motivates them to go deeper into subjects and ideas.

Passion: Many students play on a sports team while others gravitate towards the arts. Try to determine not just what your child is “good” at but something they really enjoy. I’m good at numbers so I do the taxes for our family. However, I don’t want to be an accountant. Find out their passion. What they do in their spare time and on weekends will determine where their “heart” lies.

BANK STREET SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN PROGRESSIVE . INNOVATIVE THINKING . BUILdING A DIVERSE COMMUNITY . CONNECTING TEACHING and LEARNING MEANINGFULLY TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD . STRONG RELATIONSHIPS . FLEXIBLE PROBLEM-solving . BALANCE . OPEN MINDEDNESS INTELLECTUALLY ENGAGING . COMMUNITY-MINDED Teachers AS GUIDES AND FACILITATORS WITH EXPECTATIONS . MEANINGFUL DISCOVERY . LEARNING AS A social aND SOLITARY PROCESS . HUMANE AND COMPASSIONATE . EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING . COGNITIVE POWER . CONFIDENT AND CARING . RESPECTFUL of PEERS AND ADULTS . SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY working INDEPEnDENTLY AND COLLABORATIVELY NURSERY THROUGH 8TH GRADE . 610 WEST 112TH ST. NY, NY 10025 PHONE: 212.875.4433 . FAX: 212.875.4733 . WEB: BANKSTREET.EDU/SFC EMAIL: sfcadmissions@bankstreet.edu

ADVERTORIAL_SCHOOLCHOICE_0914.indd 29

Personality: The way your child is socially will help you determine the best school environment for them. Some kids run in a group of friends, others prefer time alone. This might parallel how they best learn (group projects or solo efforts, progressive learning or traditional).

Which Schools? Once you determine who your child is, a parent needs to understand the schools in their area to make the “match.” A question you might ask yourself is if private school is an option. If so, what are the pros and cons? (Look for our upcoming article in New York Family’s December issue.)

Program: Some students need a rigorous academic environment to motivate them to their maximum potential. For others, it means going to bed in high school at 2am to keep up with their peers. You should be looking for a good academic “match” which means having them compete in an environment where they can remain healthy and balanced.

Philosophy: Determine what the school’s ethos is. Visit the campus with your child. Can he/she envision themselves attending that school? Some parents look for a large campus with facilities but your student may actually prefer a smaller school that is nurturing. Look back to your child’s needs and personality.

Make The Match: After you determine who your child is academically, their interests and their personality, it is time to make the school match. Research schools and determine their programs.

Visit the schools with your child to determine their “feel” and philosophy. Discovering the essence of the school and what it can offer will help you find the best educational match for your child.

If you have any other Ask the Admissions Expert questions or have questions regarding school placement in New York City, please contact info@schoolsearchsolutions.com

8/21/14 2:57 PM

continued from page 92

by constructing great experiences for kids to have… The whole point of education is that kids aren’t going to learn it all on their own. There’s something we think we can accelerate in their learning—socially and academically, by having them be taught. But if you do it for them, and you don’t have them thinking, there’s not much gained. They won’t retain what they were working on, they won’t learn to think. That is why teaching is a craft… The hardest thing for teachers is the same thing that’s hard for parents—how do I walk that line so that I’m truly guiding them without over-guiding them?

There are ways to do that that teachers can learn.

What parents can do is try to think of their children as learners, and be curious about their children’s minds. If you can find ways to look inside your child’s mind, that’s the beginning of what any great teacher is doing. You have to start by understanding what the student knows and understands and that opens a lot of possibilities.

“Great teachers are able to guide students without doing it for them—they do that by constructing great experiences for kids to have.”

Why is it seemingly impossible for teacher education that works in other countries to work here?

One of the characters in the book is a researcher, David Cohen, and he studied the American school system and compared it to other school systems like Japan’s. He realized that what teachers need is not unlike what students need. They are learners of another kind. Like students, teachers need some kind of common experience... In American schools, we have at least three different levels of governance telling schools and teachers what to do, often all in conflict: The federal government level, the state level, the district level, the school level and even, in some cases, the department level... As a result, it’s hard for teacher education to prepare teachers to go into a field with any number of random sets of things they are expected to do. In Japan, there’s a single national course of study, which you would think might restrict freedom or something, but in fact it unleashes creativity. Coherence is totally absent in the US. We have many sets of standards, different sets of assessments, different sets of teacher education policies, and different textbooks, and so the teacher is left to cobble together her own approach, because the resources she has to learn from are incoherent.

Is Common Core a response to that? Is it a good idea?

Common Core is an attempt to create coherence in an American system that’s built against coherence.

You can even see that in the challenge of getting

94

New York Family | September 2014

ELIZABETHGREEN_0914.indd 94

Common Core adopted by states… The hope of the reformers who put together the Common Core is that we get aligned assessments and curriculum and textbooks, and there can actually be a coherent thing we’re all doing as a country, so teacher education can prepare people to do something concrete. Then, teachers can learn from each other, whatever state or school or district they’re in.

How do you make sure that Common Core tests are good, and that teachers don’t feel like they have to spend all their classroom time teaching to the test?

How could we create a more coherent system?

I find that one helpful example to look at is a small group of high performing charter schools who create their own governance and systems, create their own teacher evaluations and assessments, and they put a lot of resources into helping teachers learn... I think we’ve learned all the wrong lessons from charter schools. We assume it’s a corporate sort of model…

But the best businesses treat workers as learners, so it’s really important to have accountability, but it’s also really important to have ways to help teachers learn how to do what they need to do.

Give me the ideal scenario: How does the world of teaching change? And then what’s the more realistic scenario?

The ideal scenario starts with people changing the way they understand the profession of teaching, so that nobody ever again says: “She must be a naturalborn teacher.” That idea is completely gone, and we create a culture where teachers are given the opportunities they need to learn this amazing craft.

So there are public lessons digitally and otherwise where people can attend other teachers’ classrooms and learn from each other. And students all begin to get the chance to learn at the highest levels…

And the coherence would exist—we’d have a clear idea of what we’re trying to accomplish, and then ways of constantly improving those coherent goals.

The best teachers would be writing the textbooks and helping each other learn to teach... The realistic scenario is that change takes a lot of time. We have deeply embedded American ideas that are opposed to what it will take to accomplish the changes that I’ve just described. We reject ideas that we think are kind of anti-individualistic. We want teachers to have autonomy to do their creative thing. We don’t want anyone to be telling anyone what to do, and we don’t want to have common standards or goals that we’re trying to accomplish together, and that’s going to make it harder.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHALKBEAT AND ELIZABETH GREEN’S WORK, VISIT CHALKBEAT.ORG.

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:56 PM

September Open Houses Alexander Robertson School Contact: Joan Harrison 212-663-2844

Basis Independent Brooklyn Contact: Alexandra Hancock 718-643-6302

jharrison@alexanderrobertson.org alexanderrobertson.org

admissions@ BASISindependentBrooklyn.com www.BASISindependentbrooklyn.com

Pre-K through Grade 5 Open House Dates: Thursdays at 9:45am from September 18th to December 18th or by appointment.

Location: 3 West 95th Street (CPW & Columbus) NY, NY 10025 Bank Street School for Children Contact: Marcia Roesch, Director of Admissions 212-875-4433 sfcadmissions@bankstreet.edu www.bankstreet.edu/school-children/

Nursery - 8th Grade Open House Date: October 6th Location: 610 W 112th Street, NY, NY

Grades K-9 (growing K-12) Open House Dates: Multiple Dates in the Fall/Winter (see website) Location: 556 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 Dwight School Contact: Nora Thomson, Director of Admissions, Early Childhood Division 212-362-2350 x308 nthomson@dwight.edu www.dwight.edu

Preschool 4s and Kindergarten Open House Date: September 24th Location: 18 West 89th Street, NY, NY 10024 Lycee Francais de New York Contact: Magali Bertoia 212-439-4215 mbertoia@lfny.org Lfny.org/openhouse

Pre-K to 12 Open House Dates: Wednesday, September 24th & October 6th 6pm-8pm Location: 505 East 75th Street, NY, NY 10021

OPENHOUSE_0914NYF_FP.indd 1

The Day School at Christ & St. Stephen’s Contact: Catherine Choudhry 212-787-2755 cchoudhry@csschurch.org www.thedayschoolatcss.org

2 year olds – Pre-K Open House Date: Tuesday, October 7th 5-7pm Location: 122 West 69th Street, NY, NY Upper Valley Preschool Contact: Maria Dantos, Director 212-257-4749 info@uppervalleypreschool.org www.uppervalleypreschool.org

Preschool (3 months – 5 years) Open House Date: September 18th 7:00pm-8:30pm 103 West 96th Street & Columbus Avenue, NY, NY 10025 World Class Learning Academy Contact: Dr. Lillian Diaz-Imbelli 212-600-2910 L.imbelli@gmail.com www.wclschools.org

2, 3, Nursery – middle school Open House Dates: Tuesday & Thursday mornings by appointment Location: 44 East 2nd Street, NY, NY 10003 (between 2nd and 1st avenues)

8/20/14 3:54 PM

the last word

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY When His Young Space-Obsessed Son Expresses Concern About The Future Of Our Galaxy, The Author Wonders What, If Anything, To Do About It

PEOPLE OFTEN SAY THAT HAVING children gives you perspective.

They don’t usually mean cosmic perspective, but sometimes that’s what you get. One recent morning, when my 3-year-old son Henry and I had finished watching a space video on YouTube, he asked me with equal parts curiosity and worry: “What will happen when the Andromeda galaxy collides with the Milky Way?” I can say with supreme confidence that this question has never occurred to me. I told him I didn’t know, but, since space contains a lot of…well, space, it could be that the two galaxies would connect without any collision. More importantly (and hoping to comfort him), I added that this event, if it occurs at all, is probably 4 billion years away. His response: “I’m still very concerned.”

While this galactic quandary doesn’t seem to be keeping him up at night, it has definitely given me a lot to think about. Henry’s interest in space is normal, healthy and—especially given the other things that can take up a 3-year-old’s mind—something his mother and I have very much encouraged.

Watching him learn even the basics of the solar system is actually instructive for us, too. Thanks to better telescopes and space probes, the astronomy taught to young children is dramatically different than it was a few decades ago—among other things, there are dozens more known moons in our solar system; one of Saturn’s moons contains water; and Pluto has been demoted to dwarf-planet status. Watching Henry learn about space makes me feel rejuvenated by knowledge that literally did not exist in the 1970s, and simultaneously humbled at the limitations of my understanding (as my parents no doubt were humbled by my own learning). At a minimum, there seems to be plenty for a next generation of astrophysicists and engineers to tackle, and we’d be thrilled if he were inspired and dedicated enough to join them.

At the same time, the question of perspective does gnaw at me a bit. Some of my discomfort stems from what you might call parental opportunity costs: How

96

New York Family | September 2014

LASTWORD_0914.indd 96

much time is it worth spending to teach a multi-billion-year frame of reference to a kid before, say, he can write his whole name with a crayon? Similarly, while we may cheer his capacity to learn about astronomy at a precocious age, it seems potentially irresponsible to favor that activity over the play-based learning we know is important at his age.

Another issue is wrapped up in mortality. One reason why he might be concerned with an event that is billions of years away is because he’s yet to grasp that he—and all of the world he knows—will not be around when it happens. Even the brightest 3-year-old is incapable of reasoning at that scale. And how much do I genuinely want to encourage such reasoning, especially if it’s premature?

Sure, understanding the big picture is important—but you don’t want it to overwhelm the sense that smaller pictures matter, too. To put it starkly: measured by the yardstick of an Andromeda collision, it hardly matters whether he was born or not, and that’s not a point of view I’m keen to express—to him or to myself!

Still, I’m grateful for the perspective. One of the lessons you learn being a parent that’s useful in all aspects of life is: Your view of what is important or unimportant isn’t necessarily the only view, and everything is subject to change. Henry may well drop the space obsession. I eventually did, at an older age, largely because the math overwhelmed me (I hope my limits won’t be my son’s). And even if he keeps at it, the Andromeda point-of-view might prove to be a helpful corrective to the myopic focus on the here-and-now to which adults are prone. Besides, if the collision with Andromeda does have disturbing implications for our neck of the galaxy, the human race is going to need another place to live. Henry may as well start working on that.

JAMES LEDBETTER is the editor of Inc. and Inc.com, and the author or editor of five books, including Unwarranted Influence: Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Military-Industrial Complex.

Illustration by Holly Morrison

By James Ledbetter

www.newyorkfamily.com

8/21/14 2:58 PM

The

NEW LeFrak City

NO FEE

APARTMENT RENTALS

LEFRAK_0814NYF_FP.indd 1

.COM

888-692-5806

8/20/14 3:53 PM

The LEGO Store is Coming to the Flatiron District! ®

Inspired by the rich history of the neighborhood, the new LEGO Flagship Store is our most unique LEGO Store ever! In addition to finding the largest selection of LEGO sets, this flagship store has huge 3D LEGO mosaics of the history of the neighborhood and life size LEGO models, including a 13-foot tall model of the Statue of Liberty torch!

The Grand Opening!

October 10-13 Madison Square Park Join us for a huge 4-day weekend event as we celebrate our new neighborhood. Help three LEGO Master Builders construct a 20-foot tall LEGO model of the Statue of Liberty completely out of LEGO Bricks!

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2014 The LEGO Group. WOR 5699

Visit stores.LEGO.com for more information.

LEGO_0914NYF_FP.indd 1 5699-NYFamilyMag-Ad.indd 1

8/22/14 11:56 AM 8/22/14 11:40 AM