Sonoma Family Life August 2022

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August 2022

Back-toSchool

Explore Nature What to pack

Arts Matter 6 benefits for kids

Go team!

Raise good sports

District calendars

We Grow Them★

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Petaluma

919 Lakeville St 707-769-8989

Cloverdale

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1143 S. Cloverdale Blvd 6580 Hembree Ln #258 707-751-6100 707-836-1700

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August 2022

Every Issue

12

6

Dear Reader

8

Cooking with Kids Pizza in a Pan

10

Bits and Pieces Stomp Those Grapes Build a Little Boat

Features 12 Parents Rejoice!

It’s okay to be happy about the start of school.

14 The Happiest Kid in the Cafeteria Tips for sprucing up packed lunches.

16 School Calendars All the vacation days in one place.

20 The Really Big Kids Help teens get ready for high school.

22 Let’s Get Wild

Celebrate the Great Grav

Invite kids to explore nature.

24 Arts Education Matters How cultivating creativity helps children grow.

26 Build Emotional Resilience Three ways to help a teased child.

Crazy for Cartoons

10

What’s Your Plant IQ?

30 Calendar of Events 38 Humor Break When Will the Target Trips End?

28 Go Team!

How to successfully participate in group sports.

11 4 SonomaFamilyLife

Get Your ’80s Flick Fix

8 August 2022

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Take note of this important information!

KINDERGARTENERS MUST BE IMMUNIZED California law requires children entering kindergarten to have these five immunizations: • Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DPT) • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) • Polio • Hepatitis B • Varicella (Chickenpox) Children cannot be enrolled in or attend kindergarten unless they have up-to-date immunizations and an immunization record on file at the school. Your healthcare provider will need to assist you with updating your child’s vaccines. If you do not have a doctor or have questions about immunizations in general, please contact the Sonoma County Immunization Coordinator, (707) 565-4573.

If your child is not immunized with one or more of the required immunizations due to a medical reason, you will need to have an electronic medical exemption on file with the State of California Department of Public Health (CDHP).

The electronic exemption must be filed by a California licensed Medical Doctor (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO). If your child previously had an exemption but is now being admitted to a new school, he or she will need to meet the new requirements for medical exemptions.

ORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT REQUIRED Your child should have an oral health assessment no later than May 31 of his/her first year in school. The assessment should be provided by a dentist or licensed dental health professional.

LOOKING AHEAD HEALTH CHECKUP REQUIRED FOR FIRST GRADE

Huckleberry the Helpful Hound For more information on immunization requirements, including medical exemptions, visit www.shotsforschool.org.

A certificate verifying that your child has received a health checkup within the last 18 months is required within 90 days of entering first grade.

This notice is provided by

Dear Reader

I

t’s finally here, the start of the school year! And if you are beyond blissed out about that fact, don’t feel guilty. So says veteran mom Sharon Gowan Publisher/Editor Christina Katz in Sharon@family-life.us “Parents Rejoice!” (page 12). She’s leaping for joy right along with you.

to pack a tasty, healthy meal, especially if you ask your children to contribute to the process. Check out “The Happiest Kid in the Cafeteria” (page 14) for creative ways to spruce up your student’s brown bag.

Perhaps your kids are not as happy about the first day of school as you are. That’s okay. You can’t change their attitude, but you can help them prepare for what’s ahead. For students just going into high school, in particular, there are big changes, including perhaps going to a whole new school. Read “The Really Big Kids” (page 20) for tips on how to help your teen adjust.

The start of classes can be as stressful as it is exciting. Turn to humorist (and former childhood educator) Jessica Guerrieri’s “When Will the Target Trips End?” (page 38) for a good laugh about it all.

Sometimes a great lunch can be just the ticket for helping kids feel positive about their day. It doesn’t take much effort or time

We know that you’re probably already making plans for vacation days. That’s why we’ve put all of them in one place—our School Calendars (page 16). Turn to them throughout the year, when you want to know when the kids will be at home.

We hope the coming weeks go as well as possible. And remember we’ll be here for you all year long, offering the information you need to stay balanced and keep your family strong.

Fall Activities Are Here!

Plan activities for your whole family!

Marketing/ Sales/Events Patricia Ramos 707-205-1539 patty@family-life.us

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

Contributing Writers America’s Test Kitchen Jessica Guerrieri Tanni Haas Christina Katz Luis Fernando Llosa Kim John Payne Susie Spikol Debbie Yarrow

Billing Jan Wasson-Smith

Publishing Office P.O. Box 351 Philo, CA 95466 (707) 205 1539

Check out the Fall/Winter Activity Guide and register beginning August 4th.

SantaRosaRec.com | 707-543-3737 6 SonomaFamilyLife

August 2022

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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Cooking with Kids

Pizza in a Pan

A Favorite with an Unconventional Twist

By America’s Test Kitchen

T

o get the crispest, crunchiest browned crust on homemade pizza without a pizza stone (or the need to preheat said stone for a long time), take the delightfully unconventional route of using a skillet. You start by rolling out the dough—use store-bought or make your own—and building the pizza right in the skillet.

The bottom of the crust gets a jump start toward browning on the stovetop before the skillet is transferred to the oven to bake.

The simple no-cook tomato sauce is a comfy bed for Italian sausage, shredded mozzarella, and a little Parmesan. Let the dough sit at room temperature while preparing the remaining ingredients and heating the oven; otherwise, it will be difficult to stretch. ¶ Reprinted with permission from One-Hour Comfort by America’s Test Kitchen (America’s Test Kitchen, 2021), americastestkitchen.com.

8 SonomaFamilyLife

Skillet Sausage and Cheese Pizza Serves: 4 Total Time: 1 hour • 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided • ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar • ½ teaspoon dried oregano • 1 small garlic clove, minced • 1 pound pizza dough, room temperature • 12 ounces sweet or hot Italian pork sausage, casings removed, divided • 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), divided 1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Process tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, oregano, and garlic in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add reserved tomato juice until sauce measures 1 cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Grease 12-inch ovensafe skillet with 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and gently shape each half into ball.

Cover 1 dough ball with plastic wrap.

August 2022

Coat remaining dough ball lightly with flour and gently flatten into 8-inch disk using your fingertips. Using rolling pin, roll dough into 11-inch circle, dusting dough lightly with flour as needed. (If dough springs back during rolling, let rest for 10 minutes before rolling again.)

3. Transfer dough to prepared skillet; reshape as needed. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread ½ cup sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving ½-inch border around edge. Pinch 6 ounces sausage into approximate dime-size pieces and evenly distribute over sauce. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan evenly over sausage.

4. Set skillet over medium-high heat and cook until outside edge of dough is set, pizza is lightly puffed, and bottom is spotty brown when gently lifted with spatula, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer pizza to oven and bake until crust is brown and cheese is golden in spots, 7 to 10 minutes. Using pot holders, remove skillet from oven and slide pizza onto cutting board. Let pizza cool slightly before slicing and serving. Being careful of hot skillet handle, repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, dough, sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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LEARN TO PLAY

GUITAR

• Classical & acoustic styles • Fun & positive environment

• All levels & ages • Learn technique

Expires Expires:09/01/22 08/01/22 • Code: Family Life Magazine

Eric Cabalo is the classical guitar professor at Sonoma State University.

102 B Wikiup Drive • Santa Rosa • 707.217.8017 • www.ericcabalo.com www.sonomafamilylife.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 9

Bits & Pieces

Kids’ Stomp at the Sonoma County Fair

Stomp Those Grapes

T

he ancient Romans stomped grapes to make grape juice. Today wineries use sophisticated maceration processes. But the old ways are still fun, which is why the Sonoma County Fair holds its annual Grape Stomp. There’s even a Kids’ Stomp just for little ones.

Besides the stomps, the fair will feature the usual attractions—a midway, livestock exhibits, a flower show, and horseracing. It will be held August 4–14 (closed August 8) at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. Stomps are August 13–14; the Kids’ Stomp is on August 14. Registration is $40. Find out more at sonomacountyfair.com/fair/grape-stomp.php. General fair admission is $10–$18, free for ages six and younger.

Pre-sale carnival wristbands are $30. Purchase tickets at sonomacountyfair.com. ¶

Build a Little Boat

A

ll manner of boats are visible on the ocean’s horizon or in the Russian River, sparking the curiosity of child and adult alike.

Kids ages 6–12 can learn to build their own boats at the Science Saturdays: Boat Builders class at the Discovery Center at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa. Participants will use random tools to construct their mini vessels and then will test how well they float.

The class will be held on August 13, 11 a.m.– noon or 1–2 p.m. It’s free but registration is required: tinyurl.com/2p9advfv. ¶

Get Your ’80s Flick Fix

I

t’s 1984 and all the kids at school are talking about a hilarious film about ghosts. None of them can imagine that nearly 40 years later they might be taking their own children (or grandchildren) to see the same film. Yes, Ghostbusters, along with another ’80s cult classic, Goonies, will be shown for free on August 4 at Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa. The double feature will begin with Goonies at 6 p.m. and Ghostbusters at 8 p.m. Bring blankets and low-back chairs. Find out more at downtownsantarosa.org/summer. ¶ 10 SonomaFamilyLife

August 2022

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Gravenstein Apple Fair

Celebrate the Great Grav

G

rapes may get the limelight in Sonoma County, but our rich soil is also friend to another crop: Gravenstein apples. The sweet, crunchy fruit is the star of the annual Gravenstein Apple Fair, where there’ll be apple ciders, sauces, and breads galore as well as a lineup of more than 20 live music acts. Kids can pet sheep, llamas, goats, and other animals in the Farm Yard, and make crafts such as flower crowns, felted soap, and seed balls. There’ll be giant bubbles, a stilt walker, and ag games for children, too. The fair will be held August 13–14, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., at Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. Tickets are $10–$25, free for ages 5 and younger, and may be purchased at gravensteinapplefair.com or at the gate. ¶

Crazy for Cartoons

T

wenty years ago, the Charles M. Schulz Museum was founded to preserve the work and history of the beloved cartoonist after which it is named. The museum is celebrating its two-decade anniversary with a Cartoon-a-Thon, which will feature live cartooning games, a chance to meet famous cartoonists like New York Times bestselling authors Raina Telgemeier and Reza Farazmand (illustrator of the cartoon), and a photo shoot with Snoopy. The event will be held on August 6, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at the museum in Santa Rosa; tickets are $5–$12 (free for ages three and younger). For the event schedule and to purchase tickets, go to schulzmuseum. org/cartoon-a-thon. ¶

What’s Your Plant IQ?

M

ost of us go for a walk in the woods and don’t think that much about the plants we’re seeing. We just know that we’re in nature and call it good. But naturalists know that there is a whole world of plant knowledge to acquire, including local plants’ various uses as medicine and food. Participants in the Edible and Medicinal Plants workshop will find out just this kind of information, as well as local flora’s role in cultural history. The class will be held on August 24, 9–11 a.m., at Sonoma Valley Regional Park in Sonoma. It’s free but registration is required at tinyurl.com/5ffx8422. ¶

www.sonomafamilylife.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 11

how quickly the time flies by before— boom—they are home again.

If you are a stay-at-home parent with older and not-yet-school-age children at home, back-to-school means you have more time and energy for your little ones. And that’s great, because let’s face it, the oldest kids probably got more face-to-face time simply by virtue of being born first.

Parents Rejoice!

Don’t Apologize for Back-to-School Glee

By Christina Katz

A

ll across social media, it’s that time of year again. Of course, I’m talking about time to take the funny photo of kids looking gloomy about going back to school while the parents are jumping for joy. Of course, these photos are staged to the point where there seems to be a competition of who can jump the highest while looking the most crazy-happy.

I even found a photo of a dad spraying a shaken-up bottle of champagne all over the driveway. How he missed the kids in their first-day-of-school best and the photographer is unclear. But what is clear is parents get giddy about sending kids back to school. And why shouldn’t we?

If you are a work-at-home parent like myself, sending the kids, and in my

12 SonomaFamilyLife

Feeling happy about kids going to school doesn’t mean you hate your kids. case the husband, who is a teacher, back to school means getting hours upon hours of uninterrupted time in which to think, do chores, run errands, relax, work, and notice once again August 2022

I enjoy being with my family and I enjoy their absence.

What’s weird for me about back-to-school season is how many parents don’t seem to understand the yin and yang of it. So many seem to feel the need to apologize for how cheerful they feel. Based on how much some parents apologize, feeling giddy about school starting must mean you hate your kids and never want to see them again.

Come on, guys, feeling happy about kids going to school doesn’t mean you hate your kids. Parents should be allowed to experience the gamut of feelings about our kids without pressure to constantly apologize for how we feel.

These are our kids. They push our buttons sometimes. We push their buttons sometimes. That’s called being a family. I don’t think it’s a crime for even the most devoted, loving parents to dance a tiny or even a huge jig when school starts. And if parents continue to behave as though they are in a Broadway musical or a Disney princess movie throughout the entire first month of school, bursting into www.sonomafamilylife.com

song and dance right after the door shuts or the bus pulls away or the carpool winds down, we should not judge them.

can get old. Okay, well, that last line wasn’t true. But everything else I’ve said so far has been utterly sincere. I enjoy being with my family and I enjoy their absence, which always makes my heart grow fonder.

As a work-at-home parent, I enjoy those six uninterrupted hours I am virtually guaranteed during the school year. But, whether it’s Thanksgiving or winter, spring, or summer break, I am always happy to have my family around. As long as they don’t plan on sticking around for, like, ever. As long as the vacation has an expiration date, variety is good. But when vacation is over, it’s “Okey-doke, off you go!”

I enjoy those six uninterrupted hours I am virtually guaranteed during the school year.

And now, if you will excuse me, it’s time for me to flit about my house in my pajamas while being followed by imaginary cartoon birds and butterflies that exist only to do my bidding. They are inviting me to eat

So let your summers shake things up like that dad’s bottle of champagne, and then let the school year settle things down. Because let’s face it, having six totally flexible hours a day

bon-bons or go back to bed or dance naked throughout the house or just do whatever I want to do.

Oh, wait a sec. I may have misunderstood. They are actually inviting me to get to my desk pronto and get to work, because apparently my productivity took quite a dip over the summer. And now they are pointing out the pile of back-to-school bills that have been accumulating over the past few weeks. So, if we are done here, I’d better get busy. After all, I’ve only got six hours. ¶ Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz has been gleeful about back-to-school her entire life, so dancing this little jig is nothing new. Except for having to pay all the bills—that part came later.

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SonomaFamilyLife 13

almond butter, cashew butter, and sunflower seed butter? Or consider a healthy brand of chocolate nut butter with whole-wheat pretzels for dipping.

Expand your sandwichmaking repertoire. For variety, cut sandwiches into halves, triangles, quarters, or use a cookie cutter to make shapes. Use whole grain rather than white bread. Experiment with whole grain wraps, bagels, pita, flatbread, or naan.

The Happiest Kid in the Cafeteria How to Make Better School Lunches

By Christina Katz

E

ating family meals together at home is important, but don’t underestimate the importance of the meal you send to school with your child each day. Just like how we sit down and break bread with our family, kids sit down at school and do the same with peers of their choosing—and it’s just as important.

A positive experience eating lunch at school begins with a positive experience opening up that lunch box and finding out what’s inside.

The same old peanut butter and jelly, pretzels, and apple may work for the first couple of years, but as a child gets older and develops more sophisticated preferences, you can do better. Work together with your child to create portable, healthy meals.

Instead of complaints about how friends have better lunches, you’ll 14 SonomaFamilyLife

start to hear stories about the funny conversations that happened at lunch or who traded what for what. With a little bit of effort, you’ll notice that your child conveys a content, relaxed tone about lunchtime, exactly like the one you strive to create at dinnertime at home. So when it comes time to whip up a great school lunch, keep these simple tips in mind: Experiment with nut butters.

Why limit your child’s sandwich to just peanut butter when there is also August 2022

Work together with your child to create portable, healthy meals.

Send real fruit. Ditch fruit-flavored or artificial fruit snacks. Stock up on small, no-leak containers so you won’t be afraid to chop up ripe fruit and send it to school. For variety, use whatever fruit you have on hand and make a simple fruit salad every Sunday night.

Chop up veggies. Prepare whatever you have on hand on Sunday, and separate into bags or containers for the week. Include a bit of damp or dry paper towel to keep veggies moist or dry—whichever helps them last.

Try homemade trail mix for snack time. You can come up with combinations that are customized for each child. Just visit the bulk foods section of your grocery store and create combos for each week.

Start “Thermos Thursdays.”

Send something hot, such as soup, mac n’ cheese, or pasta. Be sure to heat the food up well before pouring it into your child’s thermos. Put the lid www.sonomafamilylife.com

on tightly but not so tight your child can’t get it open.

of jelly beans, a lollipop or two, or a couple of chocolate kisses.

Send low-fat milk instead of sugary juice. Or let them buy milk at school. If you don’t want to send sugar-loaded juice, try flavored waters.

In a pitcher refrigerate water with lemon, lime, berries, or herbs.

Once a month, let them get hot lunch. But only once a month. Make a big deal about going over the lunch schedule and picking out a day. Then see which type of lunch they prefer.

Make homemade cookies or bars. You can make them over the weekend and, if they’re stored properly, they’ll last all week. Freeze, if necessary—they will thaw by lunchtime. If your child is new to the school, include an extra treat to offer to new friends. Remind them to eat veggies to keep the treats coming.

Why limit your child’s sandwich to just peanut butter?

Offer bonus sweets in moderation. Sneak something fun into their packs on Friday: a tiny bag

If you play your lunch-making cards right, hot lunch once a month won’t steal the show. ¶ Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz knows better than to slack off on shopping for school lunches. If she does, she’ll have to hear about it all the way home from school.

Healthy lunch foods to try: Hummus Yogurt Dried fruit Nuts and nut butters Cheese sticks Cut veggies Rice and beans Granola or Granola bars Rice cakes Trail mix Popcorn Whole grain crackers Hard-boiled eggs Pita or bagel chips Fruit leather Pistachios Protein bars Veggie chips

The library is your back-to-school resource

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August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 15

2022–23 School Calendars The following are holidays for all schools in Sonoma County: Sept. 5, Nov. 11, Jan. 16, Feb. 20, May 29 First Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Last Day

Other Days Off

Alexander Valley Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 17

Mar. 20–24

June 8

Oct. 17, Apr. 7 & 10, May 26

Bellevue Union

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Nov. 1

Bennett Valley Union

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Oct. 21, Apr. 14, May 19

Cinnabar

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 6

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–31

June 1

Cloverdale Unified

Aug. 18

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 17

Mar. 20–24

June 8

Feb. 16

Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified*

Aug. 16

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 21–24

June 7

Oct. 24

Dunham

Aug. 15

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 9

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–31

June 8

Nov. 1, Apr. 3–7

Forestville Union

Aug. 18

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 9

Nov. 11

Geyserville Unified

Aug. 10

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 20–Jan. 4

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Sep. 19, Oct. 14, Apr. 7 & 10

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar.

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16 SonomaFamilyLife

August 2022

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First Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Last Day

Other Days Off

Gravenstein Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 2

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 7

Sep. 30

Guerneville

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 8

Oct. 10

Harmony Union*

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 17

Mar. 20–24

June 7

Oct. 7, Apr. 21 & 24

Healdsburg Unified

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 8

Oct. 17, Dec. 16, May 26

Kenwood

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 2

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Feb. 17

Liberty*

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 6

Feb. 17

Mar. 27–31

June 8

** See below

Mark West Union

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 2

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Oct. 7, Apr. 17, May 19

Montgomery

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 1

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Jan. 20, Apr. 10

Oak Grove Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–27

June 7

Old Adobe Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 10

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–Apr. 3

June 8

Oct. 31, Mar. 6

Petaluma City Schools*

Aug. 16

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 6

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–Apr. 3

June 9

Oct. 10, Feb. 14

Piner-Olivet Union*

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Jan. 3

Rincon Valley Union

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Mar. 17 & 27, May 5

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar. ** Sept. 23, Oct. 10, Feb. 21, Apr. 10, May 26

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August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 17

2022–23 School Calendars First Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Last Day

Other Days Off

Roseland

Aug. 10

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 6

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Oct. 10, Jan. 9

Santa Rosa City Elementary*

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Jan. 27

Santa Rosa City High*

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Dec. 16, Jan. 27

Sebastopol Union*

Aug. 18

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 9

Oct. 10, Nov. 1

Sonoma Valley Unified*

Aug. 15

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 17

Mar. 13–17

June 8

Apr. 10 & 17, May 26

Twin Hills Union*

Aug. 18

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 7

Oct. 10

Two Rock Union

Aug. 16

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 22–Jan. 6

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–31

June 9

Oct. 10

Waugh

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 23–Jan. 9

Feb. 17

Mar. 27–31

June 6

Oct. 13 & 14

West Side Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 8

Oct. 17, May 26

West Sonoma County High

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Oct. 10

Wilmar Union

Aug. 17

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 22–Jan. 6

Feb. 13

Mar. 27–30

June 7

Oct. 10, Nov. 1, Apr. 24

Windsor Unified

Aug. 11

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 2

Feb. 17

Mar. 20–24

June 2

Oct. 14, Mar. 17, Apr. 7

Wright

Aug. 10

Nov. 21–25

Dec. 19–Jan. 3

Feb. 13

Mar. 20–24

June 1

Oct. 10, Nov. 10

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar.

Their future begins with a great education.

mendo lake

Register now for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten in the 2022-23 school year.

Albert F. Biella, Brook Hill, Luther Burbank, Learning House, Hidden Valley, Helen Lehman, Abraham Lincoln, James Monroe, Proctor Terrace, Steele Lane, SR Charter School for the Arts, SR French-American Charter, Cesar Chavez Language Academy

Before- and after-school day care at selected sites.

Register early; classes fill quickly!

For information and a link to register: www.srcschools.org/kindergarten Need help? Contact your school.

LOCAL for 30 years

#1 local resource for local families www.SRCSchools.org/kindergarten 18 SonomaFamilyLife

August 2022

magazine • web • email www.sonomafamilylife.com

100% Graduation Rate 98% Off to College 1% On to the Military 1% Chasing Other Dreams

Small Class Sizes Compassionate Faculty Two College Counselors $13.9 Million for College

Serious about college?

Cardinal Newman High School is for any student interested in attending college. We are a diverse community of college-minded students led by a caring and compassionate faculty dedicated to helping students succeed. We have two full-time college counselors to help students navigate the college admissions and scholarship processes. Last year, our graduates earned $13.9 million in college scholarships. Plus, we offer confidential tuition assistance to qualifying families, and our tuition is among the lowest of Catholic high schools in the Bay Area. Perhaps best of all – our students also learn the essential life skills of hope, compassion, empathy, and resilience. So, if your child is serious about college, take a minute to get to know Cardinal Newman.

LEARN MORE OR APPLY NOW | admissions@cardinalnewman.org Preview Day: Oct. 24 | Open House: Oct. 30 | Applications and Tuition Assistance Due: Dec. 15 facebook.com/CardinalNewman.SantaRosa | Instagram.com/cardinal_newman_hs

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7/25/22 11:45 AM

to “home rooms” and the frequent changes in classes throughout the day. They also can help them plan their day by studying the physical layout of the school together: “If your child can begin to imagine what their first few weeks at high school might look like, this may help with the anxiety that can accompany the transition.”

The Really Big Kids 6 Ways to Prepare for High School

By Tanni Haas

B

y the time they reach high school, your kids are no longer kids, but they’re not yet adults either. They occupy a unique middle ground we call the “teenage years.” How do you prepare your teens for all the academic and social challenges of high school? Here’s what the experts say.

Visit the school. Starting high school often means literally moving to a different school and that can make any teen anxious. One of the best things you can do is to make it a priority to visit their new school on back-to-school night. As Michael Zwiers, a professor of educational psychology, says, “Familiarity helps to reduce anxiety.” The experts at KidsHealth, a major health-news site, add that high schoolers should 20 SonomaFamilyLife

familiarize themselves with all the important parts of their new school, including the main office, the various administrative offices, and the school nurse.

Explain school expectations.

Describing how high school differs from middle school will help teens feel less anxious. Karmen Russell, PhD, a child psychologist, suggests that parents introduce their teens August 2022

Make it a priority to visit their new school on back-to-school night.

Teach them organization. As in middle school, success in high school in large part depends on how organized your kids are. They have lots of courses, taught by different teachers, and the workload is often heavy and difficult. “Learning and mastering the skills of getting organized, staying focused, and seeing work through to the end,” the experts at KidsHealth say, “will help teens in just about everything they do.” They suggest that parents keep their teens organized with binders, folders, and notebooks for each course, a calendar with upcoming deadlines, and a daily to-do list of assignments.

Let them handle homework.

Unlike organization, experts agree that parents should take much more of a hands-off approach when it comes to homework. As Amanda Morin, senior expert for Understood, a nonprofit that supports people with learning and thinking differences, pointedly says, “If the last time you studied pre-calculus was when you were in high school, www.sonomafamilylife.com

you probably won’t be of much use when your teen has questions.” Kris Bales, an educational curriculum reviewer, adds that high schoolers should take responsibility for their own education; they’re supposed to be what she calls “self-directed learners.”

Manage the stress. High school can be stressful: The academics are hard, and so is the pressure to fit in socially. Grace Chen, an education researcher at the well known education site Public School Review, says that, if academics are the primary worry for your teens, help them create a schedule that includes ample time for homework as well as friends. Conversely, if your teen is concerned about making new

friends, Chen says, remind them of all the times they successfully made friends in the past: “Bring his strengths to the forefront to help him understand why his current friends chose to spend time with him in the first place.”

Describing how high school differs from middle school will help teens feel less anxious.

Create support networks.

Another way to help teens manage stress is to encourage them to create support networks of adults and/or other teens. Chen suggests that parents help them assemble

Grades TK-12

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Tanni Haas, PhD, is a college communications professor.

ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE BY NURTURING A LOVE OF LEARNING! A district where all students are welcomed, valued, engaged and excited about learning. Students graduate with excellence in critical thinking and a love of learning; and they are prepared to move successfully in the world and life. Every staff member, working as a team, helps to create a community of continuous learning, equity, and opportunity for all.

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Personalized Learning for Every Student

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a network that includes an older sibling, an extended family member, as well as a teacher, school counselor, or perhaps even their pediatrician, whomever your teens are comfortable talking to. Zwiers recommends that peers also be included in the network. If your teens have friends who’ll attend the same high school, they should consider traveling to schools together in the morning and/or meeting up before school or during lunch. As Zwiers says, “This will give them the opportunity to share and compare experiences—essentially normalizing what they’re going through, while brainstorming solutions to challenges they might be facing.” ¶

www.crpusd.org August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 21

So, treat wherever you go with the same respect.

Gear up. This won’t require fancy equipment, but it helps to have a few essentials things in a backpack, ready to go when you hear that a snake has been spotted in your neighborhood or an owl is hooting out your door.

Top 10 Things to Have in Your Pack

Let’s Get Wild Tips for Young Naturalists

By Susie Spikol

A

re you an animal person? Do you find bears, butterflies, or turtles more interesting than people? If holding a frog, humming to a snail, following a fox track, or hooting to an owl are things you’d like to do, you’ve come to the right place. Read on and discover secret tried-and-true steps to uncovering the world of the everyday wild creatures in your own neighborhood. No matter where you live, animals live there too, and you only need to know a few simple things to start exploring.

Tips Pay attention! Wild animals are all around us. Slowing down, tuning in, and being quiet will help you notice them. Don’t forget the tiny things, like the red velvet mite, who is even smaller than the head of a pin, or the jewel-like hummingbirds of your world.

Every animal is someone to meet.

22 SonomaFamilyLife

Practice kindness. Animals are living, breathing creatures, just like you. When you have the chance to be up close and connect with them, be just as kind and friendly as you would if you were meeting a person.

Safety first. Your animal adventures will have you exploring at dawn, dusk, and night. No matter where or when you are going, always let a grown-up know. If you go on a night adventure, bring along a grown-up. Also, practice personal safety by paying attention to your surroundings and making sure the animals you are searching for aren’t a danger to you.

Leave it better than you found it. Keep the natural world full of nature, not your trash or food. If an animal visited your house, you wouldn’t want them to trash it, right?

August 2022

1. Binoculars (purchased or DIY) 2. Your field journal* 3. 1–2 pencils 4. Ruler 5. Magnifying lens 6. Plastic bags for collecting things like fur, bones, and poop 7. Rubber, latex, or plastic gloves 8. Flashlight 9. Field guides for your area on topics like birds, animal tracks, and amphibians and reptiles 10. Camera (optional) *Note: Your field journal doesn’t need to be fancy—just a notebook where you can write down your observations, record your findings, and map and sketch what you see.

Excerpted, with permission, from The Animal Adventurer’s Guide: How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed by Susie Spikol and illustrated by Becca Hall (Roost Books, 2022), roostbooks.com.

If you ask Susie Spikol her favorite animal, she will not be able to choose.

As a naturalist and the author of The Animal Adventurer’s Guide, she helps people of all ages fall in love with and connect with the natural world. Find her at susiespikol.com.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

ILLUSTRATION BY BECCA HALL

RELENTLESSLY PURSUING EXCELLENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS

DIY Tube Binoculars Binoculars are a great tool for watching animals, from birds and butterflies to chipmunks and whales, because they let you see what is far away and help your eyes focus on the animal. If you have a pair, that’s great! If you don’t, you can make your own. Even though they won’t make the faraway creatures look closer, these simple tube binoculars will really help your eyes focus on the animals you see.

LIMITED NUMBER OF INTER-DISTRICT TRANSFERS AVAILABLE. CONTACT SCHOOLS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW CALIFORNIA DISTINGUISHED SCHOOLS Yulupa Primary School Strawberry Intermediate School TK-Third 2250 Mesquite Drive, Santa Rosa 707 542-6272

Fourth–Sixth Grade 2311 Horseshoe Drive, Santa Rosa 707 526-4433

Children must be five on or before Sept. 1, 2022 to be eligible for kindergarten.

Two-year Kinder Bridge program offered for children turning five on or after Sept. 2, 2022.

707-542-2201 • LEARN MORE AT WWW.BVUSD.ORG

Things You’ll Need 2 cardboard tubes or toilet paper rolls Duct tape, any color Stickers (optional) Hole punch

Elevating Excellence for All

Enroll Online (TK–84 ) Academic Excellence Enrichment & More

Ribbon, string, or yarn 1. Line up the tubes next to each other lengthwise and wrap the duct tape around the tubes to form a binocular shape.

Successful Distance Learning & Homeschool programs

2. Decorate them with stickers to give them your own style, if you want.

sebastopolschools.org (707) 829-4570

3. Punch a hole on the outside edge of each tube.

4. Tie a strand of ribbon, string, or yarn through the punched holes to make a loop big enough to fit over your head. The binoculars should hang down to the middle of your chest.

5. Try them out!

CASTLE Preschool & Child Care Park Side School (K–4) Brook Haven School (5–8) www.sonomafamilylife.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 23

are key elements of art-based learning.

The arts, both in arts classes and through interdisciplinary learning, foster cross-cultural understanding.

When students perform the music, stories, and dance of other cultures, they embody that artist or culture, leading to increased empathy and kindness towards other students and cultures.

Arts Education Matters

How Creative Projects Help Kids Learn

By Debbie Yarrow

T

he arts make a difference in the lives of children—every day and over their lifetimes. California Education Code requires schools to provide all forms of arts education to students in grades 1–12 (Sections 51210, 51220). Research provides evidence that an education in the arts—music, visual art, theater, dance, and literary and media arts—helps children in fundamental and complex ways. It gives students strategies to better understand themselves, their peers, their communities, and the world around them. In addition, high-quality, diverse, culturally representative arts education provides equity to students, particularly those in underserved communities.

Start Young Actively participating in the arts from an early age is a game changer.

Studying the arts stimulates the young brain and results in improved cognitive processing, memory, language skills, and literacy. Children can use the arts to practice self-control 24 SonomaFamilyLife

and positive behaviors. Arts classrooms offer a high-trust, low-risk space for students to learn about themselves and others.

Cultivate Empathy Empathy is developed through imagination and perspective, which August 2022

Build Community Through instruction from trained arts educators, students can develop their identities and their communities.

“Learning to play a musical instrument changed my child’s life.”

—A parent Children are given the chance to express themselves and find their voice.

Supportive, tightknit communities develop from rehearsals, collaborative projects, and performances. A community requires accountability from its members. Children learn how their actions affect others. Attendance, managing behaviors, and practicing social skills matter to the overall success of the group. Students “find their people,” creating friendships and memories that last a lifetime.

Enrich Academics The arts bring learning to life! So much critical thinking as well as physical, emotional, and social skills go into learning an art. It is important for children to have the opportunity to truly immerse themselves in developing arts skills.

Through their lessons, arts teachers also inherently teach language, literacy, math, and science, which www.sonomafamilylife.com

are all elements of every artistic discipline. But the arts also enrich other academic subjects as students become engaged with hands-on learning that is rich and memorable.

One of the deepest forms of learning is through arts integration, in which a student demonstrates understanding of a subject area through an art form. Imagine how much that child will carry away from that learning experience!

Develop Life Skills High-quality arts education gives students a way to practice real life skills that lead to college and career goals. When students write and perform a play, learn an instrument, or create an artwork, they are also learning about creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communications.

Their future employers will highly value these skills. Practicing patience and seeing consistent, hard work pay off is rewarding to every student.

“Art is how I express myself and it helps me relax and focus.”

—10th grade student Create a Sense of Belonging Perhaps most importantly, the arts satisfy our basic needs for happiness, security, and belonging. To actively learn music, art, dance, and drama is to feel alive with purpose. The arts classroom is where belonging, acceptance, and caring are regularly practiced. It is a home away from home.

Champion the Arts Become a thought partner and work with your school community. How can the arts be used to help and support students? As a parent, learn what kind of arts instruction is offered at your school. Are activities available for all students and offered throughout the grades? What issues are most pressing at your school (attendance, learning loss, engagement, etc.)? Then consider how the arts can be used as a tool to address those issues and provide equity and opportunity for all. ¶ Debbie Yarrow is a mom, arts education manager at Creative Sonoma, and a member of the Sonoma County Arts Education Alliance. For more about arts education, go to creativesonoma. org/arts-ed.

ART & SOUL SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM FORMONDAY-FRIDAY PRESCHOOLERS 9AM-12PM

LOVE TO DANCE?

WE LOVE TO DANCE AND YOU CAN TOO! The Keenan School works to bring the fun and joy of traditional Irish dance to all! From the age of 3 to the teen years, dancers of all levels of interest and experience have a place here.

OPEN HOUSE

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10TH, 9-11AM ART, MUSIC, DANCE CLASSES • ARTS PRESCHOOL

PLEASE CALL FOR COMPLIMENTARY CLASS

www.ArtandSoulMusic.com 707-575-6858

326 Petaluma Blvd. North • (707) 479-1128 Keenan5678@att.net www.keenanirishdanceschool.com

www.sonomafamilylife.com

2323 Chanate Rd. • Santa Rosa

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 25

Here, in brief, are three strategies that will help strengthen your child’s emotional resilience so that they can better face and overcome teasing, exclusion, or bullying.

Build Emotional Resilience How Parents Can Help a Teased Child

By Kim John Payne with Luis Fernando Llosa

I

(Kim John Payne) have received countless calls from distressed parents despairing at the emotional toll teasing and exclusion have taken on their child. They ask questions such as “Can you help us give our son more confidence to join in?” or “Is there a way I can coach my daughter to stand up for herself?” Understandably they desperately seek the tools to deal directly with their child’s problems. But before I talk about tools and strategy, I always say, “First we need to explore your family’s pace of life to see if we need to dial things back a bit.”

There is little sense in pouring more water into a cup that is already overflowing. Sure, we can come up with commonsense strategies to help ease the teasing. But if life is moving too fast for the child—with too many activities and too little time to decompress—the tactics will not have a container to hold them. All 26 SonomaFamilyLife

that effort will become spillage and may well increase the child’s feeling of hopelessness. The question becomes, do we want to spend our time mopping up the spill or simply put our hand on the tap and turn down the flow? My book Simplicity Parenting provides detailed strategies for dialing back the frenetic pace of family life.

August 2022

1. Increasing Rhythm and Predictability In a child’s school life, transitions (arrival, departure, class change-overs) and recess are the times when teasing and other social confrontations are most likely to occur.

They are also the times that are most changeable and socially unpredictable.

We want home to be a sanctuary where they can seek support and relief.

There is really nothing that a parent can do about what happens in school because it’s outside our control. But we can counterbalance that instability by making extra efforts to create a home life that is as secure and predictable as possible. It’s important to know the big daily rhythms that provide the “when” things happen and the little rituals that give the “how” they are done. This creates a sense of security, allowing a child’s nervous system to relax and revive. And its importance cannot be overstated.

2. Dialing Back After-School and Weekend Activities Children who struggle socially need extra time to decompress. Cutting back on the number of play dates, after-school clubs, and weekend activities they are involved in will help alleviate their anxiety. One shouldn’t stop everything, of course. Your child can remain involved in some activities that boost their self-esteem. But www.sonomafamilylife.com

concentrating more on family-based pursuits (such as games, hikes, and home-centered projects) can have a calming, comforting effect. If they are used to a fast-paced life, they may initially complain that they have nothing to do. But boredom can be a gift. As they experience more downtime, children will search for things to do. And they will likely become more innovative and creative out of necessity. Becoming involved in here (at home), where it is safe and relaxing, is just what they need when they are not being seen or treated well out there in school, where there is a lot of social pressure.

3. Filtering Adult Information We should moderate and filter what we say in front of kids, especially when

they are being teased or excluded.

Our children want us to acknowledge the social difficulties they are going through and may, of their own accord, bring them up. But we shouldn’t broach the topic repeatedly ourselves.

Children who struggle socially need extra time to decompress.

Every time these stressful situations are discussed, our children relive them emotionally. They re-experience the release of adrenaline and cortisol (the fight-or-flight hormones). We want home to be a sanctuary where they can seek support and relief. So try to keep things light and fun. You can check in with your child from time

to time and let them know they can always speak to you about how things are going, but take care not to process your emotions and worries about their social woes in front of your child. ¶ Excerpted, with permission, from Emotionally Resilient Tweens & Teens: Empowering Your Kids to Navigate Bullying, Teasing, and Social Exclusion by Kim John Payne, MEd, and Luis Fernando Llosa (Shambhala, 2022).

Kim John Payne, MEd, has been a counselor, educator, consultant, and researcher for more than 30 years and is the author of the widely acclaimed book Simplicity Parenting, as well as The Soul of Discipline, and Games Children Play II. Luis Fernando Llosa is an award-winning Peruvian-American sports-writer, speaker, investigative reporter, and youth sports consultant who has coached kids and teens for 25 years.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP! KNOW YOUR OPTIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN We accept state subsidized vouchers for TK programs.

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NOW ENROLLING FOR 2022-23 2577 Guerneville Rd. • Santa Rosa • 707-528-6666 Lic#’s 490103579 & 490108547 • woodsidewestschool.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 27

3. Get in the spirit. You have heard that attitude is everything, and nowhere is this saying more relevant than once your child becomes a team member. If you want your child to be a positive contributor, have regular conversations with her or him about how fortunate he is to be part of such an awesome group.

Go Team!

10 Ways to Raise Good Sports

By Christina Katz

I

n the reality television age, when contestants are either considered superstars-in-the-making or deserving of international ridicule, parents may struggle to instill basic teamwork principles in their children. Becoming members of a team can help kids constructively channel their energy and creativity, and learn about sportsmanship first-hand. The experience will likely challenge and stretch them—and you. Keep these teamwork tips fresh in your mind and your entire family will have a better experience.

1. Commit wisely. Join teams pursuing goals your child is passionate about. It’s great to be good at more than one thing, but resist the urge to over-commit to too many teams at once. If you and your child try to please every coach at once, you won’t be able to please any coaches at all.

2. Communicate consistently.

Conflicts, illnesses, and field trips 28 SonomaFamilyLife

Kids need help finding the value in experiences that don’t immediately thrust them into a spotlight.

4. Be an eager learner.

Coaches love engaged, enthusiastic players. Assume your child, no matter how capable, has not yet mastered the entire skill set. Skills are an ongoing journey. If your child does not have more to learn, then maybe it’s time to graduate from the team.

Sometimes you have to say, “Good game,” when you don’t feel that way.

5. Contribute your best. We need to ditch the idea that some people are natural born players and others are not. Anyone can contribute something to a team if she or he follows her or his innate instinct to be generous. Discuss with your kids the difference between giving whole-heartedly and brown-nosing.

are bound to happen. Try to manage expectations by communicating schedule conflicts to coaches as early as you can. Other parents may not bother, but you don’t want to be one of them.

6. Stay open to constructive criticism. Part of being on a team is responding to criticism. Feedback will not likely be given perfectly every time. The coach and team administrators are also not perfect.

Members need to learn to take

August 2022

www.sonomafamilylife.com

helpful feedback and, to the best of their ability, try to apply it without pushback.

7. Bounce back from disappointments. Sitting the bench, getting cast as the understudy, making JV instead of varsity—kids need help finding the value in experiences that don’t immediately thrust them into a spotlight. Help them find the silver lining so they can maximize it as they keep growing.

8. Cultivate courtesy.

Sometimes you have to say, “Good game,” when you don’t feel that way.

Coaches expect kids to park their pouting and behave with humility.

Increase the odds your kids will

be on their best behavior by being impeccable in your behavior, too.

Cultivate your family’s reputation as team players and you will raise good sports.

Coaches love engaged, enthusiastic players.

9. Take confusion to the top. Misunderstanding?

Miscommunication? Miffed for any reason? Wait 24 hours before you fire off that email. Taking out your anger or frustration on the coach or administrators hurts your child’s reputation and yours. So compose yourself and ask for help in

understanding the situation before you demand heads on a platter.

10. Encourage new members.

When you and your child became part of the team, you looked to others to learn the ropes. Once your rookie becomes a veteran, it’s your turn to welcome new members and families. Stick out your hand, introduce yourself, and offer whatever assistance you can.

There is only one rule: Keep your comments constructive. Your little team member and fellow families will thank you for rising above gossip and slander. ¶ Christina Katz is a mom, author, and journalist. Find her at christinakatz. com.

LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOU HAVE A PLAN, LET’S TALK LA VIDA ES MEJOR CUANDO TIENES UN PLAN, DÉJAME AYUDARTE CON EL TUYO ■ HOME ■ AUTO

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August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 29

August Monday 1 Spring Lake Water Park. Inflatable

playground featuring floating slides, climbing walls, bridges, balance beams, jumps & an in-water sports court. $10. Must be 6 yrs. or older & at least 42 inches tall. Two sessions: 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. & 2–5 p.m. Thru Aug. 31. Spring Lake Park. 5585 Newanga Ave., Santa Rosa. Online reservations highly encouraged: parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov/waterpark.

Tuesday 2 FREE Santa Rosa Taco Tuesday

Calendar of Events

through downtown Santa Rosa. Taco trucks will be on hand to sell tacos & drinks. Humboldt Park. 1172 Humboldt St., Santa Rosa. Tuesdays.

Meet up: 5:45 p.m. Pedals up: 6:15 p.m. tinyurl.com/44r6r2n3.

FREE Tuesdays in the Plaza.

Live music. Aug. 2: Luce (rock/ alternative). Aug. 9: Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys (western swing).

Aug. 16: Sal’s Greenhouse (funk/ soul). Aug. 23: Boot Juice (bluegrass/ folk). Aug. 30: The Rubinoos (pop rock). 6–8 p.m. Healdsburg Plaza.

Healdsburg Ave. & Matheson St.,

Rides. All cyclists welcome to roll

Healdsburg. ci.healdsburg.ca.us/335/ Tuesdays-in-the-Plaza.

FREE Family Movies on the Green.

Aug. 2: Zootopia. Aug. 9: The Goonies.

Bring blanket or low-back chair.

No blankets on lawn before 4:30 p.m. Movie begins 15 minutes after sunset. Windsor Town Green. 701 McClelland Dr., Windsor. tinyurl. com/4592f4vn.

Wednesday 3 FREE Lawyers in the Library. Free legal assistance. First come, first served. Consultations 20 minutes max. Held the first Wednesday of each month. Sign-ups: 4:30 p.m.

Consultations: 5–7 p.m. Sonoma County Public Law Library. 2604 Ventura Ave., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/ yckuhajm.

FREE Game On for Teens & Tweens.

Grades K–6. Held first Wednesday of each month. Board games, Magic the Gathering & video games. 2:30–4 p.m.

Sonoma Valley Regional Library. 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Registration recommended but not required: tinyurl.com/bd4cvhzr.

FREE Wednesday Night Market.

Live music, vendors & produce.

Wednesdays. 5–8:30 p.m. Runs thru Aug. 31. 4th St. & Old Courthouse Square. Santa Rosa. wednesdaynightmarket.org.

Thursday 4 FREE Movies on the Courthouse Square. Bring chairs & blankets.

Goonies: 6 p.m. Ghostbusters: 8 p.m.

30 SonomaFamilyLife

August 2022

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Courthouse Square. Santa Rosa. downtownsantarosa.org/events.

FREE Summer Nights on the Green Concerts. Live music, food vendors

& farm fresh produce. Aug. 4: Hip Service (rock/R&B). Aug. 11: Kenny Metcalf as Elton John (Elton John tribute). Aug. 18: The Dylan Black Project (funk/R&B). Aug. 25: Sabor De Mi Cuba (Afro-Cuban roots).

Farmers’ market: 5–8 p.m. Live music: 6–8 p.m. Thursdays. Thru Sept. 8.

Windsor Town Green. 701 McLelland Dr., Windsor. tinyurl.com/4hsw475n.

BETH AMI COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL

FREE Shakespeares’s Twelfth Night (with a twist). High-spirited

tale of love, lust & misunderstanding set in the 1920s. Bring chair, blanket & picnic. Aug. 4–6: 7:30 p.m. West Plaza Park. 10 North St., Healdsburg. raventheater.org.

Sensory Swim at the YMCA. For kids & adults with sensory, motor, or other developmental needs. Membership not required; $10 for a family swim pass (2 adults & any minors in the same household). Sundays: 9–10:30 a.m.

Fridays: 2:20–4 p.m. YMCA. 1111 College Ave., Santa Rosa. scfymca.org.

Sonoma County Fair. Admission:

$10–$18; ages 6 & younger, free. Free Admission Days for kids 12 & younger: Aug. 4 & 10. Carnival wristband tickets: $30–$53. Aug. 4–7 & 11–4.

Noon–11 p.m. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. sonomacountyfair.com.

SCHEDULE A TOUR:

WEAREBETHAMI.ORG • 707-360-3030

REGGIO EMILIA INSPIRED JEWISH VALUES & TRADITIONS SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Friday 5 FREE Young Astronomers/Striking Sparks. Robert Ferguson Observatory virtual meeting for kids in grades 4–9 who are interested in all things space & want to meet like-minded friends.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

4676 MAYETTE AVE., SANTA ROSA

bacnsdirector@bethamisr.org We warmly welcome families of all backgrounds and religious affiliations August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 31

7–8 p.m. RSVP for Zoom link: ncummings@rfo.org.

FREE Create Teen! Friendship

p.m. Downtown Plaza. 204 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. cloverdaleartsalliance.org/fnlmusic.

Bracelets. Ages 13–18. Snacks &

FREE Party on the Plaza. Farmers’

materials will be provided. Lessons will be bilingual (English & Spanish).

Cada semana habrá una manualidad diferente para los adolescentes, así que traigan sus mentes creativas. Se proporcionarán bocaditos y todos los materiales. Fridays. 4–5 p.m. Roseland Regional Library. 470 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/yc7pfc98.

market & vendor booths. Fridays. 5–9 p.m. Live music: 6 p.m. City Center Plaza lawn. 500 City Center Dr., Rohnert Park. tinyurl.com/58jn7z2d.

FREE Friday Night Live at the Plaza.

Aug. 5: Los Texmaniacs (Tex-Mex).

Aug. 12: Scott Pemberton O Theory (progressive roots). Aug. 19: Diggin’ Dirt (West Coast funk). Aug. 26: David Luning (Americana). Street Fair: 6 p.m. Live music: 6:30–9:30

Saturday 6 FREE Sonoma County Finding History Day. Thirty local historical & cultural organizations showcase their collections, upcoming projects & hidden treasures. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Finley Community Center. 2060 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/ yckxn52k.

Cartoon-a-Thon. Drawing games,

live cartoonist presentations, book signings & more. $5–$12. Ages 3 & younger: free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org/ cartoon-a-thon.

FREE Storytime with the Russian River Sisters. All ages welcome.

An afternoon of stories, singing & dancing. Parking inside park: $10.

Limited free parking also outside the reserve. 3–4 p.m. Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (forest theater). 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville. Register: tinyurl.com/2ht9bybc.

Petaluma Music Festival. Music,

dancing, vendor booths. Food & drinks available for purchase.

Mendocino College Theatre Arts and Lake County Theatre Company Present

Movie Nights

William Shakespeare’s

Brought to you by

July 30-31 Library Park Lakeport August 3-7 Austin park clearlake ALL SHOWS 7pm FREE ADMISSION

August 4 The Goonies (6pm)

Ghostbusters (8pm)

September 1 Back to the future (6pm)

downtownsantarosa.org

Plus

Live Music Most Thursdays (5:30pm)

More info: LCTC.US or 707.278.9628 PRESENTED in cooperation with Lake COUNTY Friends of Mendocino College, City of Lakeport, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and City of Clear Lake.

32 SonomaFamilyLife

Details & more events @

August 2022

downtownsantarosa.org

www.sonomafamilylife.com

$60–$169. Ages 12 & younger: free with a paying adult. Ages 13–17 can purchase $25 tickets at the door. Benefits the music program in Petaluma schools. COVID-19 guidelines followed. 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Sonoma–Marin Fairgrounds.

175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. petalumamusicfestival.org.

Cabaret & Dinner. Live performances

by North Bay Theatrics students.

Silent auction. Show: free. Dinner: $20.

Use discount code FAMILY when purchasing tickets online to get 15% off for groups of 4 or more. Dinner: 6–7 p.m. Performances: 7 p.m. Main stage performance: 8 p.m. La Plaza Park. Cotati. northbaytheatrics.com/ events.

Sunday 7 FREE Live at Juilliard Concert Series. Aug. 7: Batacha (Latin jazz/

salsa). Aug. 14: Down Dirty Shake (soul/rock/Latin). Aug. 21: Caitlin Jemma & the Goodness (Americana/ soul). Bring blanket or chairs. Food & drinks available for purchase or bring picnic. 5–7 p.m. Juilliard Park. 227 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. srcity. org/2169/Live-at-Juilliard.

Tuesday 9 FREE Sensory Friendly Afternoon.

Exclusively for children ages 0–12 who have special needs. Hands-on exhibits, art studio. Safe, accessible environment. 1–5 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W.

Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. Registration required: tinyurl.com/2p8nms35.

FREE Virtual Pride Club for Teens.

Ages 13–18. Discuss books & other media that showcase queer voices & experiences. Sponsored by Sonoma County Library. 5–6 p.m. Register for Zoom link: tinyurl.com/3n89bcyr.

Thursday 11 FREE Summer on the Courthouse Square Music Series. Aug. 11: Stella & the Starlights. Aug. 18: Gill Brothers Band. 5:30–7:30 p.m. Old Courthouse Square. Santa Rosa. downtownsantarosa.org/events.

Flynn Creek Circus: Balloons, Birds & Other Flying Things. A rurally based, award-winning circus bringing international talent to the

thrilling & sophisticated children’s camps at select locations

‘...the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.’- Einstein Touring June to October under the BigTop www.sonomafamilylife.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 33

North Bay. Tickets are sold by table or bench, regardless of age of attendees. $81–$416. Aug. 11: 7 p.m. Aug. 12: 5 & 8 p.m. Aug. 13: 5 & 8* p.m. (*adults 21+ only). Aug. 14: 12 & 4 p.m.

Sebastopol Grange. 6000 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. flynncreekcircus.com.

FREE The Goonies at the Drive-In.

Bring chairs & blankets. Food & drinks available for purchase. Movie: 8:25 p.m. Citrus Fairgrounds. 1 Citrus Fair Dr., Cloverdale. tinyurl.com/ m7rwhmyu.

Saturday 13 Science Saturdays: Boat Builders.

Kids can build a miniature boat & test how well it floats. $10–$12. Parking: $7. Two sessions: 11 a.m.–noon or 1–2 p.m. Environmental Discovery Center.

34 SonomaFamilyLife

393 Violetti Rd., Santa Rosa. Register: tinyurl.com/4d5se4b2.

FREE Park-a-Month Volunteer Program: Youth Community Park.

Weed, mulch, clean & pick up litter.

Hand tools & gloves are provided, or bring own. Children younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. 9 a.m.–noon. Youth Community Park. 1701 Fulton Rd., Santa Rosa. srcity.org/Calendar. aspx?EID=1580.

Movies on the Green: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Santa Rosa

Symphony performs in sync to the film projected on a screen. Bring chairs & blankets. $30–$95. Lawn for ages 3–12: $15. 7:30 p.m. Green Music Center. 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Tickets: tinyurl.com/ y7587jsb.

August 2022

Gravenstein Apple Fair. Live music,

arts & crafts & children’s activities.

Local food, wine & cider & famous heirloom apples. $10–$18. VIP tickets: $50–$125. Ages 5 & younger: free.

Aug 13–14: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Ragle Ranch Regional Park. 500 Ragle Rd., Sebastopol. gravensteinapplefair.com.

FREE Back-to-School Health Fair. Filled backpacks distributed to students in need. Health education & screenings, COVID-19 & Tdap vaccines. Fluoride dental treatments.

Informational booths. Raffles & entertainment. Noon–2:30 p.m.

Altimira Middle School. 17805 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. tinyurl.com/44era7cz.

Wine Country Sword Crush.

First annual rapier & longsword tournament. Each day dedicated to a different weapon. Presented by

www.sonomafamilylife.com

EnGarde Fencing. $20–$40. Aug. 13–14: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Piner High School. 1700 Fulton Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/3xmvkhn5.

Sunday 14 Junior Ranger’s Skills: Water Safety 101. Ages 7–13 will play in the water &

learn how park rangers ensure safety at the Russian River. Led by regional parks ranger & park staff. $5–$7.

Parking: $7. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Del Rio Woods. 2668 S. Fitch Mountain Rd., Healdsburg. Registration required: tinyurl.com/56hb8waz.

Let’s Take a Hike: Jack London State Park. Guided 5.5-mile moderate

hike. Wear sturdy shoes; bring hiking poles, snacks & water. $10. Parking: $10. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Jack London State Park. 2400 London Ranch Rd., Glen

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Ellen. jacklondonpark.com/events/ lets-hike.

FREE Cruisin’ North Car Show. See

dozens of classic American cars & hot rods. Burgers, fries & house ale available for purchase. Noon–3 p.m.

Beer Republic Brewing Company.

5000 Roberts Lake Rd., Rohnert Park. tinyurl.com/2zy3fv43.

Monday 15 Happy 20th Anniversary, Schulz Museum. Free ice cream cake from

Cold Stone Creamery at noon (while supplies last). First 500 visitors get a free 20th anniversary Snoopy button.

Cost includes Cartoon-a-Thon & museum admission. $5–$12. Ages 3 & younger: free. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org.

August 2022

Friday 19 FREE Movies in Lucchesi Park: A Goofy Movie. Bring chairs & blankets.

Food & drinks available for purchase.

8–10 p.m. Lucchesi Community Center. 320 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. tinyurl.com/2x2awvfk.

FREE Movies in the Park. Aug 19: Paw Patrol. Aug. 26: Encanto. 8–10 p.m. Howarth Memorial Park. 630 Summerfield Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl. com/4wtkfh78.

FREE Forestville Movies in the Park: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Concession stand opens an hour before the movie begins. Bring low-back chairs & blankets. No pets, alcohol, smoking or stick-leg chairs.

8:40 p.m. Forestville Youth Club.

SonomaFamilyLife 35

Baseball Field. 6935 Mirabel Rd., Forestville. tinyurl.com/p56knpst.

Saturday 20 Little Parkies: Insect Investigations.

For ages 4–6. Exploratory walkabouts in the park, hands-on learning, nature-based games & unique crafts to take home. $5–$7 per family of 4.

Parking: $7. 9–11 a.m. Ragle Ranch Park. 500 Ragle Rd., Sebastopol.

Registration required: tinyurl. com/5n8z75na.

Monthly Common Ground Meet-Up for Moms. For moms of disabled or

special needs children. 2:30–4:30 p.m.

Mary’s Pizza Shack. 3084 Marlow Rd., Santa Rosa. Register: tinyurl. com/2kee5h2k.

FREE Russian River Car Show.

Vintage cars & trucks (1976 & older).

8 a.m.–3 p.m. Northwood Commons.

19420 Hwy. 116, Monte Rio. tinyurl. com/2p9v3mar.

Cotati Accordion Festival.

Multigenerational festival. Vendors; food, drinks, wine & beer available.

One-day ticket: $17–$23. Two-day ticket: $21–$32. Kids 15 & younger: free when accompanied by paying adult. Benefits local youth. Aug. 20 & 21: 9:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. La Plaza Park.

8167 La Plaza, Cotati. cotatifest.com.

FREE Family Bike Workshops.

Learn tips, tricks & tools for bicycling safely. Children & parents must participate together & bring their own bikes & helmets. 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Sonoma Plaza. 1 The Plaza, Sonoma.

Pre-registration required: tinyurl. com/54tm5kxb.

Open Cockpit Weekend: Vietnam Era. Look inside vintage aircraft. $5–$10; military & kids 5 & younger:

36 SonomaFamilyLife

free. Any group of up to 7: $30. Aug. 20–21: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Pacific Coast Air Museum. One Air Museum Way. Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/fnwnv6e3.

FREE Art Walk. Current exhibit “Protecting the Environment that Sustains Us” featuring the work of the Pointless Sisters Art Quilt Group. Walk around the native plant demonstration garden. Bring a lunch; picnic tables available. 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Laguna Environmental Center. 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl. com/34yj87du.

FREE 10th Annual Pacific Islander Festival. Time-honored Pacific Island

traditions in music, dance, arts & crafts & food. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 475 City Center Dr., Rohnert Park. tinyurl. com/2cume6ts.

Sunday 21 Village Sounds Summer Concert Series: Pop Fiction. Band plays pop

& rock classics from the ’70s to now.

Table reservations required: $25–$125.

Benefits local nonprofit partners.

3–6 p.m. Montogomery Village. 911 Village Ct., Santa Rosa. Reservations: tinyurl.com/2p9h5eab.

Friday 26 FREE Common Ground Society Dads & Kids Meetup. For dads of disabled or special needs children.

6:30–9 p.m. Flagship Taproom. 8099 La Plaza B, Cotati. Register: tinyurl. com/2p966axd.

FREE Healdsburg Art Festival. Art,

music, dance, poetry & theater plus kids’ music workshops. Aug. 26: 4–7 p.m. Aug. 27: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Aug. 28: 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Healdsburg Downtown Plaza. Healdsburg Ave. & Matheson St., Healdsburg. tinyurl.com/bdhzk3dt.

August 2022

Saturday 27 Public Star Party. Presentations on astronomy. Three main telescopes open for viewing. $5–$10. Ages 11 & younger: free. Parking: $10. ID & proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test required within last 48 hrs. 9 p.m.–midnight. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Robert Ferguson Observatory. 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood. rfo.org.

Sunday 28 FREE Sunset Music Series: The Blue Lights. Blues band plays in indoor/outdoor setting. Bring chairs & blankets. Food trucks on site; beer & wine available for purchase. No outside alcohol allowed. 5:30 p.m.– sunset. The Ranch at Lake Sonoma.

100 Marina Rd. Lot A., Geysersville. tinyurl.com/y7rc86n6.

Tuesday 30 2022 Showcase Sonoma County Business Expo. Networking expo

featuring more than 100 local exhibitors, from tech, finance & manufacturing to restaurants, wineries & breweries. 4–7 p.m. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl. com/2p8ejezt.

Wednesday 31 FREE Teen Film Festival. Red carpet in-person awards ceremony & screening of winning films. 7–8 p.m.

Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library.

6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park. tinyurl.com/mr2xrmzu.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

GAN ISRAEL PRESCHOOL

HORSES TEACH KIDS RESPONSIBILITY, SELFLESSNESS AND RESPECT. HORSES HELP KIDS BUILD CONFIDENCE, LEADERSHIP, EMPATHY AND FORGIVENESS.

Ages 2-5+

PLAY-BASED EMERGENT CURRICULUM Our nurturing and qualified teachers have been serving Petaluma families of all faiths for over 45 years. With a 1/8 ratio and an emphasis on social and emotional learning, our program provides a positive first learning experience. Students enjoy, art, science, storytime, circle time, music and movement.

Children often become more focused, mature and calm after spending time with horses.

SIGN UP EARLY AS SPOTS SELL OUT QUICKLY!

All COVID-19 and CCL guidelines are followed so that we can provide a safe and healthy experience for all.

Getting your child involved in horses will take them on the adventure of a lifetime, and will provide exercise and a break from screens.

NOW BOOKING FALL LESSONS!

We are open to all faiths

NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL

FULL OR PART TIME 9AM-1PM OR 8:30AM-4PM • M-F 100 Lynch Road • Petaluma • 707-799-5054 www.stridesridingacademy.com

APPLY ONLINE AT WWW.BNAIISRAEL.NET • 707 763-5136 BIJC CENTER, 740 WESTERN AVE. PETALUMA

after-school care

ATTENTION Bellevue Elementary School

Join our

Jewish Community!

YOUR SCHOOL BUS STOPS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US after-school care SLOTS TIME TO SIGN UP FOR FALL AFTER-SCHOOL ACCEPTING KIDS 0-12 YEARS OLD

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opportunities for babies, teens and everything in between

ARM SETTIN F L L A G

www.cstsr.org | 707.578.5519

2600 Bennett Valley Rd. Santa Rosa, CA

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www.sonomafamilylife.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 37

Humor Break cannot possibly keep on top of that.

During week three, your little ones officially realize that their 3–6 hour, 5-days-a-week experience is, in fact, school and not a trip to Disneyland.

This week may involve some light to moderate bribery. I hope your children are still thrilled by stickers.

When Will the Target Trips End? Your Back-to-School Survival Guide

By Jessica Guerrieri

A

s a former educator, self-appointed humorist, and mother of three, I’m here to guide you through what’s to come. Though I’m only slightly more qualified to offer unsolicited back-to-school advice than the supermarket octogenarian who waxes on about the benefits of fresh beet salads.

The two most common rookie mistakes: 1) Buying back-to-school supplies without the teacher’s list in hand and 2) attempting to gauge how anything is going before one month and one week into the school year.

The first week is a mythical, illogical unicorn. It’s mostly reconnecting with friends, fun class summer surveys, and breaking in new shoes. Do yourself 38 SonomaFamilyLife

a favor: Save your receipts and don’t humble-brag post about how amazing everything is. You’re going to feel really sheepish when your kid sets the school record for volume of glue eaten.

The second week is quite possibly the most unpredictable. It could all go completely sideways, but fear not, this is normal! The greatest thing you can do as a parent is continue to establish a routine that’s sustainable for the long haul. Meaning, don’t surprise the kids with sugary treats unless you want “Friday Donuts!” to become a weekly standing tradition. And go ahead and throw away your elaborate, well-intentioned reward chart made with the same gung-ho enthusiasm of the first week of lockdown—you August 2022

As a former study skills teacher, I suggest sitting down with your students and going through their backpacks. Crumpled papers and brown bananas, at this point, don’t necessarily doom them to star in a future episode of Hoarders. But make sure they are the ones to clean out the pack, and then add “backpack check” to your floor-length daily checklist.

One month in and, sadly, you aren’t quite inside the window of time that I consider to be cruise control. You’re still frequenting Target to purchase shoes that don’t cause blisters and a backpack that’s seven times bigger than the original (to carry the flood of paperwork sent home), and to return any clothing items you purchased thinking “this is so cute” only to find out your fiercely independent pre-pre-teen strongly disagrees.

Congratulations! You made it to my arguably completely arbitrary “one month and one week” milestone.

Good, bad, and definitely at times ugly, the new reality finally has settled in. I never promised perfection, just a somewhat blurry version of normalcy, one where your children may be the students, but every day you still feel like the one getting schooled.

Jessica Guerrieri is a mom and a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.

Find her at jessicaguerrieri.net and on Instagram and Twitter @witandspitup.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

RAY MABRY

Twelfth Night

It’s Complicated— Shakespeare Style

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED!

S

hakespeare may have written in the 17th century, but that doesn’t mean his plays have to be set in that era. The Raven Performing Arts Theater, for example, is setting its performance of Twelfth Night in the roaring ’20s. The play, one of the Bard’s romantic comedies, appears to have invented “it’s complicated” as a relationship category (with an identity- and gender-swapping twist): Viola is in love with Duke Orsino, who is head over heels for Countess Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia falls for Cesario, who is actually Viola dressed up as a man. The play will be performed for free August 4–6 at 7:30 p.m. at West Plaza Park in Healdsburg. Bring blankets or chairs. For more information, go to tinyurl.com/yc3f547u. ¶ Rainbow Girls

Now Accepting Applications

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• Summers optional.

• Paid sick leave, holidays, & vacations.

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CALL NOW 707-206-9988 367 West Robles Avenue, Santa Rosa • www.schoolbusing.org

FAITH FORMATION

BACK-TO-SCHOOL RUMMAGE SALE

Festival Benefits Music Education

M

usic education helps kids academically and emotionally, with research showing that studying music can help students achieve higher test scores and also even learn how to empathize with others. Often music educators are short on funds, though, as school budget cuts often start with the arts.

So every year bands come together at the Petaluma Music Festival to perform and raise money to keep music education a part of local curricula. This year’s festival lineup includes Americana singer-songwriter Jackie Greene, New Orleans guitarist Anders Osborne, and folk trio the Rainbow Girls. The festival will be held on August 6, 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m., at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma. General admission is $60; purchase tickets at petalumamusicfestival.org. ¶ www.sonomafamilylife.com

ST. ELIZABETH SETON, PARISH HALL Friday, August 5 • 4–7pm Saturday August 6 • 7am–5pm Sunday August 7 • 9am–2pm

SPECIAL DEALS TBD ON THE LAST DAY 4595 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park 707-585-3708 | sesreled@gmail.com www.stelizabethrp.com

August 2022

SonomaFamilyLife 39

PLAY WITH A PURPOSE! PROJECTS • GAMES • SINGING • STORIES • CRAFTS CIRCLE TIME • COOKING • FIELD TRIPS

Pre-school weekday mornings from 8:30–11:30am • $15 Per day Extended daycare 8am–6pm M–F

COME FOR A VISIT! CALL (707) 795-8568

JANBOREE PRE-SCHOOL 7157 Orchard Station Rd, Sebastopol • (707) 795-8568 www.facebook.com/JanboreePreschool

“Where children learn to play and play to learn” Monthly parent education classes!

Ages 2–5 years We are passionate about providing a supportive atmosphere of discovery, joy, and creativity where children learn about the world around them through social interaction and hands-on learning.

707-546-7330 2095 Franklin Ave • Santa Rosa www.franklinparkpreschool.org license number: 490100275

YEARS Celebrating

YEARS

The YMCA Preschool provides your child with high-quality, age-appropriate activities and enjoyable experiences. Personal attention, rich sensory experiences, and a generous supply of giggles!

as the #1 resource for local families

Part-Time/Full-Time Care Flexible Plans Available Serving Infant-5 years

magazine • web • email • events

707 308-3043 • www.scfymca.org 2590 Piner Rd. Santa Rosa