NW Kids Magazine February 2015

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE | HOMESCHOOLING BASICS SWIMMING PREP | BILINGUAL IMMERSION PROGRAMS

nwkidsmagazine.com

Feb

2015

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Contents FEBRUARY 2015

8 Jump In! Preparing Your Kids to Swim 12 Not Your Mom’s Homeschool: A Modern Approach to Learning at Home 14 PPS’s Mandarin Immersion Programs: What to Consider When Navigating the School Choice Lottery 17 Private & Charter Mandarin Immersion Programs 20 School Open House Guide 28 Best of Portland and Beyond: Our Top Picks for Getting Out This Month

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EDITORS’

Corner

I can’t believe it was this time two years ago that we (Beth) were raggedly running to open houses, trying to figure out the best option for our daughter, and the best fit for our family. At the top of our list: Dual Language Immersion. However, our neighborhood school didn’t offer a dual language option and we were torn. I had always envisioned our daughters going to our neighborhood school, like I did, but ultimately it didn’t feel like the right fit, and after many late night conversations, we decided to trust our gut. We were lucky and made it into our first choice school after being wait-listed for a few months, and we love it. Our daughter is thriving; speaking and reading in a second language, and now, it’s time to sign our youngest up, too. However, I have doubts about whether language immersion will be the best fit for our second kiddo. We are going to wait and see. It can be tricky finding the perfect, one-size-fits-all school, and we wish you the best of luck in your quest.

This month we focus on education. Are you just starting to think about where your kids will be going to school? Or are you looking to move your child to a different school next year? Maybe you’re interested in bilingual education or are considering homeschool. Wherever you are in the process, we provide some resources in this issue to help you on your way. Check out our February Open House Guide to find out more about our partnering schools on p. 20. And if you are considering homeschool, you can read about the basics on p. 12. If you are thinking about language immersion, as so many families are, head to p.14 for a piece about Mandarin Immersion programs in the Portland Public Schools, and what to consider regarding the School Choice Lottery.

And finally, it’s on! The Color Me cover contest, that is. You have two weeks left to enter your kids’ artwork for a chance to win. They could be featured on the cover of our March issue and win some seriously cool prizes. For more details, head over to nwkidsmagazine.com.

Kelley & Beth

Cover and Contents photography by AMY CLOSE PHOTOGRAPHY amyclose.com

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Listings Amiguitos..............................................................18 Atlas Immersion Academy...................................18 Baby Sleep Trainer...................................................9 Barre3......................................................................2 Beanstalk.................................................................9 Bella Stella..............................................................9 Bennett Suzuki......................................................17 Bodhi Tree Center..................................................17 Bridges Middle School..........................................21 CAIS Oregon..........................................................17 Cedarwood Waldorf School..................................21 Childswork............................................................13 Creative Minds Learning Center............................18 Dr. Pike Dentistry for Children.................................2 Farber Swim School..............................................10 French American International School.................32 German American School.....................................19 Goodtime Chinese School....................................16 Hope Chinese Charter School...............................17 International School.............................................16 KUIK.......................................................................29 Learning Palace.....................................................13 Legacy Health.........................................................3 Leisure Sports Inc/Club Sport...............................10 Little Fruit Farm.......................................................7 Nelson Pediatric Dentistry....................................31 North Portland Orthodontics..................................9 Northwest Chinese Academy...............................16 Oregon Children’s Theatre.....................................31 Oregon Hope Chinese School...............................17 Portland Aquarium.................................................7 Portland Children’s Dentistry..................................7 Portland Early Learning........................................18 Portland Language Arts.......................................17 Portland Trampoline.............................................11 Propagize..............................................................29 Pure Barre................................................................9 Scuola Italiana......................................................16 Small Friends School............................................27 Spanish with Sarah...............................................18 Spielwerk Toys.......................................................29 Summa Academy.................................................19 Sweet Peas Kidzone................................................7 The Kids’ Backyard Store.......................................11 ThriftMouse...........................................................29 Trillium Preschool.................................................27 Trinity Lutheran (Place Foundation).....................21 Tucker Maxon........................................................18 Vermont Hills Life Center......................................27 Village Home........................................................13 Westside Montessori International......................18 World of Smiles.....................................................29 Yu Miao.................................................................16 6 | NW Kids Magazine

magazine Publisher / Advertising Director Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Beth Friesenhahn beth@nwkidsmagazine.com Kelley Schaefer-Levi kelley@nwkidsmagazine.com Account Manager Laurel Ackerman laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Client Services Coordinator/ Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies.

Printed locally; Please recycle.

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO

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JUMP IN!

PREPARING YOUR KIDS TO SWIM Article and photographs by LAURA JOST

Babies are gestated in fluid. Some of them are born into water. It seems a natural state for them, yet their post-birth, aquatic experiences can cause us grownups plenty of anxiety.

a proficiency is essential; it comes not only with the potential to provide a life-time love of a fun, low-impact exercise, but it could also save your child’s life.

Time passes, babes grow, and we get more comfortable when kiddo meets H2O. Then, one day some social media thread, conversation with a friend, or the like, gets us to thinking, “My kid is the only one I know not swimming on some level.” When we consider our wee ones’ first pool experiences, we contemplate chemicals (in the water and/or sunscreen), floatation devices, swim diapers, and the imminent dread of putting on our own bathing suits. My first postpartum swimming experience nearly gave me a heart attack and we never even got a toe in the water; it was just me and my freshlysuncreened four-month-old with a major bikini blowout in a hotel room equipped with a bitty sink and a standing-room-only shower. Two words: unmitigated disaster.

Only you can decide what your child is ready for, but no matter where that is, you can get started.

It turns out that our uneasiness is warranted as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that accidental drowning is the secondleading cause of death in children aged 1-4 years; that’s a heartbreaking statistic. But the good news is whether you immediately register for a class or wait until next season, you can start thinking about water safety and encouraging skills that will eventually help your babe to swim. Ultimately, swimming as

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: • The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) implores caregivers to be within an arm’s length of any child who is not a proficient swimmer in any depth or type of water. Accessories do not change this rule: bath seats, life jackets, or the like.

• The AAP warns against using air-filled flotation devices, despite their popularity, as they can easily deflate during use.

• Swimming lessons at any age do not drownproof your child. Regardless of the ability of your swimmer, you should always pay close attention to kids in the pool, even when there is a lifeguard on-hand.

• No matter at what age your child starts lessons, studies show that their motor skills are generally not developed enough for real swimming until around age 5.5, though younger children do appear to benefit from what they learn.

• Open water (ocean, lake, and stream) is an entirely different ball game. continued on p. 10

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WHAT YOU CAN DO: • Educate yourself on water safety, swimming, and other recommendations on AAP’s website: aap.org.

• At home, continue to supervise all of your littles’ water time, teach them the dangers, and assess their comfort level. Encourage kids in the bath or your kiddie pool to practice holding their breath, pour water over their heads, put their faces in the water, and even back float. If you like cleaning your bathroom or you are outside, splash away.

• Open swims foster a comfort level with the sights and sounds of the pool and gives children an opportunity to experiment. For some, this might be playing on the steps; for others, it might be practicing jumping in or going down the slide to a waiting adult.

Having fun and gaining confidence in the water is a beneficial stepping stone to formal lessons. Sprinklers and splash pads are also a great starting point.

• Swim lessons start at EVERY level. The youngest of us can join their grown-up in playing with water toys, sitting on big floating animals, and singing and “dancing” to songs. Group lessons with an instructor start at the non-swimming level. Confirm prerequisite skills with your chosen

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organization to maximize success. Once you get going, instructors will let you know your child’s progress. If group lessons aren’t your thing, consider private or semi-private lessons.

For more swimming resources, see nwkidsmagazine.com Laura Jost is writer and hyper-careful mother, yet recently found herself retrieving her overconfident swimmer from the deep-end while fully clothed (shoes included). You can never be too aware, too careful, or have too much fun in the water!

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Photography by ANNI BECKER PHOTOGRAPHY

NOT YOUR MOM’S HOMESCHOOL:

A MODERN APPROACH TO LEARNING AT HOME by ANNAGRACE KAYE

People are usually surprised to find out that we homeschool. We don’t look like the homeschoolers in stories or the homeschooling family that used to live next door to you. My daughters, eight and sixyears-old, are friendly, outgoing and easily discuss their favorite books, movies, and sports. They have big dreams for their futures, which may or may not involve college, or the care and keeping of dragons. I am a doula, who teaches pregnancy and birth classes, and I have a relatively normal, by Portland standards, number of tattoos. I am outspoken about women’s health issues and am raising my daughters to be unashamed feminists. My husband received a K-12 public education and comes from a family who taught him to stay open to new ideas and beliefs. He is Group Scoutmaster for 45th Columbia River in Baden-Powell Service Association, an allage, co-ed, and non-discriminatory scouting organization. In other words, we are not the stereotype by a long shot.

I can appreciate the stereotype because I’ve lived it. I was raised in the 1980s and ‘90s religious homeschool movement. Contrary to what many people believe, homeschooling didn’t start out as a religious backlash to secular society. In the 1970s, John Holt, Raymond Moore, and other educators were questioning a perceived ‘oppressive’ classroom system they saw as primarily creating 12 | NW Kids Magazine

compliant laborers. It wasn’t until the 1980s that fundamentalist Christians started joining the movement. They did so in large numbers and with encouragement from leaders like James Dobson of Focus on the Family. My experience was similar to a lot of kids from that era; I was very sheltered, I had a pretty good elementary education, and was taught that public schools were spreading evolution and lies. Later on my family ended up getting involved with intense religious leaders who were abusive and controlling. I was more than happy to leave that culture, and on the rare occasions I thought about having children someday, I looked forward to offering them a sane and free childhood, with more options than I’d had.

It was a big surprise to our friends and family, and also me, when we started exploring home education for our girls. I quickly discovered that there were lots of families like us, believing that children thrive with more freedom to explore and create, not less, and who weren’t necessarily interested in it for religious reasons (or for that reason alone).

We realized just how little time it takes to cover the basics (reading, writing, and arithmetic) when there are just a few children instead of 25-30, and how much learning can be incorporated into the rhythms of daily life. The most overwhelming part was sorting through the diverse number of curriculums

and approaches. This surprised us too. From Classical to Charlotte Mason, Unschooling (or Life Learning) to Montessori, Waldorf to Thomas Jefferson, Internet Schooling to local co-ops and school district supported programs, it turned out there is no one way to homeschool. A lot of people assume that homeschoolers are simply recreating a traditional school day at the kitchen table and I wholeheartedly agree when they ask, “Why would you do that?” Indeed! Another realization took us longer; homeschooling doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. There are free or low-cost resources everywhere.

The library, museums, nature and wildlife preserves, educational websites, Netflix, and YouTube are just a few of the ways we learn at our house. We are not afraid of technology— it’s simply another tool.

If you’re interested in how to get started, every state has a homeschool organization which can inform you of current laws and requirements. There are Facebook and Yahoo groups, websites, and also blogs written by homeschooling parents from a diverse array of backgrounds and philosophies. Though local churches often host homeschool groups and co-ops, there are many secular homeschooling families and groups, too.

Oftentimes, just like when choosing a school, parents are initially drawn to a certain home education philosophy only to find that their child does better with a different approach.

Staying open and flexible has been invaluable to our enjoyment and success. As my friend and fellow homeschooling mother Chris says, “Therein lies the beauty of homeschooling.

It has less to do with “school” and more to do with a philosophy of an integrated life of learning, loving, and parenting your children.

It becomes your way of life.” For additional resources see, nwkidsmagazine.com Annagrace Kaye CD(DONA) is a birth and postpartum doula in Vancouver, WA. She also leads Sacred Pregnancy classes for women and couples. coradoula.com NW Kids Magazine | 13

Photographs courtesy of YU MIAO CHINESE IMMERSION PRESCHOOL

PPS’S MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAMS: WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN NAVIGATING THE SCHOOL CHOICE LOTTERY by JADE CHAN

Before our children were born, the only thought my husband and I had given to their education was whether we were in a neighborhood with strong schools. When it came time to select a preschool for our son, I remembered a sign I’d seen in the Woodstock neighborhood for Yu Miao Chinese Immersion Preschool. After exploring our options, we realized that Yu Miao felt right.

Fast-forward more than two years and my son is in Portland Public Schools’ Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP) at Woodstock Elementary, while his sister is at Yu Miao, following in her big brother’s footsteps.

For our family, the MIP is a way for our children to learn one of their heritage languages and cultures (they’re half Chinese and half Irish), expand their minds and learning abilities, and develop a more worldly view. Ask families in the MIP and they will echo these reasons or cite a desire for their children to learn a world language, study the language and culture of a rising economic power, or simply be exposed to Chinese, the most widely spoken language in the world. (“Chinese” may refer to any of the language’s many dialects, including Cantonese, but Mandarin is the national language of China and the one most people learn.)

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Learning a second language benefits young minds in so many ways. Studies have shown that being bilingual can improve cognitive skills. Bilinguals don’t have to quiet one language in their mind to concentrate on the other; rather, their skills allow them to think outside the box and to assess challenging situations or issues and address them more efficiently.

Studies have also shown that English language learners pick up English more effectively if they’re also taught in their native language, which often translates to improved achievement in school. This is one reason why, in an effort to close the achievement gap, Portland Public Schools (PPS) is expanding its Dual Language Immersion programs.

Among its language immersion offerings of Spanish, Japanese, Russian, and Vietnamese, PPS offers Chinese immersion beginning in kindergarten. Mandarin immersion began at Woodstock Elementary in SE Portland in 1998. The program grew to include Hosford Middle School (where eighth graders in the MIP travel to China on a two-week research residency in the spring) and Cleveland High School. In 2005 National Security Education Program awarded PPS and University of Oregon a grant that allowed them to establish

an Oregon Flagship Program—the first K–16 Chinese Flagship program in the country and a national model.

Last year PPS expanded the MIP to King School in NE Portland, beginning with kindergarten and first grade. As the program at Woodstock did, the MIP at King will grow each year. PPS’s Department of Dual Language is proposing to expand the MIP to a third site in the 2016–17 school year, pending the School Board’s approval.

Entry into PPS’s MIP programs is by lottery.

The lottery transfer cycle for the 2015–16 school year opens February 9 and closes March 6. Those interested in applying should visit pps.k12.or.us/departments/enrollmenttransfer/schoolchoice.htm for more information. When the lottery opens, the website will have more detailed information about the programs, such as dates of mandatory meetings and school tours and the number of spots available in each grade. (For the MIP, the lottery is typically only for the kindergarten class, but 1st grade slots were available last year with the opening of the MIP at King.)

One detail to keep in mind is category “buckets” in the MIP lottery. In an effort to align with PPS’s Racial Equity Policy and Plan, the lottery has been formatted to provide equitable access to native-speaking students. In the MIP, slots are reserved for native Chinese speakers (of any Chinese dialect) and non-native speakers. PPS defines native speakers as “children who have been listening and speaking with a Chinese speaking parent/guardian since birth. The intention of this definition is to capture students who have had limited English language development.”

Buckets are further divided into neighborhood families (those who live within the school’s boundaries) and transfer families (those outside the boundaries). For Woodstock’s MIP, there is a bucket each for Chinese-speaking families and non-Chinese speakers in the neighborhood, and a bucket each for Chinese speakers and non-Chinese

speakers outside the boundaries, for a total of four buckets. In the 2014-15 lottery cycle, applicants for the King MIP were also divided into four buckets: students in the Mandarin program at a nearby Albina Head Start, native Chinese speakers, students already attending King and their siblings, and neighborhood and transfer students.

When the notification letters are sent 4–6 weeks after the lottery closes, families will know whether they’ve been granted a space in their desired school, wait-listed, or denied.

All is not lost if your child is not immediately placed. Some families do decline placement, which opens spots for those on the wait list.

Families can also use the petition process and be considered for placement after the wait list has expired, if there is room in the classroom, and if the child can demonstrate that he or she is at the same language level as the other students and can keep up with them. (This is the process our family went through.)

The lottery can be a very anxious time for many PPS families, but with the growing popularity and success of language programs—immersion or otherwise—be confident that you will find the right fit for your child.

Jade Chan is a freelance editor and the proud parent of two children. She herself is a product of Portland Public Schools (Grout, Hosford, and Cleveland) and is just tickled that her kids will attend two of the schools she did. She and her family live in North Portland.

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Private & Charter

MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAMS BODHI TREE CENTER BodhiTreeChineseSchool.org

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL intlschool.org

CAIS OREGON caisoregon.org

NORTHWEST CHINESE ACADEMY nwchineseacademy.org

FRENCH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL faispdx.org

OREGON HOPE CHINESE SCHOOL oregon-hope.org

GOODTIME CHINESE SCHOOL goodtimechineseschool.org HOPE CHINESE CHARTER SCHOOL hopeccs.org

PORTLAND LANGUAGE ARTS portlandlanguagearts.com YU MIAO ahscpdx.org/yumiao.html

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SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE AMIGUITOS PRESCHOOL

ATLAS IMMERSION ACADEMY

BODHI TREE CHINESE SCHOOL

BRIDGES MIDDLE SCHOOL

ADDRESS

5101 SE Aldercrest 3643-B SW Road, Milwaukie Vermont Street, Portland

5403 SE Center Street, Portland

716 NE Marine Drive, Portland

PHONE

(503) 653.4081

(971) 238.9838

(503) 788.0336

(503) 688.2922

WEBSITE

amiguitos.org

atlasimmersion academy.com

bodhitreechinese school.org

bridgesms.org

DESCRIPTION

Spanish Immersion Preschool and Kindergarten.

Native Spanish speakers who are nurturing and make learning fun!

Infant and Early Childhood through schoolage French Immersion programs.

Mandarin Chinese immersion school for children ages 2-3, 3-5 and 6-12.

Strong academics, small classes and individualized instruction for 5th-8th grade students with learning differences.

OPEN HOUSE

Individual tours anytime

February 7, 3pm-4:30pm

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10am, year round

Call for a private admissions tour and meeting

GRADE RANGE/ AGE RANGE

Preschool and Kindergarten

3 months-12years-old

2-3, 3-5, 6-12

5th-8th grade

MAX ENROLLMENT

42

65

12 per class

N/A

STUDENT 7:1 TEACHER RATIO

3:1 infant, 4:1 toddler, 8:1 preschool, 10:1 pre-K

Approximately 6:1

10:1

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Yes

Yes

No

No

TUITION RANGE

$340-$1035 monthly

Please visit our website for tuition

Depends on days and program

$17,400-$20,500 annually

FINANCIAL AID

No

No

No

Yes

TEACHING METHOD

Language Immersion and Individualized instruction

Language Immersion

Language Immersion

Individualized instruction

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SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE CEDARWOOD WALDORF SCHOOL

CHILDSWORK LEARNING CENTER

CHINESE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

CREATIVE MINDS LEARNING CENTERS

ADDRESS

3030 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland

4235 SE Salmon Street, Portland

1855 South Shore Boulevard, Lake Oswego

Multiple locations; NEW Tualatin location opening Spring 2015

PHONE

(503) 245.1477

(503) 234.3611

(503) 348.3028

(503) 780.8960

WEBSITE

c edarwoodschool. childswork.org org

caisoregon.org

mycmlc.com

DESCRIPTION

Cedarwood Waldorf School strives to instill a lifelong love for learning.

Nurturing wonder, CAIS: Learning embracing joy and Thriving in a while fostering Multicultural World. discovery.

OPEN HOUSE

March 7, 10am-1pm

We offer tours every month.

Please call to reserve your spot on a tour.

Thursdays 9:30am-10:30 am

February 21, 10am-2pm at Happy Valley Location (12771 SE Sunnyside Rd)

GRADE RANGE/ AGE RANGE

PreK-8th grade

2-years-old Kindergarten

Preschool, Kindergarten, After School 1st grade+, Aftercare

InfantsKindergarten

MAX ENROLLMENT

340

100

116

CMLC’s mission is to provide progressive preschool programs promoting lifelong learning and developmental growth.

STUDENT 15:1 TEACHER RATIO

8:1

7:1

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Yes

Yes

Yes

TUITION RANGE

$6,000-$12,800 annually

Depends on schedule

$2,880-$8,760 annually

FINANCIAL AID

Yes

Yes

No

No

TEACHING METHOD

Waldorf

Play based, Reggio Emilia

Experiential, Language Immersion

Creative Curriculum

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No

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE FRENCH GERMAN GOODTIME AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL CHINESE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL

HOPE CHINESE CHARTER SCHOOL

NORTHWEST CHINESE ACADEMY

8500 NW Johnson Street, Portland

3900 SW Murray Boulevard, Beaverton

15285 NW Central 9100 SW Wilshire Drive, Portland Street, Portland

8565 SW BeavertonHillsdale Highway, Beaverton

(503) 292.7776

(503) 626.9089

(503) 277.3899

(503) 546.3455

faispdx.org

gspdx.org

goodtimechinese hopeccs.org school.org

nwchinese academy.org

A preschool through grade 8 independent school offering an internationallyfocused curriculum in an immersion setting.

A collaborative community with studentcentered learning environments that encourage growth into bilingual world citizens.

Preschool and K to 2nd Language Immersion Chinese programs.

Provides comprehensive bilingual and biliterate education with high proficiency in all academic subjects emphasizing Chinese, English and mathematics.

Educating today for tomorrow’s world. True Mandarin immersion fostering the highest potential of each student.

Open Tours most Wednesdays, 9am (Check website for dates.)

January 25, 10am-11:30am

Wednesdays 9am-10am, March 21, 1pm3pm, April 25, 1pm-3pm

Tours Wednesdays 9am-10am, Info Session February 9, 6:30pm

February 21, 10am-12pm

Preschool8th grade

Preschool 5th grade

3-12-years-old

Kindergarten4th grade

Preschool (age 3)-8th grade

200

113

9:1

9:1

10:1

12:1

9:1

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

$13,165 - $17,130 annually

$10,360-$13,420 annually

$780-$820 monthly

Free

$6,000-$14,000 annually

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Language Immersion

Language Language Immersion, Inquiry- Immersion Based

Language Immersion

Language Immersion

(971) 226.7500

160

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SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE OREGON HOPE CHINESE SCHOOL

PORTLAND LANGUAGE ARTS

SCUOLA ITALIANA DI PORTLAND

SMALL FRIENDS SCHOOL

ADDRESS

4010 NW Kaiser Road, Portland

10180 NW Brady Lane, Portland

P.O. Box 6507, Portland

7475 SW Oleson Road, Portland

PHONE

(971) 226.7240

(971) 506.8838

(971) 270.0470

(503) 388.2266

WEBSITE

oregon-hope.org

portlandlanguage scuola.us arts.com

DESCRIPTION

An Oregon state and IRSrecognized public benefit nonprofit organization that provides Saturday Chinese classes, Mandarin Kids, an early childhood program, Summer Camp, and AfterSchool Chinese.

A Chinese Immersion Preschool that is focused on developing the whole child.

Promoting Italian language and culture to children in a student-centered environment.

At Small Friends children explore, create and collaborate to deepen their understanding of their world.

OPEN HOUSE

March 12, April 9, May 14, 10am-11:30 am

February 15, 11am-2pm

Call to arrange for a classroom visit.

February 5, 7pm

GRADE RANGE/ AGE RANGE

Preschool

2-5-years-old

18 months-12years-old

3-5-years-old

MAX ENROLLMENT

200

16

smallfriends school.com

18 per class

STUDENT 6:1-10:1 TEACHER RATIO

8:1

4:1 preschool, 6:1 children’s enrichment classes

4:1

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

TUITION RANGE

$145/term to $1,100 monthly

$995 (Fulltime) monthly

$10/hour, pre$165-$205 school; $13 all other monthly children’s classes

FINANCIAL AID

No

No

no

TEACHING METHOD

Language Immersion

Language Language Immersion, Whole Immersion, Playchild based, Reggio Emilia

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No Play-based

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE SPANISH WITH SARAH

SUMMA ACADEMY

SWEET PEAS KIDZONE

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

TRILLIUM PRESCHOOL

2204 NE Birch Street, Camas, WA

2510 SW 1st Avenue, Portland

15320 NW Central Drive, D12, Portland

025 SW Sherman Avenue, Portland

5420 N Interstate Avenue, Portland

(360) 990.1585

(503) 287.1785

(503) 533.5252

(503) 226.2496

(503) 285.3833

spanishwithsarah. com

summaacademy. org

sweetpeaskidzone. intlschool.org com

trilliumcharter school.org

We offer Spanish immersion preschool, dual language K-5, after school enrichment classes, and summer camps.

Features Projectbased learning, Individualized learning plans for every student, relationship based whole child education.

Teaching children with a combination of play-based and teacher lead activities.

Spanish, Japanese or Chinese language immersion and inquiry-based, International Baccalaureate curriculum from preschool through 5th grade.

See our website for preschool philosophy and mission.

Call for a tour

April 17, 9:30am11:30am

lease call to P schedule a tour

February 19, 6pm

March 5, 5pm-6pm

3-11-years-old

K-8th grade (4-14-years-old)

3-years-oldKindergarten

PreK-5th grade

3-5-years-old

16 max in K-5 classes

130

45

500

10:1 preschool 16:1 K-5 classes

11:1

7:1

14:1

8:1

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

$200-$600 monthly plus supply fee

$9,250-$13,750 annually

Varies based on schedule

$8,860-$15,620 annually

$510-$740 monthly

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Language Immersion

Experiential, Whole child, Evidence-based

Play-based

Language Immersion, International Baccalaureate

Democratic/ Constructivist

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SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL

TUCKERMAXON SCHOOL

VERMONT HILLS FAMILY LIFE CENTER

VILLAGE HOME EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER

ADDRESS

5520 NE Killingsworth, Portland

2860 SE Holgate Boulevard, Portland

3710 SW U.S. Veteran’s Hospital Road, Portland

5150 SW Watson, Beaverton 5310 NE 42nd Avenue, Portland

PHONE

(503) 288.6403

(503) 235.6551

(503) 721.7830

(503) 597.9100

WEBSITE

trinityportland.org tuckermaxon.org

vhflc.org

villagehome.org

DESCRIPTION

Empowered by Christ’s love, Trinity students engage in academic rigor to be life-long learners and serve others.

Tucker-Maxon School teaches children to listen, talk, learn, and achieve excellence together.

Enriching the lives of children through promotion of selfesteem, wonder and challenge.

Classes & Community for Homeschool Families, Alternative-toSchool where learning is fun, relevant & engaging.

OPEN HOUSE

Thursdays, 10am-2pm

February 26, 4pm-5:30pm

By appointment and community events; held regularly

F eb 23, 6:30pm, Beaverton; Feb 25, 1pm, NE PDX

GRADE RANGE/ AGE RANGE

Preschool-8th grade

Preschool-5th grade

Infant (6 weeks)PreK

PreK-High School

MAX ENROLLMENT

300

150

48

N/A

STUDENT 14:1 TEACHER RATIO

8:1

Infants/Toddlers 4:1; PreK 10:1

11:1

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Yes

Yes

No

TUITION RANGE

$2,271.50-$6,489 annually

$6,800-$7,700 annually

$845-$1,232 monthly

$70-$135/class

FINANCIAL AID

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

TEACHING METHOD

College Prep

Communication, social and emotional learning

Play-based

Varies

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SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE GUIDE WESTSIDE MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL

YU MIAO CHINESE IMMERSION PRESCHOOL

1870 NW 188th Avenue, Beaverton

5239 SE Woodstock Boulevard, Portland

(503) 739.3949

(503) 775.3767

wmioregon.com

ahscpdx.org/ yumiao.html

An educational institution with highest commitment to academic excellence, community service and lifelong learning grounded in Jesus.

Yu Miao is a bilingual preschool allowing students to learn in both Chinese and English language.

February 7, 9am-3pm

F ebruary 28, 10am-12pm

2.5-6-years-old

3-5-years-old

48 10:1

6:1 or 7:1

Yes

Yes

$600-$1,100 monthly

$361 -$1,079 monthly

Yes

Yes

Language Immersion, Montessori, Faithbased; Multi-lingual

Language Immersion

NW Kids Magazine | 27

Best of Portland and beyond OUR TOP PICKS FOR GETTING OUT THIS MONTH

FEBRUARY

1

Mondays & Fridays SIX & UNDER SHRED

Put your bike riding skills to the test! Think skate park for bikes with tons of fun ramps, jumps and skills sections to test your ability. The Lumberyard offers clinics, after school programs and for kids 6 and under, and the opportunity to ride for just $6 every week on Monday and Friday (when local area schools are in session) from 9am until Noon. lumberyardmtb.com

2

Thru - Feb 15 SKIPPYJON JONES

Set off on a hilarious musical adventure with Skippyjon, a Siamese Cat and his alter ego, “El Skippito” a superhero Chihuahua in Oregon Children’s Theatre’s newest production.

Saturdays and Sundays at 2 and 5pm, $15-30. octc.org/onstage/skippyjon

3

Thru - Mar 1 JUNGLE BOOK

Northwest Children’s Theater takes a journey deep into the heart of the jungle with “The Jungle Book,” a world premiere adaptation that brings you Mowgli and his friends in a whole new way! Saturdays and Sundays at Noon & 4pm with a special sensory friendly performance on Feb 8 at 4pm, $17-23. nwcts.org

4

Feb 6 -14 ZEN SHORTS

Based on the books by John J. Muth and featuring over 30 amazing puppets, video projections and original songs, Tears of Joy Theatre is at it again, with this heartwarming production about growing up and making friends. Check website for show times, $15-22. tojt.org

Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur.

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5

Feb 7 - May 6 MAZES

Mazes, the newest exhibit at OMSI, winds its way over 8,000 square feet with over 60 puzzling experiences the whole family will enjoy. omsi.edu

7

6

Feb 9, 14, 19 & 21 MAKE A FOLK INSTRUMENT

Make a musical instrument from common household items with musician Newel Briggs.

Learn the history of your instrument and its musical family members from around the world. Check library website for times and branch location. multcolib.org/events/ make-folk-instrument

Feb 14 VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY

Join author and illustrator, Christa Pierce for a for a cheery Valentine’s Day Party with crafts and treats at Green Bean Books on Saturday, February 14th at 1pm. This event is free! greenbeanbookspdx.com

8

Feb 19 - March 5 CHINESE NEW YEAR

The Year of the Ram begins February 19, 2015! Come celebrate and learn more about Chinese New Year, the most colorful and joyous of all Chinese festivals during Lan Su’s two-week celebration with lion dances, martial arts performances, children’s music, calligraphy demonstrations, ping-pong and so much more. Tickets start at $7, children 5 and under are free. lansugardens.org

Remember to check the NW Kids online calendar for dozens more outings and activities each day.

Share with friends, subscribe to the RSS, add directly to your calendar, and more features. There’s something going on you don’t want to miss!! nwkidsmagazine.com/events/month 30 | NW Kids Magazine

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