NW Kids Magazine July 2022

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

2022-23 Preschool Guide Postpartum Planning 101 nwkidsmagazine.com

JULY 2022

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Editor’s Note Summer is officially here and while the pandemic is certainly not in the rearview mirror, this summer feels a bit more “normal” than the last two. Summer camps are in full swing and many of our favorite indoor and outdoor venues are open for business. This month’s issue of NW Kids features a guide to area preschools.

Whether you are just starting your search or are simply exploring a change, we think you’ll find some great options here! Our friends at Bridgetown Baby also wrote a fantastic piece on postpartum wellness for both mamas and babies. Check out the resource guide at the end of the article, too! We hope that your summer has been full of fun, exploration and joy. We’ll see you next month with our Back to School issue, which will also feature a guide to Waldorf, Montessori and Reggio Emilia schools. See you soon!

Cheers,

Mary

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Contents JULY 2022 8 2022-23 Preschool Guide 16 Postpartum Planning 101 21 Business Profile: Art World School

Cover photography by ASHLAN TAYLOR CREATIVE for MICHA-EL SCHOOL

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magazine Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram: @nwkidsmagazine • 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.

Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editor/Account Manager Mary Brady mary@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Taylor robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com

Listings A Renaissance School....................................24 AWVCS...........................................................22 Aim High Martial Arts...................................24 All Families Surrogacy...................................20 Art World Schoool............................................ 7 Beanstalk........................................................15 Bennett Suzuki...............................................23 Bridgetown Baby...........................................15 Catlin Gabel....................................................15 FAIS.................................................................. 2 German International School.......................... 3 Heidi Timmons Photography.........................23 Hilltop Early Learning Academy....................15 Holy Redeemer Catholic School....................23

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Little Fruit Farm..............................................20 Motessori School of Alameda........................20 Micha-el School.............................................15 OES.................................................................14 Oregon Ballet Theatre...................................... 7 Play Fit Fun.....................................................23 Saturday Academy.........................................22 St. Ignatius Parish School..............................22 St. Rose...........................................................22 The Children’s Garden....................................22 The Marylhurst School..................................14 Tucker Maxon................................................... 3 Wow & Flutterville Gardens............................ 3

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2022-23 Preschool Guide

With so many options for preschool, choosing the right one for your child can feel daunting. Check out our roundup of local preschools below and see if there are any you’d like to visit!

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MULTIPLE LOCATIONS The Children’s Garden

At The Children’s Garden, children from infancy to kindergarten build strong academic and social skills, while gaining a lifetime love for learning.

Ages 6 weeks - 5 years $978 - $1,680/mo (2021-22) Mindfulness 1405 SW Morrison St, 2035 NW Front Ave Suite 100 503-228-2443, 503-277-5535 thechildrensgarden.com

The Marylhurst School

The Marylhurst School is an independent, progressive school offering small class sizes, child-led and experiential learning and a welcoming community.

2 years-8th grade $1,635 - $14,987 Experiential, Progressive 15544 S Clackamas River Dr, Oregon City 19200 Willamette Dr, West Linn 503-650-0978 themarylhurstschool.org

S/SE PORTLAND A Renaissance School of Arts and Sciences

Children work through critical and creative thinking strategies toward insightful and innovative solutions. They offer rolling enrollment and small class sizes.

Ages 4-14 $15,200-$16,400/year Experiential, Whole child, inquiry-based project learning 234 S Bancroft St 971-221-2311 renpdx.org

International School of Portland

Embrace the World! For over 30 years, they’ve offered full language and cultural immersion in a warm, loving environment that encourages curiosity and kindness.

3 years-5th grade $13,080 - $21,590/year Language immersion, Play-based, International Baccalaureate 2305 S Water Ave 503-226-2496 x110 intlschool.org

St. Ignatius School

St. Ignatius School, founded by Holy Names Sisters and Jesuit priests, educates students, pre-K - 8th grade, to build a just and compassionate world.

3 years-8th grade $7,250 - $8,975/year Play-based, Reggio Emilia, Whole child 3330 SE 43rd Ave 503-774-5533 sispdx.org

Tucker Maxon School

TMS creates a foundation for reading, math, art, and music.

They are play-based with a big playground and gym.

3 years-8th grade $1,020-$1,195/month Experiential, Play-based 2860 SE Holgate Blvd 503-235-6551 tuckermaxon.org continued on p. 11

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SW PORTLAND Catlin Gabel School

Catlin Gabel fuels curiosity with courage so every student will have the confidence and ability to rise to the challenges of life and change the world for good.

Ages 4-18 $31,000-$38,800/year Experiential, Whole child, Progressive Education 8825 SW Barnes Rd 503-297-1894 catlin.edu

Hilltop Early Learning Academy

At Hilltop, your child’s future is important. Every child is loved & cared for in an environment that builds a foundation for their future school success.

Ages 3-Kindergarten $350-$1500/month Whole child, academic, child-centered 5700 SW Dosch Rd 503-245-3183 pcctoday.com/hilltop

Oregon Episcopal School

Oregon Episcopal School is a collegepreparatory, independent school serving 870 students in pre-K-grade 12. At OES, learning is inspired by curiosity.

Pre-K - 12th grade $22,500-$27,500/year (Flexible tuition is available for families who qualify.)

Experiential, Reggio Emilia, Inquiry-based 6300 SW Nicol Rd 503-768-3115 oes.edu continued on p. 12 NW Kids Magazine | 11

SW PORTLAND (continued) Portland Jewish Academy PJA provides welcoming and inclusive settings that recognize children’s diverse abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles.

6 weeks-8th grade $500-$1,100/month Experiential, Whole child 6651 SW Capitol Hwy 503-244-0126 pjaproud.org

N/NE PORTLAND Holy Redeemer Catholic School

Inspired by their faith, Holy Redeemer Catholic School is a diverse community committed to academic excellence, the arts, service and environmental stewardship.

Preschool-8th grade $4,100 - $8,465/year 127 N Rosa Parks Way 503-283-5197 holyredeemerpdx.org

Montessori of Alameda

Montessori of Alameda in Portland provides a bilingual (Spanish and English) educational experience for children up to the kindergarten level.

Ages 3 months - 6 years $1,246 - $1,945/mo Montessori 4210 NE Going St 503-335-3321 montessoriofalameda.com 12 | NW Kids Magazine

St. Rose School

As a mission of St. Rose Parish, St. Rose School educates each student as a unique child of God to know and live the Catholic faith and to achieve excellence.

6 weeks-5 years $7,220-$8,870/year Experiential, Play-based, Whole child, Catholic 5309 NE Alameda 503-281-1912 strosepdxschool.org

NW PORTLAND French American International School

As Portland’s most-established immersion school, FAIS uses language and inquiry to help students develop deeper understanding of other cultures and perspectives.

TPS-8th grade / ages 2.5-14 $20,383/year (TPS-K) - $23,919/year (6th-8th Grade) Language immersion, Playbased, Whole child, International Baccalaureate (IB) 8500 NW Johnson St 503-292-7776 faispdx.org

Wow & Flutterville Playgardens

They believe that children will save the world. Children have a limitless capacity for compassion, gratitude, and open-mindness.

Ages 4-14 $1,030-$2,088/month Play-based, Reggio Emilia, Whole child, Waldorf 800 NW 107th Ave 503-352-4983 wowandfluttervilleplaygardens.com

BEAVERTON/HILLSBORO

OUTER METRO

German International School

Lake Oswego French School

Little Fruit Farm Montessori

Micha-El School

As an IB World school, they educate their students to be independent thinkers & internationally-minded while immersing them in the German or Mandarin language.

2 years-6th grade $11,960 - $16,100/year Language immersion, Play-based, International Baccalaureate 3900 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton 503-626-9089 gspdx.org

Supporting children’s natural development, curiosity and exploration. Low studentteacher ratios, beautiful home and garden environments.

Toddler - Pre-K Call for tuition details Montessori 16445 SW Melinda St, Beaverton 503-521-8603 littlefruitfarmmontessori.com

Their mission is to provide a stimulating learning environment with a technological, artistic, and criticalthinking orientation for their students.

Ages 2-12 $14,000/year Language immersion, Montessori, Play-based, Reggio Emilia 14788 Boones Ferry Rd, Lake Oswego 503-662-8452 ilapdx.org

Waldorf School; Blending language arts, math and sciences with music, foreign languages, art and movement, they fully engage children at every developmental age.

Grades K-8 $6,020-$8,340/yr Waldorf 13515A SE Rusk Rd 503-882-3322 micha-elschool.org

MICHA-EL SCHOOL

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Postpartum Planning 101: A Roadmap for a Supported Postpartum Experience by BRITA JOHNSON, BRIDGETOWN BABY

Preparing to have a baby (or babies) is a big job - from the hard science of pregnancy and the fundamentals of labor and delivery, to creating a soft landing on the other side of the birth experience.

In our modern-day USA, we tend to put most of our planning efforts toward labor and delivery - and for good reason: how birth goes makes a huge difference in a family’s life.

We also know that how things feel and function in a family’s early days and weeks has long ranging impacts - yet, societally speaking, we simply don’t focus as much energy on planning for the postpartum period. This leaves many families feeling unprepared, unsupported and alone with the challenges of caring for their infants, even as research into well-being in the perinatal period (the time from pregnancy up to a year after giving birth) shows that having support is among the greatest predictors in reducing mood disorders and increasing enjoyment of the early parenting experience.

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As a postpartum doula, when I ask new parents about their dominant feelings after the birth of their children, the answers I get balance equally between experiences of JOY, LOVE and HAPPINESS and those of EXHAUSTION, STRESS and OVERWHELM. We can chalk this up in part due to the steep learning curve through much of the parenting journey. But it’s also because we’re living in a time when we are more cut off than ever from the supports that used to anchor new parents within traditional knowledge that was held and passed on by families and communities.

Before it starts to feel like an incredibly daunting prospect, let’s bring it back down to the personal level and some good news - there are steps you can take today to build your knowledge and start down the path toward a sweet and supported postpartum period.

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Take time to create a postpartum plan

Plan for rest and recovery

Similar to making a birth plan, articulating your vision and what you’ll need will help you approach the challenges of parenting with more calm and resilience.

It’s never too early to identify resources that will help you to feel and function at your best.

Tips

Tips:

• S pend time identifying your hopes and dreams for the postpartum experience; ask yourself: “how do I want to remember this time?”

• T he time you take for rest and recovery immediately after birth will pay off for years to come - put REST on your daily to-do list now, to build your skills in slowing down

• S hare your hopes and dreams with your partner and other support people • M ake specific plans for how the balance of household labor will shift with a baby, or babies, in the mix • W hen one or both partners go back to work, it will be another big transition - give special attention to this time in your planning ahead

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Get a realistic picture of life postpartum

• T hink about who’s on your support team (family, friends, coworkers, postpartum doulas) for help with meals, household tasks, entertaining an older child, walking the dog…

• P ractice asking for, and receiving, help

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Identify the resources you’ll want and need

A sense of what’s normal will help the unknowable feel more doable.

Plan ahead for the support that will allow you to relax, rest, recover and connect.

Tips:

Tips:

• S leep and feeding are among the top concerns for new parents - take a class or do some reading to familiarize yourself with babies’ needs and natural patterns so they don’t come as a surprise

• T ake the pressure off your family system by outsourcing what you can (meal preparation, housecleaning, etc.)

• T alk with friends and family members who have recent experiences of parenting newborns • S pend time around young families in your communities to see what’s being modeled there • F orm community with other parents and parents-to-be, to learn from each other

• M eet and greet with postpartum support professionals (doulas, lactation consultants, therapists, body workers, specialists if you know your baby will have unique medical needs) to establish a relationship before your baby is born • G et resources like prenatal feeding education and postpartum doula support on board early, rather than scrambling to find someone when you need them

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As postpartum doulas and lactation consultants working together to provide wraparound care to new families across the region, we can attest to the power of postpartum care to create an experience that is supported and empowering. Clients who have professional postpartum support report feeling calmer, more confident - and better rested!

Here in the Portland Metro area, we’re blessed to have a strong network of postpartum care professionals and complementary providers - see below for a list of of these resources to help you plan your postpartum experience, as well as a quick guide to finding the postpartum doula support that’s right for you.

Birth is just the beginning; the postpartum period sets the tone for the rest of your family’s story.

We’re not meant to do this alone - and with a roadmap to building support and finding community, you won’t have to!

Quick Guide: Questions to ask a potential postpartum doula • D o you provide nighttime and daytime support?

• H ow do you integrate feeding support into your postpartum care?

• W hat is your experience with multiples?

• H ow many doulas would be on my team? What backup is there if a doula needs to cancel a visit?

• What is your COVID protocol?

• W hat partnerships do you have that benefit your clients?

Postpartum doulas and doula agencies differ in their specialties, experience, culture and scope of work - it’s worth finding the support to fit your family!

Brita Johnson is a Certified Postpartum Doula and Lead Doula with Bridgetown Baby. She splits her time between caring for clients, building new stories that change the narrative of the postpartum experience, and raising her family in SE Portland.

Bridgetown Baby, Portland’s premier postpartum care group, combines the expertise of postpartum doulas and lactation consultants to offer families wraparound care throughout the postpartum year. bridgetownbaby.com 18 | NW Kids Magazine

Resources for Planning your Postpartum Experience Postpartum Care 101 class birthfirstdoulas.com/virtual-classes/ Becoming Us - group classes and parent coaching bbsuarez.com/events Planning Guide Build Your Nest: A Postpartum Planning Workbook by Kestrel Gates Childbirth education and birth doula support birthfirstdoulas.com Prenatal lactation and newborn care classes (online and in-person) bridgetownbaby.com/classes-supportgroups Family-Building Support Circle Support for families experiencing fertility challenges bridgetownbaby.com/ familybuildingsupport

Nurturing Circle Weekly Zoom meet-up for parents from the prenatal period through toddlerhood bridgetownbaby.com/nurturingcircle Postpartum doula care and feeding support bridgetownbaby.com Infant sleep consultation fullcirclesleep.com Pelvic floor health in the prenatal and postpartum periods mendwellhealth.com, jewellchiropractic.com Prenatal, postpartum and family classes andreadysetgrow.com Bodywork for infants and parents acuforkids.com carolgray.com

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Business Profile

Art World School

Art World School is a professional art and language school with many fine art class options, full day camps, and an after school program. Established in 1997, they provide classes outside of school hours at convenient evening and weekend times. Professional teachers lead the small sized classes that are open to students from 4 years and up.

of student’s progress and welcomed to give comments that are implemented into the program. They have a Parent Teacher Association led by parents to provide better communication between the parents and teachers, and to organize events for parents that are held on a non-profit basis from the school to give parents activities in the school as well.

The art classes are famous for the yearly recognition and collection of art from the World Children’s Museum as well as the numerous number of awards received on national as well as international levels. The school specializes in the academic and technical teaching of art. Students learn professional skills from their experienced and dedicated teachers and are also guided in completing their own works of creative art, as well as participating in various art contests. The school gives students the opportunity for participating in many art events, shows, and competitions to encourage their interests in art in hopes of helping students see art in different ways and link their learning to their future.

The school organizes many yearly events such as the Chinese New Year Celebration Gala, New Years celebration, Mid-Autumn Festival party, and parties every term. All students are invited to perform dance, singing, martial arts, and Chinese speaking at these events as well as other events in the Chinese community to enhance their learning experience. The school is very well known in the Portland community; not only because of the fame of the founder and principal Jiao Ying, but also because of the achievements of the students.

Wonderful student experiences have been shared in The Oregonian, The Portland Chinese Times, and other publications. The school has been expanding since its founding in 1997, and now has 3 locations in Portland.

Students are welcome to take classes in NW Portland, Downtown Portland, or SE Portland. Free Trial classes are given to new students.

The language classes are also aimed at enhancing the usual school curriculums and giving students more practice for greater progress. All of their classes are professionally organized and have proven to be effective and they strive for approval from parents, who are always well informed

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