Up Close with Park Bridge Academy

By Amy Ney

Some may say it was destiny or fate, but regardless of what you call it, the day Tara Bowen, the owner of Park Bridge Academy, and Elizabeth Smith, the director, ran into each other at the Georgia Business Licensing facility, they developed an instant friendship. The future of Park Bridge Academy (PBA) was sealed. “I used to be a teacher,” Smith stated, “and had just closed my in-home childcare program. Park Bridge Academy had been in operation for over a year, and Tara was looking for a new director. It’s been a great fit.”

The faculty currently serves children ages six weeks through twelve years. “We have a preschool program for children under age five,” Smith said. “Then there is a pre-kindergarten program. For older kids, there is an afterschool care and summer program.” The school operates a recognized STEAM curriculum, which emphasizes science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. “Each week we choose a different emphasis,” she said. “Since our teachers are all CDA (Certificate of Development Associate) or higher accredited, they can create lesson plans and have a fun, educational day, not just provide babysitting.”

CDA certification is a National credential awarded by the Council for Early Childhood. It requires at least 120 hours of formal training within the previous five years. The school is also a Two-Star Quality-Rated program, meaning they surpass the normal expectations of daycare programs. This year they will be applying for their last possible star. “We are almost there,” said Smith. “We have nine teachers, and everyone has a CDA certificate or higher. They are all CPR certified. Because we are a small program, we can do things exceedingly well. It’s really what sets our program apart.”

The school is located on Lawrenceville Hwy with the entrance on Davis Mill Court in a renovated home. “The space is exceptionally well-thought out,” Smith added. “Our class

rooms are so much larger than average because of this.” Outside there is significant room to move around, to play with bubbles, hula-hoops, or parachutes, and separate the different-aged children safely. Safety is a huge priority. Even when the state needed to shut down for COVID-19, PBA was able to continue to operate for parents who needed childcare. “We have been Center for Disease Control-compliant in all aspects,” Smith stated. “Additionally, we hired an outside firm to come in and do an extradeep cleaning to kill all germs and bacteria for thirty days.” PBA normally enjoys field trips and service projects within the community. Smith and her staff have worked hard to be sure the students still were able to continue learning. “We haven’t been able to go to places likes the aquarium, but we have been able to bring those field trips into the classroom,” she said. “Mr. Steve, a teacher who specializes in science, math, and theory, led a class in making bottle rockets.” The entire school was able to go outside and watch the rockets being launched. “That week,” she added, “we also watched the Space Shuttle launch and focused on crafts and snacks involving space exploration.”

Community involvement is also important, and the academy tries to find opportunities to give back to the community the students live in. Students recently brainstormed how to best use a vanity kit Home Depot donated. “Our students were able to build, paint, and fill the vanities with goodies,” Smith explained. The vanities were donated to a local Women’s Shelter for children who live there. Teaching children to be kind, generous, and sensitive towards others is a priority of PBA.

More information at http://pbacademy.com

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By Terie Hansen

Terriers love to chase. It is an instinct that runs strong in the breed. A flirt pole is a great way to allow your terrier (or any dog) to engage the chase instinct in a positive manner.

A flirt pole is a long pole with a bungee rope attached and a dog tug toy at the end. These toys are amazing for play and exercise, but they are even better for training purposes. It is a great way to reinforce impulse control and other commands such as sit, down, and out.

Have your dog sit or down. Then just before you engage the toy, release them from command “break” and off they go! Go a few rounds letting them chase the flirt pole toy and then let them catch it. Give them a few seconds to enjoy their catch, then give them the out or drop it command and repeat.

By starting and stopping frequently throughout the game you are not enabling your dog to get over aroused. You are also training an on/off switch. Sit/down, break, out. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Do not go for too long. Chasing a flirt pole can quickly exhaust a dog. And remember to change directions. Also, be aware of where your dog is at all times as terriers can get tunnel vision when in high drive and may accidentally run right into you at the knees when trying to make a quick turn.

Play safe, play smart.

Keep the toy on the ground. Do not have your dog jumping in the air after it. This can cause injury to your dog’s joints.

Play for short periods of time and stop before your dog loses interest. This keeps the game fresh and exciting each time you bring out the flirt pole to play.It is best to play on cool days, so your dog does not overheat.

Terie Hansen is Owner of Good Dog! Coaching & Pet Care. More information at www. gooddogcoaching.com It is not that different in your relationship with God. You want to learn everything you

can about Him and want to spend time with Him as well. How do we do this? First, PRAY. I personally believe that the single greatest way you get to know the heart, mind, and perfect will of God for your life is through intentional, dedicated times of prayer. Prayer is simply an open, honest conversation with God where you express your deepest appreciation, praise, needs, and desires, pouring your heart out to Him just as you would your closest friend, and then taking time to listen to all He wants to say back to you as well. You will be surprised by what God wants to say to you if you take the time to listen. Then, another way to get to know God better and grow your relationship with Him is to Read His Word…The Bible. The Bible is God’s handbook, the instruction guide, for your life. You will be hard pressed not to find the answer to a single question or problem you may be facing in this book. Read it often and ask God to show you what He wants you to learn when you do. Ask Him to open your eyes, your mind, and your heart to receive all He is trying to say to you and show you. You will be amazed how much you will learn about God by reading His Word. When facing tough or difficult decisions, you might also consider Seeking Godly Counsel from someone mature in the faith or who has faced similar situations in his or her life. Or Get an Accountability Partner to help you stay focused and on-track in your relationship with God. Make sure that person can be objective, truthful, open, and honest with you! Another thing is to Become Active in a Bible-believing Church. You would be amazed by what the strength and support of a godly body of believers can do for you when you face the pressures of life. You will find you are not alone, and you will also have a ready-made platform of worship and praise each week, along with a growing relationship with God through the messages you hear. What am I saying? I am saying that prioritizing your relationship with God above everything and anyone else is paramount for finding peace and balance in your life. After establishing that priority, you will find that everything other aspect of your life More than 50 years ofMore than 50 years of Value Print Ad – US & Canada Value Print Ad – US & Canada will fall into place. More information at rlambros@ronlambrosministries.org. compassionate care.compassionate care. It's simple to customize this ad for your location. the cost of living keeps going up. It's simple to customize this ad for your location. the cost of living keeps going up. the cost of living keeps going up.

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