RM Parent February 2016

FEBRUARY 2016 • RMPARENT.COM

RADON—

take the test

WOMEN'S health

scares

Shield against

shame *Special Section:*

Women+Family .HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GUIDE ...........

card Home-made

says

I Love You

EXCELLENT exhibits

Extraordinary

PARENTING DE

INSI

w

201

6

x

P M A C -

VIEW

-PRE

RMPARENT

|1

What’s New?

RECYCLE YOUR KIDS STUFF FOR

CA$H NOW STOCKING UP FOR SPRING AND SUMMER

(970) 266-9999 4519 College Ave. Fort Collins, CO Corner of College & Harmony next to McDonald’s

STORE HOURS:

Monday - Saturday: 9am-7pm Sunday: 10am-6pm onceuponachild.com | Like us on Facebook

(970) 224-2866 • 111 N. College Ave.

B

Like us on

LIFE ISN’T ALL

FUN & GAMES

Free Shoes!

*valid with purchase of time bowling

B UT T O D AY IT CAN BE FREE GAME

of laser tag with purchase of second GAME One coupon per visit. Valid at any Chipper’s Laser Tag location.

Not valid with ANY other offers. Coupon Expires 2/28/16 RMP

chipperslanes.com #chipperslanes LASER TAG NOW OPEN! FORT COLLINS Horsetooth Lanes 217 W Horsetooth 226-6327

2

| RMPARENT

FORT COLLINS North College Lanes 830 N College 484-4777

LASER TAG NOW OPEN! ESTES PARK GREELEY 555 S St Vrain Ave Classic Lanes 586-8625 2454 8th Ave 353-4275

LASER TAG NOW OPEN! BROOMFIELD 100 Nickel St (303) 466-9700

E N R O L L I NG W O N ty i n mu

om C e r u Play- Nat

20% off

fir . . . . .month . . . . . . .st

.............

Nature -Based Childcare

other discount s available

age 2- 6 years

journeylearningcenter.com 970-779-2384 • JourneyLearningCenterFC@gmail.com

Fort Collins Favorite

Our mission is to provide individualized and compassionate oral health care for all children

“Wonderful Staff! Dr. Van Tassell is very personable and a GREAT dentist.”

—Kaylee P.

Fun and Friendly Pediatric Dental Experience Specializing in Dentistry for Toddlers, Children, Teens and Special-needs Patients

50% DISCOUNT For New Patients

INCLUDES EXAM, CLEANING, X-RAYS AND FLUORIDE.

-MENTION THIS AD WHEN CALLING(970) 484-4104

4609 S. Timberline Rd.• Suite 103B

www.RockiesKidsDds.com 2

RMPARENT

|3

4

| RMPARENT

FERUARY 2016

Departments PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Safe in mind and body—so many ways to get hurt

AS WE GROW . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Abnormal results and second looks—don’t freak out when you get the call!

FAMILY ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . 10 Discover the world and beyond—space exploration, rattlesnake dresses, a kissing caboose, and more

LEARN AND LIVE . . . . . . . . . . 12 Artsy amore—say “I love you” with a handmade card

COMMUNITY NEWS . . . . . . . 14 Recognition and time—northern Colorado communities receive more of both

Special Section WOMEN + FAMILY Women+ Family HEALTH GU IDE HEALTH GUIDE FEBRUARY 2016

a healthy heart

Take care of yourself and keep homes the ones your love. The first safer consideration is to take some time for yourself. And then eat well and exercise food allergies for your heart. And…check create time in to see if your child might for yourself have a food-related allergy.

Finally, take some simple steps to make your home safer.

PAGE 2

PAGE 4

PAGE 6

PAGE 8

CAMP GUIDE IEW 2016 PREV

Get a first look at the camps and programs these providers have coming up for your families.

HEALTHY LIVING . . . . . . . . . . 16 Dangerous ground—test your house for radon gas

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4

Events and activities for parents, kids and families

TIME OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

My kid doesn’t have to like what I like—except when she does

School District News Greeley-Evans District 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Chappelow principal honored, Nutrition Services named Innovator of the Year, several district schools beat state on CMAS

Poudre School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 PSD calendar of events, Service-learning classes diversify students’ education, Bennett Elementary offers bikes for teacher brain breaks, Lincoln Middle School students giggle through Science Fun Week

Thompson School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Select Technical Advisory Committee to host community forums, High Plains School to host enrollment informational meetings, students share discoveries, mobile app released

Lunchbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 School menus for Poudre, Thompson, Greeley-Evans and Windsor

2016 CAMP GUIDE PREVIEW

ADVERTISI

ME NG SUPPLE

NT

Features 18 STAY CALM, SEEK HELP, PARENT ON…

Parenting is hard under “normal” circumstances. It gets exceptionally tough when you have a child with special healthcare needs or developmental challenges. Beyond validating your feelings and taking strides to move forward, there are several ways you can help navigate these challenging seas.

20 SHAME-BUSTING OUR KIDS

Shame generates self-doubt and insecurity. It can be a mild constant state or it can shake us to our core. As parents, we can help our kids defuse shame when it happens—and we can avoid causing it with our words or actions.

ABOUT THE COVER: Hank, 2, loves spiderman, mac 'n' cheese, yoga, and is looking forward to being a big brother. Photo by Cheri Schonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com.

RMPARENT

|5

perspective Safe in mind and body So many ways to get hurt

W

e’re running a story in our health special section this month called Safe at Home. It’s a series of simple precautions you can take to help make your home safer for children. I’m particularly sensitive to getting hurt at home because I had a, well, I’ll call it a ladder incident that resulted in a 10-foot fall to the floor. My brother followed up by sending me a YouTube of Chevy Chase falling again and again, and for some reason, it’s pretty funny to watch him fall off ladders and over tables. And in hindsight I can appreciate that it might have been funny to watch me ride that ladder to the ground, but only because I escaped serious injury…a few stitches, a bruised hand and swollen wrist and some aches and pains here and there. It’s not hard to see that it could have turned out worse. It did shake me up a bit.

What’s way worse, though, is watching your kids get hurt. Safe Kids of Larimer County contributed the story we’re running and their job is to try to help keep kids safe. Their list of precautions is straightforward and really worth ticking down. We want our kids to be confident and resilient and adventurous, but we don’t want them to introduce Mr. Fork to Mrs. Wall Socket. I especially like the point about looking at a room the way a child would…everything is open game.

Lynn Nichols looks at another aspect of safety in her story about shame. This time it’s emotional safety. She talks about how shame is totally debilitating and robs kids of their ability to be adventurous and take risks. One thing that jumped out at me is how judgment, and I might add perceived judgment, can contribute to shame.

So I’m thinking about judgment. Overall, it seems destructive. The first place is when we judge ourselves, which is different that an honest critique of ourselves. An honest critique might be: jeez, I was kind of mean to that server at the restaurant today. A judgment would be: I’m a jerk because I was kind of mean…. So first we need to be sure to be kind to ourselves and let go of the self-judgments.

Next we need to go easy on others, too. The same logic follows as we make judgments about others, because we do that oh so naturally. You can test this easily: sit on a bench somewhere and watch the people drift by.

It’s pretty hard not to have a pretty good story going about each person without having ever met them.

So I guess where I’m going with this (I don’t always know when I start), is that if we can maintain an open mind about people, including ourselves, we’ll probably open up our world quite a bit.

But if you’re thinking about now that Scott is a blithering idiot and I can’t believe they let him write this column every month, I would simply ask you to rephrase that to something like: this column that Scott wrote is confusing to me and I’m not really sure what he’s trying say.

Thanks for getting all the way through it, Scott 6

| RMPARENT

FEBRUARY 2016 • Volume 20, Issue 9 PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CALENDAR EDITOR Kim Sharpe calendar@rockymountainpub.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION Wendee Brungardt Sharon Klahn, Kyle Moyer COVER PHOTO Cheri Shonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lea Hanson, Katie Harris Lynn U. Nichols, Kim Sharpe

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521 Voice 221-9210 Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published monthly by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this paper does not consitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2016 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

• Every student learns in English and choice of Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or French • Technology in every classroom • Enriching after-school programs

• All students choose a world language course: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or French • Free school laptops for every middle school student for use on campus and at home

• Diverse students and faculty population • World language taught by native speakers from over 10 different countries

• Real world learning through projects and field trips • Smaller campus that’s personal and safe • Lockers clubs and extracurricular programs

• Expanded sports programs

RMPARENT

|7

women’s health

Abnormal results and second looks Don’t freak out when you get the call!

LY NN U. NICHOLS

A

t some point, every woman has a health scare. Whether it’s an abnormal pap or a call back on a mammogram, many of us have been there and it’s no fun.

When you get that call, don’t freak out. Here’s why: Most of the time nothing is majorly wrong. If you Google lump in breast you will likely be bombarded with articles on breast cancer. If you get an abnormal Pap test, your mind can jump to cervical cancer, but it shouldn’t. There are lots of reasons for abnormal results and second looks. We live in a cautious medical world.

ABNORMAL PAP TESTS Let’s start with Pap screens. What’s an abnormal pap? During a Pap test your doctor scrapes cells from your cervix and sends them to the lab to make sure they are normal and no cancer cells are present. Abnormal cells are rated for their severity. Precancerous cells, known as dysplasia, can be mild, moderate or severe (CIN 1-3, respectively). Depending on the rating, your doctor will recommend a retest in a few months, or want to perform a colposcopy to take a closer look, or opt to remove more serious cells with a biopsy.

A biopsy simply means taking a larger sampling of cells.

Did you know that you can have an abnormal Pap for a variety of reasons?

A surprising one is simply because you had sex the night before. Abnormal Pap tests are also caused by infections. So tell yourself that it’s likely fine, because most likely it is—then see what your doctor recommends.

Pap tests are recommended every three years starting at the age of 21 through age 65. Yet if you have a family history of cervical cancer, ask your doctor if you should get screened more regularly.

8

| RMPARENT

CALL BACK FOR A DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAM OR ULTRASOUND Have you had your first breast lump scare yet? I was in my late 30s when I had mine.

I went in for my annual mammogram and was told I’d need an ultrasound. There was a lump they wanted to check out further.

On film it looked like a cyst, but to be extra sure they recommended having it aspirated—that means sticking a needle, guided by ultrasound, into the cyst and draining it. I had a few worrying days of waiting for the appointment, but good news came quickly. Within minutes, the doctor said all was fine as the cyst collapsed upon itself indicating it was just fluid and there was nothing else to the gray area that showed up on the ultrasound.

Since that happened I’ve heard other women tell of the same experience. I’m here to say if this happens to you, don’t give it a moment’s worry. It will more than likely be a simple cyst or another benign, non-cancerous lump.

According to WebMD, 80 percent of breast lumps are benign.

The biggest maker of breast lumps

is fibrocystic changes that occur in our breasts as we age. As our hormones fluctuate lumps can form, which happens most often right before menstruation. Cysts usually go away on their own. Cysts move around when you push on them and are often tender.

They also grow, shrink or disappear after your period. Cancerous tumors, on the other hand, often feel hard, may not hurt and don’t noticeably change.

In the past, women were advised to get a screening mammogram every year.

Not so today. One reason recommendations changed was because mammograms often provoke additional testing on non-cancerous cysts, causing unneeded cost and concern. That means you’ve got a decision to make. While the federal guidelines suggest getting a mammo every two years starting at age 50, you should consider your own risk factors for breast cancer.

There are many women who get breast cancer in their 40s, some with no family history whatsoever, so getting screened early isn’t a bad idea. Talk with your doctor and make an informed decision.

Connect with your customers RMParent offers new and small businesses instant credibility, community and value. We offer new

advertiser discounts and incentives custom-made to fit any budget. We’re local to serve local.

SEE what we can do for you: Greg at 970-689-6832

Greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com

. . . . OR . . . .

Scott at 970-980-9183

Scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com

RMPARENT

|9

family activities

Discover the world and beyond

Space exploration, rattlesnake dresses, a kissing caboose, and more KATIE HARRIS

T

here’s a lot to explore and discover at your local museums this month! Visit one or visit them all, just be sure to leave yourself plenty of time for all the one-of-a-kind exhibits you’re sure to find.

The Colorado Model Railroad Museum (www. cmrm.org) is participating in “Loving your

historic places” over Valentine’s weekend.

Visitors are invited to make valentines at the museum and pin them to the 1919 Colorado and Southern 10583 caboose.

In addition, the museum’s regular family-friendly activities will all be taking place that weekend, including ongoing I-Spy games within America’s largest model train set, and a Thomas the Train play area for kids.

“The Thomas the Tank Engine area is always really popular with the little guys,” says Michelle Kempema, executive director at the museum. “Our whole museum is very family friendly.

All ages find something to do!”

The artists in your life will enjoy a day at the Fort Collins Museum of Art (www.ftcma. org), where traveling exhibition “Natural Shift” will be featured through March 20. The exhibit features four artists whose work is all centered around forms in nature, including its adaption and change.

There’s something for every age group at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (www.fcmod.org), including special programs “Free Jam”—an opportunity to strengthen your skills at the Music Garage with staff on hand to help out; and “You’re Electric” —illuminating activities with electricity.

Be sure to make your way around the museum’s regular exhibits. Also catch a show at the Otter Box Digital Dome, featuring showtimes throughout the day.

The Greeley History Museum (www.greeley museums.com) has a special exhibit for

2016, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Geological 10

| RMPARENT

Survey. “Earth from Space” gives visitors the opportunity to explore satellite imagery from around the earth.

“We now have a brand-new 60-point touch table that allows six kids to have all ten fingers on the table at once, playing with and manipulating the solar system imagery,” says Kim Overholt, marketing technician at the museum. “Guests will be able to take a closer look by zooming in and out to see different topography.”

In addition, family-friendly regular exhibits at the museum include “Well dressed in Weld,” opening February 24th, with themes changing to include highend fashion, recreational and swim wear, fur trapping clothing, and mourning clothing, all from the years 1870 to 1970.

“Of course we’ll have our “Rattlesnake Kate” exhibit open,” says Overholt.

“This one’s always popular with the kids.

Her rattlesnake dress is a big hit!”

At the Loveland Museum/Gallery (www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org) you’ll find

exhibits to intrigue the whole family.

“Momentum: Women drive the arts in Loveland” will be featured through April 10th, depicting artwork from the local, female perspective.

Throughout February, you can see the work of Brad Sneed, professional illustrator with themes ranging from farm work to household pets.

“Ayn Hanna: Textile, print, and adventures in mapping” will be featured at the museum Feb.13-Apr. 10. Texture and line are important elements in this exhibit, which combines hand-dyed fabrics, painting, screen-printing and more.

For a glimpse into northern Colorado history, visit the Town of Windsor Museum/Art and Heritage Center (www. windsorgov.com) through Feb. 20 for

“Things Unseen: Art Collections of the Town of Windsor Museum”. The exhibit will showcase the beauty of everyday items featuring pieces from Windsor’s past.

RMPARENT

| 11

learn and live

Sliding and gliding Say “I love you” with a handmade card

KIM SHARPE

Stamp Camp

Since 1947, people from all over the world have been sending Valentines to Loveland to be cancelled with a stamp that sends greetings from the Sweetheart City. Learn about the program’s history during this free, drop in mini-camp. All ages are welcome and stations will include: cache stamping (bring your own Valentines), making your own Valentine cards and more.

Stamp Camp & Creation Stations Thursday, February 4, 4:30-6pm Foot Gallery/Auditorium, Loveland Museum/Gallery The Loveland Museum/Gallery is an “Official Valentine Drop Site” from February 1 through February 11.

W

hen you care to send the very best, send a homemade card that lets its recipient feel the love when they receive your crafty creation.

In northern Colorado in February, cards take on special significance because of Loveland’s Valentine Remailing Program. Back in 1946, the City’s Postmaster Elmer Ivers, its Chamber of Commerce President Ted W. Thompson and his wife Mabel decided the world could benefit from the City’s “love”-ly spirit and established the program. Since then, Loveland’s local post office receives about 130,000 cards to stamp with an annually designed “Cachet,” which includes a sweet sentiment, and then re-mails them at no extra expense to the sender.

12

| RMPARENT

Since 1964, to help offset the cost of re-stamping thousands of pieces of mail, the city has had a special Valentine card designed and sells it at local stores and now online at www.withlovefromlove land.com. John Metcalf, owner of Perfect Square, designed the 2016 card.

He says this year’s card celebrates 70 years of Loveland’s romantic tradition. “It’s rich with history. I looked back at all the previous cards and created a collage that represents the essence of each one.”

Metcalf ’s artistic talents initially were nurtured by his parents who gave him room to bloom. “My mom would put out a large sheet of paper and put on my favorite music—which was the theme from Star Wars—and told me,

‘Just draw.’ The music inspired me and my parents were good at asking me about what I was creating.” He is currently a CSU graduate in sculpture and graphic design, Metcalf now encourages his own children, who are 10 and 7, to get in touch with their artistic side by spreading out a large piece of paper on the floor and giving them crayons and the space to create. He inspires them further by “having a conversation about whatever they’re working on.

They get to tell the story about what they created and that’s important.

Drawing is a great outlet.”

So this Valentine’s Day—or any day of the year—create your own mushy message. You’ll make someone’s day and have fun in the process!

Now Offering Adult Riding Lessons • Beginner Riders • Returning to the Saddle • Leases and Partial Leases Available

“My experience at Inspiration Riding Academy was magical. It felt great to be back in the saddle and I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher or trusty school-horse: Princess.

Stefanie is a fantastic trainer and communicated in a calm and encouraging way which really brought out the best rider in me. You will feel safe and confident with Stefanie in no time, her years of equestrian experience make her the ideal trainer.”

—Amanda Anderson (with Princess)

Teaching Hunter Jumper lessons to riders of all ages!

Lesson Horses available • Call today to discuss your training goals Stefanie Hoffman, Owner/Instructor

..................

970.402.2536 • inspirationridingacademy.com

NOW G RECRUITING ROLLERLAND SKATE CENTER • 324 SOUTH LINK LANE • FORT COLLINS

RECRUITING GIRLS AND BOYS AGES 7-12 AND 13-17 • NO PREVIOUS SKATING SKILLS NECESSARY The Foco Spartan Babes Junior Roller Derby program

focospartanbabes@gmail.com • (970)231-8007

is designed to develop character, confidence,

WWW.SPARTANBABES.WEEBLY.COM

leadership, healthy habits and social interaction through the sport of Roller Derby. The Program strives to develop both skilled athletes and those who have not yet realized the champion inside.

RMPARENT

| 13

community news

Recognition and time

Northern Colorado communities receive more of both KIM SHARPE

Northern Colorado did it again! Two of its cities and one of its counties has received national recognition for helping to make life good for its residents.

In that vein, Larimer County is adding hours to two of the programs.

GREELEY, FORT COLLINS RECOGNIZED FOR INNOVATION, COLLABORATION Greeley earned the No. 9 spot and Fort Collins earned the No. 14 spot on a prestigious Best-Performing Cities index for 2015. Each year the nonprofit Milken Institute rates the nation’s cities on how well they increase global prosperity by advancing collaborative solutions that widen access to capital, create jobs and improve health.

“More than ever, America’s best-performing cities demonstrate what we call the innovation advantage,” says Ross DeVol, Milken Institute chief research officer. “That is witnessed not just in ‘traditional’ technology, but in the importance of software, social media and even cutting-edge health innovation.”

The Milken Institute’s annual Best-Performing Cities index, compiled since 1999, uses a comprehensive, factbased set of criteria to rank 200 large and 201 small metros across the United States.

As an outcomes-based index, growth in employment, wages and technology output are heavily weighted; metrics such as costof-living and quality-of-life conditions, often highly subjective, are not included.

The entire report, 2015 BestPerforming Cities: Where America’s Jobs Are Created and Sustained, by Ross DeVol, Minoli Ratnatunga and Armen Bedroussian, is available for download at http://best-cities.org. Data for all evaluated cities is available on the interactive “Best-Performing Cities” website.

WELD COUNTY DEEMED STORM READY The National Weather Service and the 14

| RMPARENT

Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has pronounced that Weld County is considered a StormReady county. That means it is exceptionally prepared for flooding, severe weather, fires and winter weather emergency events.

“Having been through several disasters, the commissioners understand the seriousness of all emergency disasters,” said Weld County Commissioner Chair Barbara Kirkmeyer. “Weld County is committed to safety and emergency preparedness.”

To receive a StormReady designation, Weld County had to meet the following criteria: • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center • Create more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warning, as well as multiple ways to alert the public • Create a system that monitors local weather conditions • Promote the importance of public

readiness through community seminars • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

As part of the StormReady County application process, members from The National Weather Service and Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management met with Weld County Emergency Management staff, reviewed the county’s Emergency Operations Plan, toured the county’s Emergency Operations Center and met with the Director of Public Safety Communications Mike Wallace to review dispatch operations and capability.

“The Weld County Office of Emergency Management provides preparedness resources on the county’s websites and information on how to sign up for emergency alerts, including the county’s CodeRED system,” says Commissioner Sean Conway. “As we continue into the winter months, the

Board encourages all Weld County residents to sign up and take advantage of the emergency alert system.”

By meeting the Storm-Ready criteria, Weld County is better prepared to save lives and property before, during and after an emergency event through advanced planning, education and awareness. Weld County will retain its designation as a StormReady county until November 2018.

For more information about emergency management in Weld County, visit the OEM webpage at www.weldoem. com. To sign up for CodeRED emergency alerts, visit www.weld911alert.com.

MORE TIME TO DISPOSE OF HAZARDOUS WASTE Larimer County Landfill’s Residential Household Hazardous Waste program has expanded its hours to be open on Mondays. Larimer residents now can dispose of accepted hazardous household substances on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8am-4:30pm. (Wednesdays are closed to residents and reserved for qualifying businesses by appointment only.)

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any substance containing ingredients that could negatively affect your safety, health or the environment.

Signal words found on hazardous products include “poison,” “danger,” “warning” and “caution.” They can be found on a wide range of products, including furniture polish, bleach, antifreeze, insecticides, paint, mothballs and much more.

Also look for indications of hazardous properties on the label. Such properties are defined by the Environmental Hazards Management Institute include:

must be covered with tape); fireworks; fluorescent and compact fluorescent bulbs; glues; herbicides and pesticides; household cleaners; over-the-counter medicines; and paints and stains.

For information about what’s accepted, call 970-498-5771.

ADDITIONAL HUMAN SERVICE OFFICE HOURS IN ESTES PARK The Larimer County Department of Human Services has added office hours in Estes Park for public assistance programs. An increase in the number of Child Care Assistance (and other assistance programs’) applications have increased creating a need for more eligibility processing time by a staff member.

“A rotation for a fully trained worker to be in our Estes Park office on the third Thursday of each month beginning February 18th has been arranged. They will be able to take applications, assist clients and conduct program interviews in that location,” says Department Director Laura Walker.

Further details about scheduling and availability are available through administrative staff in the Estes Park office, which is located at 1601 Brodie Ave. The office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8am-12noon (except holidays). For more information, call 970-577-2150.

FREE OR LOW-COST CHOLESTEROL TESTS AVAILABLE TO NOCO RESIDENTS The Health District of Northern

Larimer County is offering free cholesterol tests to district residents during February. The test includes total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure and interpretation of results by a registered nurse. Cost for out-of-district residents is $15. Appointments are strongly recommended. Walk-ins will be accepted only at specific sites.

District boundaries stretch from the Jackson County line in the west, to the Weld County line in the east. The northern boundary is the Wyoming state line, while the southern boundary passes roughly between the cities of Loveland and Fort Collins. As it runs west to east between the cities, the boundary follows County Road 32 until it reaches County Road 9. At that point, the boundary drops south one mile to County Road 30 before continuing east to Weld County.

Included within the district are the cities of Fort Collins, Timnath, LaPorte, Wellington, Bellvue, Livermore, Red Feather Lakes and Virginia Dale. The mountain communities of Stove Prairie, Poudre Park, and Rustic also all fall within the district, while Masonville, Drake, Glen Haven and Estes Park do not. Loveland and Berthoud also are outside of the district.

To make an appointment for your screening call 970-224-5209. To get more information about the program, visit, www.healthdistrict/heart.

Toxic: can cause injury or death if swallowed, absorbed or inhaled Flammable: easily catches fire and tends to burn rapidly Corrosive: a chemical or its vapors that can cause a material or living tissue to be destroyed Explosive: violently bursting when exposed to pressure or heat Irritant: causes soreness or swelling of the skin, eyes, mucous membranes or respiratory system

Examples of accepted substances are ammunition; antifreeze and other automotive fluids; batteries (but ends

RMPARENT

| 15

healthy living

Dangerous ground Test your house for radon gas

LEA HANSON

Get your kit

Pick up your radon testing kit at one of the following locations

Fort Collins

Purchase radon-testing kits at a discounted rate of $5 for short-term, $18 for long-term kits at: Fort Collins Senior Center at 1200 Raintree Drive Fort Collins Development Review Center at 281 North College Ave.

Greeley

FREE test kits may be picked up 8am–5pm, Monday–Friday at: 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley

W

hat is radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, radioactive gas created during the decay of radioactive elements (such as uranium) in soil. Radon is everywhere, and Colorado has higher concentrations than other areas in the country. It is present both outdoors and indoors and is drawn into homes and other buildings through cracks and openings in basements, crawl spaces, and foundation slabs. Radon levels vary from house to house and have nothing to do with age, quality, or upkeep of the home.

WHY IS RADON A CONCERN? Being exposed to radon for a long period of time has been shown to cause lung cancer. Radon gas in the air breaks down into tiny radioactive elements that can lodge in the lining of the lungs, where they can give off radiation.

This radiation can damage lung cells and eventually lead to lung cancer. The EPA lists radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among 16

| RMPARENT

non-smokers, estimating it is responsible for about 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year. However, professionals don’t want families to be overly fearful of exposure, especially tiny amounts. Gabrielle Vergara, Environmental Health Program Coordinator for Weld County, says, “It’s kind of similar to smoking in that smoking one cigarette isn’t going to cause a person to develop lung cancer. Being exposed to small amounts of radon once or twice a day also won’t.

But, it’s that long-term exposure that can be dangerous.”

Sadly, people don’t even know they’re being exposed to radon because exposure doesn’t come with any other symptoms. Vergara says, “The thing that makes radon unique is that it doesn’t have any tangible, identifying factors such as smell or taste. People too often don’t even realize their house could have radon in it. So, the only way to know is to test for it.”

HOW DO I TEST FOR RADON? It is easy to test for radon yourself; home self-tests are readily available

and easily accessible. As with any self-test, follow the directions in the kit. Conduct tests in the lowest level of the home that is currently lived in (e.g. basement). Do NOT test in a room with high moisture content, such as a kitchen or a bathroom, nor in a space that is not lived in, such as a closet or crawlspace. See the sidebar for free or discounted resources through your local government.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) recommends radon reduction if your home level exceeds 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).

If you’re not willing or able to do a self-test, you can hire a professional tester. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (www.colorado.gov/cdphe) provides an updated list (http://tinyurl.com/h5owbko) of testers that have been certified by the National Environmental Health Association (http://nrpp.info/) or the National Radon Safety Board (www.nrsb.org/). You can also easily find radon professionals online in the phone book under Radon Testing or Radon Mitigation.

Toys • Games Resource Books Dramatic Play Bulletin Boards Butcher Paper Arts & Crafts Borders • Stickers Unique Gifts Educational Toys and More!

Northern Colorado’s Parent Teacher Store

Book your child’s dental exam today!

FREE EXAM

for children under 2!

A general dentistry practice that’s all about kids and young adults, ages 0-20!

Huge Selection!

Over 5,000 sq. ft!

1290 Main Street Windsor, CO 970-674-2997 Just 5 minutes east of I-25 at exit 262 and centrally located for the convenience of our northern Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska customers!

knowledgebound.net

970-635-4353

126 East 29th Street Loveland

www.kindergrins.com

7 OFF

$

A PURCHASE OF $35 OR MORE

Limit one coupon per customer.

Valid on in-stock products only. Not valid with additional sales/coupons. RMP16

Monday - Thursday 8-5

$75 New Patient Exam

FREE light-up toothbrush

Includes Exams, Cleaning, Fluoride, X-Rays.

One coupon per patient. New patients only and without insurance. Not valid with any other offer. Must present coupon at visit.

for NEW patients One coupon per family. Not valid with any other offer. Must present coupon at visit.

Expires: 2/29/16 RMP0216

Expires: 2/29/16 RMP0216

Northern Colorado’s Favorite Parenting Magazine.

Pick up your FREE copy today!

Hey Fort Collins, Visit our NEW Location!

1200 South College Avenue| Cafe Vino Building

Preschool Dance, KinderDance, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, & More!

First Month FREE* for RM Parent Readers! *Enter Promo Code RMParent upon enrollment

It’s Not Too Late to Register for Classes!

GREELEY | WINDSOR | EATON | FORT COLLINS

visit us online at: rmparent.com

(970) 590-9530

RMPARENT

| 17

Stay calm, seek help, parent on

Rising to rearing kids with developmental and health-related challenges

By Kim Sharpe

P

arenting is hard under “normal” circumstances. It gets exceptionally tough when you have a child with special healthcare needs and the emotions you can feel range widely.

The American Psychological Association (APA) reminds parents, “When a child is diagnosed with chronic illness [or developmental challenges], it’s ordinary for parents to feel guilt and sadness.

Anger is also common. You may feel angry toward your partner, the world at large or even, at times, toward your child. These feelings are normal.”

Tena Green, whose first-born son 18

| RMPARENT

was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome when he was six weeks old says, “When we first found out, it was like a punch in the gut. I was 26 when I delivered, so I had it in my head that only older mothers have Down syndrome children.” She recalls receiving a book about all the things her son wouldn’t be able to do, which just seemed wrong. “I wouldn’t put expectations on any child, not even one that has a diagnosis. We assume Brady will do everything and if he doesn’t, we’ll move on from there.”

Beyond validating your feelings and taking strides to move forward, there are

several ways you can help navigate the challenging seas of having a child with health-related issues.

GET EDUCATED Whatever condition your child has, one of the best ways to cope is to become an expert about it. Research, research, research and ask a lot of questions of your child’s medical experts. Dave Marcy, whose son was diagnosed with a rare medical syndrome before birth, says, “You need to do enough due diligence on your own to make sure that the professionals providing their services have done their homework, too.”

for Jessa’s chemo therapies. I felt like I was doing something to help.”

Alexa Marcy, says, that even though her brother’s health issues required a lot of her parent’s attention, what really helped her was that “they made special time to support me in my sports. That was important to me.”

Jessa Salvadore completes the Courage Classic Bike Rde in Copper Mountain which raises funds for Children’s Hospital Colorado.

trust your gut. “There are situations where you have to make decisions and you have to trust you’re making the right ones,” Salvador says. It’s easy to secondguess yourself, but the key is to stay calm, take deep breaths and know you’re doing the best you can do for your child.

STAY ORGANIZED The information and paperwork accumulates quickly when your child is undergoing special diagnoses and care. “We had a cancer notebook of all treatments and protocols. Keeping track of everything in an organized way helps make sure you’re getting everything you expect and it helps eliminate mistakes,” says Jennifer Salvador, whose daughter was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia when she was 3 years old and then again when she was 11.

TRUST YOURSELF You are your child’s best advocate, so

LET PEOPLE HELP YOU Contrary to an engrained American characteristic, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and soldiering on versus asking for help isn’t advisable when you’re parenting a sick or developmentally challenged child. It will be easier if you forget that cultural norm and invite support. Salvador recommends that you make a list of what’s useful to you and share it with friends, family and co-workers. “Having a meal delivered after a full day at the hospital is fabulous. Or having someone else make sure the dog gets fed. Letting others do little or big things for you really helps.”

Remember the other kids in your family. If you have more than one child, make sure to spend special time with the others. Keep them informed, let them help and schedule time away from your sick child just to have fun with your other children. Blake Salvador, Jessa’s older brother, says, “I really felt included when my parents brought me to the hospital

MAKE TIME FOR YOUR PARTNER If you have a spouse or are in a committed relationship, take time to nurture your relationship. “It’s important that couples find ways to validate each other,” says Carl Nassar, professional counselor and director at Heart-Centered Counseling. “What parents often need most from their partner is for them to simply listen and say, ‘I understand. I hear you.

We’ll get through this together.’ What’s most important is that our partners lean into each other at these times and offer reassurance, the reassurance that we are seen for who we are and what we feel, and the reassurance that we are not alone in going through this.”

Additionally, Jennifer Salvador recommends couples, “Figure out what roles each parent is best at and divide and conquer. Realizing and respecting each person’s strength in the relationship is key.” She also says she and her husband tried to go out to lunch with each other occasionally to discuss topics that were very emotional or about which they disagreed. Meeting in a public place helped them keep their emotions under control, and facilitated a calmer, more productive discussion.

ENJOY PARENTING Parenting a child with extraordinary challenges will be easier if you set your attitude to find joy in the journey. “Just like any other child, children with health care needs will bring you love and joy, maybe more,” Green says. “Brady is 11 now and just said a full sentence the other day and I almost fell off my chair.

With ‘normal’ kids, it’s easy to take simple things for granted. Brady helps us remember every day is a gift.” Green adds, “It’s going to be okay. You will be amazed at the strength and type of parent you’ll become because of that child.”

RMPARENT

| 19

LYNN U. NICHOLS

Shame-busting our kids

HELP THEM TO LIVE FREELY WITHOUT FEAR

S

hame is the cancer of emotions.

It’s like swallowing a toxic cannonball—heavy in the gut and leaking poison. Dramatic? Yes. But it can be shame that keeps our children from trying out for the basketball team or raising their hand in class to share an inspiring thought or ask a question—in other words, keeping them from living their life freely and without fear. Shame generates self-doubt and insecurity. It can be a mild constant state or it can shake us to our core when something goes

20

| RMPARENT

especially wrong. Shame makes us not only think our behavior is inadequate but that we are inadequate. It creates a habit of putting ourselves down or beating ourselves up for something we did or said that we perceive as wrong—or something we simply are not. When in its grip, it leads us to live as safe and bulletproof a life as possible.

In her book Daring Greatly, Brene Brown, Ph.D., talks a lot about shame—how it’s created and what we can do to defuse it. She describes

shame as something we all experience, not just those of us who have survived trauma or a rough childhood.

Brown says that shame, guilt, humiliation and embarrassment all exist on the same continuum, from worst to easiest. Guilt is usually over behavior as in, “I did something bad” where shame is “I am bad.” With humiliation and embarrassment, you can often point to outside forces that played a bigger role, and more easily let them go. People who are in shame are often self-criticizing, with

thoughts running through their head that says, ‘I’m a loser/failure/not good enough/ idiot.’ It truly is a damaging emotion.

Reading her book sparked ideas of how we, as parents, can help our kids defuse shame when it happens—and how we can avoid causing it with our words or actions.

PUT MISTAKES INTO PERSPECTIVE When your kids do something wrong or act unkindly, talk it through with them. Help determine a plan of how they can right the wrong, and then say, ‘Okay, we’re all done with that. Mistakes happen.’ By drawing a line in the sand you help them let go of the shame they are feeling and move on. After all, we all make mistakes and all we can hope is to learn from them and do better next time.

MAKE IT ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR NOT ABOUT THEM It’s easy to get upset when kids do something undesirable—like make a mess and not clean it up—especially if they just did the same thing yesterday. Sometimes, we expect our kids to already know how to do things—or to learn after the first lesson. For that, we simply need to apply patience. When they do screw up, be firm, but hold in the words you might like to say, like: ‘You are lazy!’ or ‘How do you not know this? If you have to criticize, make it about their behavior, not about them.

Say, ‘When you leave your shoes, backpack and coat right at the entrance I can trip on them. It’s a lazy act. What will help you remember to put them in the closet?’ When disciplining, tie the discipline to the behavior to reinforce it’s about what they did, not a statement about who they are—for example, if they don’t put away their stuff, the next time they have to hang up everyone’s coats that week, or clean out the front closet. Brown says judgement sparks shame, so check yourself before you’re tempted to spout off.

cards? Play board games? Ride bikes?

Go sledding? Enter their world and listen to what they have to say. If they say something you don’t agree with, don’t shut them down by saying they are wrong. Send the message that you like being around them, and you like them for themselves, not for how well they perform or how great they look and act.

In her book, Brown says that “disengagement triggers shame and our greatest fears—the fears of being abandoned, unworthy and unlovable.” When people feel shame they isolate or get angry or hold back or become perfectionists.

BE THEIR SOUNDING BOARD Being emotionally connected to your kids lets them instill the greatest shame-buster of all: talking about their shameful feelings, and getting supportive feedback from someone who loves them. Brown says that “shame derives its power from being unspeakable. If we speak shame, it begins to wither.”

It makes sense. It’s reminiscent of programs for addiction that say ‘our secrets keep us sick.’ When we hold in self-judgments or don’t share the times we took the low road or erred badly rather than bouncing them off people we trust, these feelings start to own and define us—and create that cannonball feeling in our guts. As parents, we can offer perspective, empathy and compassion when our kids come to us with self-judgments or mistakes.

Brown quotes a study on trauma survivors who found that “the act of not discussing a traumatic event or confiding it to another person could be more damaging than the actual event.” Shame needs to be released through words and actions— sometimes it takes telling the same story over and over again before it dissipates.

Let your kids know you are safe to talk with—tell them repeatedly, ‘I’m here for you,’ and when they come, even if it’s inconvenient, drop everything and listen.

Reflect back by saying, ‘If your best friend did that, what would you tell him?’ or share your own stories of shameful moments and how you got through them.

When times are hard, and then they improve, remind them that this is how life works—it ebbs and flows—sometimes it’s easy, sometimes hard. But almost always the hard times pass.

GIVE GENUINE PRAISE Self-confidence is a shield against shame. People who believe in themselves can more easily blow off mistakes or poor performance and trust that they’ve got what it takes to do better next time.

When your children have insightful thoughts, do kind acts, or work especially hard at reaching a goal, praise them.

Just make sure you do it sincerely because if you don’t it will ring empty.

While we can’t protect our kids from ever feeling shame, we can do things, every day, to help them bounce back quickly when it happens.

STAY ENGAGED AND BE PRESENT Make it a priority to connect with your kids one-on-one every day. Let them lead the activity or conversation, and simply go along. Do they love to collect RMPARENT

| 21

22

| RMPARENT

Reach All of Northern Colorado

with Your Business Today!

To Advertise:

Greg at 970-689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com Scott at 970-980-9183 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com

RMPARENT

| 23

greeley-evans district 6 news Innovator of the Year named results and glean useful information, especially from the schools that saw success this testing cycle. She said she is also interested in studying how school districts with demographics similar to District 6 performed.

“We are about beating the odds, and we continue to do that,” Dr. Pilch says. “We also will continue to work and improve so our students are college and career ready when they leave District 6.”

The Greeley-Evans School District 6 Nutrition Services Department was recently notified they will be featured at the K-12 Innovator of the Year by Food Management Magazine, a national publication for the food service industry.

The issue highlighting the department’s work to provide nutritious, healthy, homemade and locally grown food to students in District 6 was published last month. Nutrition Services Director Jeremy West has been invited to attend an awards ceremony in May at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Nutrition Services began revamping its food program more than four years ago, which included serving more food items cooked from scratch, more fresh fruits and vegetables and meals featuring locally grown produce and meats. The department has received national attention in the past, including from First Lady Michelle Obama, who tweeted about the meal program in District 6.

SEVERAL DISTRICT SCHOOLS BEAT STATE ON CMAS Several District 6 schools outperformed the state average on the new Colorado Measure of Academic Success (CMAS) tests, released by the state of Colorado.

Students at Winograd K-8 scored higher than any others in District 6 on the CMAS tests in English language arts and math administered last spring.

Winograd students at all grade levels 24

| RMPARENT

scored above the state average in the meets and exceeds expectation categories on this new assessment. These categories show students are proficient or above at their grade level.

A close second were the students of Chappelow K-8, who scored above the state average in 12 of 14 tested areas at all grade levels.

“We have amazing teachers here who work with instructional intentionality to help all students achieve,” says Winograd Principal Holly Bressler.

Overall, District 6 schools scored below the state average at all grade levels, in both content areas. With this being the first year of results for this new test, Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch said she expects improvement from here.

“This is a baseline year. The results do show some areas that we need to focus on as we move forward, but overall this isn’t surprising,” says Dr. Pilch.

“This is a much more rigorous test on much more rigorous standards. We will continue to align our curriculum and instruction to ensure our students can meet and exceed these new standards.”

Other schools that did score better than the state average on a number of tests include Monfort Elementary School, McAuliffe Elementary School, Union Colony Preparatory, West Ridge Academy, Frontier Academy and University Schools.

Dr. Pilch says District 6 leaders will continue to analyze the CMAS

CHAPPELOW PRINCIPAL HONORED Sandy Cosner, principal at Chapplow Arts Magnet K-8, has received the Honored Administrator Award from the Colorado Music Educators Association.

Her staff at Chappelow nominated Mrs. Cosner for the recognition. The award is given to school administrators who go above and beyond to support arts education.

“Sandy Cosner constantly inspires her staff to focus not only on student academic success but also on developing student interests and talents in the arts,” says Chappelow music and choir teacher Kris Pierce, in her nomination letter. “As an arts magnet school, Sandy’s inspiration is crucial to our success.”

Mrs. Cosner was honored on Thursday, January 28 at the opening session of the Colorado Music Educators Association conference at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.

Dance Apparel Dance Shoes Yoga & Fitness Children’s

RMPARENT

| 25

poudre school district news Service-learning classes diversify education

In an upstairs classroom tucked away in Fort Collins High School, a group of 10 students sat amidst piles of fleece blankets and laminated bookmarks.

“How many of you could pronounce the word philanthropy at the beginning of the year?” teacher Krista Taylor asks. No one raises a hand.

“But now you are philanthropists,” she says, to smiles.

The Give Next class, one of several in PSD sponsored by the Bohemian Foundation, is designed to give students the opportunity to experience philanthropic giving. Community sponsors provide each class with $5,000 to award to local nonprofits.

Over the course of the next semester, the students will take field trips to about 10 nonprofits, conducting interviews and gathering research to decide how to award their funds.

Before becoming a Give Next class, Taylor launched it as a service-learning 26

| RMPARENT

class to be offered as an elective for students in Integrated Services. Now, students earn dual English and humanities credits.

“It’s a lot of fun — there’s a lot of different activities,” student Nathaniel May says.

Students complete a variety of hands-on service projects during the year, from making blankets for critically ill children to organizing school-wide giving campaigns.

“I really enjoy being in service learning because I enjoy helping others,” student Hailie Smith says.

During the course of the year, Taylor says she sees students’ attitudes shift drastically from being self-centered to other-centered.

“They go from ‘It’s all about me’ to ‘How can I serve?’” Taylor says. “We’re getting kids to care about something bigger than themselves. When they see themselves as someone who can change

the world, then they begin to value their own lives more.”

That’s also the driving idea behind giving students at Poudre Community Academy the opportunity to serve in the community every Wednesday. Some volunteer at elementary schools, others with the CSU forestry department.

About 10 prepare and serve lunch at the Catholic Charities kitchen.

“This builds job skills,” PCA teacher Garry Keller says. “They get commercial kitchen experience. It gives students a break from the rigor of a typical school day.”

Student Noah Jacobs says he’s learned how to cook and developed better people skills through the service learning.

“My favorite part is seeing the smiles on people’s faces,” he says.

BENNETT ELEMENTARY OFFERS BIKES FOR TEACHER BRAIN BREAKS “I think I’m going to ride by my classroom,” 5th-grade teacher Sarah

Shigemura says, wheeling her bright yellow bike out the doors of Bennett Elementary’s gym and gliding away down the hallway.

The bike is one of four cruisers (Banana Cream, Purple Dream, Aqua Submarine and Green Machine) purchased by the school’s Wellness Committee for staff to use during the school day. Teachers can check the bikes out on their breaks to grab a coffee, take a brain break or get lunch with their team.

“It’s more individualized—the staff can take them out when they have time during the day,” Matt Bray, physical education teacher, says. “We thought it would be good for staff who live far away from school.”

Each school in PSD has its own Wellness Committee made up of students, parents and staff, letting each building identify and implement whichever health strategies work best for their community.

“We wanted to give the opportunity for each school to develop their own team and do their own data collection,” Ashley Schwader, district wellness manager, says. “Our department helps support the goals they identify in their School Health Improvement Plan.”

Those goals look different in every building. At Putnam Elementary, the wellness committee coordinated

grants to install two learning gardens on campus. Beattie and Zach Elementary sponsor student-running clubs. Bauder Elementary hosts a Walk-A-Thon and schedules recess before lunch, reducing food waste and improving behavior.

Laurel Elementary puts on an evening Wellness Fair. Lesher Middle sponsors Bike to School week, offering fun prizes and incentives for students.

“Wellness Committees can really impact the environment and culture of a school,” Schwader says. “They’re important because they have the ability to create ownership and buy-in at the building level.”

Student-led Wellness Committees have started popping up in the high schools, too. While each building handles their community’s needs, the Wellness Department looks for ways to implement PSD’s Wellness Policy in meaningful ways across the district on a larger scale.

Most notably this year, they’ve installed bike Fix-It stations at all the comprehensive high schools. The stainless steel stations, which are cemented to the ground outside the school entrances, have tools attached to fix common bike problems, from a broken brake to a popped tire, making biking to school much more feasible.

The stations will be installed at every middle school by the end of the next

PSD Calendar of Events February 9— 6:30pm, Board of Education meeting, Johannsen Support Services Complex, 2407 LaPorte Avenue.

February 15— No school K-8 February 23— 6:30pm, Board of Education meeting, Johannsen Support Services Complex, 2407 LaPorte Avenue.

February 26— No School K-5

school year. By 2019, the district hopes to have bike Fix-It stations installed at every elementary school as well, making it one of just a few in the country to offer such a high level of biking infrastructure and support.

LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS GIGGLE THROUGH SCIENCE FUN WEEK Pft-pft-pft!

A giant gust of air blew a paper cup off the top of a giggling 8th-grade girl’s head at Lincoln Middle School.

The class erupted in laughter as science teacher Tony Garcia gave another strategic smack to the back of a trashcan-turned-vortex-cannon with gusto.

A perfect fog ring burst out, toppling a second paper cup off the head of another student across the room.

“So that’s the Bernoulli principle at work,” Garcia explains over the belly laughs, lowering the cannon. “Today, we’re going to make our own mini-vortex cannons with paper cups and balloons.”

The lesson on airflow was one of several hands-on activities teachers planned for the school’s Science Fun Week.

“It’s something outside of the normal curriculum to get kids excited about science,” teacher Becca Wren says. “In the past we’ve had crime scene investigations, explosions, and dissections. This year we’re extracting DNA and making circuits with playdough.”

Students rotated through different classrooms to experience each subject.

In Rob Behrens’s room, kids used playdough to conduct electricity between a battery and tiny lightbulbs.

“It’s much more ‘play to learn’ than it is me telling them ‘Oh, it’s this kind of circuit,’” Behrens says.

RMPARENT

| 27

thompson school district news STAC to host community forums

Thompson School District’s Select Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) is hosting a series of community forums to discuss the world of technology within the district and provide the community with valuable information that will assist students and families. The remaining forums will be held at the following dates and times: • February 16—Thompson Valley High School (1669 Eagle Dr.), 6pm • March 15—Mountain View High School (3500 Mountain Lion Dr.), 6pm In addition to a keynote address discussing technical improvements that have been made to the district’s infrastructure and information on the topic of social media safety, the forums will include group discussion around techniques for keeping students safe and what to look for on different mobile devices.

“The STAC created these forums to help educate parents, students, 28

| RMPARENT

teachers and staff about changes to technology and connectivity at the schools and to further serve the community by providing informative presentations and open discussions on computer safety and security,” says committee member Jeff Lorenzen.

“Through the forums, attendees will feel more empowered and confident about their use of computers and Internet-enabled devices.”

The Select Technical Advisory Committee is a nine-member team that consists of parents, local business owners, community members and district staff members. The committee was formed to serve as an advisory resource for technology use within the school district.

For more information on the committee or the upcoming community forums, please contact Michael Hausmann, Thompson School District Public Information Officer, at 613-5011 or at michael.hausmann@ thompsonschools.org.

HIGH PLAINS SCHOOL TO HOST ENROLLMENT INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS Thompson School District’s High Plains School is hosting a series of upcoming enrollment informational events for the 2016-2017 school year. At this time, families who reside within the school’s attendance boundary will be able to learn more about High Plains, the curriculum that will be offered and how to enroll their student. All events will be held in the Mountain View High School library, located at 3500 Mountain Lion Drive in Loveland. The remaining schedule for the informational meetings is as follows: • Feb. 2, 6:30pm, for 1st- through 8th-grade students • Feb. 9, 6:30pm, for 1st- through 8th-grade students High Plains School principal Danielle Feeney will host the informational meetings. Construction of the new school continues to progress at a rapid pace and the project is on-schedule for completion this summer. High Plains School will serve as Thompson School

District’s first K-8 facility.

For more information on the upcoming meetings, please contact High Plains School principal Danielle Feeney at 613-6073 or at danielle. feeney@thompsonschools.org or Michael Hausmann, Thompson School District Public Information Officer, at 613-5011 or via e-mail at michael. hausmann@thompsonschools.org.

STUDENTS SHARE DISCOVERIES Ms. Messerli’s 1st-grade class at Big Thompson Elementary School held an open house to share what they had discovered while studying traditions, cultures and holidays around the world.

Visitors were able to taste native foods, learn about a country’s holidays and also view its traditions. It was a great learning experience for all!

MOBILE APP RELEASED Thompson School District is happy to announce the arrival of its brand new mobile app! The app is available in both the iTunes App Store and in the Google Play marketplace. A search for “Thompson School District” will locate it for you.

The app is a convenient method for students and families to keep upto-date with what is happening in their school. After downloading the app and opening it for the first time, users will be prompted to select the schools that they want to follow. The app will then

tailor the information it displays based on those choices. For example, it will automatically display the top-five stories from a school’s website and it will port over the calendar items that are on the site as well. The app will always be synced with what is on the district and school web sites.

Other features include: • A link to school lunch menus

• Bus schedules • Staff directory • Links to “Parent Portal” and the “My School Bucks” program • A “Tip Line” feature that will allow users to report safety concerns and other issues.

Plus, users will receive “push notifications” from their school directly through the app.

RMPARENT

| 29

lunchbox POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary student lunches are $2.45, secondary student lunches are $2.70 and reduced lunches are $0.40. Entrees offered daily: Elementary—a variety of fruits and vegetables, milk and juices; Secondary--hot and cold sandwiches, fruits and vegetables, deli salad and pizza.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Chicken patty sandwich; potato bar w/chili 2 Cheese ravioli; chicken bites & roll 3 Sweet & sour meatballs; fried rice 4 Beef tacos & cilantro lime rice; cheesy fried beans 5 BBQ chicken or cheese pizza 8 Toasted cheese sandwich & tomato soup; chicken nuggets 9 Chicken Alfredo; cheese calzone dipper with marinara 10 Teriyaki rice w/chicken; hamburger/ cheeseburger 11 Chicken enchilada bake; chili &

cinnamon roll 12 Pepperoni or cheese pizza 15 No school!

16 Baked ziti pasta; mashed potatoes/ gravy and roll 17 Asian noodles w/chicken; trout treasures 18 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken patty sandwich 19 Meat lovers or cheese pizza 22 Shephard’s pie & roll; chicken nuggets 23 Spaghetti & meat sauce; beef lasagna 24 Orange chicken & rice; hot dog 25 Pepperoni or cheese pizza

26 No school!

29 Chicken patty sandwich; potato bar w/chili MIDDLE SCHOOLS 1 Chicken nuggets; Sloppy Joe 2 Spaghetti & meatballs; cheese ravioli 3 Asian bar 4 Beef & chicken taco bar; cilantro lime rice 5 Mac n’ cheese bar; trout treasures 8 Pulled pork sandwich; southwest chicken sandwich 9 Beef lasagna; chicken nuggets 10 Asian bar—orange chicken/beef 11 Beef & bean burrito bar 12 Turkey pot pie; baked chicken & roll

15 No school!

16 Baked ziti pasta; meatball sub 17 Asian bar—Honey siracha, steak/ chicken & egg roll 18 Green chili bowl w/pork or chicken 19 Pig in a blanket; chili & cinnamon roll 22 Philly cheesesteak (beef or chicken) 23 Cheese calzone dipper with marinara; penne & meatsauce 24 Asian bar—sweet & sour; meatballs/ chicken 25 Been & beef burrito bar 26 Tortilla soup bar; Buffalo chicken pizza 29 Chicken nuggets; Sloppy Joe sandwich

THOMPSON R2J SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary lunches are $2.75. Secondary school lunches are $3. Reduced lunches are $0.40. Offered daily: PBJs & fruit.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Chicken & waffles; Caesar salad 2 Pizza stick; chicken tender salad 3 Hamburger; chef salad 4 Cheesy nachos; taco salad 5 Sweet n’sour chicken; garden entrée salad w/goldfish 8 Chicken breast nuggets; Caesar salad w/roll 9 Chicken Alfredo w/penne; crispy chicken tender salad w/roll 10 French bread boat; chef salad 11 Shepherd’s pie; taco salad 12 Baked ziti; garden entrée salad w/ goldfish

15 No School!

16 Pizza; crispy chicken tender salad 17 Chicken patty sandwich; chef salad w/ roll 18 Enchiladas; taco salad 19 Teriyaki chicken bowl; garden entrée salad w/goldfish 22 Grilled cheese sandwich; Caesar salad w/roll 23 Chicken parmesan sandwich; crispy chicken tender salad w/roll 24 Mac n’cheese; chef salad w/roll 25-26 No school!

29 Chicken & waffles; Caesar salad w/roll

SECONDARY SCHOOL 1 Pancake w/sausage; grilled cheese sandwich 2 Pizza stick; bbq sandwich 3 Hamburger; Buffalo chicken bites 4 Cheesy nachos; ham & cheese sandwich 5 Sweet n’sour chicken; spicy chicken sandwich 8 Chicken breast nuggets; Swedish meaballs 9 Chicken Alfredo w/penne; hot dog 10 French bread boat; chicken patty sandwich 11 Shepherd’s pie; pretzel w/cheese sauce

12 Baked ziti; garden entrée salad 15 No school!

16 Pizza 17 Chicken patty sandwich; meat lasagna 18 Enchiladas; chicken breast strips 19 Teriyaki chicken bowl; popcorn chicken 22 Grilled cheese sandwich w/tomato soup; General Tso’s chicken 23 Chicken parmesan sandwich; chicken fajita wrap 24 Mac n’cheese; hamburger 25 No school!

29 Pancake w/sausage; grilled cheese sandwich

GREELEY DISTRICT 6—To obtain a complete meal, student gets an entrée and can select 1-3 sides. Elementary lunches are $2.55, and middle school lunches are $2.80, reduced-price lunches are $.40. Offered daily: PBJ. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich 2 Chili w/cinnamon roll; turkey & cheese wrap 3 Lasagna w/breadstick; PBJ sandwich 4 Herb chicken w/dinner roll; Italian hoagie 5 No school!

8 BBQ pork sandwich; chicken fajita wrap 9 Cheese ravioli w/red sauce & breadstick; club hoagie 10 Chicken soft taco; PBJ 11 Pot roast w/dinner roll; ham & cheese hoagie 12 Hawaiian or cheese pizza 15 No School!

16 Bean & cheese burrito 17 Turkey meatloaf w/roll; turkey & cheese wrap 18 Baked ziti w/breadstick; Italian hoagie

19 Chicken/bacon/ranch pizza or cheese pizza 22 Pork carnitas w/fiesta rice; chicken fajita wrap 23 Teriyaki chicken w/brown rice; club hoagie 24 Breakfast for lunch; PBJ 25 Chicken pot pie; ham & cheese hoagie 26 Cheese or chicken/bacon/ranch pizza 29 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich 2 Chili w/cinnamon roll; turkey & cheese wrap 3 Lasagna w/breadstick; PBJ sandwich 4 Herb chicken w/dinner roll; Italian hoagie 5 No school!

8 BBQ pork sandwich; chicken fajita wrap 9 Cheese ravioli w/red sauce & breadstick; club hoagie

10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29

Chicken soft taco; PBJ Pot roast w/dinner roll; ham & cheese hoagie Hawaiian or cheese pizza No School!

Bean & cheese burrito; green chili Turkey meatloaf w/roll; turkey & cheese wrap Baked ziti w/breadstick; Italian hoagie Chicken/bacon/ranch pizza or cheese pizza Pork carnitas w/fiesta rice; chicken fajita wrap Teriyaki chicken w/brown rice; club hoagie Breakfast for lunch; PBJ Chicken pot pie; ham & cheese hoagie Cheese or chicken/bacon/ranch pizza Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich

WINDSOR SCHOOL DISTRICT—Price for elementary lunch is $2.65, for middle school students, $2.90. Reduced lunches are $0.40. Salad bar is served daily with entrees. Offered daily: PBJ and yogurt.

2 Popcorn chicken 3 Chicken soft tacos 4 Mac n’cheese 5 Big Daddy’s cheese pizza; turkey & cheese sub 8 Orange chicken 9 Teriyaki chicken w/brown rice; PBJ 10 Chicken & black bean chili w/cinnamon roll 11 Pancake/sausage 12 No school!

30

| RMPARENT

15 No school!

16 Chicken sandwich 17 Ravioli 18 Cheesy nachos 19 Mini pizza bagels 22 Chicken tenders 23 Alfredo twists 24 Quesadilla 25 Stuffed crust cheese or pepperoni pizza 29 Cheese breadsticks & marinara

SECONDARY SCHOOL 2 Spicy chicken sandwich 3 Three cheese enchiladas w/green chili sauce 4 Mac n’cheese 5 Steak & cheese sandwich 8 Orange chicken 9 Weiner wrap 10 Chicken & black bean chili 11 Pancakes w/sausage patty 12 No school!

15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29

No school!

BBQ chicken wings Lasagna w/breadstick Burrito bar Meatball sub w/goldfish crackers Chicken tenders Alfredo twists Hearty chicken noodle soup Cheeseburger w/onion rings Pepperoni calzone Baked potato bar

2016

MARKETS

FARMERS MARKET

FEB. 13, 27 ...............

MARCH 12, 26 ...............

APRIL 9, 23 ...............

Saturdays, 9am to 1pm

123 NORTH College AveNUE

Opera Galleria • Downtown Fort Collins for more information, visit:

nocofoodcluster.com/winter-markets brought

to you by:

DO SOMETHING FOR

Yourself!

FITNESS CLASSES FOR MOMS ON-THE-GO visit www.fortcollinsclub.net for schedules

· · · ·

Group Power FCC Club Fit Zumba Water Aerobics

· · · ·

UJAM Spin Yoga Pilate

Take the online Life Traits Quiz and get 2 weeks of

FREE MEMBERSHIP! (New Members Only)

970-224-CLUB

1307 East Prospect Road

Fort Collins, CO 80525

fortcollinsclub.net RMPARENT

| 31

FEBRUARY 2016 ONGOING FEBRUARY 1 THROUGH 11 Official Valentine Drop Site Bring your own Valentine cards and envelopes for a festive holiday stamping party. Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 10am-5pm. 970-9622410 or www.cityofloveland.org.

FEBRUARY 1, 9, 23 AND MARCH 1 The American West as Living Space Enjoy a conversation about the experience of the West as seen through the writings of Wallace Stegner, Annie Proulx, Diana Marcum, Louise Erdrich and Gary Snyder, among others.

Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6pm. 970-506-8622 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

FEBRUARY 3, 10, 17 AND 24 Sketching 101: Forms and Textures of Nature Do you want to paint gardens, flowers and nature scenes, but don’t know how to start? Artist Joanie Schneider will teach the basic techniques of shading, perspective, creating texture and line drawings with graphite pencils. $110 for 4 classes; $10 discount for members.

Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 2-4pm. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

FEBRUARY 5 AND 24 DIY Nails Want to learn how to take your nails to the next level? Join an instructor and students from IBMC’s Nail Design Program to learn basic nail care and how to create your own cool designs. Grades 4-10. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 1pm. 888861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

FEBRUARY 6 AND 13 Winter Ecology: A Snowshoeing Trek for Kids & Families This fun and educational program will lead you through snow-covered pine, spruce and fir trees to learn how plants and animals survive wintertime using their unique adaptations and keen survival skills. $15. Rocky Mountain Conservancy-Field Institute, 1895 Fall River Rd., EP. 9am-1pm. 970-586-3262 or www.visitestespark.com.

FEBRUARY 12 THROUGH 14 Loveland Fire and Ice Festival Celebrate Valentine’s Day with fireworks, light displays, entertainment, ice sculpting and family friendly fun.

Downtown Loveland along 4th St. and Railroad Ave., LV. Times vary. 800-9804155 or www.LovelandFireAndIce.com.

FEBRUARY 13 AND 14 Rails in the Rockies These working exhibits include models of trains from many regions of the United States, as well as selected models of British railroads, all of which have been crafted in detail by dedicated model railroaders from all over Colorado. $5-adults; Free-children 12 and under.

Estes Park Conference Center, 201 S. St. Vrain Ave., EP. Times vary. www. visitestespark.com.

THROUGH FEBRUARY 21 Centerra’s Ice Rink Take a family friendly spin on the ice.

Promenade Shops at Centerra, 5971 Sky Pond Drive, LV. Times vary. www. theicerinkattheshops.com.

FEBRUARY 26 AND 27 The Stampede Troupe Presents Peter Rabbit This famous tale of a mischievous rabbit is based on the writings of Beatrix Potter, directed by Joseph Robinette. $10-adults; $8-students. Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th St., GR. Show times vary. www.ucstars.com.

Hours of Operation: M-Th 8-5pm, Fri 8-4 Fort Collins (970) 493-7442

Loveland (970) 493-7442

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY

32

| RMPARENT

Scrumptious Yarns and a fabulous staff to help you with all your knitting needs.

un F s ’ It shy l a r T a It’s cation Edu s ’ t I It’s the

Garbage Garage 1408 West Mountain Ave. Fort Collins (970) 407-1461 mysisterknits.com Hours: Tues. 10 am to 8 pm , Wed. - Sat. 10 am to 5 pm .

Larimer County’s waste & recycling education center at the Larimer County Landfill in Fort Collins

(970) 498-5772 larimer.org/solidwaste

RMPARENT

| 33

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Papercraft: Scrapbooking Series Scrapbooking basics that won’t break the bank. Gain an understanding of what’s essential and how you can create a lot with very little investment.

Registration required. Ages 16+. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. 1-3pm. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

©2014 Cheri Schonfeld

Science Detectives Scientists are detectives who pose questions, make hypotheses, analyze data and experience surprise as they track down answers to nature’s mysteries. Erie Community Library, Meeting Room, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4-5pm. 888-861-7323 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

THROUGH MARCH 6 Hello, Dolly!

Dolly Levi is a delightful scheming busybody who makes her living as a matchmaker in the glamorous 1800s New York at the turn of the century.

Ticket prices and show times vary.

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown.

970-755-3748 or www.coloradocandlelight.com.

THROUGH MARCH 25 Ring of Fire This Broadway show delivers a heartfelt musical tribute to the country legend Johnny Cash. Ticket prices and times vary. Midtown Arts Center, 3750 S. Mason St., FC. 970-225-2555 or www.midtownartscenter.org.

SELECT SATURDAYS THROUGH APRIL 23 The Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market The market will feature a variety of vendors including past favorites and some newcomers. February dates: 14th & 28th. Opera Galeria, 123 N. College Ave., FC. 9am-1pm. www. nocofoodcluster.com.

34

| RMPARENT

MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS POD Open Hours Create. Build. Make. Learn. Head to the Place of Discovery to tinker with some fun and exciting technology and participate in maker activities!

Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 4pm. 888-861-7323 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

WEDNESDAYS Walk and Talk Together Walk and Talk Together with fellow walkers as you discuss books and topics.

Count your steps, miles or minutes at your own pace. Every Wednesday unless it is colder than 20 degrees with a wind chill factor, warmer than 95 degrees, raining or snowing. Lincoln Park Library, 919 7th St., GR. 11am. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 Bright By Three Infant Group This class provides parents and caregivers with educational tools, books and games to make the most of these important developmental years. Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., LV. 12noon-1pm. 970-495-7500 or www.uchealth.org.

Cycle Touring Basics Ready for a cross country tour by bike?

This free class will help you prepare for a summer adventure by bike. Ages 14+.

Northside Aztlan Center, 112 Willow St., FC. 6:30-8pm. www.fcgov.com/ bikewinter.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Stamp Camp and Creation Stations Since 1947, people from all over the world have been sending Valentines to Loveland to be cancelled with a stamp that sends greetings from the Sweetheart City. Learn about the program’s history during this drop-in mini-camp.

Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 4:30-6pm. www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Family Movie Night Shaun the Sheep, PG. A sheep takes the day off to have some fun and gets more than he anticipated. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. 6-7:30pm. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Kevin Hearne Book Talk & Signing Denver Sci-Fi author Kevin Hearne will be in the store to discuss the latest book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Staked. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898 or www. oldfirehousebooks.com.

RMPARENT

| 35

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Noches en Familia The evening is a time of children’s stories, crafts, puppets and music in Spanish that invites fluent speakers, as well those interested in the Spanish language, to enjoy community and family. Council Tree Library, Community Room (C), 2733 Council Tree Ave. #200, FC. 5-6pm. 970-221-6740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

Bike Winter Celebration Whether you rode once or everyday this season, join in for light refreshments, camaraderie and check out the Bike Winter Photo Contest winners.

Wolverine Letter Press and Publick House, 316 Willow St., FC. 6-9pm. Photos on display all month upstairs. www.fcgov. com/bikewinter.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 World Language Story Time Head to the library for a time of children’s stories, crafts, puppets and music in a variety of languages presented

by CSU students. Harmony Library, Community Room (H), 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 10-11am. 970-221-6740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

The Kitchen Herbalist Learn how to make natural medicines to promote health and wellness with common herbs and spices already in your kitchen. $25; $3 discount for members. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am-12noon. 970416-2486 or www. fcgov.com/gardens.

36

| RMPARENT

Make Your Own Mozzarella Learn the fundamental skills as well as what basic equipment is needed to make this classic cheese. $20; $3 discount for members. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1-3pm. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Safe at Last Author Elaine Pease will talk about and read from her newest book. Stay for activities, coloring sheets, treats and bookmarks related to the books she has written. Preschool-5th grade and their families. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 1pm. 888-861-7323 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

Book Signing with Bill Lamperes Local author Bill Lamperes will sign copies of his latest novel, Try a Little Sunshine. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 2-3pm. 970-484-7898 or www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

Take Your Child to the Library Day Join the national celebration that encourages families everywhere to take their children to their local library.

Locations and hours vary. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Draw Minions!

There are a minion reasons to attend this special event taught by Drawing Made Simple art instructor and author, Lisa Davis DeMattei. Registration required.

Grades 3-5. Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4-5pm. 888-8617323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Chocolate Children Bring your toddlers and preschoolers to the library for some wild Valentine’s Day fun!

Squish, smear, paint and play with a variety of chocolate sensory activities. Registration required. Ages 2-5. Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4-5pm. 888-8617323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Robotics An introduction to EV3 Robotics with hands-on building and programming in a non-competitive environment.

No experience necessary. Registration Required. Ages 8-17. Loveland Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 4-6pm. 970962-2548 or www.cityofloveland.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Down Dog Divas Empower Kids Yoga owner Priscilla Welch, RYT teaches this yoga class that incorporates yoga flows to warm up the body, then sink into relaxation by learning deep breathing and de-stressing techniques. Grades 6-12. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. 4-5pm. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

MakeIt: 3D Modeling Want to know more about 3D printing and modeling? This class is an introduction to Tinkercad, a program used to create 3D digital designs. Ages 12+. Registration required. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6pm.

888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Rocky Mountain Raptors Raptors of the Great Plains. See a Golden Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk and Great Horned Owl. Council Tree Library, Community Room (C), 2733 Council Tree Ave. #200, FC. 6:30-7:30pm. 970221-6740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Galaxy Jar Create an easy and spectacular galaxy in a jar. Grades 6-12. Loveland Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3:30-4:30pm. 970962-2548 or www.cityofloveland.org.

Bicycle Friendly Driver Certification Course If you drive more often than you bike, this free course will teach you the best and safest ways to share the road with cyclists. Ages 16+. Northside Aztlan Center, 112 Willow St., FC. 4:30-6pm. www.fcgov.com/bicyclefriendlydriver.

Now

Registering for Winter 2016!

— Call Office for Details — or Vist us at ccballet.org

OP ENn - 4

Make some memories this winter

pm Friday: Noo a d n y Saturday, Su & Holidays: 9am - 4pm

Tubing Hill with Lift and TWELVE Different Runs q q q q

Ice Skating/Hockey Ponds Snow Shoeing Cross Country Skiing Guided Snowmobile Tours

RMPARENT

| 37

Everyday Cycling Whether you’re running errands, taking kids to school or visiting friends, you can go by bike! This free class will help you plan, pack and dress for everyday conditions to help you swap a car for a bike regardless of your ultimate destination. Ages 10+. Northside Aztlan Center, 112 Willow St., FC. 6:30-8pm. www.fcgov.com/bikewinter.

Book Talk & Signing with Molly Kate Brown Boulder author Molly Kate Brown will discuss her memoir about living in India, Learning to Walk in India. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-4847898 or www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Valentine Fun Paint with tissue paper, play with clay and create some beautiful Valentine’s Day decorations and keepsakes for your loved ones. Registration required.

Ages 3-6. $10 ($8 museum members).

Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 10:30-11:30am. 970962-2410 or www.cityofloveland.org.

Movie and a Craft: Aladdin Watch Disney’s Aladdin and then make a fun craft to take home. Registration required. Grades K-8. Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. 2-4pm.

888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Tea Time with Devon Murray and Paula DuPre’ Pesmen Have a traditional English-style tea party with Devon Murray who played Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter Films and Paula DuPre’ Pesmen, Associate Producer from the first three Harry Potter films. Each ticketed guest will get an autographed photo of Devon Murray. $68. Tickets available at the Rialto Theater Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 8am & 4pm. 970-962-2120 or www. lovelandfireandice.com.

38

| RMPARENT

“A Magical Moment” Q & A Session Devon Murray and Paula DuPre’ Pesmen will share their stories about being in and producing the Harry Potter movies. . $27. Tickets available at the Rialto Theater Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 9:30am & 1:45pm. 970-962-2120 or www.lovelandfireandicefestival.com.

Botany of Flowering Go beyond pistils and stamens to discover the secrets of how and why plants flower. $18; $3 discount for members. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am-12noon. 970416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Discover NASA: 3D Printing and NASA Learn the basics of 3D printing and discover how NASA uses this technology in research and space exploration. Grades 6-12. Registration required. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 10:30am.

888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Families Matter Every Child Ready to Read is heading to Lincoln Park with an exciting fun way to help your child discover the joy of reading. Social time and snacks provided after presentation. Lincoln Park Library, 919 7th St., GR. 11am. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Valentines Regency Tea A regency style tea and snacks will be provided. Ages 7+. $10. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 3-4pm. 970484-7898 or www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15 School Out Science A hands-on science program for elementary school aged kids. Loveland Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 2-3pm.

970-962-2754 or www.cityofloveland.org.

Warrior Cats Gathering Are you a fan of the Warriors series by Erin Hunter? Join your fellow paws to become a full-fledged warrior and join one of the warrior clans. Grades 4-7.

Council Tree Library, Community Room (C), 2733 Council Tree Ave. #200, FC. 2-3:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www. poudrelibraries.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 On the Road to Reading Early Literacy Fair Read, write, sing, talk and play with your children. Visit any time during the fair for lots of fun, interactive learning activities based on the 5 practices of Every Child Ready to Read. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 10am12noon. 888-861-7323 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

Gloga Yoga Empower Kids Yoga owner Priscilla Welch, RYT teaches this glow in the dark yoga class. Registration required.

Grades 3-5. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone.

6-7pm. 888-861-7323 or www.

MyLibrary.us.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 The Chocolate Factory Celebrate National Chocolate Month at the library. There will be lots of chocolate for dipping and dripping and other treats. Registration required.

Grades 6-12. Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4-5pm. 888-8617323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Smart Cycling (Formerly Traffic Skills 101) This free class will help prepare you for urban bike riding with basic bike handling skills, crash avoidance techniques and other resources to have you riding in no time. Ages 14+.

Westbridge Medical Suites, 1107 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 8:15am-4:30pm. Bikes and helmets available if needed, reserve in advance. www.fcgov.com/bikewinter.

Grow Your Own Veggies Create your own food-producing gardens at home. Get tips on garden size, site selection, container possibilities, choosing seeds and transplants. $18; $3 discount for members. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am12noon. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov. com/gardens.

What’s New?

(970) 224-2866 • 111 N. College Ave. Like us on RMPARENT

| 39

Discover NASA: Light It Up LEDs, circuits, electricity, rockets...how do they all go together? Registration required. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 10:30am. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Game Day @ Your Library Do you like to play games? Have you wanted to play a game but couldn’t find a partner? Have a group and no place to play? Game Day @ Your Library is the perfect place for you. Old Town Library, Community Room Combo, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children Training This workshop presented by Weld County Department of Human Services Prevention Unit will increase knowledge, improve attitudes and change childprotective behaviors for parents, staff and volunteers advocating for children. Erie Community Library, Meeting Room, 400 Powers St., Erie. 5-7:30pm. 888-8617323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

2016 Classic Movie Nights The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup 1933, NR. Loveland Library, Gertrude Scott Room, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 6:30-8pm. 970-962-2754 or www. cityofloveland.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Natasha Wing’s New Pet Story Time Local picture book author Natasha Wing will share her latest book, The Night Before the New Pet, at story time. Special guests, including a furry friend, will join from the Larimer County Humane Society. Suggested $5 Donation to Larimer County Humane Society. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 10:30-11:30am. 970-484-7898 or www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

40

| RMPARENT

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Well Dressed in Weld Exhibit Begins The exhibit features clothing and accessories and how they change from decade to decade, from 1850 through 1950. Children can dress up in historical reproduction clothing. $5-adults; $3-children. Greeley History Museum, 714 8th St., GR. 10am-4:30pm. www. greeleymuseums.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Discover NASA: Book Pairing Read the following titles and join an informal discussion comparing these two bestsellers: The Martian by Andy Weir and Packing for Mars: The Curious Life of Science in the Void by Mary Roach.

Registration required. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 10:30am.

888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Stepping Stone Fun! Create stepping stones using natural materials. Make two: one to take home, and one for the library. Registration required. Grades 3-5. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone. 4-5pm. 888-861-7323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

Teen Summer Job Search: Resumé Writing Create a resumé that will attract employers even if you have never worked before! You will leave with a finished resumé . Please bring a USB drive.

Harmony Library, Computer Lab, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 10:30am-12noon. 970221-6740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Symbolic Self-Portrait with Printmaking Learn some easy printmaking techniques as you create a self-portrait using your own special symbols that represent who you are and what you stand for!

Registration required. Grades 5-8. $35 ($28 museum members). Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 10:30am-1pm. 970-962-2410 or www.cityofloveland.org.

Canvas and Cocoa Join a cozy painting session while you sip on hot cocoa. Artist Tami Showers will help teens paint their own masterpieces.

All materials are provided. Ages 16+.

Registration required. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 1pm. 888-8617323 or www.MyLibrary.us.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Story Theatre, Spring 2016 A Story Whoop-de-do! from the British Isles. Ages 5+. Council Tree Library, Community Room (C), 2733 Council Tree Ave. #200, FC. 2-3pm. 970-2216740 or www.poudrelibraries.org.

RMPARENT

| 41

time out My kid doesn’t have to like what I like…

Except when she does

LEA HANSON

M

y kid is 5 now so I fully grasp the idea that she is an individual person who has her own interests, passions, and natural abilities. Her artwork is amazing, thinks camping is the best, and would swim until she drowned if allowed.

Luckily for me, these are also some of my favorite things to do and if you have kids, you know how much better hanging out with them is when you have common interests.

We’ve all had dreams of being parents who do amazing activities with our kids. We hold our infants in our arms and envision a future just a couple of years down the road: us with our precious, perfect mini-me sidekicks doing our favorite hobbies with equitable and unwavering enthusiasm.

Until that doesn’t happen. Until you’re the mountain biker with a 6-year-old who cannot and will not ride a bike.

Until you’re the musician whose kid can’t sing. Until you’re the team sports fanatic whose kid only wants to read and write. This dissonance can be really tough. It can be hard to not feel disappointed sometimes. But, it is remarkable when you start to see your young person as an individual, amazing person with interests, dreams, and passions all her own; learning about things she loves and even teaching you along the way.

With that said, we’ve all got our non-negotiables, right? Here’s the deal: I am not going to force my child to do many things. She can choose her hobbies and athletic interests and I will not force her to like what I like… except when I will.

There are a few things I will make her try and will make her learn at some basic level. Piano lessons will likely be one of them. Downhill skiing is another. Although this is my 42

| RMPARENT

daughter’s third season skiing, she is only just beginning to show signs of not hating it. She doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t try to learn, and she has a mostly negative attitude while we’re there. But we’re persisting. And I know (hope) my will is stronger. She doesn’t have to love it and it doesn’t have to be her favorite thing. But, we live in Colorado and we ski and all our friends (and all HER friends) ski so she needs to know how to do it. Earlier on, we adults will have more fun because if she is able to ski then we can go skiing more often. Later in her life she will have more fun because she will never be left out of ski weekends simply because she isn’t a skier. That might not matter in other places (it didn’t come up for me growing up in Minnesota), but it matters in Colorado and in the company we keep.

I feel like every family has this one thing. For one family it might be a sport that everyone plays. For another family it might be the child learning a second language so he can communicate with family members in what is their first language. And for the family with one (or no) car, it might be learning to ride a bike earlier than most of their peers.

It’s nothing short of amazing to watch your kid turn into their own person with thoughts, opinions, and interests. They ever so slowly grow away from being extensions of us. It sometimes makes me feel a little sad and sometimes makes me feel proud and in awe of this small, wonderful person.

And, while I’m feeling all these feels, “Get your freaking jacket zipped because you are going to ski lessons today whether you like it or not!”

GREELEY-EVANS YOUTH LEAGUE

2016 Summer Baseball & Girls’ Fast-Pitch Softball Baseball Teams age 6 to 17 • Softball Teams age 6 to 16 REGISTRATION DEADLINE MARCH 31 Register online at www.geyl.org

Volunteer Coaches Register Now Email your name, and requested age division to mimi@geyl.org.

Teams are filled first-come, first-served according to player and coach requests. Register early for best chance of requested placement.

Games are played mid-May through the end of July in the evenings, during the week.

6501 W. 20th St• Greeley• 970-339-8286• www.geyl.org

RMPARENT

| 43

44

| RMPARENT