RM Parent September 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017 • RMPARENT.COM

SCHOOL LUNCHES THEY’LL

love

EXPLORE BEYOND YOUR comfort

ZONE

Featured

BONUS

SEASON 2017 HARVEST rm Guide Fa Local Food &

Knit & crochet Stitching families together

Baby brains Small and mighty

After the Bell

Special SEction:

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BEST FAMILY

CALENDAR!

Discover the world and BEYOND Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Long-distance

love

Keep the bond alive RMPARENT

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SEPTEMBER 2017

Departments PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Turning off the autopilot—breaking our patterns takes a conscious effort

FIRST YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Long-distance love—staying close to family across the miles

FAMILY ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . 10 Get ready to be amazed—explore the world and beyond

LEARN AND LIVE . . . . . . . . . . 12 Stitching families together—relax and learn how to knit or crochet with your kids

COMMUNITY NEWS . . . . . . . 14 NoCo rocks, rolls, paints and feels like home— new Homebase, schools rock, painting for health, paved trail connects

HEALTHY LIVING . . . . . . . . 16

School lunches they’ll love—get your little students involved in planning creative, healthful meals

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 Events and activities for parents, kids and families

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

Special Sections AFTHTEER

AFTER THE BELL

Explore the possibilities for this fall and see what programs these providers have for your families.

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Features 18 BEYOND YOUR

COMFORT ZONE

Make this school year the one where you step out of your comfort zone as a family and explore new places, activities and ways of thinking. Learning new ways of doing and being helps kids’ brains grow.

Get inspired to break engrained habits, and make a commitment to try new things.

The measure of success—County Fair teaches kids many lessons

School District News Poudre School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 PSD calendar of events, new PSD website, pay fees online with SchoolPay

Greeley District 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 District 6 students view eclipse on first day of school, School Kickoff Community Celebration a great success,

Thompson School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Back to School Online Resource Guide, Students view eclipse, new director of assessment and accountability

Lunchbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 School menus for Poudre, Thompson, Greeley-Evans and Windsor

20 B ABY BRAINS Babies typically enter the world making

demands. Babies’ mental and emotional needs, however, aren’t quite as apparent, but they are as important for healthy development as the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.

ABOUT THE COVER: Kinley, loves riding horses, swimming, playing soccer and wakeboarding.

Photo by Cheri Schonfeld, courtesy of Sky's Open Design on location at Blue Stone Stables.

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perspective Turning off the autopilot

Breaking our patterns takes a conscious effort

I

’m a creature of habit. You probably are too.

We tend to set up our worlds so that we have things we can depend on…a few basic breakfast, lunch and dinner plans; a regular schedule that starts with an alarm at the same time every day; a fixed menu of recreational activities; and a pretty set cast of characters in our lives.

Sure, there’s some variation, but it usually happens more by accident than by design.

Nothing is necessarily wrong with trying to build that kind of predictability into our lives. Or is there? Is it possible that our constant grasping for security and comfort makes us even less secure and less comfortable as we push away anything that doesn’t fit our vision of what our day should look like and try to hang onto anything that makes us feel better?

I don’t know…just a question…but I’m pretty sure that life is more interesting when we turn off the autopilot and take the controls back. Let’s say I walk my dog around a lake in a clockwise direction every day and then one day I go off autopilot and I have a thought: Today, I’m going to walk Fluffy around the lake in a counter-clockwise direction. And suddenly, a small change creates a large change in perspective—the buildings look different from this angle and the traffic sounds louder…I’ve never noticed that bench before and isn’t that a pretty flower hiding behind that bush.

This may be a silly example (but it’s the one that came mind), but if we extrapolate that to our lives, we can see that we fall into these patterns, or habits, that we no longer are even conscious about. We can spend our entire day, basically on autopilot. Or we could spend our whole day being completely there for every moment.

Lynn U. Nichols’s feature about exploring new horizons beyond your comfort zone gets right at how you can shake up your world…in a good way that is healthy for you and your kids. In fact, she says that new neural pathways spring up where there weren’t any before. She even talks about the benefits of unstructured play.

And as far as trying new things, this issue is chock full of ideas. Katie Harris describes the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery…talk about new ideas and a new place to check out. For another suggestion of something new, Kim Sharpe tells us how knitting and crocheting can help us relax and spend time with our family.

And our extensive calendar can give you lots of ideas. Also, check our special sections: Bounty Farm and Food Guide and After the Bell. You can find something new and different in each of them.

So with a little vision and some tools, in the form of ideas from our pages, maybe commit to trying one new thing this month that you hadn’t even thought of before. I think you’ll find it refreshing.

Thanks, Scott 6

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SEPTEMBER 2017 • Volume 22, Issue 4 PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING 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 Sharon Klahn, Debbie Lee, Rob Martin, Susan Pettit, Nikolai Poppen-Chambers COVER PHOTO Cheri Shonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lea Hanson, Katie Harris, Lynn 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. ©2017 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

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first years

Long-distance love

Staying close to family across the miles LY N N U. N I C H O L S

Y

ou’ve just had a great summer visit with your sister and her young kids, and the cousins really started to bond. Or, you flew back East to visit your parents and your preschooler just got a big dose of Nana and Grandpa. How do you keep that bond alive? Here are some ideas on staying close across the miles.

MAKE A FACE TIME DATE EACH WEEK Now, more than ever, we can be there virtually for one another. By using Face Time, Google Hangouts, Go to Meeting, Skype, etc., you can see your friends’ and family’s faces, read their expressions, and hear their voices. It just might be the next best thing to being there with them in the flesh. Plan a set day, set time, each week to connect, even if it’s just for a few minutes. If this seems challenging, resort to the phone and put it on speaker so everyone can join in.

SEND TEXTS, PHOTOS AND EMAILS REGULARLY Don’t wait for big moments to share your day with your long-distance loved ones. It just takes a minute to send a photo of your baby sleeping or your toddler making a goofy face. Giving a personal update of your daily activities, beyond Facebook, makes it feel like your family is more a part of your daily lives—and your kids will grow up with the good habit of maintaining constant contact with the ones they love.

SEND SURPRISES, EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT THEIR BIRTHDAY Celebrate little life victories by getting in the habit of sending unexpected gifts. Your nephew was just named room captain for the week in preschool—send a paper crown. Your brother got a promotion—send homemade glitter-filled cards from your kids.

Your parents moved into a new townhome—frame some family photos or your kids’ best early artwork to spruce up the place. The same goes for sending care packages when someone in your extended family or friend group is going through a challenging time.

CREATE PHOTO BOOKS, PUZZLES OR CALENDARS OF FAMILY EVENTS Keep that summer beach trip alive in the middle of winter by creating a gift of the best picture and giving it to your family and friends at holiday time.

With a calendar, you can feature each family in the group on various months.

Feature their photo on their birth month for extra meaning.

PLAY GAMES AND READ BOOKS TOGETHER Ask your parents to record a bedtime story for your kids, and have it made into a book so that your kids hear their grandparents’ voices when they go to bed at night. Or, get the same book and read it together virtually.

There are several gaming apps where you can play games with friends or

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compete across the miles. Try competing with Monster Hunt on your Apple phone with young kids, or setting up a family fantasy sports league or Words with Friends for older kids.

If that seems complicated, simply play 20 questions over text with cousins while driving to school or winding down in the evening.

TAKE A TREASURE HUNT TOGETHER Deem Sunday at 2pm treasure hunt time and send each participating family group a list of items that they have to find across their own town. They get one hour to go around and find the five or so items, taking a picture to show each victory and texting it to the group.

The family that wins gets bragging rights, complete with a celebratory, “we won!” photo.

While being apart from your family and friends can be hard, with effort, you can keep the ties strong through the years, ensuring you are a part of each other’s lives through all moments, big and small.

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family activities

Get ready to be amazed Explore the world and beyond

K ATIE HARRIS

F

rom a set of turntables where aspiring DJs can spin their own mixes to a photo room where shadows appear frozen on the walls, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD) will amaze everyone.

Located at 408 Mason Ct. in north Fort Collins, FCMoD opened in 2012 when the City of Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center merged to provide more hands-on exploration in science and culture than ever before, all in one location.

In addition to exhibits on topics such as “Natural Areas,” “Wildlands and Wildlife” and “First Peoples,” FCMod also houses a local history archive as well as the Otter Box Digital Dome Theater, a 35-foot dome screen featuring films about the cosmos for all ages.

While the museum is designed for open discovery and exploration, a few popular activities require planning, FCMoD marketing manager Cathy Jones says.

Early Childhood programs including Storytime in the Dome on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month and stem-based Tot Time on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays take place from 10:15-11:15am. In addition, drop-in programs including museum artifact deep dives and creepy crawly encounters take place on Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

While the museum is open from 10am-5pm Tuesday through Sunday with extended hours until 8pm on Thursdays, Jones recommends visiting after lunch and on Thursday evenings to avoid large crowds and school groups.

Whether you plan to map out your itinerary ahead of time or explore freely, there are a few exhibits you won’t want to miss.

“The Tot Spot has been a big hit since the day it opened, and is geared for kids 5 and under,” says Jones. “This

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exhibit area is a mini version of our main gallery, reflecting many of the same discovery themes you would find out there but in a much more little kidfriendly way.”

She says the Music and Sound Lab is another guest favorite. Guests can test their lung power on musical horns, take digital guitar and drum lessons and travel back in time to the early days of radio in this expansive portion of the museum.

After exploring the inside of the museum, grab lunch at the attached Flat Hat Coffee and head out to the Big Backyard where kids can enjoy room to run while continuing to explore and make music via the outdoor exhibits.

Before leaving for the day, climb the stairs to the rooftop of the museum for spectacular Old Town views.

To make the most of your visit, Jones recommends purchasing a membership such as the Family Plus.

In addition to limitless visits, the membership includes program discounts,

early entry, special days and sneak peeks. The Family Plus membership also includes guest passes and free admission into the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Daily admission without a membership is $9.50/adult, $7/senior or student, $6/child 12 and under and free for children under 3.

Before venturing out for a day at the museum, Jones recommends browsing the gallery guides on FCMoD’s website, www.fcmod.org, to make the most of the educational opportunities the museum offers.

Whatever your interests, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is sure to have something that sparks it.

“Little kids love pushing the buttons and pulling the levers, while older children and parents can read about the mechanisms or history represented by the activities,” says Jones. “The whole gallery is interactive in many ways, so offers something for both the small child, the teenager and up.”

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learn and live

Stitching families together Relax and learn how to knit or crochet with your kids KIM SHARPE

Stitchin’ Spots The Blacksheep Wool Shop 429 Main St., WS, 460-9309 www.theblacksheepwoolshop.com Lambspun 1101 E. Lincoln Ave., FC, 484-1998, www.lambspun.com The Loopy Ewe 2720 Council Tree Ave., Ste. 255, FC 568-5290, www.theloopyewe.com My Sister Knits 1408 W. Mountain Ave., FC 407-1461, www.mysisterknits.com The Stitchin’ Den 165 Virginia Dr., EP 577-8210, www.thestitchinden.com Your Daily Fiber 4019 S. Mason St., Ste. 3, FC 484-2414, www.yourdailyfiber.com

T

oday’s busy families often look for ways to just chill and relax together. Engaging in fiber fun, like knitting or crocheting, can provide hours of entertainment for family members who need some calm down time.

Many research studies show that the rhythmic movements of knitting and crocheting offer many of the same benefits as meditation. Plus, seeing an object take shape and completing it provides a sense of accomplishment.

If you think these calming crafts are just for girls, think again. “The skills involved in fiber arts are useful to everyone, and it’s silly that knitting and crocheting are viewed as girls’ crafts,” says Ryan Arithson, a fiber arts instructor. “Accomplished designers are both women and men in the fiber world.”

Arithson recalls when a boy about 8 years old and his mom walked into Lambspun, a Fort Collins fiber store where he worked at the time, for a 12

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crochet lesson. “They spent an hour or so practicing with the hook and yarn making a chain and working with the single crochet stitch. When the dad came to pick them up, I gave the whole family a review of the craft so they could go home and practice.

I demonstrated the chain and single crochet stitch again and the dad quickly understood the task because of his experience tying flies for fishing. The whole moment was very satisfying as a teacher. It was clear that the boy was very impressed with his dad’s hidden skills and I think it brought the family a little closer together.”

Now, Arithson works on a small farm that grows organic vegetables.

His fiber arts skills are coming in handy there, too. “I recently helped improve our tomato trellising with my knowledge of tension and wrapping, skills I learned from weaving,” he says. “Fiber arts also use our creative

and calculating faculties. You get to imagine what you want to make and then create it, but you have to measure as you go and make sure all the simple math is working.”

Carol Handshue and Kimberly Orrell, sales associates at My Sister Knits in Fort Collins, add that fiber crafts help children develop fine motor skills and patience, and learn to follow directions and problem solve. More specifically, fiber crafts teach children how to make functional and creative finished objects, learn “craft languages” and color theory, and can introduce them to other cultures.

So what’s the best way to learn to knit or crochet? Handshue and Orrell say, “The method of learning might depend on the child and his or her age.

Learning in a small group of peers with an experienced knitting teacher is good, but learning one-on-one with a family member would be lovely for any age.”

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community news

NoCo feels like home

New Homebase, painting for health, schools rock, paved trail connects KIM SHARPE

W

ith an emphasis on programming for youth, music education, an emphasis on health and expanded ways to get around by foot or bike, northern Colorado continues to be a great place to call “home.”

A NEW HOMEBASE Realities For Children Charities’ (RCC) new Homebase Facility and Youth Activities Campus opened last month at 308 East County Road 30, Fort Collins.

The Homebase sits on four acres in Larimer County, south of Fort Collins. The facility is intended to be a safe haven and centrally located space for children and families served by Realities For Children’s agency partners. The facility also supports RCC’s services and programs, including Back To School Supplies, Warm Winter Clothing, and Santa’s Workshop and Bikes For Tykes.

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“Congratulations to the continued success of Realities for Children on the completion and the groundbreaking of the Homebase Playground and Park,” says Fort Collins Mayor Wade Troxell.

“RFC is a great impact partner in northern Colorado and Fort Collins, improving the lives of children in our community.”

Learn more at www.realities forchildren.com.

PAINTING FOR THE HEALTH OF IT A new mural designed and painted by the Weld County Health Department’s Tobacco Control Program and PACT (Preventing Addiction Caused by Tobacco) Youth Advocates and local artist Armando Silva portrays the importance of smokeand vapor-free places as they protect the future of Weld County Youth. The mural is located on the back-west wall of 805

8th Street in Downtown Greeley.

Studies show that young people who live in communities with strong clean air protections are less likely to smoke than those who live in communities with weaker protections. In Weld County, 17 percent of high school students report smoking cigarettes on one or more days in the past month and nearly half of Colorado youth have tried an e-cigarette. This mural highlights the need for more work to be done to protect the hearts, lungs and future of Weld County youth.

“The mural is really a symbol of what I believe in, which is creating spaces where people can breathe happily and healthfully. I really enjoyed getting up there with other people who share similar beliefs and watching that belief come to life,” says Alicia Orr, PACT Youth Advocate.

Find out more information about

the Protect Your Future mural project at https://www.weldgov.com/cms/One. aspx?portalId=169&pageId=3776.

FORT COLLINS’ SCHOOLS ROCK Hundreds of public school music teachers, higher​education leaders and public school district arts supervisors from across the United States recently convened at Colorado State University for a four-day, intensive Modern Band Rockfest and​ Symposium​. It was presented by the national nonprofit Little Kids Rock​ (www.littlekidsrock.org), and was underwritten by ​Bohemian Foundation (www.bohemianfoundation.org) , which has partnered with Little Kids Rock since 2012 to bring Modern Band music programming to Poudre School District in Fort Collins, where more than 6,500 students and 52 teachers in 32 schools currently participate.

Little Kids Rock pioneered this new offering in music education called “Modern Band,” which connects learning to the musical styles kids already know and love, namely the contemporary music of the past 60 years. The method emphasizes improvisation, composition and learning to play instruments used in popular music: guitar,

piano, drums, bass, vocals and technology.

Melissa Flail, Poudre School District’s music curriculum facilitator and Little Kids Rock regional program coordinator, says she’s excited that several PSD teachers were able to benefit from the symposium’s “professional development workshops, opportunities to network with other music teachers from around the world and gain a perspective about how blessed we are to have our traditional music curriculum, as well as this new way to teach music that engages students who may not want to learn to play traditional instruments.”

Learn more about “Modern Band” at www.littlekidsrock.org.

FIRST PAVED TRAIL CONNECTS LOVELAND, FORT COLLINS A new concrete trail that connects Loveland and Fort Collins and each city’s extensive paved trail networks opens this month.

The two-mile Colorado Front Range Trail—Loveland to Fort Collins Connection is located between Lemay Avenue and Timberline Road on the east side of the cities. From south to north, it extends from Loveland’s Recreation Trail just west of Boyd Lake State

Park to the City of Fort Collins’ Fossil Creek Trail at Carpenter Road.

It is the first paved trail to connect the cities’ trail networks. It provides a way for people to travel from the 35 miles of paved trails in Fort Collins’ system to the 18 miles of trails in Loveland’s system without hopping off their bike or getting in a vehicle. The new trail is multi-use, open to both foot traffic and non-motorized bicycles.

The two cities first conceived of the idea for the trail in 2002, identifying it as a possible segment of the larger Front Range Trail system, which will extend from New Mexico to Wyoming. The Colorado Front Range Trail—Loveland to Fort Collins Connection remains a potential segment of this larger, statewide trail system, depending on that trail system’s final alignment.

“This trail contributes a critical segment of a regional trail network that will someday connect all of northern Colorado, and eventually the entire state,” says Suzanne Bassinger, with City of Fort Collins Park Planning & Development.

“We look forward to continuing these partnerships and expanding the worldclass trail experiences available to our citizens, our neighbors and our visitors to the area. Our thanks go to Larimer County for leading this project.”

Grants of $450,000 from the Colorado Department of Transportation and $350,000 from Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s State Trails Program will cover two-thirds of the trail’s cost. The cities and county will make up the difference based on the proportional costs of trail construction within each jurisdiction.

Homeowners’ associations and other entities that granted easements for the trail also make construction possible.

Next up: A second trail—the 4.4-mile Long View Corridor Trail—will be located on the west side of the cities, running along the east side of North Taft Avenue in Loveland and South Shields Street in Fort Collins. It is expected to break ground in the fall of 2017 and will provide a second safe, non-motorized alternative to traveling between the two cities.

To learn more about these paved trails, visit www.larimer.org/openlands/ regional-paved-trails.htm.

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healthy living

School lunches they’ll love

Get your little students involved in planning creative, healthful meals LEA HANSON

B

ack to school means back to a routine; a well-needed one for many parents and kids alike.

One routine for many families is packing school lunches. Sending the kids to school with a lunch they’ll actually eat can be a challenge for parents.

INVOLVE KIDS IN MAKING LUNCHES Parents and nutrition experts know when kids are involved in preparing food, they have more interest in eating it. This includes lunch packing.

They’re the ones eating it, so take their suggestions seriously. Get them preparing their own meals, and include them in shopping for ingredients. It’ll make your job easier and will help to lead them in the right nutritional direction.

MAKE A POINT TO INCLUDE SCHOOL lunches in family meal planning. Allow your kids to make their own

grocery lists and participate in shopping. Then, prepare foods for lunches for the week together. Not only does this approach get kids involved and

Get ready, get set, create!

While nutrition may be the parent/caretaker’s priority, for kids, lunch is more fun when the packaging of the food—and the lunch box itself—are fun. Gone are the days of the brown paper sack. Here are some ways to make lunch a little more fun without buying (literally) into the hype: • Be creative by cutting sandwiches, fruits, etc. into shapes.

• Small craft and jewelry containers are typically less expensive than reusable plastic ware and more fun to discover in lunch boxes, too.

• Muffin/cupcake containers can provide colorful separation in a larger container.

• Packing toothpicks makes eating finger foods fun.

It’s also fun to build things, including food. The ideas below will spark your creativity; pack each item in a separate container and your child can have fun constructing their meals.

• Whole wheat crackers, cheese, and deli meat make lunch easy to eat quickly leaving more time for recess.

• Cut up tortilla pieces, mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, and tomato sauce, all packaged in separate containers make fun mini pizzas.

• Granola, fruit, and yogurt create a delicious and nutritious lunchtime parfait.

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interested in their lunches, it teaches them important skills about meal planning and understanding nutrition.

MAKE IT DIFFERENT Sometimes just making items slightly different—such as using varying types of bread for sandwiches—makes all the difference. Wheat, rye breads, baguettes, seeded rolls, pita bread pockets, flat bread, focaccia, or rice cakes all offer different nutritional qualities, as well. Challenge yourself to avoid packing a sandwich to keep things interesting. Some easy sandwich alternatives include wraps, cold cheese quesadillas, falafel patties, sliced sausages, quinoa salad, or even leftover pizza or fried chicken.

While we all want our children to eat the healthiest foods, preparing them takes time and energy. With a little creativity and effort our kids can have an array of healthy, nutritious and fun school lunches. Bon Appetite!

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What’s your parenting style?

Do what works best for your family Lynn U. Nichols

Explore new places, activities and ways of thinking

Beyond your comfort zone Lynn U. Nichols

Explore new places, activities and ways of thinking

T

he new school year often brings opportunities to try new things. Make this school year the one where you step out of your comfort zone as a family and explore new places, activities and ways of thinking. Just as exposure to new ideas, new activities, and regular physical exercise helps ward off dementia in adults, learning new ways of doing and being helps kids’ brains grow—springing new neural pathways where there wasn’t any before. Get inspired to break the engrained habits that make up your day—especially those that don’t feed your mind, spirit or body—and get inspired to try new things.

PASS ON PASSIVE, GET ACTIVE!

Routine is good for kids, but it’s easy to fall into the same routine every day. Sometimes, routine can make us lazy—not just physically but mentally. Maybe your kids eat the same cereal for breakfast, always pack a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, take the same route to school, and play the same sport, year after year. That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s good to shake things up 18

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a bit. What if you get up an hour early one day this week and take your kids out to breakfast at a local food truck? How about you bike or ride longboards to school instead of taking the car?

How about you pull out your city’s recreation guide and choose a family activity to try that none of you have tried before, like fly fishing, family yoga or going on a full moon hike at Lory State Park?

“It can be a midweek picnic at the park, a bike ride scheduled right after work, or an evening playing yard games together,” says Dr. Kathy Sigda, a clinical psychologist with UCHealth’s Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center in Fort Collins who often works with adolescents.

Consider those daily habits that don’t feed you or your kids. Of course, everyone needs some down time to transition from school or work to home, like reading the news, playing a video game, or getting on social media, but make sure that time doesn’t dominate every relaxed moment your family spends together.

How about picking a book for the whole family

not fit the physical and social demands of playing on a team sport. Maybe they prefer to work on one skill and master it versus many at a time. Maybe they don’t have the aggressive qualities some team sports demand. Maybe they simply don’t like crowds. Whatever the reason, honor it. There are hundreds of individual sports for kids to try out from archery, biking, climbing, disc golf, dance, fencing, figure skating, gymnastics, martial arts, Pilates, running, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, and tennis just to name a few. Luckily, we live in an area where most of these are available for kids to try.

CONSIDER YOUR CHILD’S NATURE WHEN SUGGESTING SOMETHING NEW

to read, and then having a discussion on it over dessert one night? Instead of playing video games, try learning a new card game or board game, going to an escape room together, or taking a rock climbing class and learning to belay? Even doing one new activity a week is enough to mix things up and keep your kids attuned to accepting new things. Kids who are pushed to step out of their comfort zone tend to have more self-confidence in new situations as they move through life.

“Unstructured play is hugely important. Studies on elementary kids show imaginary play is a large part of brain development. Kids who are allowed ample opportunities for unstructured play learn how to negotiate relationships and how to think critically and problem solve,” says Andrea Holt, LMFT, CAC III, Marriage and Family Therapist with UCHealth’s Family Medicine Center in Fort Collins.

EXPOSE YOUR FAMILY TO SOMETHING NEW

Your kids are constantly developing and you may not even know that they love something, especially if it is out of the ordinary like macramé or woodworking or playing the viola. As much as you can, expose your kids to new things— and when you can, do it with them.

Show your kids as much about the world and how it works as you can, then observe. Watch for clues and piece together the types of activities that make your child burst at the seams. What’s great about kids is they are often an open book, so you’ll know quickly if you’ve discovered something they like.

We’re really good as parents at exposing our kids to organized sports, and that’s fine as many kids find enjoyment in sports. But it’s also important to think outside the box when it comes to physical activities. Some kids’ personalities or temperaments simply do

Every child’s comfort level with activity is different. Some prefer to run from one event to the next. Others feel overwhelmed with just making it to school and a practice a few times a week. One way is not better than the other. What’s imperative is matching your child’s activity level with their nature.

“It’s important to know and honor your kids’ preferences for down time.

When picking activities, take cues from your kids on how much they can handle. There may be vast differences even in your own family,” Sigda advises.

MAKE A FAMILY BUCKET LIST

Now is a good time to make a family bucket list. Make a wish list of things you want to do together before your kids sprout wings and leave home. Let everyone add as many items as they like, no matter how unreachable or silly they might be. You’ll be surprised what your family comes up with—and the list will reflect what your family values.

You might even form a few new family rituals, like returning to a favorite hiking or camping spot or always playing an epic game of family softball together when you visit the cousins in Kansas.

Routines that bond are ones to keep.

“Spending time to play with your children, or work on a project, is an excellent investment in overall family wellbeing,” Holt concludes.

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Baby Baby brains brains

Small and mighty important Kim Sharpe

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B

abies typically enter the world making demands. Within minutes of their arrival, newborns make it known they’re hungry and need nourishment. After that, they demand comfort such as a clean, dry diaper and warm swaddling. They also respond well to copious amounts of snuggling and attention. Since newborns can loudly protest if their physical needs aren’t met, parents figure out quickly to respond appropriately.

Babies’ mental and emotional needs, however, aren’t quite as apparent, but they are as important for healthy development as the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.

THE FIRST FIVE Early child development research asserts that the most critical time period for brain development is the first five years of a child’s life. Dipesh Navsaria, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who will be in northern Colorado this month to help parents better understand early brain development, agrees, but with a caveat.

He says, “It is indeed true there is greater malleability in the infant brain during [the first five years], and small issues can be more easily fixed during this period, there’s not really a period after which one simply gives up and says there’s no benefit to focusing on brain development.” He also stresses that if there are issues, “…it’s more difficult to intervene later on.”

To help parents support their children’s early growth, Navsaria believes “… high-quality parent coaching is helpful. That can be done in a variety of settings—clinic visits, home visits and so

on.” Many opportunities exist in northern Colorado for parents to receive this type of support.

SUPPORT FOR PARENTS Bright by Three provides parents and caregivers with the tools and information they need to engage and care for babies and toddlers. Its Bright by Text and visitation program are free to any parent or caregiver who would like to receive them.

“Our mission is to provide a bright beginning for all Colorado children by helping families support physical, emotional, and intellectual development during the critical first three years of life,” says Jennifer Cajina Grigsby, Bright by Three program manager. “We have trained volunteers who visit with new parents and those with children up to age 3, and provide them with kits filled with support materials. The innovative Bright by Text program distributes this same high-value early childhood content in bite-sized pieces via text message.”

Text BRIGHT (or BRILLANTE) to 444999 to enroll for free. Or, go to www.brightbythree.org/program/ to request a visit. Learn more at www. brightbythree.org.

Be Ready is a collaboration focused on helping all children in Larimer County prepare to be successful in school, which includes not only early literacy skills, but nurturing physical, social and emotional health.

Be Ready has a new tool available to help families prepare their children for success in kindergarten.

Ready Set Kindergarten! can be downloaded from www.beready larimercounty.org in English, Spanish

You’re invited!

Early Brain and Child Development (including toxic stress and childhood adversity) The Early Childhood Council of Larimer County invites you to a special presentation and community conversation featuring Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

When: September 11, 6:30-8:30pm and September 12, 8:30am-12pm Where: Drake Center, 802 W. Drake Rd., Fort Collins For more information: 970-377-3388, ext. 203 or www.ecclc.org Funded by the Leap Coalition, a Larimer County-wide initiative doing amazing things to help support Birth-5 year olds with social-emotional development and well-being.

and soon Arabic. Its content is based on developmental guidelines outlined in the Colorado Academic Standards and Teaching Strategies GOLD TM. The guide includes: fun activities for making friends and getting along in the classroom; tips to get ready for reading, writing and math; and a month-bymonth guide to help families stay on track with kindergarten registration, vaccinations and more.

Although copyrighted, anyone may download Ready Set Kindergarten! for non-commercial display, print and sharing. Hard copies are available by contacting Mims Harris at mimsbharris@ gmail.com. Learn more about Be Ready at www.BeReadyLarimerCounty.org.

The United Way of Weld County coordinates a similar program. Raising A Reader fosters healthy brain development, parent-child bonding and early literacy skills critical for school success by engaging parents in a routine of daily “book cuddling” with their children from birth to age 5. Each week, Raising A Reader participants take home four developmentally appropriate, multicultural

children’s books. The program also includes an introduction about how to use the public library, setting up families for a lifetime of book enjoyment.

IT’S ALL RELATIVE While programs like those mentioned above have their place in child development, the most important factor that influences early brain development is “…the presence of consistent, strong, supportive, nurturing relationships…,” says Navsaria. “There’s a lot about brain development that has been discovered, and much more that we don’t yet know, but the essence of it is that the only thing that drives development forward early in life is interaction with a loving, responsive, nurturing adult. The ‘serve and return’ back-and-forth between an adult and a child helps wire crucial circuitry and is the only thing that has been proven to have any developmental benefit. Let me emphasize this: no app, no DVD, no toy has any evidence of benefit to child development in a child under age 3. Period.”

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poudre school district news New PSD Website PSD Calendar of Events Sept. 4 – All schools and offices closed for Labor Day Sept. 12 – 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting, JSSC, 2407 Laporte Ave. Sept. 26 – 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting and work session, JSSC, 2407 Laporte Ave. Sept. 29 – N o school K-8 students; teachers on duty

the standardized test scores.

Highlights from assessments include:

The new Poudre School District website, which officially launched July 26, was designed from the community and user experience based on input from several focus groups with teachers, support staff, students, parents and community members. Information is categorized by topic with quick links to related topics on most pages. The new site also features an “open, closed or delayed” message right on the top banner so parents can easily see the status of school in relation to inclement weather. Parent, staff and student feedback is welcome and appreciated. Please send comments or questions about the new website to webreview@psdschools.org.

PAY FEES ONLINE WITH SCHOOLPAY PSD now offers an easy and secure way to make payments to both your child’s meal account and their school electronically.

This new payment portal, SchoolPay, can accept payments for meals as well as payment for items such as athletic participation fees, course fees and charges, field trips, yearbooks and merchandise.

Through SchoolPay, payments can be made online with credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Card). You can also continue to pay by debit/credit card, cash or check at your child’s school. A convenience fee of approximately 3.35 24

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percent will be added to credit/debit card transactions for non-meal related items, regardless of whether payment is made online or at the school. A $1.00 transaction fee will continue to be charged for meal payments to offset the credit card processing fee, rather than the 3.35 percent transaction fee noted above.

To use SchoolPay, you must register for a Parent Account. Registration is free and you are not required to store any financial data. SchoolPay is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards certified. All data is encrypted using SSL technology so that payment account numbers are never viewable in any part of the service.

Please visit the PSD website for more information about how to use SchoolPay. PSD STUDENTS LEAD STATE ON STANDARDIZED TESTS Poudre School District (PSD) students continued to outpace their counterparts around the state on the 2017 Colorado Measures of Academic Success exams.

The tests, administered last spring, assess performance in English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 3-9 as well as Social Studies and Science in select grades. Student performance on the PSAT and SAT were also released with

• PSD’s scores exceeded state averages at the elementary and middle school levels in nearly every category.

• Student scores improved from 2016 in every area except middle school English Language Arts.

• Student participation rates continued to be low in middle school and high school.

• High School students performed above the state benchmark on the SAT for both Reading/Writing and Math, indicating that the majority of students are on track for college-level coursework.

This is the third year students in Colorado took the CMAS English Language Arts and Math tests. The consistent performance shows that the hard work of teachers and students in PSD classrooms is paying off.

“PSD students continued to outperform their state peers and that is a testament to the focus of our teachers on consistent improvement, high expectations and striving for excellence, “says Superintendent Dr. Sandra Smyser. “We have some opportunities for continued growth and we will continue to strive for improved performance in these areas while providing the best education possible for our students.”

Parents will receive their students’ individual CMAS results from their school this fall. Results will be uploaded into ParentVue in the next month. For more information about CMAS scores, visit the PSD website.

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greeley-evans district 6 news Students view eclipse on first day of school

When the first day of school falls on the same day as the first solar eclipse to occur in the United States in a century, what do you do? If you are Greeley-Evans School District 6, you purchase 22,000 NASA-approved glasses for students to view this historic event.

Students in all District 6 schools, including charter schools, were given the special safety glasses to view the near-total eclipse on Monday, August 21, which was also the first day of school. District 6 officials made the decision over the summer that students should be able to experience the solar eclipse safely on the first day of the 2017-18 school year. Teachers and administrators were given learning materials and curriculum to provide to students before the viewing. They were also given safety instructions about the proper use of the glasses.

The day was clear and the viewing was great for participating students.

“Once we realized the solar eclipse was going to be on the first day of school, our finance and 26

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academic achievement staff worked hard to find enough glasses so that every student could participate,” says Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch. “It was an exciting learning opportunity we didn’t want our students to miss.

And, it was a great way to start off the new school year.”

SCHOOL KICKOFF COMMUNITY CELEBRATION A GREAT SUCCESS More than 3,100 backpacks filled with school supplies were given out to students on Saturday, August 12 during the fourth annual School Kickoff Community Celebration at Island Grove Regional Park and Event Center.

The School Kickoff also included a free brunch for more than 3,000 people who attended, as well as more than 70 community booths, including a petting zoo, face painting and many giveaways from community organizations and sponsors of the event.

Greeley-Evans School District 6 would like to thank the 250 volunteers who helped make the School Kickoff Community Celebration a resounding success.

This event is totally funded through sponsors and donations, and we could not do it without committed volunteers.

It is estimated between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended this year’s school kickoff event.

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thompson school district news Students view eclipse

Students throughout Thompson School District participated in the viewing of the solar eclipse on August 21st. Not only was the event a lot of fun, it also served as a perfect opportunity to teach students about the wonders of the solar system.

ONLINE RESOURCE GUIDE Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year in Thompson School District! Do you have any questions as we get started? If so, be sure to check out TSD’s “Back to School Online Resource Guide,” which features all of the information that students and parents will need to help ensure a terrific start to the school year. To visit the site, please visit www. thompsonschools.org/information.

NEW DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Thompson School District is pleased to announce that it has named Dawne Huckaby as Director of Assessment and Accountability.

Ms. Huckaby will manage the district’s comprehensive student assessment and accountability system. She will evaluate data and collaborate with staff members to coordinate local and state testing efforts, organize testing procedures and protocols and prepare and submit necessary state and federal reports. She will also collaborate with district schools in the areas of personalized learning and professional development.

Ms. Huckaby comes to Thompson 28

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from Salem, Ore., where she served the Oregon Department of Education as the assistant superintendent in the Office of Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

Ms. Huckaby earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Chadron State College and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University.

NEW INTERIM PRINCIPAL This summer, Thompson School District undertook a search process to locate and hire a new principal for Centennial Elementary. Although the search committee interviewed many qualified candidates, the process did not ultimately result in the hiring of a principal.

After further exploration, TSD has selected Carmen Polka to serve as

principal at the school on an interim basis.

Ms. Polka has been with Thompson for twenty years and previously served as Thompson School District’s Elementary Literacy Professional Coach. Her career in education includes teaching experience at the kindergarten, special education and gifted and talented levels. She has also served as a Teacher on Special Assignment focusing on Critical Thinking.

Ms. Polka earned her Bachelors degree in Social Science with an emphasis in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). In 2001, she completed her work on a Masters degree in Special Education and is currently a doctoral candidate studying Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UNC. The Thompson Education Foundation named Ms. Polka “Elementary Teacher of the Year” in 2015 and that same year was also named a “Scholar of the Foundation for Critical Thinking,” which is a milestone designation for critical thinking professionals in education.

“I am so thrilled to be returning to Centennial Elementary, a building that means so much to me as a former student,” Ms. Polka said. “This is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to building strong relationships with the students, families and staff members of our Eagle community.”

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lunchbox POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary student lunches are $2.65, secondary student lunches are $2.90 and reduced lunches are PK-5 free, grades 6-12 $0.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; hummus & veggie box 5 Lasagna w/veggies; cheese calzone & marinara 6 Asian noodles & meatball; chicken patty sandwich 7 Chicken tacos & rice; cheeseburger/hamburger 8 Meat lovers & cheese pizza; chicken Caesar wrap 11 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken nuggets 12 Meatball sandwich; chicken Alfredo 13 Orange chicken & rice; hot dog 14 Bean & beef burrito; chicken patty sandwich 15 Pepperoni & cheese pizza; chef salad & roll 18 Hamburger/cheeseburger; Philly cheesesteak sandwich 19 cheese ravioli & roll; mac n’cheese 20 Teriyaki meatballs & rice; chicken patty sandwich 21 Beef taco & rice; breaded chicken tenderloin

22 Meat lovers or cheese pizza; veggie wrap 25 Tomato soup & grilled cheese; chicken nuggets 26 Spaghetti & roasted veggies & meat sauce; turkey gravy & roll 27 Thai chicken & rice; hamburger/cheeseburger 28 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; hummus & veggie box 29 No school!

MIDDLE SCHOOLS 1 Philly cheesteak sandwich; meatlovers pizza 5 Chicken Alfredo; meatball sandwich 6 Asian bar: General Tso steak & egg roll 7 Beef & Bean burrito; taco salad 8 Mac n’cheese; trout treasure 11 Chicken parmesan sandwich; BBQ pulled pork sandwich 12 Cheese calzone & marinara; chicken nuggets

13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29

Sweet & sour meatball & chicken & egg roll Taco bar: beef or chicken & rice Lasagna w/veggies; tortilla soup bar Honey Sriracha boneless wings; chicken nuggets Spagnetti & meatballs; cheese ravioli & roll Teriyaki beef chicken & egg roll Beef & bean burrito Tomato soup & grilled cheese; breaded chicken tenderloin Turkey gravy & roll; chicken drumsticks & roll Cheese calzone & marinara; spring vegetable rotini Asian bar: Orange chicken, beef & egg roll Taco bar: beef or chicken & rice Philly cheesesteak sandwich; meatlovers pizza

THOMPSON R2J SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary lunch is $2.75; secondary lunches are $3. Reduced lunches are pre-K-5, free; 6-12, $.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Fish & chips basket 6 Chicken parmesan 7 Asian combo 8 Turkey pot roast 11 Hamburger; chicken Caesar wrap 12 Soft taco 13 BBQ pulled pork sandwich 14 Pizza 15 Sweet n sour chicken w/rice 18 Breaded chicken sandwich

19 Burrito grande 20 Hot roast beef sandwich 21 Lasagna w/meat 22 Frito pie 25 Corn dog; chicken Caesar wrap 26 Enchiladas 27 Mini pancakes w/sausage 28 French bread boat 29 Teriyaki chicken bowl SECONDARY SCHOOL 1 Fish & chips basket; hamburger

6 Chicken parmesan; toasted cheese sandwich 7 Asian combo; BBQ pulled pork sandwich 8 Turkey pot roast; pizza stick 11 Hamburger; chicken Caesar wrap 12 Soft taco; breaded chicken sandwich 13 BBQ pulled pork sandwich; pizza 14 Pizza; popcorn chicken 15 Sweet n sour chicken w/rice; hamburger 18 Breaded chicken sandwich; burrito 19 Burrito grande; meatball sub

20 Hot roast beef sandwich; toasted cheese sandwich 21 Lasagna w/meat; BBQ pulled pork sandwich 22 Frito pie; pizza stick 25 Corn dog; chicken Caesar wrap 26 Enchiladas; breaded chicken sandwich 27 Mini pancakes w/sausage; pizza 28 French bread boat; popcorn chicken 29 Teriyaki chicken bowl; hamburger

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 K-2 free, 3-8 $.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Hawaiian or cheese pizza 5 Sloppy Joe; pesto chicken salad wrap 6 Hog dog; PBJ 7 Philly steak panino; ham & cheese wrap 8 Cheese or pepperoni pizza 11 BBQ pork sandwich; Italian sandwich 12 Beef & cheese nachos; chicken fajita wrap 13 Buffalo chicken sandwich; PBJ 14 Hamburger/cheeseburger; turkey & cheese hoagie 15 Cheese or chicken, bacon, ranch pizza 18 No school!

19 Soft taco; chicken salad sandwich 20 BBQ chicken sandwich; PBJ 21 Stuffed shells w/garlic knot; ham & cheese wrap 22 Green chili chicken or cheese pizza 25 Breakfast for lunch; Italian sandwich 26 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken fajita wrap 27 Teriyaki chicken w/brown rice; PBJ 28 Chicken queso gordita crunch; turkey & cheese hoagie 29 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; PBJ MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Hawaiian or cheese pizza

5 Sloppy Joe; pesto chicken salad wrap 6 Hog dog; PBJ 7 Philly steak panino; ham & cheese wrap 8 Cheese or pepperoni pizza 11 BBQ pork sandwich; Italian sandwich 12 Beef & cheese nachos; chicken fajita wrap 13 Buffalo chicken sandwich; PBJ 14 Hamburger/cheeseburger; turkey & cheese hoagie 15 Cheese or chicken, bacon, ranch pizza 18 No school!

19 Soft taco; chicken salad sandwich 20 BBQ chicken sandwich; PBJ

21 Stuffed shells w/garlic knot; ham & cheese wrap 22 Green chili chicken or cheese pizza 25 Breakfast for lunch; Italian sandwich 26 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken fajita wrap 27 Teriyaki chicken w/brown rice; PBJ 28 Chicken queso gordita crunch; turkey & cheese hoagie 29 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; PBJ

WINDSOR SCHOOL DISTRICT—Price for elementary lunch is $2.90, for middle school students, $3.15. Reduced lunches are elementary, free; middle school, $0.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Personal cheese pizza; turkey & cheese sub 5 Chicken Alfredo; mini cheeseburgers 6 Hamburger; corndog 7 Chicken tenders; turkey & cheese sub 8 Big daddy cheese or vegetable pizza 11 Pizza sticks w/sauce; PBJ 12 Chili; mini cheeseburgers 13 Pancakes w/sausage patties; burrito 14 Popcorn chicken ; turkey & cheese sub 15 Big daddy cheese or Hawaiian pizza

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18 Ravioli 19 Cheesy nachos; mini cheeseburgers 20 Teriyaki chicken; corn dog 21 Big daddy cheese or vegetable pizza 22 No school!

25 Mac n’cheese; PBJ & string cheese 26 Chicken street tacos; mini cheeseburgers 27 French toast sticks; pigs in a blanket 28 Chicken sandwich; turkey & cheese sub 29 Big Daddy cheese or Hawaiian pizza

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Pepperoni calzone; hamburger 5 Chicken Alfredo; cheeseburger 6 Mandarin Orange chicken; hamburger 7 Chicken tenders w/mashed potatoes; cheeseburger 8 Turkey club wrap; hamburger 11 Potato bar; hamburger 12 Burrito/taco bar; cheeseburger 13 Pancakes w/sausage patties; hamburger 14 Pasta bar; cheeseburger

15 Steak & cheese sub; hamburger 18 Mini ravioli; hamburger 19 cheese enchilada; cheeseburger 20 Teriyaki chicken; hamburger 21 BBQ pork sandwich; cheeseburger 22 No school!

25 Mac n’cheese; hamburger 26 Chicken street tacos; cheeseburger 27 Cinnamon French toast w/sausage patties; hamburger 28 Chicken sandwich; hamburger 29 Pepperoni calzone; hamburger

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New family member have you bursting at the seams in your current house? Time to find one that fits all of you!

Text me today and let’s start looking.

Buying a home is more than signing papers and getting a key, it’s about creating new dreams, new hopes and fulfilling all the promises that you always hoped you could.

Brandy Formanek • Broker Associate (970) 310-0610 • brandy@frii.com • www.BrandyKnowsHomes.com

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SEPTEMBER 2017 ONGOING Year Round Tree Trunks Bring forestry-related educational resources for your students, family or daycare! Appropriate for elementary and middle school through adult. Free for loaning but $50 return deposit required.

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

Scout Badge Program Two hours customized to fit the needs of your troop including (but not limited to) gardening, water, natural resources and cooking. $10 per scout; one adult required for every five scouts. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 970-416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

THROUGH OCTOBER 31 Youth Garden Tours A variety of topics built around grade level learning goals. Pre-K-12th grade.

Schools, homeschool groups, day cares, camps and youth groups. Reservations required. $4 per child. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am-4pm.

970-416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAYS, THROUGH DECEMBER Hookin’ Up – Crochet Class & Group BYOP (bring your own project).

Beginners bring: H crochet hook and some worsted weight yarn. Teens and adults. Loveland Public Library, Erion Room, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 10:30am-12:30pm. 970-962-2401, www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

SEPTEMBER 5, 12, 19 AND 26 HTML5 & CSS3 Learn the basics of HTML5 and CSS in this four part class. Participants will need to be available for all four classes and have an email account. Teens and adults.

Registration required. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6:30pm. 970221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

SEPTEMBER 7 THROUGH 10 Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival Enjoy traditional music, dancing, jousting and more at this event. US Highway 36 & Community Dr., Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival, EP. 9am-5pm. www.visitestespark.com.

SEPTEMBER 11 AND 12 Early Brain and Child Development (Including Toxic Stress and Childhood Adversity) National speaker Dr. Dipesh Navasaria will present on this fascinating topic, followed by a community conversation.

Both sessions will cover the same topic. Drake Center, 802 W. Drake Rd., FC. Saturday 6:30-8:30pm; Sunday 8:30am-noon. 970-377-3388, xt. 203, bcowen@ecclc.org.

SEPTEMBER 26 THROUGH OCTOBER 1 Tibetan Monks’ Sacred Art Tour Eight Tibetan monks will design and create a World Peace Sand Mandala in the Museum lobby during the week. A Cultural Pageant will be held on Sunday at the Fort Collins Senior Center.

Museum on weekdays-Free; Cultural Pageant-$10. Global Village Museum of Arts & Cultures, 200 W. Mountain Ave., FC. Weekdays-10am-5pm; Sunday-3-5pm. 970-221-4600, www. globalvillagemuseum.org.

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

Loveland (970) 493-7442

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY

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MONDAYS, SEPTEMBER 11 THROUGH DECEMBER 11 The Incredible Years Parenting Group 10-week program for families with children ages 3-6 years. Dinner and children’s group included. Matthews House Community Life Center, 220 N. Grant Ave., FC. 5:30-7pm. 970-494-4202.

MONDAYS, SEPTEMBER 25 THROUGH NOVEMBER 13 Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course Participants who complete this evidence-based program will notice a decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms, and learn healthy responses to positive and negative life stressors. $375. Location TBD, FC. Mondays6:15-8:30pm; One Saturday TBD10am-4pm. 970-302-1796, www. mindfulnessmattersinstitute.com.

MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS Read and Seed Youth Program 30-45 minutes of preschool readiness activities including a story and related craft. Ages 2-5 with adult. $3 per participating child, no charge for adult.

Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10-10:45am & 11-11:45am.

970-416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

TUESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 12 THROUGH DECEMBER 5 Fall Citizens Academy The Citizens Academy is designed to give citizens an overview of the operations of the Larimer County Sheriff ’s Office. Includes one Saturday field day. 18+. $30. Larimer County Sheriff ’s Office, 2501 Midpoint Dr., FC. 970-682-0597, www.larimersheriff.org.

SATURDAYS IN SEPTEMBER Discovery Zone in the Children’s Garden Explore various root viewers, explorer tables, garden tools, games and activities. Volunteer host will assist. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am-12noon. 970416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS IN SEPTEMBER Birthday Party at the Gardens 90 minutes of birthday fun in the Greenroof Shelter with 30 minutes of Garden instructor-led activities. Two weeks advance notice required. Ages 2-9. $130 for up to 10 children (including birthday child). Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. Saturdays-10am & 1pm; Sundays-1pm. 970-416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Grand Opening of Life in Istanbul ~ Village of Millions This exhibit features the vibrant and colorful paintings of Gabrielle “Gabby” Reeves, a native of Casper, Wyoming, who moved to Turkey in 2011. Global Village Museum of Arts & Cultures, 200 W. Mountain Ave., FC. 11am-9pm. 970221-4600, www.globalvillagemuseum.org.

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Noches en Familia A time of children’s stories, crafts, puppets and music in Spanish, that invites fluent speakers as well as those interested in the Spanish language, to enjoy an afternoon in community and family. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 5pm. 970-2216740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

Crispy Watkins and River music The band will be performing on the outdoor patio of the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures for the opening of Life in Istanbul ~ Village of Millions. Global Village Museum of Arts & Cultures, 200 W. Mountain Ave., FC. 6-8pm. 970-221-4600, www. globalvillagemuseum.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Wild by Wild: Photographs of Wildlife

by Wildlife View the gallery of the latest wild animal “selfies” taken by remote cameras and enjoy fun family activities. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, 408 Mason Ct., FC. 10am-2pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

Story Time for Youth Youth ages 3-10 are invited for a free story time, a fun craft and a yummy snack. Global Village Museum of Arts & Cultures, 200 W. Mountain Ave., FC. 10am-5pm. 970-221-4600, www. globalvillagemuseum.org.

Crafty Tales - Sun, Moon and Stars This creative event will feature stories, songs and a special craft. Ages 3-6.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10:30-11:30am. 970-686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Loren Eiseley: Scientist, Poet and Time Traveler Learn how Loren Eiseley, an anthropologist and writer, made a key discovery in the 1930s at the famed Lindenmeier site. 0.25 miles; easy. Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, meet at the north parking lot, 22998 Rawhide Flats Rd., Wellington. 10am-12noon. www.fcgov. com/register.

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2017 Rist Canyon Mountain Festival Cap off Labor Day weekend with family activities and entertainment. Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, 11835 Rist Canyon Rd., Bellvue. 10am-4pm. 970-493-1236, www.rcvfd.org.

Animal Afternoon Join Larimer Animal People Partnership volunteers and their special story-loving critters. Enjoy good books and the opportunity to read to friendly animals.

Grades K-5. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 3pm. 970-221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Senior Sensory Roll and Stroll Experience the wonders of nature through your five senses on this guided nature walk. The program will move at a slow pace and is accessible for wheelchairs and walkers. Registration required. Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area, 3340 Carpenter Rd., FC. 9:3011:30am. www.fcgov.com/register.

Geology Hike at the Devil’s Backbone Discover the fascinating geology of Devil’s Backbone. Adults. Devil’s Backbone Open Space, 1725 Hidden Valley Dr., LV. 10-11:30am. 970-6194565, www.larimer.org/naturalresources.

Amphibian Decline: Global to local, a view from the trenches Amphibian decline may seem like an exotic issue, but here in the Front Range of Colorado, some frogs are in trouble.

Adults. Registration required. Nix Farm, 1745 Hoffman Mill Rd., FC. 7-8pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

The Story of the American Bison See American bison in their natural habitat, the shortgrass prairie. Bring binoculars, snacks, water, closed-toe shoes and sun protection. 0.5 miles; easy. Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, meet at the south parking lot, 22998 Rawhide Flats Rd., Wellington. 4-6pm. www.fcgov.com/ register.

Life Hack: Self-Defense Nick from Vision Quest Martial Arts will teach techniques for basic self-defense in an open and laid-back atmosphere. Teens. Registration required. Erie Library, Meeting Room, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4:30-5:30pm. www.MyLibrary.us.

Book Talk with Michael Kodas Michael Kodas will be giving a presentation on his book Megafire, which follows his journey as he tries to discover what is at the heart of the phenomenon known as megafire. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-4847898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Adult Night Walk Experience a long walk with a Master Naturalist and time for reflection. Dress warmly, wear closed-toe shoes and bring water. 0.5-2 miles; easy. Ages 16+ with adult. Registration required. Location provided at registration. 7:15-9:15pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

NoCo Down Syndrome Walk 2017 The Northern Colorado Down Syndrome Association provides support and resources to individuals with Down Syndrome, as well as their families or caregivers. This event raises funds to support their mission. Ticket prices vary.

Fossil Creek Park, 5821 S. Lemay Ave., FC. Registration begins at 9am. www. nocodownsyndrome.org.

Environmental Stewardship Project for Teens Get your hands dirty and spend a day with your friends outside! Participants will play a role in choosing a project and site once registered. Registration required. Location determined after registration. 9am-1pm. www.fcgov.com/ register.

Interesting Reader Society (Teen IRS) Meetup to talk about books, movies, music and other topics of interest to teens. Plan and participate in teen library programs and volunteer activities.

Grades 6-12. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 11am. 970-221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

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Fortified Farm Dinners

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Sunday Sept.10

Fossil Creek Farms 5-9pm

TICKETS: $90 BENEFITS

Save the Poudre

www.fortifiedcollaborations.com

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What’s Your Story?

Storytellers deliver a 5-minute story around the theme of inclusion.

Registration required. Grades 6-12.

Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2pm. 970-221-6740, www. poudrelibraries.org.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Caddyshack Caddyshack fans will screen this cultfavorite movie with actor Michael O’Keefe. After the film, O’Keefe will engage in a moderated discussion about the movie. Ticket prices vary. Rialto Theater Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 7:30pm. www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

Family Bike Night A fun and casual 3-5 mile ride for the whole family. Helmets are strongly encouraged. Promontory Park, 1719 Promontory Cir., GR. 6:30pm. www. greeleygov.com.

Skygazing at Fossil Creek Reservoir Volunteers from the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society provide telescopes and share their knowledge about stars, planets, galaxies and more. Dress warmly and bring a blanket or chair.

Registration required. Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area, meet at the parking lot, 3340 Carpenter Rd., FC. 9-11pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

Horsetooth Open Water Swim This event benefits TEAM Wellness and Prevention, which works to promote healthy lifestyles and wellness among youth in Larimer County. Ticket prices and event times vary. Horsetooth Reservoir, South Bay Parking Lot, FC. www. horsetoothswim.com.

Lego Assemble Build Create This hands-on program features a new LEGO build challenge each month.

September is dinosaurs! Supplies provided. Ages 5+. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1pm. 970-2216740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Rustic Women of Soapstone Prairie Learn about three historical women who homesteaded at Soapstone Prairie and get a glimpse of pioneer life on the prairie. 0.25 miles on paved trail; easy.

Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, meet at the north parking lot, 22998 Rawhide Flats Rd., Wellington.

1-2:30pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

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Tiny Trekkers Enjoy nature-filled crafts, stories and fun facts. Ages 2-5 with adult. Devil’s Backbone Open Space, 1725 Hidden Valley Dr., LV. 10-11am. 970-619-4565, www. larimer.org/naturalresources.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Rocky Mountain Raptors: Rehabilitation and Responsibility Learn about the how the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program has been saving lives for 30 years in Northern Colorado. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 6:30pm. 970-221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Black-Footed Ferret Exploration Journey together to Soapstone Prairie for a presentation about the Black-Footed Ferret and then hike and search for this elusive resident. Bring snacks, water, closed-toed shoes, layers and a flashlight.

1-2 miles; moderate. Registration required. Meet at west parking lot of Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Dr., FC. 5:30-10:30pm. www.fcgov.com/ register.

World Languages Storytime in Russian Children’s stories, crafts, puppets and music for fluent speakers and those interested in a new language. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 5:30pm.

970-221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

The Taste Benefit Join The Food Bank for Larimer County at the foodie event of the year in Northern Colorado. This event raises funds for hunger-relief programs in Larimer County. 21+. Ticket prices vary.

Marriott Fort Collins, 350 E. Horsetooth Rd., FC. 6-9pm. www.tastebenefit.org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Harwood and Woodward: The Magical Duo This modern take on the fantasy and thrill of vaudeville’s traveling magician days is fast-paced, fun and set to swing and ragtime music. $16-18. Rialto Theater Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 7:30pm. www. rialtotheatercenter.org.

Astronomy at Bobcat Ridge – The Magnificent Milky Way Enjoy a brief, family friendly astronomy lesson, learn about our amazing galaxy and see the Milky Way in the autumn sky. Dress warmly, bring water and a blanket or chair. Registration required.

Bobcat Ridge Natural Area, meet at the parking lot, 10184 CR 32C, LV. 7:3010pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Wonderful Wild Plants of the Devil’s Backbone See what’s in bloom and hear interesting stories about Colorado’s plants. Devil’s Backbone Open Space, 1725 Hidden Valley Dr., LV. 8-10am. 970-619-4565, www. larimer.org/naturalresources.

Nature’s Harvest Fest Celebrate local nature and agriculture!

A free day of fun and learning for the whole family. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 9am-2pm. www. fcgov.com/gardens.

School House Rock Live! Jr. Based on the Emmy award-winning 1970s cartoons, this fast-paced musical includes clever, catchy tunes. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2pm. 970221-6740, www.poudrelibraries.org.

Ready, Set, Create! Span-tastic Bridges Learn about the Engineering Design Process while challenging your creative mind. Grades 2-5. Centennial Park Library, Meeting Room, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 2-3pm. www.MyLibrary.us.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Open Streets Ride the Route This event encourages community participation and healthy living by temporarily closing select city streets to motorized traffic. Pitkin Bikeway between Overland Park and CSU, FC. 10am-3pm. www.fcgov.com/openstreets.

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Classic Miniature Gardening Class Create your very own miniature fantasy world with plants, accessories and some imagination. $40. Fort Collins Nursery, 2121 E. Mulberry St., FC. 11am12:30pm & 1:30-3pm. 970-482-1984, www.FortCollinsNursery.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Animals of Pokemon with Nature’s Educators Did you know that the characters from Pokemon were designed off of real animals? Grades 1-5. Registration required. Erie Library, Meeting Room, 400 Powers St., Erie. 4-5pm. www.

MyLibrary.us.

Craig Johnson at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Craig Johnson will be speaking about the latest book in his Longmire series, The Western Star. Purchase of The Western Star=2 tickets; purchase of An Obvious Fact=1 ticket. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 2000 Stover St., FC. 7pm. 970-4847898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Book Talk with Tim Wenger Tim Wenger will be speaking about his book, So,You Have a Band, a guide to help independent musicians move forward in their careers. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Tot Art – The Many Faces of Picasso Explore the Museum’s Picasso exhibit create a fun and colorful abstract portrait using Shrinky Dink. Ages 3-6 with adult. $12 ($10 Museum members). Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 10:30–11:30am. 970-962-2410, www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Campfire at the Cabin- Fireside Frights Learn what animals are doing while you sleep. Spend an evening cozy by a campfire complete with stories and s’mores. Bring a flashlight and dress warmly. 2 miles; easy. Registration required. Coyote Ridge Natural Area, meet at the cabin, Spring Mesa Rd., FC. 7-8:30pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Book Talk with Albert DeSilver Albert DeSilver will be talking about his book Writing as a Path to Awakening, which shows readers how meditation can cultivate depth in their writing.

Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898, www. oldfirehousebooks.com.

Fort Collins Family Fun Fair Attend this family event with children’s activities, free food, community resources and more. Fullana Learning Center, 220 N. Grant Ave., FC. 9am12noon. www.bereadylarimercounty.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Family Nature Club Meet other families who want to spend more time with their kids outdoors. Ages 12 and under with adult. Registration required. North Shields Ponds Natural Area, 1333 N. Shields St., FC. 9-11am. www.fcgov.com/register.

Teen Art Cafe Discover and experiment with several different art tools, approaches and formats at this event. Registration required. Grades 6-12. Harmony Library, Redcloud Peak Building, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 11am. 970-221-6740, www. poudrelibraries.org.

Fidget Spinners: Create and Compete Design and decorate your own fidget spinner, then, show off your skills with competitions. Registration required.

Ages 12-18. Carbon Valley Library, Meeting Room, 7 Park Ave., Firestone.

2-4pm. www.MyLibrary.us.

Squirrels: Our Animal Neighbors When we see busy squirrels in the fall, they are gathering a food supply for the winter, but they also have another project that is more noticeable once the trees have lost their leaves. Grades K-2. Registration required. Erie Library, Meeting Room, 400 Powers St., Erie.

4:15-5pm. www.MyLibrary.us.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Ancient People of Fossil Creek Discover what life may have been like for the ancient inhabitants of the plains.

Registration required. Fort Collins Municipal Court, Community Room, 215 N. Mason, enter through north door, FC. 7-8pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Hobbit Birthday Party Celebrate Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday with good food and games. Guests can chat with a former guide at the Hobbiton Movie Set. $5. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

National Public Lands Day Volunteer Project Volunteer to help expand the Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd. Water, snacks and lunch provided. Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, transportation provided from, Nix Farm, 1745 Hoffman Mill Rd., FC. 7:30am1pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

Stargazing with the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society Get an up-close look at the night sky over the Rockies. Telescopes provided.

Devil’s Backbone Open Space, 1725 Hidden Valley Dr., LV. 7:30-9:30pm.

970-619-4489, www.larimer.org/ naturalresources.

Mountain Bike Ride at Soapstone Prairie For beginner and advanced riders alike!

1, 2, and 4 hour options. Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, meet at the south parking lot, 22998 Rawhide Flats Rd., Wellington. 10am2pm. www.fcgov.com/register.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Book Signing with Emily Kemme Local author Emily Kemme will be signing copies of her book Drinking the Knock Water: A New Age Pilgrimage. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 1pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

A is for Apples It’s apple season! Celebrate Fall as you play and make crafts with apples. Ages 2-6. Severance Town Hall, 3 Timber Ridge Pkwy, Severance. 11:15-11:45am. 970686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary.org.

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time out The measure of success County Fair teaches kids many lessons K ATIE HARRIS

S

quawking chickens, squealing children and oversized poster boards and binders compete for space in the cab of my husband’s Ford F250 in the early days of August. Fair week has arrived once again at The Ranch in Loveland.

For the next few days, 4H kids from all over northern Colorado enjoy a well-deserved break in the form of a Ferris wheel, funnel cakes and freedom.

Another year of hard work behind them makes the fair all the sweeter.

Then, before they know it, the moment of truth arrives. At 4pm sharp the doors to the McKee building, which houses the newly judged consumer and general projects, opens. A waiting crowd of 4Hers and their families make a bee-line for the tables at the far end of the room, anxious to see how their projects fared.

The judges arrive at the livestock barn soon after, signaling the showmanship competitions are mere moments away. In the poultry barn, where our chickens are housed for the week, showmanship works slightly differently.

Rather than performing in the arena in front of a crowd, poultry members compete in a small, enclosed room, one-onone, with the judge.

Those 30 seconds spent walking across the McKee building, or five minutes in the showmanship arena, or three minutes in a room with the poultry judge feel like eternity to those kids.

As parents, we feel every emotion along with our children. Their heartbreak over losing is our own, just as their excitement over winning is our own.

At some point though, we ultimately remember that we are the adults, and we have a job to do. Fair season is one of the best teaching opportunities we as parents will ever stumble upon.

This is why, on the last day of fair, we don’t congratulate our children on the

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colors of their ribbons. We don’t high-five them when they pick up their cash premiums for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place wins.

We don’t reassure them that next year they’ll take the title of grand champion.

Instead, we remind them to congratulate each other and their peers on a job well done, including and especially the ones who beat them. We make sure they stick around and pitch in until every last crate is packed up and the barn is sparkling clean. And when we get home the first thing we do is encourage them to write letters to the superintendents of their projects, thanking them for the many volunteer hours they invest in these kids.

During the poultry award ceremony each year, the superintendents present two awards to 4H kids who consistently

help out around the barn, take younger kids under their wings, and make themselves available to the public to answer questions. Each year I tell my kids that winning one of those awards someday should mean more to them than 100 blue ribbons for their chickens.

I’d like to think that each year they work a little harder toward that goal.

They are young, and have many 4H years ahead of them. They have many victories and probably plenty of disappointment in their futures. I hope that each year they’ll learn a little more from those experiences, about how to better care for their chickens, how to create more impressive poster projects, but mostly, about how to be good sports. In the end, that’s the true measure of fair season success.

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