RM Parent November 2016

NOVEMBER 2016 • RMPARENT.COM

Homework Redefine

success!

aging

The indoor air we breathe

Kids ski free!

Celebrating

the

holidays

WINTER WARMUPS REGION’S

BEST

FAMILY CALENDAR!

Bravo!

PLUS:

Holiday Events Guide

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COME TO OUR

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Neighborhood Toy Store Day November 12th 10-2

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LIFE ISN’T ALL

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B UT T O D AY IT CAN BE FREE GAME

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

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FORT COLLINS North College Lanes 830 N College 484-4777

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Now is the time

to become the person you want to be so that 10 years down the road you don’t regret the parent you became.

You are not stuck with skills that you got (or didn’t get) from your parents. Mindfulness, neuroplasticity and mentoring can give you choices in the parent that you become.

Your kids are not stuck either with challenges they were born with or negative things they have experienced.

Investing in therapy is one of the best investments you can make for you and/or your kids.

I combine the time-tested traditions of eastern psychology with the latest discoveries in neuroscience to help adults and kids break free from the experiences and beliefs that hold them hostage in an unhappy life.

Do you want to live more fully, love more deeply and feel more whole?

Call or email for a free consultation and let’s explore how I can help.

Gwen Bartran, MA, LPCC 970-988-6978 | gartran@msn.com | gwenbartran.com

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Come and visit our

indoor playhouse & cafe.

Visit our new website for hours, classes, events, and birthday party packages.

www.coolbeansfoco.com

Now under new ownership.

(970)266-1135

NOVEMBER 2016

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

Cycles of life—growing up with old friends

WOMEN’S HEALTH . . . . . . . . 8 Appreciating yourself now—redefine aging in your own mind

FAMILY ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . 10

Special Sections WINTER WARMUPS

Explore the possibilities for this winter and see what programs these providers have for your familiy

Kids ski free—hit the slopes this season

LEARN AND LIVE . . . . . . . . . . 12

Kick, strike and throw—martial arts build fitness, confidence and skills

COMMUNITY NEWS . . . . . . . 14

NoCo prioritizes health and support for all— pulling together helps everyone in the community

BRAVO!

WINTER

WARM UPS A DV E RT I S I N G S UPPLEMENT

HOLIDAY EVENT GUIDE The holidays are here and you can experience their cheer in so many ways.

Northern Colorado is home to many favorite holiday activities you won’t want to miss.

HEALTHY LIVING . . . . . . . . . . 16 Checking the air we breathe—indoor air can be much worse than outdoor air

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Events and activities for parents, kids and families

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

Off to a good start—the Kindergarten transition goes smoothly

Features 18 TRADITIONALLY SPEAKING

Just like we can count on the holidays coming around each year, we also can count on them being filled with the same old, same old. But that’s okay, because traditions can give us a sense of belonging.

School District News Greeley-Evans District 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Mayor makes donation to STEM program, Martinez Elementary STEAMS ahead with new focus, Buck visits Romero for National School Lunch Week, Greeley West student has video shown at White House

Poudre School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 PSD calendar of events, extracurricular foreign language classes bolster kids’ education, adventure P.E. exposes teenagers to classic Colorado activities, sewing project provides hands-on STEM learning

Thompson School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Students attend Success S2 Summit, students donate to students, students spend day with local artists, jog-a-thon raises nearly $12,0000, congressman Jared Polis visits new school

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

20 5 STEPS OF HOMEWORK SUCCESS

Now, more than ever, your kids need help getting organized and practicing sound study habits. You know homework battles are not only unpleasant, they often don’t work.

Instead of becoming the homework police, teach your kids key organizational skills that will help them get work done at any age ABOUT THE COVER: Copley, 9, likes riding horses, painting in art class and playing soccer as a Defender. Photo by Cheri Schonfeld, courtesy of Sky's Open Design.

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perspective Cycles of life

Growing up with old friends

M

y parents and I had fun dinner the other night with Pam, an old friend (as in friend that we’ve known for a long time) and her daughter, Chrissy, and grandchildren, Cadence and Tony. Time is funny. I met Pam when she and her husband moved in across the street. When I was a teenager, they had a couple of kids, a boy and a girl.

I babysat them (but that’s a different story) and eventually they babysat our kids. And now they have kids of their own. We hadn’t all been together for a long time and it was fun to catch up.

Time is funny. We’re all older and in different stages of our lives than we had been the last time we got together many years ago. When you see someone regularly, the changes are incremental and you don’t notice them so much. But when you haven’t seen someone for years, it’s a little more striking. It was fun to see Chrissy in full-on mom mode…beaming as her lovely children entertained us, taking them for potty breaks, cajoling them to eat another bite. Pam was her usual fun-loving, kidding self. ”We got old,” was about the first thing she said when she saw me, though she looked pretty much just as she had the last time I saw her.

I count myself lucky to have old friends…some whom I see regularly and some whom I see sporadically. And most of my, and I should really say ‘our,’ old friends have built relationships with our kids and my parents too. We’ve watched each other and our kids grow up. We’ve seen how we all deal with the changes in life…health challenges, job promotions, sickness and death of friends and family, retirement.

It’s nice being older and being less caught up in do, do, do and have, have, have. It’s nice to be able to stand back a bit and just take in the show that is this merry-go-round ride that we’re all just trying to figure out as we go. It seems we all have the same fears and hopes and anxieties…different flavors, but basically the same.

So Lynn Nichols story about redefining aging (page 8) got me thinking down this road. I guess where I’m going with this is that people have been doing this, and I think by ‘this’ I mean ‘living,’ for a long time, and I see that some seem to just enjoy what comes their way and some seem to fight it. Some seem to age quickly and some seem to keep a flexible mind and a healthy body. And I think that we have a lot of choice in that.

Anyway, watching this cycle of life play out is just so fun…except for the knees and the stiff back.

Thanks for reading, Scott

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NOVEMBER 2016 • Volume 21, Issue 6 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 Sharon Klahn, Debbie Lee, Rob Martin, Susan Pettit, Nikolai Poppen-Chambers 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.

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women’s health

Appreciating yourself now Redefine aging in your own mind

LY NN U. NICHOLS

I

t’s tough to grow old in America, especially as women. We’re a culture that values youth and beauty to the extreme. On television and the big screen, commercials and shows use women in their 50s to portray women in their 70s, sending the message that growing old is not attractive. It’s a rare star who doesn’t get plastic surgery to keep a youthful look, and the topics of combatting signs of aging and staying beautiful are the mainstay of most women’s magazines. If we bump along with society, we’re going to fight aging as best we can and feel bad about ourselves every time we find a gray hair or see a wrinkle in the mirror. It’s better to step back and redefine aging for ourselves.

Consider how you personally define aging. Do you see it all as a negative?

With aging comes some unexpected positives—one is feeling good in your own skin. You know yourself and trust yourself more. You make fewer life mistakes, fewer regrets about skills or abilities or personality traits that you don’t have and more acceptance. You care much less about what people think of you. You start thinking about what matters to you most and bringing more of that into your life.

It’s true, the physical aspects of growing older are not fun, and if we had the choice many of us would turn back the hands of time—at least a little—as we grow old. Who wants to wear bifocals and feel stiffness in the morning? Who wants to be seen as a ma’am rather than a miss? Wrinkles will come, and we’ll have to work harder to stay healthy. Yet we have more power to combat signs of aging than you might think. Research says our genes are responsible for just 25 percent of how we physically age.

Stress, lifestyle habits and our immunity also play big roles, and these we

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have control over. We can choose to exercise regularly, keep our minds stimulated, get good sleep, eat well, drink less or no alcohol, not smoke, and control our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Starting these healthy lifestyle habits in your 30s means you’ll feel fewer signs of aging in your 50s. It’s a well-known fact that people who abuse their bodies age faster.

When it comes down to it, aging is really a state of mind. If you have a positive attitude and believe you can take action to improve your health, you’ll feel—and act—younger. Exercise lowers the stress hormone cortisol and increases the feel-good hormone serotonin. If you have a solid workout routine, be grateful. The habit of regular exercise will become only more engrained as you age and will become easier. It’s almost like your body will crave it and rise to it like it didn’t when you were young. Exercise also becomes less about looking good and more about being healthy.

If you want to take action to keep

your face looking young, go for it. You are not alone. In fact 62 percent of American women ages 35 to 54 in a recent survey say that when they shop for skincare products, antiaging properties are extremely important. After all, we all want to look our best.

Maybe as we age we can’t remember every detail like we could when we were younger, but you know what?

The expertise we’ve gained in our work makes up for it. Life experience, on all counts, makes us more able to live with intention, purpose and go about our days with fewer screw-ups.

According to Walter Bortz, MD, author of “Living Longer for Dummies…” aging is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Decide to redefine aging for yourself, and look to the positives it will bring.

Don’t fret about signs of aging, enjoy the youth you still have. At 40 you’ll look back and wish you appreciated the body and face and hair you had in your 20s; at 60, you’ll wish you spent more time enjoying the youthfulness of your 40s.

Appreciate your youth, right now.

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family activities

Kids ski free!

Hit the slopes this season KATIE HARRIS

W

ith so many ways for kids to ski and ride for free, there’s never been a better time to hit the slopes. Most mountains offer unlimited free lift tickets for ages 5 and under, but even elementary agers can get in on the action thanks to multiple programs offered by Colorado ski areas and organizations.

The Colorado Ski Country Passport Program allows 5th graders to ski free up to three times per season at each of 20 different mountains— that’s up to 60 ski days per season.

Sixth graders can also use the pass and will receive four days per mountain for 80 total ski days, but will be charged a discounted rate of $105 (before Nov. 30th) or $125 (before Jan. 31st). Registration is ongoing and can be found online at www.passport. coloradoski.com/.

The Epic School Kids pass is available June through October at locations across Denver and Boulder. The pass offers elementary students four days of free skiing at select Colorado resorts, as well as one free lesson per student that includes a free gear rental. After the October deadline for free tickets has passed, discounted tickets will still be available for the season at www.snow. com/epic-pass/info/epickids.aspx.

Select ski areas have teamed up to offer their own free ski deals this season. Arapahoe Basin offers a Free2-Ski pass for kids ages 6 to 12. The pass is good for the 2016-17 season with no blackout dates, and must be purchased by Nov. 6th online at www. shop.arapahoebasin.com. Children 5 and under ski free at Arapahoe Basin all season long by signing up for a pass at the season pass office or online. There is no deadline to sign up.

Free lift tickets are available for ages 7 to 12 at Aspen and Snowmass this 10

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season when they purchase their rentals from Four Mountain Sports (www. aspensnowmass.com/plan-your-stay/ equipment-rentals/four-mountainsports-locations). These passes are good January 1st through April 2nd, and must be reserved by the 15th of the month prior. They are subject to blackout dates, and only available through certain operators, so visit www.aspensnowmass. com/plan-your-stay/packages-and-deals for details before planning your trip.

Kids ages 12 and under ski free at Crested Butte from Nov. 24thDec.16th and April 1st-9th. These passes require no purchase, no lodging, and no advance reservation. More information can be found at www.skicb. com/plan-your-trip/deals.

Steamboat offers a buy-one-getone program that allows kids 12 and under to ski free each day their parent or grandparent purchases a ski pass. There is a 5-day minimum pass purchase for this program to go into effect. For details

visit www.steamboat.com/plan-your-trip/ tickets-and-passes/kids-ski-free.

Another option this season is to select a resort that offers free kids passes with lodging. Book a 4-day minimum stay with Jackson Hole Resort Lodging in Wyoming and for each paying adult, a child under 14 can ski for free and receive free rentals. Some blackout dates apply, so visit www.jacksonhole.com/lodging/ lodging-packages.html for details and to book your stay.

Sunlight Mountain Resort, just south of Glenwood Springs also offers free skiing with lodging. Book a stay at a qualifying Glenwood Springs lodge and receive free ski passes for kids under 12, free hot springs passes, and complimentary shuttle service. Blackout dates apply. Visit www.sunlightmtn. com/plan-your-trip/ski-swim-stayvacation-package-sunlight-mountainresort for more information on their Ski Swim Stay package.

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

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

(970) 498-5772 larimer.org/solidwaste

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learn and live

Kick, strike and throw Martial arts build fitness, confidence and skills KIM SHARPE

D

oes your child love to jump and shout? Does she have more energy to burn than a power plant? Does he need to practice taking turns or following instructions? Have you considered enrolling her in karate or getting him involved in tae kwon do?

Some parents believe martial arts promote violence and fighting when in actuality, just the opposite is true. Martial arts training “helps kids learn how to deal with violence,” says Lou Anne Yee, owner of Karate West in Fort Collins. “It helps children and adults understand themselves, develop their strengths and self-confidence by helping them feel competent, and teaches them skills to deal with physical and verbal attacks. We want people to know how to defend themselves if they have to, but we always prefer they don’t have to choose that. We emphasize how to stand up for yourself and others, and to be respectful and kind.”

Most schools don’t enroll children before age 5, but a few start them earlier, like the tae kwon do academy 3-year-old Bill Mishkind attends. Bill’s

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mom, Madeline, says he was introduced to tae kwon do at his preschool and really enjoyed it, so she and her husband, who is trained in judo, wanted to take advantage of his enthusiasm for the sport by enrolling him in formal classes.

They believe martial arts “…help with self-confidence, as well as discipline and athletic ability, all of which we hope he gains from participating.”

Dylan Marcy was involved in karate and jui jitsu from age 6 through 21, even though he has some physical challenges.

He says, “Martial arts weren’t created for people with dwarfism, so I had to learn to adapt techniques and improvise where necessary; the world’s the same way, it’s not built for people like me, so getting by in it can take some creativity. Participating in karate taught me to take pride in what I do, and how to adapt to the world around me. It also taught me that improvisation is okay when I can’t do things the way someone else can. That lesson is one I’ll carry with me my entire life.”

Perhaps we can all benefit from learning that doing the best we can is good enough.

Martial Arts 101

Several varieties of martial arts are offered in northern Colorado.

Aikido is a gentle and noncompetitive form of martial arts that emphasizes teamwork.

Judo is a form of grappling developed in Japan. It emphasizes lessons in physical, intellectual and moral strength.

Jui Jitsu is a competitive form of self-defense that emphasizes physical fitness and character.

Karate is a Japanese self-defense system that teaches throwing kicks and punches, and blocking blows.

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that emphasizes kicking techniques and mental focus.

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community news

Prioritize health and support Pulling together helps everyone in the community KIM SHARPE

A

healthy community isn’t afraid to assess where it stands, nor make that information public. Larimer County fits that bill. And Greeley’s parks department has made strides to make sure all of its citizens can enjoy playing outdoors by building a special playground. Read on for details!

GREELEY OPENS ALL-INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND Last month, the City of Greeley Culture, Parks and Recreation Department opened Aven’s Village at Island Grove Regional Park, located at 501 N. 14th Ave.—an all-inclusive playground that was built in part with city funding, as well as community and private donations, and grant money. Although there are other accessible playgrounds in Greeley, this is the City’s first all14

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inclusive playground.

“It’s a labor of love that took three years of planning, fundraising and construction, “ says Parks Planner Sarah Boyd.

She explains that the all-inclusive playground is different from an accessible playground. “An accessible playground simply means that it’s fairly easy for a person with mobilityrelated challenges to access and move through the playground. It might have lower monkey bars or high-back seat swings with belts. An allinclusive playground—such as Aven’s Village—is different in that it is geared toward people of all ages and abilities, and seeks to encourage and engage visitors with each other. It includes a mix of sensory, social and physical activities, and allows for people of various levels of ability to experience similar equip-

ment side-by-side.”

While City of Greeley staff try to provide unobstructed access to all of its playgrounds, the all-inclusive concept takes it a step further by incorporating many types of play such as physical, sensory and social activities that appeal to a broad range of users. Special attention is given to include equipment for thrill seekers and non-thrill seekers alike.

For more information about this playground, visit www.AvensVillage.com.

LARIMER COUNTY RESIDENTS WANTED FOR HEALTH SURVEY The Health District of Northern Larimer County is taking the pulse of the community, and it’s asking local residents for help.

Through November, randomly selected households in Larimer County

will be receive a letter requesting participation in the 2016 Community Health Survey. A follow-up mailing will include a copy of the 12-page, 65-question survey. The survey should be completed by the adult in the household who has the next birthday. It can be returned by mail or completed online.

The survey helps the Health District better understand the health and healthcare needs of area residents.

Survey questions cover a broad range of subjects, including personal health, health behaviors (such as diet, physical activity, smoking and seatbelt use) and access to healthcare services.

All survey responses are completely confidential. The Health District keeps no personal information on individual participants. Only aggregate results will be analyzed and reported.

The survey is part of the Health District’s periodic Community Health Assessment, which also includes a series of community forums where community members can express their opinions on a variety of health-related topics.

Information gathered during the Community Health Assessment helps guide the planning and design of programs and services at the Health District.

It also is shared with other local organizations working on health-related issues.

Partial support for this year’s survey comes from Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, North Colorado Health Alliance, TEAM Wellness & Prevention, CanDo Loveland and LiveWell Colorado.

People interested in more information about the 2016 Community Health Survey can call the Health District at 970-224-5209 or visit www.healthdistrict. org/community-health-assessment.

NEW WEBSITE FEATURES LARIMER COUNTY HEALTH DATA Community organizations, students, reporters and interested county residents will find a useful source of health data from the newly launched, online Larimer Health Tracker. This website will be valuable to those who previously relied on the Health section of the Larimer County Compass website, which was discontinued in 2012.

The new tool can be found online at www.larimerhealthtracker.org and serves as a hub for Larimer County health data collected by local, state, and national organizations. Overall, more than 700 health indicators are available, including selected socioeconomic and environmental measures, which strongly affect a community’s health status.

The Larimer Health Tracker provides a user-friendly way to search for specific health indicators, while also displaying the information by age, gender, income and education level where available. The site includes results of the Health District of Northern Larimer County’s triennial Community Health Survey, as well as Larimer County-specific health data from national and state data sets.

Throughout Larimer County, agencies rely on health data to identify areas of concern, assess gaps in services in our community, as well as to support the need for funding to help fill those gaps. The Larimer Health Tracker has the ability to show historical trends over time, plus compare local, state and national health indicators.

NIGHTLIGHTS SHINES LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS OF CHILD ABUSE Realities For Children is hosting the 19th Annual NightLights Tree Lighting

Ceremony on Thursday, December 1 at 6pm. All are welcome to join this free hour-long celebration on the lawn of First Presbyterian Church, 531 S. College Ave. There will be food, hot drinks, cookies, live music and a visit by Santa. Each light on the tree represents a $100 donation by a community member to help take a child out of the darkness of abuse. Community members are invited to sponsor a light on the NightLights Tree any time throughout the month of December. For more information or to donate, visit www.

GiveaNightLight.com.

BIKES FOR TYKES From Nov. 1 through Dec. 12, Realities for Children will be collecting new and gently used bicycles from the community for children ages 2-17 who would otherwise not have the opportunity to own a bike. By donating a bike for a child who has experienced abuse or neglect or is at risk, you are providing not only fun, but freedom. Gently used bikes should be delivered directly to participating bike shops for safety check and minor repairs. Participating shops include: Lee’s Cyclery (all 3 locations), The Phoenix Cyclery and Breakaway Cycles. New bikes can be delivered to Realities for Children at their 1610 S. College Ave. office.

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healthy living

Checking the air we breathe Indoor air can be much worse than outdoor air LEA HANSON

T

he average American spends up to 90 percent of their time indoors and the indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoors. In Fort Collins, one in four homes has a family member with a respiratory ailment. The EPA has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health, so the indoor air quality of our homes is very important.

MOLD AND MOISTURE There is always some mold—in the air and on many surfaces. Mold grows where there is moisture. For people who are sensitive to them, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold.

Mold is found both indoors and outdoors and can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets can and be carried indoors.

Colorado has an arid climate, but we still experience mold and moisture in our homes, especially bathrooms, kitchens, and sometimes basements. Mold can grow on most any surface including paint, wallpaper, and even upholstery.

If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.

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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.

Being exposed to Radon for a long period of time has been shown to cause lung cancer. The EPA lists radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, estimating it is responsible for about 20,000 deaths annually.

Radon exposure doesn’t come with symptoms, so testing for it is essential.

It is easy to test for Radon yourself; home self-tests are readily available and easily accessible. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) recommends radon reduction if your home level exceeds 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).

Radon Testing

Take advantage of the inexpensive or free options in your area and test your house for radon.

• FORT COLLINS & LOVELAND

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 4209 County Rd. 24 1/2, Longmont (I-25 & exit 240)

• AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT

Fort Collins offers free indoor air quality assessments performed by Master Home Educators and typically take less than an hour and a half. Includes radon testing as well as checking for mold and moisture.

Email mpaardrup@fcgov.com, or call 970-416-2832

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Traditionally Replaying holiday rituals— for better or worse Kim Sharpe

speaking T

urkeys, pilgrims, elves, silver bells, mistletoe, candy canes, lighted trees and more.

Just like we can count on the holidays coming around each year, we also can count on them being filled with the same old, same old. But that’s okay, because traditions can give us a sense of belonging.

“In a positive sense, traditions add to our sense of self, our identity; they give us a sense of connectedness to others, to a community, however small (a loved one, close family) or large (community, faith, culture),” says Bob Calhoun, a Fort Collins resident since 1979 and psychologist who still insists on making his great-grandfather’s Herring Salad for Christmas Eve dinner. “Traditions can also provide a form of anticipated structure for time spent with others (especially ‘Uncle Harry’ who we haven’t seen since last year), taking some of the pressure off of planning and filling time.

And, while this is not the case for everyone, traditions can connect past with present, eliciting memories we hold dear.”

“It’s when traditions become too rigid or there is pressure for everyone to participate in (or be equally enthused about) all activities” that they become unhealthy, explains Calhoun.

SPIRIT-FILLED For many people, holiday celebrations have a religious significance, so their traditions include a spiritual aspect. For example, Susan Peterson’s

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family “always went to 11pm candlelight service on Christmas Eve, then home to a festive dinner while listening to Handel’s Messiah. We each got to open one gift before going to bed at 2am or 3am.”

While Thanksgiving isn’t a religious holiday, one local woman (who wants to remain anonymous) believes that preparing and delivering a Thanksgiving feast to all of UCHealth’s EMTs and paramedics that day is a demonstration of Christlike love. “They are my family and it’s my way of showing family love towards them,” she says.

BLENDED BELIEFS Ann Sage and her partner blend their Christian and Jewish backgrounds. “We call it Chismukkah,” Sage says. “I decorate a Christmas tree with ornaments that I buy when we travel, plus use some from my childhood, including a string of small worn pink beads that were on my parents’ tiny Christmas tree on their wedding night. They married on Christmas Day and have the other half of the strand. We also have a menorah and since we’re gay, but more so because we like color, we use candles that are a rainbow. We try to remember to light the candles as close to sundown as possible

and then sing traditional songs.”

This year, the couple’s holiday celebrations also will honor their Germany exchange student who’s an atheist. “Adding in Emma won’t be much different except it will be special to introduce her to all of our traditions, and she likes decorating, so we will get Christmas lights for the outside of our house and decorate more inside.

And we will make sure to have plenty of German chocolate around.

It will be fun!”

SIMPLY SENSIBLE Holiday celebrations don’t have to be complicated or fancy to be wonderful. Often, the more simple the tradition, the better.

Jo Dell Stevenson says, “When I was a child, my parents had us kids use our own socks to hang on the fireplace mantle on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning there was always a big bulge in my sock that was an orange, nuts and hard candy. No one in our family could afford to pay money to buy fancy stockings.”

Renee Elliott’s family gives handmade gifts exclusively. From knitted hats and socks, to paintings to special baked goods to wooden trinket boxes, everyone gets in on the act. “Our family is on a tight budget, so we don’t have a lot of money to spend on gifts, nor do we believe meaningful presents need to be expensive.

We’d rather give and receive

handmade items, and the thought and love that goes into making them.”

SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE The holidays wouldn’t be complete without social gatherings, parties and events.

Katrina King and her husband have friends and family over on Christmas Eve. After dinner and dessert of homemade fudge using Katrina’s grandma’s recipe, they open gifts with their children. “The last gift is always a new pair of PJs, which they change into. Then we read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, but my uncle used to tell it from memory every year.

Once the girls go to bed, the adults exchange gifts and stick around to help Santa.”

Tara Brunin’s holiday traditions also include food and pajamas. She and her husband invite friends over for dinner and everyone’s expected to wear their PJs. “One year our dinner guests included two stranded Latter Day Saints missionaries who improvised by wearing boxers over their clothes. It was hilarious!”

EXPECTATIONS EXPIRE So what’s the best way to approach traditions and perhaps family members’ expectations about carrying on relic-like rituals from the past?

Calhoun says, “The best approach is for open and honest communication among all involved as to what is meaningful to continue and what traditions are ready to be put aside. It is helpful to be open to new activities. Just as we change as individuals and families, so too traditions need to have room to evolve and change with the times.”

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5

Steps to

homework

success

Teach your kids key organizational skills Lynn U. Nichols

S

chool is in full swing and the homework stakes are high.

Teachers are pushing to meet end-of-semester goals despite the coming holidays, and likely your kids are feeling overwhelmed with extra homework and projects. Now, more than ever, they need help getting organized and practicing sound study habits.

As a parent you know battles over homework are not only unpleasant, they often don’t work. Instead of becoming the homework police, teach your kids key organizational skills that will help them get work done at any age—and most importantly by semester’s end.

1. B reak big projects into small chunks Starting in mid- to late elementary, your kids will be assigned bigger projects that they’ll be expected to work on over time. Big projects are inherently overwhelming, and the urge is always to procrastinate. A part of this is the sheer size and demand of work. Break big projects down into smaller, more manageable parts, helping kids see there is a beginning, middle and end. For example, if it’s a science fair project, make a list of steps. Maybe it looks like: 1. Narrow down ideas and make a hypothesis. 2. Gather supplies for the experiment. 3.

Assemble. 4. Test it and make adjustments. 5. Draw a conclusion. 6.

Create poster for fair.

Most importantly, help your child make a timeline of the project, starting with the due date and working backwards. Mark the due date for each step on the calendar. It also helps to have your child consider how long each step might take and adjust the due dates accordingly.

Since projects are outside normal homework, decide when this work might occur—like an hour or two each Saturday afternoon. Review the plan weekly or bi-weekly. It works best to map out project time on the calendar as soon as your child gets the project assigned.

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2. T he good ol’ to-do list The best-known tool for organizing is list making. We all do it whether at work or in our daily lives. It’s a good one for kids, too. Depending on how your child best operates, lists can be made on paper, on their phone in a note-taking/todo list app, or on a sticky note that they get the satisfaction of throwing away once completed.

Keep the list short to just immediate necessities to avoid overwhelm and guilt, and teach your kids to star the ones that are most pressing.

Don’t forget to rejoice in the satisfaction of checking it off the list.

“Some children do very well with to-do lists as they can see a concrete success when they cross things off. For other children, to-do lists may feel overwhelming. Find what works best for your child,” advises Andrea L. Holt, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Fort Collins.

3. Establish a place and time for homework

5. L ittle things that add up

As with many things in life, routines tend to make things run more smoothly. It’s the same with homework and studying.

“Homework routines work because kids learn what is expected of them,” Holt says.

Having a set time and place for homework is a really good way to avoid battles as it’s simply homework time like it always is—at the living room table, or at a desk in another room. Consider allowing an hour of downtime after school to give kids a mental break before homework begins. Make the homework routine fun by filling the fridge with healthy snacks and tasty drinks to keep their motivation and energy high. Make sure the area is well stocked with school supplies.

“The routine can vary within a week depending on after-school activities. It can be helpful to remind a child, ‘today is soccer practice so we don’t have as much play time after school.’ Letting kids know what to expect on a given day will allow them to transition better and to tolerate changes in the typical routine more successfully,” Holt says.

If your child has trouble with organizing her different subjects—especially when she’s new to middle school and the multitude of classes—consider color-coding her subjects. Blue notebook and folder for math, green for science, yellow for history and so on.

If your child does his homework but fails to turn it in, try creating an assignment folder that’s used only for work that’s completed and ready to turn in. That way it won’t get lost or float loosely in a backpack.

Another tip to help your kids succeed at school is to teach them to take notes in two columns. They can divide a piece of paper by a line down the left quarter of the page. In the small left column they write main ideas, and in the right, details that support those ideas. For example, a main idea might be ‘cell structure’ and a supporting idea might be ‘all cells have a nucleus.’

Two-column notes really help for writing the guts of papers, too, as papers consist of 3 main sections—an introduction that tells what you’re writing about, a middle section with paragraphs that explore main ideas with supporting details, and a conclusion that sums up what was said.

Lastly, don’t let them put their homework away without reviewing. Kids are often in such a rush to finish homework they forget this final, vital step. A few misspellings, misplaced quotation marks or mistakes in simple addition can mean the difference between a C and a B or a B and an A.

4. Build in rewards Don’t forget to recognize your kids’ efforts and successes at school. They work hard, and they deserve a reward. It can be as simple as an honest compliment, or if needed, small incentives along the way to keep them going. Maybe when they finish a big assignment they get to pick a fun family outing or get a small item they’ve had their eye on in the store.

Also, when your kids show frustration while doing homework, take it as a chance to teach some emotional intelligence skills. Let them know it’s okay to get frustrated and help them identify what they are feeling.

“Help your kids’ name their frustration and learn what to do with that frustration. It is not okay to throw a tantrum, but it is okay to walk away and take a break,” Holt says.

When frustration mounts, acknowledge that he’s frustrated and suggest a 10-minute brain break that involves moving his body and getting his blood flowing, like a jog around the block, a set of jumping jacks, a quick game of Twister, or putting on music and dancing. Letting off steam in the form of fun often does wonders to release frustration and lessen a down mood.

Best homework apps

Do a quick Internet or iTunes search on homework apps and you’ll get tons of options. Here are some of the top-rated ones for Apple and Android phones—and don’t forget about encyclopedia, dictionary and thesaurus apps.

APPLE ONLY • iHomework —Helps organize courses, grades and to-dos. Syncs across platforms with iCloud.

• Evernote—Take notes in written or photo form. Snapshot assignments, syllabus.

• iTunes U—Tons of resources for research—750,000 free books, videos and lectures from universities and schools.

• Flashcards+—Lets your kids make virtual flashcards for test studying.

ANDROID AND APPLE • myHomework—Tracks assignments, upcoming tests and class schedules. Tells when something is due.

• inClass—Allows for multi-sensory note-taking (on a tablet in the classroom). Uses text, pictures, audio and video.

• Flashcards Deluxe—Easy to use flashcard app that’s customizable. Create flashcardsor download pre-made sets.

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greeley-evans district 6 news Mayor makes donation to STEM program

Greeley Mayor Tom Norton has pledged $20,000—the balance in his mayoral campaign fund—to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program at Northridge High School.

Mayor Norton presented Northridge with a check on Monday, October 17.

A civil engineer, the mayor has been a strong supporter of the STEM Academy at Northridge, serving on the program’s advisory board and securing donations to support the students and staff.

“Mayor Tom Norton has given unwavering support to the STEM Academy and to District 6,” says Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch. “The partnership between District 6 and the city of Greeley is simply unprecedented. We feel very fortunate and grateful for this generous donation, which will help us continue a program that is giving our students the opportunity to learn and explore future careers.”

The Mayor’s donation was given to the Community Foundation Serving Greeley and Weld County for the Achieving Community Excellence (A.C.E.) STEM Fund, which benefits those District 6 programs for which he has been a strong advocate. Unspent campaign funds must be donated to a nonprofit program or organization.

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MARTINEZ ELEMENTARY STEAMS AHEAD WITH NEW FOCUS Students and staff at Billie Martinez Elementary School are STEAMing ahead with a new focus that will provide indepth and project-based learning in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

In August, 26 Martinez teachers worked to design STEAM units of study for students in all grades. On Tuesday, October 4, the school kicked off its first full year of STEAM focus.

Projects ranged from kindergarten students learning about force and motion by constructing machines from trash, second graders learning about farming from an area grower, third graders teaming with the Poudre Learning Center to kick off a month-long study of animals and plant interactions with the environment, fourth graders studying alternative energy and fifth graders getting a chemistry lesson from University of Northern Colorado students.

Martinez began its journey to become a STEAM school more than a year ago.

This past summer, a number of teachers attended a conference to learn more about curriculum and make connections with others engaged in this focus.

Teachers secured a $2,900 grant to build horticulture gardens at Martinez.

Another teacher won 30 robots to use for a future STEAM project. And, in the next few weeks, each student in fourth and fifth grade will receive a computer to use to participate in a collaborative project with classrooms in England and Ireland. This was made possible through the JDO Foundation in Denver, who hosts a Global Community Project.

“This has really been a staff-driven initiative at Martinez, and we are proud of all the work they are doing to truly engage students in their learning,” says Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch. “I do believe this is going to make a difference in helping teachers to personalize learning for students at Martinez. It’s exciting for the students and the staff.”

GREELEY WEST STUDENT HAS VIDEO SHOWN AT WHITE HOUSE Greeley West High School freshman Nashrah Mohd Reza had her short film selected to be shown in the White House Student Film Festival this month. It was one of 13 films chosen to be showcased at the festival.

This year’s theme was “The World I Want to Live In.” Nashrah says her three-minute film depicts what she has experienced as a Muslim living in the United States. It is a personal story of some of the discrimination she felt when she first moved to Greeley.

Nashrah got to go to the White House a few weeks ago in honor of her film being selected for the festival. She says the experience was amazing, and she was honored to be selected. The students selected got to meet with professional film makers, actors and directors, and tour the White House.

“Millions of Muslims in the United States are going through what I have gone through,” Nashrah says.

To view Nashrah’s film, click www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQm aSvn4Kms&feature=youtu.be.

BUCK VISITS ROMERO FOR NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK U.S. Rep. Ken Buck ate lunch with students at Bella Romero Academy K-3 Campus Tuesday, October 11 in honor of National School Lunch Week. The congressman talked with students while munching on a chicken salad sandwich, and even spent some time on the playground playing tetherball with students.

Rep. Buck also talked with Nutrition Services Director Jeremy West and his staff about the importance of Child Nutrition Reauthorization and about stopping the block grant of child nutrition programs, which could result in less funding for school meals.

The theme of this year’s National School Lunch Week, “Show Your Spirit” is all about getting parents, students and school officials to show their spirit for school lunch. Nutrition Services provided special meals to students throughout the week, including Parmesan chicken and pasta, Caesar chicken wraps and a pepperoni calzone.

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poudre school district news Language classes bolster education

When Deenya Young enrolled her kindergartner Skyler in after-school Chinese and Spanish classes at Traut Elementary, she envisioned her growing up knowing how to communicate with the majority of the world’s population.

Now, five years later, Skyler has advanced through the class levels, comfortably reading and writing Chinese characters and chatting in Spanish.

“I look forward to foreign language class almost every day,” Skyler says.

She’s just one of a growing number of students enrolled in after-school foreign language enrichment classes. The

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class offerings vary from school to school, but include languages like Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, American Sign Language, and Hindi among others.

According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, learning another language bolsters students’ cognitive abilities, improving their reading and writing skills and ability to analyze complex problems.

The classes teach students to appreciate and empathize with others who are different from them, parent Lisa Stenzel says. She began offering afterschool American Sign Language classes at

several elementary schools after her son was born with Down Syndrome.

“It just broke my heart to think about kids not being able to communicate with him,” she says. “That’s why I do this. I want to get the kiddos exposed to sign language and understanding that they’ll encounter more and more people as they get older who will need to communicate this way.”

“I want to be able to talk with my friend who uses sign language,” one girl says. “And it’s cool.”

For more information about extracurricular foreign language classes, please contact your school directly.

ADVENTURE P.E. EXPOSES TEENAGERS TO CLASSIC COLORADO ACTIVITIES On a chilly, gray fall day, about twenty students from Poudre High School gathered on the shore of Horsetooth Reservoir to learn the basics of stand-up paddleboarding. There was laughter and a sense of camaraderie as the students carefully paddled out into the water and tremulously tried to stand-up on their board for the first time.

“When we’re out of the classroom everyone’s personalities open up, which is cool to see,” senior Austin Davis says.

PSD Calendar of Events Nov. 8............ 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting, JSSC, 2407 Laporte Ave. Nov. 11.......... N o school K-5, teachers on duty Nov. 22.......... 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting and work session, JSSC, 2407 Laporte Ave. Nov. 23-25.... N o school K-12

Unlike a typical gym class, the walls of a classroom don’t limit the adventure physical education class. What began as one class at Rocky Mountain High School 20 years ago has evolved into one of the most popular physical education courses at the comprehensive high schools.

Students utilize local natural resources to enrich their education, with activities like fly-fishing on the Poudre River, mountain biking in Lory State Park, and rock climbing around Horsetooth. The list is as diverse as the schools, with offerings including scuba diving, horseback riding, outdoor survival, disc golf, archery, ice hockey and more.

“We used to call these nontraditional sports, but really, we’re in Colorado, and they’re all traditional sports here,” Mike Dyer, physical education teacher at Rocky Mountain High School says.

The classes offer a practical education for teenagers growing up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

“I tell kids, ‘Don’t get stressed out, it’s all part of the adventure,’” Goyler says. “Part of this class is teaching kids how to roll with the punches and have a good attitude.

They’re learning life skills like resiliency.”

The class ties into the District Ends, which encourage education that exposes students to authentic experiences, connects them with the local community, and challenges them to do their personal best.

most popular technologies is more traditional: sewing machines.

“I have several hundred dollars’ worth of robots, but everyone is intrigued by the sewing machines,” media and technology manager Becky Woodcox says with a smile.

After seeing the excited reactions of SEWING PROJECT PROVIDES HANDS-ON students and parents on Back to School STEM LEARNING There’s been a rhythmic hum emanating night, she decided to create a school-wide sewing project. For the last few weeks, from the new makerspace at Shepardson Elementary over the last few weeks. every single student — nearly 400 — has had an opportunity to try his or her hand The DIY area housed within the at sewing a fabric bookmark. school’s media center is designed to Using creative play to introduce encourage students to tinker, create and students to STEM projects early in invent. But amidst 3D printers and life is one of the best ways to increase electric-circuit building kits, one of the

later interest and competency in science and math, research shows.

“We want to make science and math fun, so that we don’t have little kids saying ‘I can’t do it,’” Woodcox says.

With about one-third of kids losing interest in science by fourth grade, Woodcox, who is also the school’s STEM Coordinator, knows time is of the essence.

“This sewing project is something the kids are super engaged in and excited about. They’re proud of what they’ve made. They will be super engaged later on if we can lay the groundwork in elementary school,” Woodcox says.

The kids put their bookmarks to good use during the school’s Read-a-Thon.

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thompson school district news Students attend Success S2 Summit the Heart J Center for Experiential Learning, students spent the day attending workshops with local artists. It was a brilliant day for inspiration and team building.

JOG-A-THON RAISES NEARLY $12,000 Garfield Elementary School students surpassed their goal of raising $10,000, bringing in nearly $12,000 at their 4th annual Jog-a-Thon! In total, the group logged 829 miles, which equals 2,487 total laps!

Mountain View High School students attended the Success S2 Summit last month at the Budweiser Event Center. Motivational speakers from around the country spoke with students and encouraged them to explore ideas, beliefs and behaviors associated with leadership, facing challenges, and living life without limits. Tyler Carron and Nikko Landros—both US Paralympic Sled Hockey Gold recipients—received recognition for their accomplishments and also spoke with the students. MVHS students were able to try on their gold medals and have a few pictures taken with Tyler and Nikko following the event.

STUDENTS DONATE TO STUDENTS Thompson School District is full of students who care for others! Addi and Ava are two Ponderosa Elementary students who donated the proceeds of their summertime lemonade stand to the school to help purchase school supplies for students who cannot afford them. TSD is very proud of Addi and Ava and all of 28

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our students and staff who do so much to support their schools and community.

STUDENTS SPEND DAY WITH ARTISTS More than 85 Loveland Integrated School of the Arts (LISA) students attended their annual fall retreat at Sylvan Dale Ranch last month. Working with

CONGRESSMAN JARED POLIS VISITS NEW SCHOOL Last month, Thompson School District welcomed U.S. Congressman Jared Polis for a visit to the brand new High Plains School in Loveland. Principal Danielle Feeney, Board of Education President Lori Hvizda Ward and Board members Pam Howard and Denise Montagu joined Superintendent Stan Scheer in hosting the visit at the K-8 campus. During his time at High Plains School, Congressman Polis toured the building, visited with staff members and learned more about the campus’ Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) curriculum.

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lunchbox POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary student lunches are $2.55, secondary student lunches are $2.80 and reduced lunches are PK-5 free, grades 6-12 $0.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Cheese ravioli; chicken parm sandwich 2 Orange chicken; hamburger/ cheeseburger 3 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken nuggets 4 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; turkey & cheese wrap 7 Toasted cheese sandwich w/tomato soup; chicken drumstick & roll 8 Beef lasagna; chicken bites & roll 9 Thai chicken; chicken patty sandwich 10 Cheese or chicken pizza; chef salad 11 No school!

14 Philly cheesesteak; chicken nuggets 15 Spaghetti & meatballs; hot dog

16 Teriyaki chicken w/rice; hamburger/ cheeseburger 17 Chicken taco bake; cheese ravioli 18 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; Mediterranean pasta salad 21 Grilled chicken sandwich; mac n’cheese 22 Cheesy chicken pasta bake; turkey gravy & roll 23-25 No School!

28 Hot dog; pizza burger 29 Cheese ravioli; chicken parm sandwich 30 Orange chicken; hamburger/ cheeseburger

MIDDLE SCHOOLS 1 Cheese calzone dipper w/marinara; penne & meat sauce 2 Asian bar; sweet & sour beef/chicken & egg roll 3 Beef & bean burrito bar 4 Philly cheesesteak (beef or chicken) 7 Pizza burger; chicken nuggets 8 Meatball sub; cheese ravioli 9 Asian bar; Teriyaki chicken/beef & egg roll 10 Beef & chicken taco bar 11 Trout treasures; mac n’cheese 14 Chicken parm sandwich; pulled pork sandwiches 15 Lasagna w/veggies; chicken nuggets

16 Asian Bar; Orange chicken/beef & egg roll 17 Beef & bean burrito bar 18 Turkey gravy & roll; chicken drumsticks & roll 21 Chicken bites & roll; mac n’cheese 22 Cheesy chicken pasta bake 23-25 No school!!

28 Toasted cheese sandwiches & tomato soup; chicken drumsticks & roll 29 Cheese calzone dipper w/marinara; penne & meat sauce 30 Asian Bar; Sweet & sour beef/chicken & egg rol

THOMPSON R2J SCHOOL DISTRICT—Elementary lunches are $2.75. Secondary school lunches are $3. Reduced lunches are PK-5 free, grades 6-12 $0.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Chicken fajita wrap; chicken tender salad w/roll 2 Pasta carbonara; chef salad w/roll 3 Asian combo; taco salad 4 BBQ sandwich basket; garden entrée salad w/roll 5 Crispy chicken sandwich; Caesar salad w/roll 8 Los Cabos Enchiladas; chicken tender salad w/roll 9 Pizza; chef salad w/roll 10 Chicken breast nuggets; taco salad 11 Farmer’s breakfast; garden entrée salad

w/goldfish 14 Hamburger; Caesar salad w/roll 15 Burrito grande; chicken tender salad w/ roll 16 Lasagna w/meat; chef salad w/roll 17 Thanksgiving holiday meal; taco salad 18 Chicken strip basket ; garden entrée salad w/roll 21-25 No school!

28 Grilled chicken sandwich; Caesar salad w/roll 29 Chicken burrito bowl; chicken tender salad w/roll 30 Pizza stick; chef salad w/roll

MIDDLE SCHOOLS 1 Chicken fajita wrap; chicken nuggets 2 Pasta carbonara; chicken sandwich 3 Asian combo; loaded fries 4 BBQ sandwich basket; pretzel w/cheese sauce 5 Crispy chicken sandwich; French bread boat 8 Los Cabos Enchiladas; chicken dipper bites 9 Pizza; hamburger 10 Chicken breast nuggets; Orange chicken w/rice 11 Farmer’s breakfast; hot sandwich

14 Hamburger; pizza stick 15 Burrito grande; chicken breast nuggets 16 Lasagna w/meat; chicken sandwich 17 Thanksgiving holiday meal; Domino’s pizza 18 Chicken strip basket ; pretzel w/cheese sauce 21-25 No school!

28 Grilled chicken sandwich; French bread boat 29 Chicken burrito bowl; buffalo chicken bites 30 Pizza stick; hamburger

GREELEY DISTRICT 6— 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 Herb chicken w/dinner roll; chicken fajita wrap 2 Chicken soft taco; PBJ sandwich 3 Pork carnitas w/tortilla; turkey & cheese hoagie 4 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; PBJ 7 Mac n’cheese w/dinner roll; American beef hoagie 8 Soft shell taco; chicken salad sandwich 9 Chicken gumbo w/green chile & cornbread; PBJ 10 Bean & cheese burrito w/green chile; ham & cheese wrap 11 Green chile chicken or cheese pizza; PBJ

14 Teryaki chicken w/brown rice; Italian sandwich 15 Cheese enchiladas w/fiesta rice; chicken fajita wrap 16 Shepherd’s pie w/dinner roll; PBJ 17 Roasted turkey w/dinner w/roll; American beef hoagie 18 Cheese or pepperoni pizza; PBJ 21 Cheese ravioli w/red sauce & breadstick; American beef hoagie 22 Chili w/cinnamon roll; pesto chicken salad wrap 23-25 No school 28 Breakfast for lunch; Italian sandwich 29 Herb chicken w/roll; chicken fajita wrap 30 Chicken soft taco; PBJ

MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Herb chicken w/dinner roll; chicken fajita wrap 2 Chicken soft taco; PBJ sandwich 3 Pork carnitas w/tortilla; turkey & cheese hoagie 4 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; PBJ 7 Mac n’cheese w/dinner roll; American beef hoagie 8 Soft shell taco; chicken salad sandwich 9 Chicken gumbo w/green chile & cornbread; PBJ 10 Bean & cheese burrito w/green chile; ham & cheese wrap 11 Green chile chicken or cheese pizza; PBJ 14 Teryaki chicken w/brown rice; Italian

sandwich 15 Cheese enchiladas w/fiesta rice; chicken fajita wrap 16 Shepherd’s pie w/dinner roll; PBJ 17 Roasted turkey w/dinner w/roll; American beef hoagie 18 Cheese or pepperoni pizza; PBJ 21 Cheese ravioli w/red sauce & breadstick; American beef hoagie 22 Chili w/cinnamon roll; pesto chicken salad wrap 23-25 No school 28 Breakfast for lunch; Italian sandwich 29 Herb chicken w/roll; chicken fajita wrap 30 Chicken soft taco; PBJ

WINDSOR SCHOOL DISTRICT—Price for elementary lunch is $2.75, for middle school students, $3. Reduced lunches are elementary, free; middle school, $0.40.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1 Chicken soft tacos; mini cheeseburgers 2 French toast sticks/yogurt; pancake wrapped sausage 3 Chicken sandwich; PBJ w/string cheese 4 Cheese breadstick w/ marinara; turkey & cheese sub 7 Hot dog; PBJ w/string cheese 8 Chicken Alfredo; mini cheeseburgers 9 Chicken & black bean chili; corndog 10 Hamburger; PBJ w/string cheese

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11 Big Daddy’s cheese or Hawaiian pizza 14 Mac n’cheese; PBJ w/string cheese 15 Hard shell beef taco; mini cheeseburgers 16 Popcorn chicken; corndog 17 Turkey & gravy; PBJ w/string cheese 18 Big Daddy’s cheese or veggie pizza 21-25 No lunch served 28 Cheesy nachos; PBJ w/string cheese 29 Mini cheese ravioli; mini cheeseburgers

30 Teriyaki chicken; corn dog SECONDARY SCHOOL 1 Rotini w/tomato sauce; French bread pizza 2 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken soft tacos 3 Cheese enchilada w/green sauce; hamburger 4 Meatball sub; hamburger 7 Cherry blossom chicken; hamburger 8 Chicken Alfredo; hamburger 9 Chicken & black bean chili; hamburger

10 Cheeseburger; chicken sandwich 11 Turkey club wrap; hamburger 14 Mac n’cheese bar; hamburger 15 Hard shell beef taco; chicken sandwich 16 BBQ pulled pork sandwich; hamburger 17 Turkey & gravy; hamburger 18 Steak & cheese sub; hamburger 21-25 No lunch served 28 Potato bar; hamburger 29 Lasagna; hamburger 30 Teriyaki chicken; corndog

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NOVEMBER 2016 ONGOING OCTOBER 7 THROUGH NOVEMBER 11 Powerful Tools for Caregivers Brought to you by UCHealth Aspen Club. An educational class designed to give caregivers 35 helpful tools for caregiving, avoiding burnout and taking care of themselves. Women’s Clinic, 1107 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 2:30-4pm. 970-4958560, www.uchealth.org.

MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS POD Open Hours Create. Build. Make. Learn. Join us in the Place of Discovery at Centennial Park Library to tinker with some fun and exciting technology and participate in maker activities! Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 4-7pm. 888-8617323, www.MyLibrary.us.

TUESDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBER 22 The Incredible Years Parenting Group This 12-week program for families with children 2-10 years sets the stage for sensitive, nurturing and competent parenting that fosters positive social behaviors. Dinner and childcare included.

Call to sign up. Life Center, 1511 E. 11th St., LV. 5-6:30pm. 970-494-4243, www. ecclc.org.

TUESDAYS THROUGH DECEMBER 20 Elementary Chess Club Learn to play chess with instructors who are experienced in teaching children.

Ages 6-11. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams St., LV. 4-5:30pm. 970-9622587, www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

WEDNESDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 Zirkel Buddy Reading Game A board game where children choose their reading material, read with a trained Buddy Reader, roll the dice and talk about what they’re reading as they move up the trail to the top of Mt Zirkel. Ages 6-11. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams St., LV. 4-5pm. 970-962-2587, www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

THURSDAYS Intercambio Practice your Spanish while helping other learners in a friendly environment.

Participants will speak half the time in English and half in Spanish. Beginners welcome. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., Evans. 6pm. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

FIRST FRIDAYS THROUGH DECEMBER 7 A Night of Art in Downtown Greeley A collaborative effort by many of Downtown Greeley’s creative industries, unique small businesses and delicious dining options. Various locations. GR. 970-356-6775, www.greeleydowntown. com.

SATURDAYS Discovery Zone at the Gardens Have fun, get dirty, and learn about nature at The Gardens! All ages. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10am-12noon. 970-416-2486, www. fcgov.com/gardens.

Interesting Reader Society (IRS) Meeting The IRS is the teen advisory group for the library. Members meet monthly to advise library decision makers, talk about books, plan and participate in library programs, more! Ages 13-18. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., or Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 11am-1pm. 970-221-6740, www. poudrelibraries.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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NOVEMBER 2

Homeschoolers: Minecraft!

Attendees will gather to participate in Minecraft challenges on the Library Minecraft server and share skills and creations with other attendees. All ages.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS.1-2:30pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org/calendar/.

Go By Bike: Cycling in Winter Interested in riding year-round but not sure how to prepare for riding in the colder seasons? In this presentation a Bicycle Ambassador will provide you with tips and techniques to help you ride safely, confidently and comfortably in the winter. Topics will include: what to wear, what to ride, safe winter bike handling, route selection, winter bike maintenance and more! Registration is required. Ages 14+. Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 6:30pm, 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

Money Matters: Life Reimagined Checkup What’s next in your life? Gain insight into where you are and where you want to go. The class includes practical tools to help you plan your next move including financial changes. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6:30pm, 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

Bicycle Friendly Driver Discuss safety laws and responsibilities for motorists and cyclists alike. Earn a Bicycle Friendly Driver certification upon completion of the course. Free with registration. Ages 16+. Raintree Athletic Club, 2555 S. Shields St. 6-7:30pm. www. fcgov.com/recreator.

Day of the Dead Celebration Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with your friends at the Library! Decorate sugar skulls, make colorful papel picado banners, and enjoy festive food at this special celebration! Ages 9-12.

Registration required. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 6:30-7:30pm.

970-686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary.org/ calendar/.

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Reading Bugs Book Club: Bunnicula!

In this five-week book club series members will receive a free copy of the book, listen to the story, make a craft, enjoy a snack and participate in a lively book discussion. Ages 6-8. Registration required. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 3:45-4:45pm. 970686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary. org.

NOVEMBER 3

Little Makers: Homemade Hovercraft Build and take home your very own hovercraft! Zoom across any surface on a cushion of air! Ages 5-9. Registration required. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 4-5pm.

970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

STEAM Makers: Thinking in 3D Using 3D printing technology you can design a crown, make a robot, or create an abstract work of art…the choice is yours! Ages 10+. Registration required.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 4-5pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Dungeons & Dragons No experience or materials required; bring your imagination and your courage!

Ages 12-18. Registration is required.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 4

Northern Colorado History Series: Volga Germans in the Poudre Valley Members of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) will talk about the everyday lives of the Volga Germans in the Poudre Valley, and explore how their existing heritage is still present and visible in our neighborhoods. Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 4:30pm. 888-8617323, www.MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 5

Crafty Tales The theme for the November 5th Crafty Tales session is “Bath Time” and 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.clearview library.org.

Canvas and Coffee Come in from the cold and enjoy some cocoa while you have fun painting a winter-themed masterpiece to take home. No prior art experience needed. All materials provided. Taught by Tami Showers, artist/owner of The Cruisin’ Canvas.

Registration required; ages 17+. Kersey Library, 413 1st St., Kersey. 11am. 888861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

Canvas and Candy Come in from the cold and enjoy some cocoa while you have fun painting a winter-themed masterpiece to take home. No prior art experience needed.

All materials provided. Taught by Tami Showers, artist/owner of The Cruisin’ Canvas. Registration required; ages 17+.

Kersey Library, 413 1st St., Kersey. 2pm.

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

Fort Collins Reads Reception Meet author Edwidge Danticat at the Fort Collins Reads Reception. Cost: $50. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 5-7pm. 970-484-7898, www. oldfirehousebooks.com.

The Enfant Terrible and the Tunesmith Fort Collins Symphony performs Prokofiev and Bizet. NY Philharmonic violinist Michelle Kim is guest artist.

Various ticket prices. Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., FC. 6:30pm. 970-2216730, www.fcsymphony.org.

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!

970-635-4353

126 East 29th Street Loveland

www.kindergrins.com Monday - Thursday 8-5

$75 New Patient Exam 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.

Expires: 11/30/16 RMP 1116

FREE light-up toothbrush for NEW patients One coupon per family. Not valid with any other offer. Must present coupon at visit.

Expires: 11/30/16 RMP 1116

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Fort Collins Reads Presents Edwidge Danticat Local nonprofit Fort Collins Reads invites the Northern Colorado community to read Brother I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat before her book talk & signing. Cost: $10-$25. Fort Collins Marriott, 350 E. Horsetooth Rd., FC. 2pm. 970-484-7898, fortcollinsreads.com

Stuffed Animal Sleepover Bring a stuffed animal friend who would like to stay the night with Miss Andrea in the Library! Children can then pick up their stuffed animals, along with a special memento, on Tuesday the 8th. (pajamas encouraged!) Ages 2-6. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 7

NOVEMBER 8

NOVEMBER 6

Edwidge Danticat Story Time Old Firehouse Books partners with Fort Collins Reads to host Edwidge Danticat, reading her picture book Mama’s Nightingale. Free. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 10:30am. 970-4847898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

Tech Time in Severance Play, learn, explore and experiment with the latest and greatest in techy gadgets.

Ages 8+ (children under 8 may register with a parent attending). Registration required. Range View Elementary School, 700 Ponderosa Dr., Severence.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Sew There!

Weaving, threading, and stitching are fun activities to build fine motor skills! Ages 2-5. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 9

Internet Safety for Adults Registration required. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6pm. 888861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 10

Winter Bike Riding Prepare now for year-round cycling with tips, route selection, and techniques for comfortable Winter riding. Free with registration. Ages 14+. Raintree Athletic Club, 2555 S. Shields St., FC. 6-8pm. www.fcgov.com/recreator.

Light Up the Night Did you know? White-colored front lights are legally required on all bikes at night in Fort Collins. Stop by for free bicycle lights as the winter days grow shorter. Check website for location(s), FC. 6-8:30pm. www.fcgov.com/bikewinter.

NOVEMBER 11

Schools Out Day Camp Pack a lunch and have fun gardening, cooking, crafting and discovering! Ages 5-11. $45 per child/day (scholarships available). Registration required. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 9am-4pm. 970-416-2486, www.fcgov. com/gardens.

Teen Video Game Night Join us every second Friday of the month for video game night! Ages 13-18. Registration is required.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Fridays at the Firehouse—Guinness World Records!

Ever wanted to beat a Guinness World Record? We’ll be trying to beat some of the more straightforward records in a fun and safe environment that everyone can enjoy. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6-7:30pm. 970-484-7898, www. oldfirehousebooks.com.

NOVEMBER 12

NoCo Farmer’s Markets

Late in the season? That’s no reason not to buy local produce, food and other items at area farmer’s markets.

SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 5, 12, 19 Winter Farmers Market Local produce, meats, sauces, salsa, cheese, baked goods, beverages, gifts, jewelry, pottery, more.

Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave., FC. 9am-1pm. www.nocofoodcluster.com/winter-markets.

SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 12, 26 Greeley Farmers’ Market An indoor winter market offering produce, meats, breads, crafts and more. WeldWerks Brewing Co., 508 8th Ave., GR. 9am-12noon. 970-350-9783, www.greeleygov.com/activities/fm/.

SUNDAYS THROUGH MID-NOVEMBER Fort Collins Farmers Market Vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers, meats, eggs, honey, baked goods, pet treats, specialty foods and goods from about 40 vendors. Parking lot of ACE Hardware, 1001 E. Harmony Road, FC. 11am3pm. www.fortcollinsfm.com.

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Yoga for a Stress Free Holiday Learn how to de-stress just in time for all the holiday hustle and bustle. Social time and snacks provided after the presentation. Lincoln Park Library, 1012 11th St., GR. 11am. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

Shark Shenanigans SHAAAAARK! Everybody out of the water! Come instead to the library for a fun filled hour of learning about your favorite water predator. We will be making cootie eater origami, a shark fish eating game and clothespin fish eaters.

Lincoln Park Library, 1012 11th St., GR. 1pm. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

Fortified Farm Dinners

Our farm dinners showcase the very best our region has to offer in locally grown food, culinary creativity and community collaboration.

Every dinner raises funds for a local non-profit.

Are you prepared

for

Flu season?

Join us for a delicious dinner on the farm!

JOIN US FOR OUR FINAL DINNER OF THE 2016 SEASON

Board-Certified

Pediatrician

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

NOVEMBER 12 Mad Farmer Dinner Wolverine Farm Letterpress & Publick House ................

For tickets and more information, visit:

FortifiedCollaborations.com

Locally and Independently owned Same-day sick visits Well-child care School & sports physicals

Urgent Care Hours: M-F, 8-9am and 4-5:30pm

Conveniently located to Loveland, Johnstown, Greeley, Windsor and Berthoud at the intersection of I-25 and Hwy 34.

970-619-8139 | 4880 Thompson Pkwy | Suite 116 Johnstown

www.trpeds.com

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NOVEMBER 16

SciFi Book Talk with Rick Wilber & Kevin Anderson Meet science fiction authors Rick Wilber and Kevin Anderson. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

Tween Trivia Contest So you think you know?! Test your knowledge of random facts by competing against your friends at our trivia contest!

Prizes will be awarded! Ages 9-12.

Registration is required. WindsorSeverance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 6:30-7:30pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 17

LEGO Mania PlayWell TEKnologies brings LEGO blocks and LEGO fun! They will present a LEGO project, demonstrate how to build it, explain the engineering behind it, then everyone will gather some LEGO pieces and build their own projects with expansions and challenges. Grades K-8.

Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 2pm. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 13

Invigorate Your Writing—Poetry Focus Creative writing and feedback workshops hosted by the Aims Creative Writing Club to invigorate your poetry writing skills. Registration required. Ages 15+.

Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 2pm. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 14

Sew There!

Weaving, threading and stitching are fun activities to build fine motor skills. Ages 2-5. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Emily Littlejohn, Inherit the Bones Book Talk Meet Colorado author Emily Littlejohn and snag a signed copy of her mystery novel, Inherit the Bones. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 6pm. 970484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

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Dana Perino Book Signing Dana Perino, former White House Press Secretary and American political commentator, will be signing her new book, Let Me Tell You About Jasper.

Each adult must purchase a copy of the book. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 4pm. 970-484-7898, www. oldfirehousebooks.com.

Tails, Whiskers & Paws...Oh My! Animal-themed games, crafts and activities! For our two legged friends only…please leave your pets at home!

Ages 6-9. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 4-5pm. 970-686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 15

MakeIt: 3D Design & Printing Come and learn the basics of 3D design and printing with the Lulzbot Mini and design an item you can print either in the class or later. Registration required. Ages 16+. Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 6pm. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

Release Party for A Misfit Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building a Business Your Way Local author, entrepreneur and advisor Ariana Friedlander welcomes all to celebrate the release of her new business guide book. Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St., FC. 4-6pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

NOVEMBER 18

Nerdfighters Hangout Nerdfighters meet once a month to get together and be awesome. Sometimes we watch YouTube, sing karaoke, and we always eat pizza! Ages 12-18.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 19

Canvas and Coffee Come in from the cold and enjoy some cocoa while you have fun painting a winter-themed masterpiece to take home. No prior art experience needed.

All materials provided. Taught by Tami Showers, artist/owner of The Cruisin’ Canvas. Registration required. Ages 17+. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 11am. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

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NOVEMBER 22

Y is for Yoga Let’s build literacy skills and healthy minds and bodies through books, songs, rhymes and yoga. Ages 3-6. WindsorSeverance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10-11:30am. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Canvas and Candy Come in from the cold and enjoy some cocoa while you have fun painting a Colorado-themed masterpiece to take home. No prior art experience needed.

All materials provided. Taught by Tami Showers, artist/owner of The Cruisin’ Canvas. Registration required. Ages 11-17. Riverside Library, 3700 Golden St., EV. 2pm. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

3D Modeling with Tinkercad Want to bring your ideas to life?!

Come learn the ins and outs of 3D printing using Tinkercad at your local Library! Registration requireD. Ages 18+. Centennial Park Library, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 2:30pm, 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

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Roblox Showdown Roblox is the hottest game at the library, and now you and your friends can have final showdown to claim the title of Roblox Champion. Test your teamwork and show off your quick reflexes to rise to the top and have your name enshrined in the Roblox record books. Ages 8-18. Kersey Library, 413 1st St., Kersey. 4pm. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 25

Don’t Get Bored—Get Board!

Nothing to do over the holiday weekend? Don’t get bored! With expert help from The Nerd Store, we’ll be learning games that are perfect for ages 8-17, including Dixit, Codename, Say Anything, King of Tokyo, more!

Lincoln Park Library, 1012 11th St., GR. 2pm. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

Teen Poetry Slam The library is transformed for our monthly Poetry Slam! Ages 13-18.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 5-7pm. 970-686-5603, www. clearviewlibrary.org.

NOVEMBER 26

Wrecking Crew Ever wanted to get into journaling?

The Wrecking Crew meets monthly to turn the solitary act of journaling into a party. Registration required. Ages 15-18.

Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 10:30am. 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

NOVEMBER 29

Book Talk & Signing with Brandon Sanderson Meet bestselling sci-fi author Brandon Sanderson and pick up a copy of his first collection of short stories, Arcanum Unbound. $5. Midtown Arts Center, 3750 S. Mason St., FC. 6pm. 970-484-7898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

Space Colonization Book Talk with Amanda Hendrix Science fiction becomes reality in this book talk about our path to a new home in the planets. Fort Collins Marriott, 350 E. Horsetooth Rd., FC. 7pm. 970-4847898, www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

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time out Off to a good start

The Kindergarten transition goes smoothly LEA HANSON

T

he Kindergarten transition pains are mostly complete. During the first two weeks, people relentlessly asked how the transition was going. My response was usually something along the lines of, “It’s funny how bringing my child to a different location each morning at pretty much the same time can feel like such a difficult change!”

And it was true. Even though we didn’t have to change our routine much—or at all—it felt really stressful. Plus there is the lunch, remembering to pack the morning snack, and knowing which “special” (P.E., Art, Media) she’s having that day for backpack packing purposes.

Also it’s weird that I rarely interact with her teacher and my daughter tells me almost nothing about her day. “Who did you play with today?” “I don’t remember.” “What was the best thing that happened?” “Recess!” In pre-school I’d chat with her teacher every day, if even for ten seconds. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is something negligent happening in Kindergarten—and I’m no helicopter parent—yet it’s a funny transition. What I can see now, a few months in, is that this change is really great for my daughter’s developing independence. She gets to manage her day for the most part, and once I let that sink in a little bit, it felt pretty awesome.

Really awesome, in fact.

It makes me proud to see her confidently walk toward the playground each morning and find a friend to play with as they wait for the bell to ring. It’s cool to see her unpack her backpack each afternoon and organize its contents to prepare for the next day. She remembers her Friday Folder every Monday like a boss and she reminds me about assignments she has and when they are due.

But since she basically tells me nothing on a daily basis, we were looking forward to our first parent/teacher conference 42

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this week. There wasn’t any sort of report card or assessment to review, but we were able to talk about behavior, adjustment, social skills, and such.

Our child’s drawing and coloring abilities are basically the bomb, so we’ve got that aspect of Kindergarten covered and then some. She’s also legit at recognizing letters, knowing greater-than and less-than math, and can count to 100.

We didn’t have a lot of questions about Kindergarten academics.

We did have questions, however, about her friendship skills. Since she is a recovering member of a mean girls group, we want to support her in making a fresh

start at her new school as “a nice friend” while also making sure her teacher knows about her semi-shady past. Thankfully, her teacher assures us she’s off to a good start and isn’t mean to others nor does she exclude others purposefully (our primary expectations). The teacher did have a few reports of behavior that seemed to me to fall into the bucket of bossiness, but she explicitly noted she wasn’t concerned at this point.

Phew.

Everyone needs a fresh start once in a while and perhaps the transition to Kindergarten was just what this sassy girl needed.

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COME TO OUR

Party!

Neighborhood Toy Store Dayth November 12 10-2

Fun & Games & Treats AND

25% off Clothing!

Celebrate!

Like us on 44

(970) 224-2866 • 111 N. College Ave.

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