August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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Contents
23 Prayers & Pecans Ruby and Brayden have never met, but have a special bond. You don’t want to miss this story!
26 Living the Airstream Dream Read how the Martins sold their home and possessions in pursuit of adventure.
30 Our Owensboro During an important time in our history, one Owensboro dad writes about his hopes for a more accepting, inclusive community.
IN EV ERY ISSUE
8 From the Editor 9 Around OBKY 10 Parent Profile
KE EPING IT REA L
11 Meet our CoverKid After more than 750 entries... Meet our winner, Sincere! 12 Insight from an Ordinary Dad The Silver Lining of Quarantine: We Determine our New Normal
August // September 2020
SPECIA L SECTION
32 Your 2020 Family Favorites The votes are in! Check out the winners of our 2020 Family Favorites contest.
D ISCOV ER
46 The Book Nook Discover stories of friendship for all circumstances. 48 Parental Control Christina Dalton answers your most difficult parenting questions.
14 Real Life with Lora Wimsatt A New, New School Year
50 Growing a Positive Mindset Learn how to encourage a growth mindset in your child.
16 Hashtag Mom Fail Thank you, teachers.
51 Back-to-School Fashion Local boutiques share their outfit ideas for going back to school.
MAKING IT
20 The Recipe Box Jamie Alexander shares an adorable ice cream cone cupcake recipe that is sure to please. 22 How to Make a Squishy from Scratch An easy and affordable craft for your squishy-loving child!
52 Maybe We Can Homeschool Learn about two local families experiences with homeschooling. 56 Sunshine Every Day Take this quiz to see what kind of weather your kids have in the morning.
58 What We Learned from COVID-19 Local educators and counselors from multiple grade levels were asked to reflect upon the last three months of the school year. 62 How to Approach the New (Uncertain) School Year Advice on how to have a successful start to school despite COVID-19 66 Kids Meal Deals Check out these local kids meal deals!
FROM OU R REA D ERS
68 CoverKids Contest Entries See some of the photoes entered into our CoverKids Contest sponsored by Owensboro Health! 72 Say What? We asked: “If you had to become a teacher for a day, what would you teach in class?”
August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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BEHIND THE SCENES
WHAT’S AN UNCONVENTIONAL SUBJECT YOU WISH HAD BEEN TAUGHT IN SCHOOL?
EDITORIAL DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY
“
EDITOR
Ashley Wedding
Cooking! I never really learned to cook and feeding my kids in a pandemic when quarantine was implemented and groceries were scarce was a challenge. Thank goodness Chick-Fil-A is open again!
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Katie Albers Jamie Alexander Christina Dalton Jamie Johnson Danny May Elizabeth Muster Laura Murphy Rick Searcy Melody Ann Wallace Lora Wimsatt
”
“ ” What to do if your car breaks down and your dad is busy!
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Andrea Roberson Eric Bivins Monica Smith STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jamie Alexander
DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dave Mackey To add your business or organization to our distribution list, give us a call at 888-304-5416.
COPY EDITOR
Ashley Gleason
ONLINE owensboroparent.com
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facebook.com/owensboroparent instagram @owensboroparentmag twitter.com/owensboroparent
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Brock Quinton Robert Williams
TANNER PUBLISHING CO.
Owensboro Parent is a FREE magazine because of
PUBLISHER
community support. Thank you to the great group
Jason Tanner
of businesses and organizations who advertise. 2624 New Hartford Rd, For more information about advertising call 888304-5416 or email brock@tannerpublishing.com.
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Building A Owensboro, KY 42302 888-304-5416
“
I would have loved an “adulting” finance class so I didn’t feel so overwhelmed when leaving the nest. Taxes, credit, savings, and maybe learning a little bit of spending selfcontrol…
”
August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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BEHIND THE SCENES Shout out to our Owensboro Parent photographer, Jamie, for these amazing family photos! (Our family is pretty impressed she caught Reed's best smile ever!)
ks c i P p o T s ' y e l sh A
from the editor I mentioned in my last letter that we are in the middle of a house renovation, making room for our sweet boy that will be arriving in September. I will admit, renovating your home in the third trimester isn’t ideal. I have no place to nest and my house is in a constant state of chaos. But it has given me a lot to occupy my mind. From configuring the layout to picking paint colors and tile, this addition has kept me busy. Menards, Home Depot and Lowes are sure to know me by now with the number of times I visit their stores...and the big belly and waddle.
I have been editing Owensboro Parent for NINE years now, and this back to school issue just felt strange. Are our kids even going back to school? If/when they do, it’s not going to be like any school day they have ever experienced. How are we supposed to prepare content for a back to school issue, when details of the 2020-2021 school year are still so uncertain? The answer is… you just do the best you can. Some things will always be true — like how to have a good morning routine (check out page 56) and ways to grow a positive mindset during such a negative time (page 50). And seasoned writer and teacher Melody Wallace interviewed dozens of local teachers on what they have learned about educating our kids amid COVID-19. But despite our best efforts, we could never offer you enough advice or reassurance that this next school year is going to be easy. Whether your kids will be virtually learning from home or attending school with implemented social distancing and masking, your child’s education is going to be different. One thing we can say with confidence is that our community is blessed with three public school systems and numerous private schools that have only the best of intentions for our children. Teachers and administrators alike are going above and beyond to support our children and give them the best education possible while still ensuring their health and safety. Avery will be entering the fourth grade and Reed will start kindergarten this year. And just like I’m sure every mom and dad across Owensboro feels, it breaks my heart that my children won’t experience a “normal” school year. My advice to you though is to encourage your children to stay positive, model an attitude that demonstrates change is OK, and cherish family time while you have it.
You know I love a good DIY project. These are super simple and cheap. Grab some square white tile — they are less than a quarter a piece at the hardware store. Print some photos you love, cut them to the size of the tile and stick them on with Mod Podge (under the photos and on top). Easy peezy, lemon squeezy, as my kids say.
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I highly recommend a secondary silicone wedding band. It was a no brainer for my husband — he works on cars and uses tools so much that it totally made sense. I never thought I needed one, until this pregnancy. It has been great for my occasional swelling. But I will wear them after the baby is here too... they are super comfy and are great when working on projects or when I am going to be outside. Drew got these for me from ThunderFit.
Admittedly, that last one is hard. So much together time has made me crazy. There are only so many activities this mom can come up with to occupy two siblings of opposite gender and three years between them. But I take a step back and see how much my son has progressed with writing his letters and drawing pictures. I see how my daughter has stepped up to play the role of teacher to her little brother and shown a patience that I don’t show enough. I think about the baby that will join our family in early September and the joy we will get to experience as a family of five. I get that this school year feels uncertain and is causing stress and anxiety for many moms and dads. But focus on the good. Focus on the little faces in front of you. Exemplify for them patience, the ability to adapt to adversity and the positive attitude you want to see in them.
Our garden grew like crazy this year. My whole kitchen was taken over by squash and zucchini. And while we have been eating tons of vibrant, fresh veggies all summer, we made sure we saved some for winter too! We made pickles from our plethora of cucumbers, froze sweet corn, and made salsa and spaghetti sauce from our tomatoes. The kids have never eaten such a variety of vegetables in their lives! They even started liking salad!
Every summer I have made a bucket list of things we want to make sure we do before school starts again. With COVID putting a damper on many of our activities, I decided to go a different route. I wrote out fun activities that we could do around the house or out in public with proper social distancing. I let them pull a stick from the cup when we find ourselves without plans. I made sure to make them all easy and affordable activities, like picnic in a park or dance party in the living room.
AROUND OBKY
SCHILKE NAMED NEXT OWENSBORO CATHOLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
LONGTIME EDUCATOR, PRINCIPAL ANITA NEWMAN DIES AT AGE 70 Anita Newman, who served the Daviess County Public Schools district for 36 years, died July 7 at 70 years old after battling pancreatic cancer for more than a year. She leaves behind a legacy as a former educator and principal with Daviess County Public Schools. Matt Robbins, DCPS superintendent, said Newman was a distinguished professional and incredible person. “While serving as principal at Highland Elementary for 23 years, she defined the role of a school leader as well as anyone I have ever witnessed,” Robbins said. “Personally, Anita served as a mentor to me and many others as she led with a servant’s heart and focused her energy and skills on what was best for kids every single day. She set the mark of excellence by which we all strived to achieve.” Robbins said one of the greatest joys of his life involved a community celebration that was held on Dec. 5, 2019, when he and the DCPS Board of Education honored Newman by renaming the Highland Elementary School front driveway “Anita Newman Way.” “This will stand as a permanent marker that will remain a lasting legacy and tribute to DCPS and our entire community,” Robbins said. “This is a life welllived and I, along with the DCPS family, pay tribute to Ms. Newman and I offer my greatest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the entire Newman family during this time of great loss.” Newman served DCPS for 36 years, retiring in June 2012. She began her career as a teacher at Masonville Elementary School in 1971. She joined Highland as a teacher in 1978 and taught there for 10 years before accepting the role of principal at Utica Elementary School in 1988. She returned to Highland as principal in 1989.
Olivia Schilke has been named as the new Owensboro Catholic Middle School principal, effective mid-July. Schilke replaces Sara Guth, who recently left to pursue a career outside of education. Schilke has seven years of experience in the education field, including four years at Owensboro Middle School South. She most recently worked at the OCS K-3 Campus. She has extensive training and experience in writing, personalized learning in the digital classroom, Google training, Leader in Me, and piloted NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). “I am excited and honored to serve the OCMS family,” Schilke said. “As a product of the Owensboro Catholic School System, I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and working together to better our students and their futures.” Tom Lilly, president of OCS, said they have been looking to advance Schilke for several years now. “She has demonstrated the skills that we look for when trying to set our leadership team — she is intelligent and dedicated to furthering the mission of OCS,” Lilly said.
GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY TO OPEN AS AREA’S NEWEST HIGH SCHOOL Grace Christian Academy is the region’s newest high school, set to open this fall. Currently enrolling freshmen, GCA is “an independent, non-denominational, college preparatory high school whose mission is to glorify God by equipping students with a spiritually and academically solid Christian worldview.” GCA will open for its first class of students on Aug. 26 and follow Daviess County Public Schools academic calendar and schedule. “We are fully preparing to open our doors,” said Chris Holmes, who will oversee day-to-day operations as Head of School. “We’ve moved to Aug. 26 now to line up with other schools around us just for convenience for our families who have kids at multiple places. We’re still looking forward to getting going.” GCA will adhere to the recommendations of the Kentucky Department of Education. Though still in development, GCA’s curriculum will align with Kentucky’s academic standards, incorporate
biblical principles, and utilize textbooks and materials from both secular and Christian publishers. “We intend for our students to receive an excellent education but at the same time, the concepts that will be presented to them will be done so in a way that is informed by the Bible,” Holmes said. “We believe it is important for the students to understand the world around them from the perspective of what the Bible has to say. Kids are going to learn all their academic subjects very faithfully and just like public school counterparts, it’s not going to be a walk in the park.” GCA intends to offer traditional courses, as well as Dual-Credit and Advanced Placement options. GCA is also exploring mentorships, internships and other innovative learning strategies. As a new school, GCA does not yet possess accreditation. But, they are committed to securing accreditation through Association of Christian Schools International, one of the largest and most respected accrediting agencies for Christian
schools. The accreditation process is very detailed and requires time to complete. GCA anticipates accreditation will be in hand by the time the first class graduates in 2023-24.
For approximately
the first two years, GCA has been granted the use of the facilities at Yellow Creek Baptist Church, where Holmes has served on the ministry staff for 13 years. A block of seven classrooms is being readied for use by the school.
Eventually, GCA plans to build a
permanent facility on the 40-acre property that it owns near the Owensboro bypass.
More info can be found at
GCAOwensboro.org.
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AROUND OBKY
PARENT PROFILE
Meredith Jarboe CAN YOU TELL OWENSBORO PARENT READERS ABOUT YOURSELF?
through the end of the school year, my East View family came
I am a mom of two wonderful boys, Jack, 14, and Braydon, 12. They keep me very busy with all their friends and activities. I have been a teacher for 20 years and currently teach at East View Elementary School.
community supported us was by coming to the funeral home.
CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE OF YOUR STORY WITH US? A little over 20 years ago, I met my husband, John, on a blind date. I knew the first time that I saw him that I was going to marry this man. John was everything I could ever imagine in a spouse. We married in 2004 and had our first son in 2005 and second in 2007. John was willing to do whatever it took to take care of his family. He was a registered nurse and later in his life, he heard God calling him to preach, so he listened and became the preacher of Dundee and Beech Valley United Methodist Church. In November 2017, John was in severe pain and went to the doctor. We found out that he had a huge mass attached to his left lower lobe of his lung. Surgery was completed at Vanderbilt, where they took out his lower lobe, plus the mass. He began 2018 with major chemo, and after a clean scan in October, the cancer returned in February 2019 with a vengeance. John started a new regimen of chemo, which was much harder on him this time. You could see his demeanor completely change. I think he knew exactly what was fixing to happen. Six weeks after the second diagnosis, John passed away on April 6, 2019. Anyone that knew John and I knew that we loved each other deeply. We supported each other through the thick and thin. In the center of our relationship was always God. I can truly said I have had the best life because I had John in my life.
HOW DID THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT YOU DURING THIS TIME? From the first diagnoses of cancer, our community rallied around our family. When we received the news, we quickly were trying to figure out a way to help pay bills, as John could not work. We came up with the idea to sell t-shirts. The response we received was amazing! We sold over 700 shirts in a couple of months. Another huge community support was my school, East View Elementary. First was with a meal train, then came baskets of goodies, then came gift certificates, and lastly this last Christmas with the 12-day countdown of gifts of things for my boys and me to do together. When I did not have enough sick days to get me 10 OWENSBORO PARENT
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together to donate days for me. One of the biggest ways the We had over a thousand people come through the line at Glenn Funeral Home. Seeing everyone show up to show their sympathy meant the world to our family.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT BEING A MOM? Being a single mom now, I find it hard to juggle everything. Luckily, I have family on both sides that helps me out. I also find it difficult to deal with discipline. Before, John and I always had each other’s back when it came to discipline, but now it is just me. I do not get to “tap out” when I am getting fed up with how they are acting. I find myself secondguessing my decisions all the time because I have no validation with a spouse.
THE MOST REWARDING? Seeing my children make good decisions when I am not around. This lets me know that they are learning what John and I wanted them to learn. I have seen examples of this many times since John’s death. Jack has been really working hard this summer to learn as much as he can from the male role models he has in his life. Braydon has made smart decisions when it comes to money. Those little things show me that I am carrying on what John would want me to do with them.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER PARENTS THAT MAY BE DEALING WITH GRIEF OR LOSS WHILE STILL TRYING TO BE A MOM/DAD? Realize it is OK to be sad. My boys have walked in on me crying many times. They need to see that we are still dealing with it and have a hard time too. I feel that letting them see me cry and be upset has allowed them to realize that they are still dealing with grief. I also recommend getting counseling. The first six months, I was just trying to go through the motions, but then I hit a brick wall. I needed to have an outlet to release all my thoughts, fears, and grief. Even though I think it is OK for my boys to see that I am upset, I do not want them to have to deal with everything I am feeling on the inside. They are kids and should not have to grow up because of what I have going on. The counseling has allowed me to know I have a safe place to express myself without any judgement.
Keeping it Real
R E L ATA B L E S T O R I E S F R O M L O C A L PA R E N T S A N D G R A N D PA R E N T S
Written by Ashley Wedding // Photo by Jamie Alexander
Meet Sincere, the 2020 CoverKids Contest winner!
A
fter more than 750 entries and 32,000 votes, we have a winner for our 2020 Owensboro Parent CoverKids Contest presented by Owensboro Health! Meet 5-year-old Sincere (Sinny) Renee Smith-Rouse! According to her family, this spunky girl typically never wants to be called Sincere and would adamantly declare, “No! I’m Sinny.” This is until recently when she informed her dads and siblings that "Sinny" is her baby name, and she is a big girl now. Sincere was born with Caudal Regression Syndrome, which means that her spine is not fully developed. From the waist up, Sinny is a typical size for her age and will continue to grow on par with others her age. From the waist down, Sinny is tiny, think
smaller than a 3-month-old, her dads said. But this feisty girl doesn't let a diagnosis slow her down. Sinny was adopted by her dads, Antoine and Jeremiah Smith-Rouse. "We fit the definition of a blended family in every sense of the word," Antoine said. Sincere has five siblings, a mix of foster, biological, and adoptive brothers and sisters. "We are a typical family that loves to spend time together, from family game night, family movie night, or just hanging at the pool," Antoine said. If asked what she wanted to be when she grows up, Sincere will tell you a dinosaur, bear or pilot. Sinny loves all things pink and getting her nails done. She also loves YouTube on her iPad and watching Miraculous Ladybug on Netflix. SPONSORED BY
"She is happiest when she is in the pool and loves to swim independently, jump into the deep end, and perform flips underwater," Antoine said. According to her dads, Sinny’s favorite phrase is, “I’ll do it by myself.” "Sinny knows no limitations; she is quick to adapt and figure things out for herself," Antoine said. "She is innovative and thinks outside the box. There is not much she can’t do with a plastic hanger from using it to turn on the lights or reach things in the fridge. Although Sinny is super independent and sassy, she is also kind, sweet, and caring. She is quick to ask if someone is sad or upset if she feels they are down. She is also quick to tell us that she loves us for no reason at all."
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KEEPING IT REAL • INSIGHT FROM AN ORDINARY DAD
The SilverLining of Quarantine
WE DETERMINE OUR NEW NORMAL Written by Danny May
I
f there’s any silver lining to a
and awkwardness of this whole thing,
then he started to really enjoy being home
worldwide pandemic it’s that it gave
just beneath the surface conversation, I
more and is now wondering why he ever
us all more time together at home.
noticed most people enjoyed the slower
worked such long hours in the first place.
I don’t mean to make light of the death,
pace of quarantine. And they’ll also admit
A couple in our Grace Marriage
stress, worry, and anxiety it caused. And
that it took being forced out of the rat race
group started a COVID Fun Journal and
I’m not dismissing the reality that if there
to see it.
kept track of board games they’ve played
were major problems at home or in a
I heard one parent say that even
together as a family. I’m kicking myself for
marriage before COVID, then the pressure
though their kids missed their teammates,
not writing down all the funny things our
cooker of being cooped up together in
what they didn’t miss was three practices
kids have said during quarantine because
quarantine made those issues even worse.
a week. But “that’s just what we’ve always
we could give the Gaffigans a run for their
done” so to them that was normal.
money.
What I am saying is that the majority
of people I’ve talked to have
said the extra time at home
all fun and games either.
has been a good thing for
This is tough stuff. It’s been
their family.
big emotions for everybody.
I think it was the second
But as I’m writing this, I’m
week of quarantine, just
noticing that what stands
about the time the initial
out in my mind are the good
shock
things.
of
workplaces
schools
and
being
shut
Again, it hasn’t been
And that’s the way this
down was wearing off, when
works. Sometimes it takes a
I looked at Kelly and said,
step back for the important
“When’s the last time we
things to snap in focus.
played Uno and laughed like
Somehow
this on a Thursday night?”
priorities have gotten upside
our
Yes, it took a while to
down. It used to be that kids
balance working from home
and parents had to check
with NTI schoolwork at
their family calendars to
home and forcing a routine
see if they could commit to
when ours was blown up.
something. But just before
But I got used to zero night meetings and zero work on the weekends pretty quickly and I don’t want to go back to those days if I’m being honest.
I’m hoping my new normal looks more
like a slower paced COVID work week than a faster paced 2019 work week is my point. (Again, I could live without the looming threat of death. That’s not what I’m saying here.) Once we got past the weirdness 12 OWENSBORO PARENT
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COVID hit, the old normal One of my friends whose wife
was squeezing what little bit of family
homeschools their kids said while he was
time we could into an overly committed
working from home it was amazing to
schedule.
see his wife interact with their kids. He
I heard that in a webinar I was
said he’s always at work when she does
listening to this week. It was talking about
homeschool lessons, so getting to see her
“attachment theory” and it said spending
in that role was really cool to see because
time together laughing, playing, working,
he had never seen that side of her.
and talking as a family is the best thing you
I had another friend say he felt
can do to help kids develop emotionally
unproductive working at home at first, but
healthy and resilient. It went on and on
about how family rituals and routines
phone, checking on neighbors, using up
make well-rounded kids who become
everything in the cabinets.
Whatever the fall ends up looking
well-adjusted young adults. There was
How many of us started a new hobby,
like, it will make for some good family
an example about a family sitting down
or planted a garden, or baked bread at
discussion figuring out whatever it is our
to fold laundry together at a certain time
home for the first time?
new back to school routine will be.
every week that ended in a five minute no-
holds-barred sock ball fight. Things like
decided if schools would be back in the
family during this time of quarantine?
that.
classroom in August or opening virtually.
What do we want to do differently? What
It made me think that we have a lot to
And there is still no timeline on a vaccine
things from our old normal would we
learn about making housework fun. But
or any sense of when this pandemic might
rather not go back to? What new things
what I do notice is that we didn’t laugh as
be over.
do we want to keep on doing? What things
much together at home pre-COVID as we
But here’s what I’ve been thinking
can we live just fine without because we
do now. Board games and puzzles aren’t
about lately: other than work and school,
don’t really miss them anyway?
just for snow days anymore, and 4-player
we are in control of our own schedules and
Mario Parties on the WiiU have become a
commitments as far as events, activities,
uncertainty of this pandemic, which is
thing now, too.
sports, and “extra” stuff.
definitely not fun, I have to say that this
I heard somebody commenting back
Social “non-essentials” if you will. What
summer has not flown by like years past.
in April or May that we were living like
I mean is, as things open back up again,
These actually have been lazy days of
our grandparents did: eating at home
I’m going to be extra careful what we fill
summer. The way they’re supposed to be.
every night, rocking on the porch every
our calendar back up with. Or IF we fill our
And I kind of like living like our
evening, actually calling people on the
calendars back up.
grandparents did.
At the time of this writing, it still wasn’t
Because I like it open.
But what have we learned about our
Because other than the stress of the
OP
DANNY MAY is a regular contributor to Owensboro Parent. He and his wife, Kelly, are raising two very active boys, 11 and 9.
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KEEPING IT REAL • REAL LIFE WITH LORA WIMSAT T
A New, New School Year
T
he back-to-school shopping list looks a little different this year—crayons, pencils, notebooks, hand sanitizer, face masks—but perhaps there has never been a year in which kids (and parents) were more excited and eager for the first day of school to arrive. At the same time, there may be some anxieties and worries that go far beyond remembering a locker combination or wondering whether your best friend will be in your class. No matter what grade your child is in this year, it really feels like “the first first day” all over again for everyone. We already know the start of school has been delayed for a couple of weeks, and additional guidance and information are being shared with parents as quickly and clearly as possible, as health and safety recommendations are revised and refined. Still, in a lot of ways, nobody knows what to expect. It’s a new experience for everyone. That’s okay. All these mixed-up feelings are perfectly valid. But as our community, like the rest of the country and even the world, prepares to return to something that is as close as possible to “normal,” we can take this opportunity to celebrate the start of school in a year that is perhaps the most unique and special of all. Many educators and parents are worried—with justification—that children may have experienced a
setback in learning as our local districts implemented NonTraditional Instruction in the final weeks of the previous school year. Virtual instruction, online classes, remote learning … whatever you called it, teachers rose up in heroic measures to provide the best possible lessons and continue to nurture that flame of teaching and learning that traditionally has burned so brightly in our classrooms. Parents and families stepped up and stepped in to guide their children as they navigated these new experiences, as “schoolwork” became “homework” by new definitions. Now it’s time to take the next step. Before we do, let’s take a moment to reflect on where we’ve been. When you stop and think about it, lots of people did lots of stuff in just a little amount of time to make NTI as successful as it was. For that, we are all thankful. But as kids get ready to go back to school in a “new normal,” I hope they take with them memories of lessons learned that had nothing to do with “school.” I hope they learned that playing cards and board games with your parents and siblings—with all the laughter and squeals of excitement and even the accusations of cheating—is even more fun than playing a video game in solitary silence.
I hope they had the opportunity to walk and ride their bikes, seeing their neighborhood from a perspective that is very different than the one they had previously viewed from the backseat window of the car as Mom drove them to their next activity. Maybe they finally noticed the pretty flowers in their neighbors’ yards, the colorful wreaths hanging on doors, the cat that slinks out from under the bush and will let you pet it, the methodical progress of the classic car that the old man down the street is restoring. Maybe they were even inspired to share their own creativity in brightening the sidewalks with chalk art. I hope every child’s family realized, at some point, that we had all been given a great gift: The gift of TIME that we always said we wanted. Time to go through old family photo albums, finally bringing those faded sepia images to life by sharing stories about our grandparents and great-grandparents. Time to bake bread from scratch, learn how to write in cursive, practice a musical instrument and fill the neighborhood “Blessing Box” with canned goods. As our kids prepare to go back to school, let’s hope they take with them memories of the greatest lessons they will ever learn: Nothing is more important than our connections to our families and to one another. OP
LORA WIMSATT is a mother, grandmother and writer. She enjoys the everyday blessings and adventures of life, especially her family.
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August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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KEEPING IT REAL • HASHTAG MOMFAIL
Thank You, Teachers Written by Jamie Johnson
W
hen
Owensboro
Parent
told me the theme for this issue was back to school, I
blanked. I had no idea what to write. What can you write about back to school right now – I am writing this on the 3rd of July – that will still be relevant when this issue comes out one month later?
We have seen rapid change over the
last six months. I could recap what is going on but I know that’s the last thing you want to hear about right now. I just
posters and put up bulletin boards for her
realize my 5-year old needed a little extra
second grade classroom instead of going
attention here or there.
to the pool. I would go to Wal-Mart with
Thank you for sending me pictures
between now and the beginning of school.
her as she bought SO MANY SUPPLIES
of my child smiling and playing with his
So I’m going to write about something
with her own money. I watched her grade
friends.
that will always be true. I want to say
papers all night and make lesson plans. I
thank you to all of the teachers and
saw her cry when anything bad happened
and laugh and have fun.
administrators and bus drivers and
to one of her students. And now I see her
cafeteria workers and everyone else that
approaching retirement and being excited,
keep our kiddos safe at school.
but knowing that deep down she will miss
those little faces.
hope the murder hornets never made an appearance. So yeah, a few things could happen
You all were literally thrown the most
unexpected curveball you have ever been
So thank you teachers and all the
thrown, but you kept smiles on your faces
others that play a role in their life at school.
and marched forward for our kids.
our babies.
I can barely keep my family alive right
Thank you for always being there for
Thank you for embracing his quirks
and pushing him to use them in the best way possible. Thank you for giving my child the knowledge he will need to be a good human.
Thank you for taking care of him at
times that I can’t be there.
now, so I’m extremely impressed, but not
surprised. My mom has been a teacher
have a pencil or markers or a glue stick.
since I was little. My husband was a teacher
and is moving into his first administrative
morning with a big smile and a warm hug.
position this year. Two of my aunts were
to thank your child’s teacher. They don’t
teachers. I’ve seen the crazy amount of
science and how to read and write.
know what to prepare for either. But they
dedication they put into their classrooms
Thank you for teaching them how to
will be there to welcome our kids back to
and the children that fill those seats.
be good people and showing them you love
school, whenever that may be, with the
everyone the same way.
biggest open arms that social distancing
Thank you for caring enough to
will allow.
And every time I walk into a classroom,
I have flashbacks to helping my mom hang
Thank you for always making sure they
Thank you for letting him run and play
Thank you for welcoming them every Thank you for teaching them math and
And thank you for continually showing
up even though you have a very hard job. So when school starts again, remember
OP
JAMIE JOHNSON is a full-time working mom to two little boys, wife to Logan, and part-time writer. Her pieces have been featured in HuffPost Parents, Motherly, Today Parents and PopSugar Moms. You can follow her blog at HashtagMomFail.com!
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ENJOY TOGETHER
Photo by Jamie Alexander
Making it
CRAFTS, RECIPES, AND ACTIVITIES FAMILIES CAN
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MAKING IT • THE RECIPE BOX
These cupcakes can be made with any cake mix (including boxed) and frosting that you’d like, making them both easy and customizable. They make a great treat for summer birthdays - the best part is they won’t melt like ice cream does! They can actually be easier to eat than the cupcakes with typical cupcake liners, so that means a lot less mess and much more fun! WHAT YOU'LL NEED: ›› 1 batch of prepared cake mix (can be boxed) ›› 22 ice cream cones (with flat bottoms) ›› 1 tub of frosting (or more) ›› Toppings (sprinkles, nuts, cherries, etc) INSTRUCTIONS: ›› Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and set the ice cream cones in the wells of a cupcake tray. Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box/ recipe you’re following. ›› Pour cake batter into each ice cream cone - 2/3 of the way full. ›› Bake until the cake inside is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Photos and recipe by Jamie Alexander
Ice Cream Cone
Cupcakes 18 OWENSBORO PARENT
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›› Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, top each with your choice of frosting/toppings. I recommend a star tip to give the frosting more of an “ice cream” look! I also softened vanilla frosting in the microwave to get the “whipped cream” look on top of some of the ice cream cones. OP
JAMIE ALEXANDER is nationally published culinary and commercial photographer working as a full-time staff photographer for Tanner Publishing. She has a knack for making tasty food and pretty art. See more of her portfolio at jaastudios.com.
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MAKING IT • CRAFT TIME
How to Make a Squishy Written by Ashley Wedding // Photo by Jamie Alexander
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I’ve been a mom for nearly nine years now and I have weathered a lot of fads. Hatchimals, LOL Dolls, slime... But this latest craze Avery is into may take the “I just don’t understand” prize. Squishies. Pieces of foam whose only purpose is to squish?! Like a super expensive stress ball. What does my almost 9-year-old have to be stressed about though? I decided to try to make our own squishies and I was shocked at how easy they were to make and how cute they turned out. If your kid is into this weird fad, this is a must-try DIY project! WHAT YOU NEED: ›› Foam — I picked some up at Hobby Lobby for $3. ›› Fabric (or puffy) paint ›› Craft/popsicle sticks DIRECTIONS: ›› Cut the foam into whatever shape you want. We went with a back to school theme for ours. ›› Use fabric or puffy paint to cover the foam. We used popsicle sticks to help spread the paint. ›› Let dry and then apply puffy paint from the tubes to add cute details. We let our squishies dry over night. If you try to make this super easy craft, be sure to post to social media and tag Owensboro Parent! We want to see your creations! OP
ASHLEY WEDDING is the staff writer for Tanner Publishing Co. and editor of Owensboro Parent. She enjoys everyday adventures with her husband, Drew, daughter, Avery (8), and son, Reed (5).
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PRAYERS &
PECANS Written by Elizabeth Muster // Photos by Jamie Alexander
E
arlier this year, Brayden Duke’s
vessels in the heart through the lungs,”
heart helped six-year-old Ruby
Kristy explained. Since this could cause
Knelson receive the liver she
organ failure, Ruby was placed on the
needed. As his youth group met on
liver transplant list. When Ruby’s name
January 26, Brayden and the other
moved to the top of the list two months
fourth graders at Owensboro Christian
later, the Knelsons were anxious about
Church were challenged to raise $100 to
the medical bills.
help the Knelson family. Without a liver
transplant, young Ruby was in danger of
own, and challenged his father, Dwayne
organ failure.
Duke, Jr. to do the same. But Brayden
According to Ruby’s mother, Kristy
felt compelled to do even more. As he
Knelson, her adopted daughter was born
explained it, “a bunch of love and light
with biliary atresia, which caused the
came into my heart.”
liver to be underdeveloped. In China,
At Christmas, Brayden had learned
baby Ruby underwent an intestinal
how to make candied pecans. So, he put
surgery which allowed the bile to drain
egg whites, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla,
from her liver. Under the care of the
salt, and pecans into the crock pot and
Knelsons, Ruby has had checkups every
stirred every 20 minutes. The first
six months at Riley Children’s Hospital
batch yielded eight 5-oz bags of candied
in Indianapolis.
pecans.
At Ruby’s doctor visit in October 2019,
At $10 a bag, family and friends
her oxygen levels were low. A test ruled
quickly bought the pecans. Brayden
the cause to be hepatitis-pulmonary
spent hours making more, and his
syndrome, meaning “her oxygen was
mother, Sara Duke, advertised them on
not reoxygenating when going from the
Facebook. In two weeks Brayden raised
Brayden pledged to donate $20 of his
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$689 for Ruby through
June 8. Ruby’s surgery at
coronavirus,
donations and pecans.
Riley lasted six and a half
home as much as possible
As his group leader
hours. This was longer
and wears a mask when she
Leigh
than
because
does go out.
of
her
Brayden hopes to meet
“really has the gifts of
intestines also had to be
mercy and compassion.”
repaired.
Ruby in person once it
But Brayden says this isn’t
about him. “This is about
for monitoring and tests,
God working with me to
Ruby came home at the end
help Ruby because she
of June. Her liver numbers
deserves a chance.”
are stable, but she needs
Thanks
Brayden,
to be extra cautious. Since
production of the Lion
the Knelsons’ Go Fund
Ruby shouldn’t ride her
King with Johnson’s Dance
Me page, and a “Pennies
bike or her scooter for now,
Studio. Both the Dukes
for Ruby” fundraiser at
she is occupying herself
and the Knelsons give God
Sorgho Elementary School,
with
the glory for answered
Ruby got her chance on
and paint. Due to the
Rhoads
Doyal
commented,
Brayden
to
a
expected
malrotation
After six weeks at Riley
Play-Doh,
bubbles,
Ruby
stays
is safe. He is continuing to pray for Ruby’s full recovery. For Ruby this means
being
able
to
participate in the August
prayers.
OP
ELIZABETH MUSTER is the mother of a four-year-old, the wife of a funeral director, the library media specialist at Burns Middle School, and an aspiring author of children’s books.
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Photos by Jamie Alexander
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Living the
AIRSTREAM DREAM Written by Laura Murphy // Photos by Jamie Alexander
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Meet the Martins. This family decided to sell their home and most of their possessions and hit the road. After renovating an Airstream, they will travel the U.S. over the next year, seeking adventure and reconnecting as a family.
D
uring the summer of 2019, Matthew and Amy Martin traveled quite a bit for their jobs. Even with the couple both working remotely, their out of state travel often occurred apart. Little did they know, just a year later, their adventures would take place together, with their family of three taking off across the country in their new home away from home. “It’s rare we can all travel together — there is the home to maintain, obligations or the traveling occurs during our son, Maccoy’s school schedule. It started to feel like we were away from each other more frequently, and we were getting to see and do so much, but not with each other,” Amy said. What started as brainstorming how they could travel more as a family, led to the realization that their jobs already give them the perfect opportunity to visit these places as a family. Right away, the couple decided they wanted to sell their home to have more flexibility. “Our jobs take us to different states every year such as California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, just to name a few. As our son, Maccoy, is approaching 9 years of age, we were also seeking an opportunity for him to travel more with us,” Amy said. “Our home was beautiful and a blessing, but we felt it was also too big for three people.” After exploring the idea of staying at various Airbnb locations for a year or full-time RVing, the family decided to seek the advice of co-workers who were living a similar lifestyle. One co-worker traveled and lived full-time in an RV with his family for three years and another was living in an Airbnb for six months in Costa Rica. The couple realized that working remotely presents a lot of possibilities if they were open to a new lifestyle and adventure, which they were. After running numbers, thinking of how they wanted to travel, and watching unlimited videos on YouTube,
they decided to become full-time RVers. “Did we have an RV? No. Did we have a truck to pull the RV? Nope! Had we ever camped in an RV? Nope! Homeschooled? Nope! But we knew we both had the spirit of adventure and our son would be the perfect age for it, so we jumped in with both feet,” Amy said. After putting their home up for sale in February, they bought a used Airstream travel trailer just two weeks before COVID-19 hit. They describe this as a year of dreaming and planning. After selling their house in early June and selling their small car, they bought a truck and gave away a lot of their home goods. “We purchased our 1977 Airstream Excella 500 from a lovely Owensboro native couple. They sold us 100% on the Airstream and traveling. They’d been traveling most of their life and had the best stories to share with us! It was their time to pass on the Airstream to a new generation. We were so lucky we were able to connect with them,” Amy said. While doing renovations to their Airstream to prepare for full-time traveling, the family is staying in an Airbnb for the next six weeks. Though the Airstream had been kept in great shape by the former owners, the Martins wanted to put their own stamp on it. The couple has been working around the clock to renovate it. Renovations include a complete gut job of the inside shell to create a custom layout that is functional for the family of three — an all-new inside to match their new lifestyle. Remodeling has been a challenge and taken a lot of time, but the Martins have found the process fun and a great learning experience. While living in the Airstream full-time, they will be traveling all over the United States, experiencing national parks, museums and exploring new cities. The couple is looking forward to homeschooling their son and incorporating experiences from their travels into
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his homeschool curriculum. As far as Maccoy is concerned, he is excited to try to find some neat flea markets or vintage shops, a favorite of his any time they are on vacation, or a weekend trip. He loves finding vintage toys and games, an opportunity he will likely have more often on the road. “Our son is excited about the adventure and he’s loved seeing the Airstream come together as we are working on it! We went from a 3,000 square foot home to a 250 square foot travel trailer and a really nice truck. It’s been the most freeing experience,” Amy said. According to the Martins, the biggest advantage of this new adventure will be their time together as a family. Between all the demands of owning a home, balancing
work schedules, and attending extracurricular activities, for a while it felt as if the family was constantly running on all cylinders just to keep up with life. “We know that full-time RVing will present its share of challenges, but we feel the experience will be worth it! We are very much looking forward to having more time to take in nature, explore new cities, and have more time to hike, kayak, walk on the beach, or just chill out in the Airstream and read books,” Amy said. When they aren’t traveling, the Martin family will be back in Owensboro, a place they refer to as their home base. With most of their family and friends here or nearby, they plan to return some throughout the year. “When we told our family
and friends what we were planning to do, some were apprehensive about the idea, but the majority of people including our families have been supportive and jealous! Many people said they wish they could do what we are doing. We’ve had a lot of interesting conversations with people and many want to travel and do more,” Amy said. The Martin family believes this new adventure has taught them to not be afraid to think outside the box and try something new. They have realized that life does not always have to be what society dictates. Their goal is to be an inspiration to others, to think outside the box and experience life in a different way. If one has the ability and the means to make a change, life is too short to not live that dream. OP
LAURA MURPHY is an eighth grade LA teacher at Daviess County Middle School. She has three kids who keep her life interesting; Jonah, Lily and Josiah. She survives on Grape Spark, Jon Gordan books and all things Grumpy Cat.
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Our Owensboro Humbly submitted for the cause of peace and brotherhood by Rick Searcy
F
or 20 years I have lived here in Owensboro. There have been many things that I have grown to love about it. I have had the privilege of befriending people from all over Daviess County with a plethora of backgrounds. Many of them are responsible for helping me transition from a lost teen running from a life of crime, drugs, and violence, to the proud father and person I am today. The moment we become parents, we realize that our lives now have a different purpose and meaning. We now realize that we have been blessed with the greatest responsibility that God can bestow on a person. According to Psalms 127:3, “Lo children are a heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” As we continue down the journey of parenthood we all want many of the same things for our children. We want to be able to put food on the table, we want them to be safe, educated, and we try our best to follow Proverbs 22:6 “train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” As a parent, I ask myself, “How am I training my son?” The way I train him will have a direct impact on our community and world. This is something we all must understand as parents today. Many people have asked themselves what I can do to make this a better Owensboro for my children. Or how can I help? To answer this question we must ask ourselves what type of
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Owensboro we want our children to live in today and tomorrow. The Owensboro that we currently see was handed to us by our predecessors as a representation of the things they believed were important to them. Though we are grateful for what they have done, it is undoubtedly our responsibility as parents to move our Owensboro forward, powered by what is important to us today. Our Owensboro must be a much more inclusive, diverse community, where we listen to each other even if we disagree or look different. As parents, the Black Lives Matter movement is not something we should just seek currently in our Owensboro, but an opportunity to make that a permanent belief ingrained in the hearts of our children. Our Owensboro will not manifest if we go back to the old ways of thinking, and the way things used to be. Our Owensboro will not manifest without us parents teaching against injustices of any kind, because in our Owensboro injustice to some of us, is injustice to all of us. So let’s not just think that just because some of us don’t experience injustice, that somehow it is not our responsibility to teach against it. The saying goes “the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago and the second best time is now.” So the same
is true for our Owensboro. Now we must make the commitment to ourselves and our children to plant the seeds of diversity and inclusion. If history has taught anything it is that we will never have a thriving community if everyone doesn’t have a seat at the table. In our Owensboro, we are men and women that are not bound to the beliefs of our kinfolks. In our Owensboro, we must resist the temptation of falling back into the same subtle bigotries that have poisoned our community for decades, but be determined to heal the divides that have held back our progress. In our Owensboro, we will accept this opportunity to come together and answer that call of peace and unity for everyone, so our cup of prosperity as a city will overflow for generations to come. OP
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Family
2020
g
From pediatricians to preschools, from sweet treats to boutiques—we asked you to tell us your favorite local spots and you answered. We are pleased to announce the winners of our Owensboro Parent Family Favorites contest! This is the third year Owensboro Parent has offered this contest, where you, our loyal and trustworthy readers, have the opportunity to make your voices heard. This year, hundreds of you cast your votes for favorite park, photographer, pediatric
g
dentist, preschool and kids eat free restaurant (among many others). Take a look at all of the Family Favorites and see if your choices made the cut.
RC favorite youth sports league
With the intention of providing a Christ-centered sports experience where kids develop athletic skills and values for life, Lil’ Sluggers hosts hundreds of local kids for t-ball during their summer program. Each week, players are challenged to practice the highest ideals of sportsmanship while learning their sport and Christian values through Bible lessons. This league is for girls and boys, ages 4, 5 and 6. 32 OWENSBORO PARENT
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a
lil' sluggers t-ball league
favorite preschool & favorite daycare
dd
d
charlotte’s web
multiple categor winner!y
Voted best daycare and preschool, Charlotte’s Web believes that curriculum is everything that happens in a classroom, from interactions and meals to singing and playing. The dedicated staff never misses an opportunity to blend play with early education curriculum.
r favorite sweet treat orange leaf
Orange Leaf offers freedom from average everyday options. From flavors, cups, and cones, to smoothies, shakes, and cakes, they give their guest the freedom to create whatever sweet treat they can come up with next. Their froyo flavors are the best, because they make them that way. No really, they do. Each flavor recipe is uniquely ours and you can’t get it anywhere else!
favorite issue In a Tanner Publishing first, we printed a double issue of Owensboro Parent and Owensboro Living magazines, combining the two publications into one for just one month. Not only did this make for a cool issue, but also allowed us to switch months that the magazines were each published, giving us fresh new content to present to our readers!
dd
d
f stafk! pic
favorite kids eat free location beef o’ brady’s Beef O’ Brady’s, or just Beef’s as the regulars call it, is truly a restaurant for the whole family. Whether grabbing a quick meal as a family or gathering with the whole team after the big game, Beef’s is always a family favorite.
shoe stop
Over the last 20 years, the number one thing that sets Shoe Stop Inc apart from other shoe stores is the relationship between their sales associates and customers. They offer product knowledge and strive for service with a servant’s heart. If the customer wins, we all win, according to Shoe Stop.
a
favorite children’s shoe store
favorite kid-friendly restaurant & favorite restaurant play area
dd
d
chick-fil-a
multiple categor winner!y
For another year, Chick-fil-A has been voted favorite kidfriendly restaurant and play area — but is that really any surprise? Quality food and service keep Owensboro parents coming back time and time again. August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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favorite place to take a family hike yellow creek park Nestled along the wooded banks of Yellow Creek at Thruston, the park features hiking trails, a one room school house, James Lambert Pioneer Village, train cars, spray park, and a 7 acre stocked lake.
favorite dance school
johnson’s dance studio Johnson’s Dance Studio encourages and teaches artistic expression through dance by utilizing teachers with experience in a myriad of disciplines and styles like jazz, tap, ballet, modern, hip hop, contemporary, creative movement, acro dance, aerial dance, adult classes, competition team, and more. JDS allows every dancer to enjoy and explore the art of dance!
dd
d
favorite story
sta pickff !
We still can’t get over Tennyson “Tenny” Elder’s pizzeria that we featured in our 2020 Dining Guide. This was actually the second time we featured Tenny’s creative play area. What once was a Starbucks cafe was turned into a pizza shop, all with the help of Tenny’s creative dad, Brent, who transformed an old dilapidated shed into the play place of his son’s dreams!
favorite food delivery service big o takeout
Owensboro’s only locally owned food delivery service, Big O Takeout has been serving the community since 2017. Adding new restaurants constantly, Big O is committed to bringing the best services and most options to Owensboro diners. 34 OWENSBORO PARENT
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favorite swim instructor ymca
Swim lessons at the Owensboro Family YMCA develop personal water safety and basic swimming skills in students of all ages! Swimmers develop a high level of comfort in the water by practicing safe water habits, engaging in underwater exploration, and learning how to swim to safety.
favorite children’s consignment robin’s resale & Boutique
Robin’s ReSale & Boutique offers new trendy boutique clothing and consignment for the entire family! They ship, offer online shopping and monogramming is available.
favorite spray park horse fork creek park Located on Owensboro’s east side, Horse Fork Creek Park offers the area’s newest spray park, complete with 23 spray features and a 20-foot tall dumping bucket. 36 OWENSBORO PARENT
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favorite pediatrician Dr. Michael Yeiser Dr. Michael Yeiser has been serving Owensboro’s children for nearly 40 years. He is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and an active fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics (F.A.A.P) and physician at Owensboro Pediatrics.
favorite pediatrics office owensboro pediatrics
favorite boutique for moms bella ragazza Bella Ragazza has been loving and serving women since May 2013. Their store-front location, now located in Wesleyan Park Plaza, is bright, inviting, and the perfect place for any mom to find her next go-to look. Their friendly staff awaits to shop with you like your best friend or give you space to relax and do your own retail therapy.
favorite kids clothing store
kidstop children’s boutique and stride rite bootery Whether it is your first time dropping by or you are part of the generations of families they have served since 1986, the mother/daughter/daughter trio of Kidstop is always thrilled you stopped by. This fabulous team of ladies want your shopping experience to be personable and rewarding both in store and online, with trendy and classic children’s pieces.
dd
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ff sta k! pic
favorite photoshoot How could this not be our favorite shoot?! We were shocked when a goat won our Pet Photo Contest this year, but we can’t say we were disappointed! Our super talented photographer Jamie had a blast photographing Hazel and all of her farm friends — even if Hazel kept trying to jump on Jamie’s back as she attempted to get the perfect shot!
The physicians and staff of Owensboro Pediatrics are committed to providing comprehensive medical care to children and adolescents in a caring and supportive environment. They value long-term relationships with their patients and their families.
favorite pediatric dental office pediatric dentistry of owensboro
Dr. Jay Crews and Dr. Patrick Gilbert appreciate the opportunity to provide your child with comprehensive dental care. Their practice philosophy is centered around preventive dentistry and they are committed to the overall health and well being of your child. They strive to use the newest materials, methods, and equipment while remaining current through continuing education.
favorite pediatric dentist
dr. jay crews In practice since 2003, Dr. Jay Crews is a board-certified pediatric dentist who specializes in providing comprehensive care for kids from infancy through their teen years, including special needs children. August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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favorite park park mustardsmothers seed photography Smothers Park, named “Top Playground in the World,” is the heart of the riverfront located in vibrant downtown Owensboro. Three stunning fountains, a cascading waterfall, swinging metal benches, an open air pavilion, concession stand, clean restrooms, free wifi, and the world-renowned children’s park make this a must see attraction.
r favorite labor & delivery nurse chantel wilkey
Chantell Wilkey has been a nurse in Labor & Delivery at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for the past eight years. During this time she has shown great compassion and dedication to every patient she has the pleasure of caring for. Chantell provides excellent care for every single laboring mother, developing everlasting relationships with all of them and their families. She is a huge asset to Labor & Delivery and no one is more deserving to be voted Owensboro’s favorite L&D nurse! 38 OWENSBORO PARENT
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favorite newborn/ family photographer reflections by talea Reflections by Talea has been serving Owensboro for more than 12 years. With stunning light and a curated wardrobe, Talea is sure to capture beautiful portraits of your family for you to cherish.
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favorite place for rainy day fun
mustard seed photography daviess county public library Daviess County Public Library provides residents the means to pursue lifelong learning, but for kids it provides a place to explore and imagine. With unique programming and an innovative children’s area, DCPL is the perfect place for rainy day fun!
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favorite bike shop legends
Legends’ mission is to provide their clients the products, knowledge, and motivation they need to live an active, healthy life.
favorite place for family fun elite air
A park known for its neon lights, air bag, fun parties, and friendly staff, Elite Air Extreme Fun Center is Owensboro’s trampoline and Ninja Warrior Course family fun center!
a
RC favorite birthday cake
favorite gymnastics center & birthday party location ddd m owensboro gymnastics
multiple categor winner!y
Open since 1976, Owensboro Gymnastics has been serving the community for decades. Classes offered include preschool to 6 year olds, recreational classes for first grade and up and Tumbling for 8 years and up. More than just a gym and gymnastics studio, Owensboro Gymnastics has become a #1 choice for children’s birthday parties. With so many inflatables and a giant foam pit, it’s no wonder Owensboro kids want their party here!
favorite snowcone just chill
dairy queen Who doesn’t love a Dairy Queen Blizzard Cake? No wonder DQ was voted favorite birthday cake!
favorite place for a kid’s haircut klutch
With a cool studio and dedicated barbers, Klutch has made a place for itself in Owensboro since 2016. Klutch tailors their services to each client specifically to give them the look that matches their personality.
A locally owned business in Owensboro, Just Chill makes the finest shaved ice. They block their own ice and mix their own flavors — 30 to be exact!
favorite place for moms to get pampered all about you salon & spa The name say’s it all. All About You Salon & Spa is dedicated to providing each individual client with customized services based on their personal needs. With a highly trained staff offering services from hair-care to massage and permanent makeup, All About You Salon and Spa will continually offer you the latest in every fashion trend.
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PAID ADVERTORIAL BLUEGRASS DENTAL
Back to School: Oral Hygiene Tips for Kids I
t’s time for kids to go back to school, so it’s a great time to brush up on oral hygiene tips for keeping your kids’ teeth
healthy.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry,
more than 50% of children will be affected by tooth decay before the age of 5. In addition, a report from the Office of the Surgeon General notes that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental-related conditions. You can help your child stay healthy by following these oral hygiene tips and starting
of those appliances. Plus, they make all sorts of cute travel size
the school year off right!
toothbrush holders and fun toothpaste flavors.
BOOK REGUL AR DENTAL CHECK-UPS
LIMIT YOUR CHILD’S INTAKE OF CANDY AND SWEETS
Usually schools and other activities such as camp and extra-
curricular sports call for your child to have a physical prior to attending or playing. Even though dental check-ups are not always required on the back to school checklist, add it into your family’s back to school list. This will also get your child more comfortable with going to the dentist for teeth cleanings.
Pro-Tip- if your child is well behaved and doesn’t have
extensive dental needs, your family dentist can handle both the childs’ and the parents’ appointments, ask for family scheduling to save trips and time! STICK TO A DENTAL ROUTINE
Most people, adults and children included, benefit from
sticking to a routine. This goes for having a dental regimen as well. In the mornings, get your child out of bed and brushing their teeth before school. Do the same before bed. Don’t skip this step – make it a consistent, mandatory part of every day.
Sticky and sugary candies that are left in the mouth automatically increase the levels of harmful acids, and it can take as long as 20 minutes for the saliva to neutralize those acids. If your child eats these types of candies multiple times a day, they are increasing their risk for cavities. Instead of candy or sugary treats, plan for healthy desserts and snacks, including fresh fruits and nuts.
If you plan to give your child candy or sweets, it’s best to do it
after a meal. The previous food eaten provides some protection against the sugar. Afterwards, instruct your child to go brush his or her teeth to remove the food particles and sugar. CONSIDER FLUORIDE TREATMENTS AND SEALANTS
Fluoride is typically added to city drinking water and toothpastes to help strengthen teeth and prevent cavities and tooth decay. If your child isn’t getting enough fluoride or you have well water, consider a fluoride treatment. The fluoride
PROVIDE A TOOTHBRUSH FOR AT SCHOOL USE
is placed on the teeth, usually in the form of a gel. When the
A great way to keep those teeth clean during the day is to send
mouth becomes acidic, the gel releases fluoride to help protect
a toothbrush, mini toothpaste, and a flosser in your child’s
the teeth against cavities causing bacteria.
lunchbox. Once lunch is done, they have that reminder to run to
the bathroom and get all the food out of their teeth. Especially
apply a sealant to your child’s teeth. The sealant seals the
if they have braces or any other dental appliances, giving your
grooves and dips in the teeth, preventing plaque and bacteria
child the tools to keep their teeth clean will help the success
from colonizing and creating decay and cavities.
In addition to fluoride treatments, your family dentist can
HF
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44 OWENSBORO PARENT
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Discover
ADVICE AND TIPS ON H OW TO M AKE PARENTING AN D L IFE EASIER
WHO’S READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?
August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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DISCOVER • THE BOOK NOOK
The Book Nook New School Year - New Book Friends Written by Katie Albers
The greatest lessons in life come through the relationships that we experience. Reading stories of friendship, especially tricky ones, help us to navigate real life friendships with more grace as this new school year begins. Try some of these friendship books as read-alouds with your family.
Growing with Friends through Common Interests
She Loves You (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)
Operation Redwood
It’s 1966, and Trudy Mixer, President of her middle school’s Beatles Fan Club, is navigating broken friendships, and changing family dynamics while trying to fulfill her dream of meeting Paul McCartney.
Secretly intercepted emails bring together a group of kid heroes to save some of the oldest California Redwood trees from a company that wants to cut them down.
by Ann Hood
by S. Terrell French
Supporting Friends through Societal Resistance
Backfield Boys
Lions of Little Rock
Two best friends, one Jewish and one black, are accepted into an elite school for their unique football skills. But when deep seated racism is discovered in the program, they must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the truth.
Set in Little Rock, AR, in 1958, two friends learn to stand together despite the segregation that tries to keep them apart.
by John Feinstein
by Kristin Levine
Learning with Friends through Difficult Circumstances
The Seventh Most Important Thing
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
Due to his senseless crime, Arthur T. Owens has to spend 120 community service hours with the “Junk Man.” And in those hours he learns that there is something to all the Junk Man’s “trash” collecting.
As Mason Buttle struggles with the loss of his best friend, Benny, his new friend and a fellow victim of the school bullies, Calvin, goes missing. Will anyone believe Mason’s story?
by Shelley Pearsall
by Leslie Connor
Accepting Friends with Challenging Disabilities
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
Out of My Mind
Aven was born without arms, but she doesn’t let that shake her confidence. As her family navigates a new adventure running, Stagecoach Pass, a western theme park, she and an unexpected new friend unravel a personal mystery.
Melody has cerebral palsy, but she also has a photographic memory and is certainly the smartest kid in the school. She is not about to let her disabilities hold her back.
by Dusti Bowling
by Sharon M. Draper
Picture Books about Friendship
Llama, Llama and the Bully Goat
The Big Umbrella
Llama Llama is learning lots of new things at school and making many friends. But when Gilroy Goat starts teasing him and some of their classmates, Llama Llama isn’t sure what to do. And then he remembers what his teacher told him—walk away and tell someone. It works! But then Llama Llama feels badly. Can he and Gilroy try to be friends again?
By the door there is an umbrella. It is so big that when it starts to rain there is room for everyone underneath. It doesn’t matter if you are tall. Or plaid. Or hairy. It doesn’t matter how many legs you have. Don’t worry that there won’t be enough room under the umbrella. Because there will always be room.
by Anna Dewdney
by Amy June Bates
KATIE ALBERS grew up in Owensboro and loved words so much that she became a school librarian and even alphabetized her family: Josh, Katie, Lance, Mallory, Noelle, Oaken, and Polly (the cat).
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DISCOVER • Q&A WITH CHRISTINA DALTON, MSSW, CSW
parental control I am nervous about sending my kids back to school “ and what it will look like for them? I know that we don’t
a:
really know the answers yet. I want to be preparing them now. I have kids who will be in elementary and middle school. One concern in particular is for my child going to middle school. This is his first experience and it will be a new school too. How can we help them be ready for what it might look like in the fall?
”
This is a question on the minds of so many parents and educators in our city. I am right there with you, wondering what it will look like for my high-school-aged child. I believe that sometimes our imaginations can have us picturing something much scarier than what is truly reality. I think this is a great question and I will do my best to provide you helpful suggestions to the best of my abilities. I know that school districts all over the country are trying to figure out what is the best and safest way to get kids back in school to learn. I think as a parent there are many ways that we can help prepare our children to go back to school in the fall. First and foremost, each situation is going to be a little different depending on underlying medical conditions that children may be diagnosed with along with their living situations as well. One thing you can be doing is to educate your child on proper hygiene. I always say when you are teaching your child something, you have to teach it in a way that they understand and it relates to their cognitive developmental level. You have to meet them where they are developmentally. You aren’t going to go into a lengthy description of COVID-19 with a 6-yearold, but you can have a much more candid conversation with your teenager. Start with hygiene. This is such a great way to teach kids about handwashing and why it is so important not just for COVID-19, but all communicable diseases. Depending on your child’s age there are so many great science experiments that you can do to talk about germs and handwashing too. I think it is so important to make it fun. If the school is going to require masks upon returning, talk about it now. I personally wouldn’t want my child’s first experience with someone wearing a mask to be the first
day of school. You should try it at home and show them how to wear it and talk about why it’s important. There have been some hilarious videos online about kids going back to school and wearing the masks on their heads, switching masks and just about anything else you can think of to not do it properly. I want you to be kind and keep this in the back of your mind for the upcoming school year…We are all learning. We have never been through this before or under these circumstances. I’ve worked in a school system for over 20 years now and the one thing I can say without pause is we love your kids and we will always try to do what is right by your child. You mentioned your son going into middle school for the first time. The very thought of starting middle school could be scary without a pandemic! I know that those schools are going to figure out how to make that a smooth transition. I encourage you as it gets closer to opening to reach out to the school. If you have not heard from them you can check to see what they are doing for incoming students. It is never bad to keep that communication open. My last piece of advice is to truly think about our own attitudes. We have to promote positivity. I think our own attitudes have a huge impact on how our children think and act. Think about the time that you have with your child before they start back. How can you equip your child with the tools and positivity they need to be successful at school? The greatest gift we can give our children is to teach them to be resilient and equip them with the tools to bounce back when life knocks us down. COVID-19 has knocked us all down—some more than others—but we will rise up and meet this challenge and the next with a positive heart and a smile underneath our masks. OP
CHRISTINA DALTON, MSSW, CSW is a Family Resource Center Coordinator for Daviess County Public Schools.
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
Growing a Positive Mindset Written by Erinn Williams
20 20
has been an adventurous
help students adjust to this new way of
year so to speak. There
learning.
help encourage other friends to stay
have
connected and think of creative ways to
been
Innovative Mindset: ”I can
challenges,
adjustments
and
there
perceptions about their intelligence and
are
impending
ability affect their cognitive functioning
modifications yet ahead of
and learning. When students believe
us all. Daily life has been altered in light
intelligence is malleable and not fixed,
and overwhelming emotions here are
of a global pandemic. Our health, hearts
they are more likely to develop a growth
some things to encourage your child to
and minds have been put to the test in
mindset. Students who adhere to a
consider:
ways none of us could have ever predicted
growth mindset are more likely to focus
or fathomed.
on learning goals and are more willing
The impact that COVID-19 has on
to take on challenging tasks to test and
our wellbeing as a whole can largely be
expand their knowledge than students
determined by our attitudes towards the
who hold the view that intelligence is
imposed restrictions and how we view the
fixed.
Try different learning tactics.
situation. This however, is an ideal time
to encourage children to reflect while
Replace the word “failing” with the
growth mindset, and an innovative
providing support in developing more
mindset are listed below regarding
helpful and positive mindsets. This could
attitudes toward returning to school
serve as a time when our children develop
could look like the following:
many
skills and dispositions that they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to acquire.
It goes without saying that school and
help
children
develop
stronger mindsets during COVID-19 and
Fixed Mindset: “I’m scared and the fall.”
Growth Mindset: ”I can continue to learn if I put in effort and stay motivated, no matter what.”
into a new school year it is important
Innovative Mindset: ”I can always
to take a closer look at the different
learn new things, and I can make the
types of mindsets. Essentially research
best of the situation given the new
tells us that there are three mindsets:
strategies available.”
fixed mindset, a growth mindset, and an innovative mindset.
There are various ways to help your
child evolve from a fixed mindset, to a growth mindset, and beyond that to an innovative mindset. Techniques that help foster this skill set can be especially useful for teachers, parents and caregivers who are adjusting to virtual learning,
do so.”
The same could be said regarding
social situations that are important and vital to your child’s routine and development.
Fixed Mindset: “I can’t see my friends or be in groups with them.”
Growth Mindset: ”I can stay
When faced with difficult situations
Acknowledge and embrace imperfections and unforeseen challenges. View challenges as opportunities.
Some examples of a fixed mindset,
worried about what school may be like in
will look much different this fall. To ensure
We know that students’ beliefs or
word “learning.” Value the process over the end result. Cultivate a sense of purpose.
An infamous quote, Master Yoda,
insists the following about the minds of youth:
“Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.”
The validity of that statement applies
to much of the mystique and wonder that surrounds mindset within children. Regardless if you identify as a Stars Wars fan or not, most will agree that there is a certain freedom and creativity that accompanies an adolescent mind, and the possibilities for growth are endless.
It is our responsibility as parents and
caregivers to ensure that our children face challenging situations with the confidence and character to know they
modifications in public school, and
connected to my friends if I set my mind
are capable, equipped and ready for
homeschooling. These tips will ultimately
to it.”
anything that comes their way!
OP
ERINN WILLIAMS adores her hubby, cats, hardback church hymnals and a hot mess of fried okra. She’s new in town, trading in mountains and streams for soybeans and burgoo, and refers to herself as "a little hillbilly in a great big world."
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Back-to-School
Fashion
While we don’t know the exact details of how they will be returning to school this academic year, we still have to shop for back-to-school clothes for our ever-growing kiddos (and ourselves!). Owensboro is home to so many locally-owned boutiques, which all have your back-to-school basics covered. Whether you are a teacher, mom or student, check out any number of Owensboro’s Shop Small options for unique pieces that are sure to stun your friends and family!
FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT Red Hayden Girls LA: $29
Lil Bit Sassy 125 W 2nd St (270) 852-0555
FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT Modern Animal Tee: $44 Connie Jeans: $89 Tibor Sneakers: $49 Rainbow stretch bracelets: $15
Bella Ragazza 2684 Frederica St (270) 926-9546
FOR THE TEACHER Flutter Top: $32 Connie White Jeans: $76 Earrings: $18
Bella Ragazza 2684 Frederica St (270) 926-9546
August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
Maybe We Can
HOMESCHOOL Written by Katie Albers
F
or many of us, the last half of the spring semester of 2020 was very challenging. Helping our children to navigate Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) days gave us a new appreciation for the hard work and heart work that teachers perform every single day. We are so grateful to them. This change in routine forced all of us to experiment with what it might be like to homeschool our children. And some families decided that learning together from home is really pretty great!
out before we begin it,” says Brenda.
working.
“All that family time together was
assist if there are questions. There
super duper awesome and it was
is no planning necessary for Brenda
NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS
something we’d never had together
to do and she can even submit the
with Warren traveling.” They realized
kids’ assessments to be graded by
Both Warren and Brenda Larson have unique work arrangements. Warren is a pilot traveling away from home several weeks of the year. Brenda is a mechanical engineer working full-time from home. They have discussed for years the idea of homeschooling their three children, Brianna and Alaina, age 8, and Mitchell, age 3, but Brenda worried about her ability to juggle her work responsibilities and the children. This past spring required their family to be home all together, and they got a taste of what a homeschool lifestyle might be like. “God gave me a chance to try it
that homeschooling would give them
the
the flexibility to travel with Warren
This premade curriculum allows
if they wanted and have adventures
the Larsons the best of both worlds,
together without worrying about the
working and homeschooling.
school schedule or falling behind in
classwork.
have seen from all their time home
Working full-time from home
together has been all the life skills
will still demand Brenda’s attention,
that they have had time to teach and
so she will continue to have help,
learn.
especially with her younger son,
the girls are learning to cook and
from a family member that comes
care for a home. They work outside
each day. They have chosen to use a
and built an aquaponics greenhouse
homeschool curriculum called Abeka
together this spring.
that incorporates videos, workbooks,
is developing so many new skills
and supplementals for the girls. This
just from being with his sisters. The
way the girls can work independently
Larsons are an active family who
alongside
participate in sports, church, and
New Normal:
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. August // September 2020
Brenda
while
she
is
Brenda can oversee and
curriculum
manufacturers.
An extra bonus that the Larsons
Even at such a young age,
And Mitchell
volunteer activities.
Their extroverted,
they are beginning their fifth year of
creative personalities make for a full and
homeschooling. After lots of research and
vibrant social calendar. Homeschooling
discussions with other homeschooling
will help them to remain grounded in
moms, the Hintons decided to use Classical
family life rather than be scattered by all
Conversations as their curriculum.
their interests.
Classical Conversations helps parents
to equip their children with the tools of
New Normal:
CARRYING ON
community for the kids to practice the
In March, when schools closed in
ones memorize the “grammar” of math,
response to the COVID-19 Pandemic,
Latin, history, geography, English, science,
while the Larsons were adjusting to
and fine arts. The 10-13 year olds practice
the new togetherness and schooling at
the dialectic skills of public speaking,
home, the Hinton family was across town
persuasive writing, logic, and debate.
carrying on with minimal disruption to
The high school kids in the rhetorical
their normal mode of operation. Staying
stage
home to stay healthy cancelled many
solving, research, discussion, and writing,
extracurricular activities in their routines
culminating in a senior thesis. Planning
as well, but homeschooling allowed
for each week usually takes Natalie about
learning to carry on without a hiccup.
30-45 minutes. On school days, Natalie
Natalie
Photo by Monica Smith
learning. They meet weekly with a local
Hinton
skills they are learning. The youngest
dreamed
apply
themselves
to
problem
of
rotates around with each child as the other
homeschooling when her oldest child was
kids do independent work. The kids are
just beginning with school. She worried
involved with church and extracurricular
about the financial consequences of
activities
(soccer,
taekwondo,
dance,
quitting her job and about whether or not
basketball) which provide lots of social
she was truly equipped to educate her kids
interaction.
herself. “Our decision to homeschool was
After homeschooling for so long,
not taken lightly. We spent about a year
Natalie has realized the importance of
praying and discussing before we actually
having a schedule and being organized,
began homeschooling. We felt that God
but she also gives her kids and herself
had called us to educate our children at
some grace to be flexible and willing to
home.” Natalie and her husband, Matthew,
adjust to challenges.
have three kids as well, Gabriel, age 10,
Spend some time getting to know your
Malachi, age 7, and Addison, age 6, and
children, their likes and dislikes. Let them
“Keep it simple.
August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL Photo by Jamie Alexander
Homeschooling Resources Homeschooling comes in many different forms and there is one out there to meet the needs of your family. Check out the resources below.
YouTube Channels Our House // My Busy Bees and Me Our Muslim Homeschool // Homeschool On
Podcasts Read-Aloud Revival
get used to you being their
County we are blessed to have
The Homeschool Sisters
teacher (it takes a while!). Give
incredible schools that provide
lots of hugs and kisses. Snuggle
excellent
together and read books. Laugh
kids. As they prepare for the
together.
upcoming school year, teachers
The Homeschool Solutions Show with Pam Barnhill
Play
together.
It’s
okay if they don’t finish an entire math or reading lesson
Books Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie
in one day. Break that lesson into two or even three days. Encourage your child! When your child doesn’t understand something, spend extra time
Minimalist Homeschooling by Zara Fagen, PhD The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
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. August // September 2020
are
education
making
for
adjustments
our
in
response to our new Healthy at School standards. They are working to make the best of it because they love the kids of our community. But if teaching
on that particular challenge.”
your kids at home is tugging at
Homeschooling affords her the
your heart, maybe it is time to
time for this more flexible pace
take a deeper look and give the
of learning and sweet moments
homeschooling lifestyle a try.
each day with her kids.
Your family just might thrive in
it.
In Owensboro and Daviess
OP
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
Sunshine Every Day Weathering the Morning Routine Written by Katie Albers
NTI days and summertime have given us a long break without a consistent morning routine. But life will be getting back to normal soon and having a plan for getting up and out the door with a sunny disposition makes the whole day brighter. Take this quiz to see what kind of weather your kids have in the morning and for a few tips about how to improve the forecast.
1 When the wake up call sounds, what is the response?
A. “Good Morning!” as she bounces out of bed. B. Silence as she completely ignores the attempt to wake her. C. “Go away!” as she rolls over to get back to her dream.
2 What is he going to wear today?
A. It’s already decided and ready to go! B. He doesn’t care what he wears but he doesn’t feel like picking it out. C. “I don’t want to wear that. I don’t want to wear that either!” 56 OWENSBORO PARENT
. August // September 2020
3 He finally makes it to the
bathroom. How long will he need?
A. 15 minutes tops. He is in and out. B. 30 minutes. He may have fallen asleep on the bathroom floor. C. 45 minutes. He doesn’t want to see anyone so he hides out as long as he can.
4 When he emerges from the
bathroom, how does it look?
A. Exactly as it did before he went in, everything put away and wiped up! B. There might be some toothpaste in the sink, but the tools are put away. C. The towel is on the floor, the toothpaste is missing the cap, and the lid is up.
5 How does breakfast go?
A. She sits to eat while talking with the family about the upcoming day. B. She stands at the counter woofing down something quickly. C. There is no time for breakfast and so she snaps at her sibling and stuffs a granola bar in her bag.
6 Did we forget anything?
A. Of course not! The backpack is ready to go and we are on time! B. One of her shoes is missing, but for the most part we are ready to roll. C. The yelling really amps up as we scour the house for homework and gym clothes.
MOSTLY A’S
The Sunshine Kid You have been blessed with a sunshine kid! They do exist and they are a pleasure to have around! They need about 45 minutes to get ready in the morning, and since they are focused and responsible, the days begin beautifully.
MOSTLY B’S
The Partly Cloudy Kid Your kid has a hard time transitioning from dreamland to go time. She’s not unpleasant in the morning just very, very slow. An earlier bedtime might be in order, but sometimes the sleepiness is just part of a person’s natural body rhythms. If partly cloudy kids have their prep
work done at night, they can easily squeeze the morning routine into 20 minutes and maximize the sleeping in time.
Rather than allowing him to sleep until the last minute thinking that more rest will make him less irritable, try waking him up earlier.
Giving
stormy kids more time and more quiet Make bathing, picking out clothes, packing lunches and backpacks, finding shoes, and planning breakfast all parts of the nighttime routine and your mornings will be as smooth as the sunshine kid!
MOSTLY C’S
The Stormy Kid No matter how sweet you are about waking up your stormy kid, you are met with grumpiness and pushback. We all have some mornings like this, but some kids suffer this nearly every morning. It’s a hard way to start the day for the whole family but there are some tricks to try to ease the situation.
space to get going in the morning tamps down the stress of rush, rush, rush that can often go with that time of day.
Make a checklist of things
that need to be done in the morning so there is no need to nag. Once those tasks are completed, your stormy kid can use the remaining before school time for fun: pleasure reading, coloring, or screen time to ease into the day. Plan for 60 - 90 minutes in the morning to bring out the sunshine! The morning weather mood can determine the forecast for the whole day. But this is the kind of weather you can control with a little insight and planning.
OP
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM
COVID-19 In the words of local teachers and counselors. Written by Melody Ann Wallace
Four months ago, the day-
to assess computer access and
While no one could have
to-day roles of teachers and
internet availability as parents
predicted or planned for what
parents
unexpected
struggled with the uncertainty
the end of the 2019-2020 school
turn after a recommendation
of childcare. Parents seemingly
year would look like, teachers
was made by governor Andy
became their child’s teacher, while
still did what teachers do — they
Beshear concerning the spread
teachers played the role of parent
of COVID-19 through face to face
and teacher with only a computer
classroom instruction. Teachers
screen or cell phone as their link
and school staff members found
to their students. Regardless of
themselves with less than 72
resources or routines, very few
hours to prepare their students
local schools and families were
to continue learning outside of
prepared for what would be a very
what they learned during the
the school building.
rapid transition from traditional
three-month period that required
Teachers scrambled to put
in-person classroom instruction
them to adapt their instruction in
together curriculum packets and
to Non-Traditional Instruction
light of COVID-19. Here are their
lesson plans while quickly trying
(NTI) at home.
answers in their words.
took
58 OWENSBORO PARENT
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. August // September 2020
adapted, they overcame, and they taught. Local
educators
and
counselors from multiple grade levels were asked to reflect upon
R E LY I N G O N RELATIONSHIPS “The struggles of COVID confirmed what I have always felt was the most important thing for teachers to thrive in and that is relationships. We need to know our students’ academic needs along with their personal successes and struggles. Knowing your students is the cornerstone of getting them where they need to be academically.” ~ Preschool Teacher “I always knew relationships were the core of teaching, but during COVID-19, it truly came to light.” ~ Middle School Teacher “One of the things that made NTI successful was with relationships we had built with our students and families. A student will give you their best when they feel you have their best interests at heart. As we move into a new school year that will be full of changes I feel relationships with students and their families will be a top priority.” ~ Preschool Teacher “One thing I learned was how much my girls’ teachers mean to them. Their teachers were required to send a daily video. My daughter literally just thought her teacher was talking to her. It was precious the way her eyes lit up. With my older daughter, it was a sense of comfort seeing her teacher daily on the computer. They couldn’t wait to see and hear what their teacher had to say. They felt the love through that screen. What a testament to the impact teachers have on students!” ~ Elementary Guidance Counselor “I have learned that I have very little control over things and that it is more important to maintain a positive relationship between myself and my students and their parents than it is getting them ready for the K PREP standardized test. It was my job to keep my students moving forward with the content, but more importantly keep them moving forward and encouraging them to keep trying to complete the work.” ~ Middle School Teacher “Prior to this unprecedented season of distance learning, I recognized the importance of cultivating relationships with
the students in my classroom, but the NTI experience made me realize just how vital fostering relationships with my students’ parents is, as well. When we return to the classroom, I hope to seek more opportunities to engage with parents and better serve my students.” ~ High School Teacher
COMMUNICATION IS KEY “I realized how important the communication between school and home is and I think many parents did as well.” ~ Middle School Teacher “I learned communication is vital...As a school counselor, this virus has made me think about the different ways people live and think. I have had to consider many different options of communicating but also the different needs of families. There definitely isn’t a one size fits all answer to many of the issues with this virus.” ~ High School Counselor “While I saw my students only virtually, I felt the communication between them and their families significantly increased.” ~ Middle School Teacher “Even though I had to contact parents whose students had not completed the required work, I also contacted the parents regularly of students who were doing the expected work to praise their hard work and to keep the line of communication open with the parents. This worked really well and it helped give parents a pat on the back that many needed during this time.” ~ Middle School Teacher
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS “Teachers worked relentlessly on learning about the best way to present material and communicate with kids. They really tried to make the work meaningful but not too difficult for those who didn’t have adult assistance.” ~ Elementary Guidance Counselor “I worked with students on their schedule instead of my own, doing Google Meets at different times of the day. Even though I had regular Google Meet times each week, there were several times where I set up special
sessions to modify work and help students get caught up on their work.” ~ Middle School Teacher “I’ve seen the struggle of our teachers wholeheartedly missing their students, missing seeing their faces daily and getting to see that their students are OK. Teachers missing TEACHING...their passion.” ~ Elementary Guidance Counselor “Many of my students did not even wake up until after lunch, so I met with many students online after regular school hours. For some it was preference, but for some it was necessary because many of my students had to share a computer with other siblings or with a parent who had to work online because of their job. So the expectation that students wake up and get work done during the normal school hours had to change because of different circumstances.” ~ Middle School Teacher
TEACHING THE TEACHER “I learned I can teach other people’s children better than I can my own.” ~ Elementary Teacher “During a regular school day, we are constantly on the go trying to cram everything possible into our day. I could not always take the time to really sit and listen to them. Even though it was through video, I could really sit and talk with them.” ~ Elementary Teacher “I realized at the end of it, I actually got to know students who I may have missed out on if I had taught in a traditional way. With so many students in and out of my classroom on a daily basis, I usually do not have the time to make connections like I want to. This allowed me to give more one-on-one instruction and help students and also have better and more intentional conversations about their day and how they were dealing with the changes around them.” ~ Middle School Teacher “I learned that I did not become a teacher to teach content, but to support students and parents. I learned that my students need more real life skills in order to manage August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
time outside of the classroom...I learned that I belong to a group of people who are caring and, even though there were so many unknowns, we kept going and kept our students in a somewhat normal routine.” ~ Middle School Teacher
SEEING STUDENTS SHINE “My takeaway is just how resilient kids are. No doubt COVID-19 put a huge damper on nearly every aspect of their life, but they found new ways to learn. They embraced having to teach themselves and learn on their own and they did it without complaining or arguing.” ~ Middle School Teacher “Some kids flourish learning at home online. There were students who tried very hard to withdraw in inseat instruction, but when that changed to online learning, they improved dramatically. There is a world of opportunity to explore virtual academies run by public schools.” ~ Middle School Teacher “I’m really proud of the majority of my students and how well they handled the spring NTI session. We were forced to do school in a way that was completely foreign to them and us, and they handled it like champs.” ~ High School Teacher “The quality that most impressed me amongst my students is their unwavering resilience to the challenges they face. During this time, several of my kids took on the role of the primary caregiver in their homes
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which required them to not only babysit but also assist their siblings with their school assignments while their parents were at work. Also, many increased their work hours to assist their families when one of their parents was laid off due to the shut downs. These hard working kids still found time to do their own school work — often in the late hours of the night after completing their other responsibilities.” ~ High School Teacher
Youth Service Center Coordinator, Cafeteria Staff and maybe their go to which may be our custodians or someone else in the building that isn’t their teacher. We are a safe place for our students.” ~ Youth Service Center
BEYOND THE BUILDING
“I’m really worried about the COVID disease, but I’m more concerned about the students not being able to come into the office to share what is happening in their lives. I’m really worried about the students that really need us.” ~ Youth Service Center
“I learned in order for a student to be fully successful, it is critical they are in the actual building of the school. Many of our students don’t have access to the resources needed to be successful during NTI. Many students have working parents which makes it very difficult for both the student and parent to effectively balance NTI workload. Many parents struggle with serving as their child’s educator. Many students and families were in survival mode.” ~ Youth Service Center “I did some home visits, dropping off materials and food. It made you aware of their home life (bigger kids having to take care of the little ones, living conditions, etc.) and that they would be in a position of doing this for months…It makes you worry way more than you did when the kiddos were in your building.” ~ Elementary Guidance Counselor “I learned just how important all support levels in the school are to the student from our Dean of Students, Guidance Counselors,
“For a lot of kids, this is their safe place, where they experience love, get fed, and just feel wanted and encouraged.” ~ Elementary Guidance Counselor
FA M I LY FIRST “On a personal level I have enjoyed the time with my own family. We are always on the move with work, school, and sports. It was nice to get back to spending more quality time together without distractions.” ~ Preschool Teacher “I have tried to cherish this extra time with my own family. We did not have the many activities after school that we normally would this time of year. This has truly been quality family time for us. It has been the blessing from all of this.” ~ Elementary Teacher “As a parent, I truly valued the ‘great pause.’ To see my personal kiddos every morning without the hustle and bustle of being ready
and out the door on time was somewhat refreshing. To be involved in what THEY were learning was eye-opening. It was stressful; don’t get me wrong, but I was able to reconnect with them in a new way.” ~ Middle School Teacher “As a husband and father, it has been the little moments. Getting up on Sundays and making breakfast for the whole family so we could watch church together. Watching countless hours of Dude Perfect videos with
LESSONS LEARNED “I quickly learned how difficult it was for our parents to be the teacher for our students. I called families frequently to provide encouragement, tips and resources but it was still a struggle.” ~ Youth Service Center “It was refreshing to remember my WHY, why I became a teacher in the first place — to be there for my kids, help them through hard times, and remind them of their own strength.” ~ Middle School Teacher
the kids and then trying to recreate trick shots of our own has been a lot of fun.” ~ High School Counselor “I was reminded how I actually appreciate the slower pace. I enjoyed the additional time with my family and not having to be in a rat race all of the time.” ~ High school counselor
“I was reminded of how much of a need I have to connect with people. The days I stayed in contact with people were the days I’ve enjoyed the most.” ~ High School Counselor “I have loved how people have creatively found ways to stay connected whether it is a birthday parade, leaving goodies on
the front porch, or driving to someone’s house and talking to them from across the driveway.” ~ Elementary School Teacher “It sounds weird for an adult to say that he missed the interactions with his students, but that’s a large part of why I teach. I love my kids. Not seeing them face-to-face, not getting to interact with them, not seeing their responses to our readings, not being able to hold class discussions with them, not getting to experience their senses of humor — these all served as a reminder of just how wonderful the teaching profession is.” ~ High School Teacher “I learned that I love my job and that I am so glad that I am blessed to be in a career that is so important to our society. Even when things are not normal and even when things are uncertain — you can always count on a teacher.” ~ Middle School Teacher OP
MELODY ANN WALLACE is a mom, stepmom and seventh grade language arts teacher at College View Middle School. She runs on caffeine, good deeds and the inspiring stories of others.
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DISCOVER • BACK TO SCHOOL
How to Approach the New (Uncertain) School Year Written by Melody Ann Wallace
With growing concerns about COVID-19 being spread through faceto-face classroom instruction, the 2019-2020 school year ironically came to a chaotic halt on Friday, March 13. The months to follow would see teachers teaching lessons via Google Meet and video recordings, taking parent and student calls into late night hours, and parents struggling with math and science problems and upended routines. When this article goes to print, there is still a very good chance that many of the details for the 2020-2021 school year will still be undecided due to the fear of exposing students and their teachers to COVID-19. This uncertainty leaves many parents questioning whether or not to send their children to school and teachers questioning what instructional days will look like going forward. It is important for parents to remember that teachers entered into the profession not just for the love of a certain topic or discipline, but for a love of educating and pouring into children. When parents and teachers work together, it creates the ultimate environment for student learning. Regardless of what is decided for the coming school year, the following suggestions hold true for fostering positive relationships between 62 OWENSBORO PARENT
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parents, teachers, and students. C R E AT I N G R E A L I S T I C ROUTINES As a parent, you may have to choose between different academic schedules, including assigned classroom days and virtual learning. These different learning options may cause instructional days to look a little different as well. One of the many lessons parents and teachers learned in the spring was how much not entering a school building impacted the consistency of daily routine. “One major benefit of online school or homeschool is that your child can learn anywhere, anytime; however, students still need routine and
structure to succeed,” said Dan Reiner of Person Connections Academy. “Designate certain times as learning times, and make sure your students are productive during those times.” If your student is a night owl, respect their time for late night book reading and video game playing, while still setting firm sleeping and waking times. If your child is participating in virtual school of any type, their teacher may require Google Meet attendance at certain times during the day which will need to be considered when creating daily routines. Another factor to take into consideration is the amount of electronic devices in your household that are equipped for learning. Several
parents reported having only one device in the home with multiple learners requiring internet and video access. Consider creating a calendar of designated times for each child based on their learning schedules and teacher availability. S T AY I N G CONNECTED Regardless of your child’s age or grade, it is important that you request or access a copy of their class schedule online in order to remain informed of what classes they have been assigned and which teachers to contact when questions arise. Make sure you are transparent with teachers about such things as parent work schedules or sibling responsibilities at home, as it will allow them to better understand the unique learning needs of your child. DCPS Instructional Technology Coordinator Aaron Yeiser suggests parents not only acquaint themselves with the different forms of communication (Remind, teacher email, phone, etc.), but also verify that all of their home, email addresses, and phone numbers, are up to date. “If I could give advice to parents as they stay connected to schools in just four words, they would be phone, email, apps, and notifications,” said Yeiser. “Our schools use a messaging tool built into our student information system to send messages home to parents and guardians. However, if a parent has outdated phone or email information in our database, the parent and guardian will not receive the important messages.” T A K I N G A D VA N T A G E O F TECHNOLOGY As the new school year approaches, it is best to be proactive in obtaining laptops and devices for at home learning. Check with your child’s
school to see if you are able to sign out laptops or iPads for virtual learning. If you are concerned about internet access or data usage, check with your child’s school district to see if other internet resources are available. Although the abundance of instructional and digital learning sites may sometimes feel like technology overload, many of these sites were designed to foster connections between teachers and parents. “Many teachers use instructional tools such as Infinite Campus and Google Classroom, which work to deliver instructional materials, but also serve as a means of communication with parents and guardians,” Yeiser said. “Each of those [also] have mobile phone apps. Parents need to give schools accurate contact information, download important apps, and keep notifications on. If the parent has updated information and classroom apps, but does not have notifications enabled, there will be a disconnect to vital information.” RECOGNIZING THE BENEFITS While virtual learning may not be designed for all students, there are several benefits to be gained from this unique situation. According to Tracy Duval, a staff developer at Learning Sciences Innovation (LSI) and virtual instructor for John Hopkins University, virtual learning is an excellent opportunity to allow for more student accountability. “Teachers are nurturers — we have the mindset that we need to be the purveyor of information,” Duval said. “With the shift to virtual learning, we are now encountering that shift to students owning their learning. That’s hugely beneficial, even in daily life. Our goals are for career and college readiness — we are giving them that ownership at an earlier age — teaching us as teachers to step back
and make the students be the thinkers while we are taking on the role of the facilitator.” GIVING YOURSELF GRACE
Even the best classroom teachers
were not necessarily designed to teach their own children full time. It is important to build in blocks of time to step away from learning for a little while and still take time to have fun with your kids. Even if you have a designated place for school work and digital learning, allow yourself to get creative and utilize the kitchen or outdoors for math and science lessons as they present themselves. Dr. Julie Bemerer, a psychologist in Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, recognizes that the stressors of parents taking on more roles at home in light of an uncertain school year can be stressful and overwhelming.
“Many parents have lost their jobs
or are facing the potential...Those who are working from home are doing it while also trying to teach their children at the same time,” Bemerer said. “And our front line workers have a whole other set of worries, including trying to prevent bringing the coronavirus into their homes.” These situations help to increase the importance of having a trusted parent with children of similar ages or grades to partner with so that you have another grown up to talk to and use as a resource.
“Talk to someone who is reassuring
to you,” Bemerer said. “It may be calming to describe what’s bothering you and to get it off your chest. Having this type of support system is important during these challenging times.”
OP
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PAID ADVERTORIAL OWENSBORO COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Healthy at OCTC Depends on Everyone
W
hile things on campus are pretty quiet right now, we are preparing
for a full array of in-person and online classes in the fall. Summer courses with lab components are continuing and serving as model for implementing our Healthy At Work protocols.
“I am extremely pleased with how
the students and faculty have adapted to the new Healthy at OCTC protocols. This was a good way to test our new normal and make some adjustments to ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone” commented Jeff Hendricks, OCTC’s Healthy at Work Officer.
All employees are required to take
online training on the new health and safety protocols before returning to work on-campus, and each employee must complete an online healthy check-in process daily when working on campus.
The colleges also will offer a variety of
Prevention (CDC). There is extensive
scheduling options, including 16-week,
signage reminding people of safety
and 8-week sessions.
practices placed throughout buildings
“The on-campus experience looks
on OCTC campuses. Physical changes
and feels different. In order to try and
include frequent sanitizing protocols for
ensure everyone is healthy and safe we
high contact areas, designated entries,
are doing things differently. I expect that
exits, and a limited number of students
the protocols will change as we proceed
will be permitted in each class session.
through the stages of reopening, we just
All these changes are to limit incidental
ask that everyone is patient and adheres
contact.
to the guidelines. We want to have a
successful reopening in every stage of
are a vital part of this plan and its
the plan so we can continue to serve the
successful implementation. They must
community,” said Williams.
understand that it is imperative to be
All
in-person
appointments
“We have learned that the students
and
completely forthright during the healthy
those interested in a campus tour must
check-ins daily. There is no penalty for
follow guidelines listed below:
being honest about a health situation,
OCTC President Dr. Scott Williams
Reschedule appointment or request a
but there are penalties for making false
added, “Now we are ready to serve
virtual advising session if you are sick or
statements, beyond closing a building
students who need to come to campus
not feeling well;
or disrupting other students’ class
in preparation for the fall term, by appointment. We are also ready to
Do not bring additional people to your appointment;
conduct tours for interested students and members of their household.”
OCTC’s fall term begins August 17
Wear a mask during visit. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided;
and classes will be offered in a variety
schedules. We want to keep everyone safe and healthy and it takes all of us working together and holding each other accountable,” added Williams.
OCTC will continue to monitor the
6’ physical distancing
COVID-19 situation and update college
of formats. OCTC will offer fully online
Safety guidelines for all people on
plans based on any changes from the
classes as well as face-to-face classes
campus include temperature self-checks
governor’s office, the White House, CPE,
and some options that are a mixture of
and other health evaluations, physical
CDC, and local health officials.
both. All face-to-face classes will have a
distancing inside and outside of all
Students and prospective students
strong online or remote instruction part,
facilities, required face covering/mask,
can enroll online at Owensboro.kctcs.
so if in-person classes must move online
and other specific recommendations
edu or call 270-686-4400 for more
the transition will be easier for students.
by the Centers for Disease Control and
information.
HF
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DISCOVER
kids
meal deals
EVERY DAY
WEDNESDAY
O’Charley’s – Free kids meal (ages 10
Firehouse Subs – Up to 2 kids eat free (12 & under) all day with purchase of an adult meal
& under) with the purchase of adult entrée
MONDAY Grandy’s – 99¢ kids meals with the purchase of an adult meal Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - Up to 2 kids eat free (ages 10 & under) from 4-9pm with adult buffet purchase Zaxby’s – Up to 3 99¢ kids meals with the purchase of an adult meal from 5-8pm Huddle House – 1 free kids meal when you spend $6.99 or more on adult entrée
TUESDAY Beef ‘O’ Brady’s – $1.99 kids meal (ages 12 & under) all day Denny’s – Up to 2 free kids meals with an adult meal purchase Fazoli’s – Up to 3 99¢ kids meals with the purchase of an adult entrée Pizza By the Guy – 1 free kids buffet for (ages 10 & under) with an adult purchase with a drink on Tuesdays from 5-8pm Pizza Hut (South Frederica location) – 1
Donatos – Up to 2 free individual 1-topping pizza/per child (12 and under) with the purchase of a large pizza; dine-in only from 5-8pm Burger Theory (located in the Holiday Inn Owensboro Riverfront) – Free kids meal (ages 12 & under) with purchase of an adult meal; breakfast, lunch & dinner
THURSDAY Dairy Queen (Frederica Location) – Up to 2 $1.99 kids meals Trunnell’s 54 Deli – 1 free kids meal with the purchase of a signature sandwich
SATURDAY Lure Seafood & Grille – Free kids meal with purchase of adult entrée Wheatgrass Juice Bar – Free kids smoothie with adult purchase Long John Silver’s – $1.99 Kids meals all day
SUNDAY Beef 'O' Brady's – Free kids meal (ages 12 & under) with the purchase of an adult entrée from 4-8pm; dine-in only
free child buffet with the purchase of an adult buffet from 4:30-7pm Salsarita’s – Free kids meal with the purchase of $5 or more adult entrée; dine in only Trunnell’s 54 Deli – 1 free kids meal with the purchase of a signature sandwich Huddle House – 1 free kids meal when you spend $6.99 or more on adult entrée McDonald’s – $1.99 Happy meals from 4-7pm; dine-in only 66 OWENSBORO PARENT
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Briarpatch – 1 free kids meal (10 & under) per adult entrée Salsarita’s – Free kids meal with the purchase of $5 or more adult entrée; dine in only Pizza By the Guy – 1 free buffet for kids (ages 10 & under) with adult purchase with a drink from 11:30am-2pm Firehouse Subs – Kids eat free (12 & under) all day with purchase of adult meal; up to 2 kids per adult Bar Louie – Kids eat free 11am - 7pm up to 2 kids per adult entrée; dine-in only
on the honor roll? Bring your report card to these local restaurants & businesses for additional deals!
Orange Leaf – Bring in your report card and receive $1 off yogurt; a report card with straight A’s will receive a small cup free. Ritzy’s (Both locations) – Ritzy’s has a “Scoops for Scholars” program. Students can bring in their report card each grading period to earn treats for each “A.” 1A = flavored soft drink (cherry, vanilla, or chocolate) 2 A's = single scoop of ice cream 3 A's = your choice of a hotdog, coney, hamburger, or cheeseburger 4 A's = double scoop of ice cream McDonald’s – All five Owensboro McDonald’s decided this school year that they will award a free Happy Meal to any student who gets straight A's on their report card. Family Video (1212 JR Miller) – For a limited time during the summer, you can take your end of the year report card to Family Video. Your child will receive a voucher for a free movie/game rental for every A (or equivalent) they received in a core class for the year. Chuck E. Cheese in Evansville – A child can receive 10 tokens with a purchase if they bring in their report card. Sky Zone in Evansville – All A’s= 1/2 off any jump. A & B’s= $5 off any jump. Weekdays & Friday 2-7pm.
*This list is subject to change. Please contact restaurants to ensure their participation. August // September 2020 . OWENSBORO PARENT
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FROM OUR READERS
COVERKIDS CONTEST
The 2020 CoverKids Contest sponsored by Owensboro Health was a huge success! Over 750 photos were submitted and had over 32,000 votes. Here are some of the entries from the contest.
SPONSORED BY
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FROM OUR READERS
COVERKIDS CONTEST
The 2020 CoverKids Contest sponsored by Owensboro Health was a huge success! Over 750 photos were submitted and had over 32,000 votes. Here are some of the entries from the contest.
SPONSORED BY
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Say What?
FROM OUR READERS
Our readers asked their kids following question:
“If you had to become a teacher for a day, what would you teach in class?” “I would teach people how to be humans again. No one loves anyone or nature anymore.”
“I would teach how to be patient because lots of people need help with that.”
– Isrell, age 10
“I would teach kids how to be good and not naughty.” - Reagan, age 5
– Amelia, age 8
“I would teach investing money and gaming.” – Xavier, age 13
“I would teach kids how to make candy!” – Izzy, age 8
“I would teach everyone how to talk to their dog. I really feel like they understand me! They understand our emotions more than people do. Also, I’d enforce pizza day every day!”
– Shelby, age 5
– Zeporah, age 12
“I would teach about farming your own foodbecause a girl has to eat!” – Tori-Kate, age 9
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“I would teach ABCs and give lots of snacks.”
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“I would probab ly teach intergalactic m ath. That means space m ath.” – Sydney, age 6
“I’d teach to say your prayers and watch Gremlins an d Jaws.”
– Tennyson, age 5
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