Santa Cruz Montessori School Goes Solar ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL ENERGY Santa Cruz Montessori’s 160 solar panels will give the school 98 percent of its energy and save $17,000 a year. Patience is a virtue. A decade of patience makes miracles happen. In 2008, the Santa Cruz Montessori (SCM) board approved a strategic action plan for the greening of the school. Junior high students in the Wavecrest class were tasked with organizing a Green Science Fair to determine the most effective way the school could go green. The winner: solar panels. Enter the villain, the economic downturn of 2008. With a shrinking economy, greening plans had to be put on hold. Fast…
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Tips for Boosting Your Child’s IQ
Tips for Developing Your Child’s IQ: Develop a Can-Do Attitude By Jan Pierce Here’s a hot topic for all caring parents. What can you, as a parent, do to optimize your child’s successes in learning throughout life? We’ve all heard of the nature/nurture arguments that say a child is born with a certain learning capability and their environment merely promotes or inhibits reaching full potential. And, that is true. However, the most recent thinking in the world of learning is that the environment a child experiences has a great deal to do with whether or not a child reaches that full potential. Further, the attitude the child takes into school…
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Home: September Book Recommendations
Home: September Book Recommendations By Michelle Spence With the kids back in school, there is a return to routine—often absent during the carefree days of summer. It’s an exciting time that can also be overwhelming with school schedules, sports, activities, homework, and more. One of the most important anchors for kids is home—not just the physical space, but the feeling it provides. Happily, young readers can turn to books to experience the comforts and coziness of home and family whenever it is needed. A House is a House for Me Written by Mary Ann Hoberman Illustrated by Betty Fraser Mary Ann Hoberman begins her rhyming story simply enough, naming hills…
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It’s Scary How Many People Buckle Up Wrong
It’s Scary How Many People Buckle Up Wrong: Child Passenger Safety Week is in September By Michelle Spence As a parent, you buckle your kids up for a trip in the car so often that it is easy to run through the process on autopilot, but motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children and most car crashes happen on short trips, close to home. One of the most important things a parent can do to keep their children safe is to ensure they are safely buckled up in the correct and properly installed car seat for their age and size, every single time they get in…
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Finishing Leo’s Haven: County Scoop September 2018
Finishing Leo’s Haven: County Scoop September 2018 By Zach Friend On June 20, the Board of Supervisors was taking testimony on the proposed County budget when two children walked up to the microphone. One was 8-year-old Oliver Potts, who often uses a wheelchair to get around. The other was Cleo Roberts, age 10. They came to talk about LEO’s Haven, a proposed playground in the Mid-County area. “LEO’s Haven will be an inclusive playground, where kids like me can play with their friends,” said Oliver, smiling as he spoke. “All kids need to play!” It was Cleo’s turn. “Everyone wants the same thing, to be accepted for who they are…
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The 6th Annual Mole Festival Hits SC September 8
The 6th Annual Mole Festival Hits SC September 8th: The Ancient Mix of Chocolate and Hot Spice was an Accident and Now a Favorite By Brad Kava SWEET & SPICY Maria Joa Gallardo and daughter Erica Bonilla Gallardo show off their mole on chicken at El Chino restaurant on Soquel Drive before they enter the mole contest Saturday Sept. 8 at the Mole & Mariachi Festival downtown. You might not expect traditional Mexican food at a place called El Chino, but that’s what Maria Joa Gallardo’s family has been producing in Soquel since 1984. The restaurant at 2525 Soquel Drive, next to Jelli Beanz, uses recipes from Mexicali, where Gallardo’s…
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Brushing, Fluoride, and All the Fun Stuff
Brushing, Fluoride, and All the Fun Stuff: Healthy Smiles September 2018 By Dr. Megan For little babies, basically after every time milk is consumed a clean and wet cloth may be used to wipe the gums. So what is exactly achieved here? Well, it is not always about teeth. We would like to eliminate any residual milk left on the gum tissue, hence eliminating a “pleasant” habitat in which cavity causing bacteria can thrive. Occasionally parents are concerned that their ritual of cleaning baby’s mouth might wake them up after all the effort of putting them to sleep. Think of this way: milk contains sugar and is capable of causing…
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These Apps are Dangerous for Your Kids
These Apps are Dangerous for Your Kids: Parents Should Be Wary of What’s on Their Kid’s Screens By Steve Walters Tech is fast. Kids are faster. If your children are using these apps, security experts say you should monitor them. They can fall into danger before they know what they’ve done. Don’t be shy about keeping a sharp eye on what sites they are visiting. Dangerous apps allow users to anonymously sent text messages, pictures, or videos. They provide user’s locations. They allow users to hide content such as pictures and videos; and they promote sexual activities or “hook ups.” Here are some to look out for. Live.Me Live.Me is…
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The Best Ways to Save for a College Education
The Best Way to Save for a College Education: The State of California Will Help You Bigly By Steve Dinnen You know college is expensive. Some financial advisors have recommended families set aside as much as 4 percent of their annual income just to handle their child’s total college expenses. So, how do you assemble enough money now to pay for that eventual bill for room, board and tuition? Moms and dads can get a big lift up on college finances by way of ScholarShare College Savings Plan. It is a program run by the State of California that permits parents – or parents, or even friends, for that matter…
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On a Roll: Tips on How Kids Learn to Bicycle
On a Roll: Tips on How Kids Learn to Bicycle By Karen Kefauver When you think about cycling, chances are good that you remember your first “real” bike and early adventures. Learning to ride is a rite of passage that grants freedom and fun. Later on, there are longer outings with friends, especially during dreamy summer days. I remember the thrill of riding miles with my friend along the C&O Canal Towpath, from Bethesda, Maryland, to Georgetown in Washington, D.C. headed to Commander Salamander, the “cool” place to shop during high school. Feeling nostalgic, I asked Santa Cruz County parents to share their tips on teaching kids how to ride…
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Your Letters and Thoughts
Your Letters and Thoughts: September 2018 The Capitola Mall removed its children’s play structure in the food court, a popular place for families. Now there are tables there and very few food vendors. We showed a photo of it on our new “Where is this in Santa Cruz?” feature at Growingupsc.com and asked where it was and why it was sad. Here are some responses: It’s sad because they tore out the play area. We used to go every time it rained – Samantha, via Growingupsc.com website. That looks like the food court at the Capitola Mall. With no food and no people – Shelly, via Growingupsc.com web- site. I…
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Where is this in Santa Cruz? 4
Where is this in Santa Cruz? Have you been here? Did you like it? First one to answer and give us a review of your experience in the comments section gets a free Growing Up in Santa Cruz baseball hat. Check out the answer to yesterday’s question HERE! Answer EXIT Santa Cruz
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Time for a Digital Health Check-Up: Ask Nicole September 2018
Time for a Digital Health Check-Up: Ask Nicole By Nicole M. Young MSW Before my son left for college, I deleted the settings on his phone that limited late-night use and access to certain apps and web sites. I’d set those limits so many years ago (when it was necessary for my sanity) that I’d forgotten about them. Changing the settings was a small task but huge reminder of the new life he was beginning. I still have my teenage daughter ask permission before downloading apps so we can talk about what they are and why she wants them. I usually say yes, but often ask, “Why?” repeatedly. As in,…
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September 2018 Editor’s Note
September 2018 Editor’s Note Soquel High football players are thrilled to have former NFL player Dwight Lowery coaching them. How could they not be? It’s a trend we’d like to see at all levels of education – people who have been successful in their fields coming back to share their knowledge with the community. We see it at both local colleges, where teachers who have been successful in their industries are mentoring students with what they learned in the worlds of business, science, film making and computer tech, to name a few. We see it in the art students are pro- ducing in schools around the county, something we will…
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Head of Ed Department Considering Arming Schools
Head of Ed Department Considering Arming Schools What’s next for your child at school? How about a gun bought by the federal government. Yup, that’s not a joke. Education Czar Betsy DeVos, she of the 10 yachts registered in other countries so she doesn’t have to pay taxes on them, is considering spending $50 million a year on guns and training to protect school yards. You can read about it here in the New York Times. Just wondering, what do you think? Will more guns make schools more or less safe? There are plenty of arguments on both sides. Let our readers know.
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Video Game Tutors Wanted
Video Game Tutors Wanted Parents are hiring tutors to help their kids with the video game Fortnite. According to Newsweek Magazine: Fortnite coaches for children and teenagers are being hired for between $10 and $20 an hour through websites such as Gamer Sensei and Bidvine, The Wall Street Journal first reported. With analytics firms showing more than 125 million worldwide players and tournaments offering millions in tournament winnings, some parents are making Fortnite lessons a nightly occurrence in a space formerly reserved for batting practice or piano lessons.Read the story here: https://www.newsweek.com/fortnite-coaches-hire-tutors-parents-gamer-sensei-bidvine-freelance-gamers-1053344 Would you hire a video game tutor for your kids?
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Where is this in Santa Cruz? 3
Where is this in Santa Cruz? First one to answer in the comments section gets a free Growing Up in Santa Cruz hat. Bonus to someone who knows who made the mural. Answer Aptos Junior High School Check out the answer to yesterday’s question HERE!
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Where is this in Santa Cruz? 2
Where is this in Santa Cruz? This is at a Santa Cruz school. Do you know which one? We’ll have the answer tomorrow. And a talk with the principal. This looks like a major splinter waiting to happen. I can’t imagine my kids sitting here for lunch. First one to answer in our comments gets a free Growing Up in Santa Cruz baseball hat. The Answer! Aptos Junior High School Check out the answer to yesterday’s question HERE!
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We Asked, You Answered August 2018
We Asked, You Answered! August 2018 By Ann Carin Niland Do you let your children play with a tablet or smartphone, and do you have any concerns about the effects that those devices have on your children? Linnaea Boone Wilson, who’s daughter is 3, lives in Santa Cruz “Sometimes we’ll watch some screen time. When she’s sick we’ve been watching ‘My Neighbor Totoro’. We recently went up to visit my in-laws in Humboldt, and on the car ride we watched a little bit on the computer. And sometimes if she has questions about something like ‘what’s a carousel?’ we’ll look it up together. But I don’t let her play on…
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Editor’s Note August 2018
Editor’s Note August 2018 Dear Readers, Who knew that sharing a spoon with your infant could lead to lifelong dental problems? Not me. I assumed that we share the same DNA and nature would have more to do with their infant teeth than nurture. Not so, says our new pediatric dental columnist, Dr. Mojdeh Faraz. Infants are born without our bacteria in their mouths and sharing a spoonful of something can put harmful sugar bugs there. That turned into a big problem for our 2-year-old and was a lesson I wished I’d already learned. That’s our goal with this monthly magazine. We want to tell you about things you may…
