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February 2011 | NENY, Northeastern, NY | KidsFunPlaza 1

Volume 5 |February 2011 | KidsFunPlaza

School Guide in North Eastern NY

New School Dreams

in Clifton Park and Bamako, Mali

Avon Scherff: Inspiring and Empowering

Young Women

A Great Time for a New Valentine’s

Tradition

An Easier Way to DIY with Cute, Customizable Stationery

Makeover Love: The Responsible Way

Classroom Valentines

for the First Time

Who Is Your Teen Going To Call

if something sad happens?

2 KidsFunPlaza | NENY, Northeastern, NY |February 2011

ContentsNew School Dreams in Clifton Park and Bamako, Mali Educator Of The Month From Saratoga County .............................. 4

Avon Scherff: Inspiring and Empowering Young Women Parent of the Month ......................................................................... 6

Expressing Love in Different Ways .................................................... 8

A Great Time for a New Valentine’s Tradition .................................. 9

School Guide for North Eastern NY ................................................ 11

The Many Benefits of Toddler Playgroups ...................................... 16

KidsFunKitchen ............................................................................... 17

Classroom Valentines for the First Time ....................................... 20

An Easier Way to DIY with Cute, Customizable Stationery ...................................................... 21

Combat BULLYING with Lessons of Love ........................................ 23

Makeover Love: The Responsible Way ........................................... 24

Who Is Your Teen Going To Call if something sad happens? ............................................................. 26

Household Tips & Tricks with a Little Romance to Boot! ................ 28

La Placita ........................................................................................ 29

Here Is What ’S Happening ............................................................ 31

2 KidsFunPlaza | NENY, Northeastern, NY | Dec-Jan 2010/2011


Meet Our Team

PublisherAna Roca Castro

[email protected] in Chief

Christina [email protected]

Art DirectorCatalina Arango

[email protected] Director

Coleen [email protected]

Advertising CoordinatorKelly Razzano

[email protected] Manager

Roxanna [email protected]

ColumnistsEducator of the Month, Parent of the Month,

Toddler, Kiddo

Beth [email protected]

Green & Healthy, Health Provider of the Month, Arts & Crafts

Alina M. [email protected]

Preschooler, Special NeedsChristina Gleason

[email protected]

KidsFunKitchenAna Roca Castro

[email protected] Placita

Roxanna [email protected]

Community EventsRoxanca Chirac

[email protected]

Sandra [email protected]

Grandma’s WisdomLinda Carmical

[email protected]

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Like Kids Fun Plaza on Facebook http://facebook.com/KidsFunPlaza

Write on our wall and tell us about your favorite part of Kids Fun Plaza or if there’s anything we’re missing that you would like us to add.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

This February, Kids Fun Plaza is cele-brating love. I’ve always been a bit of a hopeless romantic, so this is right

up my alley.

When I was growing up, I remember getting a special Valentine from my dad every year. I’m sure it involved some sort of toy when

I was little, but it evolved into the same pound of chocolates in a big, red heart-shaped box once I was a teenager. I continued to get Valentines from my dad all through college; I can still point to the as-sortment on the shelves of the store today. The Valentine chocolates didn’t stop coming until I was married. (Then I started getting them from my husband!)

Of course, the chocolates were never actually purchased by my dad. My mom always did all the shopping. But my Valentines were always from him, and the Valentines for my brothers were always from her. I wasn’t the stereotypical Daddy’s Little Girl, but we always had that.

Now I give a Valentine to my son TJ each year. Tom and I agreed that they can always be from Mommy, not Daddy. (At least I think we agreed. Unless I just “agreed” for him!)

Let’s take this month to reflect on love in all of its forms – not just romantic love and familial love, but the love we have for friends, too. Sandra discusses the importance of friendship for teens, while Beth tackles the subject of modern bullying. Kelly has some ideas for start-ing Valentine’s Day traditions with your baby and I have some sug-gestions for handling preschool Valentines. Linda shares some tips – both around the house and for your relationship – while Ali talks about loving your body and treating it right with healthy products.

Spread the love today. Tell your kids you love them. Tell your friends you love them. It’ll brighten their day!

Chistina Gleason


Q&A with Phyllis Aldrich:

Q: On the school website, it states that: “An emphasis on History and Geography will lead to an explora-tion of major world cultures and historical events as we seek to de-velop each child’s cultural litera-cy.” Explain how your partnership with the school in Mali helps you to accomplish this goal.

A: The classroom has a large rug depicting the whole world that the children sit on for daily morning meetings. They take turns sitting on the African continent and listen to stories. During December, they ex-plored holiday celebrations from around the world and completed art projects fea-turing Kwanza, the Hindu Dwali festival of light, Swedish St. Lucia Christmas tradition, the festival of Chanukah, and the Muslim feast of Ramadan that most people in Mali celebrate.

Q: Do the children in both of the schools have an opportunity to in-teract in real time like with Skype, or is there another way that you are working together?

A: No, Skype communication turned out to be impractical due to the eight hour time difference. The St. George’s students have written some letters and illustrated some stories to send to Melanie’s students

New School Dreams in Clifton Park and Bamako, Mali

As St. George’s was preparing to open their new school, a unique experience pre-sented itself. A new school in West Africa would be opening their doors. The con-nection was a home town teacher. Melanie Gulyas Sanogo was going to be the lead teacher at the Bamako International Academy. Melanie was raised in Clifton Park and attended St. George’s Episcopal Church. She and her husband live in Mali, and both teach at the school. Melanie teaches kinder-garten at the school in Bamako, along with after school art and dance classes for the chil-dren. Many of the children that she teaches speak several languages, but Melanie is teaching them English, since that is the lan-guage they will be instructed in. This year, the class has seven children, most of whom are not from Mali but from other countries while their parents work here.

Back here in Clifton Park, Sheray Tario is the head teacher at St. George’s. A gradu-ate of Skidmore College, she is teaching the children in her class using an inquiry-based academic curriculum. Along with the Board of St. George’s, they have been busy making sure that the school meets and ex-ceeds the New York State Standards in all academic areas.

The two schools had big dreams and want-ed to give their students opportunities that were not available in many other locations. They planned to coordinate activities, send each other items that represent their areas, possibly try to Skype with one another, and more. Unfortunately, things do not always work out the way you expect them.

Recently, I was able to hear more about the program from Phyllis Aldrich. Aldrich is a trustee for St. George’s. She sat down and answered some questions about the initial program between the schools. She was very honest about the challenges and the hope for the future given recent obstacles.

St. George’s has not given up. They are learning from this experience and are hop-ing to build an even better program thanks to the initial growing pains. It is because of this dedication to the children of St. George’s that they were selected as the February Educators of the Month.

In September 2010, St. George’s Elementary School officially opened the doors for the first time. The parish already had an established preschool program, but planned to gradually expand to older students. To begin, they would offer a full day kindergarten and first grade for the inaugural group of children.

Educator of the Month from Saratoga County

Beth is a happily married teacher, now SAHM to her two young sons. She has a passion for all things Disney, reading, crafting , and traveling. A camera is always close to catch memories for her blog, TheAngelForever.com

By Beth Levine, TheAngelForever.com


Educator of the Month

in Bamako. Both classes engage in daily art and music. We will be sending them the vid-eo of our Christmas concert and hope to get a return video. We also e-mail photos of the student art work.

Q: What are some future projects that the two groups of children will be working on?

A: One hope is that the St. George’s students can design and make their own alphabet books using illustrations from their own life and send them to the students in Mali. This would be a thank you for the wooden hand carved chair that they sent.

Q: To date what has been the biggest obstacle in the program?

A: The obstacles – both teachers were new to teaching kindergarten and had to design and set up their classrooms in a site that had not been a school before. Therefore, they were so busy that it was hard to fit in time to share their lessons and plans with each other. Unfortunately, due to medical issues, Melanie will have to leave Mali in early January to return to Clifton Park, so the part-nership will have to go on hold.

Q: Given the challenges coordinating the activities and planning between the two schools, will you be trying to connect St. George’s and the school in Mali again next year?

A: Since a global awareness is an important part of the mission of our school, we will continue to build a partnership if Melanie Gulyas can advise us while she is at home for the semester. If she cannot, then we will look for another partner school.

An alternate option is to partner with a school in Southern China, an area where one of our current kindergarten parents used to teach. She is native Chinese and has taught a popular after school class on Mandarin Chinese for five-year-old students two days a week this fall. Many students have learned to count to 20 in Chinese and can greet and sing Chinese children’s songs.

Q: Assuming the 2011-2012 program continues, what new ideas will be used to bridge the gap between the kids in the two countries?

A: The teacher would like to incorporate regular letter writing exchanges, and to invite some children to prepare simple Power Point slide shows to show other children what life is like in Clifton Park.

A big thank you to Phyllis Aldrich, trustee from St. George’s, for taking time to do this interview. I wish this unique international program much success as they set goals for the 2011-2012 academic year.

EDUCATOR OF THE MONTH

For more information about St. George’s Elementary School, go to

http://StGeorgesCP.org/school


Those are the words that make up the mission statement of the non-profit I Am I Can.

This new organization starting in the Capital District is the brain child of Avon Scherff, the owner of Scherff Insurance Agency, Inc. The mother of a teenage son, Avon wants to join with other professional women in the com-munity to mentor girls in grades 9-12. The organization will provide encour-agement, guidance, and advocacy to young women as they focus on a goal after high school graduation.

Avon Scherff talks about her organization with passion and vigor. She is excited to share her dream to help high school girls to set, work toward, and reach goals. Scherff wants to help teen girls to think ahead about life after high school. She wants them to graduate and then have something they want to do after. That may be the military, college, vocational school, starting their own business, or something else.

Avon has spent the last few months work-ing with people in the community to set up a board for I Am I Can. They have bylaws established, along with some community di-rectors and advocates. Now Avon hopes that, with additional people taking on responsibil-ity within the organization, they can all work toward the three core values of I Am I Can:

u• The future belongs to those who dare to dream

v• Self-empowerment can bring monumental change

w Every young woman has end-less potential

It is because of this dedication to Saratoga and the greater Capital District commu-nity that Avon Scherff was selected as the February Parent of the Month.

Q: – Please explain what I Am I Can is and why you decided to create this non-profit organization in June.

A: As a young girl from a struggling family, I have a passion to work with girls to instill in them that all things are possible – if they believe! My son is a junior in high school, so I see and hear about the struggles of teenage girls in our own community. I want to be able to provide a resource for girls who lack self-confidence and self-esteem, girls who feel like they are invisible and have no options.

Q – Dream it. Believe it. Do it. Those are the powerful words that support the mission statement behind I Am I Can. How do you help to encourage young women to follow this using your mission statement?

A: I think any relationship takes time to build – our advocates/mentors will work with these young women on a one-on-one basis to develop trust – they will spend time together in the hopes of “building them up” and in-stilling in them that there is a wonderful life ahead of them filled with opportunity. We want all young women to embrace a dream, believe in themselves, and become empow-ered to make it happen.

Q – What is the most rewarding part of your non-profit work?

A: I think what has amazed me thus far in building this organization are the sto-ries that other professional women have shared with me about their lives. I don’t think my story or experiences are unique. There are many women that I know who have overcome huge adversity to achieve their dreams. Many of them have shared their struggles, their tragedies, their hard-ships – which only reinforces my belief that life is not a sequence of events, but how the events in our lives shape who we become.

Q – How has being a parent helped you with your role in the community?

A: Because I have a son who is a junior in high school, I have had the opportunity to meet with the guidance counselors, school psychologist, school nurse, etc. to talk about the organization and the resources we can bring to the girls we serve. I also think be-ing a parent allows me some insight into the challenges they face as students. Previous to launching my own non-profit, I served on several other boards and committees, which provided me the experience relevant to starting I Am I Can.

Avon Scherff Inspiring and Empowering Young Women

“Encourage young women to discover their dreams, to believe their future holds endless possibilities and empower them to make it happen.”

Q&A WITH AVON SCHERFF


Q – If money was no issue, what additional items would you love to have for I Am I Can?

A: The fundraising that we do will pro-vide financial resources to the girls dur-ing high school, but if money was no issue, we could provide funding to sup-port post-graduate goals: college, mili-tary programs, cosmetology school, technical school, etc. We encourage the girls to have a professional goal after high school, but clearly recognize that college may not be for everyone.

Q – What are some opportunities for people in the community to get involved with I Am I Can?

A: We are in need of women who would like to get involved and have a passion to work with young women. We have board positions available, as well as Community Directors and Advocates. We will be holding infor-mational meetings in January for those who would like to learn more.

A big thank you to Avon Scherff, the founder of I Am I Can, for taking the time to do this interview. It was a pleasure talking with her and learning about her new organization to help high school girls within the region to reach their goals. I wish Avon and I Am I Can much success. By early 2011, I Am I Can hopes to have secured an official non-profit title. Soon, girls and mentors will be paired.

Remember, as more volunteers within the area step forward, additional I Am I Can locations in other counties are possible for girls in other counties.

Parent of the Month



Core Values

Self-empowerment can bring monumental change.

The future belongs t

o

those who dare to dr

eam.

Every young woman has endless potential.

Mission Statement“Encourage young

women to discover their dreams, to believe their

future holds endless possibilities and empower them to make it happen.”

Online at: www.iamicanachieve.org

To learn more about I Am I Can, please go to the web-site IAmICanAchieve.org – Here you will find additional information about the program, including how to con-tact Avon about Student Participation, Board positions, Community Directors, Mentors/Advocates, Volunteering Opportunities, and donations of time, talent, or treasure.

@


Love can be pretty hard to put into words for anyone, but we all know how wonder-

ful it is to hear those words, “I love you,” from our significant others. Many of us are lucky enough to hear it from our kids, too, but sometimes our kids have a hard time express-ing what they feel. There can be a variety of challenges that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for our special needs kids to say those three magic words.

I have a cousin with severe autism; he’s completely nonverbal. He’s used various forms of touch talkers throughout the years, and he’s grown up now, but we all know when he’s really happy or he loves someone even when he doesn’t say a word. I love watching him walk up to our grand-ma – who is about a foot shorter than him – and look into her eyes while clapping his hands on his cheeks and smiling. We all know that means, “I love you, Grandma.”

Maybe your child has severe mobility issues that prevent him or her from be-ing able to hug or kiss you. Part of you probably aches to feel their arms around you, but you know how much they love you when they smile and giggle when you hug and kiss them. Find joy in “Eskimo kisses” where you just rub noses with each other.

Then there are some kids who are physi-cally capable of hugging and kissing but just can’t tolerate being touched for one reason or another. If your child is like this, you’ve probably devised a system of blowing kisses and “air hugs.” In case you’re looking for more, I got a great idea from this book called The Paper Chain, which I’ve been reading with TJ since my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The mom in the book does yarn hugs with her kids when she’s recovering from surgery, where they wrap a piece of yarn around each other instead of their arms. You could use yarn or ribbon with your child if he or she does not like to be touched.

Don’t forget that love does not have to be expressed directly. Just as you can show your child how much you love him or her with the little things you do, you can find love in the way your child looks at you, the way he or she smiles when you’re to-gether, and even when they’re misbehav-ing in order to get the attention from you that they crave.

By Christina Gleason, CutestKidEver.org

Christina Gleason is a happily married mom of one very active little boy and Founder of Phenomenal Content LLC, which provides online copywriting for businesses. Read her blog at www.CutestKidEver.org!

in Different Ways

Expressing LoveSpecial Needs

Happy Valentine’s Day!


Baby

In my family, Valentine’s Day was a day to show our love and appreciation for each other, not just our “valentines.”

Every year when we woke up on Valentine’s Day when I was a kid, we would run to the breakfast table to see what special present was waiting there for us. Every year, my dad gave us a Valentine. We always got a special card, different for each child; and when we were old enough, we got choco-late, too.

It didn’t matter what Daddy left for us, it was that he always showed us he loved us on Valentine’s Day, always made us feel special. I remember every year thinking, “Is he still going to do it this year?” After all, my dad started this when we were re-ally, really little. He never forgot a single year. Every year, my dad made us feel extra special on Valentine’s Day.

Why don’t you start a Valentine’s Day fam-ily tradition while your baby is still young? They will remember. They will feel special. It doesn’t have to be something that is a lot of work, just the same idea every year.

Here are some ideas:

Taking your baby’s handprints every year and making a picture with them for parents or grandparents.

Making a special craft together and keeping them in a special box every year.

Leaving a special present for them on Valentine’s Day, before breakfast or after school.

Having a picnic meal.

A Great Time for a New Valentine’s Tradition

Families have traditions for birthdays and other holidays. Why not Valentine’s Day? It’s not as hectic as other holidays, making it much easier to do things!

Making everything in the shape of hearts for the day. Pancakes, sandwiches, cookies.

Leave a special note by your child’s toothbrush or on the bathroom mirror.

Whatever you decide, just keep doing it. 40-some years later, I still remember what my dad did for me as a baby because he did it every year as far back as I can remember!

Phot

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Kelly RazzanoPart time pediatric nurse and part time stay at home {meaning constantly on the go} Mom of 2. I have been blogging at AlbanyMommy.com, show up on the news frequently, and I love to help small local businesses. In my “spare time” I do web design and search engine optimization and have tons of fun doing it!



to inspire a sense of wonder about extraordinary scientific and technological developments: past, present,

and future

By Linda Carmical


A child receiving a good education is always at the top of a parent’s list of important responsibilities.

Academics aren’t your only concern when choosing a school for your child; you’re also going to be looking out for their safety. We often see schools in the headlines as the “top story” on the 6:00 news for poor education rankings, overcrowding, safety issues, and poor teacher ratings – so it’s nice to know you have alternatives to make sure your child’s safety and education are in good hands.

You could have a variety of reasons for send-ing your child to a private school, whether it’s a long-standing family tradition or something completely different. Whatever the case, we have compiled a list of private schools in the area for your convenience. This is not a com-plete list, but it’s a good place to start.

ALBANY COUNTY

Academy of the Holy NamePK-12

1075 New Scotland RoadAlbany, NY, 12208

(518)438-7895www.ahns.org/podium/default.

aspx?t=139257

The Albany Academy(All Boys)

PK-12135 Academy Road, Albany, NY, 12208

(518)465-1461www.albany-academy.org

Albany Academy for Girls(All Girls)

PK-12140 Academy RoadAlbany, NY, 12208

(518)463-2201www.albanyacademyforgirls.org

Bet Shraga Hebre AcademyK-8

54 Sand Creek RoadAlbany, NY, 12205

(518)482-0464www.hacdalbany.org

Bishop Maginn High School9-12

99 Slingerland StreetAlbany, NY, 12202

(518)463-2247www.bishopmaginn.org

Blessed Sacrament SchoolPK-8

605 Central AvenueAlbany, NY, 12206

(518)438-5854blessedsacramentschool.info/

Christ the King Elementary School

PK-820 Sumpter Avenue

Albany, NY, 12203(518)456-5400

www.rcdaschools.orgchristthekingschool/

Christian Brothers Academy(All Boys) 6-12

12 Airline DriveAlbany, NY, 12205

(518)452-9809www.cbaalbany.org

Colonie Christian AcademyK-8

1312 Central AvenueAlbany, NY, 12205

(518)435-9086

The Free School (Alternative School)

PK-88 Elm Street

Albany, NY, 12202(518)434-3072

albanyfreeschool.com/testing/blog

Holy Cross Elementary SchoolPK-8

10 Rosemont StreetAlbany, NY, 12203

(518)438-0066

Helderberg Christian SchoolK-6

PO Box 164Westerlo, NY, 12193

(518)797-3977www.helderbergchristianschool.org

Kevin G Langan School(Special Education)

5-8314 So Manning Blvd

Albany, NY, 12208(518)437-5689

Maimonides Hebrew Day SchoolPK-11

PO Box 8806Albany, NY, 12208

(518)453-9363www.maimonidesschool.org

Mater Christi SchoolPK-8

35 Hurst AvenueAlbany, NY, 12208

(518)489-3111www.materchristi.com

Our Savior’s Lutheran SchoolPK-6

63 Mountain View AvenueAlbany, NY, 12205

(518)459-2273oursaviorslutheranschool.com/v2/

Parsons Child and Family Center(Special Education)

5-860 Academy RoadAlbany, NY, 12208

(518)426-2785www.parsonscenter.org

St. Anne Institute (Special Education School

- All-girls)7-12

160 North Main AvenueAlbany, NY, 12206

(518)437-6501www.stanneinstitute.org

Community Guide

By Linda Carmical

School-Guide North Eastern NY


for KidsFunSummer Expo at the Colonie Center on April 16th

HEY PARENTS !

THE LARGEST SUMMER CAMP FAIR IN NORTHEASTERN NY

No need to drive around from camp to camp. Come meet over 40 Summer Camps at the Colonie Center on April 16th and get:

Free reusable Camp Fair 2011 tote bag with all relevant information and goodies

A full day of Camp workshops to give your kids a feeling of the camp activities

Meet and take pictures with all the characters: Eastern Bunnies, Clowns, Super Heroes and more!

Enjoy the Bouncy Castles free of charge

Parents and future campers can visit with over 40 local and out-of-state representatives from:

* Residential Camps* Day Camps* Academic Summer Programs* Athletic Summer Programs* Teen Adventure Programs* Fine Art Programs* Public andaPrivate School Camps* County Offerings* and much more.

All the information you need to find a summer camp for your family

will be here. Don’t miss this ONE DAY

ONLY event! FREE ADMISSION.

FREE PARKING.

For ideas about your summer camp options, pick up the March 2011 Day Camp Directory at any Price Chopper, YMCA or Public Library. The directory will also be distributed at Camp Fair and online listings are viewable all year long.

For Exhibitors - Be a part of this sold-out multi-booth expo. Go to http://advertise.kidsfunplaza.com/kidsfunsummer-expo/


St. Catherine’s Center for Children(School with Special Program

Emphasis)NS-6

30 North Main AvenueAlbany, NY, 12203

(518)453-6737www.st-cath.org

St. James Institute SchoolPK-8

50 Summit Avenue, Albany, NY, 12209

(518)465-1973

Cobb Memorial School1-7

100-300 Mt. Presentation WayPO Box 503

Altamont, NY, 12009(518)861-6446

www.cobbmemorialschool.org

St. Thomas the Apostle SchoolPK-8

42 Adams PlaceDelmar, NY, 12054

(518)439-5573www.stthomasdelmar.org

Mt. Moriah AcademyPK-12

PO Box 160Glenmont, NY, 12077

(518)426-4510mtmoriahacademy.org

Lasalle School(Alternative School) All-boys

7-12391 Western Avenue

Albany, NY, 12203(518)242-4731

www.lasalle-school.org

Latham Christian AcademyPK-12

495 Watervliet Shaker RdLatham, NY, 12110

(518)785-5916www.lcany.org

St. Ambrose SchoolNS-8

347 Old Loudon RoadLatham, NY, 12110

(518)785-6453www.rcdaschools.org/stambrose/

Loudonville Christian SchoolPK-12

374 Loudon RoadLoudonville, NY, 12211

(518)434-6051lcs.org

St. Gregory’s SchoolAll Boys

PK-8121 Old Niskayuna Road

Loudonville, NY, 12211Tel: (518)785-6621

www.saintgregorysschool.org

St. Pius X SchoolPK-8

75 Upper Loudon RoadLoudonville, NY, 12211

(518)465-4539www.stpiusx.nycap.rr.com

RENSSELAER COUNTY

Hoosac School8 -12

PO Box 9 Pine Valley RoadHoosick, NY 12089

(518)686-7331www.hoosac.com

Doane Stuart SchoolPK-12

199 Washington AvenueRensselaer, NY, 12144

(518)465-5222doanestuart.org

Catholic Central High School7-12

625 7th AvenueTroy, NY, 12182(518)235-7100

www.cchstroy.org

Emma Willard School9-12

285 Pawling AvenueTroy, NY, 12180(518)833-1302

www.emmawillard.org

La Salle Institute6-12

174 Williams RoadTroy, NY, 12180(518)283-2500

www.lasalleinstitute.org

Oakwood Christian SchoolPK-12

260 Oakwood AvenueTroy, NY, 12182(518)271-0526

oakwoodchristianschool.com

Vanderheyden Hall (Alternative School)

7-12PO Box 219

Wynantskill, NY, 12198(518)283-6500

www.vanderheydenhall.org

Holy Spirit Elementary SchoolPK-8

54 Highland DriveEast Greenbush, NY, 12061

(518)477-5739www.holyspiritschooleg.com

St. Mary S AcademyPK-8

4 Parsons AvenueHoosick Falls, NY, 12090

(518)686-4314www.stmaryshf.com

Woodland Hill Montessori School

PK-8100 Montessori Place

North Greenbush, NY, 12144(518)283-5400

www.woodlandhill.org



St. Mary’s SchoolPK-8

163 Columbia TurnpikeRensselaer, NY, 12144

(518)449-2498

Ss Joseph And John SchoolPK-8

1641 Third Street Rensselaer, NY, 12144

(518)465-1151

Sacred HeartPK-6

308 Spring AvenueTroy, NY, 12180(518)274-3655

sacredhearttroy.com

St. Augustine’s SchoolNS-6

525 4th AvenueTroy, NY, 12182(518)235-7287

www.staugustinesschool.org

St. Patrick’s SchoolKG-6

762 River StreetTroy, NY, 12180(518)274-6502

Susan Odell Taylor School For Children

PK-5116 Pinewoods Avenue

Troy, NY, 12180(518)274-4994

taylorschool.org

Robert C Parker SchoolPK-8

4254 Ny Highway 43Wynantskill, NY, 12198

(518)286-3449parkerschool.org

St. Jude the Apostle SchoolPK-6

Po Box 347 Brookside AvenueWynantskill, NY, 12198

(518)283-0333www.rcdaschools.org/stjude/

SCHENECTADY COUNTY

Northeast Parent & Child Society(Special Education School)

6-121 Genium Plaza

Schenectady, NY, 12304(518)346-1273

www.neparentchild.org

Notre Dame-bishop Gibbons School6-12

2600 Albany StreetSchenectady, NY, 12304

(518)393-3131www.nd-bg.org

Schenectady Christian SchoolK-12

36 Sacandaga RoadScotia, NY, 12302

(518)370-4272www.schenectadychristian.org

Brown SchoolNS-8

150 Corlaer AvenueSchenectady, NY, 12304

(518)370-0366www.brownschool.org

Marian AcademyPK-6

520 Bradt StreetSchenectady, NY, 12306

(518)377-7470

St. Anthony’s Elementary SchoolPK-5

1840 Van Vranken AvenueSchenectady, NY, 12308

(518)372-5961www.saintanthonysdaycare.com

St. Helens SchoolPK-5

1801 Union StreetSchenectady, NY, 12309

(518)382-8225www.sainthelens.net/

St. John The EvangelistNS-6

806 Union StreetSchenectady, NY, 12308

(518)393-5331sjesch.com

St. Luke’s SchoolPK-6


(518)377-7330

St. Paul the Apostle SchoolPK-6

16 Van Zandt StreetSchenectady, NY, 12304

(518)377-0506www.stpaultheapostle.org

Tree Of Life Christian AcademyPK-6


(518)370-1010

Oak Hill School(Special Education School)

3-839 Charlton RoadScotia, NY, 12302

(518)399-5048www.oakhill.org

SARATOGA COUNTY

Ketchum-grande School(Special Education School) All-girls

8-11322 Lake Hill Road

Burnt Hills, NY, 12027(518)399-8182

www.thecharltonschool.org



The Kings SchoolPK-12

6087 State Route 9nHadley, NY, 12835

(518)654-6230www.kingsschool.info/

Community Christian Academy5-10

90 River RoadMechanicville, NY, 12118

(518)664-4442

Saratoga Central Catholic High School

7-12247 Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866(518)587-7070

www.saratogacentralcatholic.org

Waldorf School of Saratoga SpringsPK-12

122 Regent StreetSaratoga Springs, NY, 12866

(518)587-0549www.waldorfsaratoga.org

Fellowship Christian AcademyPK-2

184 Eastline RoadBallston Lake, NY, 12019

(518)-899-6404

St. Mary S SchoolPK-6

40 Thompson StreetBallston Spa, NY, 12020

(518)885-7300www.smsbspa.org

Spa Christian SchoolNS-6

206 Greenfield AvenueBallston Spa, NY, 12020

(518)885-0508www.spachristian.com

Crossroads Center For Children(Special Education School)

PK-6105 Lakehill Road, Suite 4

Burnt Hills, NY, 12027(518)384-3833

www.crossroadcenter.org

The King’s SchoolPK-12

6087 State Route 9nHadley, NY, 12835

(518)654-6230www.kingsschool.info/

St. Clement’s Regional CatholicNS-5

231 Lake AvenueSaratoga Springs, NY, 12866

(518)584-7350www.stclementsschool.org

Saratoga Independent SchoolPK-5

459 Lake AvenueSaratoga Springs, NY, 12866

(518)583-0841siskids.org

St. Mary’s SchoolPK-8

12 6th StreetWaterford, NY, 12188

(518)237-0652www.smswaterford.org

WASHINGTON COUNTY

The Adirondack School Of Northeastern New York

7-125158 County Rte 113Greenwich, NY, 12834

(518)695-5294www.adirondackschoolneny.org

Truthville Christian AcademyK-12

Po Box 157, North Granville, NY, 12854(518)642-2517

www.truthvillebc.org

Kingsbury SDA School 2-83991 State Route 4

Hudson Falls, NY, 12839(518)747-4424

www.kingsburysdaschool.org



Socializing for Adults and Children

Life before children was very different for most of us. We were able to go out with friends and family with little or no notice. We did not have to think about heading to a restaurant that has diaper changing stations. Basically, the social life as we knew it came to a screeching halt, but for a beautiful reason. As the parent of a toddler, this is often the time that we think about getting together with other parents in a playgroup.

By the time they are toddlers, kids become sponges for learning about everything around them. They watch as we interact with our friends. If we hug someone when we greet them, they will want to do the same. Taking your child to a playgroup allows them to see how loving and caring relationships form. Within a short time, children begin to expect to see their new friends and look forward to playing, dancing, singing, and laughing with them. On the flip side, the time is great for the adults to chat. We can get adult conversation and discuss happenings in our lives.

Learning to Share and CareThe first few playgroups can be a time of learning. Toddlers are very egocen-tric. If they have older siblings or go to daycare, they may have been exposed to the concept of sharing.

The Many Benefits of Toddler Playgroups

Toddler

When I was little, my mother and her friends formed a playgroup – a small mix of mothers and children who got together often. We switched houses for our gatherings and went out on adventures together. To this day, I am still good

friends with one of the other kids. She has watched me become the mother of two boys. Now I get to see the joy in her eyes as she becomes a first-time mother. Playgroups truly can become the starting point for learning to love, care, and share with others.

If this is their first social situation, welcome to a great learning experience. When people are coming to your house, let your child put a few favorite items away that they don’t have to share. This shows your child that you care about their feelings for their prized items. Remind them that everything else can be used and played with by the other kids that are coming over.

Be prepared in case you need to inter-vene. Kids will be kids and do not al-ways want to share; model sharing with the other parents in your group. Offer them a book you have, share some snacks, or anything else that the chil-dren can see. Sometimes, the best bet is to get down on the ground and play with some toys to show these behaviors to the kids. If your friend is having a bad day, make them laugh by being silly or giving them a hug. Toddlers are starting to understand emotions of oth-ers and need to see how people care for one another.

Remember that playgroups are what you make them. The experiences that you and your child can have are up to you and the group you are with. Make plans, have fun, and be ready to watch your child explore the world of sharing and caring.


Some ways to find a

playgroup for your toddler

Head over to KidsFunPlaza.com to look for a Mom/Dad/Parent group under the Community tab.

Ask friends for suggestions. If they don’t have children the same age, they may know of other people that do.

Daycare providers are a great resource. If your child is in daycare, ask around. Other parents may be interested in setting up a playgroup for weekend fun.

Look online. Google may be a nice stop to see if there are any online local groups. There are many in the area that you can find using “Capital District” or other key terms.

@

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Preschooler

Classroom Valentinesfor the First Time

When your child enters preschool, it opens up a whole new world. Part

of that world includes exchanging Valentines with their classmates. Thankfully, most preschools have rules about making sure every child in the class gives a Valentine to every other child in the class. There are none of the hurt feelings that can be asso-ciated with the Valentine exchanges that may happen when they’re older, when kids get left out because teach-ers no longer oversee the activity. In preschool, that sort of heartache is something we parents don’t have to worry about for a while.

Buying Valentines for the Class

There’s nothing wrong with hitting up the store for some premade Valentines for your child’s classmates. If your kids are any-thing like my son, they have a favorite TV or movie character, and that character is probably on a Valentine somewhere. Try to make sure the Valentines are age-appro-priate. There are some cards that may be too scary or too rude for preschool; let your child pick out his or her Valentines, but let them know that you can say no.

Making Valentines for the Class

If you have the time and inclination, you can help your child make Valentines for the class. It could be as simple as cutting out construction paper hearts and having your child sign his name in crayon or as complex as a project that includes lace, glitter, and glue. The important thing to remember, though, is that your child should be helping make the Valentines. This is about them, not you, so try not to flinch when things don’t look perfect.

Preparing the Valentines

Your child’s teacher should send home a list with the names of each member of the class. If not, they should at least send home a note containing the number of children in the class so you’ll have the right number of Valentines. If you have any doubts, send an extra card or two to school so no one gets left out.

If you are provided with a class list, let your child help pick out which card to give to each classmate. If you have premade Valentines, you can help steer him or her toward designs in the assortment that may be more appreci-ated by either the boys or girls.

Have your child sign her own name on each of the cards. This is good practice for those writing skills. If your child’s signature is still rather illegible at this stage, you can always write her name in pen underneath.

Share with your child that Valentine’s Day is about showing people that we love them, and that includes friends. If you have any leftover Valentines, your child may decide he wants to give cards to the family mem-bers he loves, too!

Tips for Making Homemade Valentines

a DO let your child express his or her creativity.

a DON’T glue things like maca-roni or buttons to Valentines, as they will inevitably fall off and make a mess of the classroom.

a DO use things like stickers, crayons or markers, and other non-messy decorations.

aDON’T freak out if your child has some “unique” ideas about how the cards should look.


Christina Gleason is a happily married mom of one very active little boy and Founder of Phenomenal Content LLC, which provides online copywriting for businesses. Read her blog at www.CutestKidEver.org!


From birth to the first year, your baby hits a lot of mile-stones. The first birthday is

one of the biggest. Wouldn’t you love adorable, custom birthday invitations for your little one?

Do it yourself invitations are wonderful. You can view them on your computer, customize them they way you want, and print the invitations immediately. DIY in-vites are perfect for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time. (Or someone whose free time is at 3:00 am!)

I found a local mom, Joy, who sells print-able invitations and other items online at her Etsy shop, The Art of Joy. Pick one of her creative designs and she’ll email you a PDF along with directions to customize your purchase.

By: Kelly Razzano, AlbanyMommy.com

An Easier Way to DIY with

Cute, Customizable Stationery

One of the best things about The Art of Joy’s DIY stationery items is that you can print as many as you want for the same price! You use your own paper and printer and print as many or as few as you’d like. The cost of the invitations is $7. Other types of DIY stationery downloads, such as banners, stickers, thank you notes, and calendars are available in the under $15 price range. Such a bargain! And with today’s economy, who can pass up a good deal?

The Art of Joy also has a birthday package for $15 that includes a birthday banner, invites, thank you notes, party favors, birthday poster, and birthday stickers. Everything is delivered directly to your email, so you don’t have to worry about wait-ing for delivery, and there’s no going out to the store with the baby in tow.

Buy Local

If your baby has a winter birthday, it’s worth the price just to avoid trekking out in this northeastern snow.

Check out Joy’s store at www.etsy.com/shop/TheArtOfJoy. Her custom illustrated items are absolutely incred-ible and so different than anything I’ve seen in stores. You only get to celebrate the first birthday once, so buy the cutest invites you can! When you do, you’ll be supporting a local mom and helping the local economy.

Kelly RazzanoPart time pediatric nurse and part time stay at home {meaning constantly on the go} Mom of 2. I have been blogging at AlbanyMommy.com, show up on the news frequently, and I love to help small local businesses. In my “spare time” I do web design and search engine optimization and have tons of fun doing it!


with Lessons ofLove


Life seemed so much eas-ier when I was a child. I went to school, did my

homework, and played outside with my friends without a wor-ry. Yes, there were times when kids were mean to one another, but it was straightforward. We never had to worry about our friends posting nonsense on Facebook or sending out a mass e-mail containing embarrassing information.

Welcome to 2011, when bully-ing has become the hot topic. Traditional media, blogs, and schools are all discussing the battle against bullies. I recently wrote on the KidsFunPlaza blog about my son’s experience with being bullied. Since that time, many of my family and friends have had children who have become the victim of bullies at school. As adults, we need to stand up and teach our children how to fight back against this abuse and to care for their friends.

Stand up for Your Peers

Kids are often naïve and not aware that they are being bul-lied. Some children are so in-terested in attention from their peers that they are willing to tolerate negative behavior from them. School districts are start-ing programs to teach children about bullies within their state mandated character educa-tion studies. Only so much can be done within the school day. We need to make sure our chil-dren understand what a bully is. Bullying is intentional torment-ing in physical, verbal, or psy-chological ways.

Having open communication with your child is key. Your son or daughter needs to be able to come to you at any time to let you know what is happening to

them. They need to know it is safe to tell you anything. Help your child recognize different types of situations where they or a classmate may be bullied. Tell them that if they witness another child being harassed or bothered that they should say something. If they fear their safety for talking, they should find an adult at the time to as-sist them. Let them know that simply watching another person be bullied is the last thing they should do. This is not tattle-tell-ing – something that many kids get stuck on. They are helping by sharing this information with someone that can assist.

Practice What You Preach

Remember that your children are watching you as their role model. If you are out in a store

with Lessons ofLoveBy Beth Levine, TheAngelForever.com

and see someone pestering an-other individual and you know it is wrong – help them! Perhaps it is not best to say something there, but get someone who can help. Find a store manager, security, or if need be, call the authorities if you feel there is a greater danger. Whatever you do, let your child know that you are trying to assist the other person so they are not a victim of a bully.

We need to be proactive when it comes to putting an end to bul-lying. We must take this problem seriously and not simply say kids have to “tough it out” – that is not the answer. Showing our children how to care for others when bullied and to recognize it will help them to build their sense of self-worth and confi-dence for the future.

Kiddo


Combat BULLYING

Signs that your child may be bullied:

aChild no longer socializes with peer group.

aRegressing from typical behavior. Less social, does not want to discuss what’s happening at school.

aSpending a lot of time alone when at home.

aMood change that is not typical for your child.

a Your child says they are sick, trying to avoid school.

aAdditional lunch money is requested with no rationale behind it.

For additional resources about bullying, including Webisodes and games for children, head to http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov


By Alina M. Hensley, TheCraningGap.blogspot.com

Alina Hensley is happily raising her daughter in her native New York, and passionately passing on her love for writing, culture, and the arts.

Green & Healthy

It’s February, and everywhere you go you’re inundated by love – or at least the idea of love. This commercially-

driven assault on your subconscious is usually enough to make you over-whelmed, if not a little resentful. Let’s face it – not all of us have significant others who get the gist of Valentine’s Day. This year, I propose taking a little time to love yourself. Is that so bad?

Every time I see a beauty magazine explod-ing with the word “Makeover!” I’m forced to shake my head. Not only is it often financially irresponsible to go out and buy all those new cosmetics and a whole new wardrobe, it’s kind of bad for our bodies and the Earth, too.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a new lip gloss or rad t-shirt or a pair of sexy heels when the mood strikes, but I invite you to think be-fore running headlong into that makeover. Here are my favorite ways to love myself and love the Earth at the same time:

Makeover Love: The Responsible Way

I am a major devotee of Burt’s Bees. They use recycled packaging, and about 85% or more of their ingredients are naturally sourced. Their Pomegranate Lip Balm is a serious addiction of mine; it’s exactly the right shade of pink for any skin tone. Their line of tinted peppermint-flavored balms is fantastic to stash in your purse, and it doubles as cheek tint and lipstick for emer-gency touch ups! Also look for Kiss My Face, which makes a great “3-way-color” – one tube for lips, cheeks, and eyes!

Take your own nail polish with you when you go. Buy a brand that’s “Three-Free” meaning it is free of dibutyl phthalate (DHB), toluene, and formaldehyde. Three ingredients that are known carcinogens. Try Priti NYC’s line; they have all sorts of fabulous colors, from subtle pinks to sensational neons!

Say the word, and I’m there. Lotion is a great way to pamper yourself or to get a little closer to your partner. (Come on – you can’t reach your own back!) I love Jason’s line of body products, especially the Rosewater scent. Taking a long bath with a great scrub is an-other way to take care of yourself. Try Alba Organics Sugar Cane Body Polish – I have a friend who swears by the stuff.

This is the mother lode, ladies! I adore looting through second-hand shops, pick-ing up vintage silk scarves, great velvet jackets, and good-as-new shoes. This is definitely one of the best ways to take advantage of reusing, and there’s more; most thrift stores benefit a charity of some kind – so through shopping, you’re being a humanitarian, too – twice the love!

This isn’t quite what it sounds like. This is thrift shopping’s wild, college-age sister. Get together with a bunch of your lady friends; bring on the wine, the chocolates, and the Chinese takeout. Everyone spends the week prior cleaning out their jewelry boxes and culling closets and dresser drawers. Instead of taking all the goods to the thrift shop, bring them to someone’s living room and have a huge, fabulous swap meet. Put on an appropri-ately fabulous movie, like Pretty Woman, and get “shopping!”

All-Natural Cosmetics

Luscious Lotions and Soaps

Manicure, Anyone?

Thrift Stores

Naked Lady Parties



Teens

ManyVanessa Van Petten, teen author and youtholo-gist, posed this question

on the Radical Parenting blog a while back. At the time, I didn’t think much of it because, of course, my children could always count on me.

And then something curious happened this summer, just before my teen entered high school. Suddenly, friends and family kept of-fering my child a ready ear if ever she need-ed to talk about things she couldn’t discuss with her mother.

I was a little unnerved by these offers. I even wondered if I was doing something wrong as a parent that all these people were offering to help.

It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that it didn’t matter how many well-meaning adult friends offered to listen, just as it was irrelevant that I was available. When some-thing sad did happen, my daughter wanted neither. Only same-age peers were deemed worthy of sharing her heartache.

That’s as it should be. If all goes well, a teen will favor a friend’s advice over that of their parent, and the opinion of same-age peers will hold more weight than that of experi-enced adults. This is a natural part of an adolescent’s development of self-identity.

It can also be a recipe for trouble if a teen chooses to listen to the wrong friends.

Nowadays, a typical teen may have hundreds of friends – online. Van Petten refers to these as “cotton candy friends.”

The teen (and 20 something) social interac-tion right now is like cotton candy, it’s fun and tasty for a little while, but after two hours you are hungry for real food, real connection.

Who Is Your Teen Going To Call?

Does your teen have someone to call if something sad happens?


Few of these friends will know a teen well enough to provide good counsel, even if they were disposed to do so.

We must have done something right, in any case, because our teen did have one or two friends that she could call. Friends who lis-tened, understood, and helped cheer her up. These are friends who continually help her to make good decisions, and who motivate her to do her best.

Sandra Foyt is the mother of two: a teen girl and a tween boy. She has been eagerly exploring Northeastern New York since both gave up naps on their first birthdays, and she writes about fun and learning in the Capital Region on www.AlbanyKid.com.

HOW CAN PARENTS ENCOURAGE HEALTHY

RELATIONSHIPS?

Although it might seem as if they aren’t listening, teens are paying attention to what you say and what you do, and they look to your relationships to help shape their own. To encourage your child to form healthy relationships, begin by providing:

By Sandra Foyt, AlbanyKid.com

Time with friends. Children need time for un-structured play dates to learn how to play with others, and to build relationships. Even when they are older, they need time together that is free of the stress of school or other responsibilities.

Time with parents. Even though they’re as-serting their independence, teens also need time with their parents to recon-nect and enjoy each other company. A strong parent/child relationship is the foundation of a child’s self-esteem, and the precursor to all other relationships.

Involvement. Get to know your teen’s friends and take an interest in your child’s activities. Set firm boundaries and high ex-pectations and be prepared to discuss failures and successes.These tips will help guide your teen toward healthy re-lationships, but what else can they do to find and keep good friends? Visit the Kids Fun Home blog for more ideas in the January Teen post.

The Court Club accepts Aqua Blue. Save up to $250 on all memberships!!

We offer a wide variety of activies to get you in shape- including racquetball, handball and squash, group fitness classes such as Body Pump, Spinning, Pilates, and Yoga. We also have a complete weight room with state of the art Nautilus circuit as well as free weights, and a cardio room. In addition, we are the only health club in the capital region with an indoor rock

climbing.

“Look no further, The Court Club has it all.”


Grandma’s Wisdom

In my post on the Kids Fun Home blog, I asked if you wanted to save some money and said I don’t

know anyone that would say no to that. Everyone loves to save their hard earned money and I gave tips on:

• Inexpensive hair conditioner and shaving your legs.

• Money saving dryer and family protection.

• Cheese and an iron skillet.

You can find great information on these things in my blog post (http://j.mp/grand-mastips ). Don’t be shy; have a look. You’ll be glad you did.

Something I promised to give you was more tips and tricks in this article, so let’s get to it.

Kitchen

Add a capful of vinegar to your dish-washer. It removes grease and puts shine on your dishes.

Car

Fresh and clean scents:

• Put a dryer sheet under the seat.

• Put one of your favorite scented candles in a slightly opened zip style plastic baggie under your seat. (A folded paper towel un-derneath keeps it from sliding around.)

Bathroom

Clogged drain? Put 3 to 4 Alka-Seltzer tablets into the drain followed by an entire bottle of white vinegar. Wait 5 minutes. Run hot water down it.

All Purpose

Vinegar is one of the handiest things you can have in your house. It useful in many rooms of the home.

• In the kitchen, run 1 cup of white vin-egar through the coffee pot to clean it.

• For laundry, it’s a magical stain remover that even keeps colors bright.

Here is my pre-treating concoction:

½ cup each of vinegar, ammonia, baking soda2 squirts of liquid soap (I use Dawn)2 quarts of water

Keep colors bright by soaking then rinsing with water:

1 cup vinegar1 gallon warm water

Get the yellow out by hand washing then rinsing with:

½ cup vinegar in the rinse water

Now for something I didn’t mention in my last blog post. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, how about some tips from grandma on how to bring a little love back into a relationship?

It isn’t always easy being in a relationship; it can be downright difficult. Often times, it seems hopeless and impossible to find your way back to that place and time when goose bumps were the normal at the simple thought of your dreamy guy or gal. I’ve lived my share of ups and downs in love, and I’ve learned some of the most valuable lessons on what it takes to keep love strong and happy. Communication and respect are a must.

To communicate, you must listen and share. Listen to your partner and share honestly and openly. Don’t just talk at each other; tru-ly talk to each other. It goes a long, long way in sparking that alone time communication in the love arena.

Respect your partner by always thinking about how what you do and say will affect them. This will keep the heart warm and build a trusting bond that will always make your love special.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Household Tips & Tricks with a Little Romance

to Boot!By Linda Carmical, LindaCarmical.com

LindaCarmical.comThis grandma is a southern girl at heart who came to realize one day staying home, being my own boss, blogging, and dabbling in web content was where it’s at. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell me I’d be working harder and longer hours than ever before! It’s a good thing I love this!

Phot

o by

Will

Ock

ende

n


La Placita

Roxanna was born and raised, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Wife and mother of three kids, expecting her fourth. Member of the moms group of Saint Edward the Confessor Parish in Clifton Park and the Spanish community of Saint Anthony Church in Schenectady. Spanish Writer on the Parish Mom of Saint Edward Blog.

By Roxana Homic

No sabes lo feliz que me siento de tenerte en mi vida, haciendo cada momento especial. Dios permitió que hace seis años tuviera la oportunidad de conocerte y que desde ese dia nuestras vidas estuvieran llenas de bendiciones. Me has dado la grandiosa oportunidad de ser tu esposa, la madre de tus hijos, tu mejor amiga.

Tu Eres para mi más que mi esposo, mi com-pañero, mi mejor amigo y una de las cosas que más me encanta de ti es esa mirada tuya hacia mi, esa que todos los días me deja sab-er que para ti soy tu gran amor, esa mirada tierna, la misma que me diste aquella vez en la iglesia, recuerdas? La misma que una otra vez me dabas el día de nuestra boda, me mi-rabas de esa manera tan dulce y especial, con tus ojos claros y brillantes, dándome el SI te acepto como mi esposa.

Sabes que con todo mi corazón te amo, y te lo mereces, porque eres una persona de sentimientos buenos, sin maldad, inteligente, noble, sincero, honesto, y sobre todo me de-muestras en grande todo el amor que sientes por mi. Siempre estás pendiente mi cuidado, de tu familia, de tus hijos, ahh porque tam-bién eres además un excelente padre, me encanta verte jugando con los niños, como eres capaz de volverte como ellos con tal de que ellos disfruten, sonrían, estén felices. Me encanta verte leyéndoles sus historias, como te sientas con ellos a ver sus películas auque sean de princesas.

Aunque soy muy romántica y tu no tanto, aunque soy inquieta y tu tranquilo, aunque soy muy sencible y tu fuerte, aunque yo der-rocho y tu ahorras, aunque yo hablo español y tu ingles, aunque soy del color café y tu del color de la leche, aunque yo disfruto el ve-rano y tu el invierno, aunque me gusta el dia y a ti la noche, aunque prefiero el bolero y tu el rock, al final tenemos algo en común, nos amamos, tambien a nuestros hijos, pero sobre todo amamos a un mismo Dios. Ese Dios que nos permite estar unido en las bue-nas y en las malas, que esta presente en cada momento de nuestro matrimonio.

Chuck, amor mio, gracias por tu honestidad, por tu apoyo en cada cosa que digo y hago, gracias por ser mi pañuelo en mis momen-tos tristes, por ser la morada donde se cobija mi corazón, por ser pilar para sostenerme, por ser la sal que da sabor a mi vida, por ser el azucar que endulza mis momentos amargos, gracias por dejarme cuidarte, por permitirme amarte, por aceptarme tal como soy. Gracias por devolverle a mi vida la con-fianza de amar y de ser amada. Gracias por tomarte el cafecito conmigo en las mañanas, por dejarme dormir cuando estoy cansada.

Porque contigo todo es mejor, eres como el sol en la playa, la luna en la noche, el agua en el océano, eres mi mas hermoso regalo. Tu en mi vida eres imprescindible como la rueda para la bicicleta, el cono para el he-lado, la mecha para la vela, las hojas para el libro, la bombilla para la lámpara, los guantes para el frío, el suspiro para el pastel, Y por si acaso para que comprendas mejor lo que te quiero decir es que I LOVE YOU un paquetón.

Tuya siempre y hasta que la muerte nos separe.

Tu esposa RoxannaPDTT. Feliz día de San Valentín.

A mi Esposo Chuck

Querido amor


Child’s First Name: _____________________

Age: _______Grade: _____

School: ______________________________

Parent Full Name: ______________________

Email: _________________________________

Address: _____________________________ City_____________ State, ________ Zipcode ________

Yes, I authorize KidsFunPlaza to publish the letter/drawing and to send my child a prize if he/she wins.

Parent Signature: _____________________

KidsFunKorner

Send your Thank You letter/drawing to KidsFunPlaza at 90 State Street – Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207

Hey kids, Let’s push the season! Write about your Summer Dreams and win an iPad. Answer the question: What would you like to do this Summer?

2nd Place:

Allan

4th Grade – Albany

Dear Robert,

Thank you for being my best

friend and for lending me your

Wii games. More than any-

thing, thank you for letting me

win sometimes. You pretend

to get upset and all that, but

I know you’re just acting out

because you’re my big brother

and a 13 year old can’t lose to

an 8 year old. If I win, I’ll give

you half of the gift card money..

1st Place Beth

2nd Grade – Clifton Park My best friend is Gabrielle.

She helped me so much

when my house got burned.

She shared her toys, clothes

and books. She also kept me

happy during the hardest

period of my life.

3rd Place: Anthony 3rd Grade – TroyMy best friend is my mom. She

takes care of me when I’m sick

and when I’m healthy. She buys

me clothes, she loves me more than anybody else. That’s why I

love her higher than the sky.

Winning Letters to Your Best Friend

1st price: iPad2nd price: $100 Visa Card3rd price: $50 Visa Card


Saratoga County

SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY

f Toddler Story Time - For children ages 24-42

months with a parent or caregiver. Feb 1 - Feb 3, Feb 7 -

Feb 10, Feb 14 - Feb 17 . 9:30 AM

f Preschool Story Time - For children ages 42

months to 5 years. Feb 1 - Feb 3, Feb 7 - Feb 10, Feb 14 -

Feb 18. 10:15 AM

49 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs Phone:(518) 584-7860 . Email: [email protected] • sspl.org

Albany County

here is WHAT ’S HAPPENING

Schenectady

Daily Activities

SCHENECTADY MUSEUM & SUITS-BUECHE PLANETARIUM

f FETCH! Lab: Sky Diver . Design a parachute

that floats safely to the ground - no crash landings

allowed. Feb 3 - Feb 6. 5:30 PM

f Science Discovery Demos - Enjoy educator-led

science demos

12 - 12:30PM every Saturday and Sunday. Feb 5 - Feb 6, Feb 12 - Feb 13, Feb 19 - Feb 20, Feb 26 - Feb 27.

f FETCH! Lab: Kaleid-o-mania. Reflections, light,

and your artistic talents create a dazzling kaleido-

scope. Feb 10 - Feb 13 . 3:00 PM

f FETCH! Lab: Potion Commotion. Water and oil

don’t mix, but watch what happens when you add the

fizz factor. Feb 17 - Feb 20. 3:00 PM

f February Break Kids’ Activities Enjoy special hands-on activities during February Break at the Schenectady

Museum!

Feb 24 - Feb 27. 12:30 PM

f FETCH! Lab: Rescue Mission - Design a hook and

retrieve a capsule submerged in water. Feb 24 - Feb 27.

3:00 PM

PROCTORS THEATREf Literature to Life: Incidents in the Life of a Slave

Girl. School Days. Feb 2 - Feb 3. 10:00 AMProctors Theatre, 432 State Street, Schenectady. • [email protected]• proctors.org

Dinosaurs Alive is a global adventure of science and

discovery – featuring the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous “reincarnated” life-

sized for the giant screen. Feb 19 - Feb 27. Various hours

Disney’s The Lion King - Experience the phenomenon. Schenectady’s most eagerly awaited stage production ever.

Feb 22 - Feb 27. Various hours

Send your Thank You letter/drawing to KidsFunPlaza at 90 State Street – Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207

f February Break Planetarium Shows 1PM: The Sky

Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; 2PM: Light Years from

Andromeda; 3PM: Seasonal Sky Tour. Feb 24 - Feb 28.

f Brownie Math Fun Try-It Workshop Explore different ways to tell time, write messages in secret code, and discover how you are “made” of numbers! Feb 25 - Feb

26. Fri, 8:00; Sat, 9:30.

15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady Phone: (518) 382-7890 Email: [email protected] • schenectadymuseum.org

HYDE COLLECTIONf Children’s Vacation Art Studio Classes -

Drop-in activity program for kids 6-12 with adult

chaperone.

161 Warren St Glens Falls. Phone: (518) 792-1761. Feb 22 - Feb 25Email: [email protected] • hydecollection.org


here is WHERE TO GO

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AT SARATOGAf Tuesday for Tots This is a special time for our littlest

visitors! Drop in anytime between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm for

crafts, play dough, games and friends!. Feb 1 - Feb 22.

f Alphabet Soup This whole language experience is a great

way to reinforce early literacy in preschool-ers! 10:30 AM. Feb

2 - Feb 23

f Story Art Reading together is always better, so please join us Thursdays for an exciting new story each week. We’ll use our imaginations and the story to inspire art projects that explore

different media and styles. 10:30 AM.

Feb 3 - Feb 24.

f Wiggle & Giggle This is a special time for younger children to learn what they can do with their bodies through structured

group activities and guided free play. Ages 5 and younger.

10:00 AM. Feb 11 & Feb 25.

f Stretching with Stuffee . 10:00 AM . Feb 4 & Feb 18

69 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs • Phone: (518) 584-5540. Dec 21 -Jan 18.cmssny.org

SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARYf Strengthening Families - For parents and their children ages 8-12 years. This nationally recognized program is designed to help parents show love and set limits and to help youth develop skills in handling peer pressure. Families will learn how

to communicate and have fun together. Feb 2 - Feb 16. 5:30

PM.

f Hola La: Bilingual Stories, Puppets and Songs - For grades K-2. This winter, children will learn Spanish as they join Hola La’s mascot, Pepa (as well as receive a special visit from her brother) at school for circle time, music class, gym class, lunch-

time and of course recess! Feb 3, Feb 10 and Feb 17.

4:30 PM.

f Saturday Family Story Time - For children ages 2-5, with

a parent or caregiver. Siblings welcome, too! Feb 5 - Feb 19.

11:30 AM

f Library Babies - An informal playgroup for babies under

24 months with a parent or caregiver. Feb 5 - Feb 19. 10:00

AM

49 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs. Phone: (518) 584-7860. Email: [email protected] • sspl.org

CLIFTON PARK-HALFMOON PUBLIC LIBRARYf Bouncing Babies - Share fun interactive rhymes, songs and simple board books with the baby in your life. An optional brief playtime follows.

Feb 1 - Feb 15. 9:30 AM

f Story Time for 2 & 3 year olds - A lively mix of stories, songs and rhymes makes this a special time for you and your child.

Read & Feed For teens in Grade 6 & up. 12:00 PM . Dec 27.

f Parent/Child Library Time - For the first 30-35 minutes, children and parents play and interact with others while using age appropriate toys, puzzles, books, and craft materials. The

second part of the program includes stories and songs. Feb 7 -

Feb 28 (No session on Feb 21). Various hours.

475 Moe Road, Clifton Park, NY. •Phone: (518) 371-8622Email: [email protected] • cphlibrary.org

HYDE COLLECTION

f Tours for Tots - Program designed for 3 to 6 year olds and

their adult chaperones. Feb 1 - Feb 22. 3:00 PM

f Artful Afternoons - Drop-in activity program for kids 6-12

with adult chaperone. Feb 2 - Feb 23. 2:00 PM

161 Warren St Glens Falls. Phone: (518) 792-1761. Dec 21 - Jan 2.Email: [email protected] • hydecollection.org

Saratoga County

Rensselaer County

Weekly Activities

TROY PUBLIC LIBRARYf Teen Time at Lansingburgh. Come play the Wii, board

games, and much more! Refreshments will be served. 3:00 PM

114th Street and 4th Avenue • Phone: (518) 235-5310. Every

wednesday from Feb 2- Feb 23. 4:00 – 6:00 pm

f Preschool Family Story Time. Family Storytime will be offered for children up to the age of 5, accompanied by parents and caregivers. We will share stories, rhymes, songs and simple crafts.

Mondays at 10:30 am – Sycaway Branch

Wednesdays at 10:30 am – Main Library

Fridays at 10:30 am – Lansingburgh Branch

Sycaway Branch : School 18, Hoosick Street , Troy NYPhone: (518) 274-1822Lansingburgh Branch: 114th Street and 4th Avenue, Troy NY Phone: (518) 235-5310Main Library: 100 Second Street, Troy NY Phone: (518) 274-7071. Email: [email protected] • thetroylibrary.org


Albany CountyWILLIAM K. SANFORD TOWN LIBRARYf SUPEREADERS BOOK CLUB - For kids in kindergarten &

first grade with a parent. 6:30 PM. Feb 1.

f TWEEN SCREEN - Pick up a copy Harriet the Spy, read it at home, then come in to watch the movie together. Snacks, activi-ties, and more! For kids in 4th grade and up. 4:00 PM. Feb 3

f CHESS CLUB - children in grades 2 & up challenge each other while improving their skills in friendly games. Feb 1 & Feb 15. 6:30 PM

FAMILY YOGA - Classes are designed with activities for 2-7 year olds, but siblings of all ages are welcome to join in the fun. It’s a

healthy way to play! Feb 22. 10:00 AM

STUFFED ANIMAL SLEEPOVER - Put on your PJs and grab your favorite stuffed animal for bedtime stories! Together we’ll make a bed and blanket for your toy, and then tuck him in for

the night. Feb 22 & Feb 24. Tue, 18:30; Thu, 10:30.

SANFORD CINEMA - Featuring the newly released Legends of the Guardians, a thrilling adventure based on the beloved books

by Kathryn Lasky. Feb 23. 6:30 PM

UNCLE BROTHERS FAMILY SHOW - Spend a special evening

enjoying this lively musical performance. Feb 24. 6:30 PM

BABY & ME - Children up to age 36 months and their

caregivers are invited to stay and play. Feb 25. 9:30 AM

MOTHER & DAUGHTER BOOK TALK - We’re very excited about the number of girls in grades 5-8 and their moms who love to read! We added a second group to accommodate as

many as we could. Feb 27. 1:00 & 2:00 PM.

629 Albany Shaker Road • Phone: (518) 458-9274 Email: [email protected] • colonie.org/library

BETHLEHEM PUBLIC LIBRARYf “Valentine’s Day bingo - Families. Playing pieces are

hearts, of course--don’t eat them till later! Feb 12. 11:00 AM.

f Passport to fun Grade K-5. Stories and activities for kids on their own. Your “”passport”” will be stamped every week.

Collect stamps and win chances in a raffle!”. Feb 12. 11:00

AM.

f From A to Wii - Learn one-on-one with teen experts how

to navigate Twitter, Facebook, the Wii and more. Feb 12. 2:30

PM

f Saturday stories - Up to age 6 and families. Stories, songs

and activities. Feb 19. 11:00 AM

f Dino-palooza! - Families. Dinosaur movie, crafts and

stories. Feb 22. 2:30 PM.

Rainbow Fairies Ball - Age 5-10 with family. Sign up is

required. Dancing and crafts- dress as your favorite fairy!. Feb

23. 2:30 PM

451 Delaware Ave • Phone: (518) 439-9314 . Email:[email protected] • bethlehempubliclibrary.org

NEW YORK STATE MUSEUMf Story Art - Enjoy the Museum by listening to a story, exploring objects from the teaching collection, and creating a

fun art project. Feb 4. 11:00 AM.

f “Furry Tales And Touchables - Meet at Discovery Place

Recommended for children 4 to 6 years of age.” Feb 5, Feb 19

& Feb 22. 12:00 PM

f Rain Or Shine ... It’s Reading Time . Read a story with Museum staff and visit a special exhibit to learn more about

New York State. Feb 9 and 23. 10:30 to 11:30 AM.

Cultural Education Center of the Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY.Phone: (518) 474-5877. Email:[email protected] • nysm.nysed.gov

Albany CountyBETHLEHEM PUBLIC LIBRARYf Tiny tots - Storytimes for children up to 35 months

accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Feb 1 -Feb 8 . 9:30

AM

f Passport to fun Grade K-5. Stories and activities for kids on their own. Your “”passport”” will be stamped every week.

Collect stamps and win chances in a raffle!”. Feb 12. 4:00 PM.

451 Delaware Ave • Phone: (518) 439-9314 . Email:[email protected] • bethlehempubliclibrary.org

Weekly Activities

Individual Activities

Individual Activities


individual ACTIVITIESSchenectady County

PROCTORS THEATREf If You Give a Cat a Cupcake - Based on the newest install-ment in the zany “If You Give A . . .” book series, Omaha Theater brings this madcap world premiere production with music to the

stage. Feb 8. 10:00 & 12:15 PM.

432 State Street, Schenectady • Phone: (518) 382-3884 Email: [email protected] • proctors.org

SCHENECTADY MUSEUM & SUITS-BUECHE PLANETARIUMf Boy Scout Astronomy Workshop. Explore the Moon, planets, and stars with a live Planetarium show and hands-on astronomy

activities. Feb 10 . 6:00 PM

f Be My Valentine Create something special to give to your

favorite Valentine! Feb 13. 1:30 PM.

f ART Night! FREE Admission. Feb 15 to Feb 18. 8:00 PM

f Little Wonders of Science: Snowflake Bentley - Introduce children ages 3 to 5 to the wonders of science with Snowflake Bentley and a fun craft. Advance registrants receive a FREE book

and materials to continue the study of science at home. Feb 17 &

Feb 19. 11:00 AM

15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady • Phone: (518) 382-7890 Email: [email protected] • schenectadymuseum.org

Saratoga CountyNATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACINGf National Museum of Racing Girl Scout Badge Program -

Local Lore

Feb 5. 10:00 AM

f National Museum of Racing Brownie Program - Listening

to the past . Feb 12. 10:00 AM

f National Museum of Racing Brownie Program - Vacation

Program: Drawing & Painting. Feb 17. 10:00 AM

f National Museum of Racing Girl Scout Badge Program -

Visual Arts

Feb 19. 10:00 AM

191 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs Phone: (518) 584-0400 ext. 118.Email: [email protected] • racingmuseum.net

Rensselaer CountyTHE ARTS CENTER OF THE CAPITAL REGION f St. Valentine’s Day Speakeasy and Swing Dance Party - Dance to the music of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s as we relive the Flapper, Hot Jazz & Big Band Era and make sure to check your Tommy Gun at the door. Come dressed in the period clothes of

spats and beaded dresses and win a prize for best costume. Feb 12.

8:00 PM

f Family Sunday: Valentine Crafts - we’ll craft our own sweetheart-art, pop-up cards, hand-made envelopes and more! You’ll come home with plenty of goodies to give to your valentines!

Feb 15. 1:00 PM

265 River Street, Troy, NY. Phone: (518) 273-0552Email: [email protected] • artscenteronline.org

TROY PUBLIC LIBRARYf Teen Yoga! Relax and get in shape with instructor Joely

Johnson Mork, of Troy Yoga.

Lansingburgh Branch. Feb 5. 1:00 PM

Sycaway Branch : School 18, Hoosick Street , Troy NYPhone: (518) 274-1822Lansingburgh Branch: 114th Street and 4th Avenue, Troy NY • Phone: (518) 235-5310Main Library: 100 Second Street, Troy NY Phone: (518) 274-7071. Email: [email protected] • thetroylibrary.org

“Rain or shine, at Saratoga Strike Zone we have fun for everyone!”

Bowling at the new Saratoga Strike Zone couldn't be more fun. Our state of the art light and sound show make your bowling expe-

rience one you won't soon forget!

Our Ballocity ball pit is a ton of fun for the kids. The bumper cars are fun for all ages.

Games, games, and more games. Our redemption arcade is one of a kind.


Editorial Calendar for KidsFunPlaza!

Theme

New Beginnings

Love

Community

Spring

Family

Summer

Arts & Crafts

Education

Autum/Nature

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Holidays

Month

January 11

February 11

March 11

April 11

May 11

June 11

July 11

August 11

September 11

October 11

November 11

December 11

Guide

Health Care Providers

Schools

Camps

Daycares

Traveling

Staycations

Museums/Local Arts

After Schools

Farmers/Markets

Party Resources

Non-Profits

Kid Friendly Restaurants

To be on the guides contact [email protected] call 888-512-1444
