Out of the Box

Introducing Cineplexity “Premier Edition”

The Party Game Where Movie Fans Connect!

Richland Center, Wisconsin – Out of the Box Publishing is proud to announce the release of CINEPLEXITY™. This refreshingly new party game challenges players to name any movie that includes elements from two Cineplexity Cards. Can you name a movie which is a Romance and is set in New York City?* Be the first player to name a movie, and win that round!

"In CINEPLEXITY, every movie ever produced is a possible correct answer," says Mark Osterhaus, President of Out of the Box Publishing. “With over 500 cards, no two games ever play the same….and no other movie game plays like CINEPLEXITY!”

CINEPLEXITY PREMIER EDITION is a limited edition first-run of CINEPLEXITY, and includes an additional 200 bonus cards for free!

*You’ve Got Mail, Annie Hall, An Affair to Remember, and Two Weeks Notice (as well as many others) are all possible correct answers.

CINEPLEXITY is for 4 to 10 players, teen to adult. CINEPLEXITY is available at specialty retailers – at a suggested retail of $24.99.

Since 1999, Out of the Box Publishing has been recognized as an industry leader in the design of award-winning card and board games. Headquartered in Richland Center Wisconsin, Out of the Box Publishing produces a full line of games for the whole family.

Out of the Box games include:

• Apples to Apples® • Abridged® • Balancing Aliens™ • Basari® • Blink® • Bosworth®

• Cineplexity® • Pin Games® • Cloud 9® • Cover-UP™ • Easy Come, Easy Go™ • Fire and Ice™

• Fish Eat Fish® • Gavitt's Stock Exchange® • Gold Digger® • Harry's Grand Slam Baseball™

• Letterflip® • MyWord!® • Mix-UP™ • Pepper™ • Qwitch® • Shipwrecked® • Snorta!®

• Squint® • Tutankhamen® • Wallamoppi® • Whad' Ya Know?® • Wheedle® • Wild Side®

• 10 Days in Africa™ • 10 Days in Europe™ • 10 Days in the USA™

Out of the Box awards include:

• Games Magazine's "Party Game of the Year Award"
• Dr. Toy – Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D.
• FamilyFun's "Toy of the Year Award"
• The Game Report's "Best American Game Award"
• Mensa Select Award
• Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
• Parents' Choice Silver Award
• National Parenting Center Seal of Approval

For Sure!

According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was
recently faced with a unique problem.


A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put
it on in the bathroom.


That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick, they would press
their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.


Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the
girls would put them back.


Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called
all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man.


She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for
the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.


To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked
the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.


He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned
the mirror with it.


Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.


There are teachers.... and then there are educators.

Ohio

Comment: Once again "I ate the whole thing." Art doesn't have to cost a lot. Drawing can be a part of a child's life for as little as 50 cents. It's a matter of what a teacher is willing to do. It can be made from a lot of scraps, recycled paper, shredded paper. In fact, art for a whole school can come from an office - even a school office. Music can be a part of every classroom if a teacher is willing to sing, turn on the radio, or push the desks to one side of a classroom and make music on the floor with pencils, books, and other things already there. It just takes effort, energy and the willingness to try.

The Post on Line
Athens, Ohio

Early art education can improve cognitive skills of children

Brianna Voight

From an early age, children instinctively create art by drawing on the walls and other such creative youthful endeavors. Experts say that this expression is beneficial to children in a variety of ways.

While Athens schools offer programs, Ohio University, the center of Athens’ bustling art scene, also contributes to this local education by making art accessible to students.

Crayons, creativity, and cognition

Children who are exposed to consistent and rigorous art programs excel academically compared to those who do not, according the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports the arts. Art benefits children because it helps strengthen their creativity, literary and social development and cognition skills.

“Another important aspect of art is that it makes school a more interesting and engaging place, thereby improving attendance and ultimately improving academic performance,” said Mary Campbell-Zopf, the deputy director for the Ohio Arts Council.

According to Americans for the Arts, a national organization that supports the arts, some of these benefits include being four times more likely to be recognized for academic performance, three times more likely to have better attendance and four times more likely to enter a math or science fair.

“Everyone is a great artist before they are a grown-up,” said Lena Lee, assistant professor of early childhood education at Ohio University. “After our childhood, that ability to see beauty in the world tends to lessen. Art is important because it allows children to be able to see the beauty in their own lives.”

Not etched in stone

Of course, crayons and scissors don’t grow on trees.

“Sadly, when there isn’t a lot of money in a budget, art programs are usually the first to go,” said Joan McMath, professor of early childhood education at OU.

Ohio schools are not required to provide any fixed amount of art education, leaving each of the 613 public school districts in Ohio to determine the actual programs offered in their respective schools.

“While we do not set mandates as to how much art education an elementary student receives in a week, we believe that students get the greatest gains when they have it every day,” Campbell-Zopf said.

While no specific guidelines are in place for the actual amount of art children are exposed to in schools, the Ohio Department of Education set a series of standards and expectations as to what students should be able to do on a grade-by-grade level. These skills include: knowing reasons for creating art, having the skills to critically analyze art and being able to understand art in a larger cultural and historical context.

Art in Athens

Because of budget restraints and the fact that no official mandates are in place, schools in the Athens City School District decide how much art education its students receive.

“I think that the arts and music are important aspects of the total educational experience for the students,” said Carl Martin, superintendent of Athens City Schools.

Specific funding is not set aside for art education in schools but is encompassed in the supply budget, said Matt Bunting, treasurer of the Athens City School District.

Each school in the district is given a supply budget based on their enrollment numbers, set at $65 per student. This budget ranges between about $14,000 and $25,000 for each school in the district and consists of funds for all supplies bought within the schools, including both art and maintenance supplies.

Parents must also pay $25 per student, which is placed into a students activities fund, used for art supplies, kindergarten classroom needs and workbooks.

Art funding decisions are determined by each of the individual schools within the district. Each elementary school in the district has an art teacher and a formal education program. The art teachers help to decide the allocation of funds used for the arts in their respective schools.

“They can decide to spend it on art or not to spend it on art, whatever they choose,” Bunting said.

It takes a village

In addition to school activities, from time to time yellow school buses will cart groups of children to OU to spend the day experiencing various art forms at college.

The College of Fine Arts and the College of Education work in a collaborative effort with local elementary schools that have limited art resources. These programs are designed to enable students to encounter art they otherwise would not experience.

In the spring, the School of Theater and the School of Dance will present performances specifically for these students.

The School of Music does outreach through the Athens Community Music School, which provides approximately 265 students with music lessons. So far during this academic year, the school of music has provided over $2,700 to enable students with financial difficulties the opportunity to study music.

The Kennedy Museum of Art has programs designed to introduce young children to the arts. Their latest exhibit will feature African masks and over 650 area students are signed up to view them next week.

“It’s really important for us to be here because they get a chance to see artwork that they wouldn’t normally get to experience,” said Meghan Dillon, senior art education major and educational programs assistant at Kennedy Museum of Art. Dillon describes herself as a “survivor of the art education program.”

Because the art education program within the School of Art was discontinued last year, the school no longer conducts any programs in schools. Students are still finishing their degree in the program, but no new students will be admitted.

Framed pictures from local students were recently unveiled on the walls of McCracken Hall. Students and parents attended the event.

“The coming together of children and their parents and university officials to celebrate the children’s expression was just wonderful,” McMath said.

California

Offering preschool to 4-year-olds would cost state $2.16B, study says

Laura Impellizzeri, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, February 15, 2007

California would have to create space for thousands more preschoolers if it is going to offer preschool to all 4-year-olds, as proposed in an initiative that state voters rejected in November, according to a study released Wednesday assessing the space available in the state's child-care centers.

Researchers with the Advancement Project, a national public policy and civil rights group in Los Angeles, estimate that building enough space to meet the need would cost $2.16 billion. Citing benefits from preschool that have been documented in a range of studies, the researchers write that their group is "strongly in favor of expanding publicly supported preschool."

They applied two different scenarios to determine how much space California needs to add.

If the state wants to provide free preschool for all its estimated 557,000 4-year-olds by fall 2010, it will find itself 117,000 spots short, the researchers found.

If the state wants to serve only 4-year-olds who are heading into public schools ranking in the bottom two-fifths statewide for performance, it will need 23,000 new spots, they said. The shortfall in each scenario is about 21 percent.

The study, funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, looked at preschool availability within children's neighborhoods. It did not include licensed home-based child care, which it said accounts for about half of California's licensed spots for 4-year-olds.

The researchers found child care space unevenly distributed across the state, with less available in newer, less densely populated and lower-income areas.

Center-based care also is more scarce in areas with higher proportions of black and Latino residents, the study found.

The greatest proportionate shortage of preschool space in the state -- 43 percent -- was in Riverside County. Los Angeles, the county with the largest numerical shortfall, lacks 33,000 spots under the preschool-for-all scenario and accounts for 28 percent of the spots missing statewide.

In 20 counties, there is enough space for all but 5 percent of 4-year-olds, according to the study. Several California counties, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, already are beginning to offer publicly funded preschool for all 4-year-olds.

Comment: I'm always amazed at "I ate the whole thing." When will we learn that good things come in small packages one bite at a time?

Health and Fitness

Comment: This is an excellent little article on a food we usually shun. At school we are teaching the kids through diet that fiber is fun. There is a Kashi cereal that we use as a snack and the kids seem to like it a lot. Teaching children early makes for good habits later. Yesterday we had steamed broccoli. Usually we eat it raw, but lately the children have not eaten it, so I cooked it and got different results. Yesterday we had baked chicken, noodles, home made bread sticks, broccoli, applesauce and green grapes.

Figuring Out Fiber - Part 1

Grandma Wasn't Whistling Dixie
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

Grandma was right when she told you to "eat your beans and cornbread." These foods are excellent sources of fiber. The only trouble is that fiber has long had the bad rap of tasting like cardboard. But you can learn to love fiber- not only for its benefits, but also for the easy, tasty ways you can incorporate it into your nutrition program.

What can fiber do for you?

Bulking up on fiber has many health benefits:

Weight Management
Fiber-rich foods may help you keep a trim body. Since they take longer to chew, you may eat more slowly, becoming aware sooner that you are full. Fiber also helps you feel full and slows the emptying of your stomach, which means that you fill up before you overeat. Fiber itself cannot be fattening because it isn't digested!

Constipation, Hemorrhoids, Diverticulosis
Fiber absorbs water, helps the stool to pass through the digestive system more quickly and easily, and helps prevent constipation. As a result, you're less likely to strain with bowel movements and therefore to develop hemorrhoids -- helping you avoid two common pregnancy discomforts at the same time! Fiber is standard therapy for the treatment of diverticular disease, a painful condition that occurs when the tiny sacs in the intestinal wall become weak and infected. A high- fiber diet helps to keep these sacs from becoming inflamed.

Heart Disease
Studies have shown that people who consume a high-fiber diet are less likely to develop heart disease. Certain types of fiber may help lower LDL-cholesterol, the bad stuff. Fiber also helps bile acids that are made of cholesterol pass through the intestines as waste. Therefore the body absorbs less dietary cholesterol.

High Blood Pressure
Fiber-rich foods are also a good source of potassium and magnesium, two minerals needed to help regulate blood pressure.

Diabetes
Water-soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar by delaying the emptying time of the stomach. It slows sugar absorption after a meal, thus reducing the amount of insulin needed.

Cancer
Following a high-fiber diet regularly may help prevent certain cancers, such as colon and rectal. Fiber absorbs excess bile acids that are associated with cancer and speeds up the time needed for waste to pass through the digestive system. This allows less time for harmful substances to come in contact with the intestinal wall. Fiber forms a bulkier stool, which helps to dilute the concentration of harmful substances.

What is fiber? Fiber is found only in plant foods, such as dried beans and peas, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It's a type of carbohydrate that gives plants their structure. Because it's not digested or absorbed into your body when you eat it, you ingest no calories. There are two types of fiber, both beneficial in different ways:

Soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol levels, as well as delaying the absorption of glucose and helping with diabetes control. Sources include oats, seeds, beans, barley, peas, lentils, apples, citrus fruit, carrots, plums, and squash.

Insoluble fiber keeps the digestive system running smoothly, minimizing constipation, hemorrhoids, and other digestive problems. It may help prevent certain types of cancer. Sources include bran, whole grain products, the skins of fruits and vegetables, and leafy greens.

The Garden School Tattler

I hope parents are continuing to study the world map with children. We have a new world map at school and the kids are locating places on that map and earing flags! Hadley is trying to clear the Middle Eastern area. Islands are fun. Kids love to find islands. For your homework, find Bora Bora.

We are continuing to try new things at school. Asparagus and artichokes are our next discoveries. The artichoke has more fiber and more protein than other veggies and children love to eat them because they can do so with their hands!

Play practice has been hilarious. The intonations are hysterically funny and the kids seem to like it. We have a lot of very very littles, so we will be doing some new things this year.

Today we will be talking about Bona Operas. This is a good deed for Lent. We talked about this last week, and with the field trip and the crazy rest of the week, we didn't follow it up. We will ask kids today about what they are doing or want to promise to do this season. It can be an outgoing promise - something they will "do" or incoming - something they "give up." We encourage helping at home.

Thursday is field trip day, so kids should wear sweatshirts if they have them. If you know someone who does sweatshirts, let Miss Judy know. Our past maker is quite ill and had to retire.

The Garden School Tattler

This picture was taken during a guest visit from a friend of Jana's who came to talk about Thailand. She brought wonderful things for the kids to see. The outfit the child is wearing is one of those things. The kids really enjoyed learning about different cultures, and have really learned. On Friday we painted maps and they were able to paint quite a few familiar countries.

Another busy week ahead!

This is the beginning of play week. We will be sending home lines for the children to learn. It's important that they literally yell out the line and separate their words as much as possible. One of the unfortunate outcomes of doing a play with kids is that the end product is so quiet, the audience can barely hear the lines, so this year we are screeching out every line until they are comfortable with being loud. Good gravy, they are loud enough every day, they can't tell me they can't do it for the stage!!!

We are going to the Lollipop concert on Thursday. This is a really nice little "get acquainted with music and instruments" gig the philharmonic does every year. Parents who can take an early lunch are welcome to come sit with kids. It's about an hour, on the east side of EVV and you can leave early because it's informal. Think about coming!

We are still doing the nutrition thing. I've been reading about vitamins and what kids need and should have. We're on the right track. I'm giving a workshop at the Spring Conference for Childcare coming up in March.

We still need five more children. We could lower tuition with five more kids!

Health and Fitness

Strategies for Salad Bar Survival

About The Author

Becky Hand Becky Hand is a registered and licensed dietician with almost 20 years experience. She teaches pre-natal classes and counsels individuals, helping women eat right and stay fit before, during and after their pregnancies.

The infamous salad bar, available everywhere from work cafeterias to family restaurants, can round out a meal with a wholesome side dish, or be a meal all by itself. What could be more healthy and nutritious? Those vegetables and fruits can be loaded with a variety of nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid and fiber.

However, the salad bar can also be filled with dangerous landmines, ready to blow your calorie intake to smithereens! In fact, if you’re not careful, you can innocently fill that salad plate with items that add up to over 1,000 calories—more than a burger and fries or a steak and potato dinner!

Whether you're pregnant (and need about 300 additional calories per day), breastfeeding (which increases your daily caloric need by about 500), or trying to shed those post-pregnancy pounds, you should monitor your caloric intake while striving to eat the most nutritious foods.

Take the safe path and apply these strategies to avoid salad bar traps:

• Use a smaller plate; limit the number of trips you make.
• Start with the nutrient-rich dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, romaine, and endive.
• Fill up your plate with vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
• Power on the protein with legumes, beans, lean meat, turkey, and crabmeat.
• Take only a small taste of the high-fat food items such as pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw.
• Go easy on extras like croutons, chow mein noodles, crackers, nuts, seeds, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheeses.
• Dress your salad for success with 2 tablespoons of a low-calorie or light salad dressing, OR only 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing. For a new taste twist try a splash of flavored vinegar.
• If the salad bar contains soups, go for a broth-based version over a cream-style selection.
• Allow only a small taste of the whipped topping-jello-fruit combinations.
• For dessert, return to the salad bar for a small plate of fruit topped with a little yogurt or cottage cheese.

Use the following guide to chart your course while maneuvering through your next salad bar excursion:

Salad Bar Guide

Food	Amount	Calories	Fat Grams
Vegetables
Artichoke Hearts	1/4 Cup	20	Trace
Avocado	1/4 Cup	75	8
Bean Sprouts	1/4 Cup	8	Trace
Beets	1/4 Cup	15	0
Bell Pepper	2 Tbsp	3	Trace
Broccoli	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Carrot, shredded	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Cauliflower	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Cucumber	1/4 Cup	4	Trace
Green Peas	2 Tbsp	30	Trace
Lettuce	1 Cup	10	Trace
Mushrooms	1/4 Cup	5	Trace
Olives, ripe	2 Tbsp	30	4
Radishes	2 Tbsp	2	Trace
Spinach	1 Cup	10	Trace
Tomato	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Fruits
Fruit Cocktail, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Mandarin Oranges, in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Melon, fresh	1/4 Cup	15	0
Peaches, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Pineapple, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Raisins	2 Tbsp	60	0
Strawberries, fresh	1/4 Cup	10	0
Beans, Nuts, Seeds
Chickpeas	1/4 Cup	40	<>
Kidney Beans	1/4 Cup	55	Trace
Sunflower Seeds	1 Tbsp	80	7
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs
Eggs, chopped	2 Tbsp	25	2
Ham, chopped	1 oz	35	1
Shrimp	1 oz	30	<>
Turkey	1 oz	35	<>
Tuna, canned in water	1 oz	35	<>
Cheese, Dairy
Cottage Cheese, creamed	1/4 Cup	60	3
Cottage Cheese, 1% low fat	1/4 Cup	40	<>
Cheddar Cheese	2 Tbsp	55	5
Mozzarella Cheese	2 Tbsp	40	4
Parmesan Cheese	2 Tbsp	45	3
Others
Chow Mein Noodles	1 Tbsp	50	2
Croutons	1/4 Cup	27	4
Bacon Bits	1 Tbsp	25	2
Mixed Salads
Cole Slaw	1/4 Cup	45	5
Macaroni Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Potato Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Tuna Salad	1/4 Cup	190	10
Three Bean Salad	1/4 Cup	60	0
Dressings
Blue Cheese	2 Tbsp	155	15
Italian	2 Tbsp	160	15
French	2 Tbsp	135	15
Italian, low calorie	2 Tbsp	15	0
Lemon Juice	2 Tbsp	8	0
Oil and Vinegar	2 Tbsp	100	8
1000 Island	2 Tbsp	120	10
Vinegar	2 Tbsp	4	0

From Molly

Before I was a Mom... I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom...
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom...I had never been puked on.
Pooped on. Spit on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom...
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom...
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom...
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.


Before I was a Mom...
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.



And before I was a Grandma...
I didn't know that all those "Mom" feelings more than doubled!
Send this to someone who you think is a special Mom or Grandma.

I just did.

Comment: Thanks Molly, and thanks again for sharing your children with someone I think is pretty special too! Robbie just loves to sleep on Edith!

Health and Fitness

From Baby Fit

Calcium Foods and Supplements

How Much Do You Really Need?
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed and Registered Dietician

Most pregnant women know to pay special attention to their need for calcium. The calcium is necessary to build and maintain strong bones and teeth for both mom and baby. Despite your good intentions, sometimes it's difficult to ensure you are getting all the calcium you need everyday.

During pregnancy, the daily recommendation for calcium is 1,000 mg. The best way to meet your calcium needs is by eating a variety of calcium-rich foods. Foods high in calcium include dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Other sources are broccoli, collard greens, kale, salmon and sardines canned with bones, and calcium-set tofu. By eating 3 - 4 servings of dairy products daily, with one or two other high calcium foods, you can easily meet your calcium needs.

If you don't like dairy products or they don't like you, then try some of these tips to increase the amount of calcium in your diet.

• Use milk in preparing hot chocolate, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, and soups.
• Make a fruit smoothie using yogurt and frozen fruit for a light refreshing meal or snack.
• Use nonfat plain yogurt to replace part or all of the sour cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese in recipes.
• Use canned salmon with bones, instead of tuna, for sandwiches and casseroles. Serve a stir-fry packed with calcium-rich foods like broccoli, bok choy and tofu.
• Make a sandwich spread from calcium-fortified cottage cheese and chopped veggies.
• Mix part-skim ricotta cheese with cinnamon and raisins to spread on bagels or English muffins.
• Serve pudding made with milk for a dessert or snack.

While calcium-rich food is the preferred source of calcium, it may be necessary to use calcium supplements if you are not getting enough from your diet. If you need to take a calcium supplement, discuss this with your healthcare provider first, and follow these guidelines:

• Do not take more than the recommended amount of calcium.
• Avoid taking calcium with iron pills or your prenatal supplements. Calcium can interfere with the absorption of the iron.
• Do not take your calcium supplement with a high fiber meal. Fiber reduces the absorption of the calcium.
• It is best to take calcium with meals or at bedtime. It is better absorbed.
• Drink a glass of milk, juice, or water with each supplement to promote absorption.
• Do not take more than 600 mg of calcium at one time. If more is needed, take smaller doses several times during the day.
• Avoid using dolomite, bone meal and oyster shell as your calcium source. They may contain lead and are poorly absorbed.
• Not all of the calcium in a supplement is absorbed. When choosing a supplement, the amount of elemental calcium per tablet will indicate the approximate amount absorbed. Most supplements should provide 200 - 500 mg of elemental calcium per tablet.
• Chewable supplements dissolve well and are easily absorbed. To test other supplements, place it in a cup of vinegar at room temperature and stir every 5 minutes. The pill should disintegrate completely in thirty minutes.
• Many healthcare providers recommend calcium carbonate because it is an inexpensive and efficient source of calcium.
• Some antacids contain calcium carbonate and can be used as a calcium supplement. Most contain 200 -300 mg of elemental calcium. If you choose to use antacids as a calcium source, check with your healthcare provider on the number that can be taken daily. Antacids lower the acidity in your stomach, therefore decreasing the absorption of iron and zinc.
• There is no reason to pay more money for supplements with claims, such as: "no starch", "no preservatives", "natural", and "proven release". Save your money; there will be plenty of extra expenses when the baby arrives.

Comment: I really like these articles. Although they are for pregnancy, they also work in non pregnant women for general health. The more reading I do for my workshop in March, the more I see that food will either kill you or make you well. The picture is one we took for the lollipop melt-down. It was fun. The child with the last bit of pop on his stick won. It was, of course, a science project!

The Garden School Tattler

Good Morning!

Ice skating today! We'll leave about 9:45. It's cold on the rink, so please dress children warmly. Please remember hats and mittens.

It should be a great day!

Flu is here to stay. Sharon School reports a lot of cases. If your child comes down with flu symptoms, please have him seen by his doctor. The flu can kill you. We are not talking about a little vomiting and diarrhea; we are talking about a life threatening all over body illness that can dehydrate a child in hours. Please keep your child home. Over the counter meds will not allow your child to come to school.

Garden School Tattler

It's been a busy weekend even with the snow. I hope all the kids got to go out in it and play. It's such a novelty this winter. I know we have prayed for snow several times. Usually we get our wish, but this year all it's been is cold.

We will be able to get out and play this week. It's been days and days since the kids have been able to really play out doors. We've had a few polar bear runs which they've loved, but it isn't the same.

The album Beve made is available at the front of the school. Please sign your name on any picture you would like to have. The cost is $3.00 per picture. These would make wonderful presents through the year for family and friends.

On Wednesday, we will be going ice skating. The cost is $7.00. Please send this with your child by Wednesday. Children will need mittens, hats and coats.

Lent begins on Wednesday. We will be talking about good habits through Lent. Lent is a time of waiting; this time it's waiting for Easter.

Please notice the new world map in circle time. We will begin to identify different countries and discuss how we would get there.

Is anyone interested in a non-school day coop of childcare? If you are interested, please let Miss Judy know.

Trivia from Susan

Comment: Susan is one of our favorite graduate parents. I always like hearing from her. She makes my day. Recently, she sent this trivia thing, and I thought I'd pass it along because it's so wild.

1. Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.

2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp (marijuana)paper.

3. The dot over the letter I is called a "tittle."

4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

5. Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller.

6. 40% of McDonald's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.

7. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.

8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red eyes. He was albino.

9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents,daily.

10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.

11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small sized dog.

12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.

13. Most lipstick contains fish scales (eeww).

14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.

15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.

16. Upper and lower case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower'because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters.

17. Leonardo DaVinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time. (Hence, multitasking was invented.)

18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.

19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.

20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan; there was never a recorded Wendy before!

21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and silver!

22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.

23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death.

24. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original "Halloween" was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white.

25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19 , you also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar (good to know).

26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand (and you thought this list was completely useless).

27. The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.

28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.

29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples!

30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!

31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.

32. Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the Book most often stolen from Public Libraries.

Montana

Billings Gazette

Guest Opinion: Everything I need to know I learned in preschool

By MARY-LOUISE NELSON

Many years ago, Abraham Maslow asked, "How good a society does human nature permit? And how good a human nature does society permit?"

Perhaps the answers lie with 3- to 5-year-olds in the elite group I've been fortunate enough to be part of. These children buy into the main premises that rule the room: Be safe. Be kind. Be neat.

I say, drop the battle over when, where and how the Ten Commandments can be posted, and hitch your chariot to these Big Three Rules. If you are being safe, kind and neat, then you are obeying roughly seven of the commandments anyway. Most of us, worldwide, can get behind the first two of the Big Three, but the third might give us pause. As far as being neat goes, it's often a safety issue at heart, with the bonus of being a calming aesthetic.

What of citizens who choose not to be safe, kind and neat? Start with a firm restating of the rules. For example, "North Korea, you are not being safe. You can either dismantle your nukes now or we will help you." ("We" is a sort of world tribunal, with all nations as members.) Or, "Israel and Palestine, you are not being kind. Use your words with each other. I can help you. Say, 'Stop, I don't like being attacked. How can we share this territory so it works out for both of us?' "

Perspective gained in time-out

Failure to comply results in sanctions, by which I mean "go to the star bag," akin to timeout, a separate, soft, yet sparse area, like hanging out in one of the nicer parts of Wyoming, but with less dust. (I love Wyoming, one of the "We're not exactly square" states.) Being in the star bag is not terrible in and of itself, yet it provides plenty of perspective on the wonderful activities of global citizenship that one's pals are enjoying just across the room. They are making merry while you are alone with your thoughts, and soon, one of your thoughts is "rejoin the community." They miss you and could use your good ideas and energy. (Especially the energy. Right, G.W.?)

Imagine a set of socio-cultural, economic sanctions, with positive peer pressure. "We need you here if you're going to: have snacks/pet the guinea pig/dance the dance." Picture a world with doors and eyes wide open, arms extended in friendship, a stocked first-aid kit including cartoon character Band-Aids, Intensive Care lotion to soothe dry, irritated countries, and a basket of handmade quilts for use as needed. Everyone wants to be here, and we mourn the absence of even one because it's just not the same without them. There are snacks and drinks aplenty. (You're trusted to pour your own drink and to take the amount you need.)

We catch our coughs in the crooks of our elbows, and you can sit in a teacher's lap if that is what you need. Wearing gloves is a privilege, not a right. Mittens will suffice for now. If, in fact, you have sticky fingers or are trigger-happy, you'll wear mittens until you've gotten past that. (I see a mitten Parole Officer who deems you rehabilitated.)

Personal territory respected

There's lots of room for everyone, but the personal territory of each must be respected. (As the song goes, "Sometimes it's best, best, best to keep my hands to myself.") Sometimes you'll help clean up messes you didn't make, and often you will have to sit on the eagle or the hippo carpet space instead of the universally popular bunny space.

Sharing is de rigueur - for example, "USA, you have six pounds of glitter-studded homemade green play dough, while Sudan and the Congo have quantities the size of guinea-pig kibble. Hmmmm? Remember, we are kind at school."

Feel like painting three or four paintings instead of just one? Knock yourself out. We can help match up artists with patrons of the arts. If you're dramatizing Goldilocks and the Three Chicago Bruins, and a small, amiable country such as Luxembourg insinuates itself onto the stage mid-scene, don't freak. Welcome him/her and get on with things. It's called improvisation, and it's incumbent upon all of us to become proficient in its use.

Mary-Louise Nelson, a mother and preschool educator, writes from Billings.

Evansville

Coalition to help the kids

By LYDIA X. McCOY
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7431 or mccoyl@courierpress.com
Friday, February 9, 2007

Photo by ERIN MCCRACKEN

Tarossi Outlaw, 3, foreground, and Eve Bilderback, 5, make cards for their mothers Thursday afternoon during day care at Deaconess Children's Enrichment Center. The center is part of the Early Childhood Development Coalition that recently raised $1 million for programs to further opportunities available for children up to age 5 and their families.

Nova Conner has been involved in early childhood education for more than 20 years, and she's watched and heard as people thought it wasn't an important issue to address.

"I've been working with children for so long," said Conner, director of the Deaconess Children's Enrichment Center. "We would talk early childhood ... and so many times people were like, 'oh, they're just kids.' They just don't understand how important those years are, but we do, because we work with them everyday."

The Deaconess Children's Enrichment Center is just one of the early childhood development centers in Evansville that will benefit from the Early Childhood Development Coalition.

The coalition will address prevention, treatment and solutions of problems in early childhood development in the Tri-State.

"For somebody in the community to take this serious is like a dream come true for people in early childhood," Conner said. "We're validated. I get overwhelmed because we have fought for this for so long, and no one listened."

On Thursday, the group celebrated raising more than $1 million to address the issue.

Through a partnership of businesses, foundations and individual donors, the coalition was able to raise and meet a $500,000 matching grant from the Indiana Association of United Ways funded by the Lilly Endowment.

Carol Braden-Clarke, president of the United Way of Southwestern Indiana, said as they decided what issue to address, early childhood kept coming up.

"We are very excited and happy to be able to have these funds and really be able to address this issue of early childhood development," she said. "This whole project is just really exciting, and there are so many people involved in it. This

is truly a community effort."

The coalition is made up of more than 60 community organizations and 160 individuals

Some of community leaders present at Thursday's celebration included Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel, Matt Meadors, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana and Cathy Gray, assistant superintendent of federal program of the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corp.

Weinzapfel said the community support shows how much they care about the city's future.

"Our objective is to bring together all the different perspectives in this community on education, early childhood education, post-secondary education, to figure out how we can work better together to improve education and make sure every child in this community has a chance to succeed," said Weinzapfel.

"By focusing on early childhood and partnering with this coalition, we want to give every child in our community the opportunity to begin school on an equal playing field and graduate from high school."

Braden-Clarke said the money raised will be used for staff members, marketing to get the word out to the community, evaluation and a family literacy component.

The coalition is divided into a number of subcommittees to address everything from parent involvement to public policy. She said programs will be started soon in the community from them.

"You will hear more and see more as we move throughout the year. There's so much more to come," Braden-Clarke said. "The possibilities of what we can accomplish as a community, I think, are endless in this area. Stay tuned because there are great things to come."

Comment: Miss Kelly and I both belong to this coalition effort.

Eleven Things!

11 Things Children Can Teach You About Exercise

The Littlest People Know the Biggest Motivation Secrets
-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer

The answers to fitness success aren’t in the bookstore. You won’t find them in the latest government research labs. Forget about talk radio, late night TV, or a magazine rack full of scantily clad cover models.

You’ll uncover information and data there, for sure. You’ll find plenty of opinions, ideas and "proven techniques" too. But the REAL answers – the stuff you can use every day – can be found anytime at your local playground.

Everything you need to know about fitness and exercise, you can learn from kids.

Have you ever watched a child completely engrossed in a project? They have the magical ability to be serious about what they’re doing without taking it too seriously. You can do the same with your exercise program. You can live every day with more focus, and every week with more motivation.

Here’s what every child knows that you may have forgotten. See if you can apply some of these lessons to your daily program:

1. Everything can be a game. Why slog through the same workout routines in boredom, when you can add a little fun? Make up rules, shoot for personal records, regain your competitive spirit.
2. Don’t walk when you can run. Every day is full of opportunities to increase your fitness. This rule is closely related to "don’t drive when you can walk."
3. If you don’t like it, don’t eat it. Once you reach your goals, chances are your eating habits won’t stick around long if you hated what you were eating. Healthy eating involves balance and moderation.
4. Laughter feels good. Kids seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals. Smiling and enjoying yourself can be serious help.
5. Playtime is important. We get so caught up in work, chores and a host of "have-to's" that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing and regrouping make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits. Most of all, it will help you stay consistent and motivated.
6. The world should be full of color—especially on your dinner plate! Splash it with as many colors as possible, paint it like a rainbow with food. It’s more fun to look at, the most colorful produce options often pack the most nutrients, and chances are you’ll be eating a healthy, balanced meal.
7. It’s always more fun with friends around. Children tend to gravitate toward other children. It gives them spirit and makes them want to play all day. Working out with other people is almost like having your own little playgroup.
8. Adventures are found outside, not inside. Every kid knows that the good stuff is in the great outdoors—fresh air, wide open spaces, limitless possibilities. You can’t find those things cooped up in a tiny, stale gym. Open the door and start a new adventure every day.
9. It’s important to use your imagination. You can be Major Fantasia or Stupendous Woman any time you want. Give yourself permission to believe in your own super powers and let your mind take you wherever it wants to go.
10. Anything is possible. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And do you know what? They’re right.
11. You have your whole life ahead of you. Here’s your chance to do it right.

The answers to fitness consistency are probably about 3-4 feet tall, and may be closer than you think. When you act more like a kid, suddenly the world opens up. Living a healthy lifestyle becomes something you want to do every day. Start enjoying yourself again!

Comment: My favorite is #10.

Something Special

As some of you may know Mr. Corey, a cousin of Faith's who spent some time with us at the Garden School as a helper last summer, a special and wonderful young 15-year-old nephew of Miss Stacey has been accepted into the People to People Student Ambassador Program to tour Europe this year.

The program objective is to promote international understanding
while building leadership skill among America's youth.

During the 21-day experience Corey will get to meet with government officials, interact with students his age in the countries he visits, and learn different cultures through home stays with host familes.  An added bonus for Corey is that he
may have the opportunity to visit with some of his family in Germany and
the Netherlands that he has not seen since he was five.

As you can imagine the trip is not inexpensive.  The American Legion in
Boonville is hosting  a $5,000 raffle to help Corey raise funds.

We can purchase a ticket at $50 for a chance to win $5,000.  Only 200 tickets will
be sold.  The $50 ticket will get you a BBQ dinner, two drinks, dance/karaoke on Saturday, March 31st from 6-11pm at the American Legion in Boonville.  There will be a half pot every hour.

If you would be interested in purchasing a ticket please contact Miss Judy at the GS  by email or just telling me at school.

This is quite an honor for Corey as only three students in Warrick county were selected for this program.  Corey is a freshman at Boonville High School.

Thanks for helping.

Yoga

Here is an article sent in by Robynn: I think the association between Yoga and religion is pretty far fetched considering all the RCs I know practicing Yoga and then running off to daily Mass. I have even done Yoga at Mass. Sacriligious? No, I'm hyperactive and I just have to always be moving. Yoga allows me to focus, to balance, to stretch, to stand, to bend without anyone noticing, and that's a huge advantage for someone who cannot sit still. Anyway, here's a delightful article; thanks, Robynn.

Yoga in Schools

Yoga might help children with Attention Deficit Disorder focus and might help reduce the rate of childhood obesity, but parents are questioning whether it has any place in public schools. Critics complain that even yoga that has been Westernized still encourages students to explore its Hindu roots—therefore violating the separation between Church and State.

Laurette Willis, who wrote an exercise routine called PowerMoves Kids Program for Public Schools and PraiseMoves: The Christian Alternative to Yoga, told the AP,

“I’m not here to say that yoga is necessarily bad, but it is counter to what I think the public education system is for: It should have programs without any form of religious overtones whatsoever.”

But many Americans who practice yoga are interested in its health benefits—not the spiritual benefits. And, as Boston-area yoga studio-owner Baron Baptiste pointed out (in what source? The AP in the same article), kids often take yoga much less seriously then adults.

“We adults need to be reminded to lighten up, breathe in the joy and have some fun,” he said.

Full disclosure time: I practice yoga, and hope to someday share it with my daughter. I think it’s a great way to focus the mind, to relax, and, of course, to improve strength and flexibility. Not to mention that it’s generally more confidence building then, oh, say, dodgeball. But whether or not I would be comfortable with her learning about it in school really would depend on the course curriculum and how it’s presented.

I think it’s a parent’s job to open the whole world to their kids and let them experience different cultures. As my daughter grows up, I want her to explore on her own, but I also want to have a hand in guiding her, and be there to answer her questions or help her to seek out answers. As it turns out, my child’s education is a participatory sport.

From Ian

Ian was disappointed that he wouldn't get to share his valentines and make a volcano. Last night he went on and on about going into the kitchen with Ms. Judy and making the volcano. I think a "during school time" party will be fun for the kids. Parents can send the snacks planned for today, if you'd like. Will Beve's pictures be available for us to see at another time?

Response:

Tell Ian he will be able to share his valentines and make a volcano on Thursday AND will be able to dance and have his party on Thursday. If anyone has any treats left over, please feel free to bring them to school on Thursday. We will have an in-school party.

The album will be on display as long as parents want to view it starting tomorrow.

From Ian

Ian was disappointed that he wouldn't get to share his valentines and make a volcano. Last night he went on and on about going into the kitchen with Ms. Judy and making the volcano. I think a "during school time" party will be fun for the kids. Parents can send the snacks planned for today, if you'd like. Will Beve's pictures be available for us to see at another time?

Response:

Tell Ian he will be able to share his valentines and make a volcano on Thursday AND will be able to dance and have his party on Thursday. If anyone has any treats left over, please feel free to bring them to school on Thursday. We will have an in-school party.

The album will be on display as long as parents want to view it starting tomorrow.

Valentine's Day

The Garden School will be following the EVSC School Closing today. I'm sorry if this inconveniences our parents. I understand that the roads are really dangerous.

We will resume our Valentine's Day celebration on Thursday. I know parents take off some time to be at our parties. Please let me know if you want to do the party tomorrow, or if we need to make this an "in school hours" party.

If you need to call me, my number is in the handbook.

From Bob Mills

This is an article I received from Bob Mills, a licensing consultant for the Welfare Department. I think it's very inspired. I would add adults to the roster here - they should act toward one another in friendship in the same ways listed here. Because it's through play that adults learn best too. Read Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligence theory.

What Children Need

This list is what we, as a society that cares about children, want to make available to all children so they will be better able to handle what our schools and government are demanding. These are things children need and deserve to thrive.

Role of the adult:

Every child needs two charismatic adults in their life. A charismatic adult is a person that loves and respects children unconditionally and never judges their work or behavior. The key words in this statement are “unconditionally” and “judges.” Children need unconditional support. Anytime children are judged, both positively and negatively, it has a negative effect on the adult-child relationship.

· This adult finds fifteen minutes or more every day to devote totally to the child giving her undivided, warm, loving attention that is evidenced by their facial expressions, body language, eyes and heart.

· The adult frequently sings, dances, plays, reads, tells stories and does things s/he likes to do along with the child.

· The adult has intentionally developed a caring relationship with the child that has lasted at least two years.

· Charismatic adults accept and love the child as they are and do not expect them to do things before they are ready. Adults must learn to trust in the innate capability of children to know what they need and allow children the opportunity to fulfill those needs.

· The adults understand that children are born with a built in timetable and a natural drive to achieve their own milestones just when their body and mind tells them the time is right. Adults know that children must be given the gift of time in all aspects of their play and development.

· The adults understand that play is a basic universal and essential biological need for the human body to develop properly. They know that play is the only place in a child’s life where all the necessary ingredients exist for physical, psychological, social, moral and intellectual abilities to develop simultaneously. The adult encourages all types of play because they know play makes children smarter, stronger and better human beings.

· The adults are patient, protective and listen more than they give instructions.

· The adults help children learn that certain behaviors are unacceptable by helping children see how their actions affect or may hurt others. These are the true consequences of a child’s behavior.

· The adults understand that children must have their feelings validated, that children have a right to be afraid of things, that children must be hugged daily and that children sometimes have bathroom accidents.

· The adults are aware that their actions have more impact on children than their words. The adults model respectful relationships with other adults and children and demonstrate acceptance of differences in everyday life.

· The adults welcome the challenge of providing a stimulating and challenging environment for the child.

A charismatic adult in a child’s life may be all that is needed for total success in today’s world and it is much more important than all the facts, letters and numbers the child may learn about in their entire life.

The Environment:

In addition, all children deserve an environment that permits them to reach their fullest potential. Each child must experience joy, laughter and pleasure in the pursuit of learning about life. A high quality early learning environment should be a place where the following can happen on a regular basis:

· All children are entitled to being immersed in an environment that is intellectually stimulating and challenging.

· The child experiences the freedom to experiment and play with many different natural objects and materials in the environment. The environment is natural, beautiful and devoid of a brightly colored, Disney-like atmosphere.

· He is learning to solve problems by being permitted to make many mistakes.

· The child is learning to make good choices because she has been given the opportunity to make thousands of choices.

· She is learning to use communication to gain access to the things she needs to grow and develop to her fullest potential. The environment supports arguments as well as resolving conflicts with peers. Teachers and the environment permit each child to have control over materials for as long as each child needs to master the objects or skills necessary for the equipment.

· He is becoming a child that nurtures and teaches younger children in his environment.

· She is engaged in experiences that support her as a capable leader, a dedicated follower and a person that cooperates with peers in a respectful manner. She is learning that more can be gained by cooperation than from competition.

· The child has been given multiple opportunities throughout the day to move freely, to dig deep, to sing, to play with equipment for long periods of time without interruptions, to have quiet moments by himself, to get dirty, to express himself through the arts, to be possessive, to say “No,” to tell his stories in his own words (and not have them changed) and the power to choose his own way of learning.

· The child is beginning to feel a connection to peers, adults and materials in her learning community. She is learning that she should not reject other children and should always work to find ways to include peers in her play. She is learning to understand the many ways that families and peers are different, each with their own valuable history and culture.

· He is learning to take pride in caring for the tools, equipment and furniture in his environment.

· The child is becoming adventuresome with a variety of art materials routinely available in her environment including clay, wire, an art easel, glue, food coloring, paper, plenty of paint and numerous other art objects, all of which support her freedom of expression and symbolic thought.

· The child has been permitted to build many detailed and tall structures with an ample supply of unit blocks and associated supplies.

· He is intellectually engaged in experiences that use words and sounds in many ways and may attempt to spell or write stories or messages. The adults are willing scribes for his stories when he needs one.

· The child has been provided a nutritional diet and is permitted to eat when she is hungry and not eat when she is full. Water is always available to prevent dehydration.

· He has had abundant opportunities throughout the day to run, skip, crawl, climb, yell, roll and manipulate large loose parts inside and outside.

· She has numerous experiences that allow her opportunities to love and respect the earth and all living things in her environment.

· He has had the opportunity to experiment with numerous science materials such as ice, magnets, microscopes, magnifying glasses, bones, gravity etc.

· She has deeply explored the properties of light, air and water and been given the opportunity to manipulate these items in a variety of ways.

· His world involves many books and literacy activities woven into his daily play and encounters.

· He is given many opportunities and a variety of relevant experiences to develop his literacy and numeracy in ways that are meaningful to him.

· She has been given time and is learning to invest her time, work and persistence in activities that are worthy of her interest, knowledge and understanding.

· He or she sees himself or herself as capable, competent, confident and able to solve problems.

All children are born ready to learn. We must stop judging children and start examining environments.

Bob Mills