FortWorthChild January 2020 by DFWChild

FORTWORTH

T H E M A G A Z I N E PA R E N T S L I V E B Y I N TA R R A N T C O U N T Y

J A N U A R Y 2 020

20 EVENTS TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR

HOW TO RAISE A BILINGUAL CHILD

MEET MOM NEXT DOOR

SULEYKA SCRIBNER

IS YOUR KID SKILLED FOR LIFE?

THE 2020 PRIVATE SCHOOL LIST

BUDDY SYSTEM HOW A DIAGNOSIS CREATED A STRONGER FRIENDSHIP

pages / J A N U A R Y

2020 FORTWORTH

DEPARTMENTS NOTED 5 Ready To Launch

How to help your child prepare for (gasp!) independence and adulthood

9 ABOVE // Suleyka Scribner, a teacher and wife of the Fort Worth ISD superintendent, shares a smile with her son Santino.

FEATURES

16 The Lookouts

When their friend was diagnosed with epilepsy, these children stepped up in a big way words Carrie Steingruber

Talking work, kids and relationships with this accomplished educator and superintendent’s wife 12 5 Things... / Lesson Plan A few favorites from our Mom Next Door to help your child learn—and to help you stay on top of things 14 Routines / Natasha Swint Think you can handle a part-time job, four children, and 25 animals every day?

KID CULTURE 33 Dual Lingos

How and why immersive schools work, plus other resources for language learning

36 Calendar / The Agenda Arts, nature, Sports and more events

20 The Private School List

REAL MOMS 9 Mom Next Door / Suleyka Scribner

Not going the public school route? Check out our list of options in Fort Worth

to ring in 2020

compiled by Maya Butler

ON THE COVER

PHOTO COURTESY OF ©ISTOCK; PHOTOGRAPHY BY CINDY JAMES; NICK PENDERGAST; ILLUSTRATION BY MARY DUNN

Cover Kid: Victoria, 6, of Fort Worth Photography: Cindy James / Alyssa Pizer Management Hair & Makeup: Lisa Williams / Independent Artists Agency Art Direction/Styling: Heather Vance Devers

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joylyn Niebes CREATIVE + CONTENT DIRECTOR Heather Vance Devers EDITORIAL Executive Editor Carrie Steingruber Managing Editor Alexis Patterson

Freelance Assistant Editor Maya Butler Calendar Editor Elizabeth Smith Digital Editor Sydney Blalock Ritchie Editorial Intern Emily Yearwood ART Contributing Editorial Designer Lesley Busby

COLUMNS

38 Confessions / Mom Truths

Forgotten doughnuts and more LOL moments to start the year

Graphic Designers Susan Horn, Ariana Leyva

Advertising Coordinator Alli Renner

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT LARGE Lauren Niebes

PR/MARKETING Audience Development Director Candace Emerson Digital Marketing Coordinator Tram-Anh Le

ADVERTISING Account Executives Alison Davis, Becca Hobby, Nancy McDaniel, Diana Whitworth Nelson, Sandi Tijerina

ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Leah Wagner Accounting Jeanie Vance

FortWorthChild is published monthly by Lauren Publications, Inc. FortWorthChild is distributed free of charge, one copy per reader. Only FortWorthChild authorized distributors may deliver or pick up the magazines. Additional or back copies of FortWorthChild are available for $2 per copy at the offices of Lauren Publications, Inc. We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. We cannot be responsible for the return of any unsolicited material. FortWorthChild is ©2020 by Lauren Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission prohibited.

fortworthchild / january 2020

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WORDS ALEXIS PATTERSON + LESLEY BUSBY

AST MONTH, STUDENTS FILLED THE GYMNASIUM AT GRAPEVINE HIGH SCHOOL. It wasn’t a basketball game or a college fair. The kids were there to learn about insurance. And other topics that typical teenagers don’t think about. Brooke Bingham isn’t your typical teenager. “Sitting in my AP classes, I hear a lot of my peers say, ‘When am I ever going to use this in real life?’” notes Brooke, a senior at GHS who will go on to Texas A&M University. “That’s why I did the financial literacy program.” Yes, that big event that taught Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District students essentials for adulthood was the brainchild of, well, a child. OK, a young adult—two young adults, actually. Brooke and fellow senior Elnora Marshall have organized the fair for two years as a project for DECA, an international high school and collegiate organization. A car dealer talked about how to buy a car. Brooke’s father explained insurance. (“They didn’t know what a deductible is,” he says. “No clue.”) A real estate agent discussed the home buying fortworthchild / january 2020

noted / R E A D Y

TO LAUNCH

process. After collecting stamps in “financial “Our biggest struggle is helping parents passports,” students had a chance to win gift see the value,” admits Burkhart, who taught cards or Dallas Mavericks tickets. Human Services before transitioning to “It was a huge success,” says Kate Burkhart, hospitality and tourism instruction. “But a GCISD teacher and DECA advisor. “These students learn so much in regards to their kids are ahead of the game. GCISD is very foundation. They’re learning social and emosupportive of real-world skills.” tional skills, work ethic, conflict resolution. Brooke began learning real-world skills I’m a huge fan of it.” inside the classroom back in eighth grade, when Burkhart recommends talking to your Burkhart taught her Human Services course. child’s school counselor to find out what “Human Services students learn everyFamily and Consumer Sciences offerings are thing from how to do laundry and sew a butavailable on their campus. ton to managing money and early childhood development,” says Burkhart. MAKE CAMP Ah, early childhood development—the A variety of camps teach these lessons outside electronic baby unit. school. Tarrant County College’s College “Staying up all night over the weekend for Kids, for example, incorporates some life with my ‘baby’ was very eye-opening,” recalls skills offerings, such as pet care, quick cooking Brooke. “It was for a lot of my peers as well.” and “money and life” math. The Hockaday Not enough teenagers are getting those School’s co-ed Summer at Hockaday eye-opening, real-world lessons (electronic includes classes on subjects like etiquette baby or otherwise). Cynthia Bing, director of and leadership. outreach services and mental health promo“Parents are increasingly looking for tion at the University of Texas at Arlington’s experiences that will give their child an Counseling and opportunity to develop Psychological life skills, while also Services Center, says providing an environNeed some easy-to-access life skills it’s not uncommon ment that encourages resources? Check out these online for freshmen to interpersonal skills to programs: arrive on campus be developed,” says needing assistance Melissa Curtis, director • Set to Go is an online guide for students, with time manageof auxiliary programs parents and teachers to break down life ment, stress manageat Hockaday. preparedness. From necessary skills to ment and budgeting. mental health, Set to Go covers five essenHOME & PLAY tial topics to help your teen transition to HAVE SOME CLASS Such an experience their next stage. settogo.org While many schools doesn’t even need to be offer Family and overly formal, Curtis • Financial responsibility can be an overConsumer Sciences reveals. “One of the whelming topic to discuss with kids. FDIC (the modern term best settings for life (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) for home ec), those skills discovery in the offers a free downloadable curriculum, courses are not young age group is the Money Smart for Young People. It will universal, accordplayground—where guide you through those conversations, ing to Jared Cappers whether you have a preschooler or a high friendships are formed, with FCCLA negotiations are school student. fdic.gov (Family, Career and made, coordination is Community Leaders of America) Texas. increased and imaginations blossom.” “When schools are looking to trim, it And even if families have changed over doesn’t come from the core curriculum or time, parents still play a major role. athletics,” Cappers says. “There’s a belief that “The author of Screamfree Parenting Family and Consumer Sciences lessons are introduced me to the idea that the goal is to taught at home. But families aren’t the same ‘apprentice adults, not raise children,’” says as they were even 15 or 20 years ago.” Dallas mom Jennifer Norris. Norris and her Or there are other areas of focus. Kids husband help their children—an 8-year-old are busy with honors classes, extracurricular son and 14-year-old triplets—put these skills lessons and club sports. So why make time to into practice. ensure your kids have basic skills? “I (very reluctantly) let our housekeeper “It goes back to being a well-rounded go, and we rely on everyone … to do their graduate. Do you want your kid living at jobs,” says Norris. home with you forever?” asks Cappers, only That includes packing for travel, cleanhalf joking. ing, doing laundry and cooking. “I love the While Human Services has remained independence and confidence it is building,” fairly popular in GCISD, part of that may be says Norris. And there’s an added benefit: due to eighth graders getting a high school “Things get easier [for parents] when kids elective credit for the class. can do for themselves.”

HOOKED UP

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january 2020 / fortworthchild

MAKE THE MOST OF PLAYTIME LAUNCH RIGHT IN WITH . . .

a SUPER SPACECRAFT!

GATHER THESE MATERIALS:

Pencil

2 toilet paper tubes

Paper towel tube

2. Draw a rounded 1. Lay a toilet

paper tube on top of a piece of cardboard. Trace it.

nose to the traced shape. Then draw two rounded triangles for wings.

Small piece of cardboard

Markers or paint

3. Cut out the shape.

Scissors

(with an adult�s help)

Paper

Glue

5. Glue your cut tube on top of the cardboard in the shape of a spacecraft, and let it dry.

4. Trace the bottom of a toilet paper tube on top of another. Then cut out the round shape.

6. Color or paint your spacecraft. You

can also decorate it with stickers. Place a small toy inside and go for a ride. Tell a story about where you’re going!

TinkerActive Workbooks cover essential skills using curriculum-based exercises and interactive tinkering, making, and engineering activities using common household materials!

The Active Way to learn through play

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BEST EVER 2020

T R AV E L

ST EM

real moms. Suleyka Scribner gets some quality time with her youngest son, Santino

HAVING IT ALL AGE 42 HAILS FROM Douglas,

Arizona (pop. 15,000) MOVED HERE FROM Phoenix LIVES IN Fort Worth SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband Kent, superintendent of Fort Worth ISD HOW THEY MET Mutual friend WHERE & WHEN THEY TIED THE KNOT

Fort Worth’s River Ranch Stockyards in 2016 KIDS Julián, 22, Jacqueline, 20, Giovanni, 14, and Santino, 11 CAREER Dual language/ESL instructional coach in Castleberry ISD ALMA MATER Northern Arizona University for education and speech pathology BACK TO SCHOOL Taking classes at the University of North Texas with goal of becoming a bilingual speech pathologist THREE THINGS IN HER BAG Planner, fashion repair kit, sunglasses NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION Take salsa-dancing lessons. “We plan on taking a trip to Puerto Rico at the end of the year. There will be lots of salsa dancing and I want to be ready!”

mom next door /

SULEYKA SCRIBNER

parent, teacher, student INTERVIEW ALEXIS PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY NICK PRENDERGAST

ULEYKA SCRIBNER’S CALENDAR IS PACKED. FROM CROSSFIT IN THE

pre-dawn hours to community events after work, this dual language/ESL instructional coach, mom of four and wife of Fort Worth Independent School District Superintendent Kent Scribner is always on the go. So if she squeezed something else into her schedule, it’s probably some well-deserved time to relax, right? Not exactly. “I have not given up on my goal of being a bilingual speech pathologist,” Scribner says, explaining that she is now taking classes at the University of North Texas in preparation for the next chapter of her career. It’s the start of another whirlwind year for Scribner, but we caught up with her between work appointments—for a candid conversation on parenting, strong relationships and maintaining individuality while embracing marriage and motherhood. → fortworthchild / january 2020

real moms / M O M

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“Taking Care of Ears Throughout the Years”

january 2020 / fortworthchild

ABOVE // SULEYKA AND KENT SCRIBNER STAY BUSY WITH AFTER-WORK COMMUNITY EVENTS.

Fort Worth ISD hired your husband in fall 2015, but you and the kids didn’t come to Texas until the next summer. What was it like maintaining a long-distance relationship? We

decided the middle of the school year wasn’t a good time to transition our children or for me to leave the classroom, so we waited until May. It was difficult, but we worked it out to where we could be with each other every other weekend. We racked up a lot of miles, a lot of airline miles. There were a lot of events and he wanted me to join him and also kind of take in the culture of Fort Worth that’s so unique and wonderful. Before you began working as an instructional coach for Castleberry ISD, you took a few years away from the workforce. What drove the decision to step away from your job? We had to

that structure and the stability.

You mention your newly blended family. You and Dr. Scribner got married just over three years ago and now have four children: the older two from your husband’s first marriage and the younger two from your first marriage. Tell us about that dynamic. There is a lot of learn-

ing and there is a lot of loving and there is a lot of patience involved in it. We just feel very blessed to have these four children that we can love and support, and at the same time we are learning, we’re growing, we’re making mistakes, we’re learning from them. Our children are in very distinct times in their lives. Our oldest graduated recently from college, so he’s transitioning to the real world. Our daughter just started at Arizona State University. We have a high school son and one here in Fort Worth who’s in sixth grade. So, we’re kind of coaching some and consulting for the other two. Like I said, it’s a process and we’re continuously growing.

“HAVING ADULT TIME WITH COLLEAGUES, SHARING IDEAS, AND CONTINUING TO GROW IN MY FIELD MAKE ME A BETTER MOM.”

just transition. We knew that in order for our family to run smoothly we had to really take a lot of time with the organizational part. We had to put all of our systems in place, getting our bearings straight to figure out, who can we call for this? Who will support us on that? We knew it was important. There were so many changes. It was a new family—new blended family—in a new place for all of us. So we just needed

How do you keep connected as a family when you’re all very busy? We try to have

many dinners, as many as we can during the week. Having that time where we just unplug from everything and eat together is

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORT WORTH ISD

BEST DANCE STUDIO

W E S T L A K E

so important to us because we don’t always have it. There are nights that I do have to hurry home and change and go and be with my husband at a work or social event. What about one-on-one time with your husband? Do you have a regular date night? Well, I wouldn’t call it a date night, but we do

really love working out together in the morning. It’s one of those things that we look forward to. I grab the towels, he gets the waters, and we’re off to work out in the gym and then we’re able to chat on the way home. And we definitely carve out some alone time at least once a weekend. My mom and dad just moved here from Arizona, so now they’re able to take our son to movies or for an overnight. And my husband’s family lives in Dallas. During very busy months, I’ll maybe travel to a weekend conference with my husband where we can try to find some time to go explore a new city together. We’ve seen your Twitter and Instagram and can tell how strong your relationship is! I think that we work—it’s not hard work for us, but

A C A D E M Y

we are very mindful of just being a good couple, being very supportive of each other. We always talk about that it’s the little things that matter and keep our relationship going. Do you ever feel like people know you only as “Mrs. Scribner, the superintendent’s wife”? I think that, yeah, it’s hard to be completely

separate from my husband. And he and I possess so many of the same qualities and we’re such a unit. We’re mutually proud of each other, and it’s never a negative thing. I don’t see it as a negative for someone to say, “Oh, you’re Dr. Scribner’s wife.” Actually, I’m very proud to be his wife. But I think as people get to know me and see how I work and the more involved that I get, they see me as an individual. Going back to work has definitely helped, especially in a district that is not my husband’s district. And having adult time with colleagues, sharing ideas, and continuing to grow in my field make me a better mom. Tell us about going back to school. So, because I took my courses so long ago and it’s a science-based field, I’m taking leveling courses so that I can continue and hopefully go to grad school to be a bilingual speech pathologist. I’m passionate about communication and language learning, and just being an advocate, especially for bilingual students and their families.

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In this issue of FortWorthChild, we talk about how to help your child become bilingual. (Editor’s note: See “Dual Lingos” on page 33.) Why is that a crucial skill? Bilingualism is not just about learning another

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language. Scientifically it broadens your mental development—your thought patterns are different—and you just have this world perspective. We are working with Santino, our 11-year-old, on speaking Spanish. He is now asking us to speak to him only in Spanish. I’m not sure if it’s because he really understands the importance of speaking it or if he just wants to know what Dad and I are saying about him. (Laughs.) How does your faith influence how you parent? Well, it’s the manual. It’s like our life manual for everything. I think in the world that we live in right now, faith is so important. It just offers [our children] hope. So, when I’m lost for words for whatever it might be, I tend to go back to the Bible and see what words of hope that I can breathe into my children. My parents planted that seed in me. Life can throw you curveballs, and you have to pivot so many times, but the one thing that I always went back to was my faith. So we want our children to have the same. Last question. What’s your ideal day off like? Well, I would definitely continue to wake up early. I love to have time to spend in my devotional time, just to nourish my soul. I would continue to do my morning workout. It’s so good to get your body up and moving. And we’d probably have a nice, easy breakfast. I love to cook. Then we would probably go out and do something fun. We all like to golf. I’m not very good at it. I just started, but I love it, and so does our youngest son. After a day out, do a board game night, or watch a romantic comedy—my husband’s favorite. Just don’t tell him I told you!

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fortworthchild / january 2020

real moms / 5

THINGS …

INTERVIEW ALEXIS PATTERSON

FO R SUM M E R VAC ATI O N

‘‘

WE LOVE TO VISIT MAINE’S ACADIA NATIONAL PARK AND MY FATHER-IN-LAW’S CHILDHOOD HOME IN SEAL HARBOR. IT IS OUR SPECIAL WAY TO RECONNECT WITH THE OUTDOORS AND CONTINUE THE SCRIBNER FAMILY TRADITION.

‘‘

january 2020 / fortworthchild

suleyka scribner’s favorite things for you & the kids FO R S TAY I N G COM F Y & S T Y LI S H

g “My Sam Edelman Jaina d’Orsay pumps are my favorite go-to shoes. I have them in every color! They are very pretty and just the right heel size so I can wear them all day without my feet hurting.”

FO R LE A R N I N G E XPE R I E N CE S O UT S I D E SCH O O L

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science: “The hands-on scientific and interactive educational displays make it possible for children to have all five senses involved in learning.”

FO R SCR E E NTIM E LE A R N I N G “I really like the Khan Academy app. Teachers, students and parents can access courses that will help re-teach or support a lesson taught in the classroom. And it supports all languages.”

FO R S TAY I N G O RG A N IZE D

We have a family calendar on iCal on our iPhones. I’m usually the one who updates it on a regular basis. For me, I use my Happy Planner, where I can visually organize my home, work, family and social calendars. I really like the extra touch of adding fun stickers as well.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK PRENDERGAST; ©ISTOCK; PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAITLYN KILPATRICK /PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE; SAM EDELMAN; HAPPY PLANNER

LESSON PLAN

Enjoy an Activityfilled Staycation!

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fortworthchild / january 2020

a wednesday in the life of

NATASHA SWINT

Natasha Swint lives on her very own makeshift farm on acreage in Fort Worth with her husband Chaz, four kids (Andrew, 14, Ava, 11, and twins Zachary and Ashlynn, 9) and, oh yeah, 25 animals. She also works part time for American Airlines in customer service. As you can imagine, her typical day is a busy one.

AM Wake up! Alarm goes off, and I get ready for a cold day ahead. Wake up Andrew, the oldest, and the 9-year-old twins first. Cereal of choice this morning: Froot Loops Marshmallows. (Breakfast of champions—but throw in some vitamins to wash it down.) 6:30AM I take Andrew to freshman football practice before school; only two games left this season. Come back home, and Ava wakes up to her own alarm set early so I can curl her hair to go along with her new outfit. She looks so cute and grown up! 7:10AM Hubby takes twins to school as I sip on my second cup of coffee and get Ava ready to go out the door, lunchbox in tow. 7:45AM Literally dreading having to go outside and feed the animals today. I normally love it, and they are always so happy to see me, but 37-degree wind chill, muddy rain puddles and drizzle are not my friend today! 8AM Hearing the donkey hee-haw quite loudly is a good reminder that they are hungry and not a fan of this weather either, so I layer up … and head outside to make my rounds. We currently have two yellow Labs, one barn kitten, five chickens, two ducks,

two pigs, three piglets, one billy goat, four pregnant pygmy goats, one bunny, two mini donkeys, one newborn baby donkey (one of my favorite creatures ever) and, last but not least, my cream Malti-poo Honey that is my sidekick and lives in the house. We moved out to 5 acres over a year ago and just started accumulating farm animals as our pets. They don’t necessarily have a purpose other than the chickens, which provide about five to six eggs daily, and the goats mow down the grass. 8:30AM Go through the game plan for the day with hubby, who is self-employed as a real estate agent for the past 18 years. 8:45AM Chaz makes us a delicious “farm fresh” egg casserole for breakfast after I found 16 eggs in the coop, since it’s been raining and I haven’t checked it in a few days. Hop in the shower to get warm and ready for the day. 12PM Log in to work from home for the greatest airline in the world. I make outbound calls to members whose miles are about to expire and let them know they have options to extend them. I’ve worked with this company for almost seven years, and I love every bit of it. We have had so many opportunities to travel! We recently went to Croatia, and I literally booked it the day before we left. 2PM Break to eat lunch (dinner leftovers), and laugh to myself at our shopping outing last night with all the kids. Andrew is almost 15 years old and 6 feet tall. Literally nothing fits him anymore. He started the school year in American Eagle size x-small, and he is now in a large! So we bought him several cold weather items, and if he liked something, the latest teen slang is to say that’s “the drip,” which apparently means something looks good and you like it. So he let me tease him holding items up and use, “Is this the drip?” to approve it or not. Wow, he sure makes me feel old sometimes! 2:55PM The twins are the first ones home from school via bus, and Ashlynn runs into my home office and proudly shows off hundreds of tiny dots of marker all over her hands and proclaims she gave herself the chicken pox. I laugh and shake my head and tell them to go work on their homework for the week. 3:40PM Zachary comes busting into my office crying and upset because his Halloween plastic knife has been broken, and now the world is ending because his costume (scary clown) is ruined. His twin sister now joins in, which leads them to wrestling on the ground and lots of giggles. 4:30PM All four kids are back home from school, and tonight the girls have cheer

Diaries are penned by moms (and dads) in the Fort Worth area. The authors volunteer to share a day of their choosing and are not paid or endorsed by FortWorthChild. Send your diary to editorial@dfwchild.com. All submissions are subject to editing and may be cut for space. 14

january 2020 / fortworthchild

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTEN RUE PHOTOGRAPHY

real moms / R O U T I N E S

the fine

WHAT SHE’S READING The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz FAVORITE SCENT Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf BEST VACATION Sandals in St. Lucia BOOK ON HER NIGHTSTAND Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis WHOSE INSTAGRAM SHE ALWAYS LIKES

Fashion influencers FAVORITE DATE NIGHT SPOT Eddie V’s Prime Seafood in Fort Worth, jazz lounge BIGGEST PET PEEVE Lies WHAT SHE DOES WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL Pray MOTHERHOOD IN FIVE WORDS Heart living outside my chest FAVORITE CHEAP MEAL TO FEED THE KIDS Chick-fil-A WHY SHE CHOSE WHERE SHE LIVES Land for kiddos and animals FAVORITE INDULGENCE

Pizza SOMETHING SHE LEARNED THIS WEEK Be impeccable with your word. SHE’S REALLY GOOD AT Being late HABIT SHE CAN’T QUIT Shopping IF SHE HAD TO CHANGE CAREERS I wouldn’t. I love my job with the airline; it is my dream job!

PHOTO COURTESY OF VIKTOR&ROLF; ILLUSTRATION BY ARIANA LEYVA

FORTWORTH

T H E M A G A Z I N E PA R E N T S L I V E B Y I N TA R R A N T C O U N T Y

EVENTS TO LOVE THIS MONTH

FORTWORTH

O C T O B E R 2019

MEET HGTV'S

HOW TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT HATE SPEECH

GRACE MITCHELL

KID CULTURE: HOW TO CHOOSE AN INSTRUMENT

HOW TO THROW A PEPPA PIG PARTY

A FAMILY GUIDE TO

BENTONVILLE

19 WAYS TO SPEND JUNE

T H E M A G A Z I N E PA R E N T S L I V E B Y I N TA R R A N T C O U N T Y

J U N E 2019

MEET JEWELRY DESIGNER

MADISON MCKINLEY ISNER BRAIN BREAKS THE LATEST SCHOOL TREND

ART SMART

TOUGH LOVE HOW TO NURTURE A SPIRITED KID

PLAY TIME!

TIPS FOR TAKING KIDS TO THE THEATER ing section: ertis adv ial

spe c

practice at a local cheer gym. We typically volunteer through our youth group on Wednesday nights but not this week, so we aren’t as busy today. 5:15PM Girls go out the door with dinner in hand; Dad volunteered to take them to practice tonight so he could work out at the gym nearby, so I decided to stay home with the boys. 5:45PM Feeding time for 25 animals in the cold, round two! It’s still lightly sprinkling and 42 degrees. They look miserable, so I’m feeding them a little extra since they remained in the covered area most of the day because of the rain and didn’t graze much. The piglets are squealing like crazy for food, and of course the donkey let out another hee-haw! 6:30PM Dinner’s ready—wing night! 9PM Girls come home from cheer and take showers. Everyone is winding down for the night and starting to get into bed. 9:55PM I decompress by reading The Four Agreements, which was given to me by my dad per his advice to be able to live my best life. I finish the chapter, watch a little TV and make sure the alarm is set for 6am for another day.

SUMMER OF FUN

HOW THE ARTS SHAPE YOUR KID’S BRAIN

DON’T WANT TO MISS THE NEXT ISSUE? GET IT DELIVERED TO YOUR MAILBOX. Visit dfwchild.com to sign up for free home delivery.

fortworthchild / january 2020

LOOK OUTS When Samu was diagnosed with epilepsy, his friends stepped up to watch out for him at school. It’s a responsibility that’s changed the way they see the world. WORDS CARRIE STEINGRUBER

january 2020 / fortworthchild

HUNDREDS

©ISTOCK

OF KIDS WERE ON THEIR FEET, THEIR CLAPS AND SCREAMS MULTIPLYING IN THE REVERB CHAMBER THAT IS THEIR TILED SCHOOL CAFETERIA. It was assembly day at Light Farms Elementary in Celina, and the tables were folded and pushed against the walls to make room for rows of elementary students buzzing with Friday energy. This was their favorite part of every assembly: the teacher challenge. Teachers from each grade participate in some kind of silly competition—like transporting M&M’s using a straw and no hands— while students cheer them on. “It was pret-ty loud,” says Luke Zihlman, who was in second grade at the time. (He’s now in fourth.) He too was caught up in the fervor, but his view was obscured by the kids in front of him. “After I realized I was too short to see, I looked over at the other students to see if I could get a better view, and I saw Samu.” Samu (pronounced “shah-mu”) Miller—a classmate and soccer teammate—was sitting six or seven kids away from Luke that afternoon. When Luke glanced in his direction, Samu was “huddled up, covering his ears,” Luke says. “I suddenly remember— Samu has epilepsy. Loud sounds can make him have a seizure.” Samu wasn’t having an actual seizure, but he was alarmingly close. He doesn’t recall much from those moments at the assembly—just the screaming. “It felt like my eardrums were bursting with blood,” Samu says. “I was very weak, and I couldn’t talk.” As Samu fiercely pressed his hands to his ears, Luke pushed past other kids to reach his friend’s side. Samu didn’t respond; he didn’t even know someone was there. After trying unsuccessfully to help him to

his feet, Luke went to their teacher for help. She took Samu to the nurse, and Luke was left to wonder—and worry—about his friend as the teacher challenge and the cheering carried on around him. “I was scared for Samu,” Luke says. “I remember a bunch of people asking me, ‘Why are you crying? Why are you crying?’ I’m like, ‘’Cause my friend is hurt!’” Most of the other students didn’t notice Samu’s near-seizure and exit. “They were more focused on who would win the teacher challenge than others around them,” Luke says. His tone doesn’t suggest an indictment, just an observation. But Samu’s friends are different. As his self-appointed protectors, they view the school day (and every day) with a keener eye. Their awareness is sharpened, and they recognize the hidden dangers in seemingly innocuous events— assemblies, morning announcements, picture day. After Samu was first diagnosed, one of his friends accompanied him on every trip to the bathroom or nurse’s office. During fire drills, his friends watch for warning signs of a seizure as they all file outside. They answer questions about epilepsy from curious students. And of course, they know what to do if Samu has a seizure. That’s a big responsibility for elementary kids, but it’s one they’re proud of, insists Brayden Vorel, Samu’s neighbor and best friend. “It made me feel good that I have someone to hang out with, play with, but also be very protective,” Brayden says. “I feel like I’ve grown to it, like it feels normal to do this for him.”→ fortworthchild / january 2020

FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

ON ALERT

Samu and Brayden call themselves “step twin brothers” for a reason. There’s a physical resemblance: Both have blond hair and a smattering of freckles. They also bicker like siblings. Interviewing them together is a case study in one step forward, two steps back—each step punctuated with laughter and shoving. 18

january 2020 / fortworthchild

“SEEING HOW THEY ARE TOGETHER AND LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER, IT’S VERY INSPIRING, NOT JUST FOR US AS ADULTS BUT I THINK FOR OTHER KIDS TOO, BECAUSE THEY’RE SETTING AN EXAMPLE OF ACCEPTANCE.” —HALEY STELLY ABOVE // THE SELF-PROCLAIMED "STEP TWIN BROTHERS" (BRAYDEN VOREL, LEFT, AND SAMU MILLER) HAVE GROWN CLOSER SINCE SAMU'S DIAGNOSIS.

Brayden calmly tries to explain their friendship: “Sometimes we get into arguments or disagree—” “We always do, Mister!” Samu interrupts, giggling. Brayden gives me a look like he’s been in the trenches with a rebellious teenager. He sighs with mock exasperation, “What am I gonna do with you?” The boys were friends before Samu’s epilepsy diagnosis, but Brayden believes that being in the same class for two years has cemented their bond. “I think Samu has became [sic] a closer friend than before to me, and a friend that I should be more aware of or protective on,” he says. “Ever since I met him when I moved here, it’s been like we’re friends, we know each other, but now it’s like we’re very close friends.” School feels different now too, Brayden says. He pays attention to things that he used to disregard as routine, or fail to notice at all. Whether identifying parts of speech in the classroom or playing football at recess, he is on alert for Samu’s potential triggers: loud sounds and flashing lights. Brayden also picks up clues to Samu’s well-being in his behavior—walking instead of running during P.E., for instance, could signal he’s not feeling well. Besides morning announcements (the teacher turns down the volume for Samu), fire drills are the primary hazard—unlike assemblies, the

noise is heard throughout the building, and there is value to Samu’s participation. As the alarm blares, Brayden looks to his friend to be sure Samu is covering his ears; if Brayden is close enough, he’ll cover Samu’s ears himself. “Brayden takes this pretty seriously,” says Robyn Vorel, Brayden’s mom. “He feels like, ‘OK, they want me to make sure he’s OK at school, so it is my job to make sure that he’s OK at school.’ And I was like, ‘Does that make you feel too responsible?’ He goes, ‘No, I kind of like it. I mean, I’m Samu’s buddy. We’re like brothers.’ I think he’s actually taking this and actually owning it. He’s really wanting to be that person.” Brayden and Samu’s fourth grade teacher, Morgan Lorenzini, says that when she was still getting to know the boys at the beginning of the school year, Brayden would remind her that Samu needed to go to the office during assemblies, and would volunteer to go get him afterward. “He’s always just looking out for him,” she says. That desire to look out for each other can be seen among students in other schools as well. Elementary-age kids “naturally want to help,” says Patty Bustamante, executive director of specialized learning services at Arlington ISD. She works with students in her district who have epilepsy, type 1 diabetes and other needs, and says their friends and classmates consider it a privilege to be a buddy. At that age, she adds, they view the world (and therefore their

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBYN VOREL

Let’s be clear: Prosper Independent School District isn’t entrusting a student’s life solely to other 9- and 10-year-olds. Principal Haley Stelly assures me that the adults on campus are looking out for Samu too, and he has other official accommodations, like being allowed to read in the office during school assemblies. (That assembly was the last one he attended.) She explains that students with disabilities like epilepsy are evaluated case by case in partnership with families and caregivers; if Samu needed a service dog or an adult by his side all day, that would be arranged. Still, teachers and the school nurse may be Samu’s safety net, but his friends see themselves as his first line of defense. Kata Miller-Massányi, Samu’s mom, reveals that having a buddy with him is actually part of her son’s 504 plan, the document that outlines his accommodations. Being a buddy was a critical role in the early days especially. Samu was afraid of passing out alone—on the bathroom floor, no less. For Samu and his friends, joint bathroom trips aren’t embarrassing; they’re matter of fact, just like his epilepsy. “If he has a seizure, and then there’s no one in the bathroom, he would be helpless,” Brayden explains. He doesn’t treat Samu as a victim, and Samu certainly appreciates the backup. Two summers ago, when the third grade class lists came out and Miller-Massányi realized Samu didn’t have a close friend in his room, she rang up Principal Stelly. Besides wanting a buddy to have an extra eye on him, Samu was taking an anti-seizure medication that made him extremely depressed. “‘We need Brayden,’” Miller-Massányi recalls saying. “‘You don’t understand how much we need him.’” Stelly moved Samu to Brayden’s class and made sure the two stayed together in fourth grade too. Even though Samu’s last seizure was in November 2018 and his “buddy system” has become more lax—meaning he can fly solo to the nurse’s office and the bathroom—he told his mom he still wanted Brayden there for support; in fact, the break from seizures has Samu increasingly anxious that the next one must be right around the corner. But he’s already got a long-term plan. “We’re gonna be in the same class in college, and we’re gonna work at the same place,” Samu says.

responsibilities) in black and white. “Everything is so absolute—it’s all or nothing,” she says. “They take it very seriously.” Indeed, Brayden is even critical of his job performance. “Sometimes I can be attracted to something and then completely forget about the people around me,” he says, citing the teacher challenge as an example. Then when the sound or the lights intensify, he says, the risk suddenly flashes into his mind again. He and Luke both admit to worrying that something might happen if they let their guard down, or if they’re away from Samu. Even though Luke hasn’t been in the same class as Samu since second grade, he still thinks about his friend during fire drills. “I will normally look around for Samu, just to see if he’s OK,” he reveals when I talk to all three boys together. Samu turns to him in surprise. “Wait, literally? Even if we’re in separate classes?” Luke nods, but Samu’s still skeptical. “You literally do?” “Yeah,” Luke confirms, “I look around the hallway, ’cause there’s like crowds of people, so I literally look around the hallway just to see if you’re OK.”

THE RIGHT THING

When I ask the boys about their favorite parts of the school day, Luke says math because he likes “the way it works.” Brayden lists recess and lunch (shocker) but also grammar and cultural studies. This year, Texas history is on the docket. “You get to learn stuff that you never would learn if you weren’t there at that time,” he explains. Because he and Luke are here, now, watching out for their friend, they’re getting an education that’s beyond the scope of any STAAR test. “Who would’ve thought that by 8 you’ll know what to do when you see someone having a seizure?” Miller-Massányi says. She’s done her part to educate her son’s friends and classmates—as a professional dog trainer, she taught one of the family pups, Dio, to nudge Samu’s head to the side if he’s on the ground and shaking (a measure that ensures he can breathe). She brought Dio to Samu’s second grade class to demonstrate how his peers should respond if they see Samu having a seizure. Kids latch on to such real-life skills, Bustamante says. Unlike some school subjects that seem less than useful right now, learning how to care for a friend is personal and immediately relevant. It’s knowledge they can put into practice right away and see their world change as a result. “They’re understanding how their decisions, their behaviors impact the world around them and change the world for the better,” Bustamante says. Luke and Brayden agree that they’ve become more aware not just of Samu but of people in general, some of whom might have invisible challenges. “I know that some people have disorders, and they need help with their disorders,” Luke says. “And I know that I don’t have a disorder,

so I can be one of those people who help them. So I will tend to look around when I hear a loud sound or I see a blinking light.” “I think it’s the awareness to think of any kid at this point,” Brayden’s mom says. “If someone looks like they’re in stress—head down, covered ears, whatever it may be—then they may know, ‘Oh, OK, so you’re reacting in some way because something’s bothering you. Let me go help or get help.’” Tyson Zihlman, Luke’s dad, sums it up: “They’re learning to do the right thing.” While Principal Stelly obviously wouldn’t wish epilepsy on her students, she says Samu’s condition paved a fast track for him and his friends to broaden their awareness and acceptance of others. “Especially at a young age, kids are very ego-centric,” she explains, “so it [normally] takes a while for them to increase their own selfawareness of what’s going on with them, and then in turn learning how they can relate and connect to others.” “It’s the same reason that parents in our community bring their children up to the hospital to donate toys for other kids here, to help them realize, ‘OK, it’s not all about you; there are other people to think about too,’” says Michelle McLemore, a certified child life specialist at Children’s Medical Center Plano. Child life specialists often visit schools of kids with chronic conditions and illnesses to help classmates understand the diagnosis and how to be a good friend to a child like Samu, whose epilepsy was diagnosed at Children’s Health. In McLemore’s experience, as kids learn about their peers with differences, their egocentricity is tempered by empathy. As much as kids have the capacity for bullying and meanness, they also have an immense capacity for acceptance, especially when equipped with knowledge. Samu has candidly shared his epilepsy diagnosis with his friends, and they in turn have accepted it as just another part of their school day, their reality. “Looking at the situation and seeing how they are together and looking out for one another, it’s very inspiring,” Stelly says, “not just for us as adults but I think for other kids too, because they’re setting an example of acceptance and creating a sense of belonging for every child.”

SHARE THE LOAD

Of course Samu knows his own seizure triggers. He recognizes when sounds are too loud or he’s too hot or cold. Miller-Massányi accepts the necessity of Samu’s self-policing; it is a responsibility that came part and parcel with his diagnosis. But life lessons notwithstanding, she sometimes regrets that his friends have assumed the same responsibility. When I interview the boys at her home, it is the first time she’s heard Luke talk about the assembly. She works hard to restrain her emotions as Luke speaks about his concern for Samu.

“Sometimes I feel guilty for that,” she later admits, “that he’s in that position where— Brayden too—like, ‘I think about him, I’m worried about him.’ “The teachers tell me the same thing, like, ‘Oh, we’re going to watch out for him,’” she continues. “Yeah, I’m expecting you to do that, but not a 7- and 8-year-old. They’re just … they’re so young.” It’s both poignant and heartening to realize the weight that young kids can—and sometimes are forced to—carry. McLemore believes it’s important for other children to understand their role in a situation like this. “If they feel like it’s their job, we need to remind them that there are adults—parents, medical staff and teachers—who are taking care of the child’s medical needs, so they can focus on being a supportive friend,” she says. Samu is fortunate to have multiple supportive friends. So when Luke found out he wouldn’t be in Samu’s third grade class, he was only uneasy at first. “I was a little scared,” he says, “but then when I saw him with Brayden, I was like, ‘OK, Brayden’s his friend. He knows he’s got epilepsy. I’m sure he should watch out for him … but I’ll still watch out for him.’” Again, Samu seems surprised and grateful. He smiles at Luke. “You’re good,” he says quietly.

B U D DY S Y S T E M Samu’s 504 plan specifies that he be allowed to have a buddy with him if needed, but it doesn’t name a particular student. “We don’t want any child to feel uncomfortable with a situation that they’re put in, which is why we don’t specifically say, ‘Oh, this is your role,’” Principal Haley Stelly explains. We were curious: Is this a typical accommodation for students with needs like epilepsy? Fort Worth ISD spokesperson Clint Bond says this kind of buddy system is not a practice in his district. “Any student assistance provided would be provided by a District employee and would be influenced by many factors including doctor’s statement(s), student’s condition, etc.,” he wrote in an email. In Arlington ISD, students may be assigned to help classmates with conditions like epilepsy depending on the need and the kids’ ages— typically fourth or fifth grade and older. Patty Bustamante, AISD’s executive director of specialized learning services, says they choose buddies carefully and often provide an orientation to the class, much like Samu’s mother did for his friends and second grade classmates. Bustamante adds that teachers may institute a class-wide buddy system so that everyone has to go in pairs. (Samu’s second grade teacher, Melissa Patterson, did just that: She started a buddy system in her class thanks to Samu; two years later, her students still go everywhere in pairs.) fortworthchild / january 2020

THE

2020

PRIVATE

Our comprehensive guide to Fort Worth private schools

SH YE A ES R TA B

E IT W EB S

Y CI T

RE SS D AD

SC H

C O M P I L E D B Y M AYA B U T L E R

Acton Academy Fort Worth

711 S. Jennings Ave.

Fort Worth

actonacademyfortworth.com 2018

Acton Academy Southlake

190 W. State Highway 114

Southlake

actonsouthlake.org

2019

Alliance Christian Academy

13105 Harmon Road

Fort Worth

aca-littlesprouts.com

2004

All Saints' Episcopal School

9700 Saints Circle

Fort Worth

aseschool.org

1951

Anderson Private School for the Gifted, Talented & Creative

14900 White Settlement Road

Fort Worth

andersonschool.net

1995

Arlington Faith Academy

5100 US Highway 287

Arlington

faithassemblyarlington.com

1999

Azle Christian School

1801 S. Stewart St.

Azle

azlechristianschool.org

2003

Bethesda Christian School & Child Development Center

4700 N. Beach St.

Fort Worth

bcsfw.org

1980

B2B Academy

309 N. Pine St.

Roanoke

b2bacademytx.com

2015

Burton Adventist Academy

4611 Kelly Elliott Road

Arlington

burtonacademy.org

1962

Calvary Christian Academy

1401 Oakhurst Scenic Drive

Fort Worth

calvaryacademy.com

1979

Cassata Catholic High School

1400 Hemphill St.

Fort Worth

cassatahs.org

1975

Children's University

4621 Park Springs Blvd.

Arlington

childrensuniversity.com

1995

Christian Cottage Prep

6815 Manhattan Blvd.

Fort Worth

christiancottageprep.com

2001

The Clariden School

100 Clariden Ranch Road

Southlake

claridenschool.org

2002

Coram Deo Academy, Mid-Cities Campus

3800 Highway 121

Bedford

coramdeoacademy.org

2019

Covenant Christian Academy

901 Cheek-Sparger Road

Colleyville

covenantchristian.net

1979

Covenant Classical School

1701 Wind Star Way

Fort Worth

covenantfw.org

1999

Crossroads Christian Academy Inc.

3512 Roberts Cut Off Road

Fort Worth

crossroadsftworth.org

2004

Crown of Life Lutheran

6605 Pleasant Run Road

Colleyville

colschool.org

1996

E.A. Young Academy

8521 Davis Blvd.

North Richland Hills

eayoungacademy.com

2011

Fellowship Academy

1021 N. Bowman Springs Road

Kennedale

fellowship-academy.org

2000

Flint Academy

2111 Roosevelt Drive

Arlington

flintacademy.com

2006

Fort Worth Academy

7301 Dutch Branch Road

Fort Worth

fwacademy.org

1982

Fort Worth Adventist Junior Academy

3040 Sycamore School Road

Fort Worth

fwaja.org

1996

Fort Worth Christian School

6200 Holiday Lane

North Richland Hills fwc.org

1958

Fort Worth Country Day

4200 Country Day Lane

Fort Worth

fwcd.org

1963

Fusion Academy

301 State St.

Southlake

fusionacademy.com

1989

Grace Classical Christian Academy

1851 Weatherford Highway

Granbury

graceclassical.com

2012

Grapevine Faith Christian School

730 E. Worth St.

Grapevine

grapevinefaith.com

1999

Green Oaks School

500 Houston St.

Arlington

greenoaksinc.org

2000

Harvest Christian Academy

7200 Denton Highway

Watauga

hcasaints.org

1994

Hill School of Fort Worth

4817 Odessa Ave.

Fort Worth

hillschool.org

1973

Holy Cross Christian Academy

1233 Tarver Road

Burleson

hccaburleson.com

1984

Holy Trinity Catholic School Grapevine

3750 William D. Tate Ave.

Grapevine

holytcs.org

1994

Immaculate Conception School

400 NE 17th St.

Grand Prairie

school.icgrandprairie.org

1952

january 2020 / fortworthchild

SCHOOL LIST AI SC D H O O FF LA ER R TO ED SHI PS T EN AL RO LL M U EN N IF T O RM S AV G. CL AS S SI EL ZE EM ST E U N TE DE TA AC N R H T/ Y ER RA TI AC O CR ED IT AT IO N

CI AL AN N FI

AN TU NU IT AL IO N

ES GR AD

RE L AF IG FI IOU LI S AT IO

So, you’re considering the private school route for your child. The good news: You’ve got choices! The bad news: You’ve got choices … That’s why we compile this chart every year—to help you narrow the search based on your priorities, whether that’s location, religious affiliation or price tag.

None

1–8

$6,000–$10,000

15-to-1

IALDS

None

K–8

$6,800

Yes

10-to-1

IALDS

Christian

Preschool–12

$5,500–$7,000

Yes

330

Yes

15-to-1

Cognia

Episcopal

Preschool–8

$5,160–$23,440

Yes

1,075

Yes

14-to-1

ISAS, SAES

None

Preschool–12

$10,490–$15,490

Yes

3-to-1

Cognia

Assembly of God

K–8

$3,700

Yes

10-to-1

Abeka

Baptist

Pre-K–12

$4,100–$5,100

Yes

125

Yes

12-to-1

None

Christian

Preschool–12

$9,000

Yes

450

Yes

14-to-1

ACSI

Christian

4–8

$16,300

4–6

12-to-1

NAPS

Adventist

Preschool–12

$4,000–$9,000

324

Yes

14-to-1

AAA, TEPSAC

Nondenominational

Preschool–12

$6,800–$8,500

Yes

300

Yes

18-to-1

ICAA, Cognia

Catholic

9–12

$8,100

Yes

140

12–15

N/A

Cognia, TCCED

None

Preschool–6

$5,000–$14,000

Yes

250

Yes

10-to-1

Cognia, TEPSAC

Christian

K–12

$8,675–$15,990

Yes

4-to-1

Cognia

None

Preschool–12

$5,500–$16,500

Yes

135

15-to-1

TAAPS

Christian

Pre-K–6

$4,505–$5,685

Yes

12-to-1

Cognia

Christian

Preschool–12

$11,276–$16,723

Yes

623

Yes

14-to-1

ACCS, ACTS, TAAPS

Christian

K–12

$11,350–$15,925

Yes

420

Yes

14-to-1

ACCS, Cognia, TACAC, TCAF

None

8–12

$2,100

15–20

N/A

None

Lutheran

Preschool–8

$1,500–$10,000

Yes

140

Yes

14-to-1

NLSA, TEPSAC

None

K–12

$11,400–$17,500

Yes

5-to-1

Cognia

Christian

Pre-K–12

$7,500–$8,800

Yes

365

12-to-1

Cognia

Christian

Pre-K–12

$17,000

Yes

6-to-1

CiRCE

None

K–8

$18,500–$21,282

Yes

200

Yes

14-to-1

Cognia

Christian; Adventist

Pre-K–8

$3,900

Yes

15-to-1

AAA, CITA, NADCOA, NCPSA

Christian

Preschool–12

$15,000–$17,000

Yes

650

Yes

14-to-1

Cognia, CESA

None

Pre-K–12

$9,980–$25,240

Yes

1,077

Yes

12–20

16-to-1

ISAS

None

6–12

$3,450–$50,000

Yes

1-to-1

Cognia

Nondenominational

Preschool–9

$3,300–$7,900

Yes

7-to-1

ACCS

Christian

Pre-K–12

$9,100–$17,350

Yes

830

Yes

12-to-1

ACSI, Cognia, TEPSAC

Christian

K–12

$10,900

Yes

8–10

4-to-1

Cognia

Christian

Preschool–12

$11,175–$12,515

Yes

330

Yes

10-to-1

ACSI

None

K–12

$18,000–$20,990

Yes

140

Yes

7-to-1

Cognia, TEPSAC

Christian

Preschool–8

$3,600–$8,500

Yes

240

Yes

15-to-1

ACSI

Catholic

Pre-K–8

$5,440–$8,845

Yes

312

Yes

15-to-1

TCCED

Catholic

Preschool–8

$6,110

Yes

135

Yes

14-to-1

TCCED fortworthchild / january 2020

SH YE A ES R TA B

E IT W EB S

Y CI T

RE SS D AD

SC H

O O L

THE PRIVATE SCHOOL LIST

The Jane Justin School and Child Study Center Upper School

1300 W. Lancaster Ave.

Fort Worth

cookchildrens.org/child-study-center

1962

The Key School

3947 E. Loop 820 S.

Fort Worth

kcld.org

1966

Lake Country Christian School

7050 Lake Country Drive

Fort Worth

lccs.org

1980

Legacy Classical Christian Academy

12501 Highway 287

Haslet

legacyclassical.org

2010

Merryhill Elementary School

711 West Arbrook Blvd.

Arlington

merryhillarlington.com

1988

Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy

1308 Whitley Road

Keller

mlcatexas.org

2000

Midcities Montessori

209 Harwood Road

Bedford

midcitiesmontessori.com

2015

The Montessori Academy of Arlington

3428 W. Arkansas Lane

Arlington

tmaonline.org

1981

Montessori School of Fort Worth

3420 Clayton Road E.

Fort Worth

msftw.org

1968

Mosaic Academy

1400 College Ave.

Fort Worth

mosaicacademy.org

2000

Nazarene Christian Academy

2001 E. Main St.

Crowley

nazarenechristianacademy.org

1984

Nolan Catholic High School

4501 Bridge St.

Fort Worth

nolancatholic.org

1961

North Park Christian Academy

7025 Mid-Cities Blvd.

North Richland Hills

northparknow.com

1983

Northstar School

4620 Park Springs Blvd.

Arlington

northstarschool.net

2005

North Texas Leadership Academy

10200 Alta Vista Road

Keller

ntxleadershipacademy.org

2011

The Novus Academy

3400 William D. Tate Ave., Suite 1000

Grapevine

thenovusacademy.org

2014

The Oakridge School

5900 W. Pioneer Parkway

Arlington

theoakridgeschool.org

1979

Our Lady of Victory Catholic School

3320 Hemphill St.

Fort Worth

olvfw.com

1910

Pantego Christian Academy, Arlington Campus

2201 W. Park Row

Arlington

pantego.com

1963

Pantego Christian Academy, Mansfield Campus

2351 Country Club Drive

Mansfield

pantego.com

1963

Park Row Christian Academy

915 W. Park Row Drive

Arlington

parkrowchristian.net

1968

St. Andrew Catholic School

3304 Dryden Road

Fort Worth

standrewsch.org

1954

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School

2016 Willis Lane

Keller

seascs.net

2000

St. George Catholic School

824 Hudgins Ave.

Fort Worth

stgeorgecatholicschool.org

1951

St. Ignatius College Preparatory

8109 Shelton Drive

Fort Worth

iggies.net

2005

St. Joseph Catholic School

2015 SW Green Oaks Blvd.

Arlington

stjosephtx.org

1995

Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School

1200 S. Davis Drive

Arlington

smgschool.org

1954

St. Paul Lutheran School

1800 W. Freeway

Fort Worth

sharingnewlifespls.com

1969

St. Paul's Preparatory Academy

6900 US Highway 287

Arlington

stpaulsprep.com

1988

St. Peter's Classical School

7601 Bellaire Drive S.

Fort Worth

stpetersclassical.org

2005

St. Rita Catholic School

712 Weiler Blvd.

Fort Worth

saintritaschool.net

1954

Shady Oak Academy

316 W. Peter Smith St.

Fort Worth

shadyoak.org

2012

Southlake Montessori

251 Countryside Court

Southlake

southlakemontessori.org

2014

Southwest Christian School

6801 Dan Danciger Road

Fort Worth

southwestchristian.org

1969

Starpoint School

2805 Stadium Drive

Fort Worth

starpoint.tcu.edu

1966

Tate Springs Christian School

4001 Little Road

Arlington

tatespringschristianschool.com

1967

Temple Christian School

6824 Randol Mill Road

Fort Worth

tcseagles.org

1972

Trinity Baptist Temple Academy

6045 W J Boaz Road

Fort Worth

tbta.tbtchurch.org

1995

Trinity Christian Academy

4954 E. Interstate 20 Service Road S.

Willow Park

tcaeagles.org

1993

Trinity Preparatory Academy

129 Pecan St.

Keller

trinityprepkeller.org

2008

Trinity Valley School

7500 Dutch Branch Road

Fort Worth

tvs.org

1959

Waypoint Montessori

1513 Hall Johnson Road

Colleyville

waypointmontessori.org

1971

Key: AAA = Adventist Accrediting Association, AACS = American Association of Christian Schools, ACCS = Association of Classical & Christian Schools, ACSI = Association of Christian Schools International, ACTABS = The Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools, ACTS = Association of Christian Teachers and Schools, AMI = Association Montessori Internationale, CESA = Council on Educational Standards and Accountability, CITA = The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, IALDS = International Association of Learner Driven Schools, ICAA = International Christian Accrediting Association, IALS = International Association of Laboratory Schools, ISAS = Independent School Association of the Southwest, NADCOA = North American Division of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Commission on Accreditation, NAPCIS = the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools, NAPS = National Association of Private Schools, 22 january 2020 / fortworthchild

AI SC D H O O FF L A ER R TO ED SHI PS T EN AL RO LL M U EN N IF T O RM S AV G. CL AS S SI EL ZE EM ST E TE U D NT AC EN AR H T/ Y ER RA TI O AC CR ED IT AT IO N

CI AL AN N FI

AN TU NU IT AL IO N

ES GR AD

RE L AF IG FI IOU LI S AT IO N

*The information is provided to us by the schools and is based on the 2019–2020 school year; the information is subject to change in upcoming years. Schools that aren’t listed do not offer at least three primary or secondary grades.

None

Pre-K–12

$17,500

Yes

4-to-1

SACS

None

Pre-K–12

$20,000

Yes

100

Yes

5-to-1

Cognia

Christian

Preschool–12

$7,050–$13,995

Yes

410

Yes

12-to-1

ACSI, Cognia, TAAPS, TEPSAC

Nondenominational

Pre-K–12

$3,500–$4,500

Yes

100

Yes

10-to-1

Cognia

None

Preschool–6

Varies

200

Yes

15-to-1

Cognia

Lutheran

Preschool–8

$2,200–$9,025

Yes

10-to-1

ACCS, NLSA

None

Preschool–12

$8,900–$13,990

Yes

2-to-1

None

Preschool–6

$8,600–$15,000

Yes

203

8–30

18-to-1

Cognia, AMS

None

Preschool–8

$4,950–$12,285

Yes

208

9-to-1

Cognia, AMS

Christian

Preschool–8

$3,750

Yes

100

8–10

8-to-1

None

Christian

K–12

Approx. $7,000

Yes

235

Yes

16-to-1

ACTABS, TANS, TEPSAC

Catholic

9–12

$17,000

Yes

753

Yes

N/A

Cognia, TCCED

Baptist

Pre-K–3

$4,000–$4,600

Yes

8–10

8-to-1

ACSI

None

7–12

$15,400

Yes

N/A

Cognia, TEPSAC

None

Pre-K–4

$7,500–$9,000

Yes

12-to-1

None

K–12

$19,650–$20,850

Yes

Varies

4-to-1

Cognia

None

Preschool–12

$8,480–$23,980

Yes

720

Yes

10-to-1

ISAS, TEPSAC

Catholic

Preschool–8

$6,310

Yes

10-to-1

TCCED

Christian

Preschool–12

$12,000

Yes

522

Yes

13-to-1

ACSI, TAAPS

Christian

Preschool–12

$13,000

Yes

545

Yes

13-to-1

ACSI, AdvancED

Church of Christ

Preschool–8

$7,520

Yes

200

Yes

14-to-1

NCSA

Catholic

Preschool–8

$6,500

Yes

605

Yes

10–20

20-to-1

TCCED

Catholic

Preschool–8

$7,610

Yes

527

Yes

15-to-1

TCCED

Catholic

Pre-K–8

$5,850

Yes

100

Yes

15-to-1

TCCED

Catholic

10–12

$7,000–$9,000

Yes

N/A

NAPCIS

Catholic

Pre-K–8

$7,390

Yes

345

Yes

15-to-1

TCCED

Catholic

Preschool–8

$3,300–$8,400

Yes

235

Yes

16–18

16-to-1

NCEA, TCCED

Christian; Lutheran

Preschool–8

$4,300–$10,450

Yes

210

Yes

9-to-1

NLSA

Christian

Preschool–12

$8,850–$11,150

Yes

250

Yes

15-to-1

TAAPS

Christian; Orthodox

Pre-K–12

$9,000

Yes

6-to-1

ACCS, TANS

Catholic

Preschool–8

$4,500–$6,500

Yes

120

Yes

14-to-1

NCEA, TCCED

Christian

K–7

$9,000–$11,000

Yes

5-to-1

None

Preschool–6

$9,481–$13,545

Yes

14-to-1

AMI

Christian

Preschool–12

$4,250–$19,150

Yes

814

Yes

15–20

15-to-1

ACSI, Cognia, TAAPS, TANS, TEPSAC

Christian

1–6

$16,500–$17,000

Yes

10–12

10–12-to-1

Cognia, IALS, NAPSEC, TANS

Baptist

Preschool–6

$4,800

400

Yes

15–16

16-to-1

None

Baptist

Preschool–12

$7,375–$9,385

Yes

400

Yes

22-to-1

ACSI, ACTABS, TAAPS

Baptist

Pre-K–12

$4,300

140

Yes

12-to-1

None

Christian

Preschool–12

$7,020–$11,400

525

Yes

13-to-1

ACSI, Cognia

Christian

K–12

$3,800–$4,500

Yes

300

Yes

12–16

10-to-1

NAPS

None

Pre-K–12

$12,000–$24,100

Yes

1,015

Yes

9-to-1

ISAS

None

Preschool–6

$10,000–$15,000

Yes

150

Yes

10-to-1

AMI, TAAPS

NAPSEC = National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Students, NCEA = National Catholic Educational Association, NCPSA = National Council for Private School Accreditation, NCSA = National Christian Schools Association of America, NLSA = National Lutheran School Accreditation, SAES = Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools, TAAPS = Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools, TACAC = Texas Association for College Admission Counseling, TANS = Texas Association of Non-Public Schools, TCAF = Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship, TCCB ED = Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department, TEPSAC = Texas Private School Accreditation Commission; = School for children with learning differences or special needs; = Updated information not provided; information listed reflects 2018–2019 or 2017–2018 school year fortworthchild / january 2020 23

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

School PROFILE Are you looking for a school that’s as passionate about your education as you are? Get to know the institutions that

child’s excel in

fostering a lifetime love of learning.

All Saints’ Episcopal School is a leading college preparatory day school in Fort Worth, Texas, serving students age three through grade 12. Grounded in the Episcopal tradition, All Saints’ is a familycentered environment focused on elevating each child’s genius within through programs of national distinction. Our 144 acres include open space to grow and explore, as well as exceptional facilities like a state-of-the-art student Union, beautiful Chapel, a Robotics Lab and an Exploratorium. The All Saints’ Exploratorium is a new collaborative, projectbased learning center and design-thinking lab in the Lower School. The Exploratorium allows students to use their creativity and imaginations in a hands-on learning environment, leveraging technology as needed. Students engage in authentic problem solving and build meaningful skills like resiliency, cooperation, design thinking and creativity. The vision for, and execution of, this space has been led by Ann-Marie McCollough, STEAM and Project-Based Learning Coordinator, but all lessons and activities are co-planned and co-taught with the classroom teacher to ensure content connectivity between learning spaces. Come see for yourself how our educational model blends the best of tradition and innovation at our come-and-go open house, All Day @ All Saints’ on January 28! Learn more and register here: aseschool.org/adas.

All Saints’ Episcopal School 9700 Saints Circle, Fort Worth, TX 76108 817-560-5700 • admission@aseschool.org aseschool.org

january 2020 / fortworthchild

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

At Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts (FWAFA), we pride ourselves on academic and artistic excellence. Students grades three through twelve are immersed in rigorous, conservatory style instruction in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with the option to choose a fine arts endorsement before high school. Students are provided with unique opportunities to showcase their talent in school performances and art shows, as well as throughout the Fort Worth community. A proven leader in education, FWAFA ranks among the top schools in Texas, and has consistently ranked among best high schools in the nation. Our curriculum is based on the National Core Art Standards and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) guidelines. Additionally we offer Pre-AP and AP course offerings in all secondary subjects. Our highly-qualified faculty help prepare students for success in college and beyond, committed to engaging and challenging them along the way. FWAFA graduates advance to Ivy League universities and top colleges, appear on Broadway, television, and movie productions, and lead successful careers in many professional industries. At FWAFA, the stage is set for success! We invite your family to join us at our upcoming Prospective Student Open House on Tuesday, January 14th at 6pm to experience all the FWAFA magic. Open enrollment dates are January 8–February 10. For more information regarding admission and the audition process visit FWAFA.org/admission.

Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts 3901 S. Hulen St., Fort Worth, TX 76109 info@FWAFA.org • 817-924-1482 FWAFA.org

Best teachers, best teaching, best teaching environment … engaging, challenging and connecting. That’s what we, as a JK–12 school, promise students at Fort Worth Country Day. With the right wind under one’s wings, no aspiration is too lofty to achieve. Students’ experiences at FWCD take place in an environment of fundamental support, from classroom teachers to counselors and learning specialists in all three school divisions. We connect with students, guiding them to manage and navigate challenges and embrace the power of education. Programming highlights include our Center for International Studies. This fall, we were the first independent school to be honored by Fort Worth Sister Cities with the Eisenhower Award for Organizational Involvement. Our middle school Awesomeness Initiative provides alternative courses on creative topics that stimulate thinking and creativity. Lower school leaders are focusing on service learning. The interdisciplinary senior capstone fosters intellectual curiosity, educational purpose and engagement. The best way to experience Fort Worth Country Day is to visit and explore our beautiful 104-acre wooded campus. Our founders assigned great significance in putting Fort Worth in our name in 1962. We remain committed to being a school of and for the community as we continue our ascent to being a forward-thinking coeducational independent school of national significance.

Eric V. Lombardi Head of School

Fort Worth Country Day 4200 Country Day Ln., Fort Worth, TX 76109 817-732-7718 fwcd.org

fortworthchild / january 2020

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

These continue to be exciting times for the students and families at Jane Justin School and CSC Upper School. We opened our new Middle School and High School facilities just in time for the beginning of the school year. They are wonderful compliments to our lower school program! Our mission is to foster the knowledge and skills necessary for our students to achieve productive and meaningful lives while embracing the individuality of each child. Both schools operate from the perspective that learning is personal and instruction must be individualized, but the aims are different. In lower school, we prepare students to transition to a more traditional school program. In upper school, we prepare young adults to earn their high school diploma, live independently, and secure meaningful employment. Dr. Mann has been the Head of School since 2013. Born and raised in Kansas City, she relocated to Fort Worth to join the Jane Justin School in 2012. She holds Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Kansas in Developmental and Child Psychology. She has over 18 years of experience providing and supervising quality education. We understand finding the right school can be overwhelming. We invite you to give us a call so we may navigate this difficult road with you and help your child get on the path to meeting his or her full potential.

Tracie Mann, Ph.D., LBA

Headmaster, Jane Justin School & CSC Upper School Jack B. Morris Chair Jane Justin School & CSC Upper School 1300 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76102 682-303-9287 • childstudycenter.org

Child Study Center at Cook Children’s 1300 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76110 682-303-9287 • cscfw.org

Nolan Catholic High School continues a tradition that began more than half a century ago: a ministry of the Diocese of Fort Worth providing a college preparatory education and evangelizing students to be tomorrow’s servant leaders. Founded in 1961, Nolan Catholic’s storied history continues to evolve, grow, and move in exciting new directions. During 2019-2020, the campus is undergoing a $32 million enhancement, including updates to the existing main building, new classroom furniture, additional outdoor classrooms, a state-of-the-art Natatorium, and an Integrated Design of Engineering and Arts (IDEA) Building. A Nolan Catholic education engages our students with a diverse, rigorous curriculum that spans across academic disciplines. Even more importantly, the Nolan Catholic experience helps our students discover, nurture, and develop their unique, God-given talents. Our students learn to succeed with grace, fail with dignity, and approach all challenges with humility. The Nolan Catholic experience addresses the whole person with college preparatory academics, an award-winning fine arts program, championship-level athletics, innovative ecology and engineering programs, and more – all built on a foundation rooted in our Catholic faith. We are committed to partnering with families to teach our students to discover truth, beauty, and goodness in all that they encounter. At Nolan Catholic, our students are formed in the Gospel virtues of faith, hope, and charity to become lifelong learners in knowing, loving, and serving God.

Nolan Catholic High School 4501 Bridge St., Fort Worth, TX 76103 817-457-2920 • admissions@nchstx.org nolancatholic.org

january 2020 / fortworthchild

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Nearly three decades ago, when I joined The Oakridge School, a unique feeling of family and community, academic excellence, character development, and ethical leadership was evident across our campus. This special experience has been shared by generations of Oakridge alumni, and our commitment to our mission—to inspire students to seek their full potential in academics, arts, and athletics—has never been stronger than it is right now. Founded in 1979, today’s Oakridge is home to more than 720 students representing 38 cities and 12 countries. These leaders of tomorrow learn in a challenging and nurturing environment that cultivates social responsibility, mutual respect, and personal integrity. We still hold firmly the values of our founders while providing innovative programs on a beautiful 100-acre campus. With leading faculty, diverse course offerings, and cutting edge technology, we are preparing today’s students for college and beyond. Admissions season at Oakridge is underway. Our admissions process is designed to provide families with a personalized experience to help determine whether Oakridge is the right fit for your child and family. We want to learn about your child’s talents and dreams. We also want you to see what makes our Early Childhood Center, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School so special. It’s a great time to be an Oakridge Owl!

Jonathan M. Kellam Head of School

The Oakridge School 5900 W. Pioneer Pkwy., Arlington, TX 76013 817-451-4994 theoakridgeschool.org

As Southwest Christian School celebrates our 50th anniversary, we are taking a moment to look at the people who have contributed to our success in the past, continue to give tirelessly to our present, and are boldly helping us navigate our future. One of those people is SCS’ President and Head of School, Mr. Brian E. M. Johnson. Over the past four years, Mr. Johnson has left an indelible mark on SCS through his passion for sharing the Gospel, commitment to our families, and nearly three decades of experience as a school leader, fundraiser, community organizer, volunteer, and trustee. He holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University with a concentration in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy, an MBA from the University of North Carolina, and a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy (with distinction) from Stanford University. Mr. Johnson’s experience and expertise have allowed him to have a significant impact on our thriving school. SCS is primed to launch the next half century with a solid foundation and a bright future forged by visionaries who know the importance of Christian education, leadership and global mindedness. Our strong academic programs, extensive extracurricular offerings and exemplary faculty and staff are helping us prepare tomorrow’s Christian leaders. We encourage you to visit SCS and find something more!

Brian E. M. Johnson President and Head of School

Southwest Christian School Chisholm Trail Campus (Pre-K–6) 6801 Dan Danciger Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76133 Lakeside Campus (7–12) 6901 Altamesa Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76123 southwestchristian.org

fortworthchild / january 2020

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The arts are a vital component of quality education and it is our mission to ensure we provide students with the opportunity to be empowered through arts education. At Texas School of the Arts (TeSA), students in grades kindergarten through six are inspired to grow both academically and artistically. Our school offers an environment where children are encouraged to think creatively, innovate, and collaborate, paving the path to a promising future in any field they choose. Unique to our curriculum, students are immersed daily in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts classes. Using National Core Arts Standards and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, teachers create individualized curriculum that meets the needs of every student, developing their artistic techniques and performative qualities. TeSA is ranked among the top schools in Texas. Our low student to teacher ratios ensure each child is engaged and challenged at their individual level. A well-rounded education is the key to success in school and beyond. We strive daily to create a sense of community and belonging in our school and your child belongs here too. Please join us at our upcoming Prospective Student Open House on Thursday, January 9th at 6pm to experience all that TeSA has to offer your child. Open enrollment dates are January 8–February 10. For more information about the admission and the audition process visit MyTeSA.org/admission.

Texas School of the Arts 6025 Village Pkwy., Edgecliff Village, TX 76134 info@myTeSA.org • 817-732-8372 myTeSA.org

IMAGINE your child... thriving academically and spiritually in a safe and engaging environment, equipped by caring, innovative teachers to be a responsible, collaborative & service-minded leader. Imagine your child at Crown of Life Lutheran School.

Fellowship Academy is the metroplex’s hidden gym of a school. Our PreK–12 campus enjoys the beauty and peace of a rural setting, yet we are easily accessed from Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Grand Prairie, and other communities. Our mission is to prepare godly leaders who impact the community through their service to others, who are encouraged in a safe and Christ-centered environment, and who are educated to realize their full potential through hard work and discovery of their God-given gifts, talents and purpose. Ten years of graduating classes tell us that a 28

january 2020 / fortworthchild

Crown of Life Lutheran School 6605 Pleasant Run Road, Colleyville, TX 76034 817-251-188 • school@crownoflife.org colschool.org

Fellowship Academy education has prepared them well for life, learning and career.

Fellowship Academy 1021 N. Bowman Springs Rd., Kennedale, TX 76060 817-483-2400 • info@fellowship-academy.org fellowship-academy.org Find us on Facebook and Instagram

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Fort Worth Academy’s innovative approach to teaching and learning has moved the school to the national and international forefront of education. Head of School Shannon Elders explains, “Everyone here contributes to a unique environment that removes a fear of failure, rewards intellectual risk-taking, and encourages curiosity and creativity through experiential learning.” The Academy offers an experience designed for the foundational years: kindergarten through eighth grade. Small class sizes of no more than 15 ensure every child receives highly personalized attention while a diverse, welcoming environment inspires every child to discover and pursue his or her own path to excellence. A team of expert teachers provide a curriculum of advanced academics, real-life

application of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) lessons, and ProjectBased Learning, along with strong athletics and arts programs. The school’s distinctive E.L.I. (entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation) Initiative prepares students for both academic and lifelong success.

Expectant parents call TCU’s KinderFrogs School for advice as soon as they learn their child has Down syndrome. Families notice huge strides in confidence and development while their children are at the school, thanks to physical, occupational and speech therapies; counseling; and thoughtfully planned curriculum. Once students graduate, school staff follow up to ensure the children are thriving in their new schools. KinderFrogs School is Tarrant County’s only early-intervention educational program for children ages 18 months to six years with Down syndrome and other developmental delays. The school provides vital programs for children with developmental delays and Down syndrome to thrive academically, taught by master teachers and aspiring educators.

Learn more by visiting our website, and call us to schedule a visit. We’d love to have your child at KinderFrogs school!

A deep Christian school experience is our fundamental commitment at Pantego Christian Academy. Each day your child is immersed in sound Biblical teaching, mentoring and dynamic spiritual growth. Our students study the Word, help each other grow and they put their faith into action through mission trips and meaningful service to the community while growing toward a faith that is truly their own for a lifetime. We strive to do this by: • Surrounding students with like-minded Christian friends and faculty while not isolating them from the world. • Providing rigorous and up-to-date curriculum that challenges and prepares students for the next level.

Fort Worth Academy 7301 Dutch Branch Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76132 817-370-1191 • admissions@fwacademy.org fwacademy.org

KinderFrogs School 2805 Stadium Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76109 817-257-6828 kinderfrogs.tcu.edu

• Integrating a Biblical worldview in every subject and activity at PCA. • Providing Bible classes and weekly chapels for all students. • Offering several local service projects and mission opportunities.

Pantego Christian Academy 2201 West Park Row, Arlington, TX 76013 817-460-3315 • admissions@pantego.com pantego.com Lisa Mann, Admissions Director

fortworthchild / january 2020

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Ed C. Smith, Ed.D. President

Is your child struggling in school? Is reading or math difficult? For more than 50 years, Starpoint School has provided individualized educational programs to help students build their academic strengths and develop positive attitudes. Students learn based on their needs, rather than grade levels, and participate in special programs integrating traditional subjects with technology, music, art and physical education. TCU is the only university in the nation with two special education laboratory schools. Starpoint school provides vital programs for children with learning differences to thrive academically, taught by master teachers and aspiring educators. Learn more by visiting our website, and

call us to schedule a visit. We’d love to have your child at Starpoint school!

For 60+ years, Fort Worth Christian School has been the leader in Christ-centered, college preparatory education for NE Tarrant County. It is our vision for every graduate to continue a life of faith, service, and leadership for Christ. To that end, our mission is to be a leading Christ-centered, college preparatory school where every student is known, loved, and valued, taught excellence in and out of the classroom, and empowered by a biblical worldview. Championship athletics and fine arts and rigorous academics, all in a small-class

environment. From preschool through 12th grade, join the FWC community!

We’re celebrating 20 years of Faith! Grapevine Faith exists to develop and graduate authentic Christian leaders. In partnership with Christian families, we educate children ranging from Pre-K through 12th grade. Faith offers a unique educational opportunity for students through a challenging, Christ-centered, biblically based school program with excellence in academics, athletics and creative arts. We strive to infuse a biblical worldview in every aspect of the school experience, and encourage ministry and mission mindedness

to the local community and beyond. Faith is coeducational, evangelical and college preparatory with selective admission. Upcoming Open Houses: January 28, February 25, March 24 and April 21. Visit grapevinefaith.com/admissions for details and registration.

At Inspire Academy, we work to create a safe place to learn. Our instructors work with students of all abilities, providing both the community and individualized attention children with Learning Differences need. We focus on outside the box, multi-sensory techniques. Through our supportive community and unique instruction, students are able to reduce their anxiety and not only learn to be themselves, but how to learn effectively. Contact us today to learn more!

january 2020 / fortworthchild

Starpoint School 2805 Stadium Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76109 817-257-7141 starpoint.tcu.edu

Fort Worth Christian School 6200 Holiday Ln., North Richland Hills, TX 76180 817-520-6200 fwc.org/openhouse

Grapevine Faith Christian School 730 E. Worth St., Grapevine, TX 76051 817-442-9144 • admissions@grapevinefaith.com grapevinefaith.com

Inspire Academy 55 Main St. #290, 291, Colleyville, TX 76034 817-803-5010 inspireacademytx.com

SCHOOL PROFILE / SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy (MLCA) is a dynamic combination of classical education with a caring family atmosphere. At Messiah we work to ignite the love of learning in our students through rich classical literature and in depth studies of history, rhetoric and science. Students are also instructed in the arts: They experience instruction in art classes, piano, choir and stringed instruments. All this wonderful curriculum is taught in an atmosphere that nurtures and encourages students in their faith in the Gospel of Christ. Small class sizes and highly educated,

experienced teachers make MLCA an excellent foundational learning experience for all children.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a classical Catholic school, loves to go beyond pen and paper with our vigorous, advanced, traditional academics and engage our students with multi-sensory, hands on lessons. In addition to our core subjects, we offer foreign language, music, art, drama, band, library, outdoor learning, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (languages and elective options vary by grade). All students enjoy recess daily. Chef prepared hot lunch and a variety of extracurricular options are available to our students. We are dedicated

to assisting parents with the education and formation of their children.

Bright Future for Trinity Valley School! At TVS, our philosophy that a true education takes place not solely in the classroom has stood for sixty years. Pre-kindergarteners through seniors are encouraged, guided, and supported by a faculty that is visionary and top-rate. Students are prepared for their future with robust academics, competitive athletics, global education, experiential learning, and an impressive mix of fine arts. Let our experts partner with you to strengthen the heart and mind of your child! TVS: Celebrating 60 Years of Timeless Education

Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy 1308 Whitley Rd., Keller, TX 76248 817-431-5486 • mlcatexas.org

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School 2016 Willis Ln., Keller, TX 76248 817-431-4845 seton.school

Trinity Valley School 7500 Dutch Branch Rd. Fort Worth, TX 76132 (817) 321-0100 tvs.org

DFWChild.com Directory Helping parents successfully navigate the school years is kind of our thing. Explore our not-so-secret weapon, the online directory, at dfwchild.com.

fortworthchild / january 2020

kid culture.

IMAGE COURTESY OF MERIT CHINESE SCHOOL

Merit Chinese School students learn language while experiencing cultural heritage.

DUAL LINGOS

how to immerse your kiddos in a new language WORDS LISA SALINAS + ALEXIS PATTERSON

ORT WORTH DAD MATTHEW SIKES WISHES HE WERE BILINGUAL.

“All the time,” he shares. “I’m a lawyer, and the more languages you speak, the greater the pool of potential clients. And it would help with witnesses. Plus, knowing other languages opens up cultural experiences you won’t have if you speak only English.” Little by little, Sikes is learning some Spanish through his daughters. They’re 2 and 4—and take classes at the Spanish-immersion preschool Mi Casita. “I find myself trying to figure out what they said,” Sikes laughs. “I look things up on Google Translate.” Sikes enrolled his daughters at Mi Casita with the hope that they will one day fortworthchild / january 2020

kid culture / D U A L

have the professional and travel opportunities he hasn’t had. He also sees great value for their developing minds. “They’re thinking in different ways and improving their cognition,” Sikes says of the girls. “They’ve really taken to it. I’ve even heard the older one lecturing the younger one in Spanish.” Sikes and his wife are among a growing number of parents who want their children to be multilingual. It makes sense, given our global society where diverse cultures thrive. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 30% of the Texas population (that is, 7.8 million people) speak Spanish at home. “Speaking another language is a useful skill for my daughters to have,” Sikes points out. There are private, specialty schools that help children become bilingual as well as a dual-language trend in North Texas public schools. Here’s how and why those programs work.

Ages 6 weeks through PK Faith-based child care for over 55 years! 3621 TULSA WAY, FORT WORTH, TX 76107

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january 2020 / fortworthchild

“Our students will start to understand directions in French, to participate in our language rituals and to answer questions in pre-K3,” Laupie-Williams notes. “They will be able to speak back in French in kindergarten.” They gain skills in other languages too. DIS instructional days are primarily split between French and English, with a third language (Spanish or Mandarin) incorporated beginning in pre-K4. Dallas mom Nelyda Villaseñor initially learned Spanish from her parents but gained fluency in dual-language programs. So it was an easy choice to enroll her 3-year-old daughter in bilingual pre-K at Dallas ISD’s Arthur Kramer Elementary. “I have a few cousins whose parents enrolled them in only-English classes starting in kindergarten, and they can barely speak Spanish,” she says. “They are not able to write it nor really read it fluently. That makes a huge difference.” Villaseñor says that her daughter grows her language abilities primarily through playtime and basic skills building. “I feel like her vocabulary has expanded,” she says. “She’s using fuller sentences now.”

“THEY’RE THINKING IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND IMPROVING THEIR COGNITION.”

6006 Southwest Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76109 MusicGoRounDFW.com • 817-763-8188

LINGOS

SPEAK TO ME Mi Casita—the preschool and day care that Sikes’ daughters attend in Fort Worth— conducts classes in 100% Spanish. “More than teaching in Spanish, we speak in Spanish,” explains Melissa Page Peter, founder and owner of Mi Casita, which accepts kids from birth to 5 years. “If we did both English and Spanish, the students wouldn’t have as much exposure to Spanish. The more sounds they hear in Spanish, the higher the likelihood of fluency.” Mi Casita students take in the language through project-based learning—such as creating a toy store and presenting it (in Spanish) to their families. This is in contrast to simply being taught nouns, verbs and the like. “Project-based learning is engaging, authentic work that leads to very positive learning experiences in general,” says Page Peter. “And my philosophy is that when we align language with that approach, they’ll have more positive experiences with Spanish as well.” Starting your kids young is best. While “better late than never,” Page Peter says “the optimal time is 0–7.” Camille Laupie-Williams—a Dallas International School (DIS) pre-K3 French teacher—says kids in preschool grasp language quickly because they absorb it intuitively. In contrast, an adult might try to compare and translate what they’re learning to their first language.

CULTIVATING CULTURE Another important aspect of language learning is immersion in the culture of study. For example, DIS follows the French education model. “We have more breaks during the day,” says Laupie-Williams. “We have three different recesses—that’s a little different from American schools, I think. Playing outside is important for us.” And the children learn French stories and music too, such as classic book Roule Galette and the children’s song “Une Souris Verte.” Plus, there’s one day out of the year that’s dedicated to celebrating all the countries around the world that speak French. There’s also a multinational feel at Mi Casita. “We have teachers from Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Colombia,” says Page Peter. “Their cultural experience, they bring that to the classroom.” Ultimately, these schools teach kids how to navigate modern life. “It’s that open mind that they get here at DIS,” Laupie-Williams says. “Being aware at such a young age of all the different cultures, all the different languages, is preparing them for the global world that they’re going to grow up in.”

PRACTICE, PRACTICE

From at-home resources to library storytimes and bilingual schools in North Texas, here are ways to help immerse your kiddos in a new language. AT- H OM E R E SO U RCE S Au Pair in America

Local mom Kallie Freelen used Au Pair in America to find her live-in au pair. Her 2-year-old son has had care from an au pair since birth; Freelen says that has helped him learn Spanish and English equally well. Currently, she has an au pair from Colombia; her previous au pair was from Panama. aupairinamerica.com

Jamma Jango

Created by mom Julia Wang, Jamma Jango offers dual-language programs in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese for kids up to age 7. Go online to purchase vocabulary cards and box sets that come with DVD cartoons and games. jammajango.com

S TO RY TIM E S East Arlington Branch Library

Join the library on Mondays at 10:30am for bilingual (Spanish and English) storytime for littles age 4 and under. 1624 New York Ave., Arlington; arlingtonlibrary.org

Mansfield Public Library

Bilingual (Spanish and English) storytime is on Thursdays at 10:30am for ages 3–6 years old. 104 S. Wisteria St., Mansfield; mansfieldtexas.gov

Watauga Public Library

Stop by on the first Friday of the month from 4–5pm for bilingual storytime in Spanish and English. All ages are welcome. 7109 Whitley Road, Watauga; cowtx.org

SCH O O L S Mi Casita

This school offers cultural experiences, games and activities, arts and crafts and more through complete Spanish immersion. Mi Casita accepts students from birth to 5 years. 6002 Southwest Blvd., Fort Worth; micasitapreschool.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAMMA JANGO; SPANISH SCHOOLHOUSE

Caminito Spanish Immersion & Montessori School

From infants to littles in preschool and kindergarten, Caminito uses immersion and the Montessori method to cultivate the Spanish language in its students. It also offers summer camp, after-school care and Mommy and Me classes. 252 S Elm St., Keller; caminitospanishschool.com

Spanish Schoolhouse

With preschool up to kindergarten teachings, summer camps, plus Mommy and Me classes, the Spanish Schoolhouse immerses your littles in the Spanish language. Multiple locations; spanishschoolhouse.com

It’s stock show time in fort worth! • Cattle & Equestrian Competitions • Live Music Daily • Rodeo in the new Dickies Arena • Acres of Awesome Shopping • Children’s Barnyard • Food For Every Taste • Carnival / Midway • … and lots more!

Jan. 17 - feb. 8 WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER | DICKIES ARENA | FWSSR.COM

Order online at FWSSR.COM

Purchase at Ticketmaster.com, visit the Stock Show Ticket Office or call 817-877-2420. Convenience charges are added at Ticketmaster locations and are nonrefundable.

fortworthchild / january 2020

the agenda HILD.COM

R DAILY E

VISIT

WORDS ELIZABETH SMITH

20 F A M I L Y - F R I E N D L Y E V E N T S Y O U C A N ’ T M I S S I N

JA N UA RY

BOAR’S HEAD & YULE LOG FESTIVAL

JAN. 6–7 // EXPERIENCE CHINESE CULTURE AND MYTHOLOGY THROUGH DANCE AND A LIVE ORCHESTRA AT SHEN YUN, WITH PERFORMANCES AT FORT WORTH’S BASS HALL.

MANLY MEN & WILD WOMEN HIKE THE HILLS

TA N DY H I L L S NAT U R AL ARE A January 1 Ever explored this 160acre park right here in Fort Worth’s backyard? On New Year’s Day, join the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area for a border-to-border-to-borderto-border hike (tracing the steel cable boundary) to see sections of the park typically visited by only wildlife. All ages and leashed dogs welcome. Bring water, snacks, hiking boots and a hat; allow 1–1½ hours for the hike. RSVP by emailing Don Young at info@tandyhills.org. FREE 3400 View St., Fort Worth tandyhills.org

DISNEY FANTASIA: LIVE IN CONCERT

BAS S PE RF ORM ANC E HA LL January 3 There’s no forgetting Mickey as the sorcerer’s apprentice, the dancing broomsticks and his cleaning 36

spell gone wrong. Revisit Disney’s FANTASIA (1940) and FANTASIA 2000 when the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performs a live soundtrack to the movies, screened in high-definition above the stage. Tickets from $38.50. 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth fwsymphony.org

FIRST FRIDAYS AT THE FARM

NASH FAR M January 3 Nothing tops off a big family breakfast like cinnamon rolls. Learn how to roll out the dough yourself and make ooey, gooey sweet rolls from scratch during this heritage workshop hosted by the skilled docents at Grapevine’s historical farmstead. Open to all ages; $3 per person for 3 years and up. Registration is required. 626 Ball St., Grapevine nashfarm.org

LADY AND THE TRAMP

PAL ACE TH EATR E January 4 Did your kids love the live-

january 2020 / fortworthchild

action Lady and the Tramp recently on the big screen? Feel sappy all over again when you take the dog lovers in your family back to the movie theater to see the original 1955 animated version on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7:30pm. General admission seats are $6 each. Bring in a same-day receipt from any Grapevine restaurant and receive a free small popcorn. 300 S. Main St., Grapevine palace-theatre.com

UNIVE RSIT Y CHRIST IA N CHURCH January 4–5 More than 300 cast and crew members honor a Renaissance-era tradition with this event featuring a procession of lords, ladies, dancers and, carrying in the boar, the ceremonial guard known as the Beefeaters. See the costumes and listen to the UCC Chancel Choir, Youth Bell Choirs and Fort Worth Civic Orchestra. Free tickets available. $15 for limited reserved seating. Note: No Boar’s Head Feast this year.

2720 S. University Drive, Fort Worth universitychristian.org/bhylf

ICE! FEATURING A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

G AYLORD T EX A N Through January 5 With the Christmas rush over, now may be the right time to visit the Gaylord’s real-life winter wonderland of colorful ice sculptures— hand-carved from more than 2 million pounds of ice and modeled after scenes from the Charlie Brown holiday film. The exhibit remains open through the first weekend of January, so don’t miss your last chance to experience the two-story-tall ice slides, ice skating and snow tubing. Prices vary by activity. ICE! tickets are $23.99 for adults and $14.99 for children. Open New Year’s Day. 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine christmasatgaylordtexan.com

GIFT OF LIGHTS

T E X AS MOTOR SPE E DWAY Through January 5 Let your kids hang onto the Christmas magic a little

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL

AMON G . CA RT E R STA DIUM January 4 Hey, football fans—don’t miss out on this annual college game, this time a matchup between Southern Miss and Tulane. The fun starts at the free Ulterra Tailgate Outpost with all-age activities, from a field goal kicking area and football toss to face painters

JAN. 4 // ENJOY WHAT’S LEFT OF FOOTBALL SEASON AT THE LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL ON THE TCU CAMPUS.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL; SHEN YUN PERFORMNG ARTS; UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

and food trucks. Stay through the game to catch a skydiving team, military flyovers and a fireworks display. Tickets from $30; $99 for a family four-pack; free tickets available for veterans or active-duty military and their families. 2850 Stadium Drive, Fort Worth armedforcesbowl.com

DRAW, PAINT, READ, REPEAT

JAN. 24–25 // MEET ELSA, ANNA AND OTHER FROZEN FAVORITES AT GRAPEVINE’S DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE—THIS YEAR, A ROYAL SNOW BALL.

longer by visiting this milelong LED light show on the raceway, plus ice skating, train rides and concessions. Ice skating admission with skate rental is $5 for age 15 and younger and $10 for 16 and older. Train rides are $3 per person for age 3 and older. Admission is $30 per car or truck. Open New Year’s Day. 3545 Lone Star Circle, Fort Worth giftoflightstexas.com

SHEN YUN

BAS S PE RF ORM ANC E HA LL January 6–7 Shen Yun translates to “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” and nothing could be closer to the truth. This touring production revives centuries of ancient Chinese culture and mythology through dance, accompanied by a live orchestra of both Chinese and Western instruments. Note that kids must be 4 years or older to attend. Tickets from $80. 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth shenyun.com/dfw

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRAPEVINE PARKS AND RECREATION; NRH2O FAMILY WATER PARK; KIMBELL ART MUSEUM

FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO

WILL RO G E RS M E MOR IAL C E N TE R January 17–February 8 The pride of Cowtown returns for 23 days, with livestock shows, mutton bustin’ and carnival rides—and the first season of cheering on daredevil, bull-riding cowboys inside the brandnew Dickies Arena. Rodeo tickets include Stock Show general admission, which otherwise costs $10 for adults and $5 for ages 6–16 (free for age 5 and younger). For $25, get reserved seating at Sundance Square Plaza for the All Western Parade through downtown Saturday, Jan. 18, and access to the face painters and balloon artists. 3400 Burnett Tandy Drive, Fort Worth

fwssr.com

PANTHER ISLAND ICE

C OYOTE DR IV E-IN Through January 20 Wallet feeling light after the holidays? Take advantage of discounts to enjoy a day of family fun at this outdoor ice skating rink. Come on Cheap Skate Tuesdays for half-price admission or on Food Drive Wednesdays (bring two canned goods for the Tarrant Area Food Bank) for $2 off. $13 regular admission includes skate rental and access to the drive-in movie theater’s outdoor concession stand. Free for spectators. Open daily, including New Year’s Day and MLK Jr. Day. 223 NE Fourth St., Fort Worth pantherislandice.com

WILD KRATTS LIVE!

BASS PER FOR MANCE HALL January 20 Brothers and Wild Kratts co-creators Martin and Chris Kratt return to DallasFort Worth for a live-action edition of their children’s animated TV series. Tag along on their quest as they share creature fundamentals and rescue the animal world from a comic villain. Tickets from $33. VIP tickets include post-show meet and greet. 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth basshall.com

DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE: RETURN TO ARENDELLE

C OMPASS CENTER January 24–25 Littles still fresh with Frozen II fever will love this Royal Snow Ball with dinner, dancing and character meet and greets with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf. Space is limited and tickets will not be sold at the door, so register for a time slot in advance. Open to girls 2–18 and their fathers or

father figures. $20 each for Grapevine residents; $25 for nonresidents. Some time slots may be sold out. 4201 Pool Road, Grapevine gograpevine.com/ daddydaughter

FISHING FOR FUN

KE LLE R TOWN CE NT E R January 25 The pond is freshly stocked for Keller’s annual family fishing event and competition outside Town Center. Try and catch the first, biggest, smallest or most fish of the day to win prizes. No fishing license required for anglers age 16 and younger. Bag limit is five fish per day. FREE 1100 Bear Creek Parkway, Keller kellerparksandrec.com

POLAR PLUNGE

NRH2O FA MILY WAT E R PA RK January 25 What’s the craziest thing your kids would do for a good cause? Well—don’t let them answer that, but do sign up for the annual Polar Plunge where daredevils jump or slide into the cold waters of NRH2O to benefit Special Olympics Texas. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes over their swimsuits and to raise at least $60 (adults) or $30 (under 18). 9001 Blvd. 26, North Richland Hills nrh2o.com/polarplunge

FRANK-N-FRIEND

C ASA MA ÑA NA January 31–February 16 New in school and needing a special friend to help protect him from a bully named Butch, super smart Oliver uses a top-secret computer to build Frank-N-Friend: the fastest, strongest and coolest protector. Treat your littles to this new children’s musical. Tickets from $15. 3101 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth casamanana.org

Resolving to stimulate your kids’ interest in the arts? Give them a jumpstart by signing up for these creative programs at Fort Worth’s most distinguished art museums—featuring storytimes, hands-on art projects, gallery exploration and more. SID’S STORY TIME

SID RICHA RDSON MUSE UM January 2 In Ten-Gallon Bart by Susan Stevens Crummel, the sheriff of Dog City plans to retire until he hears that Billy the Kid (a goat) is coming to gobble up the entire town. Your kids will love this program with a western storytime and gallery art project for 3- to 8-year-olds. FREE 309 Main St., Fort Worth sidrichardsonmuseum.org

PICTURES & PAGES

KIMBE LL A RT MUSE UM January 7 Bring your littles ages 4–6 for this gallery art and storytime program (max of two children per adult) featuring Julián Is a Mermaid. In this debut picture book by Jessica Love and winner of a 2019 Stonewall Book Award, a little boy catches a glimpse of three costumed mermaids on the subway and imitates their style at home with his grandmother’s curtains and potted plant. Sign up online. FREE 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth kimbellart.org

FAMILY PROGRAMMING

A MON CA RT E R MUSE UM OF A ME RICA N A RT January 18 Registration opens Jan. 1, so be ready to join these programs designed for age 12 and younger. The Itty-Bitty Art program includes a toddler music session for ages 12–24 months and a creative movement class for infants (up to 12 months) led by a Texas Christian University dance instructor. The Carter Playdate for 3- to 5-year-olds explores the sense of touch and the materials artists use to make art, and during the afternoon Family Workshop, 6- to 12-year-olds create their own birdinspired artwork. (While you’re there, check out the new exhibit Eliot Porter’s Birds on the second floor.) $10 per child per program; free for Carter members. 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth cartermuseum.org

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!

MODE RN A RT MUSE UM OF FORT WORT H January 25 This children’s program for ages 9–12 focuses on the new exhibit by Damascus-born artist Hrair Sarkissian. Sign up your kids to join a gallery activity and take a closer look at Sarkissian’s works, such as Final Flight, featuring the northern bald ibis, one of the the rarest birds in the world and the living descendant of those depicted in the oldest Egyptian hieroglyphs. $15 per session for museum members; $20 for nonmembers; scholarships available. 3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth themodern.org

F O R M O R E F A M I LY- F R I E N D LY F U N T H I S M O N T H , C H E C K O U R O N L I N E C A L E N D A R A T DFWCHILD.COM/CALENDAR. A N D W H I L E Y O U ’ R E T H E R E , S I G N U P F O R O U R W E E K LY E - N E W S L E T T E R : THE WEEKEND GUIDE.

fortworthchild / january 2020

confessions

MOM TRUTHS ILLUSTRATION MARY DUNN

CO M P I L E D BY E M I LY Y E A R W O O D

MY SON I told my kids the other day that one day, I ASKED MY SAYS ‘FOXY’ they won’t want to fart in front of others. My 2-YEAR-OLD responded, ‘Oh no, if I see a girl, I don’t fart. I INSTEAD OF son SON IF HE squeeze my butt cheeks!’” THE WORD WANTED TO HAVE MILK ‘FOX.’ BEFORE “When my 5-year-old said he “When my daughter didn’t want the potty ‘booster’ was 2, she got upset WITH DINNER. HE STARTED seat and could get on the toilet WHEN I that I would not I took a step back. DOING THIS, himself, share my snack with OPENED THE But he wasn’t gripping the WE BOUGHT sides of the seat yet, so he fell her. But I could not FRIDGE, HE bottom-first into the water. deny her on her third HIM A WINTER LOOKED AT He promptly told me I was the attempt, when she ‘worst mom ever.’ I responded, ME DEADPAN COAT WITH A ‘What about moms who get responded to my AND SAID, FOX PATTERN arrested? Am I worse than ‘No’ with ‘Sharing is ‘HOW ’BOUT A He frowned, ‘I’m not caring, Mommy!’ Well ON IT, SO NOW them?’ talking about them. You’re the COKE?”’ played, kiddo.” worst of the nice moms.’” THAT HE’S WEARING IT, I placed our newly purchased box of doughnuts on the car HE PATS HIS while getting the kids buckled up. The 2-year-old had a meltdown, and I slid into the driver’s seat and tried to shut out the COAT AND Got a funny parenting moment noise. As I drove forward, I watched the doughnuts slide off the you’d like to share? We’d love to SAYS, ‘FOXY!”’ hood. I hear my 2-year-old, now over her meltdown, calmly say, hear from you. Send it to —TRACY, PLANO

—ALEXIS, BEDFORD

—HEATHER, FRISCO

january 2020 / fortworthchild

editorial@dfwchild.com.

—LAURA, LAS COLINAS

—ALEX, DALLAS

“Mom, our doughnuts just fell in the street.” —WHITNEY, DALLAS

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There’s no such thing as a silly question when it comes to a newborn baby. When you’re a new or expecting parent, the questions never end. At Cook Children’s, our pediatricians are here to help you answer all of them.

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