Montgomery Parents June 2017 by KeepSharing

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T IGNORE THE WARNING SIGNS!

Dryness of the Mouth

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Frequent Urination

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RANKED CENTRAL ALABAMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S #1 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL AND #4 IN ALABAMA, BY NICHE.COM.

The Future for these Graduates is Filled with Promise CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2017! What a joy it has been to watch this very special group of students grow, mature, and discover their unique paths in life. We are excited to watch their futures unfold! With a record-setting $9.1 Million in college scholarships to some of the most selective universities and colleges in the U.S. and around the world, these outstanding students have worked tirelessly to achieve this milestone. They are now set to become the next

generation of engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, physicists, artists, athletes, and so much more! We wish them all the best on their journey ahead and look forward to welcoming them on campus as STJ Alumni!

Saint James School FOR PRE-K3 THROUGH 12TH GRADE ADMISSIONS

334.273.3021

Leading the Way Since 1955 S T J w e b . o r g Ask us about our Financial Assistance Program. Academic support for English Language Learners available. Saint James School admits students of any religion, race, gender, creed, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Recognized by Apple as a distinguished school for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence.

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Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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June2017

Columns

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Volume 22 Number 6

6 Editor’s Note DeAnne Watson

8 Living With Children John Rosemond

12 Kids Health Watch

Knowing Your Child’s Learning Style What is your child’s learning style and why is it important?

Homeschooling Mom Tells All Discover the pros and cons of teaching your kids at home.

Sponsored by Professional Pediatrics

Mosquitoes, Chiggars and Ticks, Oh My! Summertime is in full swing and the bugs are out in swarms as well. They irritate us and make us itch, but there are some ways to avoid them and/or treat their bites. Mosquitos move quickly and are probably the hardest to avoid. However, there are bug deterrents that you can use to keep pests away. The most popular types are sprays that contain deet, picaridin, citronella, lemongrass, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years. If using deet, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that a concentration of 30% or less is safe to use on infants and children ages 2 months and older if used correctly. All products should be applied to exposed skin and on clothing, making sure to avoid the mouth and eyes. To apply it to their face, spray it on your hands first and rub it on their face. Be sure to apply it in an open area so you do not breathe it in as

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

you apply it. They only need to be applied once daily so try to avoid combination sprays. If you need both sun and bug protection you can apply the combination for the first application but then use just sunscreen for later protection from the sun. Be sure to wash your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes and skin with soap and water when you are done outside. Chiggars are a little harder to avoid because they are so small. They are most active in late spring, summer, and early fall. As you walk through your yard they are able to latch on to your clothing where they crawl until they find skin and have a little meal leaving an itchy red spot. If you do happen to see them on you take a shower and scrub with soap to wash them away. Just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to wash any other clothes or blankets you used that day too. Treat any bites with anti-itch cream.

Ticks, while easier to spot than chiggars, also like to hang out in wooded areas and areas with tall grass. They also tend to climb from your clothing to you skin and they attach to you for a meal. If you find a tick on you use a pair of tweezers to remove it. Save the tick in a bag in case you need to identify it later. Talk to you doctor if you develop symptoms that you think are related to the bite since ticks, like mosquitos, can spread several diseases. In the end, avoidance is best when possible. Wearing light colored clothing, long pants and shirts, applying deet containing products, and avoiding being outside during evening hours will all help to prevent exposure. Also removing any standing water from your yard and keeping your grass mowed will make it harder for them to get to you. Dr. Malissa Hoy was born in Montgomery. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and earned her medical degree from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, West Virginia in 2007. She completed her Pediatrics Residency in Detroit, Michigan at St. John Hospital and Medical Center. Malissa is happily married to Jade and they have two children.

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First Baptist Church Montgomery

June 19-23

Vacation Bible School

9:00 AM to Noon :: FREE! ages 4* through 6th grade

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DISCOVERING THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE As kids search the visible to discover the invisible, they will discover that the God who created everything there is wants a relationship with them! Kids will learn that God had a plan to restore the relationship He knew we would break from the beginning.

For more information or to register visit

www.montgomeryfbc.org/vbs *Child must have turned 4 by August 31, 2016 to attend VBS.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH montgomery

305 South Perry Street Montgomery, AL 36104

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Making the Most of Summer Without a doubt, summer is likely every child’s favorite time of the year. No school, no homework, just opportunities to have fun and enjoy the season. In their view, summer is a win-win time of the year. But, from an educational standpoint (where there is an expectation that learning happens daily) summer can be a time when many economically disadvantaged students lose. The National Summer Learning Association has done research on a phenomenon that shows a serious learning gap that arises between children from low-income families and those from higher-income households during the summer break. Their data suggests that over the summer, lowincome children lose two or three months

of progress in reading, while their higher-income classmates actually make slight gains. According to their research, by the fifth grade, low-income students can be three years behind their higher-income peers. There is little doubt that finding ways to help children expand their learning opportunities in the summer is critical. There are a number of things that can be done over the summer to help minimize losses and even increase a student’s academic performance potential: Reading to young children, and having older children read to an adult aloud is one easy way to keep vocabulary growth happening. Having them read books and summarize the chapters in story telling format is also a simple routine with impact. The Montgomery City County Library has tons of books (literally) if you can make it to one of their locations. The library also has a variety of online courses at no cost. (Visit http:// www.mccpl.lib.al.us/ for information.) Enroll in the Brain Forest Academy. This no-cost program by the Montgomery Education Foundation, provides instruction in read-

ing and math. You can apply for the program and find out more at https://www.montgomeryed.org/ or by calling 334-647-1700. Make everyday experiences learning opportunities. You can do math at the grocery store – convert pounds to ounces, figure money totals and tax, and add up the calories of the items in your basket. As you drive, have your child figure how long it will take to go a certain distance at a constant speed. Read billboards. Spell the names of things you see. Visit the zoo and learn about animals. Read and do math as you follow a recipe for dinner. If you think about it, you can turn nearly every experience into a learning opportunity. There are opportunities everywhere you look to help your child fight summer learning loss. It may take a little planning on your part, but the results are absolutely worth the effort. Allen began working for Montgomery Public Schools as a special education teacher in 1976. She holds administrative certification from Alabama State University, a masters of arts in early childhood, a masters of arts in early childhood/handicapped, and a bachelor’s of science in elementary education and special education – all from Auburn University Montgomery.

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Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Congratulations Class of 2017

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Macon East Academy graduates have been accepted to the following Colleges & Universities: • • • • • • • • • •

Alabama State University Armstrong State University Auburn University Auburn University Montgomery Austin Peay State University Baptist College in Florida Belhaven University Bevil State Community College Coastal Carolina University East Tennessee State University

• • • • • • • • • •

Emmanuel College Faulkner University Florida State University Gulf Coast Community College Huntingdon College Jacksonville State University Lurleen B Wallace Community College Kaplan University in Singapore Point University Maryville College

• • • • • • • • • •

Miles College Mississippi College Mississippi State University Samford University Southern Union State Community College Spring Hill College The University of Alabama The University of Alabama Birmingham The University of Alabama Huntsville The University of Mississippi

• • • • • • • • • • •

The University of Southern Mississippi The University of Tennessee at Martin Trenholm State Technical College Troy University Troy University Montgomery University of Montevallo University of North Alabama University of South Alabama University of West Alabama Wallace Community College William Carey University

Macon East Academy is proud to recognize the graduating Class of 2017. The 39-member class earned approximately $2 million in merit-based and athletic scholarships. In their senior year, the Class of 2017 led the athletics program to State Championships in boys basketball and baseball and state runner-up titles in volleyball and softball. Seven members of this year’s class have signed athletic scholarships to participate at the collegiate level. Each graduate is representative of the high standards of academic achievement, student life, and Christian values that are the foundation of Macon East Academy. We are proud of these graduates and ready to see them lead the way.

Macon East acadEMy Knights 15396 Vaughn Road | maconeast.net | 334.277.6566 Located 10 minutes east of Chantilly Parkway 15

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Montgomery County Schools

Saint James Students Earn State Titles

ECA Students Place At District Art Show

Several students from Evangel Christian Academy recently won awards at the AISA District 5 Art show. The district event was held at Hooper Academy in Hope Hull. Kyndal Abner won first place in Collage/Mixed Media in the second and third grade division. Christian Williams also won first place in Collage/Mixed Media in the kindergarten and first grade division. Christian Brazil placed second in Waterbase in the kindergarten and first grade division. Julia Jennings placed second in the 3D kindergarten and first grade division. In the second and third grade division Reagan Jackson placed second in Waterbase and Kaylee Rudolph placed second in Drawing with Color. Kemariya Davis also placed second in Drawing with Color in the fourth through sixth grade category. Both first-place winners advanced to compete at the state level.

Saint James School hails three individual State Champions in Speech & Debate for 2017. The state tournament was held in Birmingham in April and the Saint James team, only half the size of most competing, earned three individual state championships, placed second in the state in Individual Events, and fourth place overall at the tournament. Nathan Ashner was named State Champion in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking; he also earned 3rd Place in Original Oratory, 3rd Place in Varsity Congressional Debate and 8th Place in Impromptu Speaking. Henry Olree was named State Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking and placed 2nd in Impromptu Speaking. Griffin Allred was named State Champion in Humorous Interpretation and placed 5th in Duo Interpretation with Gabe Robbins. Also in the high school division, Will Moore was awarded 3rd Place in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. Trevor Otis won 3rd Place in Congressional Debate. JB Ramsey was awarded 3rd Place in Humorous Interpretation. Cassidy Duncan earned 3rd Place in Dramatic Interpretation and in Prose Interpretation, and she placed 4th in Original Oratory. Mason Edwards earned 3rd Place in Informative Speaking, 4th Place in International Extemporaneous Speaking, and 6th Place in Impromptu Speaking. Jacob Pritchett was awarded 5th Place in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking and 5th Place in Varsity Congressional Debate. Joe Higgins earned 6th place in Humorous Interpretation. Joey Etheridge won 6th Place in Novice Congressional Debate. In the middle school division, Sidnee Beavers and Barrett Hammond were named State Champions in Duo Interpretation and Tennison Norton won 2nd Place in Dramatic Interpretation. As a team, Saint James ranked 2nd in Individual Events, 3rd in Congressional Debate and 4th Overall. Speech & Debate State Title Winners, from left, are Nathan Ashner, Henry Olree, Coach Ian Turnipseed and Griffin Allred.

Trinity Student Offered Contract with Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps

Trinity Presbyterian School sophomore Garrett Flowers has been offered a contract with the Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps. He is one of the youngest in the Corps and will be the youngest on the drum line, playing alongside college students. Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps has been providing quality music education for youth for more than 35 years and will embark on a nine-state, 12show summer tour covering nearly 4,000 miles. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Floyd Middle Magnet Field Trip to Miami

Students from Sra. Henleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spanish class and Mr. Woodsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Band went on a field trip to Miami May 12-16. The students spent a day to explore Key Biscayne, Cape Florida Lighthouse and had swimming time at South Beach. They also ate authentic Cuban cuisine at El Christo Restaurant. Other highlights of the field trip included a sightseeing cruise of Historic Miami, an Airboat Ride of the Everglades Safari Park and a tour of the Miami skyline as well as dinner at Miami Hard Rock Cafe. The field trip also included a day at Sea World, on the way back. The field trip was filled with a multi-cultural experience of the Spanish language and culture. 16

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Montgomery County Schools

BrewTech Students Named TSA Officers

Holy Cross First-Graders Raise Butterflies

Holy Cross Episcopal School first-grade students raised two butterflies from larvae for a spring project that was a perfect fit for their STEM discovery study. Teacher Leisa Harrison wanted to give her students an opportunity to be a part of giving back to the environment and a hands-on encounter during each life cycle stage to actually see and have the privilege of examining God’s creation as they grew and developed from start to finish.

Four Brewbaker Technology Magnet High students have been named as 2017-2018 Alabama Technology Student Association officers, including in the office of president. The officers were named during the 38th annual Alabama TSA State Conference in Birmingham. From left are Landon Thompson, Alabama TSA State Treasurer; Isabella Eleogo, Alabama TSA State President; engineering instructor Steve Ballard, Brew Tech’s TSA Advisor; Will Percival, Alabama TSA State Reporter; and Trevor Taylor, Alabama TSA Sergeant at Arms. The TSA is a national organization of middle and high school students involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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MA Speech Coach Rye Joins Hall of Fame

Montgomery Academy Speech & Debate Coach Jay Rye has been selected as a member of the 2017 Class for the National Speech & Debate Association Hall of Fame. This is a tremendous honor as the national association refers to this recognition as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;highest honor for any high school speech and debate coach.â&#x20AC;? Rye will be inducted at the national tournament that will be held in Birmingham this summer. Along with his induction into the Hall of Fame, Rye will receive the prestigious 5th Diamond Award on the same evening. The first diamond award is given after coaching for at least five years and earning at least 1,500 coaching points in the association. At least five years must pass between each diamond award and there are certain point values (based on student success in the activity) that must be achieved between each interval. Therefore, this 5th Diamond for Rye recognizes both his longevity as well as his continued coaching achievement in the activity.

BTW Students Place in Photography Division of Art Contest

Three Booker T. Washington Magnet High students placed in the new Photography Division of the Draw Montgomery Art Competition. Katherine Myrick won first place, Jordan Clayton won third place and Katelynn Allen won an Honorable Mention. There were 128 pieces entered in the competition from both public and private middle and high schools. It was the first year that the competition included a separate division for photography. The quality of work entered into the competition was exceptional across the board. The winning students received cash prizes and were recognized at an awards reception at the Anita P. Folmar Youth Art Gallery of Montgomery at the Armory Learning Arts Center. 19

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Montgomery County Schools

Cornerstone Students Perform Hymn Knowlogy

A Friday afternoon presentation of Hymn Knowlogy, a musical featuring the 2nd-5th grade choir and 6th-grade performers of Cornerstone Classical Christian Academy, was a special treat not only for the fellow student body, but parents and grandparents alike. This musical was the pursuit of the stories and inspirations behind our classic hymns. Thanks to music teacher Elizabeth Kirk for preparing our students for this performance.

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MEA Golf Team Competes In AISA Tournament

The Macon East Golf team recently competed in the AISA State Tournament at Saugahatchee Country Club in Opelika. Junior Bryson Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malley finished the two-day tournament in 6th place shooting 5 over par. He was named to the All-State Tournament team after an outstanding 1 over par round on day two. He will also participate on a fiveman AISA team in a state-to-state tournament later this spring. Freshman Bishop Stringer also had a great showing at state coming in 10th place overall and shooting 11 over par for the tournament. The Knights are coached by Mike Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malley.

Send Your School News by the 12th of each month to: editor@montgomeryparents.com.

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Churchill Academy Holds Alumni Luncheon

Churchill Academyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Alumni Luncheon was held at the school on May 5. The luncheon included students in 8th-12th grades along with alumni from previous graduating classes. Churchill Academy Parent Association (CAPA) provided the lunch and recognized the 2017 Graduating Class of Churchill Academy. Each senior was presented with a gift from CAPA and had the opportunity to mingle with alumni to discuss life after high school. Alumni attendees shared their success and gave advice to current students from their own collective experience. Junior and senior students had the opportunity to participate in mock interviews also. The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxed in the hustle and bustle of May events for Churchill Academy students.

Catholic Students Receive Duke TIP Recognition

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School announces six middle school students who have earned State Recognition for their ACT scores by the Duke Talent Identification Program, one of which received Grand Recognition (one of only 1,600 nationwide). The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) identifies academically talented seventh-grade students in sixteen states across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest who have scored at the 95th percentile or above on standardized achievement tests. Montgomery Catholic had 18 middle school students who qualified to participate in the Duke TIP Program last fall with six studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; scores high enough to have qualified for state recognition. Montgomery Catholic students who will be honored at the Duke Talent Search State Recognition Ceremony are Sadie Bartels, Grace Hoffman, Zach Izer, Julienne Pharrams, Brian Povilus and Maggie Turner. Bartels, shown, received Grand Recognition for receiving a ACT score of 28. She is the daughter of Mandy and Clay Bartels of Pike Road. 21

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Montgomery County Schools

MPS Parent Liaisons Celebrate End of School Year

Pike Road Welcomes New Superintendent

The Pike Road Schools superintendent search process has concluded with success. The Pike Road Schools Board of Education, the Pike Road Town Council and the citizens of Pike Road worked together to select Dr. Chuck Ledbetter to fill the position vacated by the retirement of Dr. Suzanne Freeman.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Montgomery Public Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parent liaisons wrapped up the end of the school year with a breakfast at Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet School. During the year, parent liaisons from Title I schools met monthly to discuss strategies to improve parent and family engagement. At this final meeting, each parent liaison shared one activity or event that worked well to engage parents and impact student learning. Some of these included family nights for technology, math, reading and fitness; workshops for parents on preparing for standardized tests, coping skills, and college and career preparedness; forming parent advisory committees; and having parents as teachers in the classroom teaching a prepared lesson. The group also discussed ideas for the 2017-18 school year.

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Montgomery Academy Girls’ Soccer State Champs

For the fifth time in seven years, the Montgomery Academy girls’ soccer team has won the state championship. In the Class 1A-3A state championship game in Huntsville, the Eagles earned a dominating 4-0 victory over Westbrook Christian. Montgomery Academy held advantages of 17-2 in total shots and 14-2 in shots on goal. Dora Eskridge, who along with Shelton James and Maggie Chambers, joined Robertson as the team’s seniors, had two saves. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team and our girls,’’ Eagles Coach Stuart Bonner said. “I think it’s a testament to the hard work our girls have put in all year.’’ Montgomery Academy went ahead 1-0 on a goal by Austyn Barnes with 16:52 left in the first half, and moved ahead 2-0 on a penalty kick by Tara Katz with 56 seconds remaining until intermission. The Eagles put the championship away behind two second-half goals by Robertson. Katz assisted the first goal and Kate Harris the second. Katz was named the tournament MVP.

Success Unlimited Hosts AISA Art Show

Success Unlimited Academy hosted its first AISA-affiliated schoolwide art show on April 12 in Hawkins Hall. Forty-six students ranging from kindergarten through twelfth grade submitted entries in seven different categories. Students created original works of two-dimensional art on paper and canvas as well as three-dimensional sculptures. Judges from the local art community selected thirty-one art pieces to represent SUA in the district competition. On April 13, there was an art reception open to all SUA staff, students and parents. All art entered into the show was on display. Makyia Dearbone, pictured, was one of the students chosen to represent SUA at the district competition held at Hooper Academy on April 19.

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Montgomery County Schools

Three Catholic Athletes Sign Commitments

MEA Art Students Receive Awards

Macon East Academy art students recently competed at the AISA State Art Show at Faulkner University. Firstgrader Campbell Loughridge received a third-place ribbon for her waterbase entry, while fifth-grader Kacy Rutland also received third-place honors in the printmaking category. Freshmen Valorie Roberts and Haley Wren were awarded second- and third-place ribbons respectively in printmaking and collage/mixed media. Taking first place at the State competition was Macon East junior Seon Young Jang for her collage/mixed media entry. MEA art instructor is Tiffany Ala. Loughridge and Rutland are shown above. Seon Young Jang, Valorie Roberts, and Haley Wren are shown below.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School held a signing ceremony for seniors Riley Aaron, Joshua Koch and Ale Vazquez inside the Library on the Montgomery Catholic High School campus May 3. Aaron and Vazquez will play college soccer at Ave Maria University in southwest Florida next year, and Koch is committed to AUM. Aaron came to Montgomery Catholic during her sophomore year. She started playing soccer at the age of four, and has played for MCPS for three years, and is this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team captain. With a GPA of 4.01 she is the SGA executive president, a member of Mu Alpha Theta, NHS, the yearbook editor, a member of Science Olympiad, Girls State, and the Capital City Streaks Club Soccer (three years). Vazquez has attended Montgomery Catholic since the fifth grade. She has played soccer since she was five years old and has played soccer and volleyball for Montgomery Catholic for the last six years, and has received the school Most Valuable Player Award. Vazquez has a GPA of 3.4 and is a member of the Choir Club, Spirit Club, FCA, Key Club, NSHSS (National Society of High School Scholars). She and Aaron are coached at Montgomery Catholic by Tyler Rosser. Koch will join the Auburn University at Montgomery soccer team next year. He has played soccer for four years. He has received the coaches award and has been named to the Montgomery Advertiser All-Metro team. He has scored 19 goals and contributed 23 assists the past two seasons under Coach Wolfe and was part of Montgomery Catholicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-ever team (2017) helping Catholic to a 18-4-1 regular season record. Koch is coached at Montgomery Catholic by Hunter Wolf.

Academy Fourth-Graders Take History Trip

Recently, fourth-grade students from The Montgomery Academy took an exciting trip to historic sites in downtown Montgomery including the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Alabama State Capitol, Alabama State House and ended with a ride on the Harriott II Riverboat. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Montgomery County Schools

Saint James Athletes Named All-Stars These six Saint James School athletes were chosen to participate in five different All-Star sports this summer during the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) North/South All-Star games. Front row from left, Haley Jolly is playing soccer, Micala Fisanick will play basketball, and Sailor Miles will compete in cross country. Back from left: Annie Skoneki will play volleyball, Tyler Robertson will play baseball and Jake Maddox will compete in cross country.

Cornerstone Grammar Students Perform at Spring Fling

Spring Fling 2017 of Cornerstone Classical Christian Academy, which is the annual fine arts event presented by the grammar school, occurred the evening of March 17 in the sanctuary at Morningview Baptist Church. Parents, grandparents and school friends were amazed at the amount of material memorized and performed by the students. Following the performance, the school families enjoyed a reception honoring the hard work of teachers and students.

Send Your School News by the 12th of each month to: editor@montgomeryparents.com

Because you made promises you intend to keep. To them, and to yourself.

At Frazer, we know that participating in a community of faith isn’t just something you do for yourself. It would be easy to sleep in on Sundays—or catch up on the million other things on your plate. But making space to encounter God in worship might just be worth the effort—for yourself, and for the people in your life that are trusting in you. Why not check it out this Sunday?

WORSHIP TIMES (two locations) 8, 9:30, 11am on Atlanta Highway 9, 10:30am in the Pike Road School

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN’S, STUDENTS’ AND FAMIILY MINISTRIES AT WWW.FRAZER.CHURCH.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Holy Cross Conducts Studies of Friction

ACA Women’s Soccer Comes Full Circle

History was made as the Alabama Christian Academy women’s soccer team clinched a playoff win for the first time in program history. This milestone was achieved on the same field that the ACA women’s soccer program played its inaugural soccer game in 2012. One of the founding members of the ACA women’s soccer program, Hampton Brinson – ACA Class of 2014 and current captain of The University of Montevallo Women’s Soccer Team, spoke to the ACA team before the game. Brinson reminded the current players of the history of the women’s soccer program and how former ACA players dreamed of making it to the playoffs. “You are not only playing for each other but for your coaches, parents and all the ACA women’s soccer players that came before you. We are so proud of the way you represent ACA!” Brinson said. ACA continued in the playoffs with the support of students, faculty, parents, and the legacies of ACA women’s soccer players.

Holy Cross Episcopal School’s fourthgraders, under the expert guidance of teacher Nancy Stankard, learned about the physics of friction recently as they studied its force, application and cause. The students conducted scientific experiments to determine the amount of force needed to move a box of books across different materials, and afterwards they made charts to compare their data. The students learned that friction happens because very few objects have perfectly smooth surfaces. The rough edges on each surface bump into each other, causing friction. When one object slides along an object that is not moving, it creates sliding friction. An object moving through the air or fluid results in fluid friction.

Chapel • Ar t • Music • Spanish • STEM • Librar y • Spor ts Theatre • 21 st Centur y Computing • Accelerated Reader

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4400 Bell Road | Montgomery, AL 36116 | 334-395-8222 | holycrossmontgomery.org

Holy Cross Episcopal School is accredited by AdvancED (formerly SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools We are a proud member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools

HOLY CROSS ADMITS STUDENTS OF ANY RACE, RELIGION, AND NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN. 27

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Trinity Announces New Head Football Coach

Trinity Presbyterian School announced Barry Loyal as Head Football Coach during a press conference on April 28. Coach Loyal is returning to Trinity where he served for six years as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, including Trinity’s 2003 4A State Championship Team. While at Trinity, Coach Loyal also served as Boys’ Junior Varsity Baseball Head Coach and Varsity Baseball Assistant Coach, working with the 1996 3A and 2000 4A State Championship Teams. Coach Loyal is also a 1985 Trinity graduate. Coach Loyal is coming to Trinity from Signal Mountain High School in Chattanooga, Tenn. While at this perennial football powerhouse, Coach Loyal has worked as defensive coordinator for the last three seasons. Prior to his time at Signal Mountain, Coach Loyal established the football program at Chattanooga Christian School, growing the program to a roster of 55 varsity players. Head of School Kerry Palmer remarked, “Barry Loyal is a Trinity man. He has a keen understanding of what it takes to be successful in this environment, and he has a passion for building not only champions on the field of play, but also champions for Christ. We feel that Barry is the perfect fit for this position, and we are happy to welcome him back home!” Barry and his wife, Teena, have two children—Amanda and Carson. From left, Head of School Kerry Palmer, Head Football Coach Barry Loyal, Athletic Director Harold Hilliard and Assistant Athletic Director Jessica Lassiter are shown. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Cornerstone Students are Nationals Bound

Cornerstone Classical Christian Academy students Hannah and Elizabeth Taunton have both qualified to compete at the National History Day Contest (NHD) being held this June at the University of Maryland, College Park. At Alabama History Day, the state level competition of NHD, which was held in April on the campus of Auburn University at Montgomery, Hannah placed first in Individual Performance with her performance titled “Hannah More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist; Taking a Stand with William Wilberforce Against Slavery,” and Elizabeth placed second in Individual Website with her research entitled “Juliette Hampton Morgan: Taking a Stand against White Supremacy in Support of African American Rights.”

Macon East Students Nominated for Jimmy Hitchcock Awards

Seth Meadows and Alex Wyrosdick were honored to represent Macon East Academy this year as nominees for the prestigious Jimmy Hitchcock Award. Since 1959, the YMCA of Greater Montgomery has recognized Christian leadership in athletics through the Jimmy Hitchcock Memorial Award. The banquet, held each year at Frazer United Methodist Church, honors area seniors nominated by their school who possess the qualities of strong personal character, dependability, effort, team and church leadership, school leadership and academic excellence. Both Meadows and Wyrosdick stand out among their peers at Macon East as outstanding students in the classroom as well as leaders in their sport, church and community. The YMCA also acknowledges high school freshmen who possess these same qualities and aspire to one day be Hitchcock nominees. This year’s freshman certificate recipients from Macon East were Emily Claire Lott and Jake Wyrosdick. From left are Jake Wyrosdick, Seth Meadows, Alex Wyrosdick and Emily Claire Lott.

PHYSICIANS TO CHILDREN

welcomes

DR. KAREN DOLES Now accepting new patients ages newborn to 18 years

PH Y S IC IAN S TO C H ILDR E N Taylor Medical Complex 470 Taylor Rd, Suite 210 Montgomery, AL 36117 (334) 293-5033

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Spark achievement.

All that preparation—not for this day, but for the rest of their lives. Each year, they’ve learned more, taken on more, and become more. No one is prouder than you, but we’re a close second. We congratulate the 142nd class of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School.These students have earned $10.5 million in scholarship offers from 27 colleges and universities across the U.S. Our graduates include: a Jimmy Hitchcock Award winner, 10 future college athletes, a seminarian, a U.S. Air Force Academy appointee, a United States Marine recruit, a Montgomery Fire Department recruit, and a National Merit qualifier. Their achievements have energized our Montgomery Catholic family. With the 77 members of the Class of 2017, we’ve seen great things. We fully expect more. This is Catholic.

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From Left: Ivy Bach, third-generation Montgomery Catholic graduate, attended since Kindergarten, National Honor Society, four-year high school Honor Roll student, Mu Alpha Theta officer, scholarship to Troy University; Michaelyn Foster, Montgomery Catholic Knights of the Round Table Female Athlete of the Year, attended since 10th grade, three-year high school Honor Roll student, scholarship to Auburn University Montgomery, college softball player; Zachary Van Alst, Montgomery Catholic Knights of the Round Table Male Athlete of the Year, attended since 7th grade, National Honor Society officer, 6x State Wrestling Champion, scholarship to United States Air Force Academy, college wrestler; Audrey Kim, Montgomery Catholic Ideal Graduate, attended since 2nd grade, National Honor Society officer, Mu Alpha Theta officer, member of Youth Legislature, All-American Cheerleader, scholarship to Tulane University; James Sadie, Montgomery Catholic Student Leader of the Year, attended since 2nd grade, National Honor Society, SGA officer, member of Youth Legislature, anchor of the Knight News Network, scholarship to Auburn University. Photo by Total Image. 30 www.montgomeryparents.com Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Trinity Girls’ Tennis Team is State Runner-Up

Trinity Presbyterian School’s Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team finished as Runner-Up in the 4A-5A State tournament. The Teel sisters—senior Mary Conley and sophomore Emma Beth—sealed the deal by winning the #1 Doubles Championship, adding three points to the team total, which put the Lady Wildcats ahead of Briarwood by one point, resulting in a State Runner-Up finish! Advancing to the State Finals were: Emma Beth Teel #1, Mary Conley Teel #3, and Doubles Team Teel/Teel at #1 Doubles. Advancing to the Semifinals were: Lily Slater #4 and Caroline Easterling #5. Double teams advancing to the semi-finals were: Carolyn Albritton/Lily Slater at #2, and Caroline Easterling/Corynne Vermillion at #3.

ACA 2nd Grade Creates Market Day

As a part of a social studies unit on the world marketplace, Alabama Christian Academy’s second-grade students created their own business and designed products at school to sell at Market Day. Along the way, students marketed their products through self-created commercials using green screen technology. Students had a great time while learning about goods and services, producers and consumers, supply and demand, along with practicing writing and math skills. Other ACA students enjoyed shopping at Market Day.

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YMCA Announces Hitchcock Award Winners

The YMCA of Greater Montgomery’s Jimmy Hitchcock Award Banquet was held May 4 at Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church. The award is selected annually by a committee of volunteers who honor young athletes for Christian leadership in athletics. Students are nominated by their coaches and administrators for setting a Christian example of moral fitness in their athletic development. Nominees and their families are honored at the annual banquet. A top female and a top male recipient are selected and honored at the event. This year, Catholic’s Brian Anderson won the male award and Trinity’s Mary Conley Teel won the female award. David Boudia was the featured speaker for the night. With 17 National titles and four Olympic medals, Boudia is the top 10-meter platform diver in the U.S. and one of the best in the world, in both the individual 10-meter and synchronized 10-meter events.

Holy Cross 4th Grade Enjoys Tours of Montgomery Landmarks

Holy Cross Episcopal School 4th-graders enjoyed touring the State Capitol, State Archives and the historic White House of the Confederacy recently. They learned so much about our state with guided tours, a wealth of state history and fellowship. It was exciting to learn that the Alabama State Capitol is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Confederate Capitol, and is located on Capitol Hill, originally Goat Hill in Montgomery because goats actually grazed on that very hill! In 1845, when it was chosen to be the location of the capitol, the goats had to be happily relocated elsewhere before building could begin!

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Music Honor Society Launched at Alabama Christian

The Tri-M Music Honor Society, the honor society for secondary school music students, announces the chartering of a new chapter at Alabama Christian Academy, under the leadership of Trey Holladay. The formation of this chapter signifies the school’s recognition of the importance of the arts in the development of a comprehensive educational program. The Tri-M Music Honor Society provides a means of recognizing the efforts and achievements of music students who volunteer their time and share their musical talent with others. Since 1952, nearly 7,500 Tri-M chapters have been chartered in the United States and abroad, and current membership exceeds 75,000. Students are selected for membership in the honor society on the basis of musicianship, scholarship, character, leadership and service to their school and community. The organization’s high standards serve to challenge students to greater effort and achievement and to encourage them in the pursuit of excellence. Seniors who were inducted include: Shakk Adams, Heather Barsukoff, Maranda Daniels, Lauren Davis, Devin Green, Jonathan Helms, Alana Hidle, Jeremy Kent, B Khuntonthong, Julia McClendon, Samantha McDonald, Blake Mitchell, Keely Nguyen, Jacey Slaton, Cassidy Young and Mikayla Zimmerman. Juniors include: Jacob Barrentine, Blakely Barrow, Carlssya Bates-Tarver, Reed Black, Jameela Broadie, Lark Edwards, Blakely Gamble, Phelps Griffin, Benjamin Helms, Johnny Henfy, Landon Holladay, Blake Jarrett, Emily Jones, Garrison Lyle, Garrett McDaniel, Abbie Meadows, Anna Grace Murphy, Alex Nelson, Alyssa Newton, Rex Smith, Lacey Spear, Cameron Strowbridge and Micah Williams. Landon Holladay and Blake Mitchell are shown.

Trinity Grandparents Enjoy Arts Reception

Trinity Presbyterian School’s Spring Celebration of Fine Arts was filled with dance, choral and band performances, as well as art exhibits for K4-12th grade students. Many grandparents attended a reception held in the Lower School atrium, where they enjoyed juice and chocolate chip scones, while viewing Lower School artwork. Many grandparents stayed and had lunch with their grandchildren.

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Montgomery Catholic Earns Jostens National Yearbook Design Recognition

MEA’s Garmany Accepts Basketball Scholarship

Macon East Academy basketball player Slate Garmany signed to play next season with Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. Garmany transferred to Macon East from Oak Mountain High School in 2015 to play under Coach Larry Chapman. At point guard, Garmany became the key to the Knights offense. In his two years at MEA, he was part of last year’s AISA 2A State Runner-up team and this year’s State Championship team. The Knights had a 33-0 perfect season ending with the state title they set out to win. Garmany was named to the AISA State All-Tournament team, AISA All-Star team, the All-Metro 1st team, and AISA State 2nd team.

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s yearbook, Excalibur, has been recognized for excellence and featured in the 2017 Jostens Look Book, celebrating the best-of-the-best in yearbook design and coverage. The Jostens Look Book is a collection of spreads and photos from outstanding yearbooks and their creative themes, cool covers, dazzling designs, relevant coverage, storytelling copy and action-packed photography. Along with design excellence, the annually published Look Book honors the important role well-crafted yearbooks play in helping schools chronicle the experiences, stories and achievements most relevant to students and that academic year. The Excalibur 2015 was created by the students of Montgomery Catholic High School’s Yearbook Staff under the direction of Bettina Sinclair, the school’s yearbook adviser. They were recognized for their cover design which featured a custom litho combo design with super matte lamination and ShineFX applications. The Montgomery Catholic Preparatory Excalibur yearbook publication was one of only 418 yearbooks selected from approximately 3,000 entries nationwide. The 2017 panel of judges, comprised of nationally recognized scholastic journalism professionals and award-winning yearbook advisers, selected the best examples of yearbook spreads and covers to make up the 296-page 2017 Look Book. “Even in 2017, yearbooks are unique, limited edition time capsules created by students to capture the unique memories, stories and events of a school year. I couldn’t be more proud of Mrs. Sinclair and her staff for their excellent work,” said Tyler Melton, area Jostens Yearbooks representative. “They carefully selected and developed their theme for the yearbook which always starts with a great concept for the cover design. They then designed pages that focused on relevant and inclusive content, and it is great to see them rewarded for their creativity.” Sinclair and her yearbook staff received a copy of the 2017 Jostens Look Book and a certificate from Jostens to recognize their outstanding achievement.

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Pike Road Lead Learner Receives Proclamation

On May 8 at a regularly scheduled council meeting, the Pike Road Town Council recognized long-time educator and Pike Road resident Jeannie Allen for her accomplishments. Allen, who teaches kindergarten at Pike Road Schools, recently received the Montgomery County Council PTA Elementary Educator of the Year Award, the State of Alabama PTA Elementary Educator of the Year Award, and the State of Alabama District V Elementary Educator of the Year Award. The Town of Pike Road’s Mayor and Town Council issued a proclamation celebrating Allen for her selfless service and leadership within the community and encouraging citizens to congratulate her on her accomplishments. Mayor Stone thanked Allen for being part of what makes Pike Road special. “People like [Mrs. Allen] are why Pike Road is acknowledged all across the state for the great things we accomplish,” said Stone. “But it’s not us, it’s our people, and [she] provides a great example of that.” This year marks Allen’s 26th year in education. Before coming to Pike Road School, Allen served in numerous capacities including as a teacher at Blount Elementary and Alabama Christian Academy, an adjunct professor at Auburn University Montgomery and more. Allen impacts students in Pike Road every day, but her efforts also extend outside our community. She serves children across the world by leading an English-Spanish language program in Mexico at City of Angels Children’s Home in summer months. At the meeting, Allen was joined by her family, to whom she credited her success. “They deserve this award more than me,” Allen said. “You can’t be a teacher without your family.”

GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE FOR ME

Evangel Christian Academy Evangel Christian Academy exists to partner with Christian parents to provide their child with a Christ-centered education. Our desire is to help each child achieve their God-given potential through providing activities designed to foster spiritual, academic and social growth.

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Tallassee Student Helps Carr Middle School

Tallassee High School ninth-grader Riley Davis has been completing his Eagle Scout project. For the past year and a half, he’s worked hard building bird houses to sell. After selling $2,500 worth of them, he was ready to proceed. He chose to help a school in Montgomery, about 20 minutes from Davis’s hometown of Tallassee. Johnnie Carr Middle School, named for the Civil Rights icon, was built with a nice new band room facility. There were chairs and music stands. But a very important feature was missing. Band instruments. Carr Middle spent its first couple of years operating on donated instruments from the community, but never had enough for all the students in its district who wished to join the band. Davis decided that he’d make band instruments his Eagle Scout project. And so, for well over a year, Davis has been out at pawn shops and yard sales, wheeling and dealing for instruments. He’s used the money from his birdhouses to buy and refurbish old horns. And he’s far surpassed his goal. Davis has piled up more than $9,500 worth of band instruments — enough to outfit an entire band at Johnnie Carr Middle. On May 11, Davis presented his truckload of instruments at the Carr Middle School spring concert. And strangely enough, the school just hired a new band director. The new director actually grew up in the Tallassee area and attended the same church as Davis’s family.

Catholic JV Team Number One at AMP’d Contest

The Auburn Mathematical Puzzle Challenge (AMP’d) is an annual competition for teams of seven high school students to solve puzzles involving mathematics, logic, shapes and patterns, word play, cryptograms, and creative thinking. AMP’d is sponsored by the Auburn University College of Science and Mathematics. Original puzzles are designed by the nationally recognized puzzle designer, Eric Harshbarger, who lives in Auburn and who also designed puzzles for the MCPS Freshmen Puzzle Day held recently. The AMP’d theme this year was “Card and Key.” Each solved puzzle allowed students to unlock a box containing cards. The cards when collected posed a bonus puzzle for finding a joker from the deck hidden somewhere in the building. MCPS took a Junior Varsity team (9th- and 10th-graders) and a Varsity team (11thand 12th-graders). The JV team was proctored by MCPS faculty members Harold Simpson and Rick Aaron. The team finished in first place by just four points over the secondplace JV team. JV Team members are: Erica Blackburn, Jacob Holston, Arthur Murray, Scott “Lucky Lay Down” Nation, Charles O’Donnell, Emily Talbot and Clare Wilson. The MCPS Varsity did well, solving 12 of the 13 puzzles, but ran out of time as they were just solving the bonus puzzle. Varsity team members are: Ivy Bach, Lita Backburn, Chris DeJesus, Lisa Hong, Henry Petters, Katie Slear and Lauren Smith. “AMP’d is the most fun event we go to each year,” said Dr. Joe Profio. “Students ask about AMP’d beginning in August even though the event is in the spring. Every adult who has chaperoned an AMP’d team has also enjoyed watching the students as they think through the puzzles.” The JV team is shown above; the varsity team at right.

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Churchill Holds Annual Prom

Churchill Academy’s annual High School Prom theme was “An Enchanted Forest.” The event was held on April 21 at Strict Tempo Dance Studio. Students began the evening by entering through a gorgeous arch draped with flowers and greenery, moving onto a candle-lit walkway. Fairy lights and floating candles on each table carried the magical feeling of an enchanted forest throughout the ballroom. Churchill students danced the night away as a DJ played their favorite songs, and enjoyed capturing their favorite moments in the Prom photo booth. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of Churchill Academy’s senior class. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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FAAM Assistant Principal Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi

Montgomery Academy Girls’ Tennis State Champs, Boys’ State Runners-Up

The Montgomery Academy girls’ tennis team won the Class 1A-3A state championship in Mobile, giving the team its ninth title in the last 10 years. The girls finished with 63 points, followed by Bayside Academy with 43 and St. Luke’s with 33. Kate Dockery won at No. 2 singles, Caroline Deale won at No. 3 and Martha Ernest at No. 5. MA went to all three finals in doubles with Ernest winning the No. 3 doubles crown with Lucy Chapman. The girls’ tennis team is coached by Tracy Smith. The boys’ tennis team’s season ended with the state runner-up title! Eagles sophomore James Torbert won No. 1 singles and teamed with freshman William Robertson to win No. 1 doubles. Robertson finished second at No. 3 singles. Dallon Wallis and Hamilton Chapman won singles championships, then paired up to win at No. 5 doubles for MA. The Montgomery Academy boys’ tennis team has finished first or second at the state tournament in 23 of the last 24 years with 15 state titles during that span, says Boys’ Tennis Head Coach David Bethea.

Forest Avenue Academic Magnet Elementary Assistant Principal Demond Mullins was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective alldiscipline collegiate honor society. About 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni are initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is invitation-only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

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ACA Senior Makes South Alabama Cheer

Holy Cross Sixth-Graders Enjoyed Mexican Lunch

Sixth-grade students at Holy Cross Episcopal School enjoyed a festive lunch recently at Mexico de Tipico. They were accompanied by their classroom teacher Patricia Bye, parents Helen Gary and Karen Westhauser, and Holy Cross Spanish Teacher Sara Sprenger. The students especially enjoyed ordering their lunch in Spanish as a fun way to celebrate all they have learned throughout the year.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Alabama Christian Academy senior Aly Nixon has been selected as a 2017-2018 University of South Alabama cheerleader. Nixon has been an ACA cheerleader for six years and was voted captain her senior year. She was also selected as a UCA AllAmerican cheerleader three times and was recently selected to be an official UCA cheerleader.

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BTW Student Wins National PTA Award, Three Others Win at State Level

Eastwood’s Creative Spellers

Second- through sixth-graders at Eastwood Christian School have the opportunity to participate in a wonderful enrichment opportunity each school year. Eastwood’s Creative Spellers’ Club offers students the challenge to learn to spell difficult words and also expand their vocabulary. Each participant is given a list of words. These words are studied and spelled to a parent or other adult who then places his or her initials beside each correctly spelled word. When the student completes a page of words, he or she brings the sheet to school so the words can be recorded on a scorecard. Students are also encouraged to write the definition for the words on each list. In April, all participants are treated to lunch and a written spelling bee. Prizes are given to the top spellers in each grade. This year’s participants are, back row from left, M.E. Grace Shuemake, Abbie Ensminger and Andrew Ensminger; and front, Caroline MacLeod, Nini Hodges and Matt Hodges.

A Booker T. Washington Magnet High ninth-grade photography student received national recognition recently. Aubrey Askew received an Award of Merit in the 2016-2017 National PTA Reflections arts in education program. She also was one of four BTW students to be recognized at the state level. In the Alabama PTA Reflections awards, Berenice Ramon won second place in the visual arts category; Paige Towns won third place in the creative writing category; Askew won first place in the photography category; and A’Neshia Turner won first place in the visual arts category. With their first-place wins, both Askew and Turner advanced to the national competition. The Reflections awards are held each year to honor creativity and imagination among students at all grade levels. Each year there is a theme, and the theme this year was, “What’s Your Story?” The four state winners are shown, from left, Berenice Ramon, Paige Towns, Aubrey Askew and A’Neshia Turner.

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Trinity Lower School Principal Retires

In the fall of 1991, Tami Shelley joined the faculty of Trinity Presbyterian School as a kindergarten teacher. Over the next 26 years, she taught fifth and third grades, ultimately becoming Trinity’s Lower School principal in 2008. During her tenure, Shelley’s leadership proved critical at a pivotal time in the history of Trinity, as she solidified an unparalleled academic experience in Trinity’s Lower School. It is with great respect and a touch of sadness that we announce that Dr. Shelley officially retired from Trinity at the conclusion of this school year. Dr. Shelley has chosen to continue her endeavors of growing and developing future educators, as she will be serving as an assistant professor and edTPA coordinator at Huntingdon College beginning this fall. Serving as Trinity’s Lower School assistant principal since 2013, Becky Faulkner will become the new Lower School principal. Faulkner has been with Trinity since 1994 and served with distinction in a multitude of capacities. In addition to her years of experience, Faulkner’s talents and expertise as Lower School assistant principal made her the logical and extremely qualified choice for this important position at Trinity. In addition, Lindy Cadrette will be joining the Trinity family as the Lower School assistant principal. She served as guidance counselor at Trinity from 1998-2000. Trinity recently held a reception for Dr. Shelley in the Lower School Atrium, where faculty members and friends of Trinity stopped by to pay tribute to her. Faulkner and Cadrette were also on hand to greet families of Trinity. Board of Trustees President Todd Parsons, Head of School Kerry Palmer, Lower School Principal Tami Shelley, Assistant Lower School Principal Becky Faulkner and Lindy Cadrette are shown. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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ECA Designated Poetic Achievement Honor School

MEA Basketball Player Accepts Scholarship

Macon East basketball player Christian Lewis signed to play next year at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Lewis transferred to Macon East from Chelsea High School his junior year to play under Knights head coach and Lewis’s grandfather, Larry Chapman. In his two years at Macon East, Lewis was a starter on the 2016 AISA AA State Runner-up team and the 2017 AISA AA State Championship team. He also represented Macon East on the AISA All-Star team. Lewis received both academic and athletic scholarships at Emmanuel.

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Evangel Christian Academy has participated in “A Celebration of Poets” for kindergarten through sixth grade since 2002. The contest recognizes students who show poetic talent and publishes the poems of those students. This year, several students from ECA were chosen. Because of the outstanding number of students, ECA received the designation of a “Poetic Achievement Honor School.” To receive this award, a school must have more than 50% of its students’ work chosen for publication. Because there are hundreds of schools throughout the United States that participate in this contest, few receive this honor. Laura Ryals was also recognized due to having a high volume of students from her class chosen for publication. The following students’ poems were chosen: Alyssa Thornton, Braylen Venable, Cady Oldenburg, Eli Wilks, Eric Petrowski, Ethan Davis, Evan Bowman, Evan Wyckoff, Jacarter Fielder, Josh Rigsby, Joshua Carroll, Kamy Nettles, Kaylee Carter, Khristen Cantlow, Levi Pierre, Logan Bull, Madison Jones, Madison Merriweather, Micah Parker, Morgan Thompson, Sarah Paterson, Savannah Day, Taylor Rivers, TJ McGough and Ziah Starks.

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Montgomery Academy’s Duke TIP Students

Montgomery Academy seventhgrade students Cooper Long and Lukas Yi received state recognition from the 37th annual Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP). They were invited to attend the State Recognition Ceremony at the University of Alabama May 8. The Duke University Talent Identification Program serves 16 states in the Southeast and is committed to identifying and serving academically talented young people, providing students with information about their abilities, academic options and resources, as well as sponsoring challenging educational programs. Seventh-graders are invited to take the SAT or ACT if they score at the 95th percentile or above in one of the following areas on the ERB: verbal ability, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, mathematics, writing mechanics or writing concepts and skills. Students can also qualify with other approved standardized test scores. Students took either the SAT or the ACT during the months of December 2016-February 2017.

Catholic Inducts New NHS Members, Honors Senior Members

The Loretto Chapter of the National Honor Society at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School inducted twenty-two new members during an Induction Ceremony April 12 in Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School’s Dolly Barranco Activity Center. The newest members of the Loretto Chapter, shown above, are: Johnny An, Aimee Azar, Carrie Belsterling, Alex Brockmann, Trinity Carter, Jessie Clark, Luke Craig, Katie Fischer, Hannaley Haigler, Ryne Herbek, Lisa Hong, Ryan Janson, Minseok Kim, Garret McGinn, Jenni Morgan, Kamryn Morris, Collin Neal, Chloe Newell, Anna Nutting, Henry Petters, David Poole, Paige Rentfro, Ethan Ronan, Katie Slear, Annabel Starrett, Matthew Taylor, Aleigha Walden, Angela Wheat, and Chalsea Williams. The 2017-2018 NHS officers are: Anna Nutting–Vice President, Paige Rentfro– President, Chloe Newell–Treasurer and Jenni Morgan–Secretary. The Class of 2017 members of NHS also received their honor cords, shown below: Riley Aaron, Ivy Bach, David Bender, Adam Bristol–2016 NHS Secretary, Francisco Gonzalez-Ansaldi, Nicholas Homsher, Lisa Hong, Devin Kelly, Audrey Kim–2016 NHS President, Minseok Kim, Kayanna McKenzie, David Poole, Julia Rodriguez–2016 NHS Vice President, Ethan Ronan, James Sadie, Katie Slear, Lauren Smith, Nate Smith, Zach VanAlst–2016 NHS Treasurer and Hugh Walker. A reception hosted by the 2016 National Honor Society members for the new members and their families immediately followed the ceremony. Stefanie Nelson acts as the faculty sponsor for Montgomery Catholic’s National Honor Society.

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ACA Holds Camp Eagle Blastoff

Alabama Christian Academy’s Camp Eagle welcomed more than 40 students to Summer Camp Blastoff April 21. Blastoff emulated a day of summer camp packed into three solid hours of crazy fun. For 15 years, Coach Daysha and Coach Nate have been putting on the best Christian summer day camps and this year’s Blastoff was no exception. Summer is just around the corner and Camp Eagle is the place to be for a safe, God-honoring, crazy good time. Attend one week or all six! Available weeks are June 5-9; June 12-16; June 19-23; June 26-30; July 10-14; and July 17-31. Visit www.ACACampEagle.org to register or for more information.

Send Your School News by the 12th of each month to: editor@ montgomeryparents.com.

Carver Magnet Students Travel to Washington D.C.

Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet’s theater program students traveled to the nation’s theater mecca and the site of its greatest landmarks in a mind-expanding trip as the school year neared its end. The trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City is an annual reward for theater instructor Lakesha Green’s students. It is also an educational trip, serving as a way to expose the children to culture they most likely have never experienced before. Notable stops in their journey included the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the National Mall, the Broadway shows Lion King and Stomp, and Ripley’s Studio 16th Floor Broadway Workshop. 45

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Floyd at Flimp Festival

Floyd Middle Magnet School students participated in the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Flimp Festival Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest. Phoebe Miller, Emma Rountree, Owen O’Connor and Parker Schell created a geometrically inspired work of art. Kolbi Bates, Lauren Bonikowski, Colton Criswell and Tyler Toth incorporated famous works of art in their design which won in the quilt category and 3rd place overall.

Sylvan Visits Nehemiah Center

On a quiet shady street, behind an unpretentious house lies a small piece of land plotted out for community growers to plant fruits and vegetables. The Nehemiah Center director, Rhonda Thompson, invited the Sylvan Learning Center elementary classes to come to the center and pick strawberries. While Mrs. Leigh’s and Ms. Linda’s classes were there, they also went on a scavenger hunt, identified vegetables and fruits growing in the garden, and petted chickens. For a snack, the group was served dirt (chocolate pudding) and worms (gummy worms). The best part was taking home a healthy, sweet treat to share and to eat later.

Saint James Wins AMP’d for Fifth Consecutive Year On April 22, Auburn University’s College of Mathematics and Science hosted its 5th annual Auburn Mathematical Puzzle Challenge (known as AMP’d) for high school students. The competition is designed and directed by Dr. Eric Harshbarger, professor of mathematics at the university. Teams of students from across the state worked for nearly six hours to solve 15 multi-layered puzzles of all types. Saint James had two teams competing. “I am thrilled to say that for the Varsity competition, one STJ team took the secondplace trophy and the other team took the first-place trophy!” said Vicky Eichelberg, STJ High School Mathematical Department Chair. “This is the fifth straight year that Saint James has won AMP’d, and the only school that has won AMP’d at the Varsity level since the competition’s inception.” The competition included a formal welcoming of the schools and students in attendance and an explanation of the rules. The teams then took off to solve their opening challenge. When a team completed the challenge, it was given a packet of problems and sent off to its “homeroom” to solve the puzzles. Each team was composed of seven students who worked together (without access to the internet) to solve each puzzle. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

As each puzzle was solved, students ran to the puzzle master’s room to report their solution and to open a locked box. Inside each box were playing cards. The teams tried to collect four (one from each suit) of each card denomination. These cards were marked with clues to solve the Meta Puzzle, the final puzzle. One puzzle involved a scavenger hunt in which students located objects marked with an “X” on a map of the area around Parker Hall. The names of these 18 objects had to then be arranged in a palindrome. Palindromes are words, phrases, or whole sentences that use the same letters forward as backward. Once the names of the objects were arranged, students used specific letters to decode a message and were directed to an office in the building. 46

The office number was the combination to unlock the box. Front from left are: Nayoon Kang, Gyuna Kim, Veronica Cherry and Olivia White; back from left: Connor Taylor, Aaron Skier, Jason Grate, Joseph Gary, Jason Zhang, Jake Hastings, Daniel Kim, Ian Tsekouras and Jin Kim. Not pictured: Gibeom Kim. First-place team members were: Jason Grate, Connor Taylor, Gyuna Kim, Jason Zhang, Daniel Kim, Ian Tsekouras and Gibeom Kim.

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Eastwood Latin Awards

Several Eastwood Christian School students received Latin awards for the 20162017 school year. Shown are those who earned Gold Summa Cum Laude: McKenzie Higginbotham, Elle Foxx, Trey Hawkins and Preston Hamilton. Other winners include Silver Maxima Cum Laude: Meredith Ingels, Marilee Babington, Grace Kocher, Ashlyn Lovelady, Taylor Hamilton, Elena Elwell and Emerson Horii. Magna Cum Laude: Nadia Anderson, Sarah Johnson, Elizabeth Cowden, Millie Hodge, Amy Parker, Michael Parker, Madalyn Pilcher, Ben Johnson, Bobby Thorington and Emily Jones. Cum Laude: Hannah Schaupp, Samantha Peel, Austin Vick, Molly Pilcher, Charles Schaupp, Chad Conoly and Adelaide Howard. Intro Ribbon + Certificate: Daphne Swavely, Baillie Johnson, Gianna Foti, James Hodges and Mary Elisabeth Mauney Intro â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Certificate: Josie Powe, Merritt Lee, Will Reed, Luke Duggar, Hudson MacDonald, Caleb Spiers, Grayson Ashe and Gantt Higginbotham.

Cornerstone Classes Visit History

The sixth, third and second grades of Cornerstone Classical Christian Academy spent a day experiencing history on a first-hand level. They enjoyed some beautiful weather in historical downtown Montgomery touring the White House of the Confederacy, the State Capitol, and the State Archives. The lawn of the Capitol was the picnic destination for them and they wound down the day with some playtime in Old Alabama Town. Thank you to Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Hough and Mrs. Graham for providing this learning experience for the students!

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Montgomery County Schools

Pike Road Students Present Handmade Quilt

Learners from Catherine Kenny’s C6 at Pike Road School presented a quilt they made by hand in honor of fallen Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). They shared secrets of how they made the quilt, as well as the history surrounding WASP. It was an impressive presentation!

BTW Piano Student Advances to Nationals

A Booker T. Washington Magnet High piano student has advanced to a national competition after receiving high marks during a local contest. Ti-Ara Turner wowed the judges at the NAACP’s Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) held in Montgomery. She scored a whopping 98.3 for her performance of Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu. She will compete in the ACT-SO competition in Baltimore in July.

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Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Tonya Speed Dancers Perform At Wilson Elementary

Tonya Speed’s Dance Connection entertained at Wilson Elementary’s Spring PTA meeting with a ballet, jazz & tap dance! Classes are offered at the school in the afternoons and a portion of fees is donated back to the school.

McKee Middle Dominates At SECME Contest

McKee Middle’s STEM heroes are going national. The school’s SECME team dominated at the SECME Regional Competition in Tuskegee and has advanced to the national competition at the University of Alabama in June. McKee swept the Bottle Rocket category in the regional contest, placing first, second and third. The Bottle Rocket winners were the Super Girls: Quenyatta Fleeton, Brooklyn Whittle and Maliyah Coleston. Placing second were the Mighty Tigers: Ahmad Powell, Corey Taylor and Nicholas Lewis. Placing third were the Wonder Divas: Onaka Murray, Syndey Talley and Sha’Dajah Jackson. McKee also won both first and second place in the Mousetrap Cars category. First place was The Flash: Marva Matthews, Corey Taylor and Jalen Julius. Placing second were the Thunder Dogs: Dionisio Garcia, Corey Redmon and Jamal Copeland. The Super Girls are shown with their winning bottle rocket. 49

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Montgomery County Schools

Holy Cross Pre-K Class Studies Gardening

Holy Cross Episcopal School’s Pre-K Class began a spring study of plants and how they grow. Pre-K teacher Lucy Fleming began the scientific study by reading to the students from their Weekly Reader entitled, “Stems Grow Up, Roots Grow Down.” After reading all about plants and how they grow above the ground and some below, Fleming took the students outside to investigate how plants look when planted and harvested from a raised bed. They discussed the parts of the plant they could see, then pulled up a purple lettuce plant and actually got to see the roots we can’t see under the dirt! The class then washed the lettuce and had the special treat of being able to taste the delicious leaves.

Forest Avenue Fourth-Graders Finish Alabama Portfolios

Following a year-long exploration of Alabama’s rich history, Forest Avenue Academic Magnet fourth-grade students recently completed their “Alabama Portfolio.” The book is an annual social studies project chronicling students’ experiences while journeying to landmark locations across Alabama during the school year. Trips included the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Montgomery’s historical downtown, Fort ToulouseFort Jackson Park in Wetumpka, the Hyundai Plant, and much more. In journal entries, each student also documented fun and historical facts about Alabama, including state symbols, famous Alabamians, places to go, things to do, government and current events. The portfolios were judged based on creativity and attention to detail, and finalists were selected for each social studies class. Top prizes went to Sydney An (Mrs. Hall’s class), Emily Baek (Mrs. Dumas’class), Mallory Frances Hall (Mrs. Weaver’s class), Yoon Seo Jo (Mrs. Offord’s class), Yash Param (Mrs. Viars’ class), and Luke Strole (Mrs. Atcheson’s class).

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Alumnus holding MIT Degree \ Science Olympiad \ Character Building Programs \ Music and Art

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It is hard to believe the 2016-2017 school year is over! I would like to recognize, thank, and congratulate all of our retirees who have worked diligently to educate the next generation. Retiring this year are Micheal Blair, Sheila Bland, Gladys Boartfield, Teresa Bufkin, Karen Cannon, Debbie Crawford, David Crockett, Silvana Cureton, Phyllis Dawson, McKinley Downs, Carolyn Ellington, Theresa Estes, Jean Grafton, Robin Killough, Susan Kuzma, Judy Moses, Mary Murphy, Sandra Northington, Rosalyn Oliver-Johnson, Tom Pinkston, Deborah Platt, Karen Powell, Carolyn Sheffer, Ingrid Shipman, Carolyn Smith, Denise Steele, Barbara Stinson, and Algen Williams. I wish each of you a

long, fun-filled retirement. Thank you for what you have done for our students. Autauga County School System has outstanding students! I want to share with you a few of their recent accomplishments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On A Positive Noteâ&#x20AC;? is a program sponsored by the Juvenile Court of Autauga County. The program recognizes youth (age 18 and under) in our community who make a positive contribution above and beyond the normal expectations in their home, school, and community. The following students received this award during a ceremony held on Friday, May 5, at the Autauga County Courthouse: Blake Bailey, Kemaria Ballard, Jordan Benefield, Tikori Blue, Chandler Burdette, Abigail Loucks, Nicholas Stoudemire, Kyana Sutton, and Nicholas Wood. Congratulations to these young people for making Autauga County proud! The Autauga County Board of Education approved a new Strategic Plan on Tuesday, May 9th. This plan will be the road map for the system for the next 5 years. The plan consists of the following:

Goal 1: Curriculum and Instruction Objectives: #1 Strategic Teaching and Instructional Rigor, #2 Formative Assessment, and #3 Technology Instruction Goal 2: District Finance Objectives: #1 Facilities Plan, #2 Stakeholder Perceptions, and #3 Funding for Curricular and Instructional Needs The Strategic Plan will guide the system from 2017-2022. I will share more details of the plan in my next letter. I wish each of you a safe and relaxing summer! I look forward to the next school year and the chance to share the many outstanding accomplishments of the young people of Autauga County with you. Spence Agee is the Superintendent of Education for Autauga County Schools. He is a third generation educator with an ED.S. in Educational Leadership. He has 20 years of experience in the education field as well as 29 years of military experience. Agee is an active member at First Baptist Church in Prattville. He and his wife, Cesily, who is also an educator, have two daughters, Abby and Addison.

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Autauga County Schools

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Marbury Softball Team Advances to State Tournament

The Marbury High School softball team competed at Regionals in Troy, defeating Demopolis 4-2 on a walk-off home run by Kaileigh Harrison. The state tournament against Springville in Montgomery was the next step!

PJHS Archery Team Competes in National Tournament

The Prattville Junior High School archery team, shown, participated in the National Archery in the Schools national tournament May 12 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Cats represented well, placing 76th out of the 242 middle school teams in attendance from all across the nation. Seventh-grader Jacob Hollis was the top male shooter for the team with an impressive 280 out of 300 points. At 272, Riley Calhoun was the top female shooter for the team. The group rounded out the season with a team score of 3221, which is their highest score this season and the third-highest recorded score in team history. The PJHS team also boasts 20 students who have obtained the title of NASP Academic Archer. This designation indicates that these archers have achieved all As and Bs. The Prattville High School archery team also competed, among 16,000 students. James Ladd shot a 295 and is ranked #4 for 12th-grade boys nationally. Kelby Wilson shot a 288 and is in the top 3% for 10th-grade boys. Alex Rocha scored a 285 and is ranked in the top 6% of 9th-grade girls. 53

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Autauga County Schools

PCA’s Brunk Signs Athletic Scholarship

Prattville Junior High School Scores Big on ACT

Three students from Prattville Junior High School were recognized during the May 9 Regular Board Meeting for obtaining a score of 20 or higher on the American College Testing. They were Kate Green, Taylor Gloystein and Elbread Roh.

Prattville Christian Academy’s Jessica Brunk signed an athletic scholarship to play volleyball at Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Brunk has been a huge asset for the Lady Panthers as a libero - the rearmost, roaming defensive player on the court. She was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year for the last two years. During her senior year, she contributed 237 digs, 13 kills, 44 aces and 21 assists that led the Lady Panthers to a second-place finish in the area tournament which earned the team a spot in the Super Region. “Jessica has always been one of our hardest workers, as well as a vocal leader on and off the court,” said Coach Kaylon Cantrell, PCA’s head volleyball coach. ”She served as a team captain this past season, pushing herself and her teammates to give their all in games as well as practices. I’m so excited about this next chapter in her life.”

PJHS Sponsors Assembly

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Wood Named Marbury’s Positive Note Recipient

Prattville Junior High School, with help from our Parent Involvement Group, sponsored an assembly for students to #breakbarriers. Coach Casey Nelson from Arlington, Tennessee, spoke to 1,000 students to remind them they can be anything they want to be, as long as they are willing to put in the work. He talked about his life story and inspired students to break down their barriers. To demonstrate, he did a series of breaks with bricks, etc. The physical demonstration of breaking down the barriers served as a visual reminder that we have to work hard and overcome the mental barriers we have. He also addressed work ethic, attitude and bullying.

Marbury High School senior Nick Wood was selected as the “On a Positive Note” recipient for Marbury High School for 2017. This award is given to students who have overcome obstacles in their lives and continued to strive toward their goals to success. He graduated from Marbury High School on May 24. After school, he plans to pursue a career in welding or off shore drilling. Autauga County Sheriff Joe Sedinger is shown with Nick Wood.

Marbury Breaks Blood Drive Record

The Marbury High School Beta Club, under the direction of Ginger Casbeer, hosted two record-breaking blood drives this year. On November 1, students and faculty set a school record with 90 units of blood collected. That record was broken on March 10, with 91 units! Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Spring Clean-up @ Daniel Pratt

Autauga County PALS held the Annual Bob Lee Spring Cleanup during April. Schools across Autauga County participated in this event in numerous ways including holding their own campus clean-up. Daniel Pratt Elementary School pledged to take care of the environment, never litter, and always try to recycle.

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Autauga County Makes Positive Contributions

“On A Positive Note” is a program sponsored by the Juvenile Court of Autauga County. The program recognizes youth (ages 18 and under) in our community who make a positive contribution above and beyond the normal expectations in their home, school and community. The following students received this award during a ceremony held on May 5 at the Autauga County Courthouse: Blake Bailey, Kemaria Ballard, Jordan Benefield, Tikori Blue, Chandler Burdette, Abigail Loucks, Nicholas Stoudemire, Kyana Sutton, and Nicholas Wood.

Marbury Field Day

On April 28, Marbury High School held its third annual Field Day. The MHS SGA, headed by Jason Mattox, along with the Alabama National Guard, put this day of fun for students together. It raised a lot of money for the school and provided a day outside of the classroom for Marbury High School students. 55

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At press time, we are nearing the end of the 2016-2017 school year, preparing for four high school graduations, and already planning for the 2017-2018 school year. My first semester as superintendent of Elmore County Schools

has flown by! As the end of the school year approaches, our schools are holding awards programs to recognize their students who have maintained honor roll status as well as other academic and extracurricular achievements. Final exams will soon begin in the middle and high schools, lockers and cubbies will be cleaned out, and teachers will prepare to close their classrooms for the summer. One of the most exciting times in the life of a student is graduation from high school. Graduation ceremonies will signal the end of the K-12 academic journey for over 700 of our students. The Elmore County High School senior class of 106 students has been awarded $2,197,928 in scholarships. The 111 students

in the Holtville High School senior class have earned $2,062,102 in scholarships. Stanhope Elmore High School’s senior class of 236 students has been awarded $4,141,820 in scholarships. Lastly, the 249 students in Wetumpka High School’s senior class have earned $3,457,150 in scholarships. Collectively, all of our graduates have earned an impressive $11.9 million in total scholarships to post-secondary institutions. Some of our students have enlisted in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, or U.S. Marines. These students have taken advantage of a wide variety of course offerings, including Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, and/or Career-Technical Education courses and are well prepared to enter college or the work force. In addition, to the academic component of their high school career, these students have been involved in a host of extracurricular activities including sports, band, cheerleading, academic honor societies, special interest clubs, and service organizations. I am committed to enhancing our extracurricular program because I recognize the value of these activities in the development of students academically, socially, and emotionally. Students who participate in extracurricular activities generally have a more positive high school experience and are better

prepared to be productive citizens after they leave our schools. Plans for the 2017-2018 school year have already begun and change is on the horizon. We are reviewing every aspect of our district and school-level programs and operations in order to function at optimum efficiency to best meet the needs of all of our students. My focus always has been and will continue to be our STUDENTS, and every decision at every level should be made with that goal in mind. The K-12 education profession is unique in that every year provides an opportunity for a fresh start at the beginning – a chance to make changes and improve upon prior practices – as well as an opportunity to reflect at the end – to identify areas where one could “do better next time.” We will take full advantage of this time to reflect and fine-tune to ensure that we provide our students with the best possible opportunities to learn, grow, and achieve their maximum potential in the upcoming school year!

Richard Dennis is the Superintendent of Education for Elmore County Schools. He is a 1983 graduate of Holtville High School. He completed his undergraduate degree in English and History Education at The University of Alabama, his Master’s degree in English at Troy University and his Administrative Certification at AUM. He served 21 years as a high school principal at Holtville High, Wetumpka High and most recently, Prattville High. He and wife, Leslie (also an educator) have three sons and a daughter.

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Elmore County Schools

Eclectic Elementary Drops Everything to Read!

Students at Eclectic Elementary enjoyed D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) time by pairing with a class from a different grade and reading together. Some classes went outside while others read inside.

Wetumpka Student Receives First Peyton Cox Scholarship

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Wetumpka parents Paul and Sandie Cox presented the first Peyton Elizabeth Cox Memorial Scholarship, established in their daughter’s memory, to Mikayla Ivy Holt this year at the Wetumpka High School Honors Day program. Holt has maintained a 3.96 GPA and is ranked in the Top 20 in her class of 270+. She has also maintained Honor Roll status from 9-12th grade.

Redland Elementary Choir Spring Performance

The Redland Eagles’ K-6th Grade Choir performed a concert for the end of the year. The children were directed by Misty Trussell and Will Reese.

WMS Science Experiment Fun

Holtville First-Grader is State Contest Winner

At Wetumpka Middle School, eighth-grade science teacher Laconya Warwick’s students performed egg-drop experiments and tested balloon-powered cars for a grade.

Holtville Elementary School first-grader Braylin Langford submitted a piece of writing to the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Contest, which is open to all grades K-8. Winners were chosen from schools that use the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting program. Langford’s piece was chosen as a state winner and will be submitted for a chance at winning a national title. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Victory Students Participate In National Competition

Students from Victory Baptist School competed in the 40th annual American Association of Christian Schools (AACS) National Competition held at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., April 4-6. Approximately 1,800 students and sponsors from 33 states participated in the AACS National Competition, having captured top honors in their state contests. The students, representing almost 200 Christian high schools, competed in 76 categories in the five basic areas of Bible, music, speech, art and academics. The following students represented Victory Baptist School in the AACS National competition: Micah Smith, Speech Category (Humorous Interpretation); Carter Byrd, Bible Category (Expository Preaching); and Megan Fondren, Academic Testing Category (Biology and Chemistry).

Send Your School News to: editor@montgomeryparents.com.

ARIS Drama Club Presents Snow White

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who had the best drama performance of all? Airport Road Intermediate School, of course! The 2016-17 Drama Club students presented Snow White at the school on May 5. Special thanks to Daphne McClendon for sponsoring the Drama Club and directing this performance by our many talented students. 59

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Elmore County Schools

WES Celebrates the Arts

Wetumpka Elementary celebrates the Fine Arts every first Friday of the Month. A WES student showcased his drumming skills for the March first Friday.

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Eclectic Rewards Students for AR Goals

About 200 students were rewarded in the Library for reaching their third quarter Accelerated Reader goals at Eclectic Elementary with an ice cream sundae party. The Eclectic Piggly Wiggly donated all the supplies.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Senator Chambliss Visits Airport Road Classroom From the classroom to the State room, learning is always taking place at Airport Road Intermediate School. Recently, State Senator Clyde Chambliss took time out of his schedule to stop by the school to see how learning occurs. The most amazing thing about his visit was that he did not hesitate to jump in and work with the students on the floor... even with his suit on!

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Holtville Librarian Rewards AR Goals Students at Holtville Elementary enjoyed Donuts & Dancing with librarian Natalie McLemore recently. Both Tonya Connor and Leslie Stephensonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classes achieved 100% of their Accelerated Reading goals for the third nine weeks.

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Elmore County Schools

ARIS Field Day Success

Airport Intermediate students participated in Field Days April 25 and 26. These days were filled with friendly competitions like threelegged races, plank walks, tug of war, and many other fun games. Sportsmanship is highlighted during all events. Thanks to our P.E. coaches for their hard work in getting the kids ready for their events. This year’s winners were Ms. Stevens’s 4th-grade class and Ms. Wood’s 3rd-grade class.

Creepy Creatures Visit Eclectic

The Yarbrough Reptile Show presented snakes, an alligator, a tortoise and other reptiles to the students at Eclectic Elementary. Students were thrilled to see all the unique and sometimes scary creatures.

Got news? Send us your school bits by the 12th of each month to: editor@montgomeryparents.com

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WHS Junior Selected for International Science Fair

Wetumpka High School junior Lucas Lynn was one of four students from Alabama selected for the international science fair in Los Angeles. He won second place in the special engineering category plus $1,500. Interestingly, Lynn’s older sister, Sabrina, also attended the International Science Fair when she was a student at Wetumpka.

Stanhope Junior Achieves Rare ACT Score of 36

Braden McGee, 17, is only a junior at Stanhope Elmore High School but he has already scored a perfect 36 and received the news trecently while he was at school. “To say we are extremely proud that one of our students accomplished this is a huge understatement,” said SEHS Principal Dr. Bill Bergeron. “He is so humble about it, and just took it all in stride. He is an amazing young man and we are fortunate to have him here.” McGee transferred to Stanhope Elmore in the middle of last year. He wasn’t sure he would be coming back for his junior year, but his educational experiences and the friends he made brought him back. “I really like the intensity of the educational process at Stanhope Elmore High School,” McGee said. “My teachers have continued to push me, and I like that.” He credited his teachers a great deal, in particular his AP Chemistry teacher Dawn Kelley. He also credits his ability to learn easily, but he pushes for strict study habits. “I have given a lot of thought to Auburn, or MIT. There are some other out of state schools I am considering.”

This summer, he has been selected to take part in the Auburn Summer Science Institute as one of 18 students from Alabama and Georgia June 11-17. McGee received word from Auburn in March of his selection. All program expenses (dorm, food, materials and supplies) are covered through grants and sponsorships. He is very active in the JROTC program, and is part of the Academic Team which will participate in competitions in Washington, DC. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. McGee’s favorite classes are math and science, because of their “real world applications.” From left is AP Chemistry Teacher Dawn Kelley, Braden McGee and SEHS Principal Dr. Bill Bergeron. 63

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TheCollegeYears Preparing Teens for Life Outside the Nest

by Lee Gonet

Begin with the End in Mind I was raised by loving parents who trusted the “system.” Any system. Our governmental system, our legal system, our educational system. Someone was in charge. Many someones would lead me through the grades and I would reach the other side educated and ready for college. Right? Not exactly. I struggled and was not as prepared as I needed to be. Today, Alabama colleges have a 50% dropout rate and only 25.9% graduate in four years as reported by The Chronical of Higher Education. After many decades of working with teenagers, I have learned that training children to take charge of their own lives provides them with the foundation necessary for a successful future.

Building Responsibility “Be Proactive” is the first step in Stephen Covey’s book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The ideal time for transferring this act of personal responsibility begins around the age of 12. Children are moving into the logical stage of thinking and want to question everything. Having them take an active role in decisions which affect them on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis builds in them a sense of academic responsibility and ownership over their own lives. Teens should create and manage a calendar system, coordinating events with other family members. They should be able and available to help with sibling activities. Physical responsibility is always yoked with fiscal responsibility; therefore, your children should also manage their own bank accounts and credit cards with supervision. Keep in mind that the abilities and values that you want to instill in your child during the teen years are the same that colleges seek in scholarship applicants: Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Communication Skills Dedication/Hard Work Analytical/Research Skills Dependability/Responsibility Professionalism/Positivity Self-Motivation Planning/Organizational Skills Problem-Solving/Reasoning Leadership Skills

Planning Together The best way to build educational ownership and prepare for college is to “Begin with the End in Mind,” which also happens to be Covey’s second step. Teach your children to set long-term goals. You could launch this effort by presenting your child with a journal. The purpose should be to guide your offspring to create a life plan. By high school, children should have already developed good study habits, time management skills, and an ability to work independently with success.

Setting Goals The first step is to have your child record a list of life interests. What dream jobs come to mind? Research employers’ expectations in those fields. What level of college education is necessary? How much experience? Next, look up entrance requirements together on a college website. Do they need a scholarship to attend, and if so what are the necessary GPA and ACT/SAT scores? Have them search for core classes in majors supporting their interests. What will they need to accomplish in high school to obtain these objectives? In other words, in64

still in your child the understanding of what it takes to reach the desired goals.

Encouraging Independence Students should enter high school with an overall plan in mind. Should subjects be heavy in math and science or literature and history? Do they want to play sports? Study music? Learn a new skill? Be in a club? Will these activities support or undermine their goals? How many outside activities can they handle and still achieve their scholarly objectives? Remember that at every step of the way, your children are answering these questions, not you. They are researching, taking notes, making decisions, and you are simply facilitating, encouraging, and supporting! Continue to have these purpose-driven conversations with your child. Make these sessions a fun time to spend together. If you start when your children are young and you are light-hearted and positive, they will respond by wanting you to be involved in the process. Living lives of excellence and integrity is rare. If you want your children to contribute, excel, and lead in our competitive world, you must mirror to them what that looks like. Remember that Proverbs says foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. Don’t allow your children’s peers to influence them more than you do. Be proactive in your children’s lives and they in turn will become highly effective people. For further information on training responsible, independent teens, read Mark Gregston’s article “Parents of Teens Must Adapt” in the April 2017 issue of Montgomery Parents. Find it at www.montgomeryparents.com under the Articles tab, then click on Parenting Today’s Teens. Lee Gonet is an avid learner, speaker, educator, and world traveler. She loves challenging teenagers to excel beyond what society considers possible by teaching young people to think deeply, learn intensely, and act purposefully outside the classroom box. For example, her daughter worked abroad by 16 and her son earned his Engineering Master’s by 20. Dreams do come true.

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Home to East Montgomery 334.215.9215 | newparkliving.com | 9430 Park Crossing

Between Ray Thorington Road and Taylor Road A JIM WILSON & ASSOCIATES DEVELOPMENT

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Does your daughter tend to memorize information after simply reading it? Does your son enjoy building detailed lego kits? These behaviors are often indicators of learning preferences. It is important to identify a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning style in order to ensure the best chance for academic success. The seven main learning styles are as follows: visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, logical, social, and solitary. Visual and auditory learners have an advantage, as traditional classroom instruction is catered more towards them. Visual learners do well by reading, viewing lists, charts, images, reading their teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; facial expressions, diagrams, etc. Auditory learners benefit form verbal instruction, talking through problems, and using rhythm and music as memory aids. 66

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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The last two categories of learning preferences are

Tactile and kinesthetic learners may have had a

social and solitary. Social students thrive by working in groups, while those who prefer solitary learning may not. These students will do better with self-paced learning and individualized study plans. It is important to find a niche of interest for a solitary learner and base lessons around that. For example, if you have a child obsessed with airplanes you can use this to teach about gravity, weather, physics, and movement. Fortunately for students who prefer to learn independently, there is a new community of online learning where these solitary learners can feel comfortable and succeed. So now that you know the basic learning styles, chances are you see your child in one or more category. A good age to begin identifying your child’s learning style is around 6-7, as by this point, his/her preferences are likely established. Once you and your child’s teacher know your child’s learning preference(s), it is recommended that he/she be taught using a variety of methods, and not just appeal to the identified style. While it is important to teach the most difficult lessons using that preference, it is also necessary to reinforce lessons using multiple other styles. To truly ensure the best chance of success, teachers need to provide learning tools to enhance and improve abilities in areas where students are weaker. An auditory learner should be taught using a kinesthetic lesson plan, but the teacher should aid that student in working through a lesson such as this, as it is not conducive to his natural abilities.

more difficult time in classrooms years ago, but teachers today are fortunately much more willing to allow children to move about the room to engage in the lesson. Kinesthetic learners need to move their bodies as they learn, and tactile learners like to use their hands to comprehend the material. Both of these preferences are conducive to building 2D or 3D models with clay, play dough, or building materials such as legos. Kinesthetic learners might like to learn about the human body, for example, by jumping, running, stretching, and discussing which parts of the body are allowing them to do such things. Both tactile and kinesthetic learners might enjoy doing their writing assignments on large marker boards or butcher paper, so they are not confined to a desk and can immerse themselves more into the project. Also, a kinesthetic learner is more likely to memorize facts while playing catch, jumping rope, or clapping. Children in both of these categories would learn better though a hands-on science experiment rather than simply reading about a concept via text. Another type of learning preference is logical. The logical learner enjoys mathematics, proving equations, and using reasoning and systems. This student will do well to write out lists of goals or steps to figure something out. He is likely to use the scientific method approach solve a problem, and he may become frustrated if he doesn’t know why something is the way it is. Quite often, logical learners excel with technology, providing them an advantage in more modern classrooms.

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A. social, visual learner B. tactile, kinesthetic learner C. auditory, solitary learner D. logical, social learner

Quiz: What type of learner is your child?

4. Which of the following is a helpful lesson for a teaching math to a kinesthetic learner?

1. Your child was assigned a report on a wild animal. She asked to visit the zoo to see and touch stingrays in their natural habitat. Your child is most likely:

A. having him measure how far he kicked the soccer ball to determine the length of the field B. having him draw a soccer field and describe its measurements C. Watching the teacher draw the measurements on the white board D. Working in groups to draw a soccer field to scale on paper

A. a tactile learner B. a social learner C. a kinesthetic learner D. an auditory learner 2. Your daughter was told to create a project showing the water cycle. Which of the following would indicate that she is a logical learner?

5. Your child can be identified as a visual, social learner. She was assigned a group project on The Civil War. What might be a good role for her within the group?

A. She immediately jumped on the computer to research water cycles after school. B. She created a step-by-step detailed diagram of the water cycle, complete with a color-coded key. C. She created a rain measurement tool and is leaving cups of water around the house to observe water evaporate. D. All of the above.

A. creating a 3-D battle field B. re-enacting a battle scene for the class C. writing out a detailed synopsis of why the war occurred D. researching little-know facts about the Civil War and reporting her findings back to the group mp Karen Johnson is a former English teacher turned writer and a mom of 3. She writes at The 21st Century SAHMâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a cathartic mix of sarcasm, angry Mama Bear rants, and heartfelt confessions. You can follow Karen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as The 21st Century SAHM.

3. Your sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreign language teacher tells you that he most enjoys listening to translation activities via headphones and computer during class. Your son would be best described as a:

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Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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Tonya Speed Dancers Win Competition Awards

Tonya Speed’s Dance Connection DC Strutters dance team won the Most Entertaining Dance at the Elite Dance Cup Competition held at Montgomery Performing Arts Centre in April. The award-winning production entitled Motown has received the highest scores possible at three regional competitions this spring! In addition, Jamari Williams, a dancer with Tonya Speed, recently competed at Kids’ Artistic Revue Dance Contest in Atlanta. He was awarded an Elite Top First, 5th overall in the Junior division and was named Mr. Junior Dance after performing his character jazz solo to James Brown’s “I Feel Good” with choreography by Tonya Speed.

8th Annual Little Miss River Region Pageant August 26

The 8th Little Miss River Region Pageant will be held on Saturday, August 26, at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Fellowship Hall in Prattville. The pageant is open to females, age 4 to 21 years, with seven age categories: Petite Miss: 4-6 years, Little Miss: 7-9 years, Pre-Teen Miss: 10-12 years, Jr. Teen Miss: 13-15 years, Teen Miss: 16- 18 years and Miss: 19-21 years. Required attire for this semi-glitz pageant is Casual Wear and Formal Wear. For all age divisions, formal wear is a long gown. Hair and makeup vendors will be on site. This $70 entry fee includes entry into the Best Gown, Prettiest Eyes and Prettiest Hair optionals. The pageant will also offer two Supreme titles for a $25 entry fee. A People’s Choice Crown and Sash will be awarded in the Petite to Pre-Teen Division and the Jr. Teen to Miss division for the contestants who raise the most money for the Family Sunshine Center, which provides services for the families of domestic violence. The River Region Pageant winners in each age division can advance on to the Sterling Miss USA Pageant, April 14-15, 2018, in Pell City, Alabama. River Region queens will have their entry fees paid to the Sterling Miss USA pageant, where they will represent their River Region titles. The Sterling Miss USA Pageant is open to contestants, age 4 to 36 years of age from across the United States, who will compete as titleholders for their state, region, or county. Contestants enjoy a weekend of pageant activities and also have the option to compete in the side categories of talent, fun fashion, top model photo shoot, casual wear, best actress, photogenic and spokes model. Contestants will compete for cash scholarships, gorgeous round crowns, embroidered sashes and prizes. Applications can be downloaded from www.SterlingMiss. org (from the menu click on Holiday/Charity Pageants) or at Prattville Bridal Shop, A Touch of Class in Wetumpka, Brenda’s Formals in Clanton, and Glitz and Gowns by Missy in Alabaster. The Little Miss River Region Pageant is produced by Diamond3 Productions, and is a preliminary pageant to the Sterling Miss USA Pageant. The pageants are directed by DiDi Henry, who was ranked as one of the Top National Pageant Directors by Pageant Planet in 2016. For more info, visit www.SterlingMiss.org or call (334) 313-5444. Shown, River Region Petite Miss Kinley Etheridge competes in formal wear. 69

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What Parents Need to Know Now About Mobile Social Apps It was probably inevitable. Now that 70% of teens are friends with their parents on Facebook, some are looking for less supervised places to socialize. A recent report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that even though most teens feel obligated to maintain a presence on Facebook, many expressed “waning enthusiasm”. Their reasons? The site has been “colonized” by adults, and there’s too much drama. “Teens are looking for a place they can call their own,” observes Danah Boyd, a fellow at the Berkman Center for the Internet and Society at Harvard University. “Rather than all flocking en masse to a different site, they’re fragmenting across apps.” Having teens on a variety of social media apps makes supervision more difficult. The classic advice—“keep the computer in a public space”—is hopelessly quaint, especially for teens who socialize on cellphones. One response is to use monitoring software that will alert parents anytime a child sends or receives a message that’s inappropriate. (Ten of these programs are reviewed by Mobile Independent Phone Reviews at mireview.com) Although surveillance may be a good short term fix for some kids, it can obscure the long-term goal—raising kids who use good judgment about social media. These kids resist the temptation to behave poorly just because they are online, and they know how to protect themselves when they encounter bullies, trolls and other online Montgomery Parents I June 2017

predators. How do you equip your child with those essential life skills? Here are a few suggestions: Limit social networking of any kind for middle school students. Pre-adolescents are learning how to manage relationships and the process isn’t always pretty. Middle school kids are very aware of themselves and not very aware of others. Even the nicest kids say mean things-- and are devastated if someone says something mean to them. Being part of social media compounds the damage by making clumsy comments, ill-advised fashion choices and failed attempts at humor permanent and more widely available. Check the apps on your child’s phone. Review the apps on your child’s phone every time you pay the phone bill. Ask questions that will help your child think critically about social apps: How did you find out about the app? Does it do what you want it to do? What information does it collect about you? Does it broadcast your location? How much time do you spend with it? How could it be improved? What kind of community does it create? Be aware of the connection between social media and self esteem. For many young people, social media intensifies the pressure to be popular. They may obsess about how many followers they have, how many likes a particular post attracts or parties they didn’t attend. Parents can’t micromanage this part of a child’s life— teens learn by making social mistakes. At the same time, they can buffer the impact 70

of social media by giving kids plenty of positive attention, supporting healthy off-line friendships and pointing out the limited shelf life of popularity. Teach self-protection strategies. Talk to your child about how they can respond to mean or crude comments with tactics similar to those they would use offline. If possible, ignore bad behavior. The other person may just be having a really terrible day. Don’t respond in kind because that is likely to escalate the problem. Whenever possible, use humor to defuse conflict. Take advantage of privacy settings to block people who are always mean or negative. If a post is threatening, save a copy and share it with a trusted adult. Be sure your child knows you have his back. Many teens don’t talk to their parents about social media problems for fear that parents will overreact. Let your children know that you have confidence in them to handle most situations but you want to know about any online interactions that feel scary or overwhelming. If a child comes to you with an online problem, resist the urge to take charge. Instead, help your child think through how he or she wants to handle the situation. What is motivating the person who is causing the problem? Is this a relationship that matters to your child? Does he or she have offline contact with the person? Most important, listen! When you think about it, the social skills young people need to succeed with social media aren’t all that different from the ones that they will need in the offline world. As a parent, you can help your children stay focused on the big picture—what kind of people do they want to be and what kind of friends will support them in becoming those people? For kids who keep those goals clearly in mind, the particular app they are using at the moment won’t much matter. Carolyn Jabs, M.A., has been writing the Growing Up Online column for ten year. She is also the author of Cooperative Wisdom: Bringing People Together When Things Fall Apart. Available at Amazon and Cooperative Wisdom.org. @ Copyright, 2017, Carolyn Jabs. All rights reserved.

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FREE mammograms & pap smears

holding your hand every step of the way from free screening to free treatment

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If you are age 40 to 64, have no insurance and a low income, you may qualify for a FREE Mammogram and Pap smear.

Early detection of breast and cervical cancer saves lives For more information, call toll-free 1-877-252-3324 adph.org/earlydetection 71

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Arts and Crafty Kids

Recommending the Best Toys and Products for Kids

Most parents and teachers will agree that art is a powerful element in every child’s learning toolbox. It’s the one thing that every kid can produce on an equal footing because art is an individual expression – there’s no way to get it wrong. Art teaches problem solving and encourages open-ended thinking. It focuses attention and cultivates hand-eye coordination. Children who are encouraged to explore art are more receptive to risk-taking, more inclined to explore diverse solutions and more open to learn from their mistakes. The following items are recommended resources to foster early artistic exploration and to empower every child’s inner artist along the way.

by Gerry Paige Smith

Pottery Cool Studio

Needle Felting Kit

From the variety of pottery wheel options for kids, the Pottery Cool Studio turns the competition on its head with an upside down design that lets gravity assist kids’ shaping of clay masterpieces. Complete with every thing needed to launch the creative process, from sculpting tools and paintbrushes to paint and two pounds of clay, this kit includes easy instructions for a variety of forms. Simply place a disc of clay on the inverted spinning base, and your child’s project will begin to take shape. Young potters can put their own artistic spin on pencil holders, smart phone speakers, frames and more with all the tools at their fingertips. Once kids get the hang of manipulating clay in the round, there are additional project kits for pottery masters who’d like to expand their 3D art portfolio.

Needle felting is enjoying new popularity among artists and Artterro has come to the fore with the best collection of materials and tools to introduce this sensational craft craze to the younger set. Using a sturdy barbed needle, wool fibers are compacted by repeatedly jabbing the needle into the fibers to form three-dimensional felt figures as well as colorful soft canvas pieces. In addition to four wool felt squares, thirteen colors of roving wool, needles and instruction book, this kit includes a soy-based foam pad to sit below the working needle (because, in truth, needle felting is all about stabbing wool). Surprisingly versatile and open to a broad range of artistic expression, the Artterro Needle Felting Kit is an ideal introduction to this tactile and wildly satisfying craft form.

Kreatio Jumbo Size Oil Pastels

Stencil Kit for Young Artists

While crayons are the most common tools for the youngest members of the art community, the amount of pressure required to make heavier marks with crayons can be frustrating for small hands. Oil pastels are a softer medium, allowing kids to work more on their artistic vision and less on building their upper arm strength. Jumbo-sized so small hands can grasp them easily, the Kreatio pastels create a bolder color than standard wax crayons and offer more versatility through blending. The plastic carrying case keeps twentyfour brilliant colors organized and portable for the artist on the move. Take the pressure out of coloring and consider the lighter touch of oil pastels for the littlest Rembrandt.

For the kids who want to draw, but can benefit from a jump start on the creative process, stencils are the easiest way to cultivate a sense of form and space as they build their drawing skills. With twelve sharpened colored pencils, twelve large stencils, a sharpener and a carrying case, guided art is ready to happen instantly. The Boofo stencils (featuring animals, plants, cars, shapes and more) are sturdy and washable ensuring a durable resource for training young hands as they hone their drawing chops. More than just a guide for pencil tips, the Boofo stencil kit is the perfect resource to build a child’s confidence and empower their artistic drive toward independent drawing mastery.

(Spin Master)

(Artterro)

(Kreatio)

(Boofo)

Gerry Paige Smith is a syndicated columnist recommending the best products for kids and their families. Discover more at www.PageBookMedia.com

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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T Many people think of homeschoolers as a generic lot of religious Luddites who nix technology, lack social skills, grow their own food, live off the grid, and want to be around their kids 24/7. That describes maybe five percent of homeschoolers. And the Amish. I am not in the five percent (or Amish).

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“Hi, my name is Lisa and I’m a recovering homeschool mom,” I say to my imaginary 12-step support group of parents who survived homeschooling their own kids.

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I say “survived” because it was not all fun and games (although a lot of the times, it was exactly that). Homeschooling, with both its pros and cons, was one tough gig.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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People often asked how I ended up down this alternative life path. I certainly didn’t plan it. In fact, when my friend Livie said she wanted to homeschool her twins, I said, “Are you kidding? I would never want to homeschool my kids!” The thought of being around my still-going-through-the-terrible-twos-eventhough-he’s-now-three son all day long sent chills down my spine. Plus, I had an infant. I was exhausted from just being a mom. How could I be a mom and a homeschooler? Yet, just a couple years later, I made the leap into home education. Why? After a very bored two-year stint in public school, my son clearly needed more of a challenge. (We had to sneak Magic Tree House books into his classroom because they weren’t on the “approved” first-grade reading list.) Plus, when his teacher spelled “Santa Clause” on the chalkboard, my faith in public school took a bit of a nosedive. So, we pulled him after first grade and homeschooled him (and his younger brother) for almost 10 years. Over the years, people asked me what homeschooling was really like, as if we were escaping from North Korea and they wanted the insider’s secrets of what we did beyond the demilitarized zone. But I get it. They were curious. We were educational deviants, and they wanted to understand what we did and if we ever left the house. Let me pull back the curtain to show what homeschooling was really like, at least for our family.

The Pros

We started school later, sometimes in our pajamas, because I’m not a morning person. (We often made morning runs to Panera Bread for bagels and coffee for the same reason.) We “did school” everywhere---at the kitchen table, on the couch, in the pool, on the back porch, in the car, at the park, at the science center, and wherever the day’s activity took us. We filled many days with beyond-theworksheet fun---field trips, co-op classes, library visits, hands-on activities, science experiments, concerts, plays, recipes, homeschool support group activities, music, games, and art projects. We custom-tailored our curriculum to what the boys enjoyed learning about while still covering the basics. For example, instead of just making the boys memorize the parts of speech, we let our artist son write and illustrate a grammar booklet based on Mario, his favorite video game character. 75

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We adapted the environment to our boys’ special needs. The oldest (on the autism spectrum) liked a structured, quiet environment with lots of reading and art projects. The youngest (with ADHD) liked noise, movement, and hands-on activities. We “skipped school” whenever we felt like it. If we wanted to go to the beach for the day or head to the Orlando area theme parks when it’s less crowded, we did. We read thousands of books, which helped instill a love of reading in my boys.

The Cons

F o r E v E r y G E n E r at i o n . Prattville First United Methodist Church • 100 E. 4th Street, Prattville, AL 36067 TRADITIONAL WORSHIP 8: 30 AM & 11: 00 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL 9: 45 AM THE WELL 11: 00 AM

www.prattvillemethodist.org Montgomery Parents I June 2017

We fought. A lot. My two boys, three years apart and polar opposites, were masters at sibling rivalry. And my younger son and I battled constantly, with power struggles over snacks and pencils and petting the cat and making too much noise and . . . everything. Just because we homeschooled didn’t mean we all got along all the time. Stereotype shattered. We questioned the decision to homeschool our boys at the beginning and end of every school year – and sometimes even in the middle if we were going through a particularly rough behavioral patch with our boys. I’m not the kind of person who thrives being around other people all the time, especially when those people are my own demanding little kids who often exhaust my patience. I regularly needed some “me time” and sometimes felt guilty about taking time for myself or going out with friends. As the boys got older and busier, homeschooling wasn’t nearly as fun. In high school, everything counts on a transcript. We had much less free time to go on field trips and pack in all those “beyond-theworksheet” fun activities like we did when the boys were younger. We finally realized homeschooling wasn’t a good fit for our younger son. While we homeschooled our older son through 12th grade, we realized that our younger son needed to answer to someone else in high school. Plus, he thrived around more people, noise and activity, so our quiet little homeschool drove him a bit stir-crazy. The veil has now been lifted off the shroud of homeschooling secrecy---at least from our family’s perspective, since no two homeschoolers “do school” the exact same way. But, if we all fessed up, we’d agree that, despite differing pros and cons, homeschooling is one tough gig. mp Originally published on Parent.co. Reprinted with permission. Lisa Beach is a freelance journalist, copywriter, and recovering homeschool mom who lived to write about it. Check out her writer’s website at www.LisaBeachWrites.com.

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The Power of a Poem: More Than Just the Words Our early speech to children, with its sing-song lilts and rhyming endearments, is full of poetry. Before babies are old enough to decipher words, they can recognize rhythmic and repeating sounds. Poetry predates written language. Our ancestors used the cant and rhythm of poems to understand and retain the ‘idea’ of things in the absence of written records. The repeating words and sounds punctuated our language with markers and milestones as it helped us memorize our story and history. The following titles cherish the power of poetry and introduce young readers to one of literature’s earliest and most endearing storytelling forms.

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A Carnival of Cats

by Charles Ghigna, Illustrated by Kristi Bridgeman (Orca Publishing) Move over, Mother Goose. Charles Ghigna’s moniker of ‘Father Goose’ is well-deserved as a prolific and beloved author of poetry for kids. His feline fancy, A Carnival of Cats pulls the youngest reader into the poetic arena with verse that not only introduces simple poetry, but also fosters predictive engagement. The recto (right hand) page offering rhythmic clues that indicate a specific breed. Children use the rhyming words to anticipate the type of cat to be revealed as the verso (left hand) page is turned. With warmly energetic illustrations celebrating everything from Calicoes to Black Bombays, cat lovers will find perfect pairings in A Carnival of Cats!

A Poke in the “I”: A Collection of Concrete Poems

Selected by Paul Janeczko, Illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick) Concrete poetry is when the words or linguistic elements are arranged in a shape or pattern that adds visual emphasis to the meaning of the poem. Sometimes these shaped poems have an element of problem-solving as the reader discovers which path to follow as they read the words. The works selected for this title offer a rich variety of concrete poetry from the extremely simple to denser poems that require more attentive navigation. The vibrant illustrations mirror the use of shapes throughout without distracting from the importance of the poems’ shape. Get ready for a poetic poke in the eye with this bright look at concrete work.

A Song About Myself

by John Keats, Illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick) Although John Keats’ (1795-1821) life was brief, his words and poetry have remained a testament to his gift for almost two centuries. His A Song About Myself, extracted from a letter to his sister during a visit to Scotland, captures the mischievous spirit and adventurous nature of a young boy abroad. The soft burr of a Scottish accent can be read in its lines, and adds extra auditory elements for a read-aloud listener. The rhyme and tempo of this work shift and start, much like the progress of a child leaping from creek to hill on a long hike. With soft watercolor illustrations updating the narrative, this aged poem remains a treasure for all ages.

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Find more reading recommendations at www.PageBookMedia.com.

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Church/Cover Schools BroadChurch Academy

120 Handley Road Gardendale, AL 35071 BroadChurch Academy is a non-denominational church school providing off-site, non-public instruction opportunities for grades K-12 to Alabama families pursuant to Code of Alabama 16-28-1. BroadChurch Academy is a hands-off cover school. We believe that the parent is best suited to determine the path and means of their child’s education and strives to provide the simplest and most cost effective way possible to aid you in beginning or continuing your educational journey. We do not require a Statement of Faith; membership in a homeschool legal defense organization (though recommended); meetings, grade submission or curriculum approval. (205) 687-8474 broadchurchacademy@yahoo.com www.broadchurchacademy.org

Dayspring Academy

246 Tucker Lane Maplesville, AL 36750 DaySpring Academy/High School is a church school in Alabama offering a family-based educational program for grades K-12. (Alabama Code Section 16-28-1). The law is clear on what is required by parents and church schools so please read over this information. We believe in the right of parents to make all the educational choices for their children. We support and encourage parents to actively take responsibility for the education of their children in whatever manner they believe is best for their child. (334) 518-9181 dayspringacademy@yandex.com www.dsacademy.org

Evangel Family Christian Academy

Attn: Homeschool Office 3975 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36106 EFCA serves as a ministry of Evangel Church to enable and assist Christian parents who desire to directly supervise their children’s education in order that their children be given the best preparation to fulfill their God given purpose. EFCA, a home school covering in Montgomery Alabama, provides administrative assistance to member families required by the Alabama Code, maintains student records, verifies enrollment for students as needed, award diplomas and issues student transcripts. EFCA also offers a variety of opportunities for member families including academic, athletic, and social activities. If you homeschool in Alabama please prayerfully consider joining EFCA. (334) 272.3215 www.evangelfamily.net

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Everest Academy

1035 Jenkins Road Hayden, AL 35079 Everest Academy is a ministry of Everest Family Church. Our purpose is to assist parents in providing their child/children with the freedom, resources, and support to home educate in a safe and loving environment. Everest Academy believes that parents have the best interests of their children at heart. We wish to support you in your efforts to lead and guide your children in the direction and at the pace that you feel is best suited to the needs of your family. Everest Academy offers support along with quality resources to aid your family in your homeschooling efforts. Please visit our website and check the FAQ section. If you still have questions please email us. Our office is open by appointment only and closed on Fridays. (205) 433-9828 everestacademy1@gmail.com www.alabamahomeschooling.com

Ezekiel Academy

8191 Seaton Place Montgomery, AL 36116 Ezekiel Academy is established to glorify God in all things by facilitating families in the Kingdom of God who are acting in obedience to God’s call to teach their children within the framework of God’s Word and their personally held Biblical-based convictions and beliefs, primarily the affirmation of the deity of Christ. Ezekiel Academy functions as a church school as defined in the law of Alabama (Code 16-28-1:3) and serves the purposes of legal accountability as well as a system of support and encouragement for its member families. The vision of Ezekiel Academy is to see Christian parents, through their daily direction of the spiritual, educational, and vocational training of their children as declared by God in Deuteronomy 6, fulfill the exhortation in Ezekiel 36, “that all will know that God is the Lord.” Ezekiel Academy also offers a wide range of athletic venues. As the school year approaches, our football, volleyball, and track teams as well as cheerleaders are gearing up for the beginning of a new season. The excitement will continue through basketball, soccer, baseball, and softball seasons where our student athletes will compete “for His Glory!” Our office is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. (334) 315.0010

www.ezekielacademy.org

Holy Spirit Academy

8570 Vaughn Rd Montgomery, AL 36117 The mission of Holy Spirit Academy is to serve families choosing to educate their school age children at home in compliance with Alabama law. HSA provides home schooling families with a structure of support and services for academic excellence and for living the Catholic faith in the home and society. (334) 294.7305

happygirl.beach@gmail.com

HomeLife Academy

Jackson, TN 38308 HomeLife Academy is a non-traditional K-12 private school and ministry serving thousands of homeschool families for nearly 15 years. Colleges and universities all over the nation, from the University of Central Florida to Ivy League colleges to the Air Force Academy, have accepted our homeschool diplomas. (888) 560-0774

www.homelifeacademy.com

New Hope Academy

301 Water Street Prattville, AL 36067 The Learning Place provides a homeschool covering for those parents choosing to homeschool their children. We are a “hands-off” cover school, requiring only the basic enrollment procedures and attendance policies. Please read our forms for more information. Feel free to contact us with any questions. (334) 361.9505 thelearningplace@att.net http://www.thelearningplacealabama.com

Outlook Academy

Millbrook, AL 36054 Outlook Academy is an Alabama church school as defined in Alabama legal code 16-28-1. By enrolling your child/children, homeschooling parents comply with the compulsory school attendance law for children ages 6 to 17. Outlook Academy accepts members statewide. Please check the Frequently Asked Questions on our website before contacting administrators. This will help limit interruptions to their homeschooling schedule. (334) 290-0919 or (334) 625-8328 info@outlookacademy.com www.outlookacademy.org

River Crest Academy

301 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 River Crest Academy is a church cover school for residents of Alabama, who wish to homeschool their children. It is required to be registered with your county if your child is compulsory age (6-17). Our commitment is to the children in the home school community. We strive to provide up to date and accurate information on home school activities, field trips, curriculum, educational activities, sports, social activities, and graduation for families with children of all ages. (334) 398.2008 rivercrestacademy@gmail.com www.rivercrestacademy.com

Sovereign Grace Academy

301 Water Street Prattville, AL Sovereign Grace Academy (SGA) is a church cover school that seeks to provide legal covering, support, and encouragement for homeschooling fami-

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lies in the most efficient and convenient manner. As a hands-off church school, we refrain from interfering in your homeschooling and require only minimal reporting. (334) 290.3304 or 652.4606 sovereigngraceacademy@yahoo.com www.millbrookpca.com (under ministries tab)

Curriculum Options A Beka Curriculum

A Beka Curriculum has a Christian and traditional approach to education. They offer several options for teaching. The DVD option is a fully accredited college preparatory program with A Beka Academy. The second option is the Traditional Parent-Directed option with A Beka Academy. The third option is textbooks and materials for homeschooling that you pick and choose from. A Beka offers home school material displays several times a year in surrounding areas. (877) 223-5226

www.abeka.com/homeschool/

All in One Homeschool (AKA Easy Peasy) We enable families to homeschool who thought they couldn’t because of a lack of finances, a lack of time, or a lack of know-how. Others join EP just because it’s easy and fun and because of the quality of education. We seek to provide the resources to enable your family to be who you were meant to be. Visit us on Facebook. www.allinonehomeschool.com

Alpha Omega Publications

Alpha Omega Publications has the right Christian homeschool curriculum for you and your family. As a leading Christian homeschooling curriculum publisher, AOP’s award-winning educational products have enabled thousands of families to discover the amazing benefits of a Christian homeschool

education. Take a closer look and see what makes homeschooling so special! www.aop.com

Apologia Educational Ministries

The mission of Apologia Educational Ministries is to publish curriculum and resources and provide services that help homeschooling students and families learn, live, and defend the Christian faith. Along with our award-winning creation-based science courses, Apologia Educational Ministries offers biblical worldview and apologetic titles, online classes, inspirational books, homeschooling tools (such as planners), the Real Refreshment Retreats for homeschooling moms, and mission opportunities. www.apologia.com

Bob Jones Curriculum BJU

BJU Press exists to encourage Christian character in students and promote academic excellence through the provision of K–12 educational materials

and support services. Additionally, it produces quality music, youth fiction, adult non-fiction, and DVDs to edify believers. BJU offers quality textbooks, homeschool consultants, student focused distance learning classes, and a wide range of other products and services to meet your educational needs.

(800) 845-5731 bjupinfo@bjupress.com www.bjupresshomeschool.com

Calvert Education School

Calvert Education’s comprehensive homeschool curriculum uses a blend of traditional textbooks and online learning. For over a century, Calvert has believed that every child deserves a quality education regardless of geography or situation. Whether you are new to homeschooling, or a seasoned homeschool veteran, Calvert Education can work with you to tailor a program to fit your child’s needs. Calvert School provides you with all of the textbooks, tools and support you need. Calvert is a classical Christian Private School. The teachers provide the

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Christian education for schools and homeschools. These quality textbooks take a traditional approach to schooling. Rod and Staff offer Bible based textbooks that are designed to make the child God conscious. Milestone books offers Rod & Staff curriculum materials. Visit our website and search Rod & Staff for information, resources and a list of products. (800) 761-0234

www.milestonebooks.com

Saxon Curriculum

Saxon teaches the foundational skills of math and reading. We offer Saxon curriculum series of textbooks and materials (800) 247-4784

www.christianbook.com

Sonlight Curriculum

Sonlight uses a classical Christian approach to education. It is literature rich and focuses on teaching children to seek God’s kingdom and to create a learner’s heart. Sonlight encourages curricula with enthusiasm and excitement for learning. Please visit our website for more information, request a free catalog or take part in the forums. (800) 903-1675

www.sonlight.com

Tapestry of Grace

lesson plans and offer support with placement testing. Education counselors are available, as well as advisory teaching services. (888) 487-4652

www.calvertschool.org/home-school/

Crossing Over to Homeschooling

At Crossing Over to Homeschooling, it’s our goal to help you find all the resources you need to enjoy this wonderful, scary, exciting, nerve-wracking, funfilled journey we call homeschooling! info@crosssingovertohomeschooling.com www.crossingovertohomeschooling.com

Heart of Dakota

Heart of Dakota publishes a Christ-centered homeschool curriculum that is easy to use, flexible, and educational. It can also be used with multiple ages at the same time. Our desire is to help homeschool teachers and parents have a successful experience from the very beginning, while keeping God’s Word at the heart of their children’s academic training. (605) 428-4068 carmikeaustin@msn.com www.heartofdakota.com

Keystone National High School

Flexible learning starts at Keystone. We are an online Accredited High School and Middle School to earn your diploma online. The Keystone School offers flexible education programs that help each student achieve their unique dreams and goals. Whether your student wants to study full-time or just needs individual classes, we offer more than 170 courses from credit recovery to world languages and AP. Students can also enroll at any time which truly meets our purpose to be the leader in flexible education. (800) 255-4937

www.keystonehighschool.com

Khan Academy

Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. We’ve also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content. www.khanacademy.org

KONOS

KONOS is distinct from other curricula. We use the entire library as a textbook and the whole world as our curriculum. KONOS is one home-school Montgomery Parents I June 2017

student talking to another home-school student and sharing a curriculum designed by two homeschooling moms for their own children. We have 24 years of homeschooling experience. KONOS is passionate about passing on a vision to build families that honor God, strengthening the family unit and achieving excellence in education. For more information and questions email us. info@konos.com

www.konos.com

Math-U-See

Math-U-See is designed to teach students specific skills that build as the student progresses. This systematic and cumulative approach uses a definite, logical sequence of concept instruction. The Math-U-See system is structured with step-by-step procedures for introducing, reviewing, practicing, and mastering concepts. Each lesson teaches using multi-sensory tools such as videos and other resources, designed to appeal to any type of learner. With these resources, we are able to adapt to a variety of homeschool styles. (888) 854-6284

www.mathusee.com

My Father’s World

My Father’s World believes in helping parents raise generations who see the world through God’s eyes and live according to that knowledge. We utilize hands on, unit studies with daily lesson plans that are easy to teach. My Father’s World enables families and multi-age groups to learn together. Many of our programs may be taught to a range of ages simultaneously. We combine the best of Charlotte Mason’s ideas and classical education with a Biblical worldview, an international focus, and our own observations of how children learn. For more information email us. (573) 202-2000 info@mfwbooks.com www.mfwbooks.com

Oak Meadow

Oak Meadow offers many different options to meet individual family needs for education. We offer a complete curriculum for at home use or you can enroll online to receive academic credit. Oak Meadow will give students the freedom to learn with flexibility and recognition of learning styles. Call or email for more information.

Tapestry of Grace’s products focus primarily on teaching tools for the subject of History. Tapestry of Grace uses a Classical approach to education through a plan of study that helps parents provide Christian, education using a guided unit study approach. Students will cycle through world history allowing all ages to study the same slice of history each week. Each student will progress at their own learning level. This curriculum does not include a phonics program, science, math, grammar, spelling, or foreign language. (800) 705-7487

www.tapestryofgrace.com

Timberdoodle Company

Timberdoodle, a family-owned company, has been finding crazy-smart supplies for homeschooling since 1985. Our goal is to offer unique and innovative homeschooling items that are fun for kids and parents. Our special emphasis is engineering, hands-on and thinking-skills products that kids love. We offer Curriculum Kits containing our company’s favorite picks for each grade level. One of our passions helping families cherry-pick what works best for their children. That is why we are eager and available to help you, free of charge, to custom-fit your curriculum to be perfect for your family. (800) 478-0672 or (360) 426-0672 customerservice@timberdoodle.com www.timberdoodle.com

Veritas Press

At Veritas Press we specialize in providing educational materials for a classical Christian education. We offer scripted lesson plans with a complete curriculum package or choose online classes with expert teachers available. Veritas Press also offers “In a week” courses. Visit our website to view our many teaching resources, lesson plans, featured products, eBooks and self-paced courses. At Veritas Press we put customers first. For more information and questions call, email or visit our website. (800) 922-5082 info@veritaspress.com www.veritaspress.com

WinterPromise

Rod & Staff Curricula

WinterPromise strives to provide activities that are exciting for kids and realistic for parents! If you want a “wake up and go” curriculum that will build your own unique family culture, Winter Promise is certainly for you. Our package choices include Language Arts, Science, Note booking and Math. Whether you choose to visit animal habitats around the world, journey through the American story, dig into ancient history or voyage with sailors on tempestuous seas, WinterPromise has something that will allow your family learning experience to succeed.

www.montgomeryparents.com

(802) 251-7250 info@oakmeadow.com www.oakmeadow.com

We offer affordable Bible-based curriculum and character-building storybooks, helping build a solid

(802) 372-9200 or (231) 303-1028 winterpromise@ gmail.com www.winterpromise.com

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Extra-curricular Activities Armory Gymnastics Center ad on page 39

1018 Madison Avenue Montgomery, AL Classes for ages 2 years and up. Cost: $45 per month (2 classes per week) Each additional child is $30. $40 Registration fee per year. Mondays and Wednesday classes: 12:30 and 1:30-2:30. Tuesday and Thursday classes: 12:30 and 1:30.

(334) 241.2789 www.armoryathletics.co

United GymStars & Cheer

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6100 Brewbaker Blvd. Montgomery, AL What a great way to get in physical education. Classes are offered on Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. for ages 6 and up. A waiver is signed for each participant. Cost is $6.00 per child per visit.

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(334) 284.2244 www.unitedgymstarsandcheer.com

Brunswick Zone Home School Bowling League

1661 Eastern Blvd Montgomery, AL The Home School League will meet in September. Please call closer to this time to get the exact date. At this meeting the parents will decide what day and what time Home School League will meet. All ages of home school students are invited to bowl in this league. (334) 819.7171

Caesar Chess

Teaching kids to play chess in metro Montgomery. ** Public ** Private ** Homeschooled ** Caesar Lawrence – Director & Chess Coach 334-868-0271 CaesarChess@gmail.com

Docarmo’s Takewondo Center

3447 Malcolm Drive Montgomery, AL Homeschooling classes year round. Monday and Wednesday mornings. (334) 220.5835 www.trytkdfree.com

Family Karate Center

8159 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL Instructor: Master Carole Coker Offers homeschool classes Monday through Saturdays at various times starting at age 2. Private classes. Instructor has master’s degree in early childhood education and special education (Only

school that offers work with Autism, Aspergers, ADD, and ADHD). We have a full workout room for moms while children are in class. Free tutoring from certified teacher for all children. Homework checked. Outstanding academic achievement receives treasure chest rewards. Each homeschooler’s report card displayed on Wall of Fame. Students earn bonus bucks for pro-shop. Call for FREE class today. (334) 277.4911 or (334) 467.5762

Homeschool Choir with Karen Gosselin

Days and Times: 1-1:30...ages 3-5 1:30-2...ages 6-8 2-2:45...ages 9-13 3-4...ages 12-19 *4-5...auditioned touring group ages 14-18. *must be regular in 3-4:00 choir to be in auditioned group. Location: Eastern Hills Baptist Church, Montgomery 6th graders are allowed to choose which choir they want to be in...Jr. singers learn music skills by playing more games...Sr. singers learn music skills though mostly singing. Cost: $35 a month for 1 child ($8.75 a lesson); $45 a month for 2 children ($5.63 a lesson per child); $55 a month for 3 or more children ($4.58 a lesson per child). Registration fee is $25 per child (can be split up if needed) for music, instruments, upkeep, etc. Talk to me if this poses a problem. For the preschool and younger choirs, we learn music by playing games and activities! We learn singing skills, major and minor muscle coordination, early reading skills, and more! We use play to learn listening skills and singing skills. For the older choir, we use singing skills to learn music reading. We work abundantly on listening skills to create blend, harmony, and melody. Karen Gosselin at (334) 303.4783

Homeschool Piano with Alan Newman

Piano instruction with recitals. Please visit us on Facebook at Alan Newman EzMusic for information. (334) 538.6774

alangnewman@gmail.com

Homeschool Skate Day at Looney’s Super Skate

September thru May, 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. $3.00 per skater (includes skate rental) (334) 281.1032

McWane Science Center Labs

200 Nineteenth Street North Birmingham, 35203 AL McWane Science Center Labs are designed to supplement what you are teaching at home. Students will be able to use equipment and take part in experiments that are not easily executed in the home classroom. Our labs fall within the standards of the Alabama Course of Study as well as the National Science Standards. (205) 714.8359 www.mcwane.org

Montgomery Arts Academy

1803 West Bird St. Montgomery, AL Variety of classes offered in piano, music and voice. Now offering educational classes for all levels. Registration is going on now thru August. Diana Gray-Williams, (334) 657.7685 or (334) 593.3419 www.montgomeryartsacademy.com

P’zazz Art Studio

138 W. Main St. Prattville, AL Homeschool art classes offered on Wednesday’s starting in September. (334) 354.1975 www.prattille.pzazzart.com

River Region Homeschool Band

Meetings begin September at Fountain of Grace Church in Prattville. We offer a beginner class and Intermediate/Advanced Class. Please check us out on Facebook under River Region Homeschool Band for any updates. Ted Mann at (334) 312.1486

YMCA Homeschool Physical Education Select YMCA’s offer PE to homeschoolers for an hour. Please call your local branch for more information.

Getting Started & State Laws CHEF – Christian Home Education Fellowship of Alabama

CHEF of Alabama exists to promote and encourage Christian home education for the glory of God. Whether you are considering homeschooling, just beginning your homeschooling journey, or are a veteran homeschooling parent, our goal is to encourage, inspire, and equip you. (334) 288-7229 president@chefofalabama.org www.homeschool-life.com/al/chefofalabama

Homeschool Central

Homeschool Central is a resourceful website for new and veteran homeschoolers. It includes state laws, curriculums, un-schooling, support groups, blogs, How-To sections, support groups and so much more. information@homeschoolcentral.com information@homeschoolcentral.com

Homeschool.com

For over 14 years Homeschool.com has helped homeschooling families get the information they need about the different curricula, products and services offered to the homeschooling community. We strive to provide you with information about everything from products and services to the inspiring stories of homeschoolers around the world. Homeschool.com contains great information on different approaches to homeschooling, such as: classical, unschooling, Charlotte Mason, school in a box and much more. www.homeschool.com

HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association)

Home School Legal Defense Association is a nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend the constitutional right of parents and to protect family freedoms. HSLDA gives families the freedom to homeschool without having to face legal threats alone. (540) 338-5600

www.hslda.org

Leaping from the Box

Leaping from the Box contains resources & articles to assist Homeschoolers and Home Educators. Move beyond the “cookie-cutter” box mentality in your homeschooling journey. We have materials for Independent Learners including tips for using textbooks, community resources & online information. Leaping from the Box answers common questions about homeschooling in Alabama. We also have support groups, cover schools and more available. Admin@LeapingFromTheBox.com www.leapingfromthebox.com

High School Helps & Transcripts Testing/ Record Keeping Covenant College

14049 Scenic Hwy Lookout Mountain, 30750 GA Covenant College is a Christian liberal arts college that exists to explore and express the preeminence of Jesus Christ in all things. At Covenant, we seek to inspire and equip our students to be faithful stewards of their God-given abilities - all of our programs are designed with this in mind. (706) 820-1560 info@covenant.edu www.covenant.edu

www.facebook.com/montgomeryparents

HomeschoolCounselor.com

For web-based service offering supplemental essential tools for dads, moms and each homeschool student ages 13-20. Work on reading comprehension, time testing, deadlines, time management, and note taking www.homeschoolcounselor.com

The Potter School (TPS)

Offering any course you need online through Belhaven University. Also check the website for information on Accredited vs. non-accredited. www.pottersschool.org

Homeschool Discounts Books-A-Million Joanne’s Fabrics Scholastic.com

Recommended Reading 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy Echo in Celebration: A Call to Home-Centered Education by Leigh A. Bortins For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macalay Repairing the Ruins by Douglas Wilson Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey School Proof by Mary Pride Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann The Big Books of Home Learning by Mary Pride The Christian Home School by Gregg Harris The Core – The Conversation – The Question (3 books) by Leigh A. Bortins The Five Love Languages of Children by Chapman & Campbell The Homeschooling Father by Michael Farris The Homeschooling Handbook by Mary Griffith The Practical Home Schooling Magazine by Mary Pride The Right Choice: Home Schooling by Christopher Klicka The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias Discover and teach to your child’s strengths. The Well Trained Mind: Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. Great book for resources.

Additional Resources A to Z Home’s Cool

A to Z Home’s Cool community website will help you home educate your kids from preschool, kindergarten, up to and through high school with free online education, lesson ideas, educational websites, helpful articles, top programs, books, materials, curriculum... and best of all... Homeschool Friends! www.homeschooling.gomilpitas.com

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Alabama Homeschool Expo

Wonderful site for Alabama Resources, information, news and more! www.alabamahomeschoolexpo.com

Beautiful Feet History and Science Curriculum

This site offers classic and historic works that nurture a love for reading. (805) 542-9847 or (800) 889-1978 letters@bfboks.com www.bfbooks.com

Bellerophon Books

Bellerophon Books publishes very inexpensive books of Ancient History, American History, Archeology, Native American Art and History, Natural History, Music History, English Literature, and much more! Our books are entertaining, beautiful; exceedingly edificatory, and they sell like crazy! (800) 253-9943 sales@bellerophonbooks.com www.bellerophonbooks.com

Cathy Duffy Reviews

Cathy Duffy Reviews provides information on several different curriculum options. This site also contains articles and reviews of other books Cathy believes are important for those interested in homeschooling, education, and related political and spiritual topics. www.cathyduffyreviews.com

Chem4kids

Distance Learning Integrators

Distance Learning Integrators will help enrich your home-school curriculum with a variety of Electronic field trips. Also visit www.jannalaughon.com/ eFieldTrips.html for a list of specific efieldtrip websites. info@efieldtrips.org www.efieldtrips.org

Greenleaf Press

We strive to be the best resources for teaching history and literature chronologically. www.greenleafpress.com

Hands of a Child

You will find that our programs, materials, and services will effectively aid you in the education of your students. We look forward to helping you provide students with a Christ-centered curriculum. Christian Liberty Press contains a large assortment for the Christ centered biblical approach. (800) 348–0899 or (847) 385-2029 custserv@ homeschools.org or custserv@christianliberty.com www.shopchristianliberty.com

Circe Institute

The CiRCE Institute is a leading provider of inspiration, information, and insight to classical educators throughout the U.S. and Canada via an annual conference, an online classical academy, in-house teacher training, Lost Tools of Writing™ Workshops and materials, consulting on board development, school leadership, and school start-up, as well as a content-laden website and blog. The CiRCE Institute is called to promote, model, and support classical education in the school, within itself, and in the home. Our clients consider the CiRCE Institute the cutting-edge organization in the Christian classical renewal because of our unique ability to identify the ancient principles of learning, to communicate them enthusiastically, and to apply them vigorously in today’s educational settings. The CiRCE Institute is committed to the Christianity expressed in the historical creeds of the church, especially the Nicene Creed. CS Lewis’s phrase “Mere Christian” describes our aspiration. www.circeinstitute.org

(800) 533-4397

www.hearthsong.com

Home Science Tools

Committed to making science both fun and accessible for families and classrooms. We carry affordable Science tools and kits for hands on experimentation. www.homesciencetools.com

Homeschool Super Center

We are in the business of helping parents find the best homeschool curriculum for each student. We also carry resources that will help get you started with homeschooling as well as guides to the best, homeschool friendly curriculum for your student.

www.homeschoolsupercenter.com

Institute for Excellence in Writing

In order to succeed in every area of life, children must hone the skills needed to communicate confidently and effectively. Whether your students are eager learners or reluctant writers, IEW’s approach will give the tools you need to confidently teach your students to write well, think clearly, and express themselves. Learning to write well will serve children not only during their school years, but also into college and throughout their adult lives. The process of learning to write well also teaches students how to think clearly and communicate effectively in every area of life. (800) 856-5815

www.iew.com

IXL

IXL provides comprehensive, standards-aligned math and language arts practice for grades K–12. We strive to make learning as effective as it can be and solve real-world challenges faced by students and teachers around the planet. IXL provides skills drills for items that are required on the Alabama State Benchmark. (855) 255-8800

www.ixl.com

Learning Things - The Education Store

We carry products for Science, Math, History, Economics, Art, Bible Studies, career skills, English, computer skills, Geography and the list goes on and on! Our site contains product reviews, products by age and grade level. Visit our site, request a catalogue, read our informative articles and blogs and find the perfect fit to teach and learn effectively. (678) 679-1127

www.learningthings.com

Mindware

The nation’s best resource for educational toys for kids and learning toys for kids that engages and entertains. Whatever learning toys you select, we guarantee that your children will learn—and have fun—while they play! (800) 999-0398

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At Hearthsong we are dedicated to helping parents follow their instincts and provide children with ageappropriate, wholesome, quality playthings. What better way to help your children learn than having tons of fun through play!

(888) 689-4626

Christian Liberty Press

Hearthsong

(866) 426-3701

Children’s Books (Home-School Discount Products)

(864) 968-0391 childrensbooks@earthlink.net www.homeschooldiscountproducts.com

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We strive to give you the best products at the best prices. All of our employees are either homeschool parents or homeschool graduates. We have all used a variety of different curricula. Our website contains a wide assortment of curricula and books.

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We provide quality lapbooking materials for all educators, homeschooling families and classroom teachers looking for an easier way to put laughter and learning together in the hands of their children and students.

We have information on matter, atoms, elements, the periodic table, reactions and biochemistry. If you’re still not sure what to click, visit our site map that lists all of the topics on the site. If you surf and get lost in all of the fantastic information, use the search function on the side of the pages. www.chem4kids.com

www.mindware.com

www.montgomeryparents.com

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Rainbow Resource Center

It is our mission to provide the best educational products to homeschoolers, parents, and educators at the lowest prices we can offer. We currently carry over 40,000 quality educational products in all subject areas, for grades PK-12 and beyond! (888) 841-3456

www.rainbowresource.com/index.php

Real Science 4 Kids

Real Science-4-Kids introduces kids to the core disciplines of science. Students learn chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and astronomy. We offer a Science Curriculum from Preschool to High school. (505) 266-2761

www.gravitaspublications.com

ROCK Solid

Rock Solid offers popular homeschool products like Bob Jones, Alpha Omega, Apologia, Horizons, Switched On School House and Explode the Code. (800) 705-3452

www.rocksolidinc.com

Store for Knowledge

Store for Knowledge offers thousands of products ranging from every educational subject. We carry a large variety of kits, models and toys. (800) 392-8739 Help@StoreforKnowledge.com www.storeforknowledge.com

Yesterday’s Classics

Yesterday’s Classics offers a collection of books from a wide variety of subjects and categories, with special emphasis on history, literature, and natural history. (919) 357-8824

www.yesterdaysclassics.com

Zoom Kitchen Chemistry

Explore the virtual kitchen and perform online experiments. Solve puzzles and get a reward! Choose from animated games and activities. www.pbskids.org/zoom/games/kitchenchemistry/

Suport Groups and Supplementation The School at Sylvan Learning Center ad on page 31

2640 Zelda Road Montgomery, 36107 AL The Sylvan Learning Center in Montgomery is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and offers Home School services for children in grades 1st through 12. Students receive 560 hours of instruction in Math, Science, History, and Reading/English. Home School instruction is offered Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. State required electives are completed outside of the Learning Center as an independent study. Requirements: Transcripts from previous school withdrawal letter from previous School and proof of registration with Home School Organization. (334) 262.0043 www.sylvanlearning/Montgomery

Academy Days Homeschool Co-op

Please visit our website for a list of classes being offered for the upcoming school year. Held weekly during the school year at Grace Community Church in Millbrook, this affordable co-op is designed for students (preschool through high school) to gather for subjects difficult to teach at home or best taught in group setting. The co-op is open to all homeschoolers of any covering. Carren Joye, carren@outlookacademy.com http://www.academydays.com

BRICKS 4 KIDS

Afterschool enrichment, in-school workshops, birthday parties and so much more. We service the Montgomery area and we look forward to reaching

out and serving the children of this great city. We introduce the concept of S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Please call , Stephanie Shuford for more information. (334) 721.4111

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Central Alabama Homeschool Co-op

CAHC is a Christian academic cooperative for compulsory age children that meets once a week for 15 weeks in both the fall and spring semesters. Each semester we will have two breaks and one half day assembly with a potluck lunch. We also offer a nursery and Pre-K class. We will meet on Thursdays from 9:00am to 2:35pm. We will offer four 55 minutes classes as well as one 30 minute grade level math lab. Tanya Murphy, (334) 398.2008 centralalabamahomeschoolcoop@gmail.com www.rivercrestacademy.com (under co-op tab)

Classical Conversations (CC)

CC is a community based homeschool program in the form of support groups that get together weekly. Group leaders help to equip parents to homeschool through a series of academic services, tutors, and meetings. CC offers kindergarten through 6th grade with an introduction to History, Math, Science, Latin, English, Institute of Excellence in Writing (IEW) and Language arts. Finally, the 7th through 12 grade students work on challenging curriculum that involves Saxon math, Apologia Sciences, Classic Literature, Writing, debating, and much more. “CC exists to know God and to make Him known.” Please visit our website for chapters in your area. https://www.classicalconversations.com

Elmore County Homeschool Organization (ECHO)

A social/support group for homeschooling families. We provide a positive socialization environment for homeschooled children, and support & encourage their parents in the homeschooling process. We welcome all families from any county. We meet the second and fourth Friday of every month during the school-year from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Harvest Fields Community Church in Deatsville. Membership is free. ECHO offers field trips, holiday parties, enrichment activities, social activities, teen only events, and a yearly awards ceremony. Catherine Ray (334-285-2558) and Tanya Murphy (334-799-7119) elmore.co.homeschool.org@gmail. com www.onlineecho.com

Fellowship of Home Educators (FHE)

FHE is a group of families in Prattville and surrounding area who support one another in the area of home education. We offer many educational opportunities as well as social gathering for our children. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fhenewsandinfo/

Homeschooling in the River Region

A local Facebook page with other Mothers like you. They list any local events and activities geared towards homeschoolers and support. A great place to meet new homeschooling families. Search for us under Homeshooling in the River Region on Facebook.

L.I.F.T.

LIFT is a supplemental program to homeschooling your students. It was developed with the intention of assisting parents of students 12 years old through students 19 years old in areas they may not feel fully confident to teach. Members of other church school ministries who pay the activities fee to Ezekiel Academy may participate in LIFT. Sharon Hubbard, 286.9957 www.liftmontgomery.org

Maxwell Area Home Educators (MAHE)

Maxwell Area Home Educators is a support group formed primarily to encourage military homeschoolers in the MGM (Maxwell/Gunter/Montgomery) area regardless of their reasons for homeschooling, philosophy, or method of instruction. MAHE

is NOT a legal “church school,” but a network of homeschoolers working together to assist one another in our homeschooling efforts. If you are new to homeschooling or are long term homeschool parents looking to broaden your child’s academic experience, there is much we can do to help you. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MAHE/

Montgomery Homeschoolers

This group was created for all home schooling families in the Montgomery area. We are hoping to plan field trips, or attend field trips with others. Play Dates, gatherings, support, etc…. This group can also be used for curriculum resources and help with planning. Please search for us under Montgomery Homeschoolers on Facebook.

Testing www.hslda.org/highschool/testing.asp www.homeschoolreporting.com www.fivejs.com/homeschool-gradebook-free-download www.academicrecords.net

Upcoming Events ABEKA Homeschool Materials Display

July 29, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 203 Legends Court, Prattville. August 16, 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Comfort Inn & Suites - in Eastchase. Please visit Abeka’s website for dates in other locations. www.abeka.com/homeschool/

CHEF of Alabama Homeschool Convention & Curriculum Fair

(Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church)

5080 Cahaba Valley Trace Birmingham, AL 35242 Friday June 30 8am – 6pm and Saturday, July 1 8am4pm. Join families from all over Alabama for the 29th annual Alabama Homeschool Convention and Curriculum Fair. Heidi St. John, The Busy Mom and Todd Wilson, The Familyman, will be speakers. Featured will be an entrepreneurial boot camp led by Rhea Perry and an NCFCA communications program. Workshop topics will include Getting Started, Homeschooling through High School, and Teaching Special Needs Students. National and local curricula providers will be on site. For full convention information and online registration visit our website. If you have any questions please contact Convention Coordinator Mark Holden at markholden56@gmail.com. (205) 699-0712 markholden56@gmail.com www.chefofalabama.org

ECHO’s Open House

Friday, August 4, 10:00 am—Noon Location: Harvest Fields Community Church, 4280 Deatsville Hwy, Deatsville, AL 36022 This is a FREE event open to families from ANY county in the area that are homeschooling or interested in homeschooling. Light refreshments will be served. Children are welcome; we will have activity tables for their enjoyment. Come find out about our group & our upcoming activities. Local vendors that offer homeschooling goods/services/opportunities will be on site to distribute information & answer questions. Contact: Co-Leaders Catherine Ray & Tanya Murphy, elmore.co.homeschool.org@gmail.com. www.onlineecho.com www.facebook.com/events/414422885596211

Southeast Homeschool EXPO

July 27-29 Cobb Galleria in Marietta, GA. Two day event with hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of products where parents can review and purchase the latest curriculum, hear great speakers who give practical encouragement, and receive personalized help and answers to any questions www.southeasthomeschoolexpo.com

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spent a lot of it struggling to adjust to the shock of new parenthood, and doing backflips to soothe my colicky baby. I barely noticed my own birthday, and we didn’t do much for Mother’s Day. I just didn’t have the energy to plan anything. Then, Father’s Day popped up. I wanted to make it special for my husband, but was surprised that I felt some resistance. It was not just the exhaustion; it bugged me that I was supposed to come up with a thoughtful appreciation for his fatherhood, while he got to sleep through all the nighttime feedings and keep up with his friends and hobbies. How do you find an I Love You for Father’s Day when your sense of appreciation is cranky and pouting? It turns out, the answer was effortless. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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I gave my husband the gift of a play at the park with our daughter while I took a nap. How is that a gift to him? It worked on two fronts. First, it gave him a chance to bask in our baby’s undivided attention, something he rarely got while I was around. I think he felt like his daughter’s hero for the first time. Second, it changed the balance of our parenting partnership. We both realized he was capable of doing more with the baby, and it dissolved a leaden ball of resignation I didn’t realize I had been dragging. I saw new possibilities for taking breaks from my demanding role. It made me calmer, happier, and more hopeful. Planning a simple play for Father’s Day changed the outlook for our marriage. I saw that I could lean on my partner, and realized how much he already held me up. Relief and gratitude reawakened the fun chick inside me. Tell me that was not a gift to him. If you are running on empty, use Father’s Day as a chance to reconnect with the pleasure of your husband’s presence. Here are some easy, fun ways to celebrate his power to light up your life.

Effortless Family Fun

Plan a low-overhead outing where you enjoy the extra set of hands while Dad enjoys his amazing family. • Grab the stroller for an after-dinner walk with a stop for dessert. • Get outside for twenty minutes with a Frisbee, a bottle of bubbles, or a bug-catcher. • Go somewhere you have a membership: the zoo, the science center, or the gym with babysitting. • Go to the mall. Grab a snack and daydream about how you would splurge if you won the lottery. • Establish a weekly Family Outing Day and let Dad choose the first destination.

Restorative Couple Time

If you miss cuddling and connecting, you can bet your husband does too. Give in to that worn-out feeling and grab a quiet, stress-free moment together. • Lazy Massage Hour: one person controls the TV remote while they massage the other’s feet, shoulders, or head for 30 minutes. Then, switch roles. 85

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• Wine and Cheese on the Couch: After the kids go to bed, raid the pantry and lay out a grown up buffet with wine, cheese, olives and fruit, or beer, nachos, and guacamole. Use whatever feels like an indulgence.

• 90 Minute Jail Break: If your kids are very little and you can’t be away too long, book a babysitter for a micro date. Have apps at your old dating hang-out, or spend a handful of coins at the arcade. • Bicker-Buster: Skip the stressed-out squabbles with a quiet walk. Bring a tasty drink to keep your mouth busy, and relax together in the outdoors with no pressure for conversation. • Write it On the Wall: Think of one thing about your husband that you appreciate, and scribble it on a note board or the bathroom mirror. Once a week, replace the message. With only a few minutes’ worth of thought and preparation, you can begin a routine that helps both of you appreciate your partnership.

Superdad Time

Give your husband a chance to shine by planning an easy Daddy date. • Send the gang to the park or pool with prepacked necessities. • Set out a project, like a recipe, puzzle, or build-your-own-birdhouse kit. • Plan a backyard campout and let them set up the tent, cook hotdogs and marshmallows, and tell stories with spooky flashlight face. Or, let them build forts and play with flashlights all evening in the living room. • Send them shopping for snacks and have a Netflix movie night. • Commission them to produce a video that captures the essence of Dad. If you are facing Father’s Day with a frown, consider an effortless celebration. Even in the most gruelling moments of parenthood, happiness is only a moment away if you give yourself permission to work with what you’ve got. Free your mind, surrender to a well-deserved break, and give your husband a chance to bask in your warm appreciation of his Superdad powers. mp

Laurie is the mom of two energizer bunnies, and the wife of a willing and wonderful Superdad.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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ParentingToday’sTeens by Mark Gregston

Hope for the “Me” Generation The “Baby Boom” generation was so anxious to have good relationships with their children that they tended to set aside their primary role as parents. Their desire to be their child’s best friend nurtured the advent of a self-centered, demanding, “Me Generation” who believes the world revolves around them. But there’s hope!

Parenting in Past Generations — Too Rigid

As I’ve grown older, I see more with the eyes of my heart than I do with those on each side of my big nose. And the aging process has brought me to a greater understanding of my own mom and dad’s parenting style. I’ve learned that things really weren’t as bad as I used to think they were. My dad, like yours, was less than relational; his focus was on providing for his family. Working at the same job for 38 years; providing was his way of showing love for his family. He demanded respect. He taught us to be responsible because that’s the way he was taught, and he wanted us to live the same way. My father worked hard because he grew up during the Great Depression, and he knew first-hand the challenges of having little to live on. He also saw to it that our family was protected. Food was always on the table, a roof was always over our head, we all went to college, and the enemy he fought in the South Pacific never marched on our homeland.

Parenting in Today’s Generation — Too Relational Then, the 60’s and 70’s came along. Some called it a revolution. Millions of “Baby Boomers” fell head over heels toward relationships and feelings of love for all mankind. Our music and lifestyle expressed our desire for universal peace and love. We swooned to lyrics like “all you need is love,” and there

was a “whole lotta’ love” going around. And we “showered the people we love with love… showing them the way that we feel.” Then we took our desire for peace, love and affection right into our parenting style. Baby boomers as parents focused on maintaining peace and love, at all costs. We were determined to have better, stronger relationships with our kids than we had with our parents; carrying out these normally good and healthy desires to an extreme. Out of financial abundance, we gave our kids everything they ever wanted, and more. Modern conveniences allowed for more free time and less responsibility. Soccer moms equipped with minivans shuttled kids from one event or activity to another, with stops at McDonald’s in-between. We indulged, spoiled and provided too much “stuff” as misguided expressions of our love.

But Good Relationships Are Good, Aren’t They?

What’s wrong with too much love? Nothing! But there is something wrong with it if it is our only focus. To put it bluntly, placing kids on a pedestal and focusing our lives on them created feelings of entitlement. Kids began equating our love with our pocket book and our willingness to do things for them. Their thrills in life came from getting new toys, new clothes, new honors, and new excitements. They became demanding, selfish, adrenalin junkies, searching daily for new thrills. When the excitement ended or the money train slowed, they became angry. We wanted to be the best parents ever, but the more we focused our attention and our money on our kids, the more they fell into anxiety, depression, and outright defiance. After all, they wouldn’t admit it, but deep down they were terrified for what they would do after they left the comforts and indulgences of home. Perhaps you have a teenager fitting this description living in your home now? I’ve had the privilege of getting to know over 3,000 such teenagers in our Heartlight counseling program over the past 20 years. These are kids whose parents loved them 87

greatly and gave them every convenience and materialistic advantage in life, yet they developed so many emotional problems that they had to be taken out of their homes. So, I’ve seen this phenomenon thousands of times; and we continue to receive dozens of pleas for help from parents of out of control teenagers every day. The crux of the matter is that it is hard to be a good parent when our focus is on having peace, love and friendship with our children. So, the big question is this: How do parents establish their position of authority, while also maintaining their relationship with their teen? Tell your teenager…“I desire to stand beside you and walk with you in life… but make no mistake; I will stand in front of you when I need to.”

Parenting the Right Way – Balanced

A simple answer is to say things like “No” and “Maybe” more often; and we need to apply boundaries and consequences when our kids cross over the line. Balanced parenting is applying strength when needed; and tenderness at the same time. It is not just one or the other, it is both. The essence of balance in parenting is to stand beside our children and walk with them through life, while also determining to stand in front of them when we need to stop them from their foolish ways. Our goal should be to help our kids get to where they want to be, and keep them from going to a place they really don’t want to end up. But since they are too immature to know any better, we need to remain in control, no matter how upset it makes them temporarily. Then, as they mature in their thinking, the reins can be gradually released. Believe me, your kids will express their appreciation when they are older for holding them in line as teenagers. Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, radio host, and the founder of a residential counseling center for struggling teens located in Longview, Texas. Mark’s passion for helping teens can be seen in his 40 years of involvement with families as a youth pastor, Young Life area director, and now, as the Executive Director of Heartlight, where he has lived with and helped over 2,700 teens. To find out more about Mark and his ministry to parents and teens, you can visit www.HeartlightMinistries.org or www.ParentingTodaysTeens.org.

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Fireworks Presentation Takes place at Stanley-Jensen Stadium and festivities begin at 6pm and fireworks start at dark. Enjoy a Concert by Creativity, children’s fun area and food vendors. Free admission! Volunteers Volunteers needed. It takes a lot of volunteers to make this event happen. Great for youth and adult community service organizations. Call 595.0854 for more info. Visit www.prattvilleal.gov for more information.

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River Region

Annual Flag Boat Parade Tuesday, July 4, beginning at 10 a.m. at Kowaliga Marina on Lake Martin. Boats of all sizes parade from Kowaliga Marina to Children’s Harbor and back. Onlookers from the shoreline and water can watch free of charge. Boat registration is due by July 1. Forms can be picked up at any Russell Marine location Kowaliga, Real Island, The Ridge and River North. For out-of-towners, call (334) 857.2111 to request a form. Registration is free.

Prattville Celebration 2017 Schedule of Events Annual 4th of July Parade On Tuesday, July 4th at 9am, family members of all ages will enjoy the fire engines, candy, floats and more. This years Grand Marshals will be the Prattville Fire Department and local Volunteer Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Fire Department Firefighters. Bring your lawn chair and set up early for a good spot along the parade route. Begins at the Autauga County Courthouse and winds its way downtown. For more information, call 595-0854. Annual Lion’s Club BBQ & Cardboard Boat Races After the parade, join the fun at the annual Lion’s Club BBQ and Camp Stew Sale at Pratt Park. Baked Goods will be for sale. Music, a patriotic program, a children’s fun area and arts and crafts,10am-2pm. Free admission. Call 358.1068 for info. The Annual Cardboard Boat Races begin at 10:30 am, with teams creating their competition boats out of cardboard and duct tape. Registration Required. Fee: $5 per boat. Please contact 595.0800 for more information. SWIMMING POOL: Independence Day Special - $2.00 per person. 1-3pm 88

Russell Lands Fourth of July Blast: Concert and Fireworks

Lake Martin Amphitheater will host a night of music and fireworks on Tuesday, July 4, beginning at 6 p.m. Show starts at 6 p.m. and fireworks will being at 9 p.m. Musical artists will be The Bank Walkers and Sweet Tea Trio. Music until 10:30 p.m. (This is one of the Southeast’s largest fireworks show.) Children’s activities will be conducted by Children’s Harbor throughout the evening. The fireworks show is free (from an open field adjacent to the amphitheater or by boat), but for the best seat in the house and to enjoy the musical entertainment, tickets are available at the gate or through ticket master, with children under 6 free. Proceeds benefit Lake Martin area charities. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and picnics. Concessions are also available. The Lake Martin Amphitheater is located on Highway 63 about 1 mile south of Kowaliga Bridge. For more information call (256) 397.1019 or visit http://www.lmat.org/fourth.html. www.montgomeryparents.com

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City of Montgomery’s Capital City Independence Day Celebration July 4th, at 6pm, Blount Cultural Park Music by the Montgomery Recreators and The Sweet Younguns. Food and Beverage Vendors. Fireworks at 9pm. For more details call (334) 625.2100.

Harriott II Fireworks Cruise July 4th Boards at 8 pm, Cruises 8:30-10:30 Tickets are $25 adults, $15 kids 3-12 Includes live entertainment, cash bar and concessions. Please visit www.funontheriver.net or call (334) 241.2726 or (334) 625.2118.

Callaway Gardens July 4th Star Spangled Beach Party July 1 to July 4th The celebration begins early and lasts well into the night at our annual July 4th Star Spangled Beach Party at Robin Lake Beach. Highlights include beach activities, live music and our annual Fireworks Extravaganza. Be sure to pack plenty of red,

white and blue for this All-American Weekend! Stay tuned for complete schedule of events. Please visit www.callawaygardens. com for more information.

Pike Road Parade Tuesday, July 4 Sponsored by the Pike Road Community Center and meeting at Pike Road Baptist Church on Pike Road. Registration starts at 8am behind the Church and parade starts at 10:00 am. Categories: Floats, Walkers, Bicycles, 4 Wheelers, Old Cars, Walking animals on leash, Go Carts, etc. Parade will begin at the side street next to the Church and proceed South on Pike Rd. and take a right turn onto Meriwether Road. They will then circle around the Feedlot store and return to the Founders Building on Pike Road for the ribbon ceremony given to 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners in the various categories. Please call for more information as we are updating the Parade this year. Parade contact info: Maurite Scanlan 334-2016859 (cell) 334-279-8318 (home).

Pike Road Summer Fest

Tuesday, July 4, gates open at 5 p.m. (Fireworks begin at dusk) The Town Square at The Waters The Town of Pike Road’s annual Fourth of July celebration is an evening of excitement for all ages. Bring your family and friends to enjoy food, live music from local favorites and one of the largest firework spectaculars in the River Region. Cost: $10 per carload

Wetumpka Celebration

Tuesday, July 4th from 6 – 9 p.m. Performance by “Wishbone” Fireworks will be at 9 p.m., Gold Star Park Please visit www.cityofwetumpka.com for more information and updates or call (334) 567.5147 for more information or an application for the contests.

Cloverdale-Idlewild Parade with Mr. Chris’s Hot Dog Stand Tuesday, July 4, at 2 p.m. at the corner of Plymouth and Lexington. Ends at Bottom Park on Cloverdale Rd. Drums, bikes, floats. There will be a band at 6 pm. Dress in your red, white and blue and join this old fashioned 4th of July celebration. Contact Charlie Colvin, 834.6030.

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FamilyCalendar This Month

Thursday, June 1

Red Door Theatre Presents JASON PETTY’s Hank Williams - The Lonesome Tour -- Also June 2 7:30 p.m. A ONE-MAN SHOW. Jason Petty began portraying the legendary Hank Williams on country music’s biggest stage in 1996, the world-famous Ryman Auditorium, in the critically acclaimed musical biography, Lost Highway. After two years, he began touring the U.S., including the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Canada with the show. Call (334) 738-8687 or e-mail info@ reddoortheatre.org for tickets. Family Fun Night at Eastdale Mall -- Thursdays through July 27 5-7 p.m. Every Thursday in June & July (excluding July 6). Filled with hands-on activities, story time, and performances by community attractions, and discounts by participating merchants. The best part? It’s all FREE! Make sure to check in at the Customer Service Centre to recieve your wrist band to participate in all of the activities. For more info, call (334) 277-7380 or visit Facebook. Summer Children’s Matinees at the Capri - Wednesdays-Fridays through July 28 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. For nine straight weeks, the Capri will show kid-friendly favorites for $2. Popcorn and soda are available for .50 each. For more info, visit www.capritheatre.org or call (334) 262-4858.

drove themselves). Must be playing basketball to be involved. Participants must have a photo ID (i.e. School ID). $3 for members; $7 for non-members. For more info, contact James Garvin at (334) 271-4343 or jgarvin@ ymcamontgomery.org. Friday on the Green -- Also June 16, 23 & 30 6:30 p.m. Russell Crossroads at Lake Martin. Great outdoor event during the spring and summer months. Bring your family and friends – even your pup on a leash for a great time with lawn games and music. It’s free! So, pack your cooler and picnic basket, or stop by nearby Catherine’s Market. For more info, call (256) 496-4232 or visit www. russellcrossroads.com/.

Saturday, June 3

Prattauga Art Guild Awards Reception for the 2017 Youth Art Show 1-3 p.m. Prattville Creative Arts Center, 342 Chestnut

Morph Sea Creatures. For more info, visit www.michaels. com/. AUM Free Mandarin Classes -- Every Saturday Auburn Montgomery’s Confucius Institute continues to offer free Mandarin classes to the community. To register, send the student’s name, age and contact information to ama@aum.edu. Civil Rights Walking Tours -- Every Saturday and Sunday 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. start times. Tours start from The Village Gallery. Come explore Montgomery’s history walking from different historical sties and engage in profound moments from slavery, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement. This tour highlights pioneers and unsung heroes who contributed to a new era. Cost: Adults - $10; 12 & under - $5; 4 & under FREE. Book your tour by calling (334) 595-9243.

Find a listing of Public Library Storytimes and Events at MontgomeryParents.com!

Kids’ Summer Movie Series at New Vision Theatres (Formerly Prattville Promenade 12) -- Thursdays through August 3 10 a.m. For ten straight weeks, kid-friendly favorite movies are the perfect way to beat the heat. Admission is $4 and includes a small popcorn and a small drink. For more info, visit Promenade 12 Prattville on Facebook. Brunswick Zone Summer Games Bowling Pass Through September 4 1661 Eastern Blvd., Montgomery. Bowl three games every day at Brunswick Zone Montgomery Lanes, all season long, for $29.95. For use by guests ages 15 and under. Ages 16 and up are $39.95. Shoes included! Visit https:// bowlsummergames.com/ or call (334) 819-7171 for info.

Friday, June 2

Date Night Movie on the Green A date night movie will be played on the big blow-up screen down in Montgomery’s Riverfront Park starting at about 7:30 p.m. Bring chairs or blankets for seating. Food vendors and a cash bar will be available for purchase. No outside alcohol allowed. Must be at least 18 years or older. Pets welcome. $5 tickets must be purchased online or at the gate. June’s movie is Dirty Dancing. For more info, visit www.funinmontgomery.com/ or call (334) 625-2100. Friday Night Open Volleyball -- Also June 16 6-9 p.m. Bell Road YMCA. For students in 5th through 12th grades every first and third Friday. Students cannot leave without being picked up by parent or guardian (unless students drove themselves). Free for members; $3 for nonmembers. For more info, contact James Garvin at (334) 271-4343 or jgarvin@ymcamontgomery.org. Friday Night Hoops -Also June 16 9 p.m.-midnight. Bell Road YMCA. For students in 5th through 12th grades every first and third Friday. Students must be dropped off by 10 p.m. and cannot leave without being picked up by parent or guardian (unless students

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Street. Youth in Autauga County in grades K-12 submitted artwork for the exhibit. For more info, call (334) 595-0854 or visit artguild.prattvilleal.gov. Home Depot Kids’ Workshop 9 a.m.-noon. Ages 5-12. Free workshop teaches children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety. Today’s project is build a tic-tac-toe game. Once the project is built, your child can decorate it with paint and stickers. In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron and an achievement pin. For more info, visit http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/ kids-workshops. Elmore County NWTF Chapter Hosts Youth Event at Ft. Toulouse Young people under the age of 18 and their parents are invited to enjoy a day of outdoor fun at Ft. Toulouse in Wetumpka. The Elmore County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), headquartered in Wetumpka, will host JAKES Event 2017. Registration is free and includes lunch for the youth participant. On-site registration available. Supervised activities will include: crafts, archery, hunter safety, BB gun shooting, Hatchet Throw, Black Powder Shooting and many other events. JAKES stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship, which conveys the NWTF’s dedication to educating the next generation of smart, ethical hunters. For registration info, contact bburc24315@aol.com or visit http://bit. ly/2017ECJAKES. March of Dimes - March for Babies Walk 8-11:30 a.m. Baptist Health DeBoer Building, 301 Brown Springs Road, Montgomery. March the 3.1 miles around Montgomery to raise money for babies right here in our community! Festival area & donation turn-in opens 8 a.m.; stage programming starts 8:30 a.m.; Superhero Sprint kicks off at 8:45 a.m.; 3-mile walk begins at 9 a.m. Festival activities will continue until close at 11:30 a.m. The Superhero Sprint is a kids’ “fun run” that will be implemented at all March for Babies walk sites. For the suggested donation of $20 per child or $30 for the family, all kids receive a cape (while supplies last), and the opportunity to run in the Superhero Sprint! For route info, call (334) 277-6910. Michael’s Kids Club -- Also June 10, 17 & 24 10 a.m.-noon. $2 per project. Supplies included. Ages 3 and up. June 3 is Sprout Flip Book; June 10 is Play-doh Ice Cream; June 17 is Father’s Day Frame; and June 24 is

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Prattville/Autauga Farmers Market -- Saturdays through September 16 7 a.m.-noon. At the grove on Doster Road across from Gillespie Senior Center and Pratt Park. Featuring fruits and vegetables from local growers, fresh baked goods, honey, handmade soaps, music and a chef creating something tasty from products from the local growers. For more info, call (334) 595-0854 or visit www.prattvilleal.gov/. Farmers Market at the Shoppes at EastChase Saturdays through October 7 a.m.-noon. Several popular farms make their return with locally grown products, including Aplin Farms, Oakview Farms, Penton Farms and Leatherwood Nursery. For more info, call (334) 279-6046 or visit www. theshoppesateastchase.com/farmersMarket/.

Sunday, June 4

First Sundays at One 1-2 p.m. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Learn more about the traveling exhibitions as well as the Museum’s Permanent Collection in these FREE docent-led tours the FIRST Sunday of each month. For more info, call (334) 240-4333 or visit mmfa.org/.

Monday, June 5

Lee Gonet’s ACT Prep Class -- Through June 9 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Lee Gonet has taught ACT prep classes in the Montgomery area for the past 21 years of her 37-year career as an educator. She is currently on staff at Cornerstone Classical Christian Academy, teaching various courses for 7th-12th grades. Total cost is $150, which includes 30 hours of practice and instruction, book, three full practice tests, handouts, college application counseling, water, snacks, and pizza on the last day. Contact her for info at thegonets@elmore.rr.com or (334) 524-7371. Millbrook Community Summer Theater Camp Through June 9 Cost is $75 per actor; fee includes camp, lunch and T-shirt. For more info, visit www.millbrooktheater.com/summercamp.html or call (334) 782-7317. Cloverdale Playhouse Summer Workshops -Through June 9 Rising K-2nd Graders: 9-11:30 a.m.; Rising 3-5th Graders:

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FamilyCalendar 9 a.m.-noon; Rising 6-8th Graders: 1-4 p.m.; and Rising 9-12th Graders: 1-4 p.m. All programs cost $125. Class size is limited. Please register early to guarantee your space. For info about financial assistance, classes, or registration, call (334) 262-1530 or visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org/. Wetumpka Depot Summer Program for 2nd Grade and Up -- Through June 10 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Disney’s Lion King for Kids. Showcase performances June 9 at 5:30 p.m. and June 10 at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Early registration $175; post-registration $200. Call (334) 868-1440 or visit www.wetumpkadepot.com. Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre Holds Junior Theatre Camp (K-6th Grade) -- Through June 10 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Featuring a production of The Weird Wild and Wonderful Days of School, by D. M. Larson, of Freedrama.net. Performances on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. Cost is $75 per student. Students will bring their lunch. For more info or to register, contact the Special Events Office at (334) 595-0854 or visit wobt.prattvilleal.gov.

Tuesday, June 6

Montgomery’s Capitol Sounds Concert Band Presents ‘Summer Spectacular’ Concert 7 p.m. at Saint James United Methodist Church on Vaughn Road in East Montgomery. The Capitol Sounds will perform selections from “The Planets” by British composer Gustav Holst, and the Slavonic March by Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky. In addition, the band will perform a medley from the Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess,”,as well as a Symphonic Suite from “Star Trek.” Another highlight of the concert will be a tribute to the legendary songwriting duo of the Beatles, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The event is free and open to the public, but donations are gladly accepted and will go towards performances for our upcoming 2017-18 season, including our Children’s Concert. For more info, visit www.capitolsounds.org.

Thursday, June 8

Saturday, June 10

Capri Theatre Presents Spice World 7:30 p.m. You remember the Spice Girls, don’t you? Who could forget? ‘90s Girl Group phenoms The Spice Girls zip around London in their luxurious double decker tour bus having various adventures and performing for their fans. For more info, visit www.capritheatre.org or call (334) 262-4858.

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Friday, June 9

30th Annual Coosa River Whitewater Festival Through June 11 Whitewater event for kayaking, canoeing, sit on top kayaking and recreational paddlers. The event is for competitors and non-competitors to have a great time on whitewater in central Alabama. This is a good event to watch even if you have never been on a sit on top kayak or paddled any type of kayak or canoe. There are kids’ events and expert events too. Three days of activities with camping and goodie bags given to everyone who registers. Visit www.coosariverwhitewaterfestival.com for details.

Capital City Master Gardener Association Lunch and Learn Series Open to the Public The first Wednesday of each month, noon to 1 p.m. Sessions are held at the Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Montgomery, next to the Curb Market. Related handouts from the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service are provided each session at no cost. Participants are encouraged to bring their lunches to each event. Iced tea and water will be provided.

Wednesday, June 7

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Alex City Jazz Fest -- Also June 10 Strand Park in downtown Alex City on June 9 and the AMP at Lake Martin on June 10. Gates will open at 5 and the show starts at 6 p.m. This event is non-ticketed and paid for by a great group of sponsors from the area. Acts include The Sofia Goodman Group, Randall Bramblett, Delta Rae, shadowood, The Stooges Brass Band and Paul Thorn. For more info, visit alexcityjazzfest.com/ or call (256) 397-1019.

Elmore County Homeschool Organization Meets Also June 23 Elmore County Homeschool Organization is a non-profit support group for homeschooling families. We provide a positive socialization environment for homeschooled children & support and encourage their parents in the homeschooling process. We typically meet the second and fourth Friday of every month year-round from 10 a.m. to noon at Harvest Fields Community Church, 4280 Deatsville Hwy, Deatsville. Membership is free and is open to all homeschoolers in the tri-county area. For details, visit http://www.onlineecho.com.

Summer Drop-in Class at United Gymstars & Cheer -- Thursdays during June 11 a.m. Here are the classes offered during this hour: Kindergym, Junior Gym, Girls Progressive, Boys Progressive and Beginning & Intermediate Tumbling. $15 per class. Call (334) 284-2244 or visit www.unitedgymstarsandcheer.com for more info.

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nections between Alabama and French history. The symposium schedule features experts from across the Southeast speaking on a variety of topics including Fort Toulouse, Fort Tombecbe, the Vine and Olive Colony, wartime alliances, French architecture and material culture in Alabama, and Mardi Gras. Cost is $25 for the general public and $15 for students and Friends of the Alabama Archives members. Admission price includes lunch on Friday and breakfast on Saturday. One-day registration also available. Visit www. archives.alabama.gov to register or call (334) 242-4364.

Montgomery Biscuits Princess/Pirate Night 7:05 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. Join us as fairy tales come to life and for the chance to meet some of your favorite princesses and pirates! All fans are welcome to dress up as their favorite princess and pirate too. Stay after the game for a MAX Fireworks Show. For tickets or more info, visit www.biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255. Archives Hosts Alabama’s French Connection: A Symposium On Shared History -- Also June 10 The Alabama Dept. of Archives and History (ADAH)’s twoday event will explore three centuries of fascinating con-

Dream Big Family Sleepover at McWane Science Center in Birmingham -- Through June 11 6 p.m. through 8 a.m. June 11. Dream Big as you design, build and test out feats of engineering genius. Create towers, catapults and anything else you can imagine before heading to the IMAX Dome for a screening of Dream Big: Engineering Our World. Advanced reservations are required. To reserve your family’s spot, please call (205) 714-8414. $40 kids/ $35 adults. This event is for ages 6 and older. Admission includes dinner and continental breakfast; museum admission; IMAX ticket; and engineering challenges. For more info, visit www.mcwane.org/ or call (205) 714-8300. Montgomery Biscuits Harry Potter Night 6:35 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. The wizarding world comes to life tonight as the Harry Potter universe takes over Riverwalk Stadium! Stay after the game for a MAX Fireworks Show. For tickets or more info, visit www. biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255. LEO Golf Academy Jr. Golf Camp for Boys and Girls Ages 4-14 Gateway Golf Course, 3800 Davenport Dr., Montgomery. Session 1 is offered June 10 and 17 from 10:30 a.m.noon; another session offered June 12, 19 and 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. For more info, visit www.leogolfacademy. com/ or call (334) 721-4LEO (4536). Dads and Daughters Saturday (D.A.D.S) Calling ALL Fathers and Daughters for storytimes, fun and

laughs, 11 a.m.-noon every 2nd Saturday at the Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library. There will be singing, dancing and arts & crafts. So come visit us and have an enjoyable time! For more info, visit www.facebook.com/eve nts/1374454692792666/?source=1. Second Saturday Divorce Workshop for Women Montgomery Country Club, Azalea Room, 3800 Narrow Lane Road. 9 a.m.-noon. 3-hour workshop that is offered monthly, designed to help participants explore the legal, financial, and emotional issues of divorce and gain a greater understanding of the process. Cost to attend is $20 per person and pre-registration required. For more info, please call or e-mail Sommer Morris at (334) 612-1086 or sommer.morris@morganstanley.com. You may also visit www.secondsaturday.com.

Sunday, June 11

St. James UMC Presents The Keffers Live in Concert 11 a.m. at Saint James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road, Montgomery. Visit sjlife.com or call (334) 277-3037 for more info. Montgomery Biscuits Bark in the Park/Kids Run the Bases/Kids’ Day -- Also June 25 5:35 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. All dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed. One dog per adult. All dog owners must sign a waiver at the RF Gate entrance. Kids ages 14 and under are invited to run the bases after every Sunday game at Riverwalk Stadium presented by Coca-Cola! Kids can also play catch on the field before the game and create some arts and crafts. For tickets or more info, visit www. biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255.

Monday, June 12

Wetumpka Depot Summer Program for Kindergarten Thru 3rd Grade -- Through June 16 9 a.m.-noon. A week of theatre fun based on the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. Showcase performance June 16 at 1 p.m. Early registration $125. Call (334) 8681440 or visit www.wetumpkadepot.com for more info. Prattauga Art Guild Art Camp -- Through June 16 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Prattville Creative Arts Center and Gallery. This art camp for ages 7-12 will present students with fun and creative projects using several different media, such as painting, drawing, collage, clay and more. The camp will end with an exhibit on June 17 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. of the works created during the week. Cost for camp is $75 and includes supplies. Students will bring lunches. For more info or to register, call (334) 595-0854 or visit artguild. prattvilleal.gov. Good Mornings -- Mondays through Thursdays through July 27 9 a.m.-noon. Frazer UMC Atlanta Highway Campus. Good Mornings is a summer program for rising 1st-6th grade boys and girls in the J.E.M. Activity Center. Kids will enjoy games, crafts, Bible devotions and more. Cost is just $6 per day (additional $2 for early drop-off at 7:30 a.m.). No pre-registration required. For more info, call 272-8622.

Tuesday, June 13

Creekwalk Concerts -- Also June 27 7 p.m. These City of Prattville concerts will feature local and regional bands performing by the beautiful Autauga Creek behind City Hall and the Police Station. Free and open to the public. Some food vendors will be available, but concert goers can also bring picnic baskets. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs. For more info, call (334) 5950854 or visit www.prattvilleal.gov.

Wednesday, June 14

Central Alabama Master Gardener (CAMGA) Lunch & Learn Program Noon-1 p.m. Held at the Elmore County Extension (ACES) facility on Queen Ann Road in Wetumpka, these free events for the public are held on the second Wednesday of each month. Attendees are invited to bring their lunch and learn. Beverages are provided by CAMGA. For more info, call 567-6301 or visit www.aces.edu/counties/Elmore/.

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U.S. Kids Golf Local Tour Championsip Prattville Country Club, Prattville. U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours provide boys and girls, ages 5 to 14, the opportunity to advance their golf experience in age-appropriate competition. At the Local Tour level, kids can gain their first exposure to competitive golf, earn Priority Status for Championship Events, meet new friends and learn valuable life lessons. Register for this event through June 9. For more info or to register, contact Quincy Leonard at (334) 721-4536, quincyleonard@leogolfacademy.com or visit www.uskidsgolf.com.

Shrimp Boil – Y’s UP @ Hampstead Noon-4 p.m. Come enjoy food, fellowship and fun at the Hampstead YMCA! $25 per person, $45 per couple and $10 per child’s plate. For more info, contact James at jdaniels@ymcamontgomery.org or (334) 239-8096.

Thursday, June 15

Home Depot Customer Appreciation 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Prattville location. Food and fun for our customers and their families. Join us for a petting zoo, bouncy houses, free food and more. For details, call (334) 285-1693.

Food For Thought The Alabama Dept. of Archives & History, 624 Washington Ave. Noon-1 p.m. Bring lunch and and join us every third Thursday for these FREE lectures sponsored by Friends of the Alabama Archives. Drinks are complimentary. Today’s topic is “The Draft in Alabama During World War I,” presented by Sebastian Lukasik. Call 353-4726 or visit www. archives.alabama.gov. Military Day at the Montgomery Zoo 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Free admission for all military personnel and families. Call (334) 240-4900 or visit www. montgomeryzoo.com. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Presents Lust for Life: A Movie About Artist Vincent Van Gogh 5:30-8 p.m. 1956 film in which Kirk Douglas plays Van Gogh and Anthony Quinn plays Paul Gauguin. The Museum will provide complimentary popcorn, and beverages will be available for purchase. For more info, visit mmfa.org or call (334) 240-4333.

Saturday, June 17

Third Saturday 1-2 p.m. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Learn more about the works of art on view at the Museum in these FREE docent-led tours offered the third Saturday of each month. For more info, call (334) 240-4333 or visit mmfa. org/. GO Fishing at Alabama Nature Center 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Millbrook. Get Outdoors and fish for catfish and bream in one of ANC’s bountiful ponds. From bass to catfish, the ponds are stocked and ready for your line! A limited number of fishing poles will be available for $2 a day as well as a limited amount of bait for a small fee. All ages. Admission: $5 with a $20 maximum per family. For info, visit www.alabamawildlife.org or call (800) 822-9453. Juneteenth Celebration

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Rosa Parks Museum, Montgomery. Juneteenth is the oldest known commemoration of the ending of slavery in Texas, but is used to mark the overall ending of slavery in the United States. We are blocking off Montgomery Street between Lee and Molton for our first local Juneteenth celebration. This free event will have local food and merchant vendors, performances, and free tours of the museum. Call (334) 241-8615 for more info. Finding Your Family Roots Beginner Genealogy Class 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Prattville’s Doster Center. For ages 18 and up; will break 30 minutes for lunch. Instructor: Caroline Horton – President of Autauga Genealogy Society. Ever wanted to know where you came from and who your ancestors are but didn’t know where to start? This is the class for you. Needed for class: a list of birth, death and marriage information about yourself, your parents, and grandparents and so on. If there is someone you can ask be sure to do so. Supplies for class: Bring paper and pencil; forms for recording information will be supplied by AGS. Call to pre-register at (334) 595-0800.

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson French & Indian War of 1812 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Fort Toulouse-Jackson Park, 2521 W Fort Toulouse Rd, Wetumpka. Admission Charged: $2/adult and $1/child. For more info, call (334) 567-3002.

Sunday, June 18

Father’s Day at the Montgomery Zoo 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Free admission for all dads. Call (334) 240-4900 or visit www.montgomeryzoo.com. Father’s Day at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham Noon-6 p.m. Free admission for all dads. For more info, visit www.mcwane.org/ or call (205) 714-8300. Wetumpka Depot Summer Program for Teens (Grades 6 and Up) -- Through June 24 6-9 p.m. Hamilton-inspired workshop called Talk Less... Smile More. Showcase performance June 24. Early registration $125. Call (334) 868-1440 or visit www. wetumpkadepot.com for more info.

Monday, June 19

Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre Holds Senior Theatre Camp (7th-12th Grade) -- Through June 24 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Featuring a production of The Hysterical History of the Trojan War, by D.M. Larson, of Freedrama. net. Performances on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. Cost is $75 per student. Students will bring their lunch. For more info or to register, contact the Special Events Office at (334) 595-0854 or visit wobt.prattvilleal.gov.

Tuesday, June 20

Joe Thomas, Jr. 3rd Tuesday Guitar Pull 7-9 p.m. Three or four regional songwriters perform original music on the Cloverdale Playhouse’s intimate stage. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call 262-1530 or visit www. cloverdaleplayhouse.org.

Thursday, June 22

Book Talk at the AL Dept. of Archives & History Noon. 624 Washington Ave. Subject is “Selma: A Bicentennial History,” presented by Alston Fitts. Call 353-4726 or visit www.archives.alabama.gov for more info. Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Presents Decades Rewind 7:30 p.m. Join us for an experience unlike anything you’ve seen or heard before! This brand-new theatrical concert features more than 60 songs blended into unique medleys from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. The most prominent decades in music history bring your memories to life with more than 100 costume changes and videos that turn back time. From Aretha to Zeppelin, Decades Rewind will have you singing along and dancing in the aisles. Tickets begin at $39. Visit www.mpaconline.org or call (800) 745-3000 for tickets. Central Alabama Beekeepers Association, Elmore County 4-H Present 2017 Beekeeping Camp in Wetumpka -- Through June 23 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wetumpka Elementary School. For ages 9-18. Deadline to register June 17. Register online at al.4honline.com. Youth will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning experience designed to train your young person in beekeeping. Instructors with

expertise in a range of fields (biology, chemistry, hive management, and even art) will be leading classes related to honey bees and the skills needed to care for them. Registration is $30. For more info, contact allyson.andrews@ icloud.com or call (334) 799-2254. Bring a sack lunch. Checks payable to CABA. Mail Payment: Myles Wright, 1222 Woodward Ave., Montgomery, AL 35106. Scholarships available.

Saturday, June 24

Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Presents Katt Williams 8 p.m. Legendary stand-up comedian, world-renowned actor, rapper and vanguard in an elite category of professionally touring comics. Tickets begin at $46. Visit www. mpaconline.org or call (800) 745-3000 for tickets. Family Faith Night at Montgomery Biscuits Baseball Game 5:35 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. Bring out your church group and enjoy a night of community, fellowship, and worship for a pre-game concert presented by Faith Radio and a post-game MAX Fireworks Show. For tickets or more info, visit www.biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255.

Monday, June 26

Eclectic Middle School’s 21st Century After-School Program Presents Science Alive STEM Camp -Through June 30 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Special presenters: Wetumpka High School Robotics team & McWane Science Center. Cost is $50 per child which includes all activities, supplies, a morning snack, and lunch. For more info, call Mrs. Robinson at (334) 541-2131. Anyone interested in participating should sign up using the following link: goo. gl/HfrGis. Summer Splash Day at Montgomery Biscuits Baseball Game 12:05 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. Calling all kids! Join us as we turn Riverwalk Stadium into a waterpark with designated splash zones and water games all day long! If you have a daycare or summer camp that would be interested in attending Summer Splash Day, call (334) 323-2255. You can also book an office outing for the Businessperson Special. For tickets or more info, visit www. biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255.

Wednesday, June 28

U.S. Kids Golf Local Tour Championsip Cottonwood Golf Club, Montgomery. U.S. Kids Golf Local Tours provide boys and girls, ages 5 to 14, the opportunity to advance their golf experience in age-appropriate competition. At the Local Tour level, kids can gain their first exposure to competitive golf, earn Priority Status for Championship Events, meet new friends and learn valuable life lessons. Register for this event through June 23. For more info or to register, contact Quincy Leonard at (334) 721-4536, quincyleonard@leogolfacademy.com or visit www.uskidsgolf.com.

Tuesday, July 4

See full listing of Independence Day Celebrations on page 88.

Wednesday, July 5

Alabama Shakespeare Festival Presents Mary Poppins -- Through July 23 Young Jane and Michael Banks have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she teaches the entire Banks family how to value each other again. Showcases some of the most memorable songs ever sung on the silver screen and stage including “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Jolly Holiday,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” Recommended ages four and up.  Visit www.asf.net or call 271-5353.

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FamilyCalendar Montgomery Biscuits Military Wednesday 7:05 p.m. Riverwalk Stadium. Join us as we salute all current and former military personnel every Wednesday! All military personnel who bring their Military ID will receive special food and drink specials. Looking for some unique food? Each Wednesday, our fantastic food staff are going to create a great menu of unique food you wouldn’t usually find at the ballpark! For tickets or more info, visit www. biscuitsbaseball.com or call (334) 323-2255.

Ongoing Ala. Dept. of Archives & History Exhibit galleries include a children’s gallery and a reference room for genealogical and historical research. In Grandma’s Attic, kids can try on clothes, try an old typewriter, sit at an old school desk or experience making a quilt square. Also visit our History at Home web page to print off fun activities to do at home. In addition, there are FREE, guided tours of the Museum of Alabama EVERY Saturday at 1 p.m. Follow us on Facebook, call 242-4435 or visit www. archives.alabama.gov. Alabama River Region Arts Center in Wetumpka has weekly after-school Arts Clubs meeting on Thursdays from 4-5 & 5-6 p.m. There are three clubs: Guitar (acoustic), Clay (polymer, ie “sculpy”) and Painting/Drawing. Each club is $20 a month. Students for Guitar Club must be 10 years old, but 7-year-olds are welcome for the other two. Clubs are limited to the first 10 students, for one month. The Pottery Studio is available to ARRAC members trained on the wheel. First Saturday of every month is a free Sit & Sew, from 9 a.m.-noon. (Bluegrass Jam is going on at the same time in another room.) 300 W. Tallassee St. (former Wetumpka Jr. High building). Visit www.arrac.org or see us on Facebook: Alabama River Region Arts Center, or call 578-9485 for more information. Artists In Action: 1st Wednesday and 3rd Saturday of EVERY month at Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts from noon-2 p.m.. Local and regional artists at work. For more info, call 240-4333. “Artworks,” a hands-on children’s exhibit. FREE. Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Blount Cultural Park. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun. Open until 9 p.m. Thursdays. Closed Mondays. For more info, call 240-4333. Brain Pump is a group exercise class, targeting children 4-12 years old. The class is the collaboration of a physical therapist and a kinesiology professor combining traditional therapy and exercise concepts with the latest cutting edge research on movement and the brain. This is all done in a fun, energetic setting, that seems much more like playing than exercising. Brain Pump is taught at Metro Fitness on Saturdays from 11-11:45 a.m. Contact Tiffany Higginbotham at Body Logic PT & Wellness (334-380-5920) for more info. The Central Alabama Tennis Association (CATA) is a volunteer-based tennis organization formed to provide programs which promote and develop the growth of tennis throughout central Alabama. For event info, call Ernie Rains, CATA Community Coordinator, at 324-1406 or e-mail www.centralalabama.usta.com. Civil Rights Memorial A monument to those who died and/or risked death in the struggle for civil rights. 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery. For information, call 264-0286. Cloverdale Playhouse “Third Tuesdays” Montgomery’s singers and songwriters perform in our intimate theater space each month on the third Tuesday. Join us for a musical evening in Old Cloverdale. For details, call 262-1530 or visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org. Also contact us about volunteer opportunities, auditions, and the Playhouse School!

First White House of the Confederacy Open on Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The First White House of the Confederacy played a significant role during the Civil War and served as Jefferson Davis’ family residence from February-May 1861. Located at 644 Washington Avenue in downtown Montgomery, neighboring the Ala. Dept. of Archives and History. For more info or to tour the museum, call 242-1861 or visit www.firstwhitehouse.org. Fountain City BMX Track 802 County Rd 4, Prattville. Friday practice $3. Free 1-day trial, fun for any age. Race on most Sundays. For more info, visit Fountain City BMX on Facebook or www.fountaincitybmx.com. You can also e-mail: info@ fountaincitybmx.com or call (334)300-4328. Friday Night Hoops Students in 5th through 12th grades get together with friends for pick-up games of basketball every 1st and 3rd Friday at the Bell Road YMCA from 9 p.m.-midnight. Students must be dropped off by 10 p.m. and cannot leave without being picked up by parent or guardian (unless students drove themselves). Must play basketball to be involved. Participants must have a photo ID (i.e. School ID). $3 for members; $7 for non-members. For more info, contact James Garvin at (334) 271-4343 or jgarvin@ ymcamontgomery.org. Friday Night Open Volleyball Students in 5th through 12th grades get together every 1st and 3rd Friday at the Bell Road YMCA from 6-9 p.m. Students cannot leave without being picked up by parent or guardian (unless students drove themselves). Free for members; $3 for non-members. For more info, contact James Garvin at (334) 271-4343 or jgarvin@ ymcamontgomery.org. Garden Tours Local gardens include Southern Homes and Gardens, Blount Cultural Park’s Shakespearean Garden at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Grace Episcopal Church, Prattville’s historic gardens in Old Pratt Village and the Wilderness Park, and Wetumpka’s arboretum at Ft. Toulouse. For more info in Montgomery, call 1-800-240-9452 or visit www.VisitingMontgomery.com. In Prattville, call 361-0961 or visit www.prattville.com/visitor/history. In Wetumpka, call 567-3002 or visit www.wetumpka.al.us/features. Other numbers are: Blount Cultural Park (274-0062 or www.blountculturalpark.org); Grace Episcopal Church (215-1422); Old Alabama Town (240-4005 or www.oldalabamatown.com); and Alabama Garden Trail (1-800-ALABAMA or www.touralabama.org). W. A. Gayle Planetarium Public Shows offered Mon.-Thurs. at 4 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. and first & third Saturdays at 2 p.m. Admission $6.50/ person, children under 5 free, seniors $5.50/person. 1010 Forest Ave. in Oak Park. Call 625-4799 or visit http://www. troy.edu/planetarium/. God of Order Discipleship: The Blueprint for Bringing Peace to the Home This 10-month discipleship ministry purposes to teach women God’s order for the home. Through bi-monthly small-group teachings and discussions, this discipleship training proves to set the heart of every woman on the home, making it a sanctuary where Father God can dwell. The teachings follow Titus 2:4-6 and include such topics as ordering the home as a restful and secure dwelling place, restoring the family altar, loving your husband, submitting to your husband, speaking blessings, loving your children, being a discreet and pure woman, practical home management, and making the home a place of hospitality. This ten-lesson discipleship teaching is available on DVD along with a written workbook. Contact His Vessel Ministries at info@hisvessel.org or (334) 356-4478 for more information about the group starting in January or the material to start your own God of Order Discipleship. His Vessel Ministries is located in Historic Union Station in downtown Montgomery where the Bible teachings and discipleship classes are conducted. Visit www.hisvessel.org or www.facebook/hisvesselministries.

Harriott II Riverboat Cruises Seasonal. Typical hours are 6:30-9 p.m. Live entertainment, cash bar and concessions available. For more info and available dates, visit www.funinmontgomery.com, call (334) 625-2100 or visit the Riverwalk Box Office at 200 Coosa Street. Montgomery Women’s Newcomers Group: Moving On After Moving In Thursdays from 9:15-11 a.m. beginning September 15. St. James UMC Cafe, Vaughn Rd. Childcare available. For more info, please contact pam.zavada@gmail.com or (256) 541-7888. Montgomery’s Freedom Rides Museum 468 South Perry Street. Learn how 21 young people helped change our nation’s history using nonviolent protest. Black and white, male and female, none of them were older than 21. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, noon -4 p.m. For more info, visit www.freedomridesmuseum.org or call (334) 242-3184. MOOseum, Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Children’s educational center featuring past, present and future in agriculture and the cattle industry. Free. Group tours should be pre-scheduled. Mon.- Fri. 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Last scheduled tour of the day starts at 3:30 p.m. 201 Bainbridge St., Montgomery. For info, call 265-1867 or visit www.bamabeef.org. Old Alabama Town 19th and early 20th century outdoor history museum. Tours Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: $8 for adults, $4 for students ages 6-18. Under 6 free. 301 Columbus St., Montgomery. For information, call 240-4500 or vist www.landmarksfoundation.com/. Prattville-Millbrook Newcomers Club A non-affiliated social club geared to new people moving into the area AND to those looking to form new friendships or just learn more about the area and help new residents do the same. Meets every third Thursday (except special events, holidays) throughout the year at the Willis Bradford Branch of the YMCA on McQueen Smith Road in Prattville. For more info, contact Nancy Schrull at (334) 414-8185 or nschrull@knology.net. Prattville Movie Club (for Teens) Meeting twice a month on Fridays, current Prattville Movie Club members range from 14-18 years old and meet at the Carmike Promenade 12 on Cobbs Ford Road. There are no GPA requirements and no class requirements. We are friends who enjoy moviegoing and want to meet others who also enjoy watching movies. For more info, call (334) 2247811 or e-mail brandonperdue12@gmail.com. Rosa Parks Museum 252 Montgomery Street. Hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays and holidays, closed. Admission 12 years and under-$5.50/Over 12-$7.50. Alabama college students with a valid student ID: $6.50; discount price for both Museum & Children’s Wing: adults: $14, children $10. For more info, call 241-8615 or visit www. troy.edu/rosaparks/. Tales for Tots Join us for this FREE introduction to art in storybooks and in the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts galleries for young children and their families. Each time a different work of art and special story will be presented. Next classes are June 28 from 10:30-11 a.m., and 11-11:30 a.m. Call 240-4365 or visit www.mmfa.org for more info. YMCA 7 to 11 Club Calling all children ages 7 to 11 for this fun, free event. While Mom and Dad are working out, join us for games, arts & crafts, service projects and more. Earn special beads for participation and try to break records for superior achievements. Monthly special events will be hosted as well. Check with your YMCA center or visit ymcamontgomery.org for more details.

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FamilyCalendar Classes

Breastfeeding Class Designed to prepare the expectant mother for breastfeeding her newborn. Also includes trouble-shooting common problems to establish a successful breastfeeding experience. Jackson Hospital, Classroom 1. Cost is $15. Class schedule is subject to change, so please call 2938497 or e-mail liz.owen@jackson.org to register or for more info. Breastfeeding Class This one-time class at Baptist Health provides expectant mothers with information about breastfeeding including various factors influencing lactation, advantages of breastfeeding, basic anatomy and physiology of milk production, specific techniques to promote a successful breastfeeding experience and breastfeeding equipment and supplies. Classes are taught by IBLCE instructors. Partners are encouraged to participate. Class fee: $20. Registration is required. E-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst. org. A 10 percent class discount is available to Baptist Health employees and members of the military. Caring For Your Newborn Taught by Baptist Health Newborn Nursery nurses, this one-time class helps new families become familiar with the basics of caring for your infant in the first six weeks after birth. This interactive class covers routine hospital newborn procedures along with bathing, diapering, swaddling and soothing, normal infant behavior, appearance and sleep patterns. Class fee: $20. Registration is required. Please e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst.org for more info. A 10 percent class discount is available to Baptist Health employees and members of the military. Childbirth Basics Class Provides childbirth information for those who choose to have pain relief during labor and delivery. Sessions are taught throughout the year at Jackson Hospital, Classroom 1. Cost is $25. Call 293-8497 by your 4th month of pregnancy to register. Childbirth Preparation Boot Camp (One Day Saturday Class) This fast-paced one day class taught by Baptist Health’s experienced Labor and Delivery Registered Nurses prepares families to welcome their new addition. All aspects of Labor and Delivery from our hospital admission process through postpartum care are covered during class. Additional topics include Cesarean sections, medication and anesthesia options along with coping and comfort measures. Breathing and relaxation techniques are also introduced. Maternity Area Tour is included as a part of this class. Class offered select Saturdays of each month. Fee: $60 per couple and includes lunch. Please e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst. org for more info. A 10 percent class discount is available to Baptist Health employees and members of the military. ID required. Chinese Language Classes Auburn Montgomery’s Office of Far Eastern Initiatives offers Saturday classes for children and adults. The one-hour weekly courses are provided free-of-charge as a service to the community. For more info or to register, contact April Ma at 244-3018 or ama@aum.edu. CPR & First Aid The American Red Cross offers classes in adult and infant/ child CPR as well as first aid and babysitting classes monthly. Call 260-3980. Diabetes Education --Prattville Baptist Outpatient Nutrition and Diabetes Education services available Wednesdays by appointment at Prattville Medical Park. Call 213-6360 for more information. Diabetes Education --Baptist Outpatient Nutrition and Diabetes Education services available weekdays by appointment. Call 213-6360 for more info. Family Nutrition Classes Fun, hands-on 3 or 6-week in-person or online course developed by well-known pediatrician Dr William Sears. Classes focused towards parents of children age 3-12. The

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

goal is to learn simple ways to improve the health of your child through lifestyle, exercise, attitude, and nutrition. Fee includes materials, activities and a snack. A 2-hour preview class is available. For more info, contact alissabethtaylor@ gmail.com or visit www.Facebook.com/LeaninCentralAL. Foster Parent Training Classes Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries sponsors foster care training classes in the Tri-County Area. For more information on foster care or to register for the classes, please contact Bobbi Olson, Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, at 334-430-7569 or e-mail bolson@abchome.org. Infant Safety/CPR This one-time class sponsored by Baptist Health will teach parents and grandparents the American Heart Association’s Family and Friends CPR for infants and children including care of the choking infant, infant rescue and breathing with hands on practice using ACTAR CPR dolls for class participants. This class will also help parents with creating a safe environment for their child. Classes are taught by certified CPR Instructors. This class is not a certification class. Fee: $10 per person. Registration is required. Please e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst.org. A 10 percent class discount is available to Baptist Health employees and members of the military. Maternity Area Tour Only Baptist Medical Center East maternity area tour for expectant mothers and families not attending Childbirth Preparation Class or Boot Camp. This tour is complimentary and is offered on select Saturdays of each month. Space is limited. Registration is required. Please e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst.org for more info. Maternity Area Tour Baptist Health’s Maternity Area Tour is for parents not attending Childbirth Preparation Boot Camp. Tour is offered on select Saturdays of each month and is complimentary. Tour is for adults only. Space is limited. Registration is required. Please e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst.org for more info. Pre- and Post-natal Fitness Classes Includes water aerobics, step-floor aerobics and strength training. SportsFirst. Call 277-7130. Pregnancy Nutrition Classes Interactive 3-week series of classes developed by wellknown pediatrician Dr. William Sears. Classes focus on lifestyle choices, attitude, and exercise at any stage of pregnancy; optimal nutrition before, during and after pregnancy; transition from pregnancy to motherhood. Courses can be taken separately or as a series. Jump in any time! Materials and snack provided with fee. For more info, contact alissabethtaylor@gmail.com or visit www. Facebook.com/LeaninCentralAL. Prepared Childbirth Class (Understanding Birth) Jackson Hospital. Preregistration required. Topics include: pregnancy, labor, birth, options for pain management, medical procedures, cesarean birth. Note: This class is a basic overview of the labor and delivery process and does not prepare someone for “natural” or unmedicated childbirth. Cost: $25 (covers mother and support person). Class size is limited. Please try to register by the 5th month of pregnancy for the best selection of available class dates. Call (334) 293-8497 or e-mail: liz.owen@jackson.org. Sibling Preparation Class One-hour class is designed for expectant “big brothers and sisters” ages 3 to 8. They will learn about the arrival of their new baby through an introduction to the hospital experience and the early days at home. Parents should plan to attend with their child. Baptist Medical Center East. Registration is required. Call 273-4445 or e-mail smallwonders@baptistfirst.org. Slow Flow Yoga Classes are held at Old Alabama Town on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11:30-12:15, and 12:30-1:15. Beginners welcome! No registration needed; just come to Molton South Building. Enter through the Rose House, located on Columbus St. between N. Hull and Decatur. Parking

is available along Decatur and N. Hull. Drop in fee: $12; 5-class pass: $50 (exp. 60 days). Monthly unlimited: $65. Mat rental: $1. For more info, call (334) 240-4500 or (334) 207-0909 or e-mail juliet.yoga@icloud.com.

Services

American Cancer Society Seeks Volunteers for Road to Recovery This program is designed to ensure that cancer patients have transportation to and from medical facilities for treatment. Anyone who has a driver’s license, a safe driving record, personal automobile insurance, owns a car or has access to one, and can spare as little as one morning or afternoon a month is encouraged to volunteer. For more info, or to volunteer, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. Baptist Hospice Volunteers There are many ways to help, such as special projects and events or providing administrative support for the staff, that are essential. Volunteers often have special talents and innovative ideas that add to our program. Please call Gloria @395-5018 to join our dynamic team. Baptist Hospital Volunteers Volunteers are needed at Baptist Medical Center East, Baptist Medical Center South and Prattville Baptist Hospital. Duties vary by facility but include delivering mail and flowers, transporting patients, staffing waiting rooms and information desks, and furnishing coffee for visitors. Volunteers work one four-hour shift per week. For more info, call 286-2977.

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Baptist Sleep Disorders Centers Baptist Medical Center South and Prattville. Both centers have the ability to diagnose up to 84 different sleep disorders. There are four board-certified physicians and a clinical psychologist on staff between the two centers. For more info, call (334) 286-3252 for Baptist Medical Center South and (334) 361-4335 for Prattville Baptist Hospital.

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Hospice of Montgomery Volunteer Opportunities 1111 Holloway Park, Montgomery. There is a current need for Patient Care and Family Support volunteers, Clerical volunteers, and Outreach/Fundraising volunteers. For more info, call (334) 279-6677 or e-mail kjones@hospiceofmontgomery.org.

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Jackson Hospital Animal Therapy Program Jackson Hospital’s Animal Therapy Program is a vital part of its patient care. Animals in the program are limited to dogs, and no other animals are allowed to participate. Currently, there are 10 dogs in the program. Their handlers have undergone extensive training and orientation, and visit the hospital weekly. For more information, please call 293-8894. Jackson Hospital Volunteer Services Jackson Hospital information desk volunteers are needed for the evening shift, 5-8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Volunteers must be friendly and eager to offer information to those visiting the hospital. With this position, a free meal will be given as well as a parking spot next to the lobby. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and are asked to work 4 hours a week. Call 293-8967 or visit www.jackson. org/patients_volunteers.html. Jackson Sleep Disorders Center Jackson Hospital houses a sleep disorders center on the third floor of the Goode Medical Building to monitor those who are suffering from sleep disorders. For more information, contact your physician or the Sleep Center at 293-8168. River Region Association of Doulas Doulas Traci Weafer, Rebekah Hawkins and Christina Clark provide prenatal counseling, labor and postpartum doula services, breastfeeding education, events and support groups. Contact rradoulas@gmail.com or visit rradoulas. weebly.com or https://www.facebook.com/RRADoulas/.

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SupportGroups Support Groups Adoption Support

Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connections (APAC) This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Montgomery Group meets 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m., Room 8114 at Frazer Memorial UMC. For more info, call Sonia Martin at 409-9477 or at smartin@ childrensaid.org. Birth Parent and Adult Adoptee Support Group Children’s Aid Society hosts a free support group for adult adoptees and birth parents. This group provides emotional support for people at all stages of the life-long adoption process. Meetings held at Children’s Aid Society, 2141 14th Avenue South in Birmingham. For class dates and times, call Kathy King at (205) 943-5331 or e-mail kking@ childrensaid.org. Panda Pals is a support group for families who have adopted or in the process of adopting children from China. We have playdates, family nights and get-togethers to talk about raising our children from China. If you would like to join our group, just e-mail PandaPals2005@yahoogroups. com or call Tracie Singleton at 395-8215.

Cancer Support

American Cancer Society, including Montgomery, Elmore & Autauga Counties: **To access or sign up for these programs, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. Look Good…Feel Better is an American Cancer Society program in which trained volunteer cosmetologists help female cancer patients deal with the side effects of treatment. Patients are taught beauty techniques to enhance their appearance and self image during or after treatments, including ways to disguise hair loss and skin changes. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 for more info. OTHER PROGRAMS/SERVICES OFFERED BY THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: Reach to Recovery matches newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with survivors on a one on one basis. Free wigs and other supplies for cancer patients Free rides to treatment through our Road To Recovery program (where volunteer drivers use their cars and time to take in need cancer patients to treatment) Free lodging through the Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge in Birmingham (if patients are sent to Birmingham for treatment) On-line cancer information classes and support group through cancer.org. Information anytime and trained specialists at 1-800ACS-2345. Cancer Patient and Caregiver Support Group 1-2 p.m., Tuesdays, Montgomery Cancer Center, 4145 Carmichael Road. The group is facilitated by professionally trained health care providers and other members of the support care team. It’s free and open to all cancer patients and their caregivers. Call (334) 273-7000. General Cancer Support Group held at Christ Church, 8800 Vaughn Road, Tuesday afternoons at 1 p.m. This is an open group. For more information, please call Christy Holding at 531-1390 or Debbie Diemayer at 467-4578.

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Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support, Frazer Memorial UMC, 2nd Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. in Room 8114. Provides education, awareness and mentoring for breast cancer patients/survivors, family or friends. For more info, call 220-4599 or e-mail womenofhope@charter.net.

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Divorce Support

DivorceCare meets Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at Frazer Memorial UMC. Join us for thirteen weeks of guidance and purpose as you move forward with life after

divorce. For more info, call 495-6368 or e-mail singles@ frazerumc.org. Divorce Care for Kids meets Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at Frazer Memorial UMC. Children of divorce or separation find hope, help, and healing. Call 495-6368 or e-mail singles@frazerumc.org for more info. DivorceCare meets at Vaughn Forest Church on Wednesday nights from 6-8 p.m. It fosters a weekly supportive and caring environment to heal the hurt of separation and divorce. The DivorceCare experience involves a dynamic video presentation, group share time, and personal workbook exercises. Facilitators for DivorceCare are Todd Smith, Wendy Timbie and Becki Harrison. To register or for more info, call 279-5433. DivorceCare and DivorceCare 4 Kids First Baptist Church Montgomery, Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $15 (scholarships available). Contact Kathy Cooper at kcooper@montgomeryfbc.org or 241-5125. Second Saturday Divorce Workshop for Women Montgomery Country Club, Azalea Room, 3800 Narrow Lane Road. 9 a.m.-noon. This is a 3-hour workshop that is offered monthly, designed to help participants explore the legal, financial, and emotional issues of divorce and gain a greater understanding of the process. The cost to attend is $20 per person and pre-registration is required. For more info, please call or e-mail Sommer Morris at (334) 6121086 or sommer.morris@morganstanley.com. You may also visit www.secondsaturday.com.

Gambling Support

Gamblers Anonymous meetings in the River Region Area: Saturdays @ 7 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, 5375 U.S. Hwy. 231 (Directly across from the Winn-Dixie shopping center), Wetumpka. Call (334) 567-7534. Sundays @ 5 p.m., Mental Health Association, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Mondays @ 6 p.m., St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 4475 Atlanta Hwy., Montgomery. Gamblers Anonymous Hotline: 334-541-5420

Grief Support

Bereaved Spouses Support Group A new ministry of Cornerstone Christian Church, USA (Unavoidably Single Again) Ministries is designed to offer ongoing support, social events and fellowship to those who have lost their spouses to death. The group is open to ALL widowed individuals, regardless of age, religious beliefs, or length of marriage or widowhood. Meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays at the church’s building, 301 Dalraida Road. Please e-mail farauthor@aol.com for more info. Bereavement Group, Hospice of Montgomery office, 1111 Holloway Park. This group is intended to address those affected by a recent loss (0-12 months after death). Through meeting with others who are walking a similar journey, you will be encouraged to work through the complications of your loss, understand your pain, and adjust to your new reality. For more info, call 279-6677. Compassionate Friends, Eastmont Baptist Church, 4505 Atlanta Hwy, first Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Compassionate Friends is a national self-help support organization for families grieving the death of a child. For more information about the group, call (334) 284-2721. Grief Recovery Support, Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy., Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. in Rm. 3105. Call 2728622 for more info. GriefShare meets weekly at Vaughn Forest Church on Wednesday nights from 6-8 p.m. This program is non-denominational and features biblical concepts for healing your grief. Three key parts make up your GriefShare experience: video seminar; support group time; and workbook study. GriefShare will be led by Howard and Carol Payne and Jim

Williams. To register or for more info, call 279-5433. Grieving With Hope, St. Mark UMC, meeting weekly on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m. The group offers a place to share, care and heal from the losses of life. Facilitated by Dr. Lennie Howard and Marie Parma. Contact the church at 272-0009. Honoring Angels Like Owen, Inc. (HALO) offers family-oriented, Christian-based grief support groups that meet monthly. These groups are for families who have lost a child from 20 weeks gestation up to the age of 2 years old. Our parents’ group is for mothers and fathers. Our siblings’ group is for children ages 6-15. Both groups meet at the same time and place. HALO also offers free professional photography for families facing the loss of a child up to the age of 2 years old and needs-based financial assistance for burial. Visit www.honoringangelslikeowen.org or call (334) 328-1202. Mourning to Morning is a Christian growth group for mothers who have lost a child, from before birth through adulthood. We normally meet the last Thursday night of each month at Grace Baptist Church in Wetumpka, 304 Old Montgomery Highway. For more info, contact Alice Scarborough at (334) 462-4775 or Gwen Ellis at (334) 567-8754 or e-mail us at mourningtomorning@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook--Mourning to Morning Group.

Homeschool Support

ECHO (Elmore County Homeschool Organization), Harvest Fields Community Church, 4280 Deatsville Hwy, Deatsville. 2nd and 4th Fridays year-round from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a support group for homeschooling families in the tri-county area. Membership is free. For more info, please visit http://www.onlineecho.com

Illness Support

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers Support Group meets 1st Thursdays from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in room 3103 at Frazer Memorial UMC. For more info, call 272-8622. Cardiolife, a FREE educational series for congestive heart failure patients and their caregivers, meets 4th Thursdays of each month, 10-11 a.m. Diabetes Center classroom, Jackson Hospital. For more info, call 279-6677. Topics include: Lifestyle Changes, A Heart Healthy Diet, Proper Fluid Intake, Importance of Daily Weights and Exercise Tolerance. Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step-Christian process to help you cope with hurts, hang-ups, and habits on a weekly basis. Meets at Vaughn Forest Church on Wednesday nights from 6-8 p.m. You will experience hope and strength for each day. “Celebrate Recovery” is led by Jeff McFarland. To register or for more info, call 279-5433. Christians Against Substance Abuse (CASA) is a 12step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. Using the steps and the Bible, we help build self-esteem, responsible behavior, learning to make amends for destructive behavior, then fill the void in our hearts by developing a loving relationship with God. Class begins each Wednesday evening @ 6:30 p.m. Please contact the Prattville Church of Christ office, 344 East Main St. in Prattville (334-365-4201), for additional information. Diabetes Support Group Noon-1 p.m. and 4-5 p.m., fourth Thursdays, Jackson Hospital Park Place Building Suite 302. Are you interested in learning how to better manage your Type 2 diabetes? Would you like support from others as you work to control your diabetes? Sponsored by inpatient diabetes educator Michelle Carothers, this group offers clinical information, advice and tips to make living with diabetes easier for you and your family. Register today! Call (334) 293-8574 or e-mail michelle.carothers@jackson.org. Gluten Intolerance Group (www.gluten.net) is a nonprofit organization with the mission to provide support to those with any form of gluten intolerance. Guidelines are

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SupportGroups provided on how to eat safely both at home and eating out. Another objective is to facilitate more effective communication between the local gluten-free community and stores, restaurants and the medical community. Meets 2nd Thursdays, 6-7 p.m., at Taylor Road Baptist Church, Fellowship Suite (Turn on Berryhill Rd. by EastChase). Check the blog for special “alternate site” meetings (www.glutenfreemontgomery.blogspot.com) For more info, you may also e-mail dr.hetrick@charter.net or visit the group’s Facebook page. Montgomery Area Mended Hearts, First floor of Montgomery Cardiovascular Institute on the campus of Baptist Medical Center South. For anyone who has experienced cardiac illness. Third Mondays, alternates between 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Call 286-3410 for more info. NAMI Montgomery (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) provides understanding, education and information to family members and friends of those who suffer mental illness. The NAMI Montgomery Family Member Support Group meets second Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in room 3103 at Frazer Memorial UMC. Call Mary Jo Logan (2712280) for details. NAMI also presents a 12-week series of free classes on mental illness. These classes are for family members living with or supporting individuals with mental illness. To register, call Mary Jo at 271-2280 or e-mail classicmjl@hotmail.com. OCD Support Group (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) Long showers, multiple hand-washing, rituals, checking the stove, hoarding and symmetry. This support group is open to anyone who has struggled with OCD. You’re not alone anymore. Meetings are held at 5500 Ash Grove Circle, Montgomery. Call Donald at 220-7555 for more info. Overeaters Anonymous, Unity of Montgomery, 1922 Walnut St., Saturdays from 3-4 p.m. Contact Misty at 3249568 or Carol at 467-5742. Parkinson’s Support, Frazer UMC Activity Bldg. Room 8114, on 4th Thursdays. Eat from 6-6:30 p.m. Meeting from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Information, education, inspiration and social time for those with PD and anyone who is interested. For more info, contact Jan Neil at (334) 272-8622 or Sheila Lindley at (334) 260-4940 or (334) 328-8742. Traumatic Brain Injury Support, cafeteria at HealthSouth on Narrow Lane in Montgomery. 2nd Thursdays at 6 p.m. Sponsored by Alabama Head Injury Foundation for anyone with a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or related disability. For more info, contact Holli at (334) 2900646 or e-mail: ahif_montgomery_auburn@yahoo.com. Visit www.ahif.org.

Parent Support

D.A.D.S. (Dad and Daughter Saturdays) Second Saturdays at the Juliette Hampton Morgan Library in downtown Montgomery at 11 a.m. D.A.D.S. gives fathers and daughters an opportunity to read together to create fun, educational memories. This free event is open to the public and is sponsored by the Montgomery City-County Public Library and Dreamland Barbeque. For more info, call Ron Simmons at (334) 777-8596. La Leche League of Montgomery Area has served local mothers since 1984. Women who are pregnant, interested in breastfeeding and nursing mothers are invited to attend our free mother-to-mother support meetings or e-mail with breastfeeding questions. Join us with your babies. Children of all ages are welcome. We currently have morning and evening meetings. For more info, e-mail LLL.Montgomery.AL@gmail.com or visit http://www.llli.org/groups/@ llli*group*montgomery or “like” us on Facebook. Mom2Mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of children ages birth-5 years at Frazer United Methodist Church to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. E-mail Mom2mom@frazerumc. org for more information. Moms’ LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) First Baptist Church, Prattville. Meets twice monthly from 8:30-11:45 a.m. in the chapel at First

Montgomery Parents I June 2017

Baptist Church in Prattville August through May. For moms of all stages and ages of life. We offer a time of fellowship, Bible study, musical guests, special guest speakers and a lot of fun! Cost is $5 per meeting. Childcare provided by reservation. For more info and to reserve your spot, call Kelley Manning at 361-7919. The Montgomery Multiples Club is a non-profit organization offering support to the mothers and families of twins, triplets, and more in the Central Alabama region. They have a mom’s night out with dinner once a month. They also have a yard sale twice a year, in the spring and again in the fall. For more info, visit https://sites.google.com/site/ montgomerymultiples/home. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry St., Montgomery. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., September through May. Moms, need a little break? We have educational speakers, great conversation, and fun activities. Free childcare is provided. Visit www.montgomeryfbc.org/MOPS or contact Tiffany Alewine at 241-5165. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), Vaughn Forest Baptist Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Are you in need of a time-out? MOPS joins mothers together by a common bond, to be better wives, moms and friends along this journey in the trenches of motherhood. Childcare is provided. For more info, e-mail vaughnforestmops@gmail.com or visit http://vfcmops.weebly.com/.

Pregnancy Loss/Infertility

Hannah’s Prayer, Prattville First United Methodist Church, 2nd Thursdays and 3rd Sundays. Support group for women dealing with pregnancy loss/infertility issues. Call (334) 365-5977. Post-abortion Support Group, Saint James United Methodist Church. Do you have a secret you have promised yourself “you are taking to the grave?” Come and listen to stories of others who were scared to surrender their secret. Come and find healing and peace that you never even knew you needed. Come and learn about the One who came to set you free. Join us in a study of “Surrendering the Secret” by Pat Layton and know that you are not alone! (Learner guide and digital download sessions.) For more info, e-mail annpemberton@charter.net. Sav-A-Life conducts a HOPE GROUP for women who have experienced the emotional aftermath of an abortion. Groups meet eight consecutive Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. and are facilitated by women who have experienced abortion. The “Forgiven and Set Free” Bible study is used. Confidientiality is assured. Please call Kathy at 260-8010 for information.

of Perry Hill and Harrison Roads). Meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 6:15-8 p.m. Free snack supper provided to moms and children. Child care for infants-16 years. Call 272-3174 for more info. Singles’ Small Groups, Frazer Memorial UMC, Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. Call 495-6368 or e-mail singles@frazerumc.org for more info. SWAK (Single with Amazing Kids), Maxwell / Maxwell Gunter AFB. This network is connecting and empowering single parents and their families through information, encouragement, and many family-oriented events throughout the year. We meet the last Wednesday or Thursday of each month. For more info, e-mail t2763@aol. com. Join us on Facebook for daily restaurant specials, area kid-friendly events, and tips/ ideas for families on a budget. TNT (Tuesday Night Together) for Singles, Frazer Memorial UMC, Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, Bldg. 7000. A meal ($5) and program are provided. Call 495-6368 or e-mail singles@frazerumc.org for info.

Special Needs Support

Alabama Angels Pageant, a nonprofit pageant for males and females of any age with special needs. Participation is free. 2016 pageant date TBA. Visit www. alabamaangels.org and look for us on Facebook! Central Alabama Autism Support Team (C.A.A.S.T.), St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Hwy. 31 in Prattville from 6-8 p.m. 3rd Thursdays quarterly (Feb., May, Aug., Nov.). Visit www.easysite.com/caast or e-mail casst50@yahoo. com for more info. Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach, Vaughn Park Church of Christ, 2nd Fridays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. We have activities, speakers and special events throughout the year for the parents, siblings and children with Down Syndrome. Childcare provided. Visit www.montgomeryareadownsyndrome.com or visit our Facebook page (MADSOG) for more information. Contact MADSOG at montgomeryareadownsyndrome@gmail.com for more info. Montgomery Area Hearing Loss Support Group meets monthly at the Wesley Building of the First Methodist Church in Montgomery on 2nd Thursdays at 4 p.m. It is affiliated with the nationally recognized non-profit advocacy group, Hearing Loss Association of America. The purpose is to bring together all adults and parents of children who would like to know more about hearing losses, its causes and its possible corrections. Refreshments at each meeting. For more info, contact HearingInfo@earthlink.net.

“Take Heart,” Room 116 at Eastmont Baptist Church, first Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. Support group for women dealing with infertility and/or miscarriage. Contact Melissa at (205) 913-2667 for more information.

Teens/Families Support

Single Parents Support

Call Family Guidance Center of Alabama at 270-4100 for information about current classes.

God Will Make a Way, Frazer UMC, Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. Learn to follow God’s principles to thrive relationally, emotionally, and spiritually in 12 key areas of life and use God’s wisdom to cope with your most difficult problems. Call 495-6368 or e-mail singles@frazerumc.org for more info. Single Moms Support Group, Landmark Church of Christ, Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. in Classroom 118. For more information call 277-5800. Single Moms’ Care and Support Group, Perry Hill United Methodist Church, 910 Perry Hill Road (corner

Alienated Grandparents Anonymous meets third Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m in room 3104 at Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. For more info, call 272-8622

Support Group for Teens with difficulties communicating with parents and friends. Contact Felicia Pressley at Pressley Counseling by leaving a message at (334) 625-0159.

Please send calendar info to editor@montgomeryparents.com. www.montgomeryparents.com

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ADT Performs 32nd Annual School Recital

The Alabama Dance Theatre performed its 32nd annual school recital on May 11 at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. The theatre was filled to capacity with enthusiastic parents, relatives and friends of the dancers. Three graduating seniors were recognized: Catherine Cobb was accepted to The University of Oklahoma and to the Internship Program at the Orlando Ballet; Orobosa Aghedo, attending The University of Oklahoma; and Lauren Taylor, attending Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va., all on scholarship. ADT’s “budding” pre-ballet ballerinas, aged 3 to 7, began the program with “Dancing Around the World.” Following this, close to 300 dancers performed from the beginning to the advanced levels in Tap, Classical Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Hip-Hop and Jazz pieces. ADT’s talented faculty, including Artistic Director Kitty Seale, Emily Caruso, Janie Alford, Kate Robertson, Casey Bailey, Jenny Letner, Betsy Shedd and Sara Sanford, choreographed the recital pieces performed. Thanks go to Mayor Todd Strange and The City of Montgomery, The Montgomery Parks and Recreation Department, The Staff of the Armory Learning Arts Center, The Montgomery Performing Arts Centre, BTW Magnet High School, Turner Seale Contracting, Lovett Printing, Inc., David Robertson, Jr. Photography, Larry Stevens, Nana Waldrip (Technical Director) and Charles Sanford (Videography). The Alabama Dance Theatre will offer summer classes in classical ballet (pre-ballet to the professional level), pointe and variations, composition, modern, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary. Session I is May 30-June 15 and Session II is June 26-July 13. There will also be a “Tutus and Tiaras” camp for ages 3-8 June 19-23. The Alabama Dance Theatre Summer Seminar for intermediate and advanced dancers will be held July 17-31. “Stars on the Riverfront,” ADT’s free performance, will be held Sunday, July 30, and Monday, July 31, at 7:30 at the Riverwalk Amphitheatre. Classes will be held at the Armory Learning Arts Center, home of the Alabama Dance Theatre located at 1018 Madison Avenue. For more info, call (334) 241-2590 or visit www.alabamadancetheatre.com. Advanced Ballet dancers, from left, are Maya Pegues, Aloria Adams, Virginia Perry, Orobosa Aghedo, Catherine Cobb, Amelia Felder, Lauren Taylor and Francie Hill. Beginning Ballet II dancers, from top, are: Caroline Ohme, Caroline Melton, Samantha Berg, Lola Campbell and Gianna Porco; and bottom: Baylie Barrett and London Tabb.

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Business Card Directory

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E& Montgomery Parents I June 2017

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AdvertiserDirectory We know that readers consider our advertisers as valuable a resource as the editorial content in Montgomery Parents. We hope this directory saves you time as you refer to the magazine throughout the month. Page numbers follow the advertiser’s name.

Eastdale Mall, 41

Mrs. Sandy’s House, 98

Edible Blossoms, 40

My Kids Attic, The Shoppes of, 23

Edward Jones-Lane Easterling, 55

New Park, 65

Evangel Christian Academy, 35

OB/GYN Montgomery, Dr. Desautels, 86

Family Guidance Center, 60

O’Connor Tennis Lessons, 26

ACE of the River Region, 53

FC Montgomery Soccer Academy, 31

Paint n Clay Studio, 20

Adventure Sports II, 56

First Bapist Church, Montgomery, 13

Pet Palace Hotels, 68

Alabama Christian Academy, 47

First Baptist Church, P’ville, 52

Prattville YMCA, 55

AL Dept. of Public Health, IF, 71, IB

First UMC, Prattville, 76

Professional Pediatrics, 12

Alabama Shakespeare Festival, 49

Frazer Kindergarten and Preschool, 69

Pump It Up Party, 86

Aldersgate UMC, 79

Frazer Memorial UMC, 26

Riverview Camp for Girls, 33

Armory Athletics, 39

Health Services, Inc., 62

Rockin’ Jump, 42

ASKIN/Synergy House, 98

Herron Dermatology & Laser, 48

Saint James School, 1

ASU Acting Camp, 63

Holy Cross Episcopal School, 27

Saint James UMC, 73

ASU Continuing Education Camps, 43

Hooper Academy, 25, 28

Sea Dragon Pirate Cruises, 4

AUM Early Childhood Center, 8

Huntingdon Basketball Camp, 22

Shade Tree Riding Stables, 21

Autauga/Western Elmore Arc, 28

Inflatables of Montgomery, 59

Shane’s Rib Shack, 69

Baptist Health, 7

Kingry Orthodontics, 75

Sleepover Envy, 98

Barb’s on Mulberry, 22

Kumon, 37

Spacewalker, The, 75

Beth’s Heirloom Sewing, 53

Learning Tree Child Care, 32

Spotless Cleaning Services, 11

Bradford Health Services, 57

Lori Mercer Photography, 76

Success Unlimited Academy, 14, 38

Cellar Door Wine Club, 98

Macon East Academy, 15

Sylvan Learning Center, 31

Centerpoint Fellowship, 45

Mathnasium, 34

Taylor Road Baptist Church, 89

Chapman Orthodontics, 35

MEOW Academy, 19

The Montgomery Academy, Back Cover

Children’s Hospital of Alabama, 29

Memorial Presbyterian Childcare, 61

Tonya Speed’s Dance Connection, 20

Churchill Academy, 18

Montessori @ Mulberry, 17

Trinity Presbyterian School, 9

Dentistry for Children, 39

Montgomery Catholic Schools, 30, 51

Tru-Cut Lawn Care, 59

Docarmo’s Taekwondo Center, 2

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, 97

United Gymstars & Cheer, 19

Dr. Kendall Dunn-Orthodontist, 56

Montg. Pediatric Dentistry/Ortho, 3

Vaughn Park Mom’s Day Out, 40

Dynamite Magic & Balloons, 61

Montgomery Uniforms Plus, 85

Vaughn Road Preschool, 67

E & S Hobbies, 98

Moody Learning, 98

You and Me Boutique, 50 99

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Everything, Everything

Pirates of the Caribbean:

Dead Men Tell No Tales MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: C+ Violence: D+ Sexual Content: B Language: B+ Alcohol / Drug Use: C The MPAA has rated Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales PG-13 for sequences of adventure violence, and some suggestive content. One of Disney’s best moneymakers, Pirates of the Caribbean returns with many of its original cast and characters. Subtitled, Dead Men Tell No Tales, the film follows Henry (Brenton Thwaites), the son of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Will is still imprisoned in the depths of the ocean on the Flying Dutchman. However, through careful study of the myths and legends of the sea, Henry has discovered a way he can break the curse that binds his father to the sunken ship. He needs to find the Trident of Poseidon. Enlisting on a British ship so he can search the ocean, Henry finds himself in hot water when he oversteps his rank and tells his naval captain that he is making a wrong turn. The unheeded warning places the whole crew in the path of a ghost ship full of unkillable and unlikable buccaneers under the command of Salazar (Javier Bardem). Dispatching the sailors, save Henry, the decaying captain asks the lone survivor to pass a message onto the infamous pirate Jack Sparrow. This request, plus his main quest, gets a little bogged down at first thanks to a charge of treason and some prison time. Yet as luck (and plot manipulation) would have it, this unplanned detour eventually leads Henry to Jack. It also has him cross paths with the lovely Carina Smythe, a young woman sentenced to death for her scientific knowledge of Astronomy and Horology. With help from Jack’s motley band of men the trio manages to break free and set sail on the drunken pirate’s pathetic ship. Using Carina’s knowledge of the stars, they feel confident the trident can be found. All they must do to get the prize is outrun the British fleet and the immortal Salazar’s plans for vengeance. Unfortunately, the real treasures lost in this picture are characters we care about and a story we can dig into. The opening scene between Will and Henry (played by a Lewis McGowan) is touching and charts a promising course for the script. And a few messages about the importance of family as appreciated. But once Johnny Depp’s inebriated Captain Sparrow hits the screen, the swaggering swashbuckler becomes an obsessive distraction for the directors. Alternating between blasting battles and prattling pirates, the production feels like everyone on board is so busy rigging up the next effects laden conflict that they’ve nearly forgotten about that trident thingy. Yes, there are a few funny moments and a big bank robbery scene is ridiculously engaging. However, if this franchise has any hopes of not joining those who are lost at sea it had best get its booty in gear for the obvious next episode.

What Parents Need to Know...

Violence: Portrays of violence and weapons use are pervasive. Characters are shot, stabbed, punched, chocked, drowned and crushed. Many of these acts are shown on screen with some detail, but blood is seen infrequently. Decapitated heads are shown. A character is accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death. Several characters are imprisoned, caught in traps, and face other perilous situations. Robberies, death threats, property damage, plundering and murder are depicted. Battles between ships occur frequently and include cannon fire, ramming and sinking each other’s vessels. Death is implied and shown, along with corpses and skeletons. Characters impaled by swords. Sexual Content: Adultery is implied. A married couple is seen in bed together. Some mild sexual innuendo and humor is heard. Profanity: Infrequent use of terms of deity, crude expressions, name-calling. Alcohol / Drug Use: A main character is portrayed as drunken throughout. Montgomery Parents I June 2017

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: C Violence: B Sexual Content: C Profanity: BAlcohol / Drug Use: B+ The MPAA has rated Everything, Everything PG-13 for thematic elements and brief sensuality. Maddy Whittier (Amandla Stenberg) is a young woman with SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), a medical condition that renders her body unable to fight off any infections. Although the illness means she must live in isolation in order to avoid contact with germs or viruses, she still enjoys stimulation through books and the internet. Her protective single mother (Anika Noni Rose), who is also a physician, provides medical care plus a state-of-the-art home to keep her environment sterilized. And she has the loving company of full-time nurse Carla (Ana de la Reguera). Really, the eighteen-year-old doesn’t want for anything, anything. However, her resignation toward having no contact with the outside world is tested when she notices the family moving in next door has a son about her age. Olly (Nick Robinson) may dress in bleak black and wear his shaggy hair with a rebellious attitude, but he has a bright smile when he sees her peering from the window. Within days the two are making eye contact as often as possible, and then begin texting back and forth. As the interaction and attraction grows, Maddy desires more. Eventually, she is even willing to risk everything, everything. What follows is a sentimental sequence of bashful meetings, facilitated by Carla, puppy-love style frolicking, and secret romantic gestures that catch the attention of Mom. When the cautious parent threatens to put an end to any more flirting with the forbidden fruit, Maddy and Olly run away together. Based on a book by Nicola Yoon, this story has all the cute and kitsch ‘tween girls swoon over – and that is exactly the biggest problem with the movie. This target audience will likely be just as naïve as the main characters presented here, and fail to recognize the negative consequences associated with Maddy and Olly’s behaviors. And it doesn’t help that the film never shows the dangers of lying, using a credit card irresponsibly and engaging in an “unprotected” sexual relationship (implied after a steamy scene of passionate kissing). In fact, the plot suggests it’s the adults who are out of touch with reality. Other content of concern is a few swear words and scatological slang, reference to a father with a drinking problem, the depiction of a squabble that ends with punches being thrown, and domestic abuse. While it is natural for young adults to want to exert their independence, the 18-year-old couple depicted here are reckless, even if the script calls their actions brave. After reflecting on the film’s messages and trying to come up with something positive to say, I really could think of nothing, nothing.

What Parents Need to Know...

Violence: A father and son have a quarrel, including an exchange of punches and muffled discussion. A medical emergency is depicted without any explicit detail. References are made to marital discord and abuse. Characters lie to one another, and when these deceptions are discovered they feel betrayed. Sexual Content: An unmarried young couple (both are just 18) are seen undressing each other and getting into bed, unplanned sexual relations are strongly implied, no consequences relating to this decision are included. A young man and woman kiss passionately. A young man and woman are seen in swimwear. Profanity: A single scatological term is heard, and other mild profanity is used infrequently. Alcohol / Drug Use: A father’s alcohol problem results in a scene of domestic abuse and other family strife. Injections in a medical context are depicted. 100

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HIGH

140 90

OR ABOVE

PRE-HIGH BETWEEN

121-139 81-89 NORMAL

120 80

OR LESS

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS Untreated hypertension can cause serious health consequences or death

prevention is key! • • • • • •

Reduce salt intake Eat more fruits and vegetables Don’t smoke Be physically active Maintain a healthy body weight Monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol

www.adph.org/cvh

AC A DE M I C Y E A R 2 0 1 5 - 1 6

By the Numbers A C A D E M I C S

86%

OF THE CLASS OF 2016 EARNED M E R I T- B A S E D SCHOLARSHIPS TOTA L I N G O V E R

MILLION

13 OF O N LY

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

7 T H G R A D E students qualified for D U K E T I P

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY Chapters in Alabama

THE ARTS

16 Speech & Debate Accolades

AP SCHOLARS

88 Accepted to

9.5

N AT I O N A L MERIT FINALISTS

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS THE MOST IN ALABAMA

Ranks 3rd

Overall State Championships in the United States

2016 team member named ALABAMA SPEECH &

DEBATE STUDENT OF THE YEAR and nominated for the National Student of the Year

AP STUDIO ART SENIORS EXHIBIT AT STONEHENGE

Upper School Chorus

HERITAGE NATIONAL

CHORAL COMPETITION in Seattle, Washington

LEADERSHIP

AT H L E T I C S

Ask about financial aid options that make an MA education a possibility.

S TAT E C H A M P I O N S H I P S

Contact Susannah Cleveland Director of Admissions admissions@montgomeryacademy.org

334.272.8210 | montgomeryacademy.org

The Academy admits students of every color, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, or other legally protected status to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.