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THE BULLETIN • FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012
www.bendbulletin.com/family
IN BRIEF Deadline nears for school options Parents who are interested in enrolling their children in one of five school options in BendLa Pine Schools have until March 23 to apply. Choice Options includes magnet schools and programs located within elementary schools that focus on various educational styles. Parents can only choose to apply for one of the following programs: • A mity Creek Magnet School, a K-5 school in downtown Bend, is a child-led learning environment in which the students help guide the process. Contact: 541355-2800. • Bear Creek DualImmersion program, located at Bear Creek Elementary School in southeast Bend, is a Spanish-English immersion program. Classes are balanced between students who are native Spanish and native English speakers. Regular subjects are taught in both languages. Contact: 541-355-1410. • Highland Magnet School, a K-5 school in northwest Bend, utilizes the Scottish Storyline Method to teach children a variety of subjects, which are woven into a story. The school also focuses on strong reading, writing and math skills. Contact: 541-355-1900. • Juniper Technology Magnet School, a K-5 program at Juniper Elementary School in northeast Bend, focuses on technology in order for students to create podcasts, blogs and more. Contact: 541-355-1800. • Westside Village Magnet School, a K-8 school in northwest Bend, utilizes a thematic approach to curriculum and extensive hands-on learning opportunities. 541-355-2000. Applications must be received by the school by 4 p.m. March 23. Applicants can only apply for one program. Results of the lottery used to select students for each school will be mailed April 10.
Head Start applications Parents interested in enrolling their 3- to 4year-olds in Head Start, a preschool program aimed at getting kids ready for school, can apply now for the 201213 school year, which begins Sept. 1. Applications can be found at www.neigborimpact .org or at local Head Start classrooms or call 541-548-2380 Ext. 127. Children must be from low-income families living in Deschutes and Crook counties. Space is limited, so interested families should apply soon. — Alandra Johnson, The Bulletin
BEST BETS FOR FAMILY FUN Details, E3
St. Patrick’s Day Beyond four-leafed clover and leprechauns, this holiday is also a time to celebrate Irish culture. Several events planned this weekend will do just that.
Sensational Saturday Kids attending this fun activity at the High Desert Museum Saturday will get to learn about the skin types of reptiles and amphibians.
Illustration by Greg Cross / The Bulletin
Spring into
imagination By Alandra Johnson • The Bulletin
S
pring break is just around the corner for many Central
(Spring break refers to March 2630 unless otherwise noted.)
SIGN-UP OPTIONS
Oregon families. For those of us not getting whisked away to some faraway location, spring break means
figuring out how to fill up a week of free time. The good news is that we have a few ideas for you to consider. Whether it’s signing up for a fun day camp or just making your own fun at home, options abound for Central Oregon families.
Want to learn to make dragons out of clay? Or refine your tennis skills? Interested in dodgeball? What about learning how to build a rocket? These are just a few of the options available through local park and recreation districts. •Bend Park & Recreation District will host a full-day option all week through its Operation Recreation program as well as some speciality
camps, which range in terms of days and times. These options include art camps with clay or comic books; science camps featuring rockets and “crazy” chemistry; a radio camp through community radio station KPOV; a beginning sewing camp; and a general sports camp. Contact: www .bendparksandrec.org or 541-389-7275. •Redmond Area Park and Recreation District is offering numerous options, ranging from full-day camps to shorter activities such as Nerf games, sports sampler, and more. Contact: www.raprd.org or 541-548-7275. See Spring break / E6
KID CULTURE
GOOD QUESTION
Mad Science helps kids learn
How do I get my middle-schooler to read?
Kid Culture features fun and educational books and toys for kids. Toy recommendations are based on independent research conducted by The Toy Research Institute. Big Book of Science Experiments By TIME for KIDS, $17.95 Ages 6 and older Toy Tips: A Fun: A Movement: B+ Thinking: A Personality: B+ Social Interaction: A Science fairs in school are growing in popularity. This 192-page supplemental sciSubmitted photo ence book features more than 100 experiments provided by Mad Science, a science enrichment company, to explore at home. See Toys / E3
Editor’s Note: Good Question is a biweekly feature in which a local expert in a particular field answers a question related to family life. Have a question about your family? Send it to family@bendbulletin.com.
Heather McNeil has been the Deschutes Public Library system’s youth services coordinator for 12 years.
By Megan Kehoe The Bulletin
What should I do if my middleQ: Heather schooler is a reluctant reader? McNeil is the youth A: services librarian with the Deschutes Public Library system. She has been a librarian for over 30 years, and has been with the Deschutes Public Library system for the past 12. McNeil says reluctant readers are often that way because they have yet to find books with subject matter that really inspires them. McNeil
Ryan Brennecke The Bulletin
says a big mistake she sees parents make is thinking their child will like the same material they liked at that age. A big factor is listening to the child, McNeil said. “If you have an eighth-grader who
is nuts about skateboarding, then find him a book about that,” McNeil said. “A lot of parents make the mistake of thinking that their children should be reading classics.” See Question / E3