1. Healthcare

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January 2015
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Contents
Letter From The Editor
January 2015
Dear Readers,
I
think we would all agree that an important part
of parenting is setting your kids up for success
in the future and this includes in the area of their
health. This issue is dedicated to the health and
safety of your children.
living well
Tidbits.................................................................................................... 4
Community Profile: Nourishment Network................................................ 5
Health & safety
On Jan 1st, the new child passenger safety seat
law went into effect. If you have a child age 6 or
under, you’ll want read about the new law on page
26. If your child is in need of a booster seat, Safe
Kids provides them free of charge. Details are
also on page 26. Kudos to THE PLAYERS and the
law firm of Holland and Knight for supporting Safe
Kids and making the important work of keeping
our children safe possible.
About 85 percent of a person’s brain develops by
age 5 so early learning is another important key to
your child’s future success. January 2nd marks
the 10 year anniversary of then Governor Jeb Bush
signing the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) legislation into law. VPK is FREE for your Florida child
who is age 4 by September 1. Parents can choose
from one of several program options available
from private and public providers. Learn more at
www.floridaearlylearning.com.
for their health.
An issue dedicated to Health and Safety without
addressing internet safety would not be complete
and so, in this issue, we cover some very important topics related to Internet Safety and social
media. Read these articles on page 10 and 23.
Included in this month’s issue is the Spring course
schedule for the Duval County Public School’s
Parent Academy. These FREE courses will give
you the knowledge and tools you need for personal
growth, parenting, advocacy and to help your child
achieve in school and in life.
Years ago I attended a health seminar and the
speaker was a physician with three daughters.
When asked what would be the #1 thing he would
do for his daughters’ health, he replied, “ensure
they get plenty of calcium and start early”. Turn to To your health!
page 7 to find out why it’s so important.
Until next month,
If you have a child age 12 and older, there is an
excellent article on the Teen Page (page 28) to
Alison Peters-Carlson
help you prepare your child to take responsibility
Editor
Make 2015 Lean and Green!.................................................................. 6
Kid-friendly Eating for the New Year......................................................... 7
Nemours Seeking Children with Asthma for Clinical Trials......................... 8
Things to Do, Health Events..................................................................... 9
Stress, Gut and Also the Brain!..............................................................10
Creating Safer Passwords.....................................................................10
Riding into the New Year.......................................................................11
Circus-inspired Fitness Ideas................................................................12
Duval county public Schools
Parent Academy Spring 2015 course catalog...................................13-20
Clay County School news
Clay County School Board Election........................................................21
Keep that Straight-A Average Safe and Sound.......................................21
St. Johns County School news
CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk...................................22
The St. Johns County School District now has its own app......................22
education
Learning to Live with Social Media........................................................23
Florida Native Takes the Stage as Circus Ringmaster..............................24
Things to Do, Education Events.............................................................24
That’s My Job! Optometrist...................................................................24
Infant & Toddler
Follow us...
Alison Peters-Carlson Editor....................................... [email protected]
Linda Bigbee Graphic [email protected]
Jen Cramer Circulation Manager...................................... [email protected]
Doug Berle Advertising Sales......................................... [email protected]
Adam Bolton Advertising Sales..................................... [email protected]
Beth Canonica Advertising Sales.................................... [email protected]
Donna Paunetto Advertising Sales.............................. [email protected]
Steve Tremel Advertising [email protected]
Mary Gustafson Business Manager............................... [email protected]
Judi Fields Administrative Assistant
Nancy Lee Bethea Contributing Writer
Published by Child Enrichment, LLC, 12620-3 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246. Copyright 2015.
Reproduction of any artwork or copy prepared by Jax4Kids.com To Go is strictly prohibited without
written consent of the publisher. We will not be responsible for any errors and/or omissions. The
Publisher’s liability for error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. Articles for
publication are welcome and may be sent to [email protected]. For more information concerning
advertising, call 904-710-2020 or e-mail [email protected].
Page 3 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Florida’s Stronger Child Passenger Safety Law Taking Effect January 1...26
Things to Do, Infant & Toddler Events.....................................................26
Kids Say the Funniest Things.................................................................26
special needs
Dealing with Wandering of an Autistic Child...........................................27
Things to Do, Special Needs Events.......................................................27
Teens
Teen Health..........................................................................................28
Things to Do, Teen Events.....................................................................28
Pets
Get a Puppy for Better Health................................................................29
Things to Do, Pet Events.......................................................................29
Things to do
January Events.....................................................................................30
that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.
If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must
slow down to 5 miles per hour.
STAY SAFE AND CONNECTED WITH
YOUR NIGHTLIGHT!
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MOBILE
COLLECTION EVENTS
The Leeo Smart Alert, a nightlight on steroids, is a $99
“plug and play accessory” that lets you “listen” for your
home smoke and carbon monoxide alarms while you’re
away.
Ever wondered what to do with your household hazardous waste and electronic waste? The City of Jacksonville
schedules mobile collection events 11 times a year at various locations throughout the city. Residents are encouraged to utilize these mobile events to dispose of waste
in order to prevent otherwise recyclable and/or hazardous
materials from being disposed of in the landfill. Residents
can also drop off their household hazardous waste and
e-waste year-round at the Household Hazardous Waste
Facility located at 2675 Commonwealth Ave, Tuesdays
through Saturdays, from 8 am until 5 pm.
Through a smartphone app and your
home WiFi, the Smart Alert will notify
you if there is a problem, or if you are
unavailable, it will contact anyone you
specify. It will also keep tabs on your
home’s temperature and humidity.
But most of the time it’s just an unobtrusive little nightlight
– albeit one that comes on when it is needed and has 16
million color options to fit any mood or décor.
January’s Saturday mobile collection dates and locations are:
Check it out at leeo.com.
Jan. 24 Jacksonville Beach Public Works Dept.
1460 Shetter Ave., Jacksonville Beach
SEAWORLD APPS FOR KIDS
SeaWorld has introduced new, fun, educational and FREE
apps for kids including Penguin’s Playground with 18 activities featuring funny playful penguins, videos, interactive
games and educational e-books to engage the creative
mind of your child. Polar Bear Playground has video clips
of polar bears, digital picture books, interactive games,
photo galleries and coloring pages. The Baby Animals app
is filled with activities that highlight the lives of newborn
animals. Download these apps along with the Ocean Tales,
Tigers, Lions & Cheetahs, and the Sea World Kids Network
app from the App Store.
MOVE OVER FLORIDA! LIVES DEPEND ON IT
If you are driving on an interstate or roadway with multiple
lanes of travel in the same direction, and you approach an
emergency or law enforcement vehicle parked along the
roadway, a sanitation vehicle or a utility service vehicle,
you must vacate the lane closest to that vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so. If you are not able to safely move
over, you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below
the posted speed limit unless directed otherwise by a law
enforcement officer.
On a two-lane roadway, you are required to slow to a speed
Page 4 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Jan. 10 Oceanway Park, 12215 Sago Ave.
VEG-FRIENDLY DINING GUIDE
If you want to eat a more plant based diet, check out www.
vegjax.com for a veg-friendly dining guide. Restaurants
are listed by area of town to make it easy to find restaurants near you. The veg-friendly dining guide is the work
of The Girls Gone Green. Visit them online at www.thegirlsgonegreen.com and learn more about their mission to
eliminate EPS foam (Styrofoam) due to its high probability
of leaking known carcinogens into the food and harmful
toxins into the environment.
PEDESTRIAN DANGER!
Jacksonville ranks third in the top 10 most dangerous cities
for pedestrians in the United States according to a report
recently released by Smart Growth America, a national group
dedicated to improving the design of our communities.
In fact, our whole state is dangerous when it comes to
walking. Orlando tops the nation, Tampa/St. Pete comes in
second and Miami is fourth. Rounding out the list are (in order): Memphis, Birmingham, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix and
Charlotte. The top 10 cities are all in the Sunbelt, an area of
our country that experienced poorly designed, uncontrolled
growth following World War II.
Over the decade from 2003-2012, 47,025 people died
while walking on U.S. streets. That’s 16 times the number
of Americans who died in natural disasters —earthquakes,
floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. On top of that, an estimated 676,000 were injured —meaning someone on foot
was hit by a car about every eight minutes.
Visit
www.smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design
to see what you can do to reverse the trend.
BACH’S RESCUE REMEDY FOR PETS
Animals experience emotions like fear,
anger, jealousy, depression, happiness
and joy just as we do. For 80 years, Bach’s
Rescue Remedy has been helping both
people and pets reduce negative emotions. If you have a pet who experiences
stress and anxiety from situations such as
thunder, fireworks or separation, consider
this natural stress reducer. You’ll find it in
many health stores and online at
www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet
CALORIE CALCULATOR
To help with that New Year’s resolution, the folks at healthstatus.com have come up with a calorie calculator. Go to
healthstatus.com/calculator/cbc to count how many calories you burn doing your favorite activities or how long you
should do an activity to lose weight.
• Enter your age and gender
• Enter your height and weight
• Enter the number of minutes for any of the activities you
do (1 or all) click the (+) to expand the categories
• Click on calculate at the bottom of the form for your calorie calculator personal report
Knowing the number of calories you burn in conjunction
with a sensible diet can help you lose or gain weight.
FREE ADMISSION TO NATIONAL PARKS
Mark your calendars! The National Parks offer FREE admission on the following dates in
2015. Visit www.nps.gov to find a park, plan
your visit and more.
January 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 14-16, Presidents Day weekend
April 18-19, Opening weekend of National Park Week
August 25, National Park Service Birthday
September 26, National Public Lands Day
November 11, Veterans Day
LET’S CONNECT
Living well
Community Profile:
Nourishment Network
F
or more than 35 years the Nourishment
Network, a non-profit hunger-relief program
of Lutheran Social Services, has been attacking
hunger in North Florida.
Assistance Program (SNAP) helps put food on the
table for some 31 million people per month. It
provides low-income households with monthly
electronic benefits they can use like cash at most
grocery stores. This is the same program formerly
known as food stamps. The organization is also a
partner in the Flagler County Mobile Benefits
Program, which was formed to help residents
gain access to the millions of dollars in SNAP
benefits that go unused each year.
The food bank distributes food to more than 450
member agencies in 17 counties. These member
agencies include soup kitchens, food pantries,
senior citizens groups, nonprofit daycares, youth
programs, and residential facilities. The counties
include Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia,
Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Community Gardens Initiative – Through the use
Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and of donated, vacant parcels in food insecure
Union.
neighborhoods,
families grow
In addition to
vegetables and
its food
fruit in
collection and
quantities
distribution
sufficient to
responsibilisupplement
ties, Nourishevery meal.
ment Network
Health Begins
operates the
Before Birth
following:
– Provides
After-School
low-income
and Summer
expectant
Youth Feeding
mothers
Program – Works through donated and purchased nutritious meals during their pregnancies. The
foods and supplies. Menus are developed and
program is designed to reduce the area’s infant
items are distributed to participating sites. Staff
mortality and premature birth rates.
and volunteers assist with homework and other
planned activities.
A major fundraiser is the annual Empty Bowls
luncheon – the 30th one was held in November.
Backpack Program – Designed to meet the needs The luncheon, during which attendees buy a
of hungry children at times when other resources handcrafted ceramic bowl, is designed to raise
are not available, such as weekends and school
awareness of the hunger problem in Northeast
vacations.
Florida as well as raise funds for the organization.
Mobile Pantry – Distributes donated food directly
to families in need in their own neighborhood.
Recovered Food Sharing – More than 24 million
pounds of donated and rescued surplus food is
distributed to more than 450 nonprofit agencies;
churches and synagogues, youth services, day
care and rehabilitation centers that operate food
services, soup kitchens or pantries.
SNAP Outreach – The Supplemental Nutrition
Nourishment Network is the oldest and largest
program of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast
Florida. LSS was founded in 1979 by area
Lutherans and business leaders and continues to
be led by Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America congregations.
If you are hungry or want to help in this effort see
the website wenourishhope.org. j
Page 5 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
CHILDREN’S ART CLASSES now in Jacksonville!
This program of ART for your child was developed
in the Southwest, and has taken Children’s Art to
an entirely NEW level! Your child will learn and
achieve, and will be given recognition for this
achievement at his/her very own Annual Art Show!
ER
R E G IS TY !
TODA
Registration is now open!
Classes will be taught and supervised by a
certified Art Teacher with 25 years experience in
this proven method of Studio Art Education.
Students will work with pencil, charcoal, ink,
printmaking, painting, design, water colors, cast
paper, clay and much, much more!
Art Classes are available to children ages 3 and
up, and will meet once a week. Tuition is
$76/month. Classes meet at:
8411 Baymeadows Way #2
Jacksonville, FL 32256
1406 Kingsley Ave
Orange Park, FL 32073
Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Give your
child this gift of Art! Class size is limited, so
register TODAY! Call for further information or
visit us online at www.childrensartclasses.com
to view details and print out your own
REGISTRATION FORM.
Upon registration, you will receive confirmation
and registration packet.
904.612.7557
www.childrensartclasses.com
BAYMEADOWS
8411 Baymeadows Way #2
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Barbara Gay
904.612.7557 or
Stephanie Larsen 904.962.4292
ORANGE PARK
1406 Kingsley Ave
Orange Park, FL 32073
Barbara Gay
Jessica Grotberg
904.612.7557 or
904.729.6144
health & safety
Make 2015 Lean and
Green!
I
t’s a new year! It’s an opportunity to try new
things, and an opportunity to make improvements in areas of your life that may have been
lacking attention before. Finding yourself at a new
start in life can be both scary and exciting at the
same time. What do you want to change this
year? What are you willing to say good-bye to and
what are you ready to embrace this year? Take a
step back and think for a moment what is
important to your family’s health and well-being.
Does it involve changes in eating
habits, exercise or rest
time? Even if you
haven’t thought
about it much,
we can all
make
improvements in
what we
eat (the
green) and
the time
spent in
physical
activity (the
lean). If you
don’t make any
other changes this
year, try to at least
make one positive change
in eating habits and take one
step towards increasing daily
exercise.
Green
One way to become green this year is to plant
your own family garden. With a little bit of effort
and lots of nurturing, your children can learn an
important life lesson – that food is precious. We
have a bad habit in America of wasting tons of
food each year. Watching the entire process of
growing your own food – from seed to harvest –
is an enriching activity for the whole family and
makes one appreciate the time that is involved in
growing a healthy harvest. The University of
Florida Agricultural Extension Office has wonderful tips on gardening throughout the year that is
free information to the community. Their
resources can give you tips on not only growing
your own produce, but can help solve lots of
other plant-related questions as well. You can
sign up for their complimentary newsletter or
research them online. A backyard garden does
not have to be extravagant to produce food
– some plants do just fine in pots and with a little
research, I know your family can be successful!
We have been gardening with our kids for two
years now year-round and our family has been
successful growing broccoli, cucumbers, and a
important for both you and your kids.
• Walk to the library or to school.
• Play freeze-tag or hide and go seek in your
backyard.
variety of tomatoes, green peppers, banana
peppers, lettuce and eggplant here in Florida.
And speaking of vegetables, they pack a lot of
nutrients into a small amount of calories. Even if
you don’t grow them yourselves, try to get more
veggies in your family meals. Allow kids to pick
out vegetables at the store to increase their
chances of trying them at home. Follow these
tips to get your family in the green-zone:
• Try crunchy vegetables instead of chips
with your favorite low-fat
salad dressing for
dipping.
•
Grill
colorful
• Plan for a family walk in the park or at the
beach on weekends.
• Play basketball or toss the football with your
kids.
• Take a hike and discover nature while getting
some fresh air.
• Do yoga with your kids after dinner.
• Take the family out for a Sunday afternoon
bike ride.
• Get Fido moving too! Take the dog for a walk
after school.
• Play one-on-one soccer with your child, or
make small teams so the whole family can
play.
• Have a jump rope competition in your
driveway – see how many you and your child
can do in 30 seconds.
References:
University of Florida Gardening: www.gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener; Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics; Kids Eat Right. j
Aurea Thompson
Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition
Wolfson Children’s Hospital
“Good health is not something we can buy.
However, it can be an extremely valuable
savings account.”
– Anne Wilson Schaef
vegetable
kabobs
including
tomatoes,
eggplant, green
and red peppers,
mushrooms and onions.
Baste and season them with
herbs, then grill for about 10 to 15
minutes.
• Add color to salads with baby carrots, grape
tomatoes, spinach leaves or mandarin
oranges.
We take the Fear
out of Dentistry!
Did you know
82% of people say fear is the
number one reason they don’t
go to the dentist?
• Try veggies on pizza – broccoli, spinach,
green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and
zucchini all make great toppers.
Don’t let this be you!
• Keep cut vegetables handy for quick midafternoon snacks, side dishes, or lunch box
additions.
Let us help you ease your fears and
take care of your smile! At Carlson
Dental Group, we offer different
levels of sedation allowing you to
relax or even snooze!
• Add veggies to a sandwich – slice peppers,
cucumbers and tomato as sandwich fillings.
• Top a baked potato with beans and salsa or
broccoli and cheese.
• Add veggies to a breakfast omelet – add
broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes
and mushrooms for a hearty meal.
Lean
It’s important to be a role model for your children
when it comes to eating right and exercising.
Don’t expect your kids to be active if they see
you on the couch. Regular daily exercise is
Page 6 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
904-647-4765
www.CarlsonDentalGroup.com
FREE
Sedation Consultation
ExpiRES jAnuARy 31, 2015.
health & safety
Kid-friendly Eating for the New Year
R
emember resolutions are easy. Keeping
them is hard. Especially in nutrition. Keep in
mind that experts agree that gradual, improved
lifestyle changes yields better results than any
do-it-quick exercise or dieting plan. Here are
some tips from editors at “Eating Well” magazine:
1. Stock Up
What you stock your kitchen with will influence
your children’s food choices. Leave high-fat, salty
and sugary snacks off your grocery list. Instead,
fill your cart with fruits and vegetables, particularly portable ones like apples, bananas and
carrots. Other healthful snacks include low-fat
yogurt, natural peanut butter and celery, and
whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese. Choose
water or milk over soda.
5. Fill Up With Fiber
Few kids crave a fiber-rich meal. But fiber is
filling and when combined with drinking plenty of
water, helps prevent constipation. A high-fiber
food has 5 grams or more of fiber per serving and
a “good” source of fiber is one that provides 2.5
to 4.9 grams per serving. Some fiber-friendly
foods include cooked navy beans (9.6 grams of
fiber for ½ cup), a medium baked sweet potato
with skin (3.8 grams) and bran flakes (5.3
grams).
6. Choose Whole Grains
Studies indicate that eating whole grains reduces
your long-term risk of cancer and heart disease.
On average, most school-age children need 6 to
8 ounces of grains a day and active teens may
need as many as 9 or 10 ounces. (A slice of
2. Get the Family Involved
bread, a half-cup of cooked rice, pasta or oatmeal
Allow your kids to participate in the grocery
are examples of 1 ounce.) At least half of those
shopping and encourage them to choose healthy servings should come from whole grains. The
snacks. This will increase the likelihood that they other half can come from enriched (e.g., refined
will eat these snacks instead of less healthy ones. or “white”) grains. Good whole-grain sources
include whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole3. Kick up the Calcium
grain breads and whole-wheat pastas
There are creative tactics you can employ to
make sure your child is getting plenty of calcium. 7. Serve Single Portions
Add low-fat cheese to meals and snacks: put
Serve single portions and your kids will be less
Cheddar in an omelet; add a slice of cheese to
likely to overeat. Avoid letting the kids take an
sandwiches; create mini pizzas by topping
entire bag of chips or a container of ice cream to
whole-wheat English muffins with pizza sauce
the couch; instead, dish out individual portions in
and part-skim mozzarella; make grilled cheese
the kitchen first. Or, if you cook large batches of
sandwiches appealing by using cookie cutters to food and store the leftovers, separate them into
create fun shapes. During childhood and
smaller portions before you put them in the fridge
adolescence, the body uses calcium to build
or freezer. This way, your kids can automatically
strong bones – a process that’s all but complete
grab a single portion. Teach your kids what a
by the end of the teen years. More than 85
reasonable portion size is. A serving of rice is
percent of girls and 60 percent of boys aged 9 to about the same size as an ice cream scoop
18 fail to get the recommended 1,300 milligrams (approximately ½ cup), so let your child use the
of calcium per day (kids aged 4 to 8 years old
scoop to serve rice at dinner. A piece of meat
need 800 mg; toddlers aged 1 to 2 years need
should be about the size of a deck of cards, so
500 mg). The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recomsee how that chicken breast measures up.
mend 2 cups of low-fat or nonfat milk or dairy
products per day for children 2 to 8 years.
8. Keep Fat Low
Children under 2 need a certain amount of fat in
4. Delight with Dips
their diets to help the brain and nervous system
Diving vegetables and fruits into yummy dips
develop correctly. Fat also aids in the absorption
makes lunch more fun. Offer apple slices with a
of some vitamins: vitamins A, D, E and K can only
half cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt; serve carrot
be absorbed if there’s some fat in the diet. While
sticks with a side of hummus. By learning to love toddlers can drink richer whole or 2% milk, older
fruits and vegetables while they are young, kids
kids (2+) should drink low-fat or skim milk, along
will develop food preferences that can help lower with the rest of the family. Additionally, children
their risk of heart disease, diabetes and some
ages 2 to 3 should eat a varied diet with about 30
cancers later in life. A produce-rich diet is also
to 35 percent of calories coming from fat. For
naturally lower in calories and fat and higher in
ages 4 to 18 years, the recommendations
vitamins and minerals. According to the latest
decrease to 25 to 35 percent of calories from fat.
recommendations from the USDA, kids ages 2 to The major sources of saturated fat and choles3 should have 1 cup each of fruit and vegetables terol in children’s diets are full-fat milk and
each day. Kids ages 4 to 8 should have 1½ cups
cheese and fatty meats. To check the intake, offer
of fruit and 1½ cups of vegetables; and kids 9 to low-fat dairy and lean cuts of meat in appropriate
12 need 1½ cups of fruit and 2 to 2½ cups of
portion sizes, as well as fruit, vegetables and
vegetables.
whole grains, which are naturally low in fat.
Page 7 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
9. Balance Calories with Exercise
Kids should get 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous play or physical activity each day.
Limiting their “screen time” (i.e., watching TV,
playing video games, e-mailing and instantmessaging) to two hours each day will help
accomplish this goal. The number of “discretionary calories” (those spent on “extras” once
nutrient needs are met) varies greatly. Kids who
are active have a discretionary-calorie allowance
of about 200 to 500 calories a day, whereas
sedentary kids only have 100 to 150 – about the
amount in an 8-ounce juice box or a handful of
pretzels.
10. Limit Sugar-sweetened Beverages and
Foods
A little sugar, particularly if it’s in a food that
provides other important nutrients, is fine. For
example, a tiny bit of added sugar on wholegrain cereal can enhance the taste and encourage kids to eat it. But the average teen consumes
about twice as much sugar as recommended and
sugary foods and beverages tend to be high in
calories and low in nutrients. Offer healthier
choices, such as fruit, which is naturally sweet.
Bonus Question: How can I get my kids to try
new foods?
First, what not to do: bribe, threaten or nag.
“Contingency strategies,” such as promising that
if “finish your peas, then you can watch television,” tend to reinforce a child’s negative
associations with foods. Keep your encouragement positive.
Make lots of different healthy choices available.
Nutrition experts frequently advise parents to
expose young children to lots of different tastes:
it teaches them to accept a variety of healthy
foods. If your child hates something the first time
he tries it, don’t give up. Research shows that it
can take as many as 10 to 15 tastes before a
child will learn to appreciate a new flavor. But the
most effective strategies for getting your kids to
eat well is to practice what you preach. Research
conducted by Jennifer Orlet Fisher, Ph.D., one of
the foremost experts on eating behavior, shows
that young children learn to prefer foods that are
familiar and ones presented as acceptable in
their homes. Bottom line: The best way to teach
someone that healthy foods are important (and
delicious) is to enjoy them yourself. j
Your Children
Are First
With Us!
Dr Mahajan and her team truly strive to put your children
and their needs first! We recognize that children are
individuals with unique needs and temperaments.
With 13 years in Jacksonville, we have the experience and
compassion to give each child a positive dental experience
as well as quality care. Our goal is to provide a fun and
gentle dental home for your child. Give us a call today to
start on your child’s new dental adventure!
MILITARY AND MOST MAJOR INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTED
kids1dentistry.com
904.423.1377
4495 Roosevelt Boulevard
Suite 111
Kids Love Us, Parents Trust Us
health & safety
Nemours Seeking Children with Asthma for Clinical Trials
A
sthma is a chronic disease of the lungs
causing restricted breathing. Symptoms
include but are not limited to shortness of breath,
wheezing, tightness in the chest and coughing,
especially at night. For children with asthma,
going to a friend’s house, to a soccer game or to
school can be difficult at best. Seemingly
harmless access to deodorizers, carpet fumes or
pet dander, among other things, can cause an
attack in a child who has asthma. Asthma is one
of the main illnesses causing children to miss
school. According to the Centers for Disease
Control, the rate of childhood asthma has more
than doubled since 1980.
out the best way to decrease the amount of
medication asthma patients take. The second is
to offer simpler ways for busy families to
participate and understand information provided
to them.
The study provides participating families with an
Ipad to enable them to answer questions about
their kids’ lung function and to attend virtual
doctor’s visits via FaceTime. “Families are really
busy so they only come into the clinic at the
beginning of the study to get the equipment.
When it’s over, they can keep the Ipad,” Dr. Blake
said. “These studies are trying to find the best
way to treat kids with asthma. We just need
families to participate.”
many African-American kids as possible is
important because their asthma symptoms tend
to be more severe, and we need to find the best
treatments,” Dr. Blake said.
The study lasts a little over a year with approximately 15 study visits and 10 scheduled
telephone calls with a nurse coordinator. In
addition to different medications, the study will
also include questionnaires, breathing tests and
height measurements.
3. Step-Up Yellow Zone Inhaled Corticosteroids to
Prevent Exacerbations (STICS) focuses on asthma
patients from ages 5 through 11 who have
suffered at least one serious asthma attack in the
Dr. Kathryn Blake, PharmD, a Principal Research
past year. Goals of the study are to keep kids off
Scientist at Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonthe drug prednisone and to treat their asthma so
ville, is currently running four clinical trials aimed 2. Best African American Response to Asthma
it does not worsen.
at discovering better ways to treat these children. Drugs (BARD) targets African- American kids from The year-long study is comprised of eight study
She is seeking local families with children who
ages 5 to 17 who have asthma and take a
visits and six short study telephone calls. The
have asthma to participate in the trials.
controller medication. Offered by Nemours, the
asthma study team works with families more
trial seeks to find the best asthma treatment for
closely if the patient’s asthma worsens. InformaThe trials include:
African American kids who still have asthma
tion collected for the trial includes urine samples,
1. Step Down Study/Use of Mobile Devices & the problems even though they currently take a low
questionnaires, blood tests, nasal mucus
Internet to Streamline an Asthma Clinical Trial is
dose of inhaled steroid. The study seeks to find
samples, breathing tests and more.
also known as “the asthma Ipad study,” said Dr.
out if African -American kids respond differently
Blake. This trial has two goals. The first is to find to various asthma medications. “Studying as
4. Steroids in Eosinophil Negative Asthma (SIENA)
Page 8 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
is a study targeting kids ranging in age from 12
to 17. The goal of the study is to determine if
teens should take an asthma controller medication based on the type of inflammatory cells (cells
that can aggravate asthma symptoms) present in
their airway.
The study has two parts: a beginning period of
four to six weeks to assess a child’s asthma
control and then treatment for 36 weeks. The
entire study takes about a year and consists of
between nine and 11 study visits, lasting from
one to three hours. The trial also includes eight
scheduled telephone calls. Testing includes
breathing tests, coughing up sputum to see the
cells in the airways, urine testing, medical history,
physical examination, questionnaires, and peak
flow/e-diary.
To find out more about participating in the
ongoing clinical trials, families can call (800)
354-5690 or (904) 697-3925. Information is also
available in the clinical trials section of the
Nemours web site at http://www.nemours.org/
pediatric-research.html or by e-mailing [email protected]. j
Things to Do
2015 Running of the Seahorses
January 24, 8:30am to 11am
Come support the Seabreeze Elementary PTA by
running or walking in the third annual Running
of the Seahorses on Saturday, January 24,
New Year’s Rockin’ 5K
2015. The run is on the Beach followed by
January 3, 8:30am
activities on the lawn of the SeaWalk Pavilion.
Annual New Year’s Rockin’ 5K at Academy
Walkers and runners of all ages are encouraged
Sports. There will be music, games, custom
to participate. All proceeds from this event will
medals and more. Registration fees range from go to support the Seabreeze Elementary School
$30 to $35. Course starts and ends at Academy PTA. There are two races, a 5km run and a
Sports. Ultimate Racing Inc / Academy Sports,
2.5km run. Both are run entirely on the beach
11901 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32225 /
and both start and finish by the end of the
www.ultimateracinginc.com
boardwalk to the Seawalk Pavilion. The 2.5km
runs half of the 5km course and both are run
runDisney Kids Races
together. Registration fees range from $20 to
January 8 – 10
$35. Seabreeze Elementary School / 904-403Children 13 and under are invited to participate 0210 / Sea Walk Pavilion, 11 1st St N, Jacksonin the runDisney Kids Races taking place at the ville Beach, FL 32250
ESPN Wide World of Sports Track & Field
Complex on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Pirate 5K
during the Walt Disney World® Marathon
January 31, 8am to 11am
Weekend. There will be Kids’ Dashes, the
The Pirate 5K at Palencia in North Saint
Mickey Mile and a Diaper Dash for crawlers.
Augustine offers an event for racers, families,
Space is limited. Parents are allowed to run with runners, and walkers. All participants will
their children. The event will follow a rolling
receive a t-shirt and finisher medal. A One-Mile
start beginning with the 100m dash followed by Family Fun Run will take place immediately
the 200m, 400m and Diaper Dash. The One Mile after the 5K. All participants will receive a t-shirt
will have a separate start location and time. All
and finisher medal for the fun run as well. The
distances will utilize the same finish location.
event will take place on Saturday, January 31,
Participants receive runDisney Kids Races
2015. 5k fees start at $25, and the fun run
T-shirt, Finisher medallion, and post-race
starts at $10.
refreshments. Entry fees range from $20 to
Palencia Club / 904-238-8801 / 600 Palencia
$35. Run Disney / ESPN Wide World of Sports
Club Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32095 / www.
Track & Field Complex, 710 South Victory Way
thepirate5k.com
Kissimmee, FL 34747 / www.rundisney.com
Visit Jax4Kids.com for more event listings.
Health Events
!
attention
BACK PAIN
SUFFERERS!
If you are between 18 and 75 years old and
have a history of chronic low back pain, you
may be eligible to participate in a clinical
research study being conducted by
Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research
SHARE THE FUN!
TAKE A PHOTO
UPLOAD IT
VIa Instagram, Facebook or Twitter
TAG IT
#jax4kidsFamilyFun
evaluating an investigational medication
for back pain.
Study participants will receive study-related
medication and study-related medical
One winner will be drawn monthly to
receive four one day passes to Adventure
Landing Shipwreck Island Waterpark!
evaluations at no charge. Compensation for time
and travel is available for qualified participants.
Insurance IS NOT required.
For additional information about the benefits and
risks of the study, please contact us:
JACKSONVILLE CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH
(904) 730-0166
www.jaxresearch.com
Page 9 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
FOLLOW US @jax4kids
@aljaxbeach
@adventurelandingjaxbeach
health & safety
Stress, Gut and Also the Brain!
A
s we are starting a new year trying to shed
all the toxins and negative thoughts of the
past year, there is a growing field of knowledge
that our mental health is connected to our gut
health. And this relationship between gut and
brain may be the key to solving one of medicine’s
most pressing—and perplexing—mysteries:
autism.
Autism is a complex spectrum of disorders that
share three classic features: impaired communication, poor social engagement and repetitive
behaviors. At one end of the spectrum are people
who are socially awkward, but, in many cases,
incredibly bright. At the other extreme are
individuals with severe mental disabilities and
behavioral problems. Nearly 60 years after the
disorder was first identified, the number of cases
has surged. The United Nations estimates that up
to 70 million worldwide fall in the autism
spectrum.
therapy, but new animal studies suggest that
treatment may one day come in the form of a
probiotic – live, “friendly” bacteria like those
found in yogurt. If you help heal the gastrointestinal problem, you can treat the behavioral
symptoms.
Gastrointestinal problems are autistic children’s
most common health complaint. Although
estimates vary widely, some studies have
concluded that up to 90 percent of autistic
children suffer from tummy troubles.
According to the CDC, they’re more than 3.5
times more likely to experience chronic diarrhea
and constipation than their normally developing
peers. These symptoms may even worsen with
the holiday season due to excessive exposure to
sugar and refined carbohydrates. The sugar-yeast
connection has been proven for many years.
Increasing candida in the gut and imbalanced
microbiome in the gut may result in worsening
behavioral problems. Fermented and pickled
foods along with a broad spectrum of “friendly
bacteria” help shield from environmental toxins.
There is no known cause or cure, but scientists
have found promising clues in the gut. Research
has revealed striking differences in the trillions of
bacteria – collectively known as the microbiome
Arizona State University researchers analyzing
– in the intestines of autistic and healthy children. the gut bacteria in fecal samples obtained from
autistic and normally developing children found
Autism is treated primarily through behavioral
that autistic participants had fewer types of
Creating Safer Passwords
Passwords provide the first line of defense
against unauthorized access to your computer.
The stronger your password, the more protected
your computer will be from hackers and malicious software.
What makes a password strong (or weak)?
A strong password:
• Is at least eight characters long.
• Does not contain your user name, real name,
or company name.
• Does not contain a complete word.
• Is significantly different from previous
passwords.
• Contains characters from each of the
following four categories:
Uppercase letters: A, B, C
Lowercase letters: a, b, c
Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Symbols found on the keyboard (all keyboard characters not defined as letters or
numerals) and spaces: ` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & *
()_-+={}[]\|:;“‘<>,.?/
A password might meet all the criteria above and
still be a weak password. For example, Hello2U!
meets all the criteria for a strong password listed
above, but is still weak because it contains a
complete word. H3ll0 2 U! is a stronger alternative because it replaces some of the letters in the
complete word with numbers and also includes
spaces.
Help yourself remember your strong password by
following these tips:
• Create an acronym from an easy-toremember piece of information. For example,
pick a phrase that is meaningful to you, such
as My son’s birthday is 12 December, 2004.
Using that phrase as your guide, you might
use Msbi12/Dec,4 for your password.
• Substitute numbers, symbols, and
misspellings for letters or words in an easyto-remember phrase. For example, My son’s
birthday is 12 December, 2004 could become
Mi$un’s Brthd8iz 12124 (it’s OK to use
spaces in your password).
• Relate your password to a favorite hobby or
sport. For example, I love to play badminton
could become ILuv2PlayB@dm1nt()n.
If you feel you must write down your password in
order to remember it, make sure you don’t label
it as your password, and keep it in a safe place.
Source: windows.microsoft.com j
Page 10 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
bacteria thus making the gut more susceptible to
attack from disease-causing pathogens. Other
studies have found striking differences in the
types and abundance of gut bacteria in autistic
versus healthy patients. Unfortunately, according
to the animal studies, a probiotic may only help
the subset of autistic patients who experience GI
problems.
For autistic patients and their families, however,
even a supplemental therapy is a huge step
forward. It’s really impactful, this notion that by
changing the bacteria, we could ameliorate
what’s often considered an intractable disorder.
A slow 30-day “cleanse” four times a year with a
daily probiotic (“friendly bacteria”) supplement
for our patients is strongly recommended. j
Aylin Ozdemir, MD, FAAP, ABIHM
Pediatric Associates of Jacksonville
www.doctor0jax.com
1102 A1A North, Unit 104,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 • 904-273-6533
4745 Sutton Park Court, Suite 801,
Jacksonville, FL 32224 • 904-743-2100
1633 Race Track Road, Suite 103,
Jacksonville, FL 32259 • 904-287-7000
Did You Know?
MOST COMMON
PASSWORDS
Tech experts from websites
such as boston.com, Slate
and Computer Hope agree
that everyone should avoid
using the passwords that most
often crop up on top 10 lists.
1. password
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. iloveyou
5. monkey
6. ABC123
7. letmein
8. password1
9. 123123
10. welcome
health & safety
Riding into the New Year
B
ikes make memorable gifts and are a great
way for kids to have fun, socialize with their
peers and stay healthy. Riding a bike has been
shown to improve cardiovascular endurance and
balance, decrease risk of obesity, and boost their
self-confidence. However, parents and the child
need to remember that a bike is not a toy, it is
actually a vehicle. Here are some tips to help
children stay safe while riding their favorite
present:
• CHECK EQUIPMENT: Before letting your child
ride ensure that the bike’s tires are fully
inflated with air and check that the brakes are
working properly.
• ENSURE THEY CAN BE SEEN: Whether riding
in the morning or afternoon, do not assume
drivers will see your child. Teach your
children that just because they see a driver
doesn’t mean the driver sees them. They
should be wearing bright colors or neon
clothing for best visibility – Wearing white has
not been shown to make them more visible.
Instruct them to keep their eyes up and
looking ahead and not down at the bike or at
their friends riding around them.
• TEACH THEM APPROPRIATE ROAD
AWARENESS: Before crossing a street they
should look left, right, and then left again
before proceeding. Obeying traffic signs,
including red lights and stop signs, is a must!
Tell them to ride on the right side of the road
with traffic and stay as far right as possible.
Make sure your child knows appropriate hand
signals, which can be found under the “For
Kids” tab at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Bicycles.
• SAFETY AT NIGHT: Limit riding after dark
but if they must: ensure they wear reflective
clothing and have light reflectors on the front
and back of the bike. A head light on the
helmet will also increase their visibility – Also,
it is a law.
• ALWAYS WEAR A PROPERLY FITTED BICYCLE
HELMET: Studies show wearing a helmet
can reduce the risk of a head injury by 85
per cent. To protect your child’s brain, it is
important that the helmet is properly fitted.
www.safekids.org provides instructions and
step-by-step videos on how to fit your child’s
bike helmet.
• ADJUST THE BICYCLE TO FIT: When the child
is sitting on the bike, the seat height should
allow for a slight bend in the knee when the
leg is fully extended. His or her feet should
be able to touch the ground. Local bike
shops can help you determine the proper seat
height if you do not feel comfortable setting it
yourself.
• NO SILLY RIDING: Do not allow children to
carry objects in their arms while riding. These
should be placed in a backpack or bicycle
carrier.
• BE A LOOKOUT: Children who cannot
understand or use traffic rules and hand
signals should not ride alone nor on the road.
Keep these children on sidewalks and parents
be aware of your surroundings so you can
alert them to cars, potholes, dogs, and other
roadblocks that may cause a crash.
Riding a bike can open many opportunities for
your child to explore their neighborhood, make
friends, and stay healthy. So ride into the New
Year safely and for family fun! j
Cara Heaton, PT, DPT
Pediatric Physical Therapist, Brooks Rehabilitation
[email protected]
Sharon DiFino, SLP
Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences
Disorders, Jacksonville University
Speech Language Pathologist,
Brooks Rehabilitation
[email protected]
“He who has health, has hope; and he who has
hope, has everything.”
– Thomas Carlyle
Page 11 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Parents welcome anytime
Keypad entry & surveillance
Formula, meals & snacks included
Serving families since 2004
FREE Full Day VPK 5 Star Rated
Infant Toddler Preschool After School
health & safety
Circus-inspired Fitness Ideas
T
he circus performers at Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey are also athletes who need
to be in top physical condition, making them ideal
role models who can encourage young people to
be active and fit. Through the CircusFit Program,
the Ringling Bros. acrobats, clowns, high wire and
trapeze artists, and many of our other performer
show youth an action-packed approach to health
and fitness. Ringling Bros. CircusFit Program provides an easy-to-follow, flexible structure. Each
CircusFit Lesson takes about 20 minutes and
lesson tools can be made with readily available
materials, such as plastic drink bottles or jump
ropes. The CircusFit Program is structured as five
learning modules. Use the modules sequentially,
or pick and choose individual lessons. CircusFit
Lessons combine educational health and science
information with physical movement and exercise
so that you can integrate fitness into almost any
curriculum or time frame.
MODULE 1: FUNdamentals & Flexibility
The lessons in this module explain the importance of warming up, stretching and drinking
plenty of water as part of a basic fitness routine.
MODULE 2: Powerful Fun!
This module’s lessons introduce some safe and
fun ways to build muscle strength and teach
children how to identify their major muscle
groups. In addition to strength building, this
module also encourages students to track their
eating habits and introduces good- nutrition
guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
MODULE 3: Heart-Pounding Action!
Students learn how to do the CircusFit Jump
Dance, jump rope and more. While they are
hopping and jumping, students also receive
information about the importance of strengthening their heart and lungs, the role of endorphins
and the importance of being active.
MODULE 4: From Workout to WOW!
Four basic circus skills are introduced in this
module, allowing students the opportunity to
develop coordination, concentration and discipline as they learn and practice jumping rope,
hoop twirling, balancing and juggling.
MODULE 5: Ladies and Gentlemen
This module prepares students to show off their
CircusFit skills by having them put on a performance for family and friends. A virtual circus
trunk of performance ideas is provided, as well as
various onstage and offstage job descriptions for
students’ roles.
Go to www.circusfit.com for details about using
the program.
TWELVE TIPS FOR CIRCUS-FIT
1. Schedule a regular time throughout the
Page 12 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
week for physical activity.
2. Take turns selecting an activity for the family
to do each week.
3. Explore the outdoors. Take your family
hiking, camping or for a bike ride.
4. Plan a vacation around physical activity,
such as whitewater rafting, snorkeling or
hiking.
5. Create an original video of your family
exercising. 6. Buy toys or equipment that promote physical
activity.
7. Limit the time your children spend watching
TV and using all electronic media.
8. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables washed, cutup, chilled and readily available for snacking.
9. Enroll your kids in an after-school program
that involves physical activities such as
dancing, soccer playing or learning karate.
10.Assign household chores to kids that involve
physical activity, raking leaves, weeding a
garden or walking the dog.
11.Quit the “clean plate club.” Allow your kids
to stop eating when they feel they have had
enough.
12.Be a good role model for your kids by
following these guidelines yourself. j
Sources: Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey
Xtreme and CircusFit websites.
What: Ringling Bros. and Barnum
& Bailey presents Circus Extreme
Where: Jacksonville Memorial
Arena, 300 A. Philip Randolph
Blvd.
When:
• 7:30pm Thursday, Jan. 15
• 7:30pm Friday, Jan. 16
• 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
Saturday, Jan. 17
• 1pm, 5pm Sunday, Jan.18
• 7:30pm Thursday, Jan. 15
• 7:30pm Friday Jan. 16
• 11:30pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
Saturday, Jan. 17
• 1pm, 5pm Sunday, Jan. 18
Cost: Prices range from $15 to
$60 depending on show times and
location of seats.
Save $5 on tickets using the code
JX4KDS when purchasing online
at ticketmaster.com, by calling
1-800-745-3000 or at the box
office. Not valid on opening night
and Saturday 3:30 performances.
Dates, times and locations are accurate at time of publication; courses listed in this guide are subject to change.
Visit www.duvalschools.org/ParentAcademy to verify and register.
2015
Spring Course
Catalog
2015
Spring Course Catalog
Parenting
&
Parenting
Advocacy
&
Advocacy
Personal
&
Personal
Individual
Growth
&
Individual Growth
Page 13 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Student
Achievement
Student
Achievement
The Parent Academy of Duval County Public Schools is a family resource designed for parents, caregivers, and community members.
2015 Spring Schedule
(All Parent Academy courses are free of charge)
Duval County Public Schools’ (DCPS) Parent Academy courses are categorized into three strands:
Student Achievement: Workshops and activities provide parents and caregivers with tools
to promote students’ academic achievement and navigate the school system.
Parenting & Advocacy: Workshops and activities provide tools to more effectively enhance parenting, advocacy and leadership skills.
Personal & Individual Growth: Workshops and activities provide tools for supporting the
personal and professional growth of parents and caregivers.
To learn more or register online go to: www.duvalschools.org/ParentAcademy
Student Achievement
FINANCIAL AID NIGHTS (CONTINUED)
Date
Location
Time
01/15/15
Duval Charter at Baymeadows
7510 Baymeadows Way Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
01/20/15
Samuel W. Wolfson High School
7000 Powers Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32217
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/22/15
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
2445 San Diego Road Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
COLLEGE 911
01/22/15
Grand Park Education Center
2335 West 18th Street Jacksonville, FL 32209
8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Open vs. Closed Enrollment Schools, Universities vs. Colleges, and Emergency College
Application Assistance
01/22/15
Stanton College Preparatory School
1149 West 13th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:45 - 8:15 p.m.
01/27/15
Sandalwood High School
2750 John Prom Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
01/27/15
USO (Military Parents)
2560 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach, FL, 32233
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/27/15
Jean Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/29/15
Englewood High School
4412 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/02/15
Baldwin Middle-Senior High School
291 Mill Street W., Baldwin, FL 32234
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/03/15
Robert E. Lee High School
1200 S. McDuff Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32205
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
02/05/15
Mandarin High School
4831 Greenland Road, Jacksonville, FL 32258
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/19/15
Andrew Jackson High School
3816 N. Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS LEARNING! (LEARNING ON THE GO)
Explore ways to enhance children’s development by acquiring effective teaching and
nurturing skills from birth to age five. Childcare provided ages 0-10.
Date
Location
Time
04/22/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Date
Location
Time
04/07/15
Terry Parker High School
7301 Parker School Road, Jacksonville, FL 32211
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
EVERYDAY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Focuses on the importance of play and how children learn while playing.
Childcare provided ages 0-10.
Date
Location
Time
05/06/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
FINANCIAL AID NIGHTS
Provides everything there is to know about state and federal financial aid programs.
Date
Location
Time
01/06/15
Paxon School for Advanced Studies
3239 Norman E. Thagard Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32254
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
01/08/15
Frank H. Peterson Academy
7450 Wilson Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32210
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/08/15
A. Philip Randolph Academy
1157 Golfair Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/08/15
William M. Raines High School
3663 Raines Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
01/13/15
Duncan Fletcher High School
700 Seagate Avenue, Neptune Beach, FL 32266
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Page 14 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
To learn more or register online go to: www.duvalschools.org/ParentAcademy
For additional registration options:
E-mail [email protected] or call the
Department of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at 904.390.2960
HOMEWORK SUCCESS: FREE LIBRARY RESOURCES
Learn how to navigate the library’s catalog and website to help children succeed.
Sign-up for a chance to win a door prize!
Date
Location
Time
02/11/15
Webb Wesconnett Regional Library, E-Classroom
6887 103rd Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
02/12/15
South Mandarin Branch Library, E-Classroom
12125 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32223
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/18/15
Pablo Creek Regional Library, E-Classroom
13295 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/19/15
Dallas Graham Branch Library, Community Room
2304 Myrtle Ave. N., Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
STORY TIME (ESOL)
Read with your baby!
Date
Location
Time
01/15/15,
01/30/15,
02/19/15,
02/27/15,
03/12/15,
03/27/15,
04/16/15,
04/24/15,
05/21/15
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings road South, Jacksonville, FL 32217
On the campus of Kings Trail Elementary School
10:30 - 11:30 am
THE NEW FLORIDA ASSESSMENT: ELEMENTARY MATH AND READING
HOW IS YOUR SCHOOL PERFORMING?
Learn how to access school performance and basic data for Duval County Public Schools
Date
Location
Time
03/26/15
Holiday Hill Elementary School
6900 Altama Road, Jacksonville, FL 32216
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Learn how to assist Elementary School Students on the new assessment
Date
Location
Time
02/18/15
Andrew Robinson Elementary
101 West 12th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/24/15
Woodland Acres Elementary School
328 North Bowlan Street, Jacksonville, FL 32211
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
MATRICULATION: WHAT’S NEXT AFTER COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE?
Learn next steps following college acceptance
THE NEW FLORIDA ASSESSMENT: HIGH SCHOOL MATH AND READING
Date
Location
Time
03/12/15
Terry Parker High School
7301 Parker School Road, Jacksonville, FL 32211
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
PREVENTING SUMMER READING LOSS
Learn and understand the importance of summer learning
Date
Location
Time
05/20/15
S.A. Hull Elementary School
7528 Hull Street, Jacksonville, FL 32219
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
PRIORITIZING MILESTONES IN HIGH SCHOOL
Learn how to set goals to be successful throughout High School and beyond
Date
Location
Time
01/14/15
First Coast High School
590 Duval Station Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/09/15
Westside High School
5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
03/02/15
Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
05/13/15
Englewood High School
4412 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Learn how to assist High School Students on the new assessment
Date
Location
Time
01/22/15
Westside High School
5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/03/15
Englewood High School
4412 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/05/15
Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/10/15
First Coast High
590 Duval Station Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/26/15
First Baptist Church of Oakland
1025 Jessie Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
THE NEW FLORIDA ASSESSMENT: MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND READING
Learn how to assist Middle School Students on the new assessment
Date
Location
Time
02/10/15
Lavilla Middle School
501 North Davis Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/26/15
Twin Lakes Middle School
8050 Point Meadows Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
THE ONE-STOP SHOP TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS
SCHOLARSHIPS AND COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
Get examples of essays, personal statements, letters of recommendation, deadlines,
and where to search for money.
Date
Location
Time
02/10/15
Englewood High School
4412 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
SCHOOL CHOICE INFORMATION SESSION
Get information about magnets, special transfers, and other school options,
while being able to ask questions.
Navigate the web to academic success in the 5 major subject areas, test prep,
college entrance exams, career building, genealogical research and more
Date
Location
Time
02/05/15
Westside High School
5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/19/15
Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
03/04/15
Jacksonville Heights Elementary
7750 Tempest Street, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Date
Location
Time
VPK OPEN HOUSE
01/22/15,
02/05/15,
02/19/15,
04/16/15
Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive, Cline Auditorium
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Learn more about VPK at RV Daniels; registration available.
Page 15 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Date
Location
Time
05/15/15
RV Daniels Elementary School
1951 West 15th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
TRANSITIONING TO HIGH SCHOOL: WHAT EVERY 8TH GRADE PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW
ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMICS: A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP
Information about high school graduation requirements, acceleration programs, career
awareness and planning, and how assessments will impact high school scheduling
Review data associated with attendance rates, the statutes, and its impact on student
achievement
Date
Location
Time
Date
Location
Time
01/06/15
Northwestern Middle School
2100 W. 45th St., Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
03/02/15
Brentwood Elementary School
3750 Springfield Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32206
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
01/08/15
Bridge to Success at JWJ ACT Center
1840 W. 9th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
05/20/15
Frank H. Peterson Academy
7450 Wilson Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32210
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
01/08/15
LaVilla School of the Arts
501 North Davis St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
BREAKFAST LEARNING SERIES
01/12/15
Alfred duPont Middle School
2710 duPont Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32217
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Shares helpful information while providing a networking opportunity to individuals raising
children and professionals who help parents
01/13/15
Mattie V. Rutherford Alternative Education Center
1514 Hubbard Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
01/13/15
Mandarin Middle School
5100 Hood Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/13/15
The Leadership Schools at Eugene J. Butler School
900 Acorn Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/14/15
Landmark Middle School
101 Kernan Blvd. North, Jacksonville, FL 32225
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/14/15
Southside Middle School
2948 Knights Lane East, Jacksonville, FL 32216
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/15/15
Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School
1701 North Davis Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Date
Location
Time
01/21/15
Edward Waters College – Schell Sweet Community Resource
Center, Jacksonville, FL 32209
8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
BULLYING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
This course will review the warning signs and descriptions of behavior associated with bullying
for both the victim and the bully and strategies that children can use when faced with a bully.
Date
Location
Time
02/12/15
MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
1096 West 6th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/21/15
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church
215 Bethel Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL 32202
10:00 - 12:00 p.m.
03/11/15
Kirby Smith Middle School
2034 Hubbard Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
USING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS TO BOOST STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Learn the best utilization of the IReady and Achieve 3000 online programs to boost student
achievement at home
Date
Location
Time
01/08/15
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
8233 Nevada Street, Jacksonville, FL 32220
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
05/15/15
RV Daniels Elementary School
1951 W. 15th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
DEALING WITH BUSY AND DIFFICULT TIMES
Learn how stress can affect the family, and how to handle stress and family conflict.
(Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
05/13/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
DIFFERENT ROLES OF PARENTS (DADS ARE DIFFERENT)
WHAT IS AN IEP AND WHAT IS MTSS/RTI?
Provides an overview explaining the purpose of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for a
child receiving Exceptional Student Education services
Date
Location
Time
03/10/15,
04/14/15,
05/12/15
Exceptional Education & Student Services
4124 Boulevard Center Dr., 4600 Building,
Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Understand the father’s value in children’s lives (Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
03/11/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
DISCOVER DUVAL SCHOOLS
Have you always wanted to know more about Duval schools? Attend a Duval Schools tour to learn
about some of the many great things happening in Duval schools! Refreshments are provided.
Parenting & Advocacy
Date
Program/Location
Time
ANGER MANAGEMENT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
01/14/15
STEM Academy
North Shore Elementary School
5701 Silver Plz. Jacksonville, FL 32208
8:30 a.m.
(meet at the school)
01/28/15
Exceptional School Education
Mt. Herman Exceptional School
1741 Francis Street, Jacksonville, FL 32208
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
02/04/15
AICE/Cambridge Secondary 2
William M. Raines High School
3663 Raines Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32209
9:00 a.m.
(meet at 1701
Prudential Drive,
and take the bus
to Raines)
02/11/15
Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
Englewood High School
4412 Barnes Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
Gain knowledge on how past learning can influence present behavior
Date
Location
Time
03/09/15
The Leadership Schools at Eugene J. Butler
900 Acorn Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
04/22/15
Ramona Elementary School
5540 Ramona Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32205
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
05/13/15
Woodland Acres Elementary School
328 North Bowlan Street, Jacksonville, FL 32211
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Page 16 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
DISCOVER DUVAL SCHOOLS (CONTINUED)
KEEPING MY CHILD HEALTHY (FUN WITH FOOD AND FITNESS)
Date
Program/Location
Time
02/18/15
Gifted and Academically Talented
R. V. Daniels Elementary
1951 West 15th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
9:00 a.m.
(meet at meet at
1701 Prudential
Drive, and take the
bus to RV Daniels)
03/04/15
Information Technology
Fort Caroline Middle School
3787 University Club Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32277
8:30 a.m.
(meet at the school)
03/27/15
Science Academy
St. Clair Evans Elementary School
5443 Moncrief Road, Jacksonville, FL 32209
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
04/01/15
Career Academies
A. Phillip Randolph
1157 Golfair Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32209
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
04/15/15
Coastal Academies
Mayport Elementary School
2753 Shangri – La Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32233
11:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
Museum Studies
Ortega Elementary
4010 Baltic Street, Jacksonville, FL 32210
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
Dual Language
Southside Middle School
2948 Knights Lane East, Jacksonville, FL 32216
9:00 a.m.
(meet at 1701
Prudential Drive,
and take the bus to
Southside Middle)
IB Middle Years Programme
Lake Shore Middle
2519 Bayview Road, Jacksonville, FL 32210
9:00 a.m.
(meet at the school)
04/29/15
05/13/15
05/20/15
Help parents understand healthy eating on a budget and the need for physical activity.
(Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
02/25/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS: CREATING THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHAMPions
Describes the framework that all DCPS schools will utilize as its foundation for supporting
positive behavioral outcomes.
Date
Location
Time
02/04/15
Jacksonville Heights Elementary
7750 Tempest Street, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
03/12/15
MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
1096 West 6th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
04/13/15
Venetia Elementary School
4300 Timuquana Road, Jacksonville, FL 32210
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
POSITIVE INTERACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR (EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE)
Understand the goal and meaning of effective discipline, while gaining age-appropriate
discipline methods. (Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
04/15/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
RESOLVING CONFLICT: HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CHILD LIKE A CHAMP
Gives a proactive approach in communication and developing positive decision-making skills
and outcomes
Date
Location
Time
04/09/15
MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
1096 West 6th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
04/13/15
Pine Forest Elementary
3929 Grant Road, Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
HOW TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CHILD IN ESE
Provides resources to be supportive and advocate for children in ESE.
Date
Location
Time
03/31/15,
04/21/15,
05/19/15
Exceptional Education & Student Services
4124 Boulevard Center Drive, Bldg. 4600,
Jacksonville, FL 32207
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY
Learn and laugh while gaining tools for having a successful family.
Date
Location
Time
02/26/15
Alden Road Exp. Student Center
11780 Alden Road, Jacksonville, FL 32246
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
03/26/15
Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
04/23/15
Westside High School
5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
I AM MY CHILD’S FIRST TEACHER (RESPONSIBLE PARENTING)
Understand the special roles of parents in the family, and what parents can do to help their
child develop (Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
01/28/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
IS MY CHILD ON TRACK? (AGES AND STAGES)
Helps parents understand the basics of how children grow and develop, and how to support
development (Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
02/11/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Page 17 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
TALKING & LISTENING WITH YOUR CHILD
Helps parents understand how to communicate with children at various developmental levels,
and how to pick up on non-verbal cues (Childcare provided; ages 0-10)
Date
Location
Time
04/01/15
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
8301 Cypress Plaza Drive, Room 201 Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT
This course will inform parents, students and guardians about the Student Code of Conduct
and revisions to Elementary and Secondary Codes.
Date
Location
Time
02/11/15
Jacksonville Heights Elementary
7750 Tempest Street, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
02/26/15
MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
1096 West 6th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
To learn more or register online go to:
www.duvalschools.org/ParentAcademy
For additional registration options:
E-mail [email protected] or call the
Department of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at 904.390.2960
Personal & Individual Growth
MICROSOFT EXCEL
Learn how to use Microsoft Excel 2013
BEING A BETTER YOU: IMPROVING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE
Explore ways to enhance your life using motivational, coping and healthy techniques in
reaching personal or professional milestones.
Date
Location
Time
03/30/15
Ribault High School
3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32208
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
04/27/15
Westside High School
5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, FL 32244
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
05/21/15
First Baptist Church of Oakland
1025 Jessie Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
BOSOM BUDDIES
Support group for women diagnosed with or at high-risk for breast cancer.
Date
Location
Time
Mondays
(Excluding
Holidays)
5644 Colcord Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32211
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
BUILDING AND REBUILDING YOUR CREDIT
This course will provide techniques on how to build your credit or increase your credit score.
Date
Location
Time
02/01/15,
03/01/15,
03/15/15,
04/05/15,
04/19/15,
05/03/15,
05/17/15
Microsoft Store, St. Johns Town Center
4791 River City Drive, Suite 113 Jacksonville, FL 32246
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
MICROSOFT WORD 2013 BASICS
Learn the features and functions of Word 2013, including new templates, smart touch
controls and more.
Date
Location
Time
02/08/15,
03/08/15,
03/22/15,
04/12/15,
04/26/15,
05/10/15
Microsoft Store, St. Johns Town Center
4791 River City Drive, Suite 113 Jacksonville, FL 32246
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
MICROSOFT WORD
Learn the terminology, screen components, and the most commonly used functions
offered by Microsoft Word.
Date
Location
Time
03/05/15
Southeast Regional Library
10599 Deerwood Park Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Date
Location
Time
03/18/15
Murray Hill Library
918 Edgewood Avenue S., Jacksonville, FL 32205
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Every
2nd and 4th
Wednesday
Jacksonville Urban League
903 West Union Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204
8:30 a.m.,
1:30 p.m. and
5:30 p.m.
COMPUTER BASICS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
ROSETTA STONE: LEARN ENGLISH/SPANISH
Computer technology, social media and software including hardware, spreadsheets,
word processing, Linked-in, Facebook, Twitter and Texting
At your own pace, learn English or Spanish using the individualized Rosetta Stone software.
Date
Location
Time
Every
1st and 3rd
Wednesday
Jacksonville Urban League
903 West Union Street Jacksonville, FL 32204
8:30 a.m.,
1:30 p.m.
and 5:30 p.m.
COPING WITH CRISIS
Learn the stages of grief associated with the loss of a loved one and learn of local resources.
Date
Location
Time
02/23/15
One Love Christian Center
2960 Edison Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32254
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
HOPE FOR HOUSING
Renting vs. buying, budget analysis, home-buying terms, the home-buying process,
the mortgage loan process, post-closing and foreclosure prevention.
Date
Location
Time
01/15/15,
02/19/15,
03/19/15,
04/16/15,
05/14/15
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings road South, Jacksonville, FL 32217
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
MANAGING YOUR MONEY IN TOUGH TIMES
Learn how to make tough decisions for spending and get tips for reducing expenses.
Date
Location
Time
01/08/15
Southeast Regional Library
10599 Deerwood Park Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
01/21/15
Murray Hill Library
918 Edgewood Ave. S., Jacksonville, FL 32205
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Page 18 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Date
Location
Time
Tuesdays
(excluding
holidays)
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings road South, Jacksonville, FL 32217
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.,
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.,
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Thursdays
(excluding
holidays)
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings road South, Jacksonville, FL 32217
10:00 - 12:00 noon
SAVINGS WITHOUT SACRIFICE
Learn how to save energy and water at home with low-cost and no-cost changes.
Learn how simple changes can reduce your bill by up to 50 percent.
Date
Location
Time
01/27/15
Oceanway Middle School
143 Oceanway Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32218
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/24/15
Twin Lakes Elementary School
8000 Point Meadows Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
03/31/15
Chaffee Trail Elementary School
11400 Sam Caruso Way, Jacksonville, FL 32221
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
04/21/15
JEA Conservation Center
970 N. Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
05/19/15
Terry Parker High School
7301 Parker School Road, Jacksonville, FL 32211
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
To learn more or register online go to:
www.duvalschools.org/ParentAcademy
For additional registration options:
E-mail [email protected] or call the
Department of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at 904.390.2960
SUCCESSFULLY LANDING THE RIGHT JOB!
WHAT’S YOUR MONEY PERSONALITY?
Prepare to successfully land the right job, create the right resume, and handle tough
questions in a job interview
Determine your dominant money style and learn strategies to help you achieve more balance
in your financial life.
Date
Location
Time
Date
Location
Time
01/29/15,
02/26/15,
03/31/15,
04/30/15,
05/20/15
Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive, Suite 606, Jacksonville, FL 32207
11:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m.
02/05/15
Southeast Regional Library
10599 Deerwood Park Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32256
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
02/18/15
Murray Hill Library
918 Edgewood Avenue S Jacksonville, FL 32205
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
WOMEN RENEWED
THE IMMIGRANT GUIDE; WHAT EVERY IMMIGRANT NEEDS TO KNOW
Employment reentry program for female ex-offenders within 2-years of release or conviction.
Information for immigrants
Date
Location
Time
Mondays
(excluding
holidays)
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings Road South, Jacksonville, FL
10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon
Date
Location
Time
MondaysThursdays
5644 Colcord Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32211
10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.
WOMEN’S MEETING
Networking group
UTILIZING COUPONS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR BUDGET
An introduction to the world of couponing and best practices.
Date
Location
Time
05/20/15
Murray Hill Library
918 Edgewood Avenue S 32205
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Date
Location
Time
01/05/15,
02/02/15,
03/02/15,
04/06/15,
05/04/15
Center for Language and Culture
7401 Old Kings road South, Jacksonville, FL
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Thank you for your support of the Parent Academy:
Learning. Growing. Together.
Page 19 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
DID YOUR
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Applies to above ground tanks only. Additional fees and charges may apply per delivery call for complete details.
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Page 20 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Clay County School News
Clay County School Board Election
Two seats on the Clay County School Board were up for grabs in the fall election. In District 1, Janice
Kerekes won her second term and in District 5, Ashley Gilhousen, a registered nurse, was elected for
the first time. The District 3 board seat was decided in the August primary when voters chose newcomer Betsy Condon. The three winners each earned 4-year terms. They join Carol Stoddard, District
Janice Kerekes
2, and Johanna McKinnon, District 4, on the 5-member board.
Board meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the Teacher In-Service Center. The
agenda is published 7 days in advance and posted on the school district website.
Ashley Gilhousen
Betsy Condon
Keep that Straight-A Average Safe and Sound:
Look for these books to keep you on track
As the second semester begins, large-scale
assignments loom. Social studies reports,
science projects, and group presentations
usually take a lot of time and count heavily in
final-grade calculations. Students who need
ideas but keep drawing a blank can use this list
of recommendations from the Clay High School
media center website home page.
ISBN: 9781598843682
Publication Date: 2010
ISBN: 0226065650
Publication Date: 2008-04-15
Research Reports
- Helen Sullivan; Linda Sernoff
Call Number: 373.13 SUL
ISBN: 1562946943
Publication Date: 1996-03-01
For every portion of the project, make sure to
credit sources properly. Confused? Try these
books.
99 Jumpstarts to Research
- Peggy J. Whitley; Susan Williams Goodwin;
Catherine C. Olson
Call Number: P 371.39 WHI
The Craft of Research
- Wayne C. Booth; Gregory G. Colomb; Joseph M.
Williams
Call Number: 808 BOO
Cite It Right
- Tom Fox; Julia Mary Johns; Sarah Jane Keller
Call Number: 808 FOX
ISBN: 0977195716
Publication Date: 2007-09-28
January Calendar
Friday, January 2, 2015
New Year’s Break, Student/Teacher Holiday
Monday, January 5, 2015
Planning Day/Student Holiday
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
In-service Day/Student Holiday
Friday, January 9, 2015
Report Cards to Parents
Monday, January 19, 2015
Martin Luther King Day, Student/Teacher Holiday
Page 21 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
www.oneclay.net
OP/Middleburg (904) 272-8100
Green Cove Springs (904) 284-6500
Keystone Heights (888) 663-2529
TDD (904) 284-6584
Don’t Steal Copyrighted Stuff!
- Ann Graham Gaines
Call Number: 808 GAI
ISBN: 9780766028616
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Call Number: 808MLA
ISBN: 1603290249
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Source: chs.clay.libguides.com
Connect with us!
twitter.com/oneclayschools • and • www.facebook.com/OneClay
St. Johns County School District News
CHARACTER COUNTS!
6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk
The CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee is calling on all walkers, runners and fitness
enthusiasts to participate in the CHARACTER
COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk on Saturday,
Feb. 7, 2015, at 2 p.m. The course begins and
ends at Palencia Elementary School, 355 Palencia
Village Drive, St. Augustine, after winding through
the scenic neighborhoods of Kensington and Las
Calinas.
A cash donation will be given to the top three
schools with the most registrants. All race registrants will receive a tech t-shirt and lots of other
goodies from area businesses and organizations. At the finish line, each race participant will
receive a commemorative dog tag, which will be
the first design in a series.
This event is produced by the CHARACTER
COUNTS! Steering Committee and is presented by
Beaver Toyota Scion St. Augustine with support
from businesses and community groups.
The school district, along with area businesses,
youth organizations and civic groups, selected
the national character educational program of
CHARACTER COUNTS! as a countywide initiative
to instill positive character traits in county young
people.
Participants can choose to participate in the 6K
(3.73 miles) or 3K (1.86 miles). Registration fee
for the 6K is $25 if paid in advance and $30 on
race day. The 3K is $20 in advance and $25 on
race day.
The event is open to all ages. The top three winners will be named in each of the age categories
as well as the overall male and female finishers.
In an ancillary initiative, St. Johns became the
first school district in Florida to implement
“Pursuing Victory With Honor” in all of its athletic
programs. Character education is an important
part of every school improvement plan and a
major component of the student code of conduct
and the school district’s strategic plan.
Registration forms for the Run/Walk are available
online at www.racesmith.com/races/CHARACTERCOUNTS.html.
The St. Johns County School
District now has its own app.
MySJCSD, free and currently available in both the
Apple iTunes Store and Google Play Store, offers
easy access to information and resources for parents and students that is frequently visited on the
school district’s website including school menus,
Home Access Center, volunteers, bus routes,
school fees, CHARACTER COUNTS!, and the St.
Johns County Education Foundation. In addition,
sections for parents contain links to the Parent
Resource Guide, Contest and Events, Zoning
Information, the School Calendar and the Student
Code of Conduct. Students can access Edmodo,
Study Island and Discovery Education.
The app can also be used to obtain information
that is communicated through the district’s Twitter account.
Check it out and let us know what you think. To
download the app, see https://itunes.apple.com/
us/app/mysjcsd/id939399951?ls=1&mt=8
and https://play.google.com/store/
apps/details?id=com.conduit.app_
f37ab3bd128846caaefe0aa86ef7cb51.app.
Character Counts! In St. Johns County
This month’s Pillar is RESPECT.
Respect:
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule. Be tolerant of differences. Use
good manners, not bad language. Be considerate of the feelings of others. Don’t
threaten, hit or hurt anyone. Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
Important Dates
Friday, January 2
Monday, January 5
Tuesday, January 6
Monday, January 19
Follow us on Twitter
Winter Break - Student/Teacher Holiday
Teacher Planning Day - Student Holiday
Classes Resume for Students/Second Semester Begins
Martin Luther King Day - Student/Teacher Holiday
Visit St. Johns County Schools online at http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/schools/ for more information.
Page 22 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
EDUCATION
Grade CHANGER
Learning to Live with
Social Media
W
hile social media use continues to grow
and becomes increasingly common place,
it is nonetheless an area of contention, particularly when it comes to kids – both in and outside
of the classroom. To completely discourage use is
not only unfeasible, it is also shortsighted. Social
media will only become more prominent in the
foreseeable future, and knowing the ins-and-outs
of certain platforms to some degree is undoubtedly an essential skill for most future careers. On
the other hand, using social media irresponsibly
or without truly understanding how information is
being used or shared can result in serious
repercussions. We need to remember that social
media is not inherently good or bad; rather, the
way the technology is used is what differentiates
positive from negative experiences. To help
ensure that you, your students or your children
gain the former, it’s important to educate yourself
on social media with the following tips for using
the technology in a responsible way:
TIPS FOR KIDS
Watch What You Download: New apps pop up for
download every day. While it’s tempting to get the
latest ones – especially when your friends are
using them – it’s a good idea to start reading
privacy policies before downloading anything.
They will tell you what each app will do with your
information when you use it.
Turn Off Location Functions: Most smartphones
have a GPS signature letting viewers access the
location and time of any photos you take. Before
taking or posting a photo, make sure to disable
this feature to prevent giving that information
away.
Look Before You Post: Before you post a photo,
make sure there is no private information or
identifying location features in the background.
These can include addressed envelopes,
prescriptions, notebooks with school names,
street signs, house numbers, information on
computer screens and more.
Know Who You’re Talking To: People can create
false identities over social media, and smartphones get stolen all the time. Before meeting up
with somebody through arrangements made by
text or email, confirm who you think it is either
through a phone call or video calling like
FaceTime or Skype.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Set Ground Rules: If your child is relatively young,
but is using social media, create an understanding that you will have access to their passwords
or will be able to see what they are posting. At
the very least, you should establish a set of rules
so that they understand what types of things they
should/should not be sharing.
Talk About Cyber-Bullying: Have a frank discussion with your kids about what constitutes
cyberbullying, and review any available information or school policies together. Cyberbullying can
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creating a digital dossier of information that can
be recorded and follow them throughout their
lives. They are not making the decision to post
such information: you are. What you post now can
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TIPS FOR TEACHERS
Lock Classroom Accounts: Social media can
actually be a viable pedagogical tool. However, if
you choose to leverage social media in the
classroom, make sure that any Twitter or
Facebook accounts or groups are representative
of your current class only.
Encourage Communication with Parents: Work
with your school and parents on social media
policies, particularly if they require creation or
updating. Everyone should have a clear understanding of acceptable practices as they pertain
to student use, safety and privacy.
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Keep Your Personal Social Media Use in Mind:
Your use of social media on your personal time
can have very real effects on your professional
life. Be wary of your social media conduct, even
on your personal profiles.
Set Boundaries: If you are using social media to
interact with students, be sure that you adhere to
any established policies. Ensure that boundaries
are clear and conduct is professional and for
educational purposes only.
When social media intersects with the school
system – as it increasingly does – it is important
that everybody involved is educated on what is
and what is not appropriate. It’s not only students
that need to be aware of the rules – teachers,
school staff and parents must also remain
informed. By establishing clear social media
policies and exercising the proper discretion,
students, parents and teachers alike can ensure
that social media is being used responsibly both
in and outside of our schools. j
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Page 23 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
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has given neurofeedback the highest
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Provides a non-drug approach for
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and it is based on research that has been
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EDUCATION
Florida Native Takes the
Stage as Circus Ringmaster
F
or the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and
Bailey Circus XTREME ringmaster David
Shipman, the journey to landing this dream gig is
one that is full-circle.
A Pensacola native, Shipman saw his first
Ringling Bros. circus at just 2 1/2 years old in
his home town and fell in love. “It’s actually one
of my first fragmented memories. I remember
the lights and colors and even the ringmaster ...
Everyone remembers their first Ringling Bros.
circus, it doesn’t matter what age you are. That’s
why we say children of all ages,” Shipman said.
As a child, Shipman got his start in performing
arts in Pensacola Children’s Chorus and theater,
and then went to college at the University of
Central Florida in Orlando. Upon graduating, he
thought it was time to grow up and get a “bigboy job.”
“For me, the greatest part of The Greatest Show
on Earth is to be able to look out into the audience and see the magic, the wonder and excitement on the faces of that next generation who
are creating those memories that they’ll take with
them for the rest of their lives – like I took mine
with me. That’s just something that transcends
generations,” he said.
Now, Shipman, along with the rest of the performers, is on the road 46 weeks out of the year
after 5 weeks of rehearsals. He said that what
makes Circus XTREME so fresh and innovative is
that it’s not just a traditional circus with high wire
– it’s high wire with a twist.
“What made it so fun and so cyclical for me as
the ringmaster was that our third stop on my
first tour was Pensacola and I got to perform in
the same arena where I saw it when I was 2. So
“For many years I did a 9-to-5 job and I just
it was a very full-circle moment,” he said while
found out that it wasn’t for me. So I left my job on beaming with pride. j
a whim in July, and decided that I wanted to do
everything that terrified me – take more chances.
The more it scared me the more I had to do it. I
didn’t want to live a life where I had any regrets. I
wanted to know that I did enough,” he said.
Things to Do Education
Educator Appreciation Days
January 10 – 18
Join Barnes and Noble for Educator Appreciation
Days from January 10 through the 18. Pre-K through
Ali Tabatabai, Optometrist
Dr. Ted Brink and Associates
Q. How long have you an Optometrist?
A. I’ve been blessed to be an optometrist for
about 8 years now.
Q. Why did you choose to be an Optometrist?
A. When I was an undergraduate I, like a lot
of students, didn’t know exactly what I wanted
to do with the rest of my life. Through a series
of unique events in my life it felt as if a higher
power was pointing me in the right direction. I suffered a corneal laceration in my
eye just before a Thanksgiving after being accidentally poked in the eye at work. It
was my first exposure to the field and my first experience with an eye patch. During
the span of a few months, I discovered that my uncle also had an accident injuring his
eye, a cousin had gotten involved in a car accident requiring multiple eye surgeries,
and my mother had lost vision in one eye due to a stroke. Then family friends who
were both optometrists, told me more about the field and graciously allowed me
to shadow them as they performed their craft. It was eye opening to say the least!
Those experiences led me to where I am today.
Q. What kind of education did you get to become an Optometrist?
A. I was already on my way to a Bachelor’s in Chemistry when I discovered my
calling. After four more years of Optometry School at Nova Southeastern University
in South Florida, I earned another Bachelor’s in Vision Science and my Doctorate of
Optometry.
Q. What are some of your responsibilities as an Optometrist?
A. Providing quality eye care for any patient seeking visual exams for glasses or
contact lenses, as well as providing emergency medical care when necessary.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. I feel blessed to be able to work with an amazing group of doctors, office
managers, technicians and optical staff that each provides amazing service with
the sole purpose of providing a quality eye care experience. The best part of my day
is being able to help my patients see to the best of their abilities and to watch and
hear their responses. The greatest compliment I receive is when I discover that my
patients appreciated their experience enough to recommend me to others.
He soon stumbled upon the opportunity of a lifetime when he saw a Facebook post announcing
an audition for Ringling Bros. ringmaster. Though
he had missed the audition by a week and a half,
Shipman sent his headshot and resume anyway.
An hour later, he received a call to do a private
audition with the owners of the company and producers who offered him a contract on the spot.
2015 School Choice Expo
January 10, 11am to 3pm
Duval County Public School invites all area parents
and community members to the district’s 2015
School Choice Expo. This year’s event expects
to see 15,000 attendees, and offers visitors the
best opportunity to learn about magnet, choice,
neighborhood and charter schools. These schools
will showcase their innovative programs and quality
services that promote student achievement, and
student performances consisting of choirs, bands,
drama, dance, and musical theater. Additional
education centric vendors and exhibitors will be on
display. Free admission and free parking.
Prime Osborn Convention Center / 904-390-2082
/ 1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204 /
duvalchoice.com
That’s MY Job!
12thgrade educators save 25% on classroom and
personal purchases, and 10% off café consumables.
There will also be special savings on new NOOK
devices. Barnes and Noble San Jose / 904886-9904 / 11112 San Jose Boulevard Suite 8,
Jacksonville, FL 32223 / www.bn.com
Adventure Landing Educational Field Trips addons
Adventure Landing now offers Free Educational addons to your Field Trip outing including:
• Electra-Fiable Fun: Game Room Tech
• Edible Education: Culinary
• One Stop Pit Shop: Go-Karts/Mechanics
• Our Little Entrepreneurs: Customer Service &
Management
• Splash Into Science: Waterpark/Water &
Chemicals
Regular Field Trip is $9.99 per person and includes:
• 2 Hours of Unlimited Mini Golf
• 2 Attraction Passes (Choose from Laser Tag, GoKarts, Wacky Worm Rollercoaster, Frog Hopper)
Page 24 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
• Add 20 Arcade Tokens for each guest and pay
only $12.99 per person + tax.
A minimum of 10 people are required to receive
special school group rate. Group reservations must
be made 72 hours in advance.
Adventure Landing /904-246-4FUN /1944 Beach
Blvd, Jacksonville, Beach, FL 32250 / www.
adventurelanding.com
Visit Jax4Kids.com for more event listings.
Introducing VyStar Visa Signature
®
More Than Points. More Than Cash
Back. More Than Miles.
We’re proud to announce that VyStar now offers Visa Signature cards — the cards that truly do more. All
the perks of having a Visa Signature Card are in addition to your choice of cash back or points as listed.
VISA SIGNATURE CASH BACK
VISA SIGNATURE REWARDS PLUS
3 points per $1 spent on gas
3% cash back on gas
2% cash back on groceries
2 points per $1 spent on groceries
1% cash back on everything else 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
SOME OF THE VYSTAR VISA SIGNATURE PERKS AND BENEFITS IN ADDITION TO CASH BACK AND REWARDS POINTS*
APPLY
TODAY.
PRICE PROTECTION – If you find an ad offering a lower price on an item within
sixty (60) days of your purchase, you’ll receive a refund for the price difference.
SHOPPING – Enjoy discounts and special offers at premium retailers,
from jewelry to apparel and electronics.
RETURN PROTECTION – If you’re dissatisfied within ninety (90) days of making
a purchase and the retailer will not take it back, you’ll get reimbursed.
ADDED SECURITY – New EMV Chip Technology for authenticating credit
card transactions when used at chip-enabled terminals.
Plus get
4.99%
APR=
INTRO/PROMO RATES AS LOW AS 4.99% APR= ON PURCHASES,
CASH ADVANCES, AND TRANSFERS MADE THROUGH FEBRUARY 2015.
Rate returns to standard variable or non-variable APR (currently as low as 9.10%-13.50% APR) on 9/1/16.
www.vystarcu.org
JACKSONVILLE & SURROUNDING COUNTIES
904-777-6000
OUTSIDE OF JACKSONVILLE
1-800-445-6289
=All loans subject to credit approval. Visa Signature: Introductory APR=Annual Percentage Rate and is current as of November 1, 2014. Introductory/promo rate is valid on purchases, cash advances and balance transfers made from non-VyStar loans/credit cards
through February 28, 2015. Rate on unpaid balances returns to standard variable or non-variable APR (as low as 9.1%-13.9% APR) on September 1, 2016. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Balance transfers and cash advances do not earn rewards
points or cash back. Business and Savings Secured VISA cards are not eligible for this promotion. Certain restrictions, limitations, and exclusions apply. *Please refer to the terms and conditions under Disclosures at www.vystarcu.org for full program benefits.
VYS 1381 10.625 x 5.375.indd 1
Page
25 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
12/1/14 11:31 AM
infant & toddler
Florida’s Stronger Child
Passenger Safety Law Taking
Effect January 1
C
hanges to Florida’s Child Passenger Safety
laws take effect on the first day of this
month, requiring children up to the age of 6 to be
restrained in either a car seat, separate booster
seat, or an integrated seat. Prior law in our state
has required children to be in car seat until age 4
and allowed the use of either a booster seat or a
seatbelt for 4 and 5 year olds.
The enhanced requirements are expected to
save lives and reduce
serious injuries in children
involved in motor vehicle
crashes that can be
caused by a seatbelt that
doesn’t fit correctly.
“Children can be injured by
the seatbelt itself,” says
Cynthia Dennis, RN,
Coordinator of Safe Kids Northeast Florida. “If the
seatbelt doesn’t fit properly, it can ride up on a
child’s abdomen, resulting in severe damage to
organs and the spinal cord in a crash. A booster
seat gives a child a little boost, positioning the
seatbelt over strong bones and reducing injuries
Things to Do
Infant & Toddler
Musical Storybooks
January 3, 11am
Join the Symphony at the University Park Branch of the
Jacksonville Public Library for an early literacy and music
program for pre-K children, presenting a story combined
with music to engage them in active listening and foster a
love of reading through music. Admission is free.
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra / University Park Branch
Library, 3435 University Blvd N, Jacksonville, FL 32277 /
www.jaxsymphony.org
Safe Kids Buckle Up parent (or grandparent)
workshops will be offered on January 6 from 10am
- 12noon at THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health,
3563 Philips Highway Building E, Suite 502 Jacksonville,
FL 32207and on January 9 from 10am - 12noon at
Destination Maternity, 4880 Big Island Drive, Jacksonville,
FL 32246
These car seat workshops will teach you what you need
to know to keep your precious cargo safe riding in motor
vehicles. Upon completion of the class families in need
of help have the option of purchasing a reduced-cost
convertible car seat for babies for babies who weigh over
5 lbs and are at least 19 inches in length. Cost of car
seat: $50 cash only, or with proof of Medicaid or Food
Stamps $25 cash only. Please bring exact change. Class
size is limited so please register for the class at www.
baptistjax.com/classes. If you are more than 10 minutes
late you will not be admitted to class. After the class,
certified technicians from Safe Kids Northeast Florida will
be present to make sure you have your car seat properly
installed. Only one seat per child is available for purchase
by up as much as 45%,” Dennis added.
Best safety practice is to keep children who have
outgrown a car seat in a booster seat until the
seat belt fits correctly, which is usually when they
reach 4’ 9” tall and weigh between 80-100
pounds, often between 8-12 years of age. Safe
Kids Northeast Florida, led by THE PLAYERS
Center for Child Health at Wolfson Children’s
Hospital plans to continue its quarterly Booster
Seat Saturday events, educating parents and
caregivers about best safety practices and
providing free booster seats to children who need
them.
The next Booster Seat Saturday will be held
during the SHADCO Safety Fair at Oak Leaf Town
Center on Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
conducted by Safe Kids certified child passenger
safety technicians and supported by a grant from
Holland & Knight law firm.
Child must accompany adult parent or caregiver.
A limited amount of seats will be available, so
please call 202-4302 for an appointment by Jan.
14. j
Exception: If you’re expecting twins/triplets please contact
the host for additional information.
Baking Storytime
January 14, 10:30am to 11am
Join Barnes & Noble for stories about baking your
favorite things. There will be a reading of “Baking Day at
Grandmas’s” and “How to Bake-a-Book”. Afterwards,
there will be some dessert-themed activities. Barnes
and Noble San Jose / 904-886-9904 / 11112 San Jose
Boulevard Suite 8 Jacksonville, FL 32223 / www.bn.com
Infant Safety Class
January 14, 7pm to 9pm
You may attend this class before your baby is born or
after. The class covers basic safety concerns, how to
prepare your home for a baby and the basics of infant
CPR, along with demonstrations. Registration covers
2 attendees. Fee – $20.00. No refunds are allowed.
Classes are held weeknights from 7pm to 9pm. Classes
are held in the lobby Conference Room, 1st floor, main
lobby. Call 904-308-7325 for questions and information.
Email [email protected] for questions and
info. Register online. St. Vincent’s Riverside / 904-6144915 / 1800 Barr Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204 / www.
jaxhealth.com
Spot Visits Storytime – A Costumed Character Event
January 17, 2pm
Join Barnes & Noble for a special storytime with Spot.
Read some stories with Spot, followed by an opportunity
to meet Spot himself. Parents, don’t forget your cameras.
Barnes and Noble San Jose / 904-886-9904 / 11112 San
Jose Boulevard Suite 8 Jacksonville, FL 32223 / www.
bn.com
Visit Jax4Kids.com for more event listings.
Page 26 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Kids really do say the funniest things! Please share your favorites with us by e-mailing your
story directly to [email protected]. One entry each month will be turned into a cartoon to
be published in the next issue of Jax4Kids. We’ll send you the original cartoon as a keepsake.
Special needs
Dealing with Wandering
of an Autistic Child
R
ecently in Baker County, an 8-year-old boy
with autism ran away from home and was
lost in the woods for two days until he was found
after a massive search that included a helicopter.
The family was lucky. Other children who have
wandered off have been found in ponds, pools, or
ditches.
caregivers are able to hear them and respond
quickly. Use the child lock feature for backseats
so that children, even if they are trying to use the
inside car door latches, cannot leave the car until
you let them out.
Increasing supervision and support – If your
child typically starts to leave in parking lots, then
Wandering away or actual elopement (leaving an consider requiring handholding at all times when
area without supervision) is an issue for nearly
leaving a building, and/or stepping into a parking
half of children on the autism spectrum ages
lot. Find a way to increase support during the
4-10 (Solomon and Lawlor, 2013). This issue can problem times, even if it means bringing an extra
occur outside of this age range as well, and many caregiver or carrying only small items so that
of the children with ADHD that I’ve treated have
escape can be prevented quickly.
had similar issues.
Discover the motivation – Find out what the child
We don’t have to look too far to find examples.
is getting out of wandering/elopement. ProfesSometimes it is an annoying, but important, issue sionals can assess the situation if needed, but
that happens when the child runs off to the living parents can try to think about the categories
room instead of going to the bathtub. Other times, listed above to try to find out what’s happening.
the child may run off from parents in a parking lot
or on the sidewalk and can get seriously hurt or
Reward good behavior – Set up that rewarding
killed.
experiences when the child is behaving. Studies
vary with exact intervention methods, but options
Why do kids do it? It depends, but typically they
may include any combination of the following:
are doing it to either get into something they
praise and positive attention often while they are
want or to get out of something they don’t.
together with you; strong stimulation in the form
Examples of things to get into include: the
of a preferred toy or media device if they need to
excitement produced by the physical sensations
stay in one place for an extended period of time;
of running; access to new and interesting
supervised ability to run in safe areas (think
environments with fun items (trees, toys,
parks, playgrounds); and a trip to see new and
mailboxes, cars, racks of flowing clothes); the joy exciting things AS LONG AS the child goes with
of getting a large reaction – especially if these
the parent, or as long as they’ve stayed close
kids often play the “chase game” when it’s ok to during the 30 minute trip to the store. The
run away from parents or caregivers; as well as
rewarding experience should ideally provide the
big reprimands or reactions if whatever they’re
child with whatever your child is getting out of
doing is boring…like having to sit in a cart for 60 wandering/running off, whenever possible.
minutes. Things children try to get out of may
Although it may be fine to run with a child, I
include: unpreferred activities or tasks (shower,
would recommend against caregivers playing
cleaning room); unpreferred places (sitting at a
chase with any child who elopes in public areas
table, a loud room); or unpreferred things (loud
until the issue is under control. Some kids have a
noises, random things that bother them).
hard time telling when it’s ok (or NOT ok) to do
something.
What can families do about this? Sometimes
professionals may not even know exactly how to Correcting bad behavior – Reduce or eliminate
manage the issue. A strong plan includes: (1)
that reward when the child wanders/runs off.
eliminating risk if the child can escape quickly at Again, studies vary, but if a child laughs when
times with little supervision; (2) increasing
reprimanded or if they enjoy running, there are a
supervision and support at problem times; (3)
couple options. The child may benefit from a
finding out what the child is getting out of
parent giving a short, reasonably calm instruction
wandering/elopement; (4) setting up that
to call the child back, along with the caregiver
rewarding experience when the child is behaving; catching up to them quickly. This requires that
and (5) reducing or eliminating that reward when the adult be physically able to catch up to the
the child wanders or runs off.
child. Some protocols call for an immediate time
out in that area, or overcorrection, in which the
Eliminating risk – There are many ways to
child has to walk with the parent hand in hand
eliminate risk, including chains or deadbolts that back to the spot that they ran from and to try
require keys (instead of knobs) on outside doors, walking regularly again. Some protocols allow for
placed high on a door so that the child may not
the child to access a preferred item while they
unlatch them. Door alarms on their bedrooms at
walk AS LONG AS they’re walking nicely, then to
night may also be useful as long as their
remove that item for a short time if the adult had
Page 27 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
to run after them. Others allow the child to walk
near parents AS LONG AS they are able to stay
near the adult, but would require them to sit in
the cart for 2 minutes if they wander or run. That
would also presume that if the child starts to
have a tantrum the adult can ensure the child’s
safety by putting them into the cart and keeping
them there. Protocols that eliminate privileges
that would happen later (like TV time or video
games) may possibly be effective, but would be
expected not to be as powerful as in-the-moment
contingencies, like the ones listed above. Some
children benefit, though.
These methods listed may require some exploration to decide what’s working well, and any one
method may take several tries to ultimately begin
Things to Do
Special Needs
Bring It On 2015 5K Trail Run & Hike
January 3, 9am – 12pm
Get your 2015 kicked off right with the Bring It On
2015 5km Trail Run & Hike. The run and the hike will
both take place on the scenic and flat paved trails of
Nocatee. Proceeds from the race will support Special
Olympics Florida – Duval County & St Johns County.
There will be both a 5k Run and a 1 Mile Fun Run/
Hike through the roads and woods in Nocatee so anyone of any ability can join in, from walkers to first time
runners looking to kick off their fitness in 2015 to the
most experienced runner. Walkers and Runners are
all welcome. www.specialolympicsflorida.org/duval /
Race Starts at Village Lake Dr and Town Plaza Ave,
120 Marketside Ave
Nathaniel’s Hope Buddy Break
January 9
9am – 12pm – Deermeadows Baptist Church
6pm – 9pm – Raiford Road Church
Buddy Break is held the second Saturday of every
month. It is a free kids/respite program where children
with special needs (VIP kids) make new friends, play
fun games, enjoy crafts, therapy dogs, stories, music
activities, and more. Siblings have fun too. Meanwhile,
their caregivers get a break from their ongoing caregiving responsibilities for three hours. Each VIP kid is
paired one-on-one with a screened volunteer “Buddy”
to participate in that day’s activities.
www.deermeadows.org / 904-302-9766 / Deermeadows Baptist Church, 9780 Baymeadows Road www.
raifordroadchurch.org / 904-259-6015 / Raiford Road
Church, 9201 South State Road 121
Annual CARD Conference - Orlando
slowing down or stopping the problem. As noted,
though, even one incident of elopement in public
areas can be very dangerous. Consult a professional Board Certified Behavior Analyst or a
Behavioral Psychologist if you or your family
needs assistance. j
Andrew Scherbarth, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Licensed Psychologist | Board Certified Behavior
Analyst
Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics
6867 Southpoint Drive North, Suite 106
Jacksonville, Florida 32216
Phone: 904.619.6071
January 16 – 18, 8am – 5pm
The Annual Statewide CARD Conference is Florida’s
premier conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders for
professionals and families. National experts and regional professionals offer informative and stimulating
presentations on a variety of topics on research, innovation, and effective educational programs for people
diagnosed with ASD. This year’s conference will be
held at the Florida Hotel & Conference in Orlando.
www.pals-ucfcard.org / Florida Hotel and Conference
Center 1500 Sand Lake Rd, Orlando, FL 32809
Henderson Haven - Mom’s Day Off
January 17, 9am - 3pm
Henderson Haven is offering a Mom’s Day off on
select Saturdays for children with developmental
disabilities. Children will participate in crafts and
spend time with their peers and the experienced
staff. The cost is $30. You must reserve your place
ahead of time by checking the Program Calendar on
the website. Reservations will be accepted between
the Monday after the current scheduled day and the
Wednesday before the next one. www.hendersonhaven.org / 904-264-2522 / 772 Foxridge Center Dr
Celebrate Children
January 31, 1pm - 4:30pm
The vision of Celebrate Children is to increase awareness of resources related to pediatric recreation,
wellness, injury prevention, and support services for
children with special needs. Celebrate Children is free
to all attendees and will consist of two educational
panel discussions and a comprehensive resource fair.
A KidzKorner will be available throughout the event for
youth activities geared towards children of all ages/
abilities. Celebrate Children offers a unique opportunity highlighting education, awareness, networking,
and community participation to improve the lives of
children of all ages and abilities. www.brookshealth.
org / 904-230-7763 / 10423 Centurion Pkwy N
DLC NURSE & LEARN
5 Star Rated by Guiding Stars of Duval
Providing year-round high quality education, nursing care,
and therapies to children of all abilities giving children and their
families the opportunity to reach their maximum potential.
Accepting Fall 2015 Success By 6 & Free Inclusion VPK!
Special Education • Speech Therapy • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy
Early Intervention • Nursing Care • Inclusion Preschool • Before/After School Care
Quality Care for Infants & Toddlers - Enrolling Now!
DLC Nurse & Learn
DLC Therapy & Care
4101 College St, Jacksonville 2270 Blanding Blvd, Jacksonville
904-387-0370
904-389-5402
Lic# 041802
www.dlcnl.org
teens
Teen Health
F
rom Day One, you have been responsible for
most — if not all — of the decisions made
regarding your child’s health care. You scheduled
the early-morning doctor’s visits, arranged for
X-rays and other diagnostic tests, ordered
prescriptions from pharmacies and asked the
necessary questions.
Your role begins to change when he/she becomes
a teenager and are able to grasp medical concepts and understand the basics of managing
his or her own health care. Experts say this is
the time to start including teens in health care
decisions and let them take a more active role in
managing their own care.
Why Include Teens?
Time flies. Before you know it, your 13-year-old
will be driving and your 16-year-old will be off at
college. With adulthood just around the corner,
it’s time to begin encouraging teens to take on
leadership roles in all aspects of life — and
health care is no exception.
By encouraging their participation (which can be
as simple as calling in a prescription and picking
it up at the pharmacy or as complex as helping
choose a new care provider), you’ll help your
teens learn valuable lessons about planning in
advance, making choices, and being held accountable for themselves.
Involving Kids
As the parent of any preteen or teen knows, giving kids new responsibilities doesn’t necessarily
mean that they’ll follow through. It’s still up to
you to encourage, remind, reinforce, and follow
up.
As kids get older, it’s especially important for
those with chronic conditions, like asthma or
diabetes, to become more knowledgeable about
their illnesses and self-reliant when it comes to
medical practices.
• Kids who have a chronic condition should
know who to contact for medical equipment
or supplies that might be needed.
• At around age 14, in addition to the previous
list, teens should:
• Look into selecting an adult primary care doctor. Oftentimes, kids choose to visit the family
doctor that their parents visit.
• Know any personal history of major medical
conditions, hospitalizations, operations, or
treatments.
• Be aware of family medical history (for example, does diabetes or heart disease run in
the family? Did someone die of cancer?).
• Have the contact information for all current
and previous doctors.
• Know how to fill a prescription and refill a
prescription.
• Have a current list of medications and dosages.
• At around age 17, in addition to the previous
lists, teens should:
• Have or know where to get copies of medical
records (for example: from school or the doctor’s office).
• Know their health insurance information and
how to contact a representative.
• Know how to obtain referrals to specialists, if
needed.
• Know the limitations of health insurance
coverage once they reach adulthood.
• Plan ahead for medical coverage as an independent once parents’ coverage expires for
dependents.
• If necessary, meet with the local Social Security office to apply for benefits.
Things to Do
/ 101 Library Blvd. Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 /
www.sjcpls.org
Teen and Tween Keyboarding Tutorials
January 7, 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Learn how to keyboard more effectively using
games and tutorials. Ages 10 to 18. Held in the
Conference Room. Mandarin Branch / 904-2625201 / 3330 Kori Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 /
jpl.coj.net
Zen Art Doodle Club
January 27, 6:15pm to 7:15pm
Learn the Zen of doodling inspired by Zentangle.
New patterns will be introduced each meeting. No
artistic ability is needed. Held in Study Room 115.
For more information call Elise Fare at 904-6931448. West Regional Branch / 904-693-1448 / 1425
Chaffee Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32221 / jpl.coj.net
YouthQuake Live
January 9, 8pm to 10pm
Twenty Year Anniversary Show of YouthQuake
Live. YouthQuake Live exists to partner with the
community to inspire young people to fulfill their
God-given destiny through life-changing entertainment. Free Event (Target audience is high school
and middle school, but it’s open to all ages). There
will be skits, live music, and more. Youth Quake
Live / New Life Christian Fellowship, 2701 Hodges
Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32224 / youthquakelive.tv
Growing Great Girls Annual Workshop: The Big
Disconnect
January 29, 10:30am to 2pm
The Big Disconnect: Implications of Technology and
Communication on a Girl’s Self-esteem. Tickets:
$50-$70; Students: $20. Keynote presented by Dr.
Catherine Steiner-Adair, internationally recognized
clinical psychologist, school consultant and author.
First Coast Girls Initiative / Schultz Center for Teaching & Leadership, 4019 Boulevard Center Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207 / fcgijax.org
Movie Club
January 27, 5pm to 7:30pm
Teens (Ages 13 – 18 only) are invited to join this
new Movie Club featuring primarily book-to-movie
adaptations. Bring your friends, enjoy pizza and
sodas, and decide if the movie lived up to the
book. You don’t have to read the book to come, but
the books are all available in the library. Kicking
off this new event will be a recent book-to-movie
adaptation (rated PG-13) based off the first book in
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner.
Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library / 904-827-6950
Free Mathematics Tutoring For Teens
January 29, 4pm to 6pm
If your 6th grader to 12th grader needs help with
Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, or Precalculus, this is a great opportunity to get some assistance. Held in the Electronic Classroom. Contact
Keli Likins with any questions at 904-288-6385.
South Mandarin Branch Library / 904-288-6385 /
12125 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223 / jpl.
coj.net
Teens
Visit Jax4Kids.com for more event listings.
Kids With Special Needs
Kids with special needs or chronic conditions may
need additional support. Consider contacting the
local chapter of your child’s diagnosis-specific
group (for example, the National Association for
Down Syndrome) to learn how other parents have
helped their kids become more independent in
adulthood.
Families who’ve already gone through this transition can offer a wealth of information, such as
which doctors specialize in treating adults with
Kids with special needs and developmental disspecial needs, what special services are availabilities can also learn to manage some (or many) able, and what programs to look into or avoid.
aspects of their care. It often helps to get the
green light first from a doctor, social worker, or
Another resource that might be helpful are family
other medical professional on how and when to
advocacy groups. Many, such as the nationwide
begin transitioning your child into more indepen- Family Voices organization, dedicate themselves
dent living.
to helping families of kids with special health
care needs.
Recommended Guidelines
At about age 12:
Now is also a good time to find out what federal
• Explain any medical conditions in language
or state-run programs your child might be eligible
your kids can understand, then have them
for in adulthood. In addition to health-related
repeat it back to you. This helps them learn
services, some of these offerings might include
about their diagnoses.
support for finding employment, housing, and
• Encourage them to spend time alone with
transportation. In some cases, you may be able
medical professionals (without you in the
to enroll your child (or at least get on the waiting
room). This helps establish trust within the
list) in these programs now. Doing so might seem
patient-provider relationship, and allows kids a bit premature, but can pay off later, when the
to speak candidly and ask questions they
need for services might be more immediate. j
might be too fearful or embarrassed to ask in
your presence.
Cory Ellen Nourie, MSS, MLSP
• Have your kids learn what medications they
take and why. If a child has any allergic reac- Nemours Children’s Health System
tions to medications, like penicillin, share that
information.
Page 28 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
www.JacksonvilleScienceFestival.org
Free Event to all !
Febuary 21, 2015
NEW
CHALK WALK
Saturday only at Friendship Fountain!
pets
Get a Puppy for Better
Health
Y
ou take good care of your pet. But what’s
your pet done for you lately? Scared
intruders from your door? Fetched your slippers?
Given you a loving nuzzle? People have lots of
reasons for owning pets. Now a small but
growing body of research suggests that owning
or interacting with animals may have the added
benefit of improving your health.
People and animals have a long history of living
together and bonding. Perhaps the oldest
evidence of this special relationship was
discovered a few years ago in Israel – a
12,000-year-old human skeleton buried with its
hand resting on the skeleton of a 6-month-old
wolf pup. “The bond between animals and
humans is part of our evolution, and it’s very
powerful,” says Dr. Ann Berger, a physician and
researcher at the National Institutes of Health
Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Today animal companions are more popular than
ever. The pet population nationwide has been
growing dramatically for nearly a half century.
More than two-thirds of U.S. households now
own at least one pet. “When you see how long
we’ve had pets in our lives, and how important
they are to us today, I think it’s amazing that the
study of human-animal interactions is still so
new,” says Dr. Sandra Barker, director of the
Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia
Commonwealth University. “Researchers have
only recently begun to explore this wonderful
relationship and what its health benefits might
be.”
Some of the largest and most well-designed
studies in this field suggest that four-legged
friends can help to improve our cardiovascular
health. One NIH-funded study looked at 421
adults who’d suffered heart attacks. A year later,
the scientists found, dog owners were significantly more likely to still be alive than were those
who did not own dogs, regardless of the severity
of the heart attack. Another study looked at 240
married couples. Those who owned a pet were
found to have lower heart rates and blood
pressure, whether at rest or when undergoing
stressful tests, than those without pets. Pet
owners also seemed to have milder responses
and quicker recovery from stress when they were
with their pets than with a spouse or friend.
Several studies have shown that dog owners may
get more exercise and other health benefits than
the rest of us. One NIH-funded investigation
looked at more than 2,000 adults and found that
dog owners who regularly walked their dogs were
more physically active and less likely to be obese
than those who didn’t own or walk a dog. Another
study supported by NIH followed more than 2,500
older adults, ages 71-82, for 3 years. Those who
regularly walked their dogs walked faster and for
longer time periods each week than others who
didn’t walk regularly. Older dog walkers also had
greater mobility inside their homes than others in
the study.
Man’s best friend may help you make more
human friends, too. Several studies have shown
that walking with a dog leads to more conversations and helps you stay socially connected. And
studies have clearly shown that people who have
more social relationships tend to live longer and
are less likely to show mental and physical
declines as they grow older. “It’s hard to walk a
dog and not have someone talk to you or interact
with you, compared to walking alone,” says
Barker. Other research suggests that pet
ownership may hold special benefits during
childhood. “When children are asked who they
talk to when they get upset, a lot of times their
first answer is their pet,” says Dr. James Griffin, a
scientist at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
“This points to the importance of pets as a source
of comfort and developing empathy. In fact,
therapists and researchers have reported that
children with autism are sometimes better able to
interact with pets, and this may help in their
interactions with people.”
Several research teams are examining the
potential benefits of bringing specially trained
animals into clinical settings. These animalassisted therapies are increasingly offered in
hospitals and nursing homes nationwide.
Although there is little solid scientific evidence
confirming the value of this type of therapy,
clinicians who watch patients interacting with
animals say they can clearly see benefits,
including improved mood and reduced anxiety.
“You can see the difference it makes in so many
of these patients when the dog is at their
bedside,” says Berger, who works to relieve pain
in patients with life-threatening illnesses at the
NIH Clinical Center. “Our patients are often here
for a long period of time. I think the dogs add a
bit of normalcy to a very difficult situation. The
dog will sit calmly, and the patients don’t have to
talk to anyone. They can just pet. I think this helps
with some of the suffering.”
“I think we’re just at the tip of the iceberg in
terms of what we know about the human-animal
bond and its potential health benefits,” Barker
says. j
NIH News in Health, National Institutes of Health,
Office of Communications & Public Liaison
Page 29 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
Things to Do
Pet Events
PawsPlus Low Cost Pet Vaccinations
Low cost mobile puppy, dog, kitten and cat
vaccination clinic in locations throughout
Jacksonville. No appointments, no exam fees.
Visit the website for locations - 6 area Pet
Supermarkets:
• 609 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32250
• 3760 University Blvd West, Jacksonville, FL
32217
• 10485 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32257
• 465 State Road 13, Fruit Cove, FL 32259
• 4524 St. Johns Avenue, Jacksonville, FL
32210
• 835 Blanding Blvd, Orange Park, FL 32065
• 1020 South Ponce de Leon Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32086
Pawsplus / 1-888-729-7758 / www.pawsplus.
com
Adoptable Cats Meet & Greet
January 3-4; January 10-11; January 17-18;
January 24-25; January 31; 12noon to 5pm
Stop by Petco to meet cats in need of loving homes. Whenever you adopt a pet you’re
eligible for the Think Adoption First Care and
Savings Program. Petco / 430 Cbl Drive, St.
Augustine, FL 32086 / www.petco.com
Free Puppy Playtime
January 4, 11, 18, 25, 11am to 11:30am
This 30-minute session provides puppies ages
8 weeks to six months a safe and fun environment to learn social skills. Build a lifetime bond
with your puppy while learning about puppy play
and social development from a Petco Positive
Dog Trainer. Petco / 11900 Atlantic Boulevard,
Jacksonville, FL 32225 / www.petco.com
Potty Training Seminar
January 10, 2pm to 2:30pm
Have a new puppy or an older dog going potty
in the house? Free 30-minute seminar to learn
great tips to help prevent accidents.
Petco / 11900 Atlantic Boulevard, Jacksonville,
FL 32225 / www.petco.com
Organic Pet Care Class
January 26, 6pm to 9pm
Come learn how to take care of your pets safely
and organically. In this class, learn how to create
A Calm Collar, Which Essential Oils are safe for
your dogs and cats, How to create dog treats
using your dehydrator and more. Cost of class
is $19 for non-members. Register in advance.
A supply fee of $10 will be due in class.
Green Lotus Studios / 904-465-0985 / 26422 Rosselle St Jacksonville, Fl 32204 / www.
localendar.com/public/greenlotusstudios
Like Jax4Pets.com’s Facebook page
at facebook.com/jax4pets to find out
about other events for pets.
est.1988
things to do
WinterFEST
Enjoy a true winter experience as Adventure Landing’s Shipwreck Island Waterpark is transformed into
a cozy Alpine experience including an outdoor Ice
Skating Rink, 130 foot long ice slide, nightly snow
falls, s’more roasting, light display and more. Adventure Landing / 904-246-4386 / 1944 Beach Blvd,
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 / www.jaxwinterfest.
com
Bring It On 2015 5K Trail Run & Hike
January 3, 9am – 12pm
Get your 2015 kicked off right with the Bring It On
2015 5km Trail Run & Hike. The run and the hike
will both take place on the scenic and flat paved
trails of Nocatee. Proceeds from the race will support Special Olympics Florida – Duval County & St
Johns County. There will be both a 5k Run and a
1 Mile Fun Run/Hike through the roads and woods
in Nocatee so anyone of any ability can join in, from
walkers to first time runners looking to kick off their
fitness in 2015 to the most experienced runner.
Walkers and Runners are all welcome. www.specialolympicsflorida.org/duval / Race Starts at Village
Lake Dr and Town Plaza Ave, 120 Marketside Ave
Swan Lake
January 9, 8pm to 10pm
The State Ballet Theatre of Russia’s production
of Swan Lake plays Jacksonville’s Times-Union
Center’s Moran Theater for one performance only
on Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8pm. Tickets for
The State Ballet Theatre of Russia - Swan Lake
in Jacksonville start at $42.50 (and at $21.00 for
children 12 and under) and can be purchased online,
by calling 904-442-2929, and the FSCJ Artist Series
Box Office between 10am to 5pm, Monday-Friday.
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
Times Union Center Moran Theatre / 904-633-6110
/ 300 West Water Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 /
www.artistseriesjax.org
8th Annual Christmas Tree Recycling
January 10, 8am to 1pm
Drop off a Christmas Tree and receive a 3 gallon evergreen tree. Please remove all decorations, lights,
tinsel, and ornaments prior to drop off. Other items
accepted for recycling are styrofoam, old Christmas
lights, and gift wrap. No televisions will be accepted
at this event. Held at the Fuel Depot. City of Palm
Coast / Fuel Depot, 22 Utility Dr Palm Coast, FL
32137 / www.palmcoastgov.com
close. Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library / 904827-6950 / 101 Library Blvd. Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
32082 / www.sjcpls.org
Open House
January 15, 5pm - 7pm
Join Jax4Kids.com at Episcopal Early Learning Center Good Shepherd’s open house. There will be free
food and fun including face painting, Space Walk,
prizes and more! Episcopal Early Learning Center
Good Shepherd / 904-723-4413 / 1100 Stockton St.,
Jacksonville, FL 32204 / www.ecs4kids.org
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
January 15 – 18
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus returns
to Jacksonville with their all new Circus Xtreme tour.
Performers from around the globe will perform aweinspiring feats of daring, spectacles of strength and
thrills of wonder. Tickets start at $15, plus fees. Save
$5 on tickets when you use the code JX4KIDS.
Songwriters Concert
Ages 0-23 months admitted free on ticket holder’s
January 11, 6pm to 8pm
lap (no ticket required). If child has celebrated their
The City of Atlantic Beach Cultural Arts and Rec2nd birthday, they must have a ticket to enter.
reation Advisory Committee host a free concert.
Thursday, January 15 – 7:30pm
Doors open at 5:45pm. Seating is first come-first
Friday, January 16 – 7:30pm
served for this admission-free event. Performers
Saturday, January 17 – 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
should call host Mike Shackelford at 904-610-7461. Sunday, January 18 – 1:00pm & 5:00pm
Prepare two original songs of 7-8 minutes combined Veterans Memorial Arena / 904-630-3900 / Jackmaximum. City of Atlantic Beach / 904-247-4038 /
sonville Veterans Memorial Arena, 300 A. Philip
Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Randolph Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32202 / www.
Beach, FL 32233 / www.coab.us
ringling.com
Musical Madness for Kids
January 14, 3pm
The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra presents a
Musical Madness for Kids for kindergartners thru
grade 5. The event will feature the Brass Quintet,
featuring live performances and opportunities to
learn all about the instruments and see them up
MOSH One Day Fun Day Camp
January 16, 9am to 3pm
MOSH is holding One Day Fun Day Camps on the
days DCPS students are off. Kindergarten through
fifth grade campers will enjoy themed activities and
science experiments. Cost is $55; MOSH Members
receive a 20% discount. Extended Care is an addi-
Hoggetowne Medieval Faire opens January 24th
For two weekends each year, the kingdom of
Hoggetowne opens its gates. Performers in period
garb sing and dance in the streets, while knights
joust on horseback and magicians captivate the
crowds. Tucked away in the enchanted forest of the
Alachua County Fairgrounds in Gainesville, Fl., this
medieval marketplace will come to life Jan. 24-25
and Jan.30-Feb. 1.
where you can meet King John, Robin Hood, and
his Merry Men as they battle the forces of evil. The
Tournament Field will host a living chess game
where brave knights joust for the honor of their
ladies and Robin Hood and his Merry Men must
battle the forces of evil in a stunning show of combat
entertainment.
Hoggetowne is home to more than 160 talented
artisans from across the country who journey to the
Faire to sell and demonstrate their wares, offering
medieval crafts such as weaving, blacksmithing,
leatherworking, wood carving and glass blowing.
Visitors can also engage in traditional medieval
games of chance and skill. They can shoot arrows
or hurl battle axes at targets - or they can navigate
their way through a winding maze. Thrilling humanpowered push rides, as well as camel and elephant
rides, attract eager children and adventurous adults.
“Visitors should arrive early to take full advantage of
the exciting medieval magic,” said Linda Piper, Faire
coordinator. “Each morning all the entertainers greet
the Hoggetowne guests as the city gates open to this
enchanted kingdom.”
Children can the Middle Ages come to life at the
Faire’s School Day Friday, January 30 and enjoy
a day of face painting, hair braiding and medieval
crafts. General admission tickets are reduced and
larger discounts are available to school groups that
register in advance.
The Faire’s eight stages feature the forgotten skills
of full-flight falconry, gripping aerial acrobatics and
old-world magic. Jugglers, knife throwers and
gypsy dancers add to the excitement as they fill the
streets of Hoggetowne.
One of the Faire’s most popular attractions is the
joust, where knights in full body armor battle on
horseback. Children can meet the knights and their
magnificent steeds, or they can watch the Living
Chess Match, where medieval heroes show off their
swordsmanship and battle the forces of evil.
This year’s theme is “In the Days of Robin Hood,”
Page 30 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
On Saturdays and Sundays, the Faire is open from
10 am to 6 pm and costs $17 for adults and $7 for
children ages 5 to 17. The Faire is free for children
under 5. School Day, Friday, Jan. 30, is open from
9:30 am to 3 pm and admission is $8 for adults and
$3.50 for children. Pets are not permitted. The Alachua County Fairgrounds is located east of Gainesville at 2900 NE 39th Avenue, adjacent to Gainesville Regional Airport. Tickets can be purchased in
advance online at www.gvlculturalaffairs.org. For
more information, call 352-334-ARTS or visit www.
gvlculturalaffairs.org.
tional fee. Register online in advance. This month’s
theme is Scientist For a Day.
MOSH / 904-396-MOSH / 1025 Museum Circle,
Jacksonville, FL 32207 / www.themosh.org/Home.
html
Open House
January 22, 5pm - 7pm
Join Jax4Kids.com at Episcopal Early Learning
Academy’s open house. There will be free food and
fun including face painting, Space Walk, prizes and
more!
Episcopal Early Learning Academy / 904-394-0600
/ 11217 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32223 /
www.episcopalearlylearning.com
Fly Guy and Other Stories
January 26, 10am to 12noon
A new musical revue based on favorite children’s
books. Best for grades Pre-K thru 4. Tickets are $8
per person. There will be two performances, 10am
and 12noon. Call to reserve your tickets.
Florida Theatre / 904-355-2787 / 128 East Forsyth
Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 / floridatheatre.com
12th Annual First Coast Honors Choir Festival
January 31
The Jacksonville Children’s Chorus presents the 12th
Annual First Coast Honors Choir Festival, with special
guest conductor Melissa Malvar-Ruiz.
Jacksonville Children’s Chorus / 904-353-1636 /
Mandarin Presbyterian Church, 12001 Mandarin
Road, Jacksonville, FL 32223 / www.jaxchildrenschorus.org
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dates, times and locations
are accurate at time of publication; events
and activities listed in this guide are subject to
change without notice. Visit Jax4Kids.com for
updated information and more events!
parents
night
out!
KAREN MORGAN
JIM COLLITON
IMPROV
comedy
for &
COMEDY!
grownups
happily
P A R E N T Smarried...
NIGHT OUT!
just
Hilarious Comedy for Grownups About Raising Kids!
not
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY
6 AT 7:30 PM
to
each other.
TICKETS: (904) 276-6815
THcenter.org
Located at St. Johns River State College • 283 College Drive, Orange Park, FL
Ten Jacksonville
Area Locations!
• Baymeadows (904) 620-9884
• Blanding (904) 276-2344
• Eagle Harbor (904) 264-9111
• Hodges at JTB (904) 223-7079
• Julington Creek (904) 230-2791
• Mandarin (904) 268-4424
• Monument (904) 996-8111
• Neptune Beach (904) 241-0100
• Ponte Vedra (904) 285-4031
• Wells Road (904) 264-7555
Page 31 • Jax4Kids.com • JANUARY 2015
(Offer Valid For New Students Only)
ALL-NEW 2015 SHOW WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA
5,000 Years of Civilization Live on Stage!
“Superb!
Every
performance
was stunning.”
- WNYC
daughter disguises herself as a son and takes her father’s place
Aa Buddhist
at war. A magical monkey, an ogre, and a humanoid pig protect
monk as he journeys to the West. A folk hero gets drunk,
but then saves a village from a vicious tiger…China’s 5,000 years
of history has yielded an endless treasure trove of legends, myths,
and literary classics. These stories come to life in vivid detail through
Shen Yun’s awe-inspiring performances, with its explosive techniques, synchronized movements, and expressive powers. Large
animated backdrops and exquisitely crafted costumes transport audiences from the ancient legends to contemporary tales of courage.
The entire performance is accompanied by the Shen Yun Orchestra,
which combines two of the world’s greatest classical music traditions, Chinese and Western. Ancient instruments like the soul-stirring
erhu and the delicate pipa lead the melody on top of a full Western
orchestra, creating an enchanting new sound. Come and experience
Shen Yun at UNF Fine Arts Center, Jacksonville on JAN 24-25.
The Show That’s Leaving Millions in Awe
Order Your Tickets Today for Premium Seating
JAN 24-25
UNF Fine Arts Center
Jacksonville
Ticket Online: Shenyun.com/Jacksonville
Ticket Hotline: 888-974-3698
“Years of experience in show business, and
this is one of the best shows ever.”
Presented by Florida Falun Dafa Association
— Dick Walter, former impresario