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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XIX Issue VIII August 1, 2011 Private Kindergarten Offered in Ogden Valley Snowcrest Junior High 2011-2012 On any given school day at High Altitude get plenty of opportunities to jump and run and Kids, you will hear giggles and singing, see ride, as an on-going endeavor of High Altitude School Information dress ups and block towers, smell tempera paint Kids is to develop in children healthy activity Registration for the 2011-2012 school year tion, seventh grade students and parents will go and play-doh, and feel the energy in the air as kindergarteners share their collections and treasures with their friends. We have an educational gem in Ogden Valley that a few lucky families already know about. That gem is our private Kindergarten program run by High Altitude Kids. The legendary Miss Pat started the private kindergarten program nine years ago at the Old Firehouse Preschool and moved to High Altitude in 2009. The private Kindergarten class meets Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon during the school year. Students enter this private Kindergarten for varying reasons. Most of the families are excited about the small class-size and individual attention afforded to kids in this program. Some have just missed the September 1 deadline to be eligible for public Kindergarten and the parents are interested in getting them ready for 1st grade. Some kids (parents) are seeking a more advanced pre-K environment and want to have their 4-year-olds experience this unique program before entering public Kindergarten. An exciting option is the opportunity to choose a Monday-Wednesday-Frigay schedule, a 5-day schedule, or a Tuesday-Thursday schedule to either supplement the Valley Elementary Kindergarten or as a Pre-K option. High Altitude Kids even offers lunch care and transportation to Valley Elementary for those who want an all-day Kindergarten experience for their children. Of course, an important goal of this Kindergarten is to prepare the children for firstgrade and to meet the benchmarks that all Utah Kindergartners must meet, but the philosophy of this program is to get the kids to find joy in learning and a love of school. One of the main strengths of this program is the small class size. Classes have no more than 12 students. This allows the teacher to cater the lessons to the learning styles and interests of the students. There is much more teacher-student time and less interruption of pure learning time. This program emphasizes reading readiness, conceptual math development, learning about communities, science discovery, social skills, growth, and keeping kids moving. Students and a life-long love of staying active. As part of the curriculum, students take many field trips and many visitors are invited into the classroom to bring the real world to the students. This year, a new Kindergarten teacher, Melissa Lewis, will join the team at High Altitude Kids. Melissa says that she is excited to create a classroom where discovery and hands-on learning play a key role in her lessons. Because of the smaller number of students, she plans on learning about what motivates this group and personalize activities and lessons. She believes in a blend of methods such as whole language, Spalding and phonics to teach reading and writing. She loves to use song and rhyme to teach all subjects and plans to provide plenty of “center time” where students use play to develop spatial and problem-solving skills. Math-discovery will be an integral part of the curriculum. She also intends to teach the students the mechanics of school. She will use classroom routines, songs and systems to get the kids used to responsibility, and organization that can influence their success through their entire education. Melissa is returning to teaching after a 15-year hiatus to raise her four children. She earned her teaching credential at the University of Southern California and taught in Los Angeles and Corona, California. Although she is familiar with methods and techniques learned in school and experienced as a teacher, she explains that her experience as a parent and “joy school” co-op teacher gave her the most insight into what is important about learning. Melissa states, “As a parent, I saw that the key ingredient for my child doing well in school was the enthusiasm and joy of the teacher—especially in the early grades! A positive influence and a person who made my child feel valued was what I hoped for in a teacher; that is what I strive to be for my students.” We still have a few openings available for this year’s class! If you would like to learn more or to sign up your child for the program, please call 801-745-2653 and speak with Chandra or Shantel. Also, you can check out the High Altitude website at www.hakutah.com for more information. is August 4 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Fees may be paid in person, schedules picked up, and photos for the yearbook and student ID cards taken on this day according to the following schedule: 7th Grade Students: 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. 8th Grade Students: 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. 9th Grade Students: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. If, for any reason, a student is unable to make it to registration, fees may be paid and student schedules obtained at the school office Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. any day following registration. A “make-up” day for student photos is also scheduled for August 31 for those students needing retakes or an initial photo for an ID and the yearbook. Snowcrest Back-To-School Night will be held on Friday, August 19. There is a new format this year in an effort to better help incoming 7th grade students. The following schedule will be followed: 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. – Seventh grade students and parents ONLY (meet in gym). This will follow a similar format that has been used in the past beginning with an introduction and welcome in the gym. Following this introduc- through an abbreviated schedule of all seven classes, spending about 10 minutes in each class as the teacher goes over what to expect in his/her class and what is needed for the class. After that, teachers will be available to talk with students and parents. The rotation of classes will conclude around 5:30 p.m. at which time the second session of Back to School Night will begin. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Open to all junior high students and parents. Teachers will be available in their rooms to answer questions, give out supply lists and visit. There will be no formal schedule followed; this will be an “open house” opportunity and a chance to meet with and talk to the teachers. School begins Tuesday, August 23. Additionally, all Snowcrest students are invited to a PTSO sponsored Back to School Stomp on August 25 from 2:45 to 5:00 p.m. (Current Snowcrest students only.) Snowcrest administration and teachers are looking forward to another great year and appreciate the tremendous community support and enthusiasm. More information is also available on the principal’s blog at <http://blog. weber.k12.ut.us/selliott/> Ogden Valley Children’s Choir Now Being Formed Tami Creamer, formerly of Liberty, and Kathy Brown are excited to announce the opening of a Children’s Choir program in Ogden Valley. The program will begin next month. The Children’s Choir program will accept students ranging from 8 to 15 years of age. All children are welcome to enroll, regardless of prior experience and training. The goals of the program are to: l Prepare children for a lifetime of singing through comprehensive musical training including sight singing, music literacy, ear training, stage presence, and vocal development; l Rehearse and perform a wide variety of choral repertoire; l Develop talent, confidence, and self-esteem through quality musical experiences; and l Support music education in the public schools Open registration will be between August 1 through August 29. The cost of the program is $40 per month for the first child in a family, and $35 per month for each additional child. Classes will begin Wednesday, September 7, and will be held at the Hearthside Reception Center in Eden. Two groups are being formed, with classes being held as follows: l Junior choir, ages 8 -11 (4:00 – 5:00 p.m. l Senior choir, ages 12 – 15 (5:00 – 6:00 p.m.) For more information, call 801-388-6417. Kathy Brown and Tami Creamer are the artistic directors. Kathy earned a BA degree in Arts in Choral Music Education from Weber State University, and a Master’s of Science in Education at Walden University. She was the Choral Director for Mill Creek Jr. High in Bountiful for three years, and Choral Director for Roy High for six. She has also taught choir, guitar, and piano at Mill Creek Youth Center (Juvenile Justice Services) and at Washington High School in Ogden. She has been a guest conductor for the Weber School District Jr. High Honor Choir, and for the Weber School District Ladies’ Honor Choir. She is also a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and has taught private voice lessons for over 18 years. Kathy says that her hobbies are singing, playing the guitar, dancing, growing plants in her greenhouse, landscaping, and playing with her grandkids. “Next to playing with my grandkids, I love conducting choirs most of all.” She and her husband David, along with their dog Zack, live in in Liberty. Tami currently lives in Syracuse with her husband LaMar. She has been playing the piano since the age of 4 and wrote her first song at the age of 10. She was the accompanist for the Young Ambassadors at BYU and was a member of their first group to perform in mainland China. She also attended BYU-Hawaii and was the assistant director of their group, Showcase Hawaii. Tami loves to compose music and has many award-winning songs. Her song, “I Know That My Savior Loves Me” was featured in the 2010 Primary Sacrament Meeting Program. Tami and her family have lived several different places around the world, including England and, most recently, Guam. She loves to travel and took up a new hobby in her old age, scuba diving! She is a Master Scuba diver and has decided that she was a fish in her former life! While living in Guam, she and her family were able to dive in such exotic places as Palau, Chuuk, Kosrae, Borneo, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Tami is a private piano teacher and composer and is currently the Primary Music director in her LDS ward. She loves music, painting, decorating, traveling, scuba diving, seashells, and, most of all, her family. Kathy can be reached at 801-388-6417, and Tami can be reached at 820-6559. For more information, you may also send an email to <ogdenvalleychoir@gmail.com> Fabulous Toddler and Primary Programs Iverson & Larsen Dental offers all phases of general dentistry including: t t Single-visit Crowns (prepped & cemented in one visit) t t Digital Radiography Dental Implants Teeth Whitening & Cosmetic Bonding t Root Canal Therapy t Wisdom Teeth Extractions On Call Club We would like to introduce a money saving opportunity to Ogden Valley residents who have no insurance and are flexible in their scheduling needs. It is the Iverson & Larsen Dental On Call Club. As an “OCC” member, you will be eligible for a 20% discount on future hygiene (exam and cleaning) visits. More information is available at iversondental.com and click on the On Call Club link on the left hand side of the home page, or call the office. 2627 N. Highway 162, Eden 801-745-3882 www.iversondental.com |