Va bene - It's Lasagna Time

Treat yourself to a delicious, ready-made dinner to start vacation off right! Once again the 7/8 class will be making and selling ready-to-bake lasagnas to help fund the Eighth Grade Trip. Lasagnas will be available at lunchtime and after assembly on Friday, February 12th. Please look for the sign-up sheet outside the office starting this Monday. Payment of $10 per lasagna may be made when you order (preferred) or at pick-up, but please do order in advance. Due to order volume and limited production time, we are unable to extend credit or to entertain impulse buys.

Mime & Voices OFF (Feb 5th)

I remember being about Grace's age, and going to summer camp at the Celebration Barn Theater with Tony Montanaro... I remember my parents claiming to be "so jealous" and my having no clue, except that it was fun. It is such a funny thing to be repeating that conversation with Grace, who is loving mime but doesn't get how special it all is, and me, so jealous that she's up close with Karen Montanaro.

Other jealous parents can learn how to wall mime on this youtubevideo Or watch Karen Montanaro dance the "Tanzspiel Dream"

And, of course, e-mail this post to your nearest and dearest and sell them a ticket to see our kids, plus Karen, on Feb 5th!

Reading suggestions for voracious young readers

OK, so here it is. Proceed at your own risk (meaning, check out titles for age-appropriateness for your child). I'm sure we've forgotten things, and I didn't go back as far as toddler/preschool just because that was a long time ago and I didn't feel we'd do it justice (you'll feel this way some day too). Maybe someone can take a stab at getting that started. Please feel free to add to this list via the comments section.

-Kids Discover magazine covers a different topic each month, with no ads! It’s fabulous and gets read cover-to-cover every month as soon as it arrives. You can order back issues on topics that interest your children (or you).

-On CD for the car, there is a wonderful series with titles like Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Mr. Bach Comes to Call, and Vivaldi’s Ring of Fire. They bring composers and their music to kids in a series of fun stories.

The Moffats series by Eleanor Estes, also Ginger Pye by the same author

Edward Eager: Half-Magic series

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

EB White: Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, Trumpet of the Swan, etc. (grown-ups should read One Man’s Meat)

Anything Jan Brett, but most especially her rendering of The Owl and the Pussycat.

Mrs. Coverlet series

Henry Reed series by Keith Robertson!!!

Henry Huggins, Ramona the Pest, and that whole series by Beverly Cleary

Also by Beverly Cleary: The Mouse and the Motorcycle series

Poetry by Shel Silverstein

Anything Robert McCloskey, especially Burt Dow, Homer Price, and Time of Wonder (look for The Robert McCloskey Video Library, too)

Anything Ludwig Bemelmans (Madeline for kids, but did you know he wrote some great adult books too? Try Hotel Splendide or Bonne Table to start)

Brave Irene by William Steig still chokes me up it’s so wonderful

Miss Rumphius and Island Boy by Barbara Cooney

Dahlov Ipcar: Lobsterman and Hardscrabble Harvest

Ben and Me: An astonishing life of Benjamin Franklin

Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner

The Indian in the Cupboard series

The Phantom Tollbooth!!!

Anything Roald Dahl - On tape don’t get any read by the author because he’s a terribly monotonous reader.

The Great Quillow by James Thurber

All the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. There is so much to learn from them, and the kids have been fascinated since about age 7.

The Swallows & Amazons series by Arthur Ransome, good for read-alouds beginning age 4 depending on your kids. The books are definitely 1930s British so you’ll have to take on a bit of girls’ roles vs. boys’ and some references to alcohol, smoking, and racism as if acceptable, but all in all a great, harmless adventure series (13 350-page books!) that will keep you occupied for a year of read-alouds, a chapter or two a night. You need to read these before your kids are old enough to be bothered that one of the characters’ names is Titty (she’s based on a real person named Letitia or something).

Also by Ransome: Old Peter’s Russian Tales

My Side of the Mountain and its sequels

Dragonrider and The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke. Your kids will want to go on to anything else by her, but a warning that the Inkheart series, while fascinating, is dark and violent. Some kids are okay with that, others not, but definitely wait until they’re older and rediscover it on their own.

The Old Man Mad About Drawing

Three Samurai Cats

The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck

The Great Brain series

Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lindgren

The Incredible Journey - the book is way better than the movies

D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

The Pushcart Wars by Jean Merrill - a neat (and hilarious) tale about how life's little injustices can turn big, how citizen unrest can lead to all-out revolution, and how cohesive action, non-violent protest, and negotiation can lead to a better kind of peace.

Misty of Chincoteague series by Marguerite Henry (if your kid is horsey, anything Marguerite Henry will do)

Frances Hodgson Burnett classics: A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, etc.

The Penderwicks

Love, Ruby Lavender

Each Little Bird that Sings

Any Eyewitness book (non-fiction, on various subjects)

David Macauley: The Way Things Work, Castle, Underground, Unbuilding, etc.

For older kids, 4^th grade and up, in no particular order (pace yourselves, and read reviews):

The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander. These should be heard on tape first because the unwieldy Welsh-styled names will turn you off to reading them.

Also by Lloyd Alexander, The Arcadians

The Westing Game

Harriet the Spy

A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park

Tuck Everlasting

Johnny Tremain

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, experiences from the Dust Bowl written in verse

A Wrinkle in Time and Many Waters by Madeleine l’Engle - beautifully read on tape/CD by the author

Five Children and It and The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and sequels

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The View from Saturday by EL Konigsburg

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

The Alchemyst trilogy by Michael Scott

City of Ember series

Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

A Cricket in Times Square

The People of Pineapple Place

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Lost on a Mountain in Maine (4^th grade is good for this) by Donn Fendler

Stowaway by Karen Hesse - do as a read-aloud for as young as 3^rd grade, with parental guidance on the alcohol and abuse aboard 18^th century British ships - a young boy stows away on a ship that turns out to be the Endeavour, with Captain Cook heading out on his first Pacific journey

Robinson Crusoe

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Chasing Vermeer, The Wright Three, and The Calder Game by Blue Balliet (mystery/adventure involving pieces of art and the lives of artists)

Newfound Land by Allan Wolf: a chronicle of Lewis and Clark’s expedition from the points of view of various participants, including Sacajawea and the Newfoundland dog

Holes by Louis Sachar

The Black Book of Secrets - very Dickensian, but more accessible to younger readers than Dickens himself

Speaking of Dickens: David Copperfield (the made-for-TV movie stars a very young Daniel Radcliffe in the title role)

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis - there is a lot of Christian allegory which you can address or ignore

Comic series for older kids: Asterix and Obelix, Calvin & Hobbes, TinTin- warnings about drunkenness and brawling

Anne of Green Gables series by LM Montgomery

Greene Knowe series (best on tape)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

The Sword in the Stone and The Once and Future King by TH White

Hoot, Flush, and Scat by Carl Hiaasen

The Mysterious Benedict Society series

Kon Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl

Jules Verne: Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days, etc.

JRR Tolkein if you’re into it, you either love it or you hate it

Bert and I and Other Stories

Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forrester for advanced readers 5^th grade and up who are into adventure on the high seas. They’ll probably stop after the first one, but they’ll have enjoyed it thoroughly and will pick it up again when they’re older. Tris read it and says, “It was really good. They swear a LOT.”

Biographies of explorers, adventurers, activists, scientists, and inventors, for example Alexander Graham Bell, Shackleton, Nansen, Joan of Arc, Edison, Amundsen, Amelia Earhart, suffragettes, Gandhi, Darwin, Cook, etc.

Mad Science: Experiments you can try at home, but probably shouldn’t, by Theo Gray, Popular Science columnist

5/6 Knitting project

In case you're wondering what all that peace and quiet is that's going on in the morning, Mary's class is taking up knitting. A few years ago, Mary used knitting as a way for her students to settle into their day during the winter months. It's so much more peaceful than all that running back and forth between classroom and hallway to catch up on the overnight gossip! With donated needles and yarn, this year's fifth and sixth graders are working on scarves for a homeless shelter and cat and dog blankets for the animal shelter.

Ski meet canceled =(

Now that James has advertised it so very thoroughly, Thursday's ski meet at Riverside has been canceled because the course is flooded. Perhaps the fifth and sixth graders can focus their individual and collective chi to bring on some good snow for the last meets of the season.

How to talk to kids about Haiti

Mother's Acting Up has a nice post encouraging us to talk with our kids about how to make a difference in Haiti. Here's a blog reprint of a more serious article about talking with kids about scary world events, and here is a pre-quake essay about teaching kids about Haiti as a country and culture... I wonder if we should have some kind of FSP teach-in?

Must-Reads for Voracious Young Readers

Hi everyone. I'm hoping for your input. Together with my kids, I've pulled together a list of books we've thoroughly enjoyed over the elementary and middle school years. I'm wondering how best to present this list to you parents for you to use as a resource and add to. It's too long to take up space on the blog. What do you think? Please, please use the comments section to respond to our posts! We're getting pretty lonely out here in the blogosphere.

For those of you who just don't know what will happen to you if you push that comments button, here's a rundown: There will be a little box for you to type in your comments. When you're done, click on Publish Comment. You will be asked how you want to comment. You can either enter your gmail login or click on Anonymous. You may then be asked to retype a warped set of numbers and/or letters. I really don't know what purpose that serves, but if you just do it, your comment will appear on the blog. We will not have any of your personal information, your personal information will not appear in any form, just your comment. Really. Even I do it and everyone knows I'm a big technochicken. Be brave! We want to hear from you.

Consuming Kids Summit

Register Now - Early Bird Rates End February 1! CCFC's 7th Annual Consuming Kids Summit

Market Values, Human Values, and the Lives of Children Wheelock College

Boston April 8-10, 2010

The values children learn in the marketplace - excessive consumption, impulsive buying, and unthinking brand loyalty - are antithetical to healthy development, independent thinking, spirituality, community, and democracy. What happens to childhood -- and society -- when market values trump human values? How can we make a difference? What role can parents, educators, public health professionals, faith communities, and policymakers play in stopping the proliferation of market values, and in nurturing positive values, in a commercialized world?

Since 2001 we have been bringing together distinguished scholars, activists, parents, and educators to talk about how marketing undermines children’s health and well-being and what we can do about it. Join CCFC in 2010 for what promises to be our best summit yet!

Outing Club Parents...

Elise mentioned that sleeping bags are on super-sale at campmor. Check with Nicole about exactly what is needed -- she's thinking temps will be mid-50s in the huts.

Bus to DeCordova this Thursday

There is an opening reception for Greta's exhibition, this Thursday. Jessica is organizing a bus down... leaving 5ish from Portland -- e-mail her if you're interested in joining the fun.

Bettina Valento and the Picasso Club - a chapter book for most ages

We are currently reading Bettina Valentino by Niki Daly. Although it is recommended for grades 4-6, Kate (age 5) loves it and it seems totally appropriate, although apparently a controversy emerges later in the book over nude Matisse's. Grace also likes to listen and I'm getting a great introduction to Art History. Although I think the tone of the kids can be a little too "junie-B" sometimes, the overall premise is that art is incredibly interesting and that kids can be captivated by it. We just finished a section on dadaism, and I had to go ask Celeste for pictures. (Here's an explanation from artsmartsforkids). A great way to open the door to all kinds of winter art projects and exploration that will hold an adult's interest too... (or at least mine).

Fwd: Greta Bank

Check out Greta's show!!!!!

Coming to your classroom: Class Parents

The Parents' Association has decided that a good way for teachers to have the parent support they need when they need it without feeling overwhelmed is to have class parents for each classroom. Class parents will help the teachers with communication, volunteer recruitment and scheduling, community building, and minutiae such as getting together on a class donation for the school auction. In so doing, CPs will free up teachers to do what they do best, which is teaching our children. You should be hearing from your CP(s) soon. If you don't, please talk to Kathy Pipkin to see if anyone's volunteered from your class. The job may be waiting for you! It takes many hands to raise our village.

This week's ski meet info

This week's Nordic ski meet is at Riverside on Thursday at 3:30. This is the Portland Municipal Golf Course; use the north entrance by the clubhouse and restaurant, closest to Washington Avenue Extension. Please come support our skiers! It means so much to them to hear encouraging voices and jangly cowbells.

A fun event/hot date for you?

317 Main Street Community Music Center presents its annual Groundhog Day Staff Concert, scheduled for Friday, February 5th at the Westcustogo Grange Hall in North Yarmouth. There will be appetizers, desserts, and byob from 6-7 followed by the concert from 7-9 featuring 317 teaching staff. Tickets are $25 and available at the 317 front desk in Yarmouth (or ask Maya, who is up there every Wednesday). This is a very fun event with extremely talented musicians and local groups, and all of the proceeds go directly to the 317 Scholarship Fund.

The Snacking Never Ends

Four sent me the following NYTimes article about America's snacking habit. Food for thought, so to speak...

No Impact Man Movie Trailer — YES! Magazine

No Impact Man is showing at the PMA this weekend... No Impact Man Movie Trailer — YES! Magazine

Is there Antimony in your Zhu Zhu - find out after drop off on 1/27!

Living under a rock, I did not know what a zhu zhu hamster was until my kids received them from a beloved aunt. I posted earlier about my frustration that everything has to now be considered a possible health hazard (more specifics about toxins in our everyday products can be found at healthystuff.org) Kristine Jenkins, our friend from the Environmental Health Strategy Center, has a nifty lead-sniffer that she is willing to share with us, after drop-off, on January 27. I will add more info as I get it...

You the Man... Wednesday 1/25 in Freeport

Ad Verb productions is offering a FREE viewing of their program "You the Man" about dating violence in high school... I've seen parts of it and imagine it is a powerful production for parents and older students, too... more info here.

Greenlight Studio

A new indoor playground and cafe has opened in Portland... http://www.greenlight-studio.com/GreenLight_Studio,_Portland,_Maine/Welcome.html

Bake and Skate for Haiti

Bake-Skate-Give! What: Haiti Relief Bake Sale Where: Falmouth Family Ice When: Saturday Jan.23 4:30-6:30 ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS All baked goods can be dropped off at Family Ice at 4:30. For more information or to volunteer please contact: 781-6020 sfox5@maine.rr.com

More opportunities to root for the team!

Sorry that last post took up so much space. I thought it was timely and important and didn't have time to figure out how to reduce/edit it. I hope some of you got the chance to go and support our fellow global villagers in Haiti. Following are the schedule and venues for the Nordic ski team for the rest of the season. On the TBA sites I will post when we know where the meets will be. This often depends on where the snow is. All meets involve five or more teams. It's a great hour of running (or standing, depending on who you are) around in the beautiful snow and it means a lot to the skiers. You will run into parents and kids you haven't see for years. Bring good noisemakers and encouraging voices (and warm boots!). January 21 Twin Brook; January 28 Riverside (Portland Municipal Golf Course, North Entrance); February 4 Races hosted by Freeport and Cape, location uncertain at this time; February 11 Riverside or Twin Brook. All meets are on Thursday afternoons. All races start at 3:30 and are pretty much done by 4:30.

MLK Music & Gospel Concert: A Benefit for Haiti

Subject: Martin Luther King Jr. Music & Gospel Concert: A Benefit for Haiti

Reply-To: info@konbitsante.org

HOME DONATE NOW ABOUT US PROGRAMS NEWS HOW YOU CAN HELP FAQS RESOURCES CONTACT US Konbit Sante is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation organized in the State of Maine. P.O. Box 11281 Portland, ME 04101 USA Tel. 207-347-6733		Dear friends, (Click here for a larger view of the poster.) We'd like to thank the Portland branch of the NAACP for their generosity in donating proceeds of their Martin Luther King, Jr. concert on Sunday evening to our efforts to help the people of Haiti. Please join this tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and enjoy this wonderful gospel music Sunday at the Merrill Auditorium. Martin Luther King Jr. Music & Gospel Concert: A Benefit for Haiti January 17, 2010 6:00 p.m. Merrill Auditorium, Portland The NAACP Portland Branch is pleased to announce that the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Music & Gospel Concert will be dedicated to the people of Haiti with all proceeds donated to aid in the healthcare response to the earthquake that devastated the country on January 12, 2010. The concert will be held in association with the city of Portland and Konbit Sante, a Maine-based non-profit organization with a mission to save lives and improve health care in northern Haiti. Five local choirs including a diverse racial/ethnic youth choir will perform in honor of Dr. King’s vision for a beloved community. Several members of the choirs have roots in Haiti and others have colleagues and loved ones currently in the country. Portland Mayor Nicholas Mavodones will provide opening remarks. Proceeds from the concert will be comprised of ticket sales and donations solicited during the program. Funds will go directly to the newly created Earthquake Response Fund established by Konbit Sante. This fund will be used to specifically address the healthcare crisis being experienced throughout the country with a focus on the needs in Cap Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti and one of Portland’s sister cities. As Dr. King said "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Click here to purchase tickets from PortTIX. Share this news with a friend: Invite them to subscribe to our periodic news updates by visiting our Contact Us page, or by e-mailing info@konbitsante.org. Based in Portland, Maine, Konbit Sante's mission is to save lives and improve health care for the people of northern Haiti through collaboration and empowerment. In Haitian Creole, a konbit is a traditional Haitian method of working together to till your friends' fields as well as your own. The word sante means health. For more information about Konbit Sante's programs in women's health, pediatrics, disease prevention, procurement and management of medical equipment and supplies, improvement of water quality at the regional hospital, community collaborations, and more, please visitwww.healthyhaiti.org.

Zhu Zhus and health

Kristine Jenkins, our ally and partner from the Environmental Health Strategy Center (and a speaker at our October P4p panel) sent me this link, after I confessed that my children got zhu-zhus (bizarre stuffed and chirping hamsters) for Christmas from a beloved aunt. Apparently they are somewhat hazardous to our health (beyond our mental health)... here's a good essay about why we should not need to be in the dilemma of worrying that holiday goodies are actually carcinogens. Stay tuned for more on this subject from Sandra Steingraber, as well.

Paid Sick Leave NOW!

Libby Mitchell has introduced legislation, in the wake of H1N1 rejoinders for people to "stay home" that would require employers to provide paid sick days for workers (within a bunch of conditions). There is a public hearing on the issue on January 14th... For more information (about why we should support paid sick leave), check out the women's lobby's site... use the comments to provide other thoughts!

A Girls Life

PBS Premieres "A Girl's Life"

"Rachel Simmons is the host of the new PBS documentary, “A Girl’s Life,” (free streaming until 2/1) which takes viewers inside the lives of four teen girls as they face personal struggles with body image, cyberbullying, gang violence and education.

Girls entering adulthood in the next decade will see more opportunities than today’s women ever imagined. Will these girls stride confidently through newly opened doors, or are they destined to be stunted by societal messages that tell them females should be constantly agreeable, impossibly thin and sexy above all else? Rachel interviews parents, psychologists, teachers and social workers who are helping nurture girls into capable, resilient adults. With courage and determination, these girls reveal their hopes and dreams for a powerful future."

Rachel created a "Girl's Life" page on her website where you can get discussion questions for parents and a lesson plan for educators.

Differentiation and Introverts

I loved Mary's newsletter contribution about the art of differentiation. As the mother of an introvert, I often think about how much togetherness we expect from kids. I recently read a blog post about the importance of differentiationfor adults in group process, organizations and meetings. Lisa, from the Interaction Institute for Social Change suggests that most typical set-ups privilege extroverts. Designing spaces for kids or adults that truly honors a persons need for alone time can be hard, and goes against the current emphasis on collaborative work. I'm curious about how others organize family time, or work time or the school day to honor the introvert that lives in all of us?

Theater for Kids

Portland Stage Company is offering a special new series for children... WINTER/SPRING 2010 SCHEDULE

STAGESTRUCK by Tomie de Paola, copyright 2005 by Tomie de Paola. Used by permission of G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. All rights reserved. OPENING DAY STAGESTRUCK by Tomie de Paola January 30, 2010 at 10:30 AM

Enjoy a reading of this fantastic book by our Affiliate Actors then join in for an interactive theater workshop. Come and share the excitement in our new space at the Theater for Kids at Portland Stage! Cost is $15 for one child with adult, $7 per additional child.

Advance registration is recommended. To sign up, e-mail theaterforkids@portlandstage.org or call Samara Yandell at 207.774.1043 to reserve your spot. Ages 4 -10.

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner, copyright 2003. EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS WORKSHOP SERIES February 6, 13, 20 & 27 at 10:30 AM

Ever wonder how a ship-wrecked circus would survive on an island in Maine? What noises a guinea pig might make when stuck in a pool table? Which side of the bed a hibernating bear wakes up on? Listen to our actors as they read stories about extraordinary animals and their antics, then workshop to express your inner animal instincts.

Join Theater for Kids for our Play Me a Story Extraordinary Animals workshop series and explore your wild side! Workshop series starts Saturday February 6 at 10:30 AM. Sign up for all 4 or pick your favorite, $50 for the series or $15 each. Ages 4 -10.

Books to include: Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson Polka Bats & Octopus Slacks by Calef Brown John Willie and Freddy McGee by Holly Meade My Dog is Smelly as Dirty Socks by Hanoch Piven The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

To sign up, e-mail theaterforkids@portlandstage.org or call Samara Yandell at 207.774.1043.

Come cheer for our team!

This week's middle school Nordic ski meet is 3:30 - 4:30 Thursday at Twin Brook in Cumberland. Come cheer on Sinead, Cecilia, Graham, and the rest of the Portland Nordic team as they take on Falmouth, Gray-New Gloucester, Cape Elizabeth, NYA, and Mount Ararat in a Classic-style 5K race. Racers start in wave after wave of 3 - 5 skiers. Boys start first this week. Dress warmly and bring your cowbells, whoops and hollers. It's a ton of fun. Directions from FSP: North on Route One to right exit as you enter Cumberland, looping onto Tuttle Road. Go a little way (1/2 mile??) towards Cumberland Center, and Twin Brook Rec Complex will be on your right. It takes about ten minutes to get there from school, so come join the fun!

Real Life Real Talk Events

Here's the link for upcoming Sex Ed for Parents events... would folks be interested in attending a presentation @ school on a movie night?

Cultivating Hardiness Training

Hardy Girls Training Opportunities

If you haven’t yet attended Cultivating Hardiness Zones & Becoming a Muse trainings, don’t miss out! The Hardy Girls Training Institute has been busy creating opportunities to get out the word about strength-based approach. There are two upcoming sets of dates:

March 15th and March 16th, 2010 at the University of New England in Portland, ME & April 27th and 28th, 2010 at Simmons College in Boston, MA

All adults working with girls are encouraged to attend and spend two days learning an effective strength-based approach to working with girls and how to incorporate techniques informed by the latest research on girls' health and development into the work you're already doing. For more information and to register now, visit our Training Web site.

Monday, March 15th Cultivating Hardiness Zones 9:00-4:00 Dr. Lyn Mikel Brown and Dr. Mary Madden developed this training with Hardy Girls for people who are working with or who want to work with girls from a strength-based position, rather than one that focuses on what's wrong with girls. This is not a training that stresses the inner girl or works to improve "self-esteem" (although this will likely happen for girls who experience this approach), but a training that focuses on:

Helping girls connect with others Showing girls how to find the support and resources they need to thrive; and, Tapping into girls' energy and creativity to make the world one which values them for who they are, not how they look. At the heart of creating hardiness zones for girls is a way of being in relationship with women that inspires them, gives them a sense of their own power and control, and challenges them to do their best work. Known as a muse relationship, this connection shifts the focus from a girl's deficits to her inner resources, strengths, and potential.

Through multi-media presentations, small group activities, and discussion, the training will answer the questions:

What is hardiness and why is it important? What are relational hardiness zones? How do we cultivate and sustain hardiness zones with girls? What form can they take in our community/social context? What can they offer that girls in our community need? Topics include: A Look at the Cultural Landscape Girls Psychology and Development Cultivating Relational Hardiness Zones Muse Relationships with Girls Theory in Action Reflection & Evaluation

Tuesday, March 16th Becoming a Muse 9:00-4:00

New KinderKonzert - Aesop's Fables

Woodwind KinderKonzerts: Aesop's Fables January 19 - April 27

Learn how music can tell a story just as well as words or pictures can. The Fox and the Crow, The Lion and the Mouse and more tales will be "told" by the PSO Woodwind Quintet.

Click here to make an online reservation All tickets $4 per person (adult or child)

FiddleHead Center for the Arts Family Friday Science Nights + More

News & Events Fiddlehead Events Winter 2009-10 January 8 Family Science Night by Orbit with Corbett, 6-7:30 p.m. Earthquakes, Volcanoes and the Boston Molasses Disaster! Suggested $5 donation for our scholarship fund. Sponsored in part by Key Bank. January 16 Fiddlehead’s 8th Birthday Party! Music by 35th Parallel, Doors open 6 p.m. This duo weaves a sonic spell winding a musical trail through the Middle East, North India, North Africa and the Mediterranean. Advanced ticket price: $20; $25 at the door. January 30 Open House – 2010 Registration 9-10:30 a.m. Come join us in a tour of our state of the art facility. We will be happy to answer any questions about our quality pre-school and after-school programs for Fall 2010. February 5 Family Science Night by Orbit with Corbett. 6 – 7:30 p.m. Sound and Vibrations. Suggested $5 donation for our scholarship fund. February 13 Hilarious Hypnotist 6-7:30 p.m. Join us in an evening of family fun! Advanced ticket prices: $6 child & $9/adult; At the Door $8 child & $12/adult. March 5 Family Science Night by Orbit with Corbett. 6-7:30 p.m. Sink and Float. Suggested $5 donation for our scholarship fund. March 20, 21, 27 & 28 Seussical the Musical, Jr. 2 p.m. Matinees. Join us for our second annual Fiddlehead Players Children’s Musical Theater production. Advance tickets through our office and on our website. Call to Reserve your space today! 657-2244 *Donation to scholarship fund

More links from Sunrise Guide

I'm adding, for your perusal, a link to the Sunrise Guide's Sustainable Living Events listings. You will need to scroll about 2/3 of the way down in the newsletter to find these.They are just full of fun and interesting activities to make your winter fly by. Personally, I'm up for learning to make mozzarella cheese at Wolfe's Neck Farm. Anyone else?

Winter Recreation links from Sunrise Guide

Winter Recreation Resources

Healthy Maine Walks: A comprehensive recreation directory! Allows you to search for trails by location and provides a detailed description of each, as well as allowed trail uses (biking, walking, skiing, etc.). Featured in a recent article by the Portland Press Herald.

Portland Trails: Features an interactive map to find trails in the area from South Portland north to Falmouth and inland as far as Westbrook.

Ski Maine Association: A great comprehensive listing of ski centers in Maine, both downhill and cross-country/nordic, with links to each and current snow conditions. Also includes a schedule of events.

Trails.com: Sort by activity (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, etc.) and see an overview and description of each trail. Maine Tourism Association: A summary of winter activities and links to resources for each.

Evenings for Educators at the PMA

Evenings for Educators Join the Portland Museum of Art for another year of Evenings for Educators. These professional development workshops include lectures about exhibitions and collections, classroom tips, networking with other educators, and information about dynamic new Museum resources. All Evenings for Educators are free for teachers. Sign up for two contact hours and receive 10% off in the Museum Store. To learn more or register, please email Stacy Rodenberger. Evenings for Educators are made possible by the Madelyn Busker Cohen Fund at the Portland Museum of Art. Save the dates for the 2010 Evenings for Educators: Wednesday, January 20 Collages! Hands-on Art Wednesday, February 24 Objects of Wonder: Four Centuries of Still Life from the Norton Museum of Art Wednesday, April 7 Spring Celebration of School Programs ArtIntensive: Workshop for Educators Limited to 20 teachers, open to all K-12 educators. Join the Museum for a one-day professional development workshop for teachers. The ArtIntensive workshop includes gallery explorations, hands-on activities, curriculum connections, and arts-integration ideas that will energize the arts in your classroom. Teachers of all grade levels and disciplines are welcome. Teachers will receive a packet of materials. Five contact hours (0.5 CEUs) are available for an additional $20. Please call Stacy Rodenberger, Coordinator of School Programs for more information, (207) 775-6148, ext. 3226. Saturday, March 20 Pipe and Basket by Georges Braque