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Free Parenting Webinar on Reading Aloud with Children GIVEAWAY

Join Bright Horizons on November 5th at 8:00 p.m. EST for a parent webinar on how to make reading with children a more engaging, enjoyable and enriching learning experience.

This free parent webinar is entitled Reading Aloud with Children: The Art of Bringing Books to Life Through Storytelling.

An early education experts and a special guest from Barefoot Books will share the secrets to becoming a masterful storyteller and bringing excitement to family reading time. Register here.

Presenters:

Susan Brenner, Ed.D.
Senior Vice President of Education at Bright HorizonsSusan Brenner, Ed.D., serves as Senior Vice President of Education at Bright Horizons. Susan has more than 30 years of experience managing quality child care programs. She was instrumental in development of the first back-up center to achieve accreditation from the National Association of Young Children. Susan now oversees Education and Development at Bright Horizons and plays a pivotal role in our Growing Readers program, which provides resources to help families cultivate a love of reading at home.

Barbara Saunders Sims
Barefoot Books Ambassador and Early Education SpecialistSpeaking as a parent and grandparent, as well as a 40-year veteran as teacher and administrator of early learning services, one of the most lasting gifts that you could ever nurture in your children, especially in the early stages of their lives, is a love of reading—a springboard for a life of learning and fun. Developing this joyful exploration of literature begins at birth through everyday loving interactions—sharing books, telling stories, singing songs, and talking to one another. In our discussion we’ll explore strategies to engage young children in fun and interactive storytelling that will inspire young readers to read deeper, search further, and explore their own creative gifts.

Ruth Fidino
ModeratorI’m the Mom of three adult children and the Grandmother of three young girls. Reading is an important part of family life in our household. In our house reading aloud is an opportunity to perform; an opportunity to engage and evoke emotion. To be honest reading in our house hasn’t always been this way. When my boys were little they were fidgety listeners until I changed my reading strategy. Once I added a little zest and personality to my reading they were hooked. They stayed with the book long enough for “what if” discussions and they asked for reading time. I hope today you’ll discover something new to add to your family reading time.

Bright Horizons is Giving Away 3 Great Picture Books!

Rain School by James Rumford

Underground by Denise Fleming

Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky

Please enter the Rafflecopter to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

October 28, 2013

Newton Schools Foundation Hosts “Newton Inspires: An Evening of Ideas and Community”

Some of Newton’s most talented, captivating, and forward-thinking individuals will converge on Newton North High School on November 19 for the third annual Newton Inspires—An Evening of Ideas and Community, sponsored by the Newton Schools Foundation (NSF).

The FREE community event will take place Tuesday November 19, 7-9:30 at Newton North High School. Newtonites representing an array of fields and interest areas will address topics ranging from business, education, science, health and medicine, to journalism, architecture, arts, entertainment and culture.

Speaker sessions fill up quickly, so register early! For a list of speakers, to register and for more information, go to Newton Schools Foundation or call 617-559-6120.

October 27, 2013
Register for Run Fur Fun 5K Nov 9th!

Please don’t forget to register for the Run Fur Fun 5k on November 9th! It’s an awesome race hosted by the MSPC and Wicked Happy Dogs is a sponsor!

We are holding a dog friendly after party at Devlins in Brighton on the patio.

Click the link to register and join team Wicked Happy Dogs!

October 26, 2013
Free 5 Pound Fruit Bag from Belkin Lookout Farm

It’s not too late to stock up on fruit for the fall! Belkin Family Lookout Farm has a variety of apples and Asian pears left to pick. Each visitor with a paid admission to Lookout Farm on Saturday, October 26^th and Sunday, October 27^th will receive one free 5-pound fruit bag – a $10 value.

WHEN:

Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, 2013

Open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

WHERE:

Belkin Family Lookout Farm
89 Pleasant Street South
South Natick, MA 01760

There’s a whole day’s worth of activities sure to entertain visitors of all ages, with train rides through the orchards; picking your own apples; a Children’s Play Area; climbing the hay pyramid; visiting the farm animals including emus, rabbits, sheep, goats, donkeys, alpacas and cows and more; taking a turn on the moon bounce; live children’s entertainment; PLUS a burlap maze, face painting, a Caterpillar ride and hayrides.

October 25, 2013
Whole Foods (Walnut Street Location) Halloween Party

Halloween Party

October 31^st

5pm-7pm

Join us for a great time!

Newton DJ Tedy Rox will be here with music- plus games and fun for all. Food, Music & Prizes!

And remember- you don’t have to be afraid of our snacks- no scary ingredients- ever!

October 24, 2013
New Fitness Studio: Cardio High from Newton Resident

Mark Goodman, a local Waban resident, is the creator of a compelling new workout called Cardio High. It recreates the intensity and benefits you receive from playing sports but with a reduced risk of injury and less strain on joints.

Mark was inspired to create Cardio High after reading studies that show brief intense training, like the 7-minute workout featured in the New York Times, improves fitness better than longer activities such as jogging or cycling. These high intensity workouts help burn fat for up to 36 hours after each session.

The Cardio High program is set up as a combination of low impact movements with high intensity interval training (HIIT), which means you’re boosting your heart rate without the soreness and strain. Also, as an active squash, tennis, and Ultimate Frisbee player, Mark was determined to make this method both varied and fun. This has led his clients to report feeling more energy, improved sports performance, and better muscle tone after only a few weeks of training.

The Cardio High program can be adapted to many levels of fitness, including athletes training for a sport or those who want to lose weight but feel they’re too out of shape and injury-prone to get a good workout.

Mark runs small groups and private sessions at a couple locations in Newton including at the Windsor Club in Waban. To try a free session call (617)564-3764 or E-mail mark@cardiohigh.com for more information.

October 23, 2013
Jobs at Monster in Cambridge but moving to Weston in 2014

My friend Kim is a recruiter at Monster and she asked me if I knew anyone for these marketing positions at Monster. The jobs are currently located in Cambridge, MA but the location will move to a “Command Center” in Weston early next year.

Content Manager

(2-3 yrs of relevant exp, strong writer/content developer plus exc social media skills)

The Content Manager will be responsible for crafting and managing a variety of written and audio/visual materials supporting Monster’s communications efforts across digital channels. These materials may include both original blog posts and articles, tweets, photos, video as well as scouring the web to curate shareable content for Monster Worldwide’s audiences utilizing social media and traditional digital platforms. The ideal candidate will have previous experience — in-house, with an agency, or in an editorial capacity at a news publication — in crafting platform-specific and cross-platform content for social and traditional media.

Digital Communications & Communities Mgr

(3-4 yrs relevant exp, great community organizer, writer, exc social media skills)

The Manager, Digital Communications & Communities will be responsible for managing, maintaining, and iterating Monster Worldwide’s social media channels while growing our audience through engagement. The ideal candidate will have several years of experience in social media, including hands-on tactical engagement and expertise in social analytics. The Manager, Digital Communications & Communities will be passionate about the digital and social media space, with an active and public personal presence on several social media sites.

October 22, 2013
Livability Ranks Newton #68 Best Place to Live

The Top 10 from Livability. They didn’t really account of ratio of median household income to median home price; i.e. affordability so I calculated it and added it.

Personally, I love Palo Alto but it’s the least affordable. The wild gyration of median household income to median home price speaks to the town’s two sides of the tracks. East Palo Alto versus the rest of Palo Alto. If you remove East Palo Alto from the numbers, I’m sure the median income goes up but the median home price goes up even higher.

Rochester, Minnesota has the best ratio but alas, not the best weather. Durham is looking like a great place to retire to with decent weather and an even better ratio.

And what about Rockville? Don’t go back to Rockville? Or maybe, actually, you should!

As for Newton, MA, it may be #68th on this list, but it’s #4 on the Money list!

1. Palo Alto, CA
Population: 65,260
Median Household Income: $124,465
Average Work Commute: 18.61 minutes
Median Home Price: $1,240,250

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:10

2. Boulder, CO
Population: 97,674
Median Household Income: $53,404
Average Work Commute: 15.15 minutes
Median Home Price: $399,750

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:7.5

3. Berkeley, CA
Population: 114,764
Median Household Income: $59,581
Average Work Commute: 22.38 minutes
Median Home Price: $549,500

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:9

4. Durham, NC
Population: 231,975
Median Household Income: $47,863
Average Work Commute: 18.05 minutes
Median Home Price: $165,000

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:3

5. Miami Beach, FL

Population: 89,243
Median Household Income: $43,562
Average Work Commute: 21.14 minutes
Median Home Price: $218,000

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:5

6. Rochester, MN
Population: 108,405
Median Household Income: $65,009
Average Work Commute: 12.57 minutes
Median Home Price: $136,500

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:2

7. Salt Lake City, UT
Population: 188,278
Median Household Income: $44,447
Average Work Commute: 16.65 minutes
Median Home Price: $196,812

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:4

8. Eugene, OR
Population: 157,752
Median Household Income: $42,241
Average Work Commute: 14.43 minutes
Median Home Price: $205,000

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:5

9. Reno, NV
Population: 225,561
Median Household Income: $51,525
Average Work Commute: 15.65 minutes
Median Home Price: $142,330

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:3

10. Rockville, MD
Population: 58,878
Median Household Income: $90,510
Average Work Commute: 28.46 minutes
Median Home Price: $430,000

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:5

68. Newton, MA

Population: 84,655
Median household income: $111,987
Average Work Commute: 23.73 Minutes
Median Home Price: $669,500

Ratio of median household income to median home price: 1:6

October 21, 2013
Autism-Friendly Performance of OKLAHOMA! for Kids
The Boston Conservatory is about to do something that’s never been done by any school in Boston before: make theater accessible to children on the autism spectrum.

The Boston Conservatory is very excited to present an Autism-Friendly Performance of the hit musical, OKLAHOMA! on Sunday, October 20 at 2 p.m. at The Boston Conservatory Theater.

It’s a special, first-of-its-kind performance in Boston, which is being presented as part of The Boston Conservatory Program for Students on the Autism Spectrum.

For many families, attending the theater with an autistic child isn’t an option. The strange environment, the noise level and large audiences can be upsetting to the child and parents often are unsure of the reaction from other attendees.

To address this, The Conservatory has created a number of online resources to help families with this experience, including a plot synopsis, character guide, FAQs and a “Coming to the Theater” video, which walks children through the process of arriving at the theater, getting a ticket, being seats, starting the show and exiting the theater.

The show itself is specifically designed for families with children who are on the autism spectrum or who have other sensory issues and The Boston Conservatory is making adjustments to ensure a safe and judgment-free environment for families. Among them:
- dimming house lights slightly, rather than completely
- keeping audio levels relatively balanced to avoid jarring, loud sounds
- avoiding intense lighting that may be stressful
- extending the intermission period
- allowing children and their families to talk during the performance and leave their seats with parental supervision
- allowing snacks and non-glassware drinks in the theater, along with headphones and earplugs
- creating a special “Quiet/Activity Room” for children who become over-stimulated and may need a break, featuring mats, chairs and tables with coloring activities, sticker books and fidgets (hand-held manipulatives)
Additionally, all staff present at the performance, including ushers, cast members and crew members, will be trained specifically for this performance and an E.M.S. worker will be on site at all times.

The Autism-Friendly Performance of OKLAHOMA! will be Sunday, October 20, 2013 at 2 p.m. at The Boston Conservatory Theater, located at 31 Hemenway Street, Boston, MA, 02115. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children, with group rates available. Families interested in attending can call the Box Office at (617) 912-9222 or purchase tickets online and choose seats according to where they feel most comfortable by visiting.
October 20, 2013
Book Party with Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Upcoming Book Party with Catherine Gilbert Murdock at Brookline Booksmith on Nov 3rd from 1 to 3 pm.

Catherine’s new book Heaven is Paved with Oreos is a perfect read for tweens/early teens.

Any purchases made that afternoon will help support the Foundation for Children’s Books, a special organization that brings authors and illustrators into under-served schools in Boston.
- Hear about Catherine’s great new novel for ages 10 and up, Heaven is Paved with Oreos, from the author herself
- Learn about how the FCB brings amazing authors into under-served schools in Boston
- Find lots of other great new books for younger and older kids and adults with the help of the Brookline Booksmith staff
- Enjoy some awesome refreshments (you can guess which kind of cookies!)
- Support a great cause: 20% of your purchases will support the FCB’s work in urban schools
This event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP to admin@thefcb.org by Tuesday, Oct. 29 to reserve your seat.

Brookline Booksmith

279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446
October 19, 2013