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Published: 15 January 2011

Created: 15 January 2011

Last Updated: 15 January 2011

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Nan Blank, Director of the Kol Ami Early Childhood Program is pleased to announce A Step Ahead!, a new Kindergarten Readiness Program for children who will turn five years old in the Fall of 2011.

The Kindergarten Readiness Program is designed for active exploration and child-initiated activities, as well as small-group teacher-guided learning allowing the teacher team to direct and instruct children in the exploration of the various themed units introduced throughout the school year. Our daily teacher-initiated activities will include: literacy, handwriting, math, science, art, games, songs, and morning meeting. The child-initiated individual and small group experiences will naturally occur in the art corner, dramatic play area, listening center, math manipulative corner, science center and block area. Together these experiences will ensure that children’s learning will be tangible, meaningful, and fun all the while enjoying a comprehensive Kindergarten readiness experience within a family-oriented caring community.

Each child is unique and thereby learns in different ways… some are auditory learners while others are visual learners. Some children learn best in large group settings through observation, and listening, while others learn from more intimate, small group opportunities with an emphasis on hands-on connections. There are those children who thrive in more structured environments while others prefer a more free-flowing and spontaneous learning experience. Children can and often change their learning preferences and thus benefit from different educational methods and environments while participating in different learning experiences. The program will provide both large and small group learning opportunities tailored to meet the collective needs of both the individual learner and the community.

The double-sized classroom is arranged in centers and includes a Literacy, Listening, Math, Science, Blocks, Art, Dramatic Play, and Meeting Area. The children enrolled in A Step Ahead! will enjoy a Judaic curriculum woven into their program of study including celebrating Havdalah, Shabbat, the Jewish holidays, and a year-long unit focused on Israel. A Step Ahead! meets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 9:00-2:30 and Fridays from 9:00-11:45. Class Size: 12 Children Maximum with a 1:6 ratio. Special instruction included in the curriculum will be Nature, Music, Our Garden Project, Israeli Dance and Movement, and Soccer/Gym.

The program will be held at Congregation Kol Ami at 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, New York. For more information on A Step Ahead! call: Nan Blank, Director at 914-949-4717 x107.

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Published: 22 January 2011

Created: 22 January 2011

Last Updated: 22 January 2011

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The Random Farms Kids Theater will present one of the first Westchester productions of Hairspray at The Tarrytown Music Hall from January 29 through February 6.

Hairspray, the recent hit-Broadway musical and film, delights audiences by sweeping them away to 1960's Baltimore, where the 50's are out -- and change is in the air. Loveable plus-size heroine, Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing, and wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show." Can a larger-than-life adolescent manage to vanquish the program's reigning princess, integrate the television show, and find true love without denting her ‘do’?

Hairspray, winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, is more than just a toe-tapping musical extravaganza. It explores relevant social and historical themes such as the civil rights movement, social justice, self-acceptance, tolerance, human solidarity and political struggle.

The production is made up of over 130 young people who are divided into four casts with 15 students from Scarsdale. They come from throughout the tri-state area and have a wealth of theater, film and television experience. Included in the cast are Jolie Suchin, Justin Arnold, Rachel Bochner, Sarah Cammarata, Jenna Evans, Sydney Fodiman, Aerin Gelblum, Hannah Lewis, Sophia Roth, Matthew Seife, Megan Shelton, Caroline Stemerman, Rachel Underweiser, Julia White, and Danielle Cohen of Scarsdale.

The performances are 1/29 @ 7pm, 1/30 @ 1pm & 7pm, 1/31 @ 10am, 2/5 @ 2pm & 7:30pm and 2/6 @ 1pm & 7pm. The theater is located at 13 Main Street in Tarrytown. Directions can be found at www.tarrytownmusichall.org.

Tickets for Hairspray are $18 (adults), $16 (children under 12 and seniors), $14 (groups of 20+) and $10 (schools). To reserve tickets, go to www.tarrytownmusichall.org or call TicketForce at 877-840-0457. Tickets will also be available at the door. For more information, visit the theater’s website at www.randomfarms.com .

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Published: 07 January 2011

Created: 07 January 2011

Last Updated: 07 January 2011

Hits: 8530

Citibabes of Scarsdale, the beautifully designed child play space and family center on Popham Road has closed after just one year of operation. The 9,000 square foot center, located on the second floor of the CVS building on the Popham Road Bridge may have been too ambitious for this area.

Citibabes offered play areas, classes, entertainment, birthday party facilities, a café and a retail store and was intended as a family club for Westchester residents with young children. Priced at around $2,000 for the year, a family membership had many benefits but several factors may have contributed to the club’s inability to attract a sufficient number of customers:

• The price point may have been too high in a down economy,
• A tough real estate market may have prevented an influx of young families from moving to the suburbs this year
• The ongoing construction on the Popham Road Bridge may have deterred customers from using the club due to limited parking and the difficulties of negotiating the sidewalk with a stroller.
• Several competitive play centers and children’s program are located in the immediate area

In a note posted on their website, the club says that due to “current general economic and real estate conditions specific to this location, Citibabes has been forced to discontinue their physical operations at 7 Popham Road. However, Citibabes will still be servicing the Scarsdale community. Citibabes’ CitiSchool is officially relocating to Camp Mohawk, the Citibabes Kids Club @ Equinox continued roll-out in 33 clubs (including Scarsdale) is scheduled for 2011, and Citibabes’ signature programming is available via the Citibabes-to-Go platform in the form of classes, birthday parties, events, and more.

“We have evaluated every option imaginable to keep the Scarsdale club open to no avail,” said Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and co-founder of Citibabes. “We highly value the loyalty and support of our members and community in Scarsdale. We have focused our efforts to offer several alternatives to our families and will do everything we can to ease the transition for every child.”

According to information on the site, “pre-paid membership fees and class subscription for the period of December 31, 2010 through the conclusion of agreements will be reimbursed to all applicable Citibabes’ Scarsdale members.”