Portland... On the Move

Issue 71 ~ News from your Town Hall ~ December 1999  

There's Always Something New at the Portland Library It is time for holiday fun at the Portland Library. A variety of programs are offered to children and families. Some programs require registration, which may be in person or by telephone. *Preschool children and parents are invited to a holiday program of stories and songs on Wednesday, December 15 at 10:30 AM. Registration is limited and begins Wednesday, December 1. Parents must attend this program with their children. Kindergartners are welcome to attend. Students in first grade and older may attend a afternoon of crafts, stories and songs beginning at 4 PM Thursday, December 16. Registration begins Wednesday, December 1. Mrs. Applesauce will host a holiday edition of Bedtime Stories, Thursday, December 16 at 6:30 PM. This program is for children ages three through five years, and must be accompanied by an adult. There is no registration for Bedtime Stories. *Toys, games and other fun are waiting for you at the Portland Library. The library has a collection of toys and games that may be checked out for three weeks. These toys will provide hours of entertainment to children of all ages, according to Coral Lindenfelser, children's librarian. "Grandparents and empty nesters may want to check out toys for visiting children," she added. The collection includes primary to intermediate puzzles, skill and travel games. Two new games are Rainbow Fish memory game, and Help Madeline Find Her puppies. Card games include Uno and Brain Quest. Other selections are blocks, color matching games, and magnetic numbers for preschoolers. Reading and math flash cards will help students keep skills sharp. Math games for middle school students are also available. There is no limit to the number of toys or games checked out per family. 9 During the month of January we will once again have something special at the Portland Library - a voting machine! Students in grades 4-6 will be able to cast their votes for the first Nutmeg Book Award winner of the 21st century. The award, for the most popular children's book for that age group, is sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association, and the Connecticut Educational

Media Association. The children choose their favorite from a list of ten books selected by school and public librarians and teachers. The titles for 2000 are: 1. Dear Levi 2. Gooseberry Park 3. Million Dollar Shot 4. Wagon Train 5. Ella Enchanted 6. Lone Wolf 7. Music of Dolphons 8. Frindle 9. Lucy Whipple 10. Shadow Man So, come on in next year and vote! *Are you home with just your infant and needing to meet other parents? The Portland Library is offering a drop-in program, Friday Fun, to parents of infants and toddlers. The program is held every Friday of the month from 10:30 AM until noon. There is no registration. The purpose of Friday Fun is to give parents of very young children a chance to meet other mothers and fathers, according to Coral Lindenfelser, children's librarian. Toys are available during each session. Older siblings may attend Friday Fun. Caregivers are also welcome. *The Fourth Annual Holiday Fund-raiser sponsored by Made for Kids toy store to benefit the Friends of the Portland Library will be held on Wednesday, December st from 6 - 9 PM. All members of the Friends, as well as library patrons, are invited to enjoy a 10% discount on most items purchased. Mary )Flood, owner of the popular toy store (located in the shopping plaza at the junction of Routes 66 and 17), generously donates 15% of the night's profits to the Friends. Proceeds from the sale are used by the Friends to sponsor library programs, contribute to the facility, and add to library collections. *Technology Corner The Portland Library has enhanced its services! The public may now use any of the five Internet workstations; the one in the Children's area is filtered and one other is for patrons who are seeking information while being aided by the reference staff. Printers are attached to all five workstations. In addition, the Library now offers three workstations with connected printers that have software loaded for word processing, spread-sheets, and resume creation; software products include Claris works, Excel, and Word. The Library has subscribed to several commercial databases that have proved to be quite helpful to students while they complete their assignments. The sites provide information including science and technology, biography, literary criticism, college

handbooks, and general reference sources. In addition, the Library has three CD-ROM workstations for viewing World Book, Magill's Science and Technology Encyclopedia and EBSCO's Premier, an index to periodicals with many titles with full text articles available. The Library's catalog, as well as many other resources, may be viewed from home at www.crlc.org. In addition, the reference staff has been creating a file of helpful websites and the Library also has an Internet Yellow Pages directory. - Food for fines. Once again the Portland Library will be accepting food for fines during the holiday season, which began November 29 and continues through Thursday, December 23. -The library, in conjunction with the Portland Visiting Nurses, sponsors a Mitten Tree each year during the holiday season. We will be accepting mittens, scarves, hats and gloves from Monday, November 29, through Monday, December 20. For more information on any of these programs, call the Portland Library at 342-6770. Tips From the Dog House brought to you by: Charlie Jarzabek Calling All Shrimp Lovers! It's okay for healthy people to eat shrimp. That's the word from Rockefeller University Hospital, which recently conducted a study in conjunction with the Harvard School of Public Health. It turns out that eating steamed shrimp, a low-fat but high-cholesterol food, did not raise blood cholesterol levels among healthy participants. Shrimp is also a good source of protein and iodine, needed for normal growth and thyroid function. So as long as you don't have high blood pressure problems or super-high blood cholesterol levels, you can enjoy this succulent shellfish. Charlie

Shelf Life of Leftovers Nutritionist experts say that leftover turkey and stuffing should be eaten within three to four days. Gravy should be eaten within one to two days. Education Update By: Deborah Borton Volunteers at Valley View Valley View has always had very supportive parents. Years ago, they built the playscapes at both Valley View and Gildersleeve. Parents offer to be room parents, organizing holiday parties, special projects, field trips and other ideas from the classroom teachers. Seniors Readers have been coming on a weekly basis for many years to read and be read to by first graders. Throughout the year, these readers see and hear the progress that the first grade students make as they learn to read and understand what they have read. We know the more students practice their reading, the better readers they will be, so we are delighted to have all these wonderful volunteers. Other volunteers are those who help the Nurse during vision and hearing screenings. They help keep the groups of children in order as the brief screenings are completed and then return the students to their classrooms. Recently, there have been regular volunteers in the school library, helping mend books, placing books on the shelves, and reading to the children. These volunteers have enriched the library program, freeing the Library Media Specialist to more direct teaching with the children. This year, there are Portland seniors getting a break on their property tax bill by working at Valley View 2-3 hours each week. Several are reading with first graders in the Senior Readers program, and one is helping serve during the lunch program. We are delighted to have them in the building, bringing the school and community closer together. It is the spirit of people from all over the community working together educating the next generation of Portland leaders that exemplifies the phrase: It takes a village to raise a child. Thank you to all the volunteers who give their time so freely to the students at Valley View and best wishes for the holiday season.

Youth Services By Bill Forman Portland Youth Services regretfully announces that its 1999 winter Holiday Party will only be open to the 30 children currently enrolled in its Playground Plus Before/After School Programs. Because of transportation considerations that already include the current participants being transported to the PYS Building by school bus and by private vehicles during all different times of the day, PYS would be placing more children at risk of being left behind or lost. This, of course, is quite possible, if it were to take the responsibility of transporting a greater number of children. However, PYS welcomes any children who had their hearts set on going to the Party this year. Their parents should make transportation plans for them during that time, or give me a call. If you need to call me, my pager number is: 939-1657. The staff and I wish all of you a happy and safe Holiday Season. PYS December 1999 Programs, Activities & Meetings Playground Plus Winter Holiday Party (Monday/December 6, for PYS After School kids only) with Virginia Willmore, Ellen Williams, Jan Janowski, Tracy Wooley, Anna & Bill Foreman. Time for Tots (Mondays/9:30 - 11:30 AM. Program for parents & Pre-Schoolers) with Mary Pont & Sarah Richards. Playground Plus Before/After School Program (K-Middle School students, Monday - Friday. 7:30 AM to 6 PM), with Ellen Williams, Mitch Foreman, Jan Jankowski, Tracy Wooley, Sylvia Turner, Anna & Bill Foreman.. Teenage Youth Commission Meetings (for high school age teens, announced Mondays 6:30 to 7:30

PM) PYC sponsors dances for 6' to 8' graders (date to be announced) with Lauren Jeffers, Stephanie Heizman, Ellen Williams and Anna & Bill Foreman. Chatham Court Activities Day (Tuesdays/3:00 PM - 5:00 PM) with Mary Pont & Sandy Darna. Chatham Court Thursday Bingo & Social Night (including occasional trips, 6 PM) with Bill Foreman. Girls' Teen Group (joint PYS/Mdsx. Hosp. Mondays, 4:00 5:30PM) with Cynthia Cordova, Coordinator (Family Advocacy/Middlesex Hospital). After School Job Bank with Bill Foreman. Advisory Board Meeting (None in December) Crisis InterventionlPrevention: Counseling & Resource Center (late afternoons & evenings on Mon., Tues. & Thurs./appointment only) w/Laurie Rhines & Chris Napolitano. Juvenile Diversion Board (for confidential hearings for Police & Juvenile Court referrals), with Robin Smith, Richard Murphy, Joe Piatti, Bonnie DeCarli, Lorraine Noone, and Anna & Bill Foreman. Joint PYS/School Programs (to be announced), with Carol Gilbert, John Sieller, Mary Pont, Ann Marie Candela & Bill Foreman. Out-of-School Suspension Plan (for youngsters referred by schools and/or parents) with tutor or school representative, & Bill Foreman. Home visitations with Anna & Bill Foreman, Ellen Williams & representative from CASSP. Provisions for Community Service Work Hours for Youth (as ordered by court or JDB) with Bill Foreman. For more information, call: 342-6758. Special Hours! The 1st Selectman's Office, along with the Planning Department, Building Department, Environmental Health Department, Finance Office and Public Works will stay open on Tuesday evenings until 7 PM. They will close on Fridays at noon. Other offices at the Town Hall will remain open at their usual time.

 

Parks & Recreation by Sandy Darna Jewelry Casting The Recreation Department will be offering a new 8-week - Jewelry Casting class beginning, Wednesday, January 5, 2000, 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. The class will be held in Middletown. Directions will be available by calling the office at 342-6757. The cost of the class will be $110.00 and a $30.00 lab fee. Students will learn many techniques of casting such as lost wax casting, coal casting, drop casting and temporary molds. Space is limited. Advanced registration is required. Kreative Kids (New) Kreative Kids is an 8-week after school program for ages 7 - 12. The program is designed to give individuals an opportunity to use different art mediums and create special projects. You don't need any art experience to join. Some of the classes will include things like drawing, painting, watercolor, acrylics and sculpting. The classes will meet at the Parks and Recreation Office at 265 Main Street, 3:30 5:00 p.m. Classes will begin on Monday, November 29th. There will be no classes on December 27 and January 17th. Cost of the class is $50, which includes all supplies. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Instructor is Mary Moise. Cartooning I & II for Kids (New Day) Do you love to draw cartoons this class for you? Registration continues for a new 6-week session of Cartooning, with Cartoonist "Wild" Bill Taylor. Cartooning I will cover basic cartooning as well as faces, action in stick figures and figures, perspective, animals, objects and backgrounds. Cartooning 11 will be a continuation of cartooning I and cover more advanced techniques. The 6-week class will meet on Monday's from 3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. at the Portland Library. Dates will be announced as soon as the class is full. The cost will be $60. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own pads. After School Arts and Crafts Christmas Arts and Crafts after school for youth 5 and up. Each participant will complete a holiday project to bring home during this 1-hour class. The date for the Christmas project is December 15th. The program goes from 4:14 - 5:15 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Office at 265 Main Street. The cost of each holiday program is $5. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Performing Arts Creative Expressions Registration continues for the Performing Arts Programs will provide this 7-week program is a workshop for children Kindergarten - lst Grade. The workshop will focus on developing each child's creativity and self-assurance while building strong skills in-group interaction. Activities will include imaginative play, win-win games, theater games creative movement and pantomime. Its purpose is to provide fun learning experiences. The Performing Arts Program Staff will staff this program. The cost is $70. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Acting Workshops Registration continues for the Performing Arts Programs will also provide this 7-week program is a workshop for youth grades 2nd - 8th. The workshop will focus on theater skills, concentration exercises, improvisational games, sense memory basic mime, basic speech and much more. Its purpose is to provide fun learning experiences. Performing Arts professional staff is dedicated to creating a very comfortable, fun and safe environment to cultivate and affirm each individual's unique creativity. The Performing Arts Program Staff will staff this program. Grades 2 - 3; 5 6:00 p.m., Grades 4 - 6; 6:15 - 7:15, Grades 6 - 8; 7:30 8:30. The cost is $70. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. To register or inquire about any of the programs listed please contact Sandy Dama at the Portland Parks and Recreation Department at 342-6757. Hablo Espanol! This Spanish foreign language program is for children K - 5th grade. This 8-week program is an introductory program for children to get a head start on his/her second language. Inlingua School of Language will provide qualified teaching staff and have your child speaking Spanish by the end of the first session. The program focuses on speaking and recognition through song, movement, music, visual aids and games. The class will begin on Wednesday, January 5, 2000 at Valley View School. The schedule for this program will be Wednesday's - K-2 - 3:30 - 4:15 p.m., 3rd 5th 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. and K-2 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. The cost of the 8-week program is $40, which includes materials. Registration Deadline is December 15th. If there are not enough registrations by December 15th the class may be cancelled. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Inlingua School of Languages is a full service language and intercultural center from West Hartford.

Je Parle Francais! This French foreign language program is for children K - 5th grade. This 8-week program is an introductory program for children to get a head start on his/her second language. Inlingua School of Language will provide qualified teaching staff and have your child speaking Spanish by the end of the first session. The program focuses on speaking and recognition through song, movement, music, visual aids and games. The class will begin on Wednesday, January 5, 2000 at Valley View School. The schedule for this program will be Wednesday's - K-2 - 3:30 - 4:15 p.m., 3rd 5th 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. and K-2 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. The cost of the 8-week program is $40, which includes materials. Registration Deadline is December 15th. If there are not enough registrations by December 15th the class may be canceled. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Inlingua School of Languages is a full service language and intercultural center from West Hartford. New! Kindermusik Kindermusik, a renowned international music program incorporating the latest findings in childhood development will make is debut offering in Portland through the Parks and Recreation Department this winter. Barbara Arafeh, B.M.U.S., M.A., Licensed Kindermusik educator with over 20 years of experience will teach on Tuesday nights to accommodate the needs of working parents. Our Time, a program for 11/2 - 3 yrs. will meet from 4:15 5:00 p.m., Growing for 3 - 5 years will meet from 6:20 - 7:05 p.m. and Young Child for children 5 - 7 yrs. old will meet from 5:10 - 6: 10 p.m. The program will be held at the Parks and Recreation Office at 265 Main Street. The maximum enrollment is 10 - 12 children depending on the class. Classes will begin on January 4th - May 2nd 2000 (classes will not meet during school vacations). Resident's millennium buster price is $110 per semester for each program (a semester is 16 weeks). Non-residents: Our Time - $154, Growing - $163 and Young Child $179. Prices include home materials. Registration deadline for Portland residents is December 13th. Enrollment for non-residents begins on December 14th. If there is not enough enrollment by December. Teddy Bear Luncheon Let's make this luncheon special for the holidays. Dress up your favorite teddy bear and bring him to lunch. We will have music and activities as well as lunch. This is open to children 2 4 years old accompanied by a parent or caregiver. The program will provided by Parks and Recreation Staff December 9, 11:30 1:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 554 Main St. The cost is $9 which includes lunch and dessert for child and caregiver. Additional siblings are welcome, cost $3. Annual Tree Lighting & Carol Sing Share the spirit of Christmas with your family, friends and neighbors at the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Carol Sing on December 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Portland Middle School. Santa will be making a special guest appearance so don't miss it. Join the Parks and Recreation Commission in the cafeteria for cocoa and cookies. Toy or non perishable canned goods will be collected and distributed through the Portland VNA, Portland Social Services and Portland Youth Services. Christmas House Dressing Contest Deck the house with boughs of holly, a bit of tinsel or twinkling lights and enter the Holiday HouseDressing Contest. Participants must contact the Parks and Recreation Department and leave a name, address and phone number in advance. Entries can be taken beginning December 4 - December 15th. Judging will begin on December 17th. Winners will be announced on December 22nd. This year the complete list will be put into the Rivereast so everyone can take a look for themselves. Horse and Carriage Rides and Holiday Festival of Trees Enjoy the holidays and travel back in time with a ride through town on a horse and carriage ride. Then walk through the Senior Center to view the Holiday Festival of Trees that have been decorated and judged. Santa will be available for a special photo session. Parents are urged to bring their cameras. The date will be December I 1th at the Portland Senior Center. The schedule of events are as follows: Tree Decorating - 9 a.m. Noon, Tree Judging - Noon - 2 p.m., Tree Viewing - 2 - 6 p.m., Pictures with Santa - 3 - 5 p.m. and horse and carriage rides - 4 6 p.m. Admission to the horse and carriage rides is a toy or nonperishable food item. Deck the Halls Create a holiday centerpiece or garland with fresh greens and decorations. Each participant will create a custom centerpiece or roping to take home. Each person should bring their choice of ribbon, special ornaments, glass balls and wire cutters. The workshop will be held on December 11 from 9 a.m. - noon at Parks and Recreation Office. The cost is $15 (which includes fresh greens and centerpiece supplies.) Location: Parks and Recreation Office

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