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Primrose School Offers Balanced Education in Perrysburg

A new school with a new focus on learning, The Primrose School of Perrysburg, offers educational opportunities that differ from traditional schooling and daycare. “We have a balanced learning approach: a balance between purposeful play and nurture and guidance. There has been a ton of research and experience that has gone into developing this and we have shown with all our schools across the country that this is the best way to implement the early education,” says Sarah Churchill, the owner of this franchise location.
The school which has over 300 franchises in 23 states provides early education to over 60,000 children, from ages 6 weeks to 6 years old.

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Aaron & Sarah Churchill, new franchise owners of Primrose School of Perrysburg

“We are so excited to bring Primrose to the Toledo area. We think that it can really fit a need in the area for high quality education and still offer extended care hours. We were parents first at Primrose and we just absolutely fell in love with it,” Churchill added. She and her husband, who are originally from Toledo, had been living elsewhere and had the opportunity to experience a Primrose School. “We wanted to move back to the Toledo area and started looking where our girls were going to go to school and we didn’t find something that we were used to, and that’s when we began to explore. We think a lot of people will appreciate having the experience that we had.”

The Perrysburg location is set to open in August for the upcoming school year. For more information, check out primroseschools.com.

 

iDance for a Good Cause

Mark your calendars for the upcoming for iDance Adaptive Performing Arts Center. The event, which includes food, live music, a silent auction and a special performance from iDance, is Thursday, July 6 at the Lourdes College Franciscan Center. Proceeds from this event will allow iDance to provide additional dance and fitness programs to children and adults with disabilities, as well as to expand their facility and offer nutrition education and life skill programs. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 419-309-1610.

Heartbeat of Toledo offers new mobile women’s center

Heartbeat of Toledo is on the move. The pregnancy center now provides a mobile women’s center, the Stork Bus, that offers free tests, ultrasounds and options counseling. Heartbeat is a pregnancy help center whose mission is to be the best source of information and support to pregnant women and to help moms, dads and babies in need. Heartbeat also offers free prenatal and parenting classes where participants can earn free baby items by completing the courses. Heartbeat of Toledo, 4041 W. Sylvania Ave and 101 Main Street, Toledo.

First Steps to Breastfeeding Success

St.Luke’s Hospital in Maumee has been recognized by Ohio’s First Steps for Healthy Baby program as a facility with a “Maternity Care Best Practice Award” for 2016.

This recognition indicates the hospital’s commitment to support breastfeeding
for new moms. “It is our hope that Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies
will prompt our leaders and employees to have thoughtful conversations in the hospitals about the benefits of breastfeeding in order to educate patients and the community,” said Sharon Bryson, BSN, RNC, manager of the Family Birthing Center. “The support a new mother receives from hospital employees and leaders can impact her decision to breastfeed. Increasing the number of breastfed newborns can lead to a decrease in the likelihood for future health conditions for the child such as asthma, diabetes and obesity.”

Summer Reading Challenge at the Toledo Lucas County Public Library

Ready, set, read! The Toledo Lucas County Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge starts June 5 through August 5. Children of all ages can earn points for reading or listening to books, completing learning challenges, attending programs, finding secret codes and more. What better way to keep your kids reading when school’s out? Register online at src.toledolibrary.org.

Be sure to follow Toledo Area Parent on social media, too, for your chance to win free books. We’ll be giving away reading prize packs all summer!

St. Francis Musical Brings the Movie Big Fish Alive on Stage

In a world that is obsessed with GPA’s and touchdowns, it is hard for many students to find a creative outlet. For St. Francis de Sales High School, supporting the arts includes a focus on their spring musical productions.

Setting the stage

Recognized in the city for their large sets and even larger dance numbers, this year, they add a deeper emotional component. For his 19th production at St. Francis de Sales, Musical Director, Michael Kastner, chose Big Fish from a list of 38 possible shows to perform this year.

“There is something very special about this show. People will relate to it,” explains Michael Kastner. “It’s about life— about what each one of us goes through at the different times in our lives.”

Big Fish started enchanting audiences on the page, with the book the film and musical are based off, titled Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. The film premiered in the year 2003 to positive reviews, and starred Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham Carter. Ten years later, the musical premiered at the Neil Simon Theater in New York City.

Hook, line and sinker

Big Fish tells the story of Edward Bloom who is struggling to separate his father’s stories from fact and fiction. While on the brink of starting a family, Edward’s father becomes deathly ill. In an attempt to receive closure Edward decides it’s about time to learn the truth about his father’s life, which happens to be filled with witches, giants, and mermaids.

The SFS cast has been hard at work preparing for the show, even performing on 105.5FM and at the Franklin Park Mall. The students are hoping to top last spring’s production of The Little Mermaid. Similarities can be seen through the magical nature of both these stories, but they both have a drastically different story and tone. One describes love and self discovery, while the other tells of fixing relationships with loved ones.

“I usually play the larger-than-life characters. It is harder to act in a more serious role,” says Anna Birkemeier who plays Sandra Bloom, the love interest to Edward.

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From Left to Right: Matt Dills, Marion Hauser, Anna Birkemeier, Will Dupuis,

Echoing lessons of creativity

The story of Big Fish shows the importance creativity can have in our lives, and how these simple stories can form a deeper connection with family and friends. The cast hopes to touch the audience with their enthusiasm, and show that creativity is alive and thriving in our local students.

Kastner says, “People may not recognize the title, but I promise you people will not be disappointed.”

The show runs at 7: 30pm on May 5, 6, 12 and 13th | $15
The Franciscan theater at Lourdes University
832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania | 419-214-5474.

sfstoledo.org/musical