North State Parent Magazine

Northern California Neurodiversity & Disability Symposium at Chico State The highly anticipated?Northern California Neurodiversity & Disability Symposium?will return to Chico State on?Friday, February 7, 2025, providing a powerful platform to amplify Neurodivergent and Disabled voices. This impactful, single-day event, designed to educate and empower attendees, fosters inclusion and advances neuroinclusive practices across Northern California. The symposium will feature a diverse lineup of nationally recognized speakers, practical resources and valuable opportunities for connection. Jennifer White-Johnson,?Afro-Latina Disabled Artist, Activist, Designer and Educator, and?Eric Garcia,?Washington Bureau Chief at?The Independent?and Author of?We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation,?are among the speakers who will address critical issues in neurodiversity and disability issues. Educators, service providers, health professionals, students and community members are welcome to attend.?Register Now:?rce.csuchico.edu/nds. Stacey Leigh Mohr, managing editor of North State Parent magazine, will be attending, with a focus on how North State Parent can keep diversity and inclusion of all abilities front and center of all we do. She is looking forward to hearing diverse points of view at the symposium. If you see her there, please feel free to introduce yourself!

Arts Education is Not a frill: It’s essential So state arts education researchers and authors of renowned books on arts education, Kerry Freedman and Patricia Stuhr, in their white paper of the same title for the National Arts Education Association. For so many children, the arts are a vital component of their education. Whether singing, acting, dancing, drawing, sculpting,?playing a musical instrument?or creating in a variety of mediums,?art?helps children express themselves and gain valuable perspectives to better?interpret the world. “We are living in an increasingly visual world,” say Freeman and Stuhr in their book Handbook of Research and Policy in Arts Education. “Today’s grandparents were the first generation to grow up with televisions. Their children were the first generation to grow up using computers and the grandchildren of that first TV era generation are the first generation to grow up using the World Wide Web. . . [T]hese technologies . . . are as visual as they are textual; therefore, children now need to be able to read images as effectively as they read words. . . Meaningful inclusion of art in education [in school] can enrich and advance a child’s education in measurable ways.” Freeman and Stuhr say the images we see every day have become increasingly sophisticated. Current art education helps children to view and make art in both expressive and analytical ways. It emphasizes visual concepts and skills children need to develop their senses, emotions, social interaction, and cognitive processes. But more than that, arts in education can change a child’s educational trajectory. Children who receive the opportunity to participate in arts activities in school are five times less likely to drop out of school and twice as likely to go to college. Research shows that arts education in schools not only improves children’s academic performance, it also leads to a reduction in juvenile crime and thus a tremendous savings in social costs. North State Parent supports the arts in education for all children. We’ve just released our annual Arts and Teens issue packed with information on the benefits of arts for children of all ages. Our family calendar features arts activities for children and families, including art openings, dance and theater performances and other art related events in the California North State. Our Music Teachers Directory lists private music teachers in Northern California.?Our?Dance Directory showcases dance teachers and studios and musical theater training in the North State. Find all these resources and all our digital issues at northstateparent.com. If you want to see arts education for children grow and thrive, attend?live performances of your children and those of friends and family. Volunteer to help with art projects or theatrical, dance or musical performances in your local schools?or other public venues. Your support is essential for arts education to thrive!

Read Across Siskiyou I loved being a part of this wonderful program.?First 5 Siskiyou?Children and Families Commission, in partnership with Siskiyou County Library, dedicates one day each year to promote early literacy by providing the same titled book to be read by guest readers to children in various preschools, kindergartens, child care settings, libraries and online events throughout Siskiyou County on the same day and provides each child with a copy of that book to take home. I volunteered to read the chosen book this year, The Big Dance by Aiofe Greenham, to young children at a local school and it was as heartwarming and rewarding an experience as you can get! According to Karen Pautz, Executive Director of First 5 Siskiyou Children & Family Commission, RAS serves to bridge the connection between policy makers and children. “Lack of early literacy experiences leaves children behind,” she says, “which decreases opportunities for success in school and later in life. This impacts community vitality, business and individual success. Reading to children from prenatal onward is an important way to give children a head start in life because those rich language experiences and social connections that a child is exposed to lay the foundation for greater emotional and life achievement down the road.” If you want to make a profound difference in a child’s life, read her a book, and participate in?Read Across Siskiyou, or the?Read Across America. You can also consider sponsoring a child for the Siskiyou Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Just a $25.00 donation will secure 24 books for children in Siskiyou County. Giving Tuesday is tomorrow, December 3, 2024!

Field Trip Planning Resources for Teachers and Parents Teachers, parents, homes schoolers and caregivers, as the new year fast approaches and you start planning 2025 educational field trips and activities, be sure to check out North State Parent magazine’s Field Trip directory. Packed with information on fun, unique field trips and educational activities throughout the California North State, you’ll find a wealth of ideas, information and inspiration in this directory. North State Parent has been providing valuable information and resources to parents, educational professionals, and those who care for children in the North State for over 30 years. Through our free, monthly publication, available digitally every month, with print editions four times a year, we proudly serve the North State counties of Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama. Our robust website is resource hub for education, arts, music, health & nutrition, special needs and more, as well as an archive of our informative articles from current and previous publications. So when you’re looking for that unique educational field trip, some tips for caring for your special needs child, suggestions for local arts and music education options for your talented little one or teen, wondering how to get your kid to eat more vegetables, or are seeking local resources for kids and families, be sure to check https://lnkd.in/gmFp4Eh7 FIRST!

North State Parent Magazine is looking to hire an Outreach Director. Position is available July 1st. Come grow with our small but mighty family-focused company. Work from home 90% of the time with very occasional meetings and public outreach 10% of the time. Position is part time, 25 hours per week. Pay will be negotiated based on work experience. Could work evenings half of the time. Perfect for a stay-at-home parent. Required: Proven experience in email marketing, content creation and social media management. Proficiency with email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact. Strong knowledge of social media platforms, especially Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Excellent copy writing and content creation skills with a keen eye for detail. Family focused and community minded. Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines. Creative thinker with a passion for staying up-to-date with digital marketing trends. Knowledge of SEO best practices and tools. Must be excellent at data entry and be energetic and have great computer tracking skills. Email resume' to [email protected] with letter of interest. No phone calls please.