Back At The Ranch - September 2012

Volume 7. number 9

september 2012www.backattheranch-onl ine.com

The 2nd Annual Hope for Gavin

Golf Tournament takes place

September 15 at the mt. Woodson

Golf Club in ramona. All proceeds

from the golf tournament will go

to the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation

which directly funds the gene

therapy trail initiative and any

necessary medical equipment and

therapies that are not covered by

the insurance for Gavin marquez,

a local resident of 4S ranch.

Golf for Gavin

The 4S ranch HoA presents the Annual

Concert in the Park on September 8

from 6-9pm at linear Park. Join us for

an evening of fun and food. Theme

this year is 70’s. Atomic Groove will be

playing from 7-9pm. Flippin’ Pizza and

Sweet Things will be joining us with

food for purchase.

The popular Summer movies in the Park

series ends this month on Saturday,

September 8 with a showing of

Dr. Seuss’ The lorax. The eve-

ning’s festivities take place at 4S

ranch Sports Park. The movie is

free, but attendees are encouraged

to bring their own blankets and chairs and to

arrive early to secure the best seats.

Annual Concert in the Park Movies in the Park – Dr Seuss’ The Lorax

4S Ranch Avengers Team Wins Kick for the Cure CupThe Kick for a Cure Soccer Tournament and Festival

held July 7 and 8 is not your typical soccer tournament.

In addition to featuring entertaining and high-level

competitive soccer, the annual summer youth sports

event tries to make a difference in the lives of kids with

Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DmD). The local 4S

ranch Avengers squad was honored to take part and

thrilled to capture the first-place trophy in the u14 age

group beating CV Pumas 3-1 in the championship.

Page 5

back at the ranch: page 3www.backattheranch-onl ine.com

Volume 7. number 9

september 2012

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited. Back at the Ranch (BATR) is a month-ly publication highlighting house, home and community building. BATR accepts freelance contributions, though there is no guarantee that unsolicited material will be returned. BATR is not responsible for the views of contributing writers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or advertisers. We reserve the right to restrict all advertisements to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy.

Our mission for Back At The Ranch is to connect 4S residents to each other and to key resources with the goal of building com-munity in 4S Ranch and the greater Rancho Bernardo area.

Back at The Ranch is a great example of what can happen when neighbors build strong relationships and get busy putting their ideas and skills together for the good of the community.

We hope you find this community publica-tion reflective of our excitement to be in 4S Ranch and our desire to build something that brings us all closer together. We invite you to join in the fun and get involved.

O f f i c e

Fountain Media Group, Inc. 1501 San Elijo Rd. S, Ste. 104-202

San Elijo Hills, CA 92078 (800) 497-1309

www.fountain-inc.com

P u b l i s h e r

Tim Minjares Publisher

(800) 497-1309 x707 [email protected]

e d i tO r i a l

Mike Minjares Managing Editor


s a le s

Melissa Granados Sales Director


P r O d u c t i O n

AJ Moreno Designer

[email protected]

With school back in session as both my kids and my wife return to their individual school grounds this month, I find myself letting out a quick sigh of relief. You see, working from home is much easier when no one else is here.

Now don’t get me wrong, I greatly enjoy spend-ing time with Marietta, my daughter Mariana and son Andrew. I took on this role with Fountain Media Group over four years ago in large part because I wanted to be more available to my family on a regular basis. I have coached my kids’ youth sports teams, attended morning, mid-day and after-school activities and responded to nearly every call for assistance. However, my family’s presence around the house presents some interesting challenges when my “office” sits in a corner of our dining room.

At 13, my daughter elect-ed not to attend any type of summer camp and therefore has spent much of her downtime lounging around the living room or her bedroom texting with friends, watching tele-vision or updating Instagram photos. To her credit, she also competed much of the summer on an all-star softball team and even earned a trip to Oregon for the Western National Championships in early August. When you play and practice as hard as these girls, enjoying down time in the day is more necessity than luxury.

As a principal, my wife’s only true time off comes in the middle of summer. So, despite Mariana’s packed softball schedule and an unexpected foray into youth basketball for Andrew, we managed to squeeze in a fam-ily vacation to Hawaii. We had a great time making the most of Disney’s Aulani Resort on Oahu. We visited the USS Arizona Memorial, the Dole Plantation and the

Polynesian Cultural Center. We snorkeled, went tub-ing, attended a couple of wonderful outdoor shows and genuinely enjoyed just being away from home.

After five days in Hawaii’s tropical paradise, we set off for the best part of our trip – coming home to this great area. So often we go through our daily existence taking for granted all the amazing people, activities and amenities we have right here in our backyard. As we often like to do in this neighborhood publication, we turn the spotlight on some of the best

aspects of our local community. Both our Meet Your Neighbor and Business Highlight stories feature people making signifi-cant contributions to our com-munity. We are also proud to share with our readers the cre-ativity of a young student from a nearby school. Check out our School News section and we think you will be impressed with what 11th-grade Del

Norte High student Gretchen Trupp has contributed. Of course, we have more stories of local residents’ accomplishments and upcoming neighborhood events in our Community News section.

As I mentioned last issue, we are asking for the community’s help in discovering the favorite places to enjoy a beer, a glass of wine, a bite to eat. If you have a favorite spot you are willing to share – or even if you happen to own a spot you’d like to promote – I hope you’ll drop me a line at [email protected]. We would love to receive your input. As we all know, 4S Ranch is a great place to be in large part because of the active participation of its residents. We hope you’ll continue to extend that same energy with your local community publication as well.

Coming HomemIKe mInJAreSeditor’s corner

FountainMediaGroup inc.

publications that build community

community news & lifestyle for 4S Ranch

community news

on Your DoorSTeP neWS & eVenTS HAPPenInG In & ArounD 4S rAnCH 6

meet your neighborlAurA ZuCKermAn - “mrS. Z” 9

school news

Del norTe HIGH SCHool 10

Del Sur elemenTArY SCHool 11

business highlightKumon - rITIKA SAbHnAnI 18

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4S rAnCH

on your doorstep

Annual Concert in the Park – September 8

The 4S Ranch HOA presents the Annual Concert in the Park on September 8 from 6-9pm at Linear Park. Join us for an eve-ning of fun and food. Theme this year is 70’s. Atomic Groove will be playing from 7-9pm. Flippin’ Pizza and Sweet Things will be joining us with food for purchase. As an added benefit, Sweet Things will have a tie-dye shirt craft ($8) and face painting ($2-$4) available for purchase! Order your whole pizza early or purchase slices at the event. The delicious Italian food will be avail-able for $3 per slice or two slices for $5. Whole pizza pies will run $18 for cheese and $19 for pepperoni. Flippin’ Pizza can be preordered by calling (858) 674-9977. Don’t forget to dress up 70’s for our Best dressed contest! Full details can be found on www.4SConnect.com.

Movies in the Park – Dr Seuss’ The Lorax – September 8

The popular Summer Movies in the Park series ends this month on Saturday, September 8 with a showing of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. The evening’s festivities take place at 4S Ranch Sports Park, 16118 4S Ranch Parkway, with the movie beginning after dusk. The movie is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs and to arrive early to secure the best seats. Back At The Ranch would like to thank fellow community partners Brian Dave DDS, San Diego County Parks Society, Shay & Associates and Funflicks Outdoor Movies for their help in bringing this wonderful entertainment to the local area for us all to enjoy. For more information, visit www.4sconnect.com.

FUN IN 4S RANCH

4S Ranch Avengers Team Wins Kick for the Cure Cup

The Kick for a Cure Soccer Tournament and Festival held July 7 and 8 is not your typical soccer tournament. In addition to featuring entertaining and high-level competitive soccer, the annual summer youth sports event tries to make a difference in the lives of kids with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The local 4S Ranch Avengers squad was honored to take part and thrilled to capture the first-place trophy in the U14 age group beating CV Pumas 3-1 in the championship.

Led by Team Manager James Padilla, the 4S Ranch Avengers team consists mainly of kids from the 4S Ranch area. Several players from Escondido also contribute to the team, provided an opportunity to play on a competitive soccer team with the assistance of Padilla and Poway Honda. Padilla wants all his players to be successful both on and off the field.

“My goal is to take these kids through their high school years and get them scholarships to college,” he said. “I have personally lined up high school and college consultants to guide them, personal trainers to help with their training, motivational speakers to help them with social and street pressures, and additional tools to help them become successful adults. I even have a former professional soccer player out of France who is the coach.”

Padilla’s hopes for the members of his squad fit in well with the goal of Kick for the Cure. The tournament not only raises money for Duchenne San Diego, but it also works to make sure that the kids dealing with this health concern have their everyday needs met and their families receive encouragement to continue to stay strong.

Congratulations to the 4S Ranch Avengers!

Golf for Gavin – September 15

The 2nd Annual Hope for Gavin Golf Tournament takes place September 15 at the Mt. Woodson Golf Club in Ramona. All proceeds from the golf tournament will go to the Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation which directly funds the gene therapy trail initiative and

any necessary medical equipment and therapies that are not covered by the insurance for Gavin Marquez, a local resident of 4S Ranch. To participate, contact tourna-ment organizer Scott Hemsley at (858) 692-5126 or via email at [email protected].

PTA Reflections Program Accepting Entries

Get out your pencils, paintbrushes and cameras and start those creative thoughts flowing. It’s time to begin creating your entries for this year’s PTA Reflections Program. The theme for 2012-2013 is “The Magic of the Moment”. You can enter as many pieces in any of the six categories as you would like: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Visual arts, Photography, Literature, and Musical Composition. Official Forms and Guidelines can be found online at www.palomarcouncil.com/reflec-tions.html.

Contact Shannon Shimansky, Chairperson at Monterery Ridge Elementary for the 2012-13 school year for the Reflections PTA arts program, at [email protected] with any questions.

page 6 : back at the ranch www.backattheranch-onl ine.com

eyelux Optometry exhibits lightsculpture art

EyeLux Optometry in 4S Ranch Village Center is pleased to announce an extensive display of fine art LightSculptures in its eyewear showroom. LightSculptures are beautiful three-dimensional lanterns inspired by natural forms, such as seashells or the petals of flowers. They are constructed by hand with layered tissue paper, thin strips of luan and reed wood, and polyvinyl resin.

Oceanside-based William Leslie and his wife, Alessandra Colfi, are the artists behind the unique sculptures. They have won numerous international accolades for their art. This past year, their exhibit, “Within Europa’s Sea”, was viewed by an estimated 500,000 passing through San Diego Airport, Terminal 2. This past summer their art was the featured exhibit at the Oceanside Museum of Art. Their LightSculptures also grace selected local businesses including Stingaree in down-town San Diego and Solace & The Moonlight Lounge in Encinitas.

“We are honored to exhibit the exquisite artistry of William Leslie and Alessandra Colfi,” said optometrist and co-owner of EyeLux Optometry, Dr. Brian Chou. “LightSculptures are an amazing backdrop to our extensive collection of eyewear. They underscore EyeLux Optometry’s dedication to enhancing vision and enriching lives. When our patients receive their new eyewear, they clearly see the beautiful flowing, vivid patterns of LightSculptures.”

“The LightSculpture display at EyeLux Optometry brings a new audience to the intersection of visual art and visual science. It is an innova-tive yet logical setting for our art,” said William Leslie.

The LightSculpture art exhibit at EyeLux Optometry runs through the end of October 2012. Art lovers are welcome to see the LightSculptures

4S rAnCH

on your doorstep

San Diego Restaurant Week

SePTember 16-21

From September 16 to 21, experience cuisine that tickles your tastebuds and isn’t heavy on your wallet. Restaurant week features discounted prix fixe menus from 180 different restaurants all around San Diego County. Lunches range from $10-20 and dinners from $20-40. Now might be the great time to try a nearby restaurant or find a new favorite a short drive way. To find a participating restaurant, check out www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com

free of charge at EyeLux Optometry. In addi-tion, a “meet-the artists” reception and fundraiser is planned at EyeLux Optometry the evening of October 25. A limited

number of tickets will be available starting at $50. The event will include live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres, and an auction with proceeds benefiting The Vision of Children Foundation (www.visionofchildren.org), a locally-based non-profit dedicated to eradicating childhood genetic eye diseases.

For more information on these fantastic works of art, visit www.paper-sunlightsculpture.com. For more information about EyeLux Optometry or the exhibit, call (858) 487-7900 or go online to www.EyeLuxOptometry.com.

New class times for working parents.

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We open our hearts and studio doors to you,

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4S rAnCH

library events

ADULT PROGRAMS

baby & Me Yoga with Miss courtney - 4th Wednesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. Yoga class for moms with pre-walking babies. Please bring a mat, a baby toy and a towel. Sign-ups required.

basic computer training in farsi - Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. Open for Farsi speakers interested in learning basic computer skills

citizenship class - Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Open for all interested in taking citizenship tests

college Preparation & funding - Tuesday, Sep. 5 at 6:15 p.m. Seminar on preparing for college and applying for scholarships and financial aid

college saving and retirement Planning - Saturday, Sep. 15 at 1 p.m. Seminar on saving for college and planning for retirement from an early age

family Yoga - Saturdays at 10 a.m. Yoga for the whole family

fundamentals of Money Management for Women with roohi - Saturday, Sep. 8 at 11 a.m.

Gentle Yoga with Patty - Wednesday, Sep. 5 & Sep. 12 at 9:30 a.m. Gentle yoga for seniors.

Knitting circle - Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Join your fellow knitters by the fireplace every Wednesday evening and knit for fun.

naam Yoga with Kristin - Mondays at 4 p.m. A scientific approach to Yoga that uses breath work (Pranayama), man-tras (Sound), mudras (hand postures), laugher, and movement that will help balance your mind, body and spirit

Yoga Meditation for every day stress reduction with Dr. Afshin Nahouvandi - 1st and 2nd Tuesdays of the month at 6:45 p.m. For 15 years old and above

friends of the library Meeting - 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Become a member of Friends of the 4S Ranch Library and support your local library.

fine free friday @ all sdcl branches - Return your County owned books, CDs, DVDs, or other overdue mate-rials on the last Friday of each month and we’ll get rid of the fines for those items!

4S rAnCH lIbrArY (858) 673-4697www.4sranchlibrary.blogspot.com | www.4sranchlibraryteens.blogspot.com

CHILDREN PROGRAMS

spanish bilingual story time - 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 10 a.m. Spanish bilingual story and craft for children.

baby story time - Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Pre-walking babies only. Enjoy this one-on-one lapsit activity which introduces babies to stories and songs.

Preschool story time & craft with Mrs. Z - Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. For children 3 to 5.Mrs. Z’s story time engages children and focuses on the skills and con-cepts children need to be ready for Kindergarten! Parents and caregivers get to see proven, modeled tech-niques to help their children succeed!

Play to learntime with teacher lee - Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Music, Stories, Art and Fun! For children 5 years old and under. www.teacherlee.com

crafts for a cause - Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. Arts and crafts for K-3rd grade students.

Kids fitness with Miss andrea - 3rd Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30

a.m. Miss Andrea is back and ready to excise with kids from 18 months to 5 years old.

Kid’s Yoga with alex - Wednesday, Sep. 5 at 11:30 a.m. For 3 and 4 year olds.

Pajama story time - Tuesday, Sep. 25 at 6 p.m. Family pajama story time and crafts. Sep. 25 story time features Dr. Femme Ambrosio

elementary Group tutoring with set tutoring of san diego - Saturday, Sep. 8 at 1 p.m. Free tutoring for K-6 students with Set Tutoring

TEENS AND TWEENS PROGRAMS

science lab @ the library - Wednesday, Sep. 12 at 5:30 p.m. For high school students.

tween book club - Tuesday, Sep. 25 at 4 p.m. For tween book enthu-siasts. Call for monthly selection.

customer appreciation day - Thursday, Sep. 27 at 2:00 p.m. Meet the Director Jose Aponte of San Diego County Library and enjoy many festivities.

A D V E R T O R I A L

Tutoring Club’s Unique Methods Foster Learning Successby. Steve and Anh Eggers, Tutoring Club San Marcos

Seven years after opening in San Diego and San Marcos, Tutoring Club has helped over 2000 students. With

unique methods and a guarantee to raise students’ academic levels in less time and at lower cost than any other pro-gram, Tutoring Club teaches children to become successful learners.

“I love going to Tutoring Club! The tutors have been so great at explaining things in an easy to understand, step by step way that has been terrif ic.” - San Marcos High School Junior

“Thank you for all your care and help for my son. He reads fluently and has “grad-uated” to the highest reading group at school. Your tutors have been excellent teach-ers and mentors....they are extremely talented.” - Parent of San Elijo Elementary School 1st Grader

“I just received my score from the April SAT and I went up 300 points! Thank you so much for all your help!” - Westview High School Junior

All Students Benefit For years, tutoring was seen as something for chil-

dren who struggle academically. Now, that perception is changing and enrollments in tutoring programs have sky-rocketed. “Many of the students at our centers are already at or above grade level. We are helping them hone their learning skills in the same way that a child would go to a basketball or soccer camp to improve his or her playing ability,” says Anh Eggers, Co-Director of Tutoring Clubs of San Marcos and PQ/Torrey Highlands. Tutoring Club’s mission is to reduce stress and build confidence by starting students at a level they can handle and then progressing through grade levels as rapidly as they can. TC programs help children from elementary grades through high school learn better study skills and gain self-esteem.

Leader in Curriculum Using the exclusive advanced TutorAid Curriculum,

Tutoring Club maintains a low student-to-tutor ratio and provides qualified instructors committed to each child’s success. The Club pinpoints problems and corrects them, motivates each student to keep progressing, and confers with parents and classroom teachers to keep them aware of the student’s progress. Among Tutoring Club’s offerings:

RX Reading gives your child practice in all basic language skills, including phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension and flu-ency.Amazing Math allows students to build the foundations they need for better comprehen-sion and advancement. Write Way teaches writing from outlining to essay writing. This includes sentence struc-ture, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Tutor Up / Classroom Support provides individual instruction for math and science at all levels, including Honors and AP, foreign languages and virtually any other school subject. Study Skills covers Time Management, Test and Study Strategies, Locating, Interpreting and Organizing Information. Critical Thinking and Reading Skills are instilled in the process.

SAT PreparationEvery year more than a million high school students

go through the hallowed ordeal known as the SAT. As important as cumulative GPA, SAT scores determine whether or not students gain entrance to their college of choice.

However, the time-honored SAT changed in 2005 – The changes to the SAT have created an opportunity for Tutoring Club. Founded 26 years ago, and with centers in more than 100 cities throughout the U.S., Tutoring Club’s methodology lends itself perfectly to SAT preparedness.

When students enroll at Tutoring Club, they are given a diagnostic exam to determine any areas of weakness in particular skill areas. As for SAT preparedness, these skill areas are matched to the test sections. The resulting cur-riculum is then tailored to these problem areas, enabling the problem areas to become strengths. The result: significantly higher scores.

“More than ever, the SAT is going to more closely reflect a student’s fundamental mastery of basic academic skills,” Eggers notes. “My message to parents is to supple-ment classroom learning with structured tutoring early on. It’s the best way to prepare their children for the SAT, and more importantly to create more successful learners.”

Individualized Instruction Historically, tutoring meant one-on-one teach-

ing. More recently, companies have created software to tutor with computers. For Tutoring Club, blending these approaches make the most sense.

Explains Eggers, “We see computers as useful tools for diagnosis and for compiling lesson plans based on that diag-nosis. At that point, we turn the individualized instruction over to a staff comprised of certified teachers. The focus is not on the tutor so much as the consistency and relevance of the individualized lesson plans applied to each child.”

Call today to find out how we can help your child achieve the best academic year ever!


4S rAnCH

on your doorstepThe 3rd Annual Art Studio Tour Presented by Rancho Bernardo Art Association

Saturday, September 29, Rancho Bernardo Art Association will he host-ing the third annual Art Studio Tour. The public is very welcome to attend this event and enjoy a self-guided tour of seven beautiful homes of members of the RB Art Association. Once a year a select group of members open their gardens and homes in Poway and Rancho Bernardo to the public to exhibit their artwork and display artwork by talented artists in the places that they create their art, in their studios. The artists open their doors at 10am and remain open until 4pm. This year in the 7 homes 25 artists will participate and display their artwork. Refreshments will be available at each home.

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 per person by sending a check to:

RBAA, PO Box 27202, San Diego CA 92128-2702. Tickets will be held at the RB Swim and Tennis Club. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the event at the RB Swim & Tennis Club located at 16955 Bernardo Oaks Drive starting at 9:30am.

The Rancho Bernardo Art Association provides programs, workshops, exhibits and social activities related to art for its membership. Founded in 1971, the Association cooperates with the community and surrounding areas in matters pertaining to art. Membership is open to individuals interested in art and meeting others who share the same interests. For more informa-tion visit www.ranchobernardoart.com or call Phyllis Hensperger at (858) 675-2262.

Walk a mile In Her Shoes event To benefit becky’s House

To bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence and its negative impact on our community, brave men (and women) will walk in high-heeled shoes at the 5th annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” fundraising event, orga-nized by the YWCA of San Diego County. The one-mile walk will be held on Thursday, October 4, at 6pm, with check-in starting at 5pm in downtown San Diego. A Post Event Party will follow at 7pm at Dick’s Last Resort, featuring food, drinks, music, awards, prizes and more. Registration is now live at www.ywcasandiego.org.

This symbolic Walk a Mile fundraiser is a family-friendly event and participants are encouraged to lead the way in stopping domestic violence, and to consider the ways in which they can make a positive difference. The net proceeds will support the YWCA’s Becky’s House® Domestic Violence Program.

Many of the participants walk in high heel shoes through downtown San Diego, but these are not required. The one-mile walk begins and ends at the Martin Luther King Promenade Park at 4th Avenue and K Streets. Registration is currently underway for individuals, as well as teams from companies and community groups large and small. Children and school groups are welcome.

Participants can sign up online at www.ywcasandiego.org and are encour-aged to form fundraising teams and gather pledges from family and friends. Registration is $35 per person through August 31 and $45 per person there-after. For more information about the event, visit www.ywcasandiego.org

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Resort Club Back at the Ranch ad 09-12 to print.pdf 1 8/10/12 10:34 AM

RANCHOBERNARDOINN.COM/EPILOGUE 858 | 675 | 8550

JOB #: JCR 3458 INSERTION ORDER #: AD TITLE: Beer vs. Wine INSERTION DATE: Sept.PUBLICATION: Back at the Ranch COLOR INFO: 4C TRIM: 5” x 8”

FILE LAST MODIFIED: 9 AUGUST 2012 5:15 PM

Join us for the last of the Taste Exploration Dining Events

BEER vs WINE Friday, October 5

Five courses, each paired with beer and wine $125

STONE BREWING R&R WINEVS.HEAD - TO - HEAD


4S rAnCH

meet your neighbor

Watch Laura Zuckerman work her magic during Preschool Story Time and Craft With “Mrs. Z” and it is hard to tell who is enjoying the experience more – the kids sitting cross-legged on the carpet eyes fixed on their favorite instructor or the adults along the side of the room thankful to see their kids so engaged in a fun activity. Every Friday at 10:30 and 11:30am at the 4S Ranch Library, “Mrs. Z” leads young kids through a series of engaging, entertaining and educational activi-ties that have them learning skills needed to prepare them for kindergarten while also making friends and laughing. For the former elementary school teacher, this is a big part of what makes her job at the neighborhood library so enjoyable and reward-ing.

“My favorite grade to teach was second grade,” Zuckerman shared recently. “I love curriculum development for younger kids. The zero-to-five-age range – early literacy really – is my passion. I know how important these first few years of life are. I like being able to focus much of my work on the little ones.”

Zuckerman spent six years in a classroom as an elementary school teacher before following in her father’s footsteps as a librarian. She has now been working among the bookstacks and in several San Diego County libraries for 12 years. As the coordinator of the 4S Ranch Library’s Youth Services, Zuckerman is proud of the diverse and wide-ranging schedule available for area youth at the local library. She works hard to bring in new

programs – such as yoga and music classes – but she remains partial to preschool story time.

“I’m most proud of story time because I see the children grow through the program,” the Youth Services Librarian and mother of a 19-year-old daughter said. “I see the curriculum come alive with the children through the activities we do. It’s also very rewarding when parents come up and tell me how much their kids have been looking forward to story time. This matters to kids in their lives.”

Although “Mrs. Z” and Preschool Story Time have taken a brief break this summer, the popular story times will begin again in September. As always, the activity will begin with a good morning song that follows a pattern that the kids can identify quickly and use throughout the day. “Mrs. Z” then guides the children into kindergarten readiness skill building with a preschool concept song and chart followed by the first read-aloud book. “Mrs. Z” uses a lot of sing-songy language to keep the kids’ atten-tion and constantly works to bring them into the story. Near the end of the session, children have the opportunity to complete a craft activity.

“Our Preschool Story Time curriculum is driven by the California Department of Education, California Preschool Learning Foundations and Curriculum Frameworks, which all of our district schools follow,” said Zuckerman, who writes her own programs for each weekly session. “Parents are concerned with getting their child ready for kindergarten. We make sure we include time for ABCs, 123s, knowing the letters of the alphabet, the sounds the letters make and units of money. But we also have lots of activities designed to develop social skills – like how to wait in line and share.

“Our goal with story time is that we want to be able to support parents and caregivers with the early literacy development of their children birth to five years.”

To view a list of the great activities taking place at the 4S Ranch Library including Preschool Story Time and Craft with “Mrs. Z”, go online to www.4sranchlibrary.blogspot.com or call (858) 673-4697.

laura Zuckerman – 4s ranch library’s “Mrs. Z”

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Tel: 858.487.7900

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school news

bY GreTCHen TruPP, 11TH GrADe Del norTe HIGH SCHool

I chose this piece because learning Japanese has really been a life-changing event and has opened many doors for me. I also got to improve my nonfiction writing by using an Autobiographical Narrative style.

The air was hot and humid, and I felt overdressed in little Capri pants and tennis shoes. This was Hawai’i, after all. We had just moved here about a couple of weeks into my first grade school year, and I was standing at the foot of the steps that led to my new school, Ahuimanu Elementary. My mom led me up the stairs and walked me down the hallway to my new teacher, Mrs. Okamura – a tan young lady with long dark hair in a loose ponytail.

“Now remember Gretchen, go straight to Japanese class after the bell rings,” said my mom kindly. Worryingly, I nodded. Japanese class? I only spoke English! How could I possibly be good at Japanese class? I was ner-vous – no, terrified. I shook a little in my shoes.

Mrs. Okamura added, “One of the other kids will show her the way.”The rest of the day was a blur of making new friends, eating a new

lunch, and learning new curriculum. But now it was time for the class I was most worried about: Japanese. What if I get there and can’t learn the language? What if I’m terrible at it and everyone laughs at me? My tiny heart pounded as another girl showed me the way. We got inside the room. It smelled faintly of old paper and chalk. On the board were a bunch of symbols in vertical columns reading from right to left that I didn’t recognize

. In time, I would know them as part of the Hiragana alphabet. I sat down quietly in my chair. One of the girls that had shown me the way, Taylor Ishida, cocked her head and looked at me seri-ously, like she was studying me. I gulped and looked around the classroom in a terrified wonder. I was the only blonde girl in the class, and all around

me I could see symbols and words I didn’t recognize, and I could hear kids speaking in airy tones with a lot of vowels and strange “ts” and “rl” sounds. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends, or worse, fail Japanese.

Taylor opened her mouth and said (with the bluntness only a child can convey) “I can see your veins on your face.” I promptly burst into tears. My veins?! Sure enough, you could see mine, but not hers. Was there something wrong with me? I was already off to such a bad start…What if I couldn’t learn Japanese because of it? The teacher, or Sensei, came rushing over.

In accented English she asked, “What is wrong?”I could barely choke out the words over my tears: “S-sh-she sa-aid she

c-can see m-my veins!” Taylor looked shocked, as if she didn’t know that her simple fact could cause so much hurt. I sat there, tears streaming out of my eyes, wishing this whole class could just be over.

“…Is there something wrong with my veins?” I asked through my tears.

“No, no, no, of course not!” Sensei said. I sighed with tearful relief. I noticed that she talked out of the side of her mouth, a result of her battle with polio as a child.

I don’t remember too much of what else happened that day, but ever since then I have loved learning Japanese. I went every day after school and perfected my accent. “I close my eyes, and I hear a native, but when I open them, she is so white!” Sensei would say. I loved both the culture and language of Japan, and because of those classes, my goal is to become a professional translator. Learning Japanese has also helped me learn about the world and the different people that live in it and has shaped me into the young lady that I am today.

del norte high school

Translation Trepidation

Earlier this sum-mer, students from around the area had the opportunity to participate in an intensive writing camp. Led by Jeannine Ugalde, a teacher at Oak Valley Middle School, and Carrie Targhetta, a teacher from Oceanside, the Poway District’s High School Writers Camp had 17 students enrolled. According to Ugalde, the purpose of the camp is to place students in a non-threatening, non-graded environment where students can view themselves as writers gaining support and opportu-nities to improve their creative and academic writing skills. The camp is sponsored by The San Marcos Writing Project, part of the National

Writing Project which is a professional development network of teachers whose goal is to improve student-writing achievement by improving the teaching and learning of writing in the nation’s schools.

Back At The Ranch extended an invitation to Ugalde to select a local stu-dent’s work to be featured in our community publication. She chose a piece written by Del Norte High student Gretchen Trupp.

Here’s Gretchen’s explanation as to the prompt:“Ms. Targhetta told us to write a short narrative about a pivotal moment

in our lives that others can relate to. I chose this memory because I feel that a lot of people have had the terrifying experience of trying something utterly new, and because that moment in my childhood has really impacted me with languages and cultures I wouldn’t necessarily have been exposed to at such a young age. It has helped me grow as a person and has set me on a path to my desired career of a translator.”

Thank you Gretchen for your willingness to share your memorable experience with us. Keep up the good work and we hope to see future articles from you, and other local talented writers, in Back At The Ranch.

Writer’s camp


4S rAnCH

school newsdel sur educational foundation to host “fore the Kids Golf scramble” sept. 21

The Del Sur Educational Foundation – a non-profit organization dedi-cated to raising additional funds for Del Sur Elementary School – will host its third annual “Fore The Kids Golf Scramble” September 21 from 1-5:30pm, followed by a dinner banquet. The event will take place at Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort & Spa located at 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive in San Diego. Non-golfers can also sup-port the Foundation by purchasing designated spa packages offered by the Inn.

The Scramble, which will shotgun-start at 1 pm, is limited to 144 par-ticipants. The format is a four-person scramble, and the cost is $130 per golfer, which includes range balls, a lunch buffet catered by L&L Hawaiian BBQ, on-course cock-tails and dinner following the event. During the dinner, guests will enjoy an award presentation and silent auction. Non-golfers can purchase dinner tickets for $35.

New this year, non-golfers can also participate by purchasing designated spa packages. The Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort & Spa is offering special packages from its award-winning spa, with a portion of the proceeds

benefiting the school. For a list of available packages, visit http://delsurfoun-dation.org/fore-the-kids/ or call (858) 675-8471.

“This event will fund software, as well as art, music, science and impact teachers at Del Sur Elementary School. Additional teachers improve our teacher-student ratio, and provide our students with an even more enrich-ing learning environment,” said Shelley Federhart, president of the Del Sur Elementary School Foundation. “The event also lets parents and supporters enjoy a great resort in our own backyard…a win-win.”

During the Scramble and banquet dinner, babysitting services will be offered to Del Sur Elementary School parents, beginning immediately after school. Childcare will include snacks and food, and will be available until 9pm.

Participants and sponsors are currently needed. For more information about “Fore The Kids Golf Scramble,” visit http://delsurfoundation.org/fore-the-kids/.

About the Del Sur Educational Foundation

In order to contribute additional funding to key school programs, parents and community volunteers launched the Del Sur Educational Foundation in 2009. In addition to its annual golf scramble, the Foundation will launch its “Make an Impact” campaign later this year. For more information about the Foundation and its upcoming events, please visit www.delsurfoundation.org or https://www.facebook.com/delsurfoundation.


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Small-Business Survival Tips During a Tough EconomyOwning your own business can be both rewarding and challenging. Some

days it’s survival of the fittest in this ‘beastly jungle’ of an economy. Whether you own a small business for the purpose of earning a living, or as a means of supplemental income, it’s important to stay current on the tips and trends that will allow you to continue to stay afloat, enabling you to produce the goods and services that are essential to your customers, especially in tough times. The good news is that people, even in a downed economy, are still buying goods and services – maybe not at levels of indulgence from the past, but they are still spending. Nowadays, the best resource material for maintaining a small business may very well be a survival guide. Although we don’t have a magical formula to ensure business success, Back At The Ranch has collected a variety of tips, to aid small business owners in triumphing over tough times, in order to walk with you on your journey through that jungle out there.

• Survival, regardless of economic climate, means surrounding yourself with people you can trust. Often these people are your best resource for a completed project, precise and honest bookkeeping (you can’t trim your budget unless you know exactly where your dollars are being spent), or key business partnership.

• Cut back with precision. If you cut too deeply, by completely eliminating advertising, you’re eliminating prospects and decreasing revenue. Instead, think about eliminating extras like coffee, t-shirts and pens, which are comfy for your customer’s but costly to you. Consider changing busi-ness lunches to potluck staff meetings, where everyone contributes to a themed planning session.

• Get cheap help. Think about hiring an intern or two. They’re eager to learn and can gain experience by working with your business at a reduced hourly rate. This allows you to concentrate more on the fundamentals of your business.

• Make a deal. Talk to other small businesses and decide to work together on promotional deals or events within your combined businesses.

• Barter. Real Estate companies might collaborate well with a home clean-ing or carpet repair service, while a tax preparer might trade services for office or ink cartridge supplies.

• Join a business networking group. This is a great way to learn from other smart business people. Dues and fees for joining are tax deductible for your business and the opportunity should provide promotion leads as well as referrals.

Looking to Start A New Business During Tough Times? Consider the Following

12 Small-Home Business Ideas that can Thrive During Tough Times:

1. Food Service – Customize your product to chalk up record sales. Small indulgences such as specially-made cookies or chocolates can be enjoyed at a customer’s home.

2. Financial Advisor – Retirees and small-business owners alike could ben-efit from management advice when it comes to their shrinking retirement or investment funds.

3. Home Staging – Sellers need help gaining appeal to increase the value of their homes now, more than ever.

4. Auto Repair/Maintenance – People skip luxuries, like purchasing new cars in a tough economy. Consider the purchase of a franchise or troubled shop, with potential, at a bargain price.

5. “Green” Home Business – Everyone is turning green. Offer environmen-tally friendly products to businesses and individuals.

6. Virtual Assistant – Part-time administrative support via email, can save money for many employers, while helping a recent college graduate gain experience, and compensation, while searching for employment.

7. Eldercare – Errands and caretaking with an adult care-related business are in demand, despite economic forecasts.

8. Online video production – Commission-based opportunities are available in the area of creators and producers.

9. Cosmetic & Small Indulgence Sales – Lipstick helps put a ‘best face for-ward’ for a small amount of cash.

10. Buy into a home-based franchise – Childcare and education services are always in demand.

11. Direct Sales – Everything from vitamins to jewelry sales could be an alternative income for someone who has just been laid off from their job.

12. Home-based Tutoring Business – Even in a recession, education and learning are high on a parent’s priority list. In addition, adults looking for work may need assistance brushing up on skills in a tightened job market.

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Skoglin Real Estate Welcomes Rebecca Nowak!

Rebecca is a dedicated real-estate professional whose true focus is client satisfaction. She has a sharp eye for real estate and a notable talent for assisting buyers in finding the perfect home. Her knowledge, ambition and attention to detail set her aside from other professionals in the industry and she uses those tools to give her clients the best possible service. Rebecca grew up in Northern California and moved to San Diego to attend SDSU, where she received a degree in economics. She started working in the investment side of financial services in college and following graduation joined

the sales and finance industry in which she worked for 12 years. When Rebecca started her real-estate career by joining Skoglin Real Estate, it was important to her to have the recognition of belonging to a highly reputable company, a company with a vast and successful sales record, broker support and opportunities for growth. Rebecca is an avid supporter and is on the executive committee for the San Diego's Young Professionals Group of Voices of Children. Rebecca’s years of sales and finance experience have provided her with the necessary expertise to meet all your real estate needs. Contact Rebecca today to make you real estate goals happen!

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Going Native – Why Bother?Looking around at the local nursery, one can choose plants from all

over the world. It’s typical to see plants that are originally from Australia, Asia, and South America for sale. To find those that are native to Southern California, it takes a bit of hunting. Why bother, anyways? When I think of native plants, I think of shrubs that are taller than I am, have minimal flower display, and look their worst in the summer.

It turns out that there is a place for native plants in your yard. There are native plants that suit the small yard, have showy flowers, and will look great in a traditional garden setting. Native plants are obviously adapted to this area and can tolerate our specific climate and soil conditions. In the spirit of the popular movement to buy local, going native could be the garden equivalent.

Native plants have a few specific care specifications that are worth not-ing. Given our climate that features a summer drought; native plants typi-cally go dormant in the summer. This is the opposite of most conventional garden plants that go dormant in the winter. In terms of design, the natives will look their best in the fall, winter, and spring, i.e. when the rest of the garden is dormant. Because natives are dormant in the summer, they gener-ally do not want supplemental irrigation water in the summer. The natives will need to be on their own irrigation zone so that you can turn off their water in the summer. It sounds counter-intuitive to turn off irrigation in the summer, but natives like the hot dry weather. For the initial planting, they are best planted before the winter rains start. September and October are the perfect months.

There are a few misconceptions about native plants. One of them is that they do not need maintenance. Regular maintenance is essential; including weeding and inspecting for pests. Another misconception is that native plants don’t need fertilizer. That is also not true. Fertilizer applied in the fall or spring is the best while the plant is actively growing.

Although the possible native plants palette is lengthy, here is a selection of native plants that would be suitable for small yards:

small tree/shrub:

Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis): Small tree or shrub, 6-18 feet tall. The best part of this plant is the magenta seed pods that appear on bare branches in the spring. It’s drought tolerant. The ‘Alba’ cultivar has white flowers and is smaller at 3’-6’ tall.

Perennial:

Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus aurantiacus): This 4’-tall perennial has bright orange flowers and thrives in full sun. It is also drought-tolerant.

Penstemon heterophyllus ‘Margarita’: a great Penstemon selection because it can tolerate typical garden conditions such as heavy soils and regular water (an exception to most natives). The light blue flower display is showy.

shrub:

Wild Lilac (Ceaonthus ‘Centennial ’): Low growing evergreen shrub, 2’ tall and 10’ wide. Small, dark green leaves with dark blue flower clusters. Great plant for especially hot areas. Drought-tolerant.

succulent:

Dudleya species: These succulents grow small to large rosettes. Their flesh is grey-green with a white powder. They look good in groups and with other plants with purple or yellow flowers. Full Sun and drought-tolerant.

Grass:

Deer Grass (Mulenbergia rigens): This evergreen grass grows to 5-feet tall and 3-feet wide. They thrive in sun to partial shade conditions. Single plants can be striking especially placed with decorative boulders.

Groundcover:

Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) This reliable groundcover has small, dark green, shiny leaves with white flowers. A fruit is sometimes formed, but not edible. With time, a mat of foliage will form that will block out most weeds. This is a great lawn alternative.

There are some local nurseries that feature native plants. Evergreen Nursery in Carmel Valley sells quite a few. If you are in the mood for a drive, the best native plant nursery around is Tree of Life Nursery in San Juan Capistrano. They have a great website as well that has a ton of information: www.californianativeplants.com.

If you have an area in your yard that doesn’t seem to grow anything well, consider what you are trying to grow there. Try a native and you may be surprised to find that it’s the perfect fit.

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For the kind of benefits that last a lifetime, call for a FREE PLACEMENT TEST.

© 2012 Kumon North America. All rights reserved.

Kumon of 4S Ranch16615 Dove Canyon Rd., Ste. 103San Diego, CA 92127858.472.8341kumon.com/4s-ranch

Choose Kumon and let this be the year your child achieves more than he or she ever thought possible.

When your child has an unshakable understanding of reading and math and the confidence and motivation to match, there’s no telling what he or she can achieve. Kumon helps foster these benefits and more. We start with an insatiable passion for learning and help transform it into a relentless curiosity about the world beyond the classroom. Choose Kumon and let this be the year your child achieves more than he or she ever thought possible.

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Academic Enrichment Pre-K — 12th Grade

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EyeLux Optometry is conducting a clinical study for a major contact lens manufacturer. We are enrolling current full-time

soft disposable contact lens wearers to participate in this clinical study. The test contact lenses for the study are for

replacement every 30 days with daily removal, i.e. no wearing during sleep. Participants must be at least 18 years old with

the contact lens power of up to +6.00 diopters of farsightedness or up to -10.00 diopters of nearsightedness. Participants

can have up to -2.25 diopters of astigmatism in contact lens power. Eligibility also requires you to be in good general

health with no eye surgery or trauma within 6 months of enrollment.

All contact lenses, contact lens solutions, and examinations associated with the study will be provided to you at no charge.

Study participants will receive $35 per completed visit to cover expenses. There are a total of fi ve (5) planned visits to take

place within a period of approximately six (6) weeks.

The principal investigator for this study at EyeLux Optometry is Brian Chou, O.D., F.A.A.O. To participate, please call

our study coordinator, Andrea Bacuetes, at (858)487-7900. You may learn more about EyeLux Optometry by

visiting www.EyeLuxOptometry.com. Our offi ce is located at 16615 Dove Canyon Road, Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92127.

Do You Wear Soft Disposable Contact Lenses?

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page 16 : back at the ranch www.backattheranch-onl ine.comwww.backattheranch-onl ine.com

Educational Apps for Students

cOMMunitY lifestYle: schOOlSubmITTeD bY: AnTWon lInColn

At continually growing rates, iDevices are holding the attention of students everywhere. There are over 67,000 education apps available in the App Store. As schools incorporate mobile devices into the curriculum, a west coast father and technology specialist shares some free educational apps that have addictive qualities. – Editor’s note

reading App - Great for teaching letter recognition, sight words, and phonics.

• Bugsy Kindergarten Reading - An essential app for Preschool and Kindergarten students that builds vocabulary, beginning and ending sounds, and vowels.

math App - Math does not have to equal “fear”. These math apps help with math concepts. Learning math has never been so cool.

• Kahn Academy - If your child struggles with math concepts this app is a must. There are over 3000 videos explaining simple and complex math concepts.

reference Apps - Do you remember looking up words for the cor-rect spelling in a book? The dictionary you know is not the same dictionary of today’s students.

• Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus - A comprehensive tool that is an essential for students.

Productivity App - Organizational skills is a must for student success.

• MyHomework - This app provides an effective way to track classroom assignments.

brain Stimulation App - Educational games allow students to play and build concentration stamina.

• Sticker Factory for the iPad - Keeps the mind sharp with a fun matching app and builds hand eye coordination.

ebooks Apps - eBooks brings interactive-play to story time.• The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore -

An eBook you and your child will want to experience over and over again. This eBook creates a “wow!” experience.

These apps are addictive. But they also challenge and prepare young minds for the school year. I encourage you to explore the education app cat-egory in the App Store. Download one or all of the above apps. With the right education app, your child will become addicted to learning. You also may want to buy another iPad.

Antwon Lincoln works as an Industrial Technology & Media Coordinator for the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

“I realized acting on center stage is as great as kicking off in center circle.”“I realized acting on center stage is as great as kicking off in center circle.”“I realized acting on center stage is as great as kicking off in center circle.”

Defining moments happen here.

Defining moments change lives. The power of defining moments shared within a community of supportive teachers and eager students has

created an educational culture unique to Pacific Ridge School. Young people discover their passions and define their place in the world.

COLLEGE PREPARATORY

Consider a life-changing education for your middle or high schooler:

Pacific Ridge School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.


cOMMunitY lifestYle: fOOdbY: KArISHmA SInnoTT

Last month, Karishma shared some cool alternatives to hum drum bolo-gna sandwiches for kids’ lunches as we sent youngsters in the community back to school. This month, she gives lunch a punch with some warmer alternatives for you to try. The secret to these warmer lunch alternatives is a thermos to hold warmed ingredients. – Editor’s note

Meatball subs

These are a family favorite. I make them a little differently when they are going to school. Here’s the easiest way to do it.

My children’s favorite meatballs are the fresh Chicken with Basil meat-balls from Trader Joe’s. Brown these meatballs and add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and your favorite pasta sauce – simmer for ten minutes. Do this the night before (serve it with Angel Hair Pasta), and reheat in the morning.

Pack the meatballs in a thermos, to keep them warm. On the side, pack their favorite roll, a slice or two of cheese, and of course, fruit and veggies.

Pasta

My girls’ favorite pasta is the fresh Perlini Pasta from Trader Joe’s. This pasta looks like a little purse and is stuffed with prosciutto and Parmesan cheese. Since it is fresh pasta, it literally takes two minutes to cook in boiling water.

Pack the pasta with a little pasta water and a tiny bit of olive oil in the thermos. On the side, pack a small container of Parmesan cheese. Include your favorite veggie (raw broccoli is a favorite at my house) and fruit for a balanced meal.

Slice of Life – Lunch Box Ideas, Part TwoOrganic hot dogs

I did not grow up eating hot dogs and so I’m not always thrilled to eat them myself, but recently, I have started buying an all organic hot dog from Applegate Farms, and find that they are delicious! It is antibiotic free, humanely raised, all natural and organic, nitrate, nitrite and filler free, and my children love these.

Cook the hot dogs in boiling water in the morning, and pour boiling water and the hot dog into the thermos. Put the lid on tightly; pack a hot dog bun on the side, a container of ketchup/mustard.

Substitute meat dogs for veggie dogs if you’re vegetarian.

soup

There really isn’t anything as delicious as a cup of soup on a cool day. My children love the soup from Sprouts, they have a yummy Italian Wedding Soup (with meatballs and kale), and Chicken Noodle is always a favorite as well.

With soup, try packing a small piece of ciabatta, or a baguette with some butter and/or Brie on the side. Some grapes and carrot sticks will round off this meal nicely. Substitute grissini breadsticks with low-fat cream cheese for a dif-ferent, healthy side.

There are lots of ways to make lunchtime fun. It has been years since I’ve been in school, but I still remember the thrill of opening lunch to find a new and exciting “hot lunch”. Some other ideas to think about – sloppy Joe’s (I have never had one, but friends tell me this works well in a lunchbox), left-over chicken and beans for make-your-own-burritos, and oven heated mini crunchy tacos (try the ones from the frozen section of Trader Joe’s).

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For 11 years now, Ritika Sabhnani has been active in the 4S Ranch community. Like many who call the local area home, this wife and mother of two says 4S Ranch is a very family-oriented place that presents a wonderful environment in which to raise kids. For nearly the last five months, Ritika has personally contributed to the growth and development of many of the area’s young-est residents as owner of the new Kumon Academic Enrichment Center.

Located next to Eyelux Optometry in the 4S Ranch Village Shopping, Kumon is an after-school academic enrichment program that offers academic assistance to children from pre-K through 12th grade. Kumon, which has been around for more than 50 years, uses a proven-program that allows students to advance at their own pace with an emphasis on individualized learning that helps students become focused, motivated and self-reliant – important traits Ritika has seen develop in her own two children as a result of participating in the program.

Kumon – Math. reading. success. – ritika sabhnani“My older child has been in the

Kumon program for two years now,” Ritika shared. “She is in second grade and I’ve seen her become a self-learner while learning new concepts easily. She is doing well in her school and her confidence has grown. I’ve seen so many benefits for her and we have now enrolled my younger son in the program.”

Every student that comes to Kumon follows a similar system for getting start-ed with the program. Initially, parents schedule a free Parent Orientation and Placement Test for the child. After the child takes the placement test, parents meet with the Kumon instructor to learn more about Kumon’s individual-ized learning methods and to review the results from the child’s placement test. According to Ritika, the purpose of the introductory placement exam is to deter-mine the right starting point for each

child. Based on the child’s placement test results, the instructor creates a plan to help the child reach his or her goals. Kumon is a daily practice program but children come to the Kumon center twice a week. At Kumon of 4S Ranch, Ritika offers classes on Monday and Thursday from 3pm to 7pm. Once enrolled, students complete daily assign-ments at home as part of an individually designed lesson plan that is moni-tored and adjusted as needed. Throughout the entire process, the Kumon instructor communicates with the family to evaluate the child’s performance and to ensure the program is running smoothly.

“We have a classroom style set up at the center with all of the students working on their own,” Ritika said, who holds a double Master’s degree in Economics and Business Administration. “Each student can be at different levels and working on different concepts even if several students are in the same grade. Our teachers walk around the room and offer help as needed. No child goes unnoticed, but we want the children to strive to become self-learners, independent and self-confident.”

Ritika continued: “4S Ranch is a very education-driven community. I love kids and enjoy how they get attached to me and me to them. We are working together to reach the same goal.”

Kumon 4S Ranch is located at 16615 Dove Canyon Rd, Suite #103 in San Diego and online at www.kumon.com

OPENING

SEPTEMBER 2012

Arch Health Partners (AHP) is proud to announce our new medical center — scheduled to open this September. For the first time, residents will have primary medical services available in the community — including personalized family medicine, x-ray and laboratory.

AHP-4S Ranch will be led by family medicine physicians Nasrin Arbabi, M.D. and Camille Santos, M.D. — both accepting new patients. Dr. Stuart Graham, pediatrician, whose office is in Poway will also be seeing patients in the 4S Ranch location. AHP specialists, including dermatologists and orthopedic surgeons, will also be available.

When it comes to your health, finding the right physician is essential. Choose Arch Health Partners – named a Top Performing Medical Group for its achievement in quality measures and use of technology by the Integrated Healthcare Association for two consecutive years.

We are centrally located on the corner of Camino del Norte and Dove Canyon Road — the finest care available is now even closer to home.

Arch Health Partners Coming Soon to 4S RanchResidents of 4S Ranch are about to get even healthier

A Top Rated Medical Group

Documents

Back At The Ranch - September 2012