Huntington Learning Center

Your child’s first-quarter report card can be likened to the first lap in the year-long race to achieve. Good grades and positive comments from teachers signify that he or she has the basic skills, study habits and drive to keep up a winning pace. Poor grades show a danger of falling even further behind as assignments become increasingly difficult. If you know your child can do better, here are some steps for getting back on track.

Meet with your child’s teachers. This is one of the best ways to get a first-hand view of why your son or daughter is having trouble. Develop a list of questions in advance of the meeting, and keep in mind the most important factors in academic success. These include paying attention during class time, consistently completing homework satisfactorily and possessing the basic skills required for grade-level work.

Take a close look at test results. Most people tend to look at test results as a simple measure of success or failure. But you can often learn a great deal more by looking beyond grades and scores. Most tests, in fact, are diagnostic tools that reveal specific gaps in skills and knowledge. Looking closer at “wrong” answers
to a mathematics problem might reveal insufficient mastery of division, multiplication or mathematics formulas. Poor marks on an essay test might arise from struggles with basic grammar or organizational skills.

Look at your child’s schedule. Maintaining the right balance between study time and leisure time has a significant impact on academic performance. When you talk with your child’s teacher, find out how much time your child should be spending on homework. Then see how many hours are left over for extracurricular activities, and determine if these activities are cutting into the time your child needs to catch up and keep pace during the year. You and your child should then decide together which activities should be cut back at least until grades improve.

Talk candidly with your child. Children who feel good about the learning process and confident in their own potential to achieve tend to do well in school. Parents can nurture these feelings by maintaining an upbeat attitude and ensuring that their children know that they believe in their abilities. Right to the finish line, you and your child should be on the same winning team.

Parents who would like additional information can call their most convenient Huntington Learning Center to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Lawrenceville Center:
4120 Quakerbridge Road, Lawrenceville. Phone: (609) 750-9200, Center Director: Stacey Serafin

Hamilton Center:
Deer Path Pavilion, 691
Route 130 North, Hamilton (@ Harry’s Army & Navy).  Phone: (609) 439-0400, Center Director: Mark Kance, M.Ed

To contact our Hamilton location, please call Mark Kance or Tori Gwynn at 609-439-0400.  The Hamilton center is located at 691 Route 130 @ Harry’s Army Navy center.  To contact our Lawrenceville location, please call Stacey Serafin or Erin Holub at 609-750-9200.  The Lawrenceville center is located at 4120 Quakerbridge Road, a 1/4mile south of the Quakerbridge Mall.

Huntington Learning Center

Even if you were a good student, chances are you have at least one memory of riding home on a school bus and dreading the moment when you’d have to hand your report card over to your parents. What probably made it worse was that you saw it coming. After several low test scores, you were pretty certain that your grade for the quarter would be a C, D or worse.Now, as your own children head back to school, you have the opportunity to help them avoid having to go through the same experience. Doing so is a two-step process. First, you need to let both your child and his or her teachers know that you’re going to be gently vigilant in observing progress throughout the school year. Second, you need to create your own calendar with ongoing check-in points and benchmarks to know about in advance. Here are some recommended steps for doing both:

Build a rapport with teachers
Begin the year by attending an open house, or setting up a meeting or a phone call with your child’s teacher within the first couple of weeks of school. This will help you get to know your child’s teachers, and will give you an opportunity to ask several important questions, such as:

• How much homework will you be assigning, and how much time should my child set aside for completing it? This type of information will help you budget your child’s afternoon and evening activities.
• When are the homework “pressure points?” These are the periods prior to major tests or days when major projects are due. Times like these should be clearly marked on your calendar so you’ll know when your child needs extra time and support.
• What would you like to know about my child’s progress to date? Most teachers will appreciate learning more about your son or daughter’s academic strengths, weaknesses and extracurricular interests. This can guide their instruction and help them determine whether your child needs extra support in certain subjects or types of assignments.

Create the right homelearning space.
Studying is hard work, even more so amid the myriad distractions of television, technology and other factors that may get your child off-track. Establishing a quiet, neat, well-lit space for studying will help your child focus on homework, and significantly enhance his or her ability to retain material. It’s also a good idea to have enough space to read and write in the same area.

Make plans to celebrate success.
While it’s certainly important to ensure your children know you’re “on the look-out” for difficulties, make sure they also know that you’re prepared for – and expecting – success. All students are bound to struggle at some point, so remind your children that you’ll be there with plenty of support for overcoming whatever obstacles they may encounter. And when you see real progress, try to do something wonderful as a family to celebrate. “Report Card Day” should always be a major occasion, even when it doesn’t yield surprises.

For further information, please call the Huntington Learning Center near you, or go to www.huntingtonlearning.com.

Hamilton Center:                                                                                                                                                           Deer Path Pavilion in Harry’s Army/Navy Shopping Center, 691 Route 130 North, Hamilton Phone: (609) 439-0400 Center Director: Mark Kance, M.Ed.

Lawrenceville Center:
4120 Quakerbridge Road, Lawrenceville Phone: (609) 750-9200, Center Director: Stacey Serafin

To contact our Hamilton location, please call Mark Kance or Tori Gwynn at 609-439-0400.  The Hamilton center is located at 691 Route 130 @ Harry’s Army Navy center.  To contact our Lawrenceville location, please call Stacey Serafin or Erin Holub at 609-750-9200.  The Lawrenceville center is located at 4120 Quakerbridge Road, a 1/4mile south of the Quakerbridge Mall.

Kathy Robins

Parents seeking the very best educational opportunities for their children have been attracted to the Greater Princeton/Mercer County area for generations. We live among some of New Jersey’s best public high schools and the nation’s top preparatory institutions, and I could not think of a more perfect place to open the country’s premier provider of tutoring, test preparation and college counseling.The Chyten name may be new to our area, but I have no doubt that it will soon be known as the best.  Parents have the highest standards when it comes to their child’s education, and so do we.  We only hire experienced teachers and tutors with Masters Degrees or PhDs, who must complete further rigorous, Chyten training before they can begin to work with your child.

We offer a complete range of subject tutoring for students K-12 and test preparation tutoring for ISEE/SSAT, PSAT/SAT/ACT and AP exams, and programs designed to help students realize their full academic potential, including a comprehensive reading and study skills program we call RANDD designed to provide your child with strategies for a lifetime of achievement.

Neil Chyten, founder & President of the prestigious learning center franchise is ecstatic about opening the Pennington center.  “I’m so proud to bring our unique educational philosophy and programs to parents and students in Pennington and the surrounding Mercer County region.  We’ve worked very hard over the past 10 years to refine our strategies and techniques to help students realize their educational goals and potential.  There isn’t any other company like us in the education industry and the students in and around the Greater Princeton area will soon see what has made Chyten a household name in the Boston area.”

Chyten Tutors and Test Preparation of Pennington, NJ will have its official Grand Opening on Saturday, September 26th, with an Open House from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Shoppes at Pennington, 21 Route 31 North, Pennington, NJ 08534, (609) 737-8910, www.chyten.com

Kristen Dabrowski

SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL OF DRAMA is a performing arts studio for ages 8-18 designed to build confidence while learning performing techniques.  Founder Kristen Dabrowski emphasizes, “SPOTLIGHT provides a creative, participatory, social, thought-provoking alternative to video games, TV, text messaging, and net surfing.  I am on a mission to build thinkers who are willing to take risks, make decisions, and express themselves.”  She explains, “While there will be components for serious performers, there will also be plenty of joyful exploration for those looking to have fun in a structured setting.  Though hard work is necessary, ultimately I want to see joy on students’ faces.”Offerings include classes in improvisation, audition technique, scene study, play/screenwriting, classical theatre, voice & movement, dialects, comedy, and musical theatre.  Each month, a special three-hour workshop intensive will be offered.  Other activities include Teen Night, Kids’ Brunch Blowout, and Middle School Madness parties.  “The workshops and parties will be ways to learn new skills and socialize in a non-academic setting.”  Fall focuses on building important skills and exploration.  Original musicals and cutting-edge plays will be performed in the Spring Term and at the summer camp.  “One of my specialties,” she adds, “is creating performance pieces that appeal to BOTH adults and kids.  Everyone will laugh and have a good time.  I guarantee it!”

SPOTLIGHT is unique in its professional training, emphasis on value determination (“I want students to explore their beliefs.”), and encouragement of creativity.  “Top students in the Playwriting class will be published in a book available in national bookstores.”  Dabrowski herself has 24 original theatrical books for all ages published by Smith & Kraus.  “My books are used in theatres and schools across the world.  Students write to tell me they won acting contests using my work!  It’s really amazing.”

Dabrowski has taught at American Academy of Dramatic Arts, The Actors Institute, McCarter Theatre, Montclair State University, and other schools in NYC.  As an actress, she has an MFA from The Oxford School of Drama in England and has performed all across the US and UK.  She is a member of Actors Equity Association and The Dramatists Guild.

“This program has been tested in schools, conservatories, and theatres – it works!  SPOTLIGHT’s trailblazing goal is to spark creative thought, value determination and laughter, shining a light on each participant’s strengths.  I am thrilled to return to my hometown to share what I’ve learned.”

Nora de Cárdenas, J.D.

Have you noticed your mom or dad forgetting to pay bills or falling behind in the housework? As an adult child of a senior it is key to understand what our parents are dealing with.  If we don’t take the time to observe and to talk, we are more likely to struggle with them over challenging issues such as health care and our parents’ ability to live independently as they age.An AARP study, Are Americans Talking with Their Parents about Independent Living: A 2007 Study Among Boomer Women, found that two-thirds of women surveyed (age 45+) are concerned about their parents’ ability to live independently as they get older. Yet, while more than two-thirds have talked to their parents about their concerns, less than half said they or their parents have actually begun to plan for any assistance their parents may need.1 Have you had “the talk” yet with your parent?  It is vital to help our aging parents with the various types of assistance they may need with their activities of daily living to be able to continue to live independently and safely.
Many times you will find mom or dad seeming withdrawn or resistant to discussions about anything related to their independence.

Have you tried talking to them about getting someone to help with housework or taking over their bills?  Has the response been met with a stubborn, “NO”?  Talking with your parent about sensitive care decisions might seem like an impossible task met with even yelling or crying.

So, how do you have a productive conversation with your parent about helping them stay in their home safely as they get older? Trying to understand where your aging parent is coming from, understanding their fears and what their stubbornness is masking will really help you communicate. Timing is also very important. An AARP survey found that most parents feel better about having this discussion when life is going well.2  Another suggestion is to have the conversation early in the day, when everyone is fresh and energized.

In order to learn what your parent wants and needs and to plan for the assistance required to meet them, you’ll need to have a good conversation.  Here are a few suggestions for how to approach this delicate topic and help you to have realistic expectations of the outcome.

Step 1 – Empathy. Let’s start with trying to empathize with where your parent is in life. They have suddenly found themselves to be “old”. That’s when we (the children) come barging in. As our parents start to experience medical problems and difficulty managing activities of daily living or risk of falls and fractures, we expect them to swiftly make changes in their lives that they may perceive pre-maturely strips them of their highly valued independence. Try and see it through their eyes.

Step 2 – Understanding. The thing to keep in mind is that when your parents have lost control over so much, they will fight tooth and nail to maintain power over what remains. Remember: YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM CHANGE and they certainly aren’t going to do anything simply because you tell them to.

Step 3 – Acknowledge. Acknowledge that your loved one is in control of the decisions that affect their future and offer your support in helping them accomplish their goals.  Your loved one should always be a central part of every discussion – if not, it could be difficult for you to find solutions that are acceptable to both parties.

Step 4 – Listen. Make time to listen carefully and try to learn what is behind your loved ones thoughts and requests. Listen for the unresolved issues or searches for meaning and value that they are grappling with over and over in repeated stories and themes. Make sure you focus on what they feel are their issues, not just what others think are the concerns. Your loved ones will be much more accepting of your concerns and wishes if they can tie into their own concerns.

If after several attempts to follow these steps you are still struggling to come to any resolutions, consider working with a home care professional, such as Visiting Angels.  Such a knowledgeable third party will use their years of experience to suggest a plan of care that makes it possible for your loved one to receive the assistance they need to continue to remain independent, while protecting the relationship you have with your aging parent.

Are you ready to bring in a caregiver to help your aging parent?  Are you unsure of what to ask for or what expectations are reasonable?  Our next article will go over the different models of in-home care. If you have any immediate questions on this article or any other home care related topics, please visit http://www.VisitingAngels.com/Burling-Mercer or call 609-883-8188.

1Skufca, Laura. “Are Americans Talking with Their Parents about Independent Living: A 2007 Study Among Boomer Women”. AARP Knowledge Management. 2007. http://www.aarp.org/
families/caregiving/www.aarp.org/research/housingmobility/indliving/boomer_women.html.

2AARP, “Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide”. http://www.aarpmagazine.org/books/books_caring.html

Nora de Cárdenas, J.D., is the Co-Owner, Director of Visiting Angels of Central Burlington & Mercer Counties. Nora’s passion and experience in the elder and homecare sectors began several years ago when she became a family caregiver for her ailing parents. It then became her mission to provide exceptional, non-medical homecare services to seniors and other adults in need of assistance. Nora is also a vital force in community outreach and education programs on elder and homecare topics. Nora has a Law Degree from New York University; practiced law in New York and overseas for over two decades; and has received numerous achievement awards.

Huntington Learning Center

Now that the school year is coming to a close, educational achievement may be the last thing on your child’s mind, but more than likely, it’s still on yours! You may be thinking, “I don’t want my child to lose everything that they learned this year.” “How do I keep them in an academic routine to keep their minds focused on learning?”But leisure time can also be an enjoyable learning time if you find activities that tap into your child’s unique interests and abilities. Below are some ideas for building summertime smarts and preparing your child for future academic challenges:

Embark on a Reading Adventure. Now in its 32nd year, Huntington’s Reading Adventure program builds reading skills through an engaging series of activities that lead to a sense of real accomplishment, especially among struggling readers. The program begins by matching readers with books that are suited to their abilities and interests. Through individual attention from reading specialists, participants strengthen their reading skills and develop the confidence that prepares them for more challenging books.

Turn summer camp into a learning adventure. In past years, your son or daughter might have ventured into the wilderness for a week or two swimming, hiking and sleeping in a cabin. This year, think of the camp experience as an opportunity to build knowledge and skills. At the web site www.acacamps.org, you’ll find camps that focus on academics, performing arts, languages and more. You can also find camps geared to children with special learning needs and physical limitations, and you can search in terms of your desired location, price tag and the length of time your child would like to participate.

Prepare for a brighter future by giving back now. Most people choose volunteer activities by following causes that are close to their hearts- working with elders in a retirement home or at a community food bank, for example. But teens who engage in meaningful and sustained volunteer work are also building credentials for admission to top colleges. Many colleges, in fact, actively seek out students who have engaged in volunteer work and service learning experiences. Your teen may identify volunteer opportunities through local charities or mentoring programs, or by visiting the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Learning and Serve Web site at www.learnandserv.gov, or the AmeriCorps site at www.americorps.gov.

Turn to teachers and school counselors for help. After spending many months with your child, teachers and counselors can be good sources of information on summer learning activities that tie into your child’s interests and aptitudes. Talking with these educators can also give you great ideas for summertime learning opportunities that strengthen your child’s grounding in “the basics” and expand horizons and expectations for the year to come.

If we at The Huntington Learning Center can be of assistance in helping your son or daughter to achieve academic success for the coming school year or prepare for the SAT, ACT or SSAT, please call us.

Hamilton Center: Deer Path Pavilion in Harry’s Army/Navy Shopping Center, 691 Route 130 North, Hamilton, NJ 08691; Phone: (609) 439-0400 Center Director: Mark Kance, M.Ed.
Lawrenceville Center: 4120 Quakerbridge Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Phone: (609) 750-9200; Center Director: Stacey Serafin.

To contact our Hamilton location, please call Mark Kance or Tori Gwynn at 609-439-0400.  The Hamilton center is located at 691 Route 130 @ Harry’s Army Navy center.  To contact our Lawrenceville location, please call Stacey Serafin or Erin Holub at 609-750-9200.  The Lawrenceville center is located at 4120 Quakerbridge Road, a 1/4mile south of the Quakerbridge Mall.

From left to right: John Fallon, Board Member, Charles Gelb, volunteer and Joseph Gletow, Board Member.

One Simple Wish, a NJ nonprofit that grants wishes to deserving kids and families in need, made yet another wish come true yesterday as volunteers and Board Members assembled a new outdoor playhouse for the children of Angel’s Wings.  Despite the rain, volunteers and Board Members were able to complete the installation just in time for the weekend. 

Angel’s Wings is part of Anchor House Inc., a multi-service agency for runaway, homeless, abused, and at-risk youth and their families. The children at Angel’s Wings are temporarily placed there by the Department of Children and Families until a more permanent placement can be secured or until they can return home.  Offering amenities such as a backyard to play in helps provide the children with a warmer, more comfortable home-like environment during their stay.

“Our kids are so excited about their new playhouse.  Anchor House is extremely grateful for the generous support of One Simple Wish to grant the big and small wishes of our clients.  Childhood should be a time of fun, learning and play.  Often times, many of the kids that we service have not had the opportunity that all children should have of enjoying the simple pleasures of life,” says Kim McNear, Program Director, Anchor House. “This playhouse will provide an outlet for some of the stressors that they face and give them the opportunity to have fun being a child.  One Simple Wish is a wonderful organization that Anchor House is delighted to be affiliated with.”

One Simple Wish has granted over 50 wishes to children and families in need since its launch in December 2008.  For more information visit www.onesimplewish.org or contact Danielle Gletow, Executive Director at 609-883-8484 or danielle@onesimplewish.org. 

Homefront Week Of Hope

Lawrenceville, NJ– HomeFront, the leading Mercer County-based non-profit organization that battles family homelessness and provides support programs for those living in poverty in Central New Jersey, is sponsoring a Week of Hope from May 9 to May 16 to heighten awareness of the plight of the underprivileged and to raise much needed funds.   HomeFront is dedicated to easing the pain of family homelessness and helping parents and their children become self-sufficient.  The organization provides an holistic array of preventative emergency and long-term support services for families who are homeless or in danger of becoming so; permanent, service-enriched affordable housing for families; tutoring and enrichment programs for children and life-skills and employment readiness training for adults.

The Week of Hope kicks off at 11:00 a.m. on May 9 with the Run for Hope, a 5K Run/Walk along the Tow Path in Princeton.  Other activities during the week include: an evening celebration at Springdale Golf Club, a Community Celebration of Hope picnic in Mercer County Park in West Windsor, a Hope on 2 Wheels Motorcycle Run, community held food drives and other volunteer opportunities and educational programs for people of all ages. 

“Our goal is to create a sense of cohesiveness and solidarity within our community, says Connie Mercer,  HomeFront executive director. “As people gain a better understanding of who homeless families are and why they are homeless, our community will rally to end this injustice.

“In times of great economic stress, it is so often the children who already live in poverty that suffer the most,” she continues.  “The average age of a homeless person in Mercer County is seven years old!  Children deserve a roof over their heads.  Everyone deserves to live in a home where they feel safe and secure and our area has the resources and the compassion to make that happen for every child. 

“We are mounting the HomeFront Week of Hope right now because I think Americans have reached a point where everyone is looking for a way that they personally can improve the lives of others and be part of a solution.  This weeklong campaign is a great way to give people of all ages a chance to make a difference.”

For more information, call HomeFront at 609-897-9417 ext. 133. Or visit their website at www.homefrontnj.org.

Huntington Learning Center

As the parent of a soon to be college bound student, you have probably heard it over and over again: college admissions is becoming more and more competitive each year. The number of high school seniors applying to four-year universities is increasing while the number of available seats remains the same. What does this mean for your child?According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, there are three major factors college admission representatives use in deciding who is accepted into their institution. These factors are grade point average, grades in college preparatory classes, and most importantly, standardized test scores. These standardized tests being either the SAT or ACT. 

Many high school students and their parents feel overwhelmed when it is time to start preparing for the SAT and/or ACT exams. When should I take it? What is a good score? Which test should I take? How many times should I take it?

These are just a few of the questions we hear on a daily basis at the Huntington Learning Center. Since 1977, the Huntington Learning Center has been improving test scores and preparing students for college level courses. Our powerful, easy-to-learn strategies have helped thousands of students overcome their fear of the exam and earn scores they can be proud of. We have also helped parents put together a timeline to help make the admissions process a little less stressful.

Here at the Huntington Learning Center, we cater to each student’s needs individually. There are no classes or small group sessions. Each session is focused on one-to-one verbal or math instruction. 

The students who enroll in the Huntington Learning Center’s exam prep program also learn valuable study skills that will help them succeed in college. Study skills such as proper note taking, time management, and organization are just a few of the skills a student learns after completing an exam prep program at the Huntington Learning Center. 

Throughout the process, our staff is ready to answer any questions students and parents may have about our SAT program. We work as a team to ensure test-taking and study skills foster the confidence and motivation necessary to succeed, both on the exam and in the future.

If you or your child are feeling overwhelmed by the college admissions process, call us for a free consultation. We will listen closely to your concerns and explain how we can help make this process easier. Our foremost goal is to help each student achieve the scores they strive for and gain the skills they need to be successful. 

To contact our Hamilton location, please call Mark Kance or Tori Gwynn at 609-439-0400. The Hamilton center is located at 691 Route 130 @ Harry’s Army Navy center.  To contact our Lawrenceville location, please call Stacey Serafin or Erin Holub at 609-750-9200.  The Lawrenceville center is located at 4120 Quakerbridge Road, a 1/4mile south of the Quakerbridge Mall.

On Tuesday, March 10, SeniorNet instructor David Shinkfield will explore how to “Clean Up Your Computer and Make It Run Like New” beginning at 2:00 p.m. in the  Ewing Senior and Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road.  This will be the latest in the series of “Computer Tips and Tricks” programs presented free of charge on the second Tuesday of each month by the SeniorNet Computer Literacy Center.  The program will be preceded at 1:30 p.m. by a question and answer session during which the audience can direct computer questions to the SeniorNet faculty.

“The more we use our computers, the more they accumulate unnecessary information that slows them down substantially,” says Shinkfield.  “There are many tools available within Windows, as well as free programs on the internet, designed to help you remove all that superfluous information.  Most make this a relatively simple job.”  Shinkfield’s presentation will examine some of the available software and the steps you can take to bring new life to your present computer.

Shinkfield, who has been a volunteer instructor with SeniorNet for the past two years, teaches several courses including Windows XP, Downloading, and Quicken.  A former managing partner with PA Consulting Group based in London, he served that firm on assignments in the UK, France, Germany and finally the United States where he has spent the past 20 years.  Since his retirement, he has also volunteered with several other organizations in the Mercer County community, including coaching foreign students and their families in English.

The SeniorNet Computer Literacy Center at Ewing, sponsor of the March 10 program, is part of a national, non-profit computer literacy organization and offers a full curriculum of some 18 computer-related courses, taught by and designed for adults age 50 and older.  For further information about this program, courses or directions, call SeniorNet’s Registrar at 609-882-5086, the Ewing Senior Services Office at 609-883-1776, Ext. 6206 or visit the SeniorNet web site at www.ewingsnet.com.