A resource for families in Santa Cruz County
Please forward this email to friends,
and invite them to sign up here:

Did you see all those fun events that didn't make it into our newsletter last week? Don't miss them! Follow us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzParent/
Overheard...
"NO! I'm not done with summer. I'm just beginning! I'm not ready to think about school. Back to school August 10th... ? You've got to be kidding."

"What's wrong with the first week of September. Who thought of this?"
"There better be lots of recesses because I still need to run and play."

"I need more picnics in the park, hikes in the redwoods, boogey boarding in the ocean, outdoor movies, visits to museums..."

~ ~ ~
You recently saw and heard him as the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.

Local 14 year old teen, Brayan Francis, of "I'm just a kid who loves to sing" fame, sang the Star Spangled Banner to open the California Rodeo. What a voice! Listen here: California Rodeo Salinas 2023 - National Anthem - Brayan Francis

AND for fun, listen to him at age 7 singing Michael Jackson's Who's Lovin You! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQGYfGWK0hM
Dancing is back! Community Contra Dancing at the Live Oak Grange 7/28, Friday Nite at 5pm. Always on the 4th Friday of every month. Beginner friendly / intro workshop at start of dance.
Make the most of summer vacation's last days, Parmalee
What Makes a Truly Great Teacher?
"In a high school class is learning about the Salem Witch Trials, their teacher told them they were going to play a game.

"I'm going to come around and whisper to each of you whether you're a witch or a regular person. Your goal is to build the largest group possible that does NOT have a witch in it. At the end, any group found to include a witch gets a failing grade."

The teens dove into grilling each other. One fairly large group formed, but most of the students broke into small, exclusive groups, turning away anyone they thought gave off even a hint of guilt.

"Okay," the teacher said. "You've got your groups. Time to find out which ones fail. All witches, please raise your hands."

No one raised a hand.

The kids were confused and told the teacher he'd messed up the game.

"Did I?” He asked. “Was anyone in Salem an actual witch? Or did everyone just believe what they'd been told?"

And that is how you show kids how easy it is to divide a Community. Shunning, scapegoating, placing blame and dividing will each destroy far more than they will protect. Don’t allow fear to cloud your decisions. Use your own discernment.

Trust your heart…and your gut. The best teachers will show you where to look, but they won’t tell you what to see. ~ Unknown
.....
Sign up now for our FREE Reading Skills Program for 1st -3rd grade students. Program includes live-online instruction from a dedicated and inspiring teacher and one-on-one tutoring support.

Program for Entering 1st Graders
Your child will learn to read independently. Children learn phonics and sight words, build fluency and comprehension, and develop a love of books and reading. Your child will be excited about reading and get off to a great start in 1st grade.

Program for Entering 2nd Graders
Your child will become a fluent, confident reader. Children build solid phonics and word-attack skills and develop reading fluency and strong comprehension. Your child will gain confidence, be excited about books and reading, and get off to a great start in 2nd grade.

Program for Entering 3rd Graders
Your child will become a strong, enthusiastic reader. Children improve reading fluency and develop excellent comprehension. They build long-word decoding skills and expand their vocabulary. Your child will gain confidence, develop a lifelong love of books and reading, and get off to a great start in 3rd grade.

To Register
Email read@santacruzpl.org. Please provide us with a good call back number and if you know which Library branch is nearest your home, please tell us the name of the branch.

Would you like to participate in a Santa Cruz County Fair contest? Win a prize?

Get going!

Always check for new posts!
You Can Help NorCalBats, Thursday, July 27, NorCalBats is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of bats throughout Northern California. Come to the library to meet Nor/calBats, learn about these these animals and their role in insect control, and learn how you can help save these important mammals with education and rescue! Boulder Creek Library 11am -12pm,
Downtown SC Library 2- 3pm Details
Snowdo White and The Fellowship of the Mirror, through July 30, Attention members of the Fellowship, citizens of the Shire, and all friends of Little Earth: Tickets to transport you to our magical realm are on sale! Celebrate (Little) Earth Day with us by snagging your tickets, including Front Row and Riser special seating. Details
California Saw Festival, Roaring Camp, Sunday, July 30, The International Musical Association presents Musical Saw Festival. Join us for a musical saw contest, featuring master saw players and a musical saw workshop. Admission is free! Details
Cabrillo Festival Celebration of Rhythm & Sound, July 30 – August 13, Join us. It wouldn't be the same without you!
Free Rehearsals: Aug 1, 2 & 9 – 10am -12pm; July 31, Aug 3, 8, 9, 10 & 11 – 2:30 – 5pm; July 30, Aug 3 & 10, 7 – 9:30pm
Triple P Workshops
How to Foster Positive Friendships Among Teens Thursday, July 27 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Raising Resilient Children, Friday, July 28, 3 – 4:30pm
Helping Your Child Deal with Fears, Saturday, July 29, 10 – 11:30am
Familypower: Starting Strong, July 29 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
$45, Through puppets and fun, interactive stories, learn how to introduce People Safety Skills and to continue to practice them in your daily life. Help your child learn how to handle a friend saying something mean, check first before touching something unsafe, move away from someone doing something that could be hurtful, and get help from you effectively, even when you are busy. Details
Free Family Fun Day! July 29, 10am - 2pm, Join Santa Cruz County Parks Department, City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation, City of Capitola, and City of Watsonville for a an epic FREE family fun day! The fun will include: inflatable obstacle courses, oversize board games, a pop-up playground, kickball, cornhole, food trucks, and swimming at Simpkins Family Swim Center! Details
Tom Noddy's Bubble Magic, Thursday, July 27, 4 – 5pm, Felton Library, Come join America’s Bubble Guy, Tom Noddy, for an incredible display of bubble magic, filled with humor, joy, and wonder! Details
Arboretum Free Day, Tuesday August 1, 9am - 5pm, The first Tuesday of the month is free to non-members. The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum is a conservation garden of rare, endangered and extraordinary plants from around the world. Details
My Play Club: Create in the park with us! Tuesdays 3:30 – 5pm, through November 29, LEO’s Haven at Chanticleer Park. Details
Free Books All Summer, Live Like Coco, through August, There’s nothing better than giving out free books all summer! Details
Capitola Twilight Concerts, Wednesdays 6pm, through August 30, The Capitola Twilight Concerts are hosted on Wednesday evenings during the summer months. August 2: Delta Wires, Details
Beach Boardwalk: Free Daily Entertainment, through August 11, Add more fun to your visit and see magicians, jugglers, acrobats and more perform at two locations in the park. Engaging performers invite you to be a part of the FREE show! Details
Free Movies on the Boardwalk Beach, Fridays 9pm, June 16 – August 11, Bring the family and your blanket or low-back chair and join us! July 28: Top Gun Maverick Details
Live Music on the Boardwalk Colonnade, Thursdays, 8:30 – 10pm, through August 10, Enjoy FREE Live Music Thursdays throughout the summer on the Boardwalk Colonnade! Come for the rides, stay for the entertainment! July 27 The Deadlies, Details
Midtown Summer Block Party, Fridays through September 29 – 5:00 to 8:30ish, Come Celebrate all the vibrancy of Midtown at our Summer Block Party, happening every Friday! Food – Artists – Live Music – Vendors. July 28: Alex Lucero Band w/opener Asher Stern, Details
Watsonville Summer Concert Series Music in the Plaza, 1st & 3rd Fridays 6 – 8pm, June 16 – September 1, Ready to dance the night away? Our summer outdoor Music in the Plaza concert series is back and will feature a variety of bands to help you get your groove on! Grab a bite at our downtown restaurants and join us for the music Details
Heritage Events at Roaring Camp, All Summer, Heritage sounds like something old, unless you’re talking Heritage Events at Roaring Camp. Free Heritage Events with the purchase of a Roaring Camp train ticket: Monday: Blacksmith; Tuesday: Printing Press; Wednesday: Candle Making; Thursday: Crafts; Friday: Gold Panning Details
Free Harbor Water Taxi, All Summer Weekends, 11am – 6pm
The free, inner-harbor water taxi is back in service for the summer!
It operates on summer weekends and holidays through Labor Day. Click for locations to hitch a ride. Details
Daughters and Sons of the Beach Ukele Jam, Saturdays, 10am – 12pm, Strum Along on the beach behind the Crow’s Nest.
Parenting Workshops, These parent workshops offer outstanding skills, tips and support in our parenting path. We are fortunate to have these resources. Even if everything is going well, it's good to know what's available! July