Got kids? Summer programs offered at Monte Rio School

Excitement mounts in local classrooms as kids eagerly anticipate the last day of school & the beginning of summer. No school! No homework! Just long, carefree, sun-drenched days of splashing along the shores of our river & ocean inlets, toasting marshmallows late into dusk, & watching 4th of July fireworks ... Fast forward 2 weeks later when the novelty wears off & the kids get bored & start whining. & whining. & whining. There's nothing to do. There's no one to play with. Telling them that if they're so bored, then surely they have time to help with some odious household chore only goes so far.

Here's where summer day camp comes in. There are three programs available, which will all be held at the Monte Rio School:

• West County Community Services' Monte Rio Summer Program: A new summer day camp program for children entering Kindergarten-7th grades at the Monte Rio School, which runs from July 9th-August 17th. Morning (9am-noon) & Afternoon (1-4:30pm) sessions at $50 per week each (morning session free to Monte Rio School students). For more information: Pick up an application at your local school or contact Nora Lomax 887.2226 x1006.
  
  
• Monte Rio School Age Center's (MRSAC) interim program: for children entering Kindergarten-7th grades at the Monte Rio School, which runs from June 18th-June 30th, not including the July 4th holiday. 8:30am-5:30pm. Cost $35 per day -- sliding scale offered to qualifying families.The interim program will be a continuation of last year's summer camp program & this year's vacation camps. For more information: contact Jynx Lopez at 865.0223.
  
  
• MRSAC's Preschool summer program: for children aged 33 months (2 years & 9 months) to 5 years at the Monte Rio School, which runs throughout the summer, beginning June 18th. $20.00 per morning session (8:30am-noon), $6.00 additional for extended care until 2:00pm & 6.00 additional for extended care until 5:00 pm (for a total of $32 for a full day). These are the same rate for the year-round preschool program. For more information: contact Jynx Lopez at 865.0223.

Costs for all of the above include meals, snacks, materials & field trips.

The folks at West County Services are excited about their new summer day camp, & several of the staff members currently work at the Guerneville School's highly-regarded after-school program. The morning sessions will take a fun, creative & hands-on approach to academic subjects like literacy, math, science, & art (in part, because funding for the morning session is geared to bringing up the Monte Rio School's test scores). The afternoon sessions emphazize more traditional summer activities, like swimming, sports, crafts & field trips.

The interim summer program will be run by MRSAC (which has been running the Monte Rio after-school & summer programs up till now) until West County Community Services takes over in July.

The summer preschool program is an extension of MRSAC's year-round program & is also a great way for prospective preschool parents to give their kids a head start for the upcoming school year. My daughter currently attends the Monte Rio Preschool, has learned a lot & has a grand ol' time. The staff are experienced, caring & wonderful. The play yard also has a fabulous new play structure.

Beware of Nibbles

But seriously, folks ... my "Nibbles for Mayor" merchandise is a joke, but the real deal (I mean, the real seal) is NOT. He's dangerous. Residents & visitors need to stay AWAY from his territory by the mouth of the Russian River in Jenner. For more information, see Paul Mc Hugh's recent articles in the San Francisco Chronicle: "Rogue elephant seal goes on rampage" & "Aggressive elephant seal menaces Sonoma beaches" (dated 4.23.2007 & 4.24.2007 respectively).

I can't BELIEVE the stupid stuff I see people do at the river's mouth & on the beach. Like allowing their children to play tag with the waves, kayaking into the harbor seal nursery, etc. What is it about sleeper waves, delicate natural habitats, & huge carnivorous marine animals do people NOT understand? Though I do have respect for those crazy surfers who know all about elephant seals & sharks & go surfing anyway (I assume they stay away from the harbor seal nursery).

We need to provide more education to our tourists. After all, our body of tourist literature does not describe the Sonoma coast as "wild" & "rugged" for nothing! I do not think visitors from places that face the Atlantic ocean -- or no ocean at all -- understand that this part of the Pacific ocean does NOT have a 400-mile continental shelf & that the water gets deep only a few feet out. Here in Northern California, the ocean is gorgeous to look at, but needs to be enjoyed from a safe distance. Inexperienced folks who want to wade, boat & swim can safely enjoy these activities at Doran Beach in Bodega Bay, on Johnson's Beach in Guerneville, or on Monte Rio Beach in Monte Rio.

As for Nibbles, I'm sad to say that he either (a) needs to be relocated to a place where he can successfully compete for a mate; or (b) needs to be "put down." Even if you're a confirmed wildlife advocate &/or misanthrope, it seems hard to disagree with this. The fact is that Nibbles the elephant seal doesn't belong in this habitat & is attacking many of those who do -- including the pregnant mothers of those adorable baby harbor seals with the big brown eyes who are so frequently portrayed in advertisements & brochures by animal rights & environmentalist organizations.

I feel sorry for Nibbles. He has been observed attempting to mate with the female harbor seals & attacking when they flee from him in terror (can't say I blame 'em, with that huge schnozz of his). He'd have better luck in Alaska, where all the other elephant seals are.

Until the Powers-That-Be figure out what to do about this situation (hopefully, they can come up with a humane solution), STAY OUT OF NIBBLES' territory until mid-summer when he supposedly migrates elsewhere.

*Sniff* They like me, they really LIKE me *sniff*

Woohoo! Zazzle.com, the Web site on which I am selling my "Nibbles for Mayor" stuff, has featured my bumper sticker on their Web site as one of "Today's Best!"

You're in Today's Best!

Hi river_rattina,

Congratulations!

Your product, Nibbles for Mayor Bumper Sticker, has been selected as one of Today's Best on Zazzle!

This means it will appear on the Zazzle homepage for the rest of today and it will also be added to the Todays Best Awards Showcase. Keep up the great work!

Bask. Glow. The honor is yours to enjoy.

-Zazzle