Erin Alathea Ronder

I created and managed this program to address the need in the Austin community for access to affordable wellness opportunities.  Click here to see a current calendar and class opportunities.

I created and managed this program in order to adhere to the charter that ADS was awarded and to bring the disparate (geographical) school community together through education.   Click here to see current class offerings.

2007-2008 Parent Educations Workshops:
Unity Day November 17th

9-10 am Balancing the Parent/Child Relationship with Qi Gong and Kay Hutchinson
Certified Advanced Medical Qi Gong Practitioner, Certified Acupressurist and Texas Certified Educator (k-12/special education)

This class will present concepts of energetic theory as it relates to behavioral management and will include a hands-on opportunity to learn how to work with their children using qi gong movements and breath work as proactive tools to encourage positive processing and expression of emotions and behaviors. The objective is to empower parents to prevent power struggles and create a quality space of connecting deeply with their children through movement and breath work.

10-11 am Grant Writing 101 with Teri Sperry
nonprofit director, freelance writer/editor, and Rainbow Panda mom

Learn the basics of grant writing and how to use them to benefit our school. Our teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and kids all have fabulous ideas for academic programs, materials, and special projects -- and they all require money. That's where you come in. This workshop will give you the tools to find potential funders and work with the "idea people" to craft powerful program proposals that granting institutions will find irresistible.

11-12pm Introduction to Language of Listening with Ewa Zabka and Sandy Blackard
(back by popular demand)

Listening changes lives! Being heard is more than a basic human need; it's the key to connecting with our inner greatness and unleashing our full potential. Join us for a brief introduction and question session about how to say what you see to un-do old habits that get in the way of understanding and connecting with children. Preview the SAY WHAT YOU SEE booklet online at: www.languageoflistening.com 

---

January Parent Education Workshops
Unity Day January 19th

9-10am Supporting the Anxious Child with Sarah Schnoebelen, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist

Some degree of anxiety is a natural part of life, and childhood is no exception. Although mild levels of anxiety can be adaptive and provide the necessary arousal to respond to challenges or threats, there certainly are situations in which anxieties and fears become so intense that they interfere with the child’s ability to participate meaningfully in important developmental tasks, at which point anxiety may become disordered. During this workshop, information about the difference between normative anxiety and the more problematic versions will be provided, and the types of anxiety disorders frequently seen in children will be reviewed. Strategies from cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness perspectives which can be useful in facilitating the development of more effective coping also will be discussed.


10-11am Naturopathic Medicine with Dr. Jeanne Galloway, ND, Naturopathic Doctor

Dr. Galloway is a graduate of Bastyr University School of Naturopathic Medicine – a four year naturopathic school that includes two years of clinical training. She has been active as a leader in the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, and is the President of the Texas Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is a frequent guest lecturer at local corporations and organizations, including People’s Pharmacy. In addition, she lectures at local universities including Austin Oriental Medicine Academy (AOMA.)Doctor Galloway works with children and adults on a wide range of chronic conditions and works with whole families quite often. She welcomes your questions about natural health care for your family and can be found at www.AustinsNaturalDoctor.com

11-12pm Nutrition for Your Family with Ashley Colpaart, Registered Dietitian
“What’s for dinner, mom?” After a hard days work, it is sometimes difficult to keep nutrition the focus of every meal. This workshop will give some insight into the obesity epidemic, how to pack healthy school lunches, and how to keep nutrition a priority for you and your family. Time will be given to ask questions about particular food issues you may be having with your child.
Ashley Colpaart is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She currently is working as the Nutrition Services Coordinator at Meals on Wheels and More (MOWAM). Her main project is the Meals for Kids program that provides nutrient dense meals and nutrition education to at risk children in East and South Austin . She has done numerous trainings for owners of childcare centers on nutrition policy as well as numerous parent groups around Austin . Ashley is currently a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (HEN-DPG), Texas Dietetic Association (TDA), and sits on a Nutrition Action Committee for STEPS to a Healthier Austin. She is the state Legislation and Public Policy Chair for TDA as well as the Director at Large for Legislation for the Austin Dietetic Association. Her main focuses are community and child nutrition, policy and advocacy, education, whole foods and holistic health.


Parent Education Events 2006-07

This is the schedule of educational events that I have scheduled thus far. These will all be presented at ADS on the third Saturday of (almost) every month. These events will co-incide with the scheduled gardening work days. So families can come out and garden, attend the gardening committee meeting and do a class. Child care will be provided for the classes, but not for the gardening or the meeting. Food and beverages will also be provided. All classes are free of charge and an essential element in our becoming the educational innovation incubator in Texas. Open to the public. Bring your friends. -Ali

November 18th

9-10am
Cognitively Guided Instruction with Debbie Junk PhD. of UT Austin
presents an introduction to the guiding principle of ADS mathematics curriculum

10-11am
Infant and Child Health Through Nutrition with Kiersten Alton, RPh. and Kaya Dupre of People's Pharmacy
presents an introduction to fostering healthy childhood through thoughtful nutrition. Your child has 30 IQ points at stake between birth and age 5, nutrition can make the difference.

11-12pm
Infant and Child Health Through Natural Medicine with Kiersten Alton, RPh. and Kaya Dupre of People's Pharmacy
presents an introduction to healthy children through the use of natural medicines

December 16th

9-10am
Understanding Anger Management with Kelley Broadaway M.Ed/LPC
presents how to approach managing anger and redirecting behavior with our young ones

10-11am
Positive Parenting with Kelley Broadaway M.Ed/LPC
presents techniques for fostering healthy relationships with your children using positive reinforcement

11-12pm
Food Policy Explained with Jenny Black
presents an informative workshop on the ADS nutritional policy and what it means for your families.

January 20th

9-10 am
Constructivist Theory De-mystified with Michelle Batchelder Burd Ph.D.
presents an explanation of what constructivist theory might look like in the classroom

10-11 am
Conscious Discipline with Kelly McRee
presents the underlying principles of the discipline policy at ADS with discussion of the book/video Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey

11-12pm
Unconditional Parenting with Kelly McRee
presents a discussion about how to apply Mr. Kohn's research into our parenting techniques

April 21st

9-10am
Make & Take Healthy Recipes To Go with Veronica Rice, Jenny Black and Rebecca Vore
present support and knowledge for other families with "how-to" easy, healthy cooking projects. Community Building at it's best. Bring an item from the menu card posted at the official sign up sight.

10-11am
Food Policy Explained and Cooking Class with Rebecca Vore, Veronica Rice and Jenny Black
present ways to reduce the amount of time in the kitchen while increasing the nutritional value of your meals. Also, discussion on what the nutrition policy at ADS means to your family

11-12 pm
Literacy with Ali Ronder M.Ed.
presents easy and fun resources to support your child's developing literacy skills

May 19th
9-10 am
Stress Management for Children with Kelley Broadaway M.Ed/LPC
presents stress relieving techniques to use with our youngsters that really work.

In an effort to simplify the parent volunteer time commitments, we have created this special event. Once every other month, we will hold a work day. FREE child care will be provided . Please bring a dish for the potluck lunch. Please call or email Ali for a head count to ensure enough for both at alironder@austindiscoveryschool.org or (512) 576-2166. Alternating months HIPSTA meeting only, no workday. Kids play, we all eat and commune.

In this way, everyone will have an opportunity to complete their commitment of 3 parent education classes and 20 hours of volunteer work in one Saturday every other month. PTO participation and volunteers are essential to the success of our school!!!

At Community Unity Day you can expect to:
● Volunteer in the garden, volunteer deep cleaning classrooms, volunteer in the project room
● Attend the Parent Education Workshops {3 one hour classes offered, attend one or all}
● Participate in the HIPSTA-PTO meeting


(happy involved parents staff teachers administrators)
Mark your calendars:
9/22/07 Gardening workday 9-2pm, Parent Ed 9-12pm topics TBA, HIPSTA meeting 12pm
10/17/07 HIPSTA meeting at Central Market North Lamar 6pm NO workday, just dinner with the kids.
11/17/07 Gardening workday 9-2pm, Parent Ed 9-12pm topics TBA, HIPSTA meeting 12pm
12/19/07 HIPSTA meeting at Central Market North Lamar 6pm NO workday, just dinner with the kids.
1/19/08 Gardening workday 9-2pm, Parent Ed 9-12pm topics TBA, HIPSTA meeting 12pm
2/20/08 HIPSTA meeting at Central Market North Lamar 6pm NO workday, just dinner with the kids
3/29/08 Gardening workday 9-2pm, Parent Ed 9-12pm topics TBA, HIPSTA meeting 12pm
4/16/08 HIPSTA meeting at Central Market North Lamar 6pm NO workday, just dinner with the kids
5/17/08 Gardening workday 9-2pm, Parent Ed9-12pm topics TBA, HIPSTA meeting 12pm

The Enrichment Program:
If you are interested in offering a class, please let Ali or Kate know ASAP.
The classes count toward your 20 mandatory volunteer hours, however, you must commit to the same day of the week for the entire session. Most sessions are 6 weeks long. The classes are from 4-5pm.

Session I (Oct.1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-2, Nov. 5-9)
Session II (Nov. 12-16, 26-30, Dec. 3-7, 10-14, 17-21)
Session III (Jan. 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-1, Feb. 4-8, 11-15)
Session IV (Feb. 18-22, 25-29, Mar.3-7, 24-28, 31-4, Apr. 7-11)
Session V (April 14-18, 21-25, May 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30)
Session VI (June 2-6, 9-13)

Please include in your email the title of the workshop, the session and day that you are interested in.
For example: Ali wants to teach a New Moon Writer's Workshop for girls on Tuesdays in Session I and a Journalism Workshop for the SUN newsletter on Wednesdays in Session IV.

Please consider this opportunity to share your talents with the children of the school. Last year many parents and teachers offered many different classes like soccer, chess, art, and dance. The kids loved it!

If you would like to provide private or semi-private instruction, let me know so that I can help you advertise and get a room for you scheduled. You would be responsible for setting the rate and collecting from the parents.

I know that this program can be a grant winning program with all of the talents that we have here. Please contact me or Kate ASAP, as we need to start scheduling and promoting. All classes are included in the rate for after care kids, but any child can attend for the drop in fee. Some classes will have a minimal supply fee.

HIPSTAs (Happy, Involved, Parents, Teachers, Staff, Administration) HIPSTAs is ADS's formal community organization. The goal is to organize parent and staff talents to benefit the entire learning community.  HIPSTA meetings are held each month following Community Unity Day activities.  Parents organize into several committees designed to meet a variety of school needs. Parents can get information on committee initiatie and take part in committees via the forum.     The current committees are: ADS Fundraising '07-'08 ADS fundraising topics and sub-committees Contact: Ali Ronder / Development Coordinator Co-Chairs: Lolly Walter & Stephanie McCleese, Teri Sperry (parent liason for grants), Kim Jarrett, Stacey Hoyt, Ewa Zabka, Shontae Moeller, Alicia Smith, Cindy Tarsi Classroom Support Committee '07-'08 Issues related to helping teachers in the classroom and organizing ways to meet classroom needs and activities. Chair: Sherri Russell, Teri Sperry, Allison White, Stacey Hoyt, Stephanie McCleese, Lolly Walter, Alicia Smith, Jennifer Pena Cathy, O'Quinn Jennifer, Taylor-Burton, Connie Cude Library Support Committee 07-08 Co-Chair: Jennifer Pena & Kate Holton, Ken Green, Sheri Russell, Lolly Walter, Ewa Zabka, Alicia Smith, Cindy Tarsi, Stacy Evans, Jennifer Taylor-Burton, Connie Cude Gardening Committee '07-'08 Planning and discussion of parent volunteer efforts to improve the natural environment of the ADS campus. Contact: Rebecca Vore/ Environmental Sciences and Gardening Teacher Chair: Ted Krause, Micheal Olson, Matt Hollon, Ted Krause, Bridget Chynoweth, Stephanie McCleese, Brook Son, Shontae Moeller, Alicia Smith Specials Teachers Support Committee 07-08 (coming soon) Co-Chairs: Katia and Kay De La Rosa, Connie Cude Wellness Committee '07-'08 Discussion of topics related to health and nutrition at ADS. Co-Chairs: Allison White & Bridget Chynoweth, Jane Olson, Teri Sperry, Bridget Chynoweth, Ewa Zabka, Shontae Moeller, Cindy Tarsi

ADS, 8509 FM 969 Ste 200, Austin, TX 78724 | office: 512-674-0700 | info@AustinDiscoverySchool.org

E1	Provide leadership to a learning organization
E2	Facilitate the change process
E3	Facilitate group development and group processes
E4	Facilitate professional growth for others
E5	Foster life-long learning in others
E6	Apply epistimology and learning theory to practice
E7	Apply principals and practices of adult teaching and learning
E8	Facilitate human resource and professional development for learners in occupational, professional and volunteer roles
E9	Plan and develop learning program responsive to human professional and community settings
E10	Lead and manage the delivery of educational programs in post secondary, adult and community settings
E11	Facilitate school improvement efforts