If you missed it last year, you’ve got to come check out the great time at our auction!!  Come support WPENS, meet new and old friends, and join in the fun!

A Magical Evening Under The Stars: The WPENS Annual Auction

When: Saturday, April 5th from 5-9 pm

Where: Harvey West Clubhouse

tickets: $10-$20 sliding scale

For tickets, contact Jade at jade@photographybyjade.com

Come enjoy the beer from Uncommon Brewers, and bid on some fantastic auction items [click on the links for more information].  Some auction items include:

• Vacation Rental in Mexico!  Lunamar La Pazhas beautiful accommodations, and the package includes seven nights stay, housekeeping, and car use during your visit!
• A Weekend In The City: The San Francisco Sheraton is donating a weekend getaway at Fisherman’s Wharf!
• Hotel Los Gatos: Come bid on a night stay here, with a lovely gift basket to make your getaway even sweeter!

So please, come join us for the evening.  There will be dozens of more items for our silent and live auction, including gift certificates, art and photography, and so much more!

*If you are interested in bidding by proxy, or if you have an item to donate, please contact Jade at jade@photographybyjade.com .

SCPENS, Soquel PENS, WPENS, and Santa Cruz Adult School Present:

Raising Children in the 21st Century Seminar Series, with Julie Olsen Edwards

Parents, Preschool Teachers, Childcare Providers, Early Childhood Education Students…this lecture series will inspire you! 

Julie Olsen Edwards, founding director of the Cabrillo College Children’s Center and 24 year chair of the Early Childhood Education Department, brings her knowledgeable, lively, and provocative understanding of children and families to this three lecture series on Raising Children in the 21st Century. Based on years of teaching, parenting and study, her lectures are filled with stories of real children and families and provide guidance that is both common sense and uncommon perspective. She is a keen observer of children and an unapologetic advocate for children and families.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets online at the Santa Cruz Adult School website. Online payment will be available beginning January 11th.  [You can find offline ticket sales information down below.]

This event is sponsored by:

About The Series:

Supporting Children to Develop Healthy Sexuality – a Birth to Adulthood

Approach 

February 23     4-6 pm

Santa Cruz High School Auditorium 415 Walnut Avenue  Santa Cruz

This vital lecture addresses the struggle for children to define and understand themselves in a world that teaches that sex is about catching terrible diseases and unwanted pregnancy - and yet gives children no guidance or support on sexuality as part of human relationships.  Families are equally confused about what is normal, what is safe, what to say and what to keep private. As to when to begin sex education – prepare yourself – Edwards says you begin in infancy!

What Ever Happened to Childhood? Preparing Children for What? And at What Cost? 

March 29 4-6 pm

Santa Cruz High School Auditorium 415 Walnut Avenue  Santa Cruz

Edwards examines the terrible pressures on schools to meet test scores, the pressure on families to hold down two or three or four jobs, and the loss for children of playfulness, imagination, connection to nature, and meaningful interaction with adults.  When the average U.S. child spends more hours interacting with electronic devises and television than with adults, the question becomes “who is raising our children and what values are our children really learning”? Don’t despair, there are answers to help us return childhood to our children, and joy to our parenting. 

Raising Our Children to Live with Joy and Dignity in a World of Diversity – Preparing Them for the Challenges Ahead 

April 26 4-6 pm

Santa Cruz High School Auditorium 415 Walnut Avenue  Santa Cruz

Edwards will address the complex world our children are growing up in where they will need to live, play and work, side by side with people who are very different from their own families. From infancy on, children experience and try to understand differences of racial identity, languages, family structures, religious beliefs, and access to material things. The issue is not just differences, it is also inequity – children being treated badly based on their identities. The question becomes how do we help our children to understand our human sameness, feel secure and proud in their own identities and families, and to have the tools to talk about, stand up for, and find joy in all our differences. Surprise, surprise – not talking about it doesn’t help!

TICKETS: When buying tickets, registration information will be collected by the Santa Cruz Adult School for administrative purposes only. Tickets are $10 for one lecture, $25 for the series. 100% of proceeds will support the Parent Education Nursery Schools.  

ONLINE: CLICK HERE to buy tickets online at the Santa Cruz Adult School website. Online payment will be available beginning January 11th.

The Adult School will collect registration information online, to be used for their administrative purposes only. Online payment includes a $2.95 processing fee. Pick up tickets at “will call” between 3:30 and 3:45 pm.

IN PERSON: Buy tickets at the following local venues. No processing fee unless noted. [Click on the store name for more vendor information]

Logos Books and Records [Logos adds an additional $1.25 ticket service charge]

1117 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz

Hours: Daily 10am- 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm

JelliBeanz

2555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz

(831) 462-6700

Kaleidoscope

828 Bay Avenue, Capitola

Hours: M-Sat 10am- 5:30 pm

Thursday 10am- 8pm

Sun: 12pm-4 pm

Santa Cruz Adult School (Starting January 29th; no fee for walk in purchase)

536 Palm Street

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm

Santa Cruz Educational Resource Center

224 Walnut Avenue

Hours: Wed, Thurs, and Sat 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm

AT THE DOOR: Unsold tickets will be available at the door beginning at 3:30 pm.

For more information, e-mail: wpensevents@gmail.com

These events benefit the following schools: Santa Cruz Adult School, Westside Parent Education Nursery School, Santa Cruz Parent Education Nursery School, Soquel Parent Education Nursery School, Bridges to Kindergarten and Beach Flats Community School. This event is being planned, promoted and supported by parent volunteers as part of their commitment to these co-op preschool programs.

About The Speaker:

Julie Olsen Edwards, a Soquel resident since 1971, is now partially retired from Cabrillo. She is a writer and editor and a consultant on diversity/equity issues in education. She has served on the national board of NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is a much sought after speaker and workshop leader for educators and families. She has generously donated her time to this project so that 100% of proceeds will benefit the Parent Education Nursery Schools.

 

About The Schools:

SCPENS (Santa Cruz Parent Education Nursery School)
411 Roxas Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95065

(831) 425-4495
www.scpens.org
Your child will learn about the world around her while you learn more about your child.  SCPENS provides a fun, learning-rich environment for the whole child, with both Toddler and Preschool classes, where parents get to participate in their child’s education, practice new parenting skills and benefit from a community of support.

 

Soquel PENS (Soquel Parent Education Nursery School)
397 Old San Jose Road, Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 688-0198
www.soquelpens.org
Soquel PENS is a community-based preschool that encourages growth and learning of both children and parents.  Our school provides a nurturing environment in which children can develop socially, intellectually and physically in an atmosphere of warmth and trust.

 

WPENS (Westside Parent Education Nursery School)
1231 Bay St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 429-3995
www.wpens.org  www.wpensevents.org

At WPENS we create a safe and nurturing environment where children and parents can learn and grow together. We offer a child-centered program that addresses the developmental needs of the children and provides education for the parents.  See our about page for more information.

 

Beach Flats Family School [(831) 420-6128] and

Bridges to Kinder at Westlake [(831) 429-3878]

are also part of the Santa Cruz Adult School parent education co-ops.