Please join MomAngeles for an informative and fun evening at Books & Cookies as Christina Simon and Porcha Dodson co-authors of Beyond the Brochure, and Jamie Bakal of L.A. School Mates share their expertise about the private elementary school application process and answer your questions.
The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with lite fare and networking. This is a great chance to peruse the books and toys at Books & Cookies and find out about their class offerings.
Thursday, April 12, 2012. Discussion starts promptly at 7:00 pm.
Topics will include:
– Selecting Which Schools To Visit
– The Parent Interview
– Your Child’s Visiting/Testing Day
– Letters of Recommendation
– When To Use The Phrase, “if accepted, we will enroll”
– What To Do If Your Child Is Wait-Listed
– Financial Aid
Click on Momangeles to get your online tickets. Tickets are $30 and $45 per couple.
Here are some photos from Beyond The Brochure’s Facebook page!
Willows mom Schenae R. (host) and Christina Simon at BCBG Shopping Night to benefit The Willows School. Shopping and champagne!
At Blow Angeles Salon in West LA for a mom blogger event: With Moms LA Bloggers: Yvonne Condes, Sarah Auerswald, Christina Simon, Courtney Lewis. Love the blow-outs!At the Harvard/LMU Game: Christina, Christina's daughter and Porcha Dodson
Don’t miss photos, events and more! Like Beyond The Brochure on Facebook
The Center For Early Education has boosted its efforts to Go Green, with an expanded greening project–and a series of blogs about various other school projects. Very cool!
It’s the worst. It’s a little mini-hell. The minutes pass like hours, the days like years.
And now, as most of you wait for admission letters from the various schools you’ve applied to, you have an intimacy with waiting that you could have done without. But here you are, waiting nonetheless.
Ugh!!!
So, as you sit, trying to fill the time, it’s only natural that you start thinking about things… And then, because you’re only human, doubt creeps in and starts playing games with your mind.
You think about that interview at that school you love. You know, the school that is PERFECT for your kid. Like, if you get into that school you’ll never have any problems in your life again. Ever. Really. The interview there was great. You really felt comfortable with the Admissions Director, like you were long lost sisters, or BFF’s or whatever. You were wearing the same shoes, which was so funny, because when you commented on that she chuckled and mentioned being like-minded.
Right.
You’re like-minded.
Do you think she was just saying that?
Do you think she thought the shoe comment was weird?
Oh my God, I commented on her shoes. I’m such a moron! She probably thinks I have a shoe fetish or something. Like I’m Imelda Marcos. Oh shoot — she might have family in the Philippines, or maybe she once knew someone from the Philippines. Now she probably thinks I was saying something bigoted and awful. Oh God, we’re never getting in – I’ve ruined my child’s life forever!
Sound familiar? Let me make you feel better. The Admissions Director is definitely not admitting you because you made a comment about shoes, or because you shook her hand too hard or not hard enough. Neither is she wondering about whether your outfit matched at the coffee or if your kid’s clothes looked too small. Even the spinach you are convinced was in your teeth the day of your interview will NOT be the deciding factor in your child’s admission.
If only it were that easy…
See, there’s gender and birthdate, legacy and siblings, personality and diversity. Those things make random shoe selection look simple!
Now, assuming you didn’t talk on your cell phone throughout the tour, or check your Blackberry twenty times during your interview, I can pretty much give you a free pass on the small transgressions that you are now sure are the death knell for admittance.
You are ok. You are just powerless.
So, acknowledge all the things that there are to obsess about, from your tone of voice to wearing white before Memorial Day, and then let it go.
And try to remember that obsessing is Mom 101, but surrendering is an AP class.
Good luck!
Samantha Goodman is the mom of a First Grader at Wildwood School and a preschooler at 10th St. Preschool in Santa Monica. Samantha’s son also attended 10th St. Preschool. Before her current parenting hiatus she was a screenwriter in Hollywood.
Beyond The Brochure and LA School Mates are pleased to offer an informative evening event: “Demystifying The Private Elementary School Admissions Process” which will be hosted by Momangeles. The event will be held at Books and Cookies in Santa Monica on April 12, 2012 at 6:30 p.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please click on Momangeles
Actress/Mom Robinne Lee talks about going through private elementary school admissions process last year
Recently, Beyond The Brochure was pleased to co-host a fun event with an education theme. At about 6:00 p.m. on a Tuesday evening, many of L.A.’s most savvy, influential mom bloggers gathered at my house for an evening of socializing, networking, cocktails and a program, “Education Resources Moms Can Use.” The women in the room were some of my favorite writers and bloggers. I know many of them, but I was thrilled to meet those I didn’t know. As we sipped wine and enjoyed delicious Skinnygirl Cocktails(the Sangria is amazing!) we got ready to hear from our event sponsors: Launch Education (now ArborBridge) Project Knapsack and L.A. Private School Guide. Our special guest for the evening was the multi-talented Actress/Mom, Robinne Lee.
As moms, we all ask each other for advice and recommendations for products and services. The message for our event was simple: the event co-sponsors are all mom-tested education resources we all can use–and trust.
The evening’s special guest, Robinne Lee, actress/mom/Yale grad, lawyer and producer, told the group about her experience applying to private elementary schools last year. Her son is now in kindergarten at a top Santa Monica K-12 school. Robinne is a talented actress (who is also incredibly nice and insanely beautiful). Standing in line at a book signing for fashion blogger, The Sartorialist, he asked to photographer her. She couldn’t say no. Robinne co-stars in three films due out this year: Miss Dial, The Under Shepherd and Divorce Invitation. You can also see her in this flat-out hilarious video, Sh*T Duran Duran Fans Say. Find her on Twitter: @robinnelee or Facebook.
Christina Simon, Robinne Lee and Porcha Dodson
Yvonne Condes, co-founder of Moms LA, Matt Steiner and Christina Simon
Project Knapsack, a non-profit, founded by Porcha Dodson, Beyond The Brochure co-author, is getting ready for its ninth trip to Africa to deliver essential knapsacks filled with school supplies for African children who lack even basics like pencils. Parents and their kids are encouraged to volunteer with Project Knapsack’s pen pal program and help stuff backpacks at one of the organization’s many events. Supporters include Lisa Kudrow (Friends), Dwayne, “The Rock” Johnson, Kristen Cavalleri and Staples. My daughter has walked in two Project Knapsack charity fashion shows and stuff backpacks with other kids at California Pizza Kitchen. My son participated in the organization’s Hoop-A-Thon at with the men’s basketball team at Loyola Marymount University. Super fun!
LA Private School Guide is a booklet for families seeking private secondary schools, especially those who are moving from public to private schools. Mia Johnstone, the publisher, is a former admissions counselor. She understands the L.A. private secondary school process from the inside. And, she’s focused on schools east of the 10 freeway.
The Event Sponsors with Robinne Lee: Tim Benson (ArborBridge), Christina Simon, Porcha Dodson (Project Knapsack & Beyond The Brochure), Robinne Lee, Elise Lopez (LA Private Schools Guide), Matt Steiner and Barry Perlstein (Christina’s husband).Sarah Reisert (Salt and Nectar), Christina Simon, Jennifer Brandt (Perfectly Disheveled) and Robinne LeeCourtney Lewis (Santa Monica Macaroni Kids), Christina Simon, Missy Boyer, Matt Steiner, Susanna Morgan (Momangeles) and Lorena Costino.Linda Maltz Wolff (Carpool Goddess), Diane Mizota (Moments Of Motherhood) and Robinne LeeChristina and Sarah Maizes, author of upcoming children’s book, “On My Way To The Bath”Sarah Reisert (Salt and Nectar), Jamie Bakal (LA School Mates) and Jennifer Brandt (Perfectly Disheveled)
A huge thank you to our amazing event sponsors and the fabulous companies who generously donated drinks and food. Guests enjoyed delicious salads from Mendocino Farms. Incredible bite-sized brownies donated by Akasha Restaurant. Mini cupcakes donated by Magnolia Bakery. And, absolutely divine s’mores fromGotta Have S’More. A special thank you to BAO Style for gift bags filled with their beautiful petite accessories bags made from vintage silk kimonos. A big thank you toScott Stewart Photography for capturing the evening.
BAO Style Accessories Bag by Carole Yu, Crossroads School momMini brownies, Akasha RestaurantSkinny Girl Cocktails!Gotta Have S’More!
