Kathryn Barnett School of Dance and Allegro Dance Academy Celebrating 31 years of dance:At Kathryn Barnett School of Dance and Allegro Dance Academy (KBSD & ADA Dance), “It’s all about the kids!” Dance helps students physically develop a sense of balance, improve agility, and encourage creativity.They believe in developing solid teamwork, self-esteem and professionalism. Registrations will be held Aug. 14-15 from 5-7 p.m.; Aug. 19-21 from 1-4 p.m.; and Aug. 26-28 from 4-7 p.m. New class formats this year help them to develop techniques in every style of dance. Separate technique classes in ballet, jazz, lyrical and contemporary encourage dancers to advance learning to the next level without an extended or required commitment.Tap, hip hop, acrobatics, pointe, musical theater, and stretch/strength classes round out the schedule. Pay in advance for one full year at registration and receive a 10 percent discount.They are continuing to offer two levels of the award-winning Barnett Traveling Troupe.The competition team is the winner of the Class Act Award at OnStage New York Competition and the well-known Holiday Express Dancers; and the Performance Troupe appears at community performances and attends one competition if they choose. Kathryn Barnett and Cathy Stucko invite you to come by the studio and learn more about our programs. Call 732-747-9552 for details or email kbsd@KBSDdance.com.The school is located at Union Square Mall, Route 35 south, Middletown/Red Bank. For more information, visit www.KBSDdance.com.
Athena Learning Center The Around the Corner Art Center is a fullservice art center that accommodates a year-round art school, a custom frame shop, a paint-your-own pottery studio, and offers a full line of fine artist supplies to professionals and amateurs.The art center also runs a variety of children’s art camps and birthday parties.This local art center, established in 1980, began as a custom frame shop.Through the years it has changed into one of Monmouth County’s premier art schools.The Around the Corner Art Center offers fine art classes in painting, drawing, pastel, clay and ceramics, anime and cartooning, teen portfolio preparation workshops, as well as fashion design and sewing. Painting classes are offered in a variety of mediums including oil paints, acrylics, gouache and transparent watercolors. Drawing classes explore the use of charcoal, graphite pencils, colored pencils and more.The teachers all have their special areas of expertise ranging from traditional painters, to accomplished draftsman, to skilled clay craftsman and professional anime artists.The Around the Corner Art Center’s professional design team is available to assist customers with their custom mat and frame selections for artworks, memorabilia, needlework, diplomas and more.The paint-your-own pottery studio welcomes walk-ins or groups looking to create something special.The Around the Corner Art Center is located in Freehold Township, at 290 Mounts Corner Drive, and is housed in the historic Solomon House.Around the Corner Art Center recently opened a second location at 509 Route 79, Morganville, for art classes and art camp. Join them for a fun-filled night of adult painting and drinking. It is great for any group or occasion where you supply the wine and we supply the rest. It’s a great creative night out for anyone. For more information, call 732-308-4666 or visit www.aroundthecornerartcenter.com.
Around the Corner Art Center 
Creative Campus Nursery School Athena Learning Center of Middletown will help your child prepare for this coming school year.Athena Learning Center of Middletown will help your child achieve academic success throughout this school year.The 2014-15 school year for school districts within Monmouth County will continue with full implementation of the Common Core State Standards and NJ ASK testing.Athena can help your child through a package of Common Core-aligned assessments and curriculum solutions used in the center.These solutions have been proven to help K-12 students meet the new high standards.Throughout each program, all progress and results are quantifiable. New students are assessed on their understanding of their gradelevel schoolwork as well as their work habits and attitudes toward school. During coursework, certified teachers use a system of checkpoints to track progress, addressing needs immediately. Lastly, all students must pass a post-program test to make sure they have mastered the current work before moving on to the next level.There is also a strict alignment between what students learn at Athena Learning Centers of Middletown and what they are expected to learn in the classrooms of Middletown and surrounding school districts. For more information, contact the center director, Melissa Picciotto, at 732-796-7030, middletownnj@athenalearningcenters.com, or www.athenalearningcenters.com.
Dance With Melody 
Dance Factory USA Creative Campus Nursery School has been serving the Hazlet area for more than 50 years with a quality preschool.They now have some second generation students attending. Classes are held for 2 ½, 3 and 4 year olds.The Pre K (4-year-olds) class reviews and completes simple worksheets that correspond with the letter of the week.They also are introduced to the sound of each letter, and learn how to write and spell their name.The nursery class (3-year-olds) are introduced to the letters of the alphabet and reviews colors and shapes.The early experience class introduces colors, shapes and sharing.All classes do art projects and have time for free play.The structure of each class is consistent with the age group.The children move between three rooms during the day to complete each activity. They offer early drop off beginning at 8 a.m., an extended day until 5 p.m., and a lunch buddies program.Visit Frchazlet.com to see what Creative Campus is about. The school is owned and operated by the Faith Reformed Church but is a nonsectarian school following the church’s philosophy of love, kindness, patience and understanding.The school is located at 215 Middle Road, Hazlet. Call today to set up a visit at 732-264-8050.
Emotion in Motion Dance Center Dance Factory USA on Route 35 in Middletown is entering its eighth season. Under the direction and ownership of Aimee Layfield, Dance Factory USA has grown to be one of the top studios in the area. Dance Factory offers classes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical and acro.They offer the best acro program in the area for all ages and levels. For the younger dancers they offer combo classes as they grow into the full hour classes. DFUSA has a full staff of qualified teachers waiting to teach your little star how to sparkle up on that stage! There are classes for recreational dancers or if they decided they want to be more serious, you can audition to be part of the award-winning com petition team.The team just came home from a national dance competition where they were recognized for top technique and scored as one of the top studios! Dance Factory USA is conveniently located in the Kohls shopping plaza in Middletown. We have two large dance room with closed circuit TV so you can view your child’s class at any time. Spaces are still available for the summer camps and Intensives. For more information visit www.thedancefactoryusa.com or call 732-671-2343.
King of Kings School 
The Gravity Vault Dance With Melody is celebrating its 24th year in business. Owner Melody Shanley opened the studio in 1991 and is still located in the popular Middletown Shop Rite Plaza.“I’ve always loved this location because it’s so convenient and parents can shop with peace of mind while their children dance,” says Melody.The studio also offers a full line of dancewear and shoes that are available for purchase.The top-notch faculty at Dance With Melody is comprised of professional dance instructors with strong experience and educational backgrounds. Joining the staff at Dance With Melody in September is Lynn Scheps, owner of Bayshore Academy of Dance in Holmdel.As she closes her doors after 35 years of dance education at Bayshore Academy, she is opening a new curtain beginning her 51st year of teaching and dancing to a new Melody.The studio specializes in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, pointe, gymnastics, lyrical, contemporary, voice, musical theater, musical comedy, modern and combination classes. Specialized classes in parent/tot and adult classes are offered as well. Students of all ages are offered a high quality and rewarding dance education experience, from recreational to competitive levels. Dance With Melody is known for its comfortable, creative, and fun environment where students learn proper technique, while building self-esteem and confidence. Dance With Melody is home of the awardwinning Diamond Dance Company, which has performed on Carnival Cruise Line’s Imagination, at Lakewood BlueClaws games,The Strand Theatre, Monmouth Mall, Middletown Arts Center, and Six Flags Great Adventure.The company attends both regional and national competitions, and holds summer auditions and intensives for both current and new team members. Most recently, the dance company performed at the Tropicana in Atlantic City for their national competition. Dance With Melody offers yearly recitals, competition opportunities, proficiency rating examinations as well as fantastic summer camps.They are still taking enrollment for their summer programs including princess, fairy, mani-pedi camps, evening intensives, and master classes.They are now accepting fall registration. The fall schedule can be found at www.dancewithmelody.com. Call (732) 957-8383 or email at info@dancewithmelody.com for information or to register.
Peace Rose Montessori School 
L.A. Dance Center of the Arts Emotion In Motion Dance Center, Middletown, is now celebrating its fifth season! While they are extremely proud of the accomplishments of their award-winning competition team, they are equally as proud of their flourishing recreational program.There is a place for everyone at Emotion in Motion.Whether your goals are to compete, dance professionally, or simply have a creative outlet, they value the opportunity to educate your child in the world of dance and performing arts. It is never too early to introduce your child to creative movement, growth motor skill development, poise and discipline.At as early as age 2 1/2, your child will be learning not only basic dance steps, but the concepts of working with others, sharing and taking turns. Most of all, they will gain self confidence and a sense of accomplishment at the yearend recital held at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.They offer classes in all styles of dance, acro, musical theater as well as private coaching in voice and acting.The instructors are all highly educated and experienced in their fields and have the same goal in mind: to nurture your child’s passion and give them the tools to accomplish their dreams. Call 732-671-2001 or visit www.eimdancecenter.com to start your dancer’s amazing journey into the world of the arts!
Rumson Country Day School 
Ranney School Georgian Court University in Lakewood made headlines last year as it went completely coed. But growth at the 2,200-student school goes beyond adding men and athletics teams. GCU also is extending its reach through specialty programs and partnerships. Since 2013, GCU’s Global Transformation Initiative has placed students and faculty in 29 countries, with participants addressing autism research in Holland, child trafficking in Ghana, and bilingual education in Brazil, among other issues.“This isn’t cool, it’s relevant,” said history major Jamie Sonnenberg-Smith, a Georgian Court senior teaching in Ghana this summer. “Global experiences aren’t just extracurricular — it’s what we’re doing, what we’re studying. It’s how it translates to our future.” For Shaun Brennan, who graduated at the top of his class in the GCU-Meridian Health School of Nursing, that future starts now.“Like any father, I want my children to have an easier life than I had,” said Brennan, 31, of Barnegat. “My professors prepared me to enter the practice with the most up-to-date nursing science at my disposal. Better yet, they taught me to be mentally flexible so I can readily adapt and be an agent of change.”Visit georgian.edu or call 732-987-2700 to learn more about GCU’s 30 undergraduate majors and 10 graduate degree programs.
St. John’s Nursery School 
St. Benedict Catholic School The Gravity Vault in Middletown, located at 37 Kanes Lane, is on the fast track to being the goto place for families to unwind as summer comes to a close and the new school year begins.With 60 ropes, 40-foot walls, a multitude of climbing options, a well-trained and knowledgeable staff and no shortage of fun, climbing is quickly becoming the sport of choice for many in Middletown and the surrounding area. From kids to adults,The Gravity Vault offers individual sessions and classes for all ages and skill levels, which can be scheduled ahead of time.Along with classes, the gym hosts a special ladies night and a night just for teens, to name a few. For kids with a competitive spirit,The Gravity Vault also has a youth climbing team and continually sends its members to Regionals, Divisionals, and even Nationals in a number of different climbing categories. The Gravity Vault in Middletown also makes for a fantastic place to host birthday parties, and other events equipped with a party room. Climbing parties give kids (and adults) a fun, safe, and exciting party they will never forget. For more information on The Gravity Vault in Middletown, call 732-856-9599 or visit online at www.gravityvault.com.
Trinity Hall The Growing Tree Children’s Academy has been a second home for children for more than seven years. From the moment you walk through the doors you can feel the love the staff has for your children.They believe doing is learning, which is why classrooms are set up in centers. From 6 weeks old to 6 years old, children are encouraged to learn at their own pace.The babies have circle time where they sing songs, do art projects and learn sign language.The toddlers are becoming independent little people, while building upon the skills they have learned.The preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten classrooms engage the children to learn through a hands-on approach.They work on number recognition, addition, subtraction, shapes, colors, patterning, time and money.They use The Land of The Letter People Reading program. This is a balanced literacy program that promotes successful reading and writing.The teachers play an immense role in your child’s life every day, in all classrooms.The love and respect that they give each child shines through in all they do. Growing Tree Children’s Academy has an open door policy, so stop by and visit at 12 Hillcrest Road, Holmdel. For more information, call 732-264- 1750 or visit www.holmdelgrowingtree.com.
Temple Beth Ahm Preschool Head Over Heels Gymnastics and Bodies In Motion Dance Centre together offer a comprehensive curriculum ranging in courses for the preschool-aged child through the advanced student. In addition to traditional gymnastics and dance, HOH and BIM offer exceptional classes such as cheer and Kicknastics (karate with a twist) as well as a unique class only found there, Groove- N-Gym.This class combines the best the facility has to offer. HOH and BIM keep the learning going year round with full- and half-day camp, as well as summer dance intensives for the serious dancer. Additionally, these state-of-the-art facilities offer a variety of award-winning competitive teams in gymnastics, dance, trampoline and cheer. It is fun for the whole family too: they now offer Yoga and Zumba for adults.At HOH and BIM, they believe a well-rounded child is a successful child.The instructors stress discipline and proper technique, in a positive, nurturing environment.All of the staff members are professionals in their field, and continue to expand their own education in order to bring the students the most up-to-date and exciting classes.Whether preschool beginner, accomplished athlete or preprofessional dancer, your child’s success is their passion. Let them help you find the right class for your child. For more information, call the Parlin location at 732-238-6900 or the Middletown location at 732-671-2328.
King of Kings School has been providing the children and families of Middletown and neighboring communities with a safe, secure, nurturing and encouraging preschool experience since 1996. They provide a child-centered learning environment based upon the principles of group cooperation and experimental learning.They strive to instill in their students a love of learning and a positive attitude toward school that will establish a solid foundation for future academic success and well-being.The needs of each individual child are recognized and fostered. It is a community-oriented school that encourages the participation of parents and families at special events such as holiday parties and the annual “Art Happening.”They offer extra-curricular programs such as Little Chef’s Cooking Academy and Wee Can Dance Class.They have half-day and full-day flexible scheduling options.They offer a unique Young Five’s Program that meets the needs of children whose birthdays fall around the kindergarten cutoff date of Oct. 1. Students participate in the “Kings Achievement Curriculum” utilized in conjunction with the “Get Set For School” and “Handwriting Without Tears” Programs.They have a newly renovated playground for the students’ enjoyment. For more information, contact them at 732-615-0220 or kingofkingsschool@gmail.com. Find them at www.kingofkingsnj.org.
L.A. Dance Center Of The Arts, located in Lincroft, is more than just a dance studio.When your child has dance in their life, it will stay with them forever. It gives them the confidence to handle all challenges that come as they grow. Dancing is a great way for people of all ages to have fun and stay in shape. Because dance is a social activity, it leads to high self-esteem and a positive outlook. It builds self-confidence as well as social skills. Dancing also has many health benefits, including increasing in your flexibility, strength and endurance. L.A. Dance takes dancers beginning at the age of 2 ½.The young children take classes in tap and creative movement. Children in kindergarten through high school can take recreational combo classes where they can experience two styles of dance in one class. Offerings include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop.There are also hip hop classes for boys ages 5-10.There are competition company classes for children ages 5-18.These children participate in many dance competitions and perform for the community.They have won many awards in national competitions, including best choreography, best technique and top studio.At the annual recital, held at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, the students enjoy the experience of performing on a stage and receiving participation trophies. L.A. Dance offers quality dance education in a fun, safe and nurturing environment.The friendly staff is dedicated to you and your child.The studio has been newly renovated and will have an open house registration on Aug. 19, 21, 26, 28 and Sept. 4 and 5, from 4-8 p.m.The first day of classes is Sept. 9. For more information, call 732-219-7778 or visit www.ladancenynj.com.
The Peace Rose Montessori School strives to provide a true Montessori education for your child by providing a caring and respectful environment for the students.The mixed age classroom (ages 3 to 6) serves to encourage learning from peers and the development of a sense of community. The children learn using the materials engineered by Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago.These didactic materials help children learn abstract concepts using concrete materials in a multisensory fashion. In the classroom each child learns at their own pace. Most of the children will progress beyond their grade level in academics by the time they complete the program. One aspect of the Montessori education that distinguishes it from other programs is the emphasis on encourag ing the child’s independence.They learn to care for their environment, for themselves, and for others through methods that nurture their self-reliance and confidence, along with social skills such as grace and courtesy.The students receive a holistic education that includes learning about other cultures and studying subjects such as science and geography.At The Peace Rose Montessori School they pride themselves on cultivating students who excel academically and develop leadership skills and a love of learning.The school is located at 3091 Bordentown Ave., Parlin. For more information, call 732-518-8745 or visit www.thepeacerosemontessori.com.
At Ranney School, the mission-promise that every child will be known and valued drives student success. Founded in 1960 and located on a picturesque 60-acre campus in Tinton Falls, Ranney School is more than an exceptional co-educational day school, it’s a home away from home, a place where young minds are nurtured and essential skills are mastered. It is where children establish a love for learning starting at age 3 and a passion for exploring the world around them that lasts well beyond high school graduation. Ranney’s small class sizes and inspirational and caring faculty are all part of a distinctive academic community that is personalized and values each child’s individuality, academic and co-curricular interests. Expansive, modern classrooms, a 400-seat performing arts hall and world-class athletic facilities — including a track and field, tennis courts, two gyms, and a 25- meter indoor pool — provide each student with ample opportunity to discover their passions.A rigorous, college preparatory, liberal arts program challenges and prepares students for success. For 54 years, the school’s motto of knowledge, vision and honor have been the school’s guiding principles. Ranney’s teaching philosophy encourages students from beginners (age 3) through grade 12 to become independent, respectful and responsible citizens of the world. Ranney graduates attend the nation’s most selective colleges and universities and more than 80 percent are accepted at their first or second choice. Nearly half of the graduating class of 2014 are affectionately called lifers, a title shared by students who began their educational experience with Ranney in the Lower School and continued at the school for 10 years or more.Want to learn more? The website is a terrific place to start, or better yet, contact the admissions office to experience the energy of the students and faculty by visiting the school in person. Ranney is located about an hour’s drive from New York City and from Princeton.Apply now for your child’s future.Visit www.ranneyschool.org.
The Rumson Country Day School (RCDS) emphasizes challenging academics and a wellrounded education, teaching life skills in a safe and secure environment. RCDS gets the best out of every student by teaching them to master the art of critical thinking.The curriculum and talented teaching staff are laser-focused on cultivating analytical and creative young minds.Through exceptional athletics, creative arts and a family oriented culture, they nurture children from kindergarten through eighth grade as they develop into kind, honest, responsible and respectful citizens. Stu dents forge priceless relationships with faculty and classmates during their formative years on the beautiful campus, sharing values and experiences that last a lifetime.At Rumson Country Day School, they are proud of their countless alumni who have grown to thrive as leaders and benevolent members of their communities, so many of whom still enjoy remaining connected to the Rumson Country Day School family.They are still accepting new students for classes beginning in September 2014. Call or visit www.rcds.org to learn how your child can thrive.
St. Benedict Catholic School of Holmdel has more than 50 years of experience in educating students from kindergarten through eighth grade.The staff