New Level II NICU Open At Palms West Hospital For Tiniest Patients

Forty weeks is a long time to look forward to any event. If that event is the birth of a child, you will probably experience a full range of emotions while you wait — everything from joy to anxiousness. When the baby is born, you will be flooded with a sense of relief that everything has gone well.

But what if everything has not gone well? What if the baby is born too early or has a serious medical issue? The all-consuming emotion then is likely fear.

Palms West Hospital can now put those fears to rest. Long regarded for its focus on family-centered care, the hospital recently opened its new Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and renovated 10 maternity suites located in the adjacent birthing center.

Originally opening in 1986, the New Life Center at Palms West Hospital has spent 30 years listening to what parents want and what doctors need. The new state-of-art Level II NICU is the result.

Because not every baby born is a “well baby,” nor even a Level I baby, parents of infants with complex medical conditions can now stay together and focus on providing the needed support to their newest family member in comfortable, secure and private NICU suites while highly trained specialists do their jobs using the latest state-of-the-art technology.

“Our private rooms allow for intimate bonding time, which is ultimately difficult to achieve in a semi-private setting,” said Eric Goldman, CEO of Palms West Hospital. “Our NICU’s family-centered care environment provides these newborns and their parents with all the loving support they need and deserve.”

Each room is equipped with incubators, ventilators and other specialized equipment for premature newborns. Because family-centered care is such a priority at Palms West Hospital, the upgrades incorporate NicView Streaming technology, which allows families to view their newborn from a secure camera portal anytime, anywhere, on any device with internet access.

“NicView Streaming was a priority for us. Families should not miss a second of their baby’s early moments,” New Life Center Clinical Director Toni Ahern said.

Palms West Hospital is one of only five hospitals in Florida with this unique technology. “We are thrilled to unveil the upgrades to our New Life Center,” Ahern added. “The expansion is much more than decorative — we have expanded our staff and services to ensure that it is the safest place to welcome your baby.”

The new Level II NICU is staffed around-the-clock by board-certified neonatologists, experienced nurses, respiratory therapists, anesthesiologists and social workers in a unit that is equipped with the technology and equipment required to provide the most advanced and specialized care.

Dr. Bernardo Pimentel of South Dade Neonatologists specializes in the treatment of premature babies. He is very excited that the new Level II NICU is open at Palms West Hospital. “Level II is level of care provided to newborns who weigh one kilo or more,” Pimentel explained. “Typically, five to seven percent of all pregnancies result in premature births, often to younger mothers, diabetics, those with hypertension or drug addicts.”

Construction began on the new Level II NICU in January and was completed in mid-April at a cost of $4.9 million. “This unit is brand new,” Pimentel said. “There are big rooms. We can keep the mother there and they can see what we are doing with the capability of a camera. After she is released, the mother can see the baby from home. If the father is a soldier or out of state, he can see the baby through the internet.”

The fact that a neonatologist is on site 24 hours a day is also a real advantage, Pimentel stressed. No longer does the onsite doctor have to call for a specialist, then wait for the specialist to arrive.

Pimentel is also pleased with the highly trained neonatal nursing staff. “They are very capable nurses there,” Pimentel said. “They are well-prepared, and now they will get even more experience because they have the opportunity to deal with sicker babies. The babies will get the best care. We have always encouraged the participation of the parents in the baby’s care. Yet, in the past, a baby with issues had to be transferred somewhere else because we didn’t have the space, and it was only a Level I NICU. The expanded New Life Center is a good thing for the community and the entire area.”

Goldman said that new Level II NICU is an important upgrade for the hospital. “The addition of the neonatal intensive care unit was the missing piece of the Palms West Hospital puzzle,” he said. “For 31 years, we’ve been providing outstanding care in our children’s hospital, utilizing the most comprehensive group of physician specialists in more than 25 different pediatric specialties. Now we are able to extend that care, which is typically only found in university settings, to our newest and most fragile patients.

This serves as an example of our commitment to the western communities to be the leader in providing quality care with the most advanced technology to the patients we serve.”

Palms West Hospital is located at 13001 Southern Blvd. For more info., call (561) 798-3300 or visit www.palmswesthospital.com.

Pure Barre’s Unique Workout Is Gaining Popularity In Wellington

Micah Peters has been a fixture at the Pure Barre studio in Wellington since it opened. She has been the manager of the location since May 2014.

“I’ve been managing the studio since then, but I took over in November,” said Peters, who now owns the local fitness studio. “It was an opportunity that I could not pass up.”

Peters fell in love with the Pure Barre community and its unique workout when she was studying at Florida International University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. Paired with her cheerleading and dance background, Pure Barre, a combination of Pilates and ballet, was the perfect fit.

After Peters graduated, she learned that Pure Barre was opening in Wellington — her hometown. She knew it was the perfect opportunity to get involved as a teacher. “If you can hold onto the bar, you can do Pure Barre,” she said.

Pure Barre offers a beginners’ class called Pure Foundations for anyone who has taken five or fewer classes, where participants learn the various building blocks to the exercises in a hands-on, individualized small-class setting.

The typical 55-minute class can have up to 23 participants. “We target each muscle section to shake fatigue, and then stretch them out to create long, lean muscles, stretching each muscle section after we work it,” Peters said. “It’s low impact and easy on the joints. The workout was created by a woman and is geared toward a woman’s body, targeting the areas that women struggle with.”

However, men are also encouraged to join, and there are often special events to introduce men to Pure Barre. Nationwide, some NFL players take classes to sharpen their skills.

Participants must be 16 or older to take the class, which uses body weight for resistance, medicine balls, resistance tubes, and two-, three- and five-pound weights.

There are more than 450 studios across the country, with a similar layout in each, Peters explained, with a welcoming area, retail section, studio and cubbies for personal items.

The dress code is leggings or capris — shorts aren’t allowed because you want to keep your legs warm — a tank top or T-shirt, but no bare midriffs, and socks. Socks with grips are recommended.

Pure Barre isn’t just a workout, Peters stressed.

“It’s the community. It’s the environment. Seeing women come in here every day, the changes in their body, mentally, physically… it’s more than just a workout,” she explained. “The mental capacity, the physical capacity, the mind-body connection you have in it and seeing the change in others, and inspiring others and being inspired by clients as well. It’s amazing to see results in clients.”

Clients see results in as little as 10 classes, she said, and are able to find a familiar environment and workout when they travel. They also form lasting relationships.

“Clients will have met here, and they go on trips to New York together,” Peters said. “This is more than a workout. Friendships are developed here.”

Pure Barre has different milestones that are celebrated, be it 100 classes, 250 classes, 500 classes, 750 classes or 1,000 classes. When a client hits one of those milestones, they sign a bar in the back and receive a pair of socks.

Peters has seen clients overcome injuries and grow stronger, enjoy the challenge and transform their bodies. Pure Barre offers multiple membership packages, including those for brides-to-be and those who want to bounce back from having a baby.

Pure Barre is a challenge whether it is your first class or 1,000th class, she said, but always a great experience.

“Once you’re hooked, you’re hooked,” Peters said. “Once Pure Barre is in your life, it’s one of those things where you don’t ever want to let it go.”

For those who have never taken a class, Peters suggests coming a few minutes early — and be sure to keep an open mind.

“The first class can be a little bit overwhelming,” she said. “That’s completely normal. Give it a few tries, and you’ll definitely see results, because it is an effective exercise. It’s also fun to bring a friend because they hold you accountable, and you’re able to work out and have a good time together while changing your body.”

The Pure Barre experience is one that Peters truly enjoys sharing with her community.

“Pure Barre has always been a positive thing in my life,” Peters said. “It’s a dream for me to be able to actually say, ‘this is mine.’”

Pure Barre classes are listed online, where attendees are able to sign up and reserve a spot morning, afternoon and evening. Unlike other classes, attendees are able to sign up weeks in advance or on their way over. Walk-ins are accepted, and attendees can sign up for a class in the Pure Barre app. The Wellington location offers a new client special, as well as other promotions and packages.

Pure Barre Wellington is located at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 22, in Wellington Town Square. For more information, call (561) 469-7943, e-mail wellington@purebarre.com or visit www.purebarre.com/fl-wellington.

 

Orangetheory’s Heart-Rate-Monitored Training Helps Members Meet Goals

Orangetheory Fitness Wellington is one of more than 500 Orangetheory studio locations worldwide offering heart-rate-monitored personal training, interval fitness programs.

One of the main goals at Orangetheory is to strive for a calorie afterburn or the “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption” (EPOC) effect, as Studio Manager Kevin Cohen explained. According to this method, the body will continue to burn calories after exercise when pushing the body to its limits during workouts.

“Depending on your height and your weight, things like that, you could burn from 300 to 700 calories 36 hours after the workout, as well as however many calories you burn in your workout,” Cohen said.

The fitness club is a group-training facility, so clients are always working in groups when training at an Orangetheory location. Still, Cohen said they set up consultations with members who are working toward their own specific goals while exercising alongside others.

“Before anybody takes their first class with us, we have them come in 30 to 40 minutes early,” Cohen said. “We develop a personal touch and have them fill out a clientele intake form.”

Those personal touches are what Orangetheory locations work toward to give every member a unique experience.

“We go over their goals and see what they’re trying to accomplish, as well as introduce them to the trainer,” Cohen said. “It’s 20 minutes with us and 20 minutes with the trainer, and that’s pretty much how we get an idea for exactly what kind of workout we’re going to have for them and what we need to modify.”

The moment they step into the gym, clients are given heart rate monitors to use during exercise, and then personal heart rates are displayed on LED screens throughout the gym. There are five color-coded levels, which correlate with a percentage of your maximum heart rate: Gray, Blue, Green, Orange and Red.

“There is not going to be one person who is going to try to keep up with another person’s speed throughout the whole class,” Cohen said. “Everyone is going to go at their own pace.”

The goal is to be exercising with heart rates in the orange and red zones for the majority of the time. This gives the body the best chance to reach EPOC, the afterburn effect. “You can definitely push yourself more with the heart rate monitor,” Cohen said. “Just seeing your zones up there on the screen, you know if you’re slacking or not.”

Each class is 60 minutes long. They feature intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. During an individual’s consultation with an Orangetheory trainer, the client will get to work on goals and key in on personal fitness areas, whether it be weight loss, strength building, muscle tone and more.

When you leave the Orangetheory gym, the heart rate training doesn’t have to stop.

“The heart rate monitors that we use here can also be used outside the studio. If you’re going for a jog or going to play basketball, you can download the app, hook it up, and then you can actually see what heart rate zones you’re in,” Cohen said.

Cohen originally started working for Orangetheory at its headquarters studio in Fort Lauderdale, where the Orangetheory fitness journey began in 2010. Cohen was once a skeptic of heart-rate-monitored training, but has since found it to be personally effective.

“I really started focusing on that and going into some details with that and learning about it, and, personally, I’ve already lost a lot of weight, and my condition has gone up [by] huge numbers,” Cohen said. “I would definitely say it’s the EPOC effect.”

Cohen enjoys the culture at Orangetheory Wellington.

“The whole reason I took on a job with Orangetheory two and half years ago was because of the different vibe. It’s more family based,” he said. “We don’t just go like big gyms, ‘Oh, another person in here; enjoy your workout.’ We try to get personal with our members.”

Cohen continues to add personal touches to the fitness experience at Orangetheory, calling his members to ask about their dieting outside of the gym and pushing them to meet their goals.

“If somebody comes in here and tells me they’re looking to lose 15 to 20 pounds, two weeks later I’m going to call that person and ask them how it’s going,” Cohen said. “I’m going to ask them if they’ve been coming in. I’m going to ask them if they’ve been changing a little bit of their dieting habits.”

Orangetheory Wellington is located at 2625 N. State Road 7, For more information, call (561) 296-0485 or visit http://wellington.orangetheoryfitness.com.

Bethesda Health Now Offering A Wide Array Of Services In Wellington

We’ve all been there. You wake up and feel miserable — sniffles, sore throat and achy all over. These are the times when most people want to go straight back to bed and pull the covers over their heads.

But when going back to bed is not an option, Bethesda Health now offers new services in Wellington that can help you feel better fast. For starters, Bethesda Health Urgent Care, located on Forest Hill Blvd. near Barnes & Noble in front of the Mall at Wellington Green, provides convenient medical care 365 days a year, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. There’s never a need to make an appointment, and walk-ins are always welcome. Bethesda’s medical team sees everyone from babies to seniors.

With a longstanding reputation for providing trusted medical care since 1959, Bethesda Health Urgent Care provides care for a comprehensive array of medical conditions, including: allergic reactions, asthma attacks, colds, flu, viruses, sports injuries and urinary tract infections. Laboratory services are also available, and most prescriptions, if necessary, are available at check-out, saving time from having to go to the pharmacy after your visit.

Plus, whether it is a broken bone, sore throat or the flu, Bethesda’s on-site imaging center can make accurate diagnoses with the support of on-site X-rays and CT scans. As part of Bethesda Health Urgent Care, the imaging center will help ensure that the right diagnosis is made. Walk-in patients are welcome with a prescription from their doctor.

Bethesda Health Urgent Care can also provide school physicals and immunizations, as well as sports physicals, providing Wellington-area families with convenient care — and most insurance plans are accepted.

Women have different medical needs, and to cater to those needs, Bethesda’s Women’s Health Care Center is conveniently located next door to Bethesda Health Urgent Care. The center has an all-female staff comprised of physicians, a breast surgeon and breast health experts who provide comprehensive breast care services, using the most advanced technology.

Among those services is screening tomosynthesis 3D mammography, the most advanced technology in breast care. Diagnostic mammography and diagnostic breast ultrasound are also offered, with same day results. Plus, there is always a board-certified radiologist to read the results. Bethesda Women’s Health Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Saturday and evening hours, available by appointment.

For added convenience day or night, Bethesda now offers Care on Demand. This new telemedicine service is available via any mobile device, computer or tablet 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Care on Demand provides immediate access to a board-certified physician. Physicians are available in family medicine and internal medicine to provide medical care in the comfort of your home. In the event you need follow-up medical care, patients will be referred to a Bethesda physician or a Bethesda facility.

Do you have a loved one at a Florida college or university? A Care on Demand telemedicine visit has a flat fee of $59 per visit, payable by credit card at the time of the call. For someone away at a Florida college, Care on Demand not only offers fast, convenient medical care for students, but can also bring peace of mind to worried parents.

Finally, if you are looking for a doctor’s office that can see your family, Bethesda Health Physician Group-Wellington may be just what you need. Conveniently located across from Office Depot on State Road 7 in Wellington, the practice sees patients ages 14 and up and is comprised of board-certified physicians in family medicine, internal medicine and cardiology.

Together, with more than 30 years of combined experience, internal medicine physicians Dr. Andrew Savin and Dr. Joseph Jose, and family medicine physician Dr. Gincy Kandankulam, along with cardiologists Dr. Rachel Eidelman and Dr. Christina Michael, are dedicated to providing the very best in medical care.

Bethesda Health Physician Group provides a comprehensive array of services to help patients manage a wide variety of conditions, including: cardiac disease, diabetes, geriatric medicine, high cholesterol, hypertension, men’s health, obesity, osteoporosis and women’s health. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with evening hours available by appointment. Most insurance plans are accepted.

Whether you need immediate medical care or are looking for a new physician for your family, Bethesda Health is there to help. As a not-for-profit healthcare provider, Bethesda Health is proud to serve the Wellington community and provide quality health services in a caring manner with the highest commitment to patient safety.

For more information about Bethesda Health’s services, visit www.bethesdaweb.com or call (561) 737-7733, ext. 84405.

The Sat To Prep or Not to Prep

Preparing to take the SAT, that all-important college entrance exam, is crucial to most high school students. We reached out to Wellington-area experts, who shared their advice about how to get ready for the standardized test.

Located in the original Wellington Mall, #1 Education Place uses a personalized, one-on-one approach to prepare students for the SAT. Huntington Learning Center, located near Whole Foods Market on State Road 7, has been helping local high school students prepare for the standardized test since 2010. Finally, Kristen Seery of Wellington Tutoring has been working one-on-one with high school students since 2009.

These experts all have their own personalized approaches to SAT prep, but generally, each focuses on the individual student, to help clients meet the goals and the scores for the college or university they are hoping to attend after high school.

#1 Education Place (561-753-6563, www.1educationplace.com), an alternative education school, offers its students a personalized prep for the SAT, geared toward the individual. Anita Kane, co-founder and director of the high school program, said they have transitioned from group classes to strictly individual test prep. She works on the verbal portion of the test.

“A lot of places do big classes,” Kane said. “We did in the past. We did classes of up to 20 students, and we found that wasn’t very effective.”

Many of the students who attend the school are athletes from the equestrian community, and not everyone has the same path after high school.

“We do private tutoring prep for individuals who are more serious about going to college because we’re more of a professional school,” Kane said. “A lot of our students are professional athletes. Not everybody is college bound here. So, it’s not as important for everybody to prep for the test.”

The PSAT preliminary test is an important aspect for establishing a starting point for students.

“Our students who are really looking at going to a university take the PSAT in 10th grade as well as in 11th grade,” Kane said. “It gives them a little bit of a knowledge of the test and a little bit of an experience with the big test sitting.”

Kane said that the SAT is testing skills that students have been developing since they started grade school, but the understanding can be lost over time. It’s necessary to reinforce the skills that are there, but may not be as well understood as they can be.

“I think that is where test prep has moved toward, is kind of a review of really basic skills that are lost,” Kane said. “It’s not to say that you as a student don’t naturally do that in your writing; it’s just that you don’t know why you’re doing it. So, if you get this one little sentence where you have to pick out the error in it, you might not be able to find it because you don’t know why it’s an error.”

Mary Fisher, director of the Huntington Learning Center in Wellington (561-594-1900, www.huntingtonhelps.com/center/wellington), has a team of tutors who come in after school hours and work individually with students who come to prepare for the SAT.

Fisher also works individually with students on the math portion, and all of the tutors specialize, so there is never one tutor at her Huntington location that will cover the entire SAT prep.

“I recommend to my parents, if their [child] is in 10th grade, and they’ve completed Algebra 2, then they are certainly ready to start prepping, and we can get it out of the way early in their junior year,” Fisher said. “It really depends on the math, because the new SAT is loaded with Algebra 2.”

Fisher tells parents and students not to wait to get started on SAT prep.

“If you wait too long, and you’re under the crunch, then you’re making it harder or more difficult to concentrate on the SAT,” she said. “There is no question in my mind. I will 100 percent stand by this: the more the student wants it, and the more the student is willing to do the work to get the score, they’ll get the score.”

Fisher also focuses on the goals of each student, so test prep gets personalized from student to student.

“When the kids come in, we give them a practice test,” Fisher said. “If they want University of Florida scores, and they’re not close to it, then we kind of say, ‘OK, that’s your goal college, but let’s put another few colleges in there,’ and we work toward that goal.”

Fisher likes students to look early and know what universities and colleges require of high school students in order to give themselves a high likelihood of being accepted to the school of their choice.

“Focus on a school, and focus on its requirements,” Fisher said. “Part of those requirements is going to be SAT requirements, but if you know what they are going in, you have a better shot of getting them, because you have the time to do it.”

Kristen Seery, the founder of Wellington Tutoring (561-247-2810, www.wellingtontutoring.com), has been furthering her own higher education recently, but she continues to work one-on-one with high school students preparing for the SAT.

“I think the key thing to remember is that you’re always preparing,” Seery said. “I hate to sound cliché, but in every math class that you’re going through in high school, you are preparing for the SAT. In every book that you read and every essay that you write, you are preparing for the SAT.”

She recommends that students pay the few extra dollars to get the feedback from the PSAT.

“Always order the score report, the detail, question and answer service,” Seery said. “You can immediately look at your weaknesses, and you can start targeting them to fill in the gaps. Serious prep, I would say, begins about four months out from your test date.”

Seery believes that everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed.

“The good thing about this information age that we live in is that there are endless resources available to you online free of charge that are excellent for SAT prep,” she said.

Seery looks at test prep as a long distance run versus a sprint.

“You break things up on a day-to-day basis to meet your goal,” she said. “You don’t wake up one day and go into a four-hour test cold, unless you want to not do well.”

She recommends that students seeking the best possible SAT score see a professional on an individual basis.

“The benefit of meeting with an expert in the field is that they’ve already done a lot of the research,” Seery said. “You’re going to save yourself 100 hours in time because an expert is going to be able to direct you toward the appropriate resources in terms of books and worksheets to use… That’s going to give you the questions most similar to the ones you’re going to see on a test.”

Seery added that tutors can act as coaches, not just someone who is feeding you skills, but to provide empowerment.

“Everyone needs someone who believes in them,” Seery said. “Someone else has to believe in you first, and then you believe in yourself.”

Wellington’s Dr. Evangeline Aguirre Honored As Teacher Of The Year

Palm Beach Central High School teacher Dr. Evangeline Aguirre got the surprise of her life recently when Palm Beach County School Superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa, Palm Beach County School Board Chairman Chuck Shaw and School Board Member Marcia Andrews showed up at her school to honor her as the county’s teacher of the year.

“I was shocked. I was totally shocked,” Aguirre said of the Tuesday, Feb. 28 surprise. “When my assistant principal got me from the classroom, she said I was attending an emergency meeting.”

Looking around, she thought, “This seems serious.”

And it was. She was receiving a serious recognition. Aguirre was chosen from more than 13,000 teachers in the Palm Beach County School District for the recognition and will represent the district in statewide competition.

Also on hand for the big surprise was PBCHS Principal Darren Edgecomb and Aguirre’s husband, Stan Crooks, as well as dozens of her students and faculty colleagues. Aguirre specializes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and has been at Palm Beach Central for nine years.

“It was an overwhelming emotion, but more than anything else, it’s a humbling, humbling experience,” she said. “I’m the president of Palm Beach ESOL… I know a whole lot of ESOL teachers, and teachers in different subject areas, who really are great, truly excellent, and they deliver to the best of their abilities every day in the classroom. For me to be chosen is truly an honor.”

Nevertheless, Aguirre is grateful that her efforts and dedication were recognized.

For Edgecomb, who nominated Aguirre, it was gratifying to see one of his teachers receive the coveted award.

“After observing for the last couple of years, I found her to be the ‘irreplaceable.’ She’s one of those teachers who, if she left, it would take years to find someone at her level of greatness,” Edgecomb said. “She’s a passionate educator, she loves teaching and she has a story to tell, being a person who migrated from the Philippines. She represents the American dream for those ELL (English Language Learners) or ESOL kids she educates. It’s the reading classes that she teaches, and I believe that reading drives everything here at the school. Having a school with literacy as the focus is extremely important, and she does this with kids who are acquiring the language.”

Aguirre previously received recognition as reading teacher of the year, and her portfolio made her a strong candidate for teacher of the year.

“When she was selected, I was just overjoyed. I felt that it was well-deserved. She has such a humble spirit, and her focus is always on the kids,” Edgecomb said. “I felt that they got the choice right, and I felt very excited for her and her kids.”

There’s a strong sense of pride at the school for Aguirre’s accomplishments. One touching display was evident when she returned to her classroom.

“When I got the award, and I went back to the classroom, my students were crying,” Aguirre recalled.

When she asked what was wrong, the following exchange occurred:

Student: “It’s real.”

Aguirre: “What do you mean?”

Student: “The American dream is real. It could really happen. If you work hard, you could really get recognized.”

That student had seen failure most of her life, and Aguirre was the closest image of success that she had ever seen, Aguirre explained.

“To see your teacher get recognition and succeed in her career, it meant so much to her,” Aguirre said.

It is moments like that which show just how much of an inspiration Aguirre is for her students. She came to the United States from the Philippines on a teacher exchange program in 2004. At the time, she was already an experienced teacher.

“I decided to teach for a year, and before I knew it, it was 25 years. I chose to stay in the profession because it’s something I really enjoy doing. It’s a profession in which I found a real sense of purpose,” Aguirre said. “It’s something through which I could make a difference in the lives of so many students every day. I am good at it. It is a skill that I do very well.”

She is also quite knowledgeable in the field. Aguirre holds a master’s degree in ESL (English as a Second Language), as well as a doctorate in instructional leadership.

She taught at Glades Central High School before moving to Palm Beach Central, where she teaches intensive reading in grades nine through 12 and also has a 10th grade English class.

“When my students enter my classroom, they feel safe and know it’s a very encouraging environment,” Aguirre said. “They know that regardless of their level of proficiency in English, regardless of their background, they are treated the same, and they are most welcome.”

Having a welcoming and inclusive environment goes a long way in enticing students to do their best, thrive and meet expectations. After all, many of them are in the lowest percentage of proficiency in the school. It isn’t that they don’t understand; they’re being tested in English, when they might not even be proficient in their native language. They’re also expected to understand cultural clues for a culture that is new to them.

“How are you going to deliver if you don’t speak the language?” she asked. “That is the dilemma and that is the challenge that every ESOL student faces.”

Aguirre teaches through cultural integration with multifaceted instruction to help the students understand the language in a classroom where all accomplishments are recognized the same, be it recognizing the alphabet or passing a test.

“I do a whole lot of collaborative learning. I do individualized instruction,” she said, adjusting to the varied needs of the up-to 25 teens in her classroom.

At the end of the day, she reflects on how lessons went, if students responded to activities, and what worked or didn’t work in the classroom. She is able to see the transition where instruction becomes learning, and finds that incredibly fulfilling.

With this recognition, Aguirre hopes to share what she does in her classroom with other ESOL teachers in the school district with the support of Edgecomb.

“He trusts me that I know what I am doing, that I deliver every day in the classroom. He trusts my instruction, he trusts my decision and he trusts my perspective,” she said.

Aguirre constantly pushes herself, investing in local, national and international personal development.

“I need to know more so I can deliver more. I don’t want my students to be stagnant in terms of learning, so I do not want to be stagnant as an educator myself. I do not demand anything of my students that I would not deliver myself,” she said. “If I demand excellence from my students, I should demonstrate the same thing.”

Her approach has worked. She learns from her students, and they learn from her.

“My students see themselves in me,” Aguirre said. “We tell the same story. We have the same story. We have the same struggles, adapting to a new culture, leaving family behind.”

The Wellington Preparatory School Offers Students Strong Academics And Much More

The Wellington Preparatory School is a private school serving children in pre-kindergarten through grade five. Located on Lake Worth Road, it is affiliated with and shares a campus with its sister preschool, Planet Kids at Wellington.

The facility opened in 2005 as a preschool only, but parents soon asked for a strong, academically focused private school to continue the academic success provided in the preschool.

As demand continued for a prep school alternative for the Planet Kids preschool graduates, the administration opened the Wellington Preparatory School in 2012, and the school grew rapidly to its current enrollment of approximately 400 students. The school’s mission is to provide accelerated academics, in small classes, with exceptional co-curricular classes.

The Wellington Preparatory School offers curriculum developed by Columbia University and the University of Chicago as the core of its academic offerings. It also has a robust science and robotics program, violin lessons twice a week, “Meet the Masters” art, Spanish, karate and physical education.

Each area of instruction has been researched and selected to provide the best in education. For instance, during the development of the school, the music curriculum specialist selected violin lessons due to the unique characteristics of the unfretted instrument. Students must learn the mechanics of playing the instrument as their ear must learn the sounds of each note.

“Meet the Masters” introduces students to 10 master artists throughout the year with more and more detail about the artists and what makes them special. By the end of elementary school, students have a detailed understanding of 10 great artists and have emulated their work.

In addition, the Wellington Preparatory School provides classes after school that include art, French, chess, robotics and science. The school offers before care starting at 6:15 a.m. and after care from 3 to 6:15 p.m.

“Our small student classroom environment allows for our teachers to meet the needs of every student,” Principal Sandy Montoya said. “If a student has mastered a specific subject, we will enhance their assignments. We focus on each individual student’s academic achievement, along with their social and emotional development.”

The Wellington Preparatory School strives to find the most qualified teachers available to enhance the school environment.

The pool of qualified applicants is smaller than at other schools, since the Wellington Preparatory School does not hire inexperienced teachers and requires faculty with experience in its curriculum. National searches are the norm.

“Our teachers have taught at some of the best schools in the country, and we have had to go out of state to find the perfect fit,” said Jeff Altschuler, the school’s founder and president.

The school is also looking to expand in the future. The Wellington Preparatory School sits on a five-acre campus and has four buildings, including a business office and caretaker’s residence.

The original expectation was that the elementary building would have enough capacity through fifth grade. However, the private school grew faster than anticipated, so a second campus will eventually be needed to meet the demand.

Students Emily Sarria and James Hamilton are typical of the accelerated academic environment at the Wellington Preparatory School, which prides itself on teaching a grade ahead at all levels. Sarria and Hamilton were spelling bee finalists and, when they went on to compete in the regional competition, Sarria was the only second-grader to participate in the entire competition.

The Wellington Preparatory School is located at 9135 Lake Worth Road. For more information, call (561) 649-7900 or visit www.wellingtonprep.org  or www.planetkidsworld.net.we

Upper Echelon Academy Provides Individualized Programs For Full-Time And Seasonal Students

Upper Echelon Academy of Wellington provides individualized tutoring services and an accredited educational program for students year-round, with enrollment options for full-time and seasonal students.

The academy was established in 2013, bringing together a group of founders and educators who had been working with diverse groups of students in Wellington for nearly 20 years.

The school’s mission is to provide superior education in all subjects, enabling students to thrive scholastically. The school strives to maximize each child’s capacity to excel academically and athletically, and the faculty works relentlessly to provide clients with a well-balanced, fulfilling and intellectual experience.

Upper Echelon Academy offers academic assistance for all grade levels. The primary division specializes in preparing students with the basics needed for literacy and mathematic competency, assisting students struggling with any educational concepts.

“For seasonal academics, we work one-on-one with students, and closely with trainers, around competitions, in order to meet the academic goals of every student,” said Clementine Goutal, one of three co-owners, together with Kate Bomgaars and Heather Amber. “Our Upper Echelon Primary Academy offers developmentally appropriate group learning for students during the Winter Equestrian Festival in order to provide curriculum continuity.”

The school also specializes in test preparation to ensure that students gain entrance into the colleges of their choice. “Many of our students come to us because they need support to excel academically,” Bomgaars said. “Students who are pursuing goals outside of the classroom, or students whose learning needs are not met within the confines of traditional education, thrive within the Upper Echelon Academy experience. One student, a talented figure skater, began working with Upper Echelon Academy in 2013. Our administrators were able to work with her school and create a curriculum program that allowed her to focus part of her day on her sport while excelling academically through the benefit of one-on-one instruction.”

Upper Echelon Academy focuses on determining the best academic program for each individual. Educators regularly meet new clients who are eager to focus on riding or another sport, or who have learning differences that create difficulty in a typical classroom setting.

“We work with the student’s school administration and teachers to develop the best possible curriculum for each student as an individual,” Bomgaars said. “This is an integral part of our job, as we are responsible for convincing these institutions to take that leap of faith and tailor an academic program to the needs of each student. Once the process is underway, and the teachers see how students thrive in one-on-one and small group settings, apprehensions are assuaged. It’s very rewarding to hear from principals, teachers and counselors that our clients experience dramatic academic gains during their time with Upper Echelon Academy.”

The founders of the school are all competitive equestrians who personally understand the unique needs of young riders who travel the show circuit.

“We pride ourselves on creating individualized schedules with the highest quality instruction,” Goutal said. “Our year-round program offers exceptional curriculum in each content area, including more than 20 college board Advanced Placement courses for our high school students. Upper Echelon Academy tailors educational plans to support and enrich the academic experience for each individual. Our professional instruction, combined with the top curriculum available in each subject and individual education plans, guarantees academic excellence for every learner.”

Upper Echelon Academy is located in the Chancellor Corporate Center at 12008 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. For more information, call (705) 241-6683 or visit www.upperechelonacademy.com.