Bring a little love to the conference for our troops
Our annual training conference — and all others — are made possible through the generosity of many people. One of the persons making this one possible is Germaine Broussard, founder and president of Troop Treats. Germaine made a financial contribution to make it possible for us to offer the Wolf Trap workshops. Thank you, Germaine!
For over nine years, Troop Treats has devoted time and resources providing aid to America’s military personnel stationed overseas. Supported by volunteers, corporations, and donors, Troop Treats’ support has been present worldwide. The organization engages in various events to raise supplies, money, and support from those in service to their country. The most important item going in any package is a personal note. No matter who you are, you can make a difference. Please show your support by liking them on Facebook or Twitter! You can also visit them at www.trooptreats.com.
We are inviting all conference participants to “bring a little love” to send to our troops. These include travel-sized items of: shampoo, lotion, soap, Scope, toothpaste, Gold Bond, baby wipes, and hand sanitizer; no conditioner, please. Or tuck a little note in your bag to be sent to someone serving overseas.
There will be receptacles in obvious places for your treats. Remember, we have many Head Start families in the military, some of them on active duty.
We Are Open for Business! Our Business is Early Head Start!
In 2009, Higher Horizons Day Care Center applied and received a grant for Early Head Start and was awarded funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Funds). Federal funding supported the complete renovation of the former Bank of America facility at the 6201 Leesburg Pike site. The newly renovated facility includes six classrooms, food services delivery area, laundry area, outdoor play area and staff lounge. The offices for the EHS program are located in Suite #5. The newly renovated Early Head Start facility at the 7 Corners location Suite #8, opened our doors to children in January 2012. The program serves 48 infants and toddlers and their families.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds gave Higher Horizons the opportunity to ‘jump start’ the economy in the Falls Church community, the outcomes were beneficial in that: we created 20 new jobs, we located and renovated office and classroom space within the local service area, and we provide comprehensive services to 76 additional children!
Early Head Start is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. This federal program enhances children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; assists pregnant women with access to comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care; supports parent’s efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and helps parents move toward self sufficiency. Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross shares “This is very good news. Higher Horizons is a leader in early childhood education and has provided tremendous support for Mason District families for decades. The Early Head Start expansion funds will enable Higher Horizons to continue services to new generations of students and their families.”
Higher Horizons serves 300 low-income children and families in the Bailey’s Crossroads and Falls Church communities of Fairfax County, Virginia in a fully integrated system of services. The main location is in Bailey’s Crossroads at 5920-B Summers Lane. This location houses both Head Start and Early Head Start children. Both facilities are fully licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services. We have highly qualified, caring staff members who receive on-going training and education. Higher Horizons believes parent and community involvement are the key elements needed to build a quality early childhood program.
The administrative offices for the EHS program can be reached by calling 571-499-6642. Please contact the office or visit www.higherhorizons.org for additional information regarding the program.
Glazer Named New President of VECF
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) has announced that Kathy Glazer, a longtime advocate for policies benefiting young children and families in Virginia, will become the organization’s new president effective January 16, 2012.
Read the press release. (PDF)
Let’s Move! Child Care State Challenge
To reach more child care providers and encourage state participation in the LMCC Initiative, NACCRRA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care have launched a nationwide competition, Let’s Move! Child Care State Challenge. States have the opportunity to be recognized in two categories: 1) The state with the highest percentage of licensed or legally operating child care programs that sign up as LMCC participants; and 2) The state with the highest percentage of programs that complete the Checklist Quiz. This is a great opportunity for Head Start programs to work with local child care partners to ensure theirs is the wining state, and to receive national recognition at the 2012 Weight of the Nation™ Conference and beyond. Sign up now and take the Checklist Quiz. The LMCC State Challenge will end April 1st.
Family FUNdamentals Calendar 2012-13 — Children’s Artwork — Call for Entries!
The Virginia Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Student Services is seeking entries of children’s artwork for the 2012-2013 edition of the Family FUNdamentals Calendar. The year’s theme is male authors. Early childhood educators are invited to submit their students’ artwork for the calendar, which will be published in the fall. The students must have an IEP that is being implemented this school year (2011-12). Classrooms submitting winning entries will receive a $100 prize to use towards the purchase of classroom materials.
Entries must be postmarked no later than April 13, 2012
Download more information and forms needed. (DOC)
February is National Dental Health Month
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. What a great time to focus on oral health in the classroom with the children.
Here is a list of children’s dental health books that are appropriate for pre-school children.
A Visit to the Dentist by Eleanor Fremont- Brush Your Teeth Please (pop-up) by Leslie McGuire
- How Many Teeth? by Paul Showers
- Barney Goes to the Dentist by Linda Dowdy
- Show Me Your Smile (Dora the Explorer) by Christine Ricci
- The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain
- Open Wide: A Visit to the Dentist (Rugrats) by Cecile Schoberle
- What to Expect When You Go to the Dentist by Heidi Murkoff
- Going to the Dentist by Anne Civardi
- Clarabella’s Teeth by An Vrombaut
Resources
Dental poster drawn by Akelia in Richmond.
January 2012 is National Birth Defects Prevention Month!
The theme is “And the Beat Goes On … Looking to the Future for Healthy Hearts” which focuses on congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect.
Whether or not you are planning a pregnancy, now is the time to prevent birth defects.
- Take a vitamin with 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
- Talk to your doctor about vaccinations (shots).
- Wash your hands often with soap and water to prevent infections.
- See your health care professional regularly.
For more information on preventing birth defects and to download publicity materials, visit:
December: Safe Toys & Gifts Month
With the holiday season approaching, thoughts turn to shopping for toys and gifts. Before you make those purchases remember to consider the safety and age-range of the toys. Millions of toys worldwide are recalled because of safety concerns such as lead paint and small magnets.
To prevent injuries, choose toys that are safe for the age of the child. Look for labels to help you judge which toys might not be safe, especially for infants and children under age three. For children of all ages, consider if the toys are suited to their skills and abilities.
For additional guidance, check out these links below:
Head Start Teachers Go WILD!
Thanks to a partnership with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, over 200 Virginia Head Start teachers have been trained in the outdoor curriculum Growing Up Wild. The Department launched this early childhood initiative designed to interest young audiences in nature and the outdoors. In the past year workshops have been offered from Lee County to Fairfax to Virginia Beach. Workshops provide an interactive, hands-on approach allowing participants to experience Growing Up WILD activities and discover how using them can help accomplish educational goals.
Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is designed to help educators and caregivers engage young children in activities that encourage exploration of the natural world. Written by educators and wildlife professionals and reviewed by experts in early childhood education, the activity guide provides an early foundation for developing active, healthy children who enjoy nature and are prepared to enter school with ample learning skills.
Growing Up WILD demonstrates through its materials and training programs how early childhood learning objectives can be reached through use of the outdoors and nature-themed activities combined with art, music, and play.
Research shows that there are many positive benefits to spending time in nature and that it is an important part of a child’s overall well-being. Children who have opportunities to play and learn in nature are more likely to: handle challenges and problems more capably; be more physically active, healthy, aware of nutrition, and less likely to be obese; have better mental and emotional health; have a greater appreciation of the arts, music, history, and literature; become better informed and environmentally aware adults; and be happier and smarter.
Growing Up WILD goes beyond building connections to the natural world and prepares young learners for future academic success by emphasizing scientific inquiry. The activity guide also includes literacy components to provide word-rich experiences for young children that will aid in reading readiness.
The Growing Up WILD workshops are available free of charge to Head Start and Virginia Preschool Initiative educators. For more information contact: Suzie Gilley, VA Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries, suzie.gilley@dgif.virginia.gov. Or look for her at our March conference where she will be presenting.
Thank you, Suzie and VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, for this great partnership!
Annual Baby Shower at Stafford Head Start
For the past 13 years Stafford Head Start has provided a Baby Shower for Head Start moms who are pregnant or recently delivered, as part of our effort to meet federal performance standards for services to pregnant women. Twenty to thirty families attend this annual event, designed to connect the moms with maternity and pediatric services in the community while celebrating their new “arrivals”. Topics presented are ‘When to go to the hospital’, post-partum depression, breast feeding, safe infant care, healthy relationships, child development, WIC and Family Planning services. Nurses from the Health Department, registered dieticians, lactation consultants from a local hospital and Cooperative Extension staff attend the 2-hour shower, often provide door prizes and explain the services of their agency, best practices in maternal and/or pediatric care, available birth control, etc.
Second-hand maternity and infant clothes, used baby equipment and furniture, and other donated items from the community are also available for the families to take home. Lunch is provided with a stork-adorned cake for dessert!
The Stafford program won a $2,000 VAHSA Mini-Grant to provide 20 portable play yards to the pregnant families and families of newborns attending the Baby Shower, and to purchase five breast pumps that would be loaned out to families willing to breastfeed.
Keeping your baby safe and healthy is the message of the Baby Shower. To this end, breast feeding and preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are the two most important practices Stafford Head Start/Early Head Start desires pregnant families and families of newborns to adopt. Most of these families are young, and for the Early Head Start families, may be having their first baby. Because they are living at or below the poverty level, they may not be able to afford the safest infant furniture or most effective equipment. The Baby Shower helps in a small way to provide some of the essentials that new-borns require.
