From the Director - pl.b5z.net

Jefferson County Committee For Economic Opportunity
Child Development Services Division
Newsletter For and About the JCCEO Head Start
Start--Early Head Start Program and Its Families
Volume 9913, Issue 3
March 2014
From the Director
Dear Parents and Staff:
Patricia A. Schmidt
Interim Director
President’s Budget
Helps Head Start
President Obama submitted
his 2015 budget to Congress
on March 4. If approved and
funded, the budget would take
effect October 1, 2014. He is
proposing a new initiative to
better support the education
and welfare needs of low and
middle income families called
the Opportunity, Growth and
Security Initiative. The new
initiative includes $75 billion
for universal Pre-K (spread
over 10 years), significant
dollars to expand Early Head
Start-Child Care Partnerships,
provide cost of living adjustments to salaries for Early
Child Care workers, and much
more.
Spring is here! Or so they say. But, we made it through all the ice, snow, and cold
weather and we’re ready for some sunshine and warm weather. Next week is
Spring Break and I hope everyone has a great time and comes back the following
week ready to finish up the rest of the school year with a bang.
Speaking of the snow, we would like to thank everyone for their patience and cooperativeness during our snow days. Everyone was caught off guard, even the
weathermen, but our staff and parents came through with a spirit of working together to make sure everyone was safe. We also had several other friends – the
staff from Rickwood Radio Service and the Birmingham Police who helped us take
care of our little ones. Our many thanks go to them all.
All our issues with weather the last few weeks have really hurt our attendance; so,
parents, let’s make up those lost days by having the children at school everyday
possible.
Have a great Spring Break!
Patricia Schmidt
Now it is Congress’ turn to act,
and they need to hear from
you. Go to
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/
budget to learn more, and if
you agree contact your Congressperson to voice support.
JCCEO Mission Statement
JCCEO provides comprehensive social and child development services to the low income citizens of Jefferson County, Alabama. Our goal is to reduce poverty by
assisting families and individuals to meet current needs and become self-sufficient through the effective, flexible, and innovative use of all available resources.
By Michelle McAlpine, M.Ed., L.P.C., Parent Engagement Coordinator—327-7570
Hello Parents,
It seems the year has gone by so quickly we’ve hardly
had time to get acquainted. The weather played a part in
the cancellation of several of our agency- wide scheduled
events, but I trust you have been busy and engaged at
your centers.
Spring is upon us and we have a lot in store. Currently
Parenting Classes are underway at various sites. At
several sites we are presenting a parenting class for
dads, granddads, and other male caregivers called Fatherhood Gathering facilitated by the Family Guidance
Center. These sessions are 4 to 6 weeks long. We encourage you to attend, it’s not too late! Incentives will be
given to those who have attended all sessions. We also
have parenting classes open to moms and dads at other
sites facilitated by the Alabama Cooperative Extension
Service. Look for the flyers or ask your family services
worker for details.
Transition workshops
are underway at all sites
at scheduled Parent
Meetings. Please be
sure to attend if yours is
upcoming. Our public
school partners come to
share vital information for
parents on expectations
in public school.
April is chocked full of
events: On April 3rd we
will host a Parent Café
for parents of children
with special needs. This
is an opportunity for parents to share information, gain support, and
have a nice dinner in a
relaxed atmosphere.
Watch for flyers at your
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sight. Please let your center manager know if you will
attend. Childcare will be available and everyone gets dinner!
April 10th brings the monthly Grandparent Support
Group at 10:00 a.m. in the Headquarters auditorium.
Grandparents please come out and fellowship with other
grands, and get great information from our community
resources. Also on that same evening at 6:00 p.m. we
will present our Healthy Relationship/Healthy Marriage
Gathering. We had to cancel the last session due to
weather, but stay tuned for more information.
The Annual Health Fair will be held on April 24th from
8:00 am – 11:00 a.m. at the Festival Center. The fair is
open to everyone. Come by and get some wonderful resource information, education, prizes, and good food.
Parent Café
April 3
Grandparent’s Support Group
April 10
Healthy Relationship/Healthy
April 10
Marriage Event
Child Abuse Prevention Forum
April 12
Annual Health Fair
April 24
Pinewood Derby
May 9
The JCCEO Head Start-Early Head Start Program takes this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all of our parents for the volunteer work they
do. Included are Loresa Loyd, (Chauncey), Kimberly Hollice (Jakobe), Tanisha Johnson (Jaelen), and Curtis Johnson (Jayden) at Arrington
Center. You each get a gold star.
Rachelle Williams and her son
Javion created a volcano at
home and brought it to his
classroom at West Center
Street Center. Here, she shows
the class how to make a volcano erupt. The class takehome activity was designed by
Javion’s teachers Ms. Perkins
and Ms. Williams.
Dancing With Her Father! Children and parents at
Festival Center enjoyed the Valentine Ball. Here, dad
Derrick Cole dances with his daughter Dailyn a student in Ms. White, Ivy, and Hall’s class.
Crystal Watters, Kiara’s mother (Calloway), has a new job with Kangaroo Express as a cashier.
Janelle Jackson, mother of Tyrell and Derriyan (Kingston), has a new
job as a server at Sweet Tea Restaurant.
Lakesha Jones, Ariel’s mom (Kingston), on her new job at the Salvation Army Thrift Store as a cashier.
Julia Austin, Julian and Jaleeah’s mother (Kingston), has a new job
as a security officer with Palmetto Security.
Shontia Moore, Courterius’ mother (Arrington), was hired as a sales
representative for MRM-Marking, Inc.
Kwanetta Humphrey, JaKaila and La’Issac’s mom (Calloway),
has joined the Dannon project. She has begun her training as a
nursing assistant.
Terria Hall, Sari’yah’s mother (West Center Street), who earn
her diploma in Cosmetology from Virginia College.
Kiaria Jackson, Justin Jr.’s mother (West Center Street), who
has enrolled in the Certified Nursing Program at Virginia College.
Mary Gill, Jamari’s mom (West Center Street), is studying culinary arts at Virginia College.
Kisha Worthy, Mi’Asia’s mom (West Center Street), is attending
Brown Mackie College to become a medical assistant specialist.
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Kingston Cluster
Marching Toddlers: Kingston Center celebrated
Black History Month at a program in the newly renovated gym-natorium. Here, toddlers in the Early
Head Start classrooms hold their lights high as they
sing “This Little Light of Mine.”
Kingston Head Start
child Jimmy enjoyed the building
blocks exhibit at the
McWane Science
Center. JCCEO
Early Head Start
classes received a
special invitation to
attend a reception
for the groundbreaking of an infant-toddler exhibit.
Young Warriors: The Head Start –Pre-K classes at
Abrams re-enacted some of the Civil Rights Movement during the elementary school’s Black History Program on February 28. Here, children get ready to protest with a march.
Afterward, the children reminded everyone of the importance of working together by singing ―The World Is A Rainbow.‖
West Center Street
Cluster
Let It Flow: Children in Ms. Burroughs, Ellis, and Scarver’s class
enjoyed learning about how oil and water react together. Here,
Having a Ball!
Kingston Center children
Santez,
Jemarion,
Keyona, Lavert
and Asya are
ready to enter
the Valentine’s
Day Ball at the
center.
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St. Francis Cluster
Leslie Thurleen from Childcare Resources is giving a demonstration
on how to make a lava lamp. The children had fun seeing the oil and
water and the food coloring move together. Thank you, so much PNC
Bank for the science activities. They are great!
Calloway Cluster
St. Joseph’s Cluster
Sticky Magnets: Courtez, in Ms. Smith and Long’s class at St.
Joseph’s Center explored throughout the classroom with his
magnet. Eventually, he discovered that his magnet sticks to an
aluminum can.
Festival Cluster
Mission Accomplished: Festival Center welcomed a
missionary group from Belmont High School in Boston
Massachusetts, who spent a week visiting the center and
helping out in the classrooms. The volunteers read and
donated books to the children. Children were able to meet
teens from many different cultural backgrounds.
Mardi Gras: Parent LaShaundra Doyle,
celebrated Mardi Gras Day with her daughter Terryiona, who is in Ms. Wilson’s class.
Everyone at the center wore masks and
dressed in purple, green, and gold. Head
Start children received colorful beads to
wear around their necks. Refreshments
included punch and moon pie.
Presidential Measures: Teacher Rose Hamilton challenged
children to guess who was taller, President Lincoln or
she using a replica of the former president posted on the
wall in the hallway.
Reading Across America: Barbara Newman from the Jeff. Co.
Health Dept dressed the part read The Cat In The Hat, a famous
Dr. Seuss book, to the children at Calloway Center. We also say a
big “Thank You’ to Kiwanis volunteer Larry Appleton, and JCCEO
Head Start consultant Anne Turner-Henson and her UAB nursing
students for reading to the children.
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EDUCATION SERVICES
Rock Stars of
Reporter, Blanche Townsend,
Teacher Aide
Beverly Cook from Childcare Resources has come to Head Start
Calloway Center several times this
year to do discovery activities with
the children. One experiment was
Clouds in a Cup. She added shaving cream and blue food coloring to
a cup of water to create falling rain
drops. In another experiment she
mixed vinegar, baking soda, and red
food coloring to create a volcanic
eruption.
West Center Street
By Iris Perkins and Jannesha Williams
Head Start West Center Street Center
Teaching Team
In the month of
February, during
our classroom
study of dinosaurs,
the children became fascinated with volcanoes.
Volcanoes were a part of the prehistoric environment that dinosaurs lived in. Since the children
showed a high interest in volcanoes we developed a take-home activity for families, so parents and children could create their own volcano
at home. An exhibit area was set aside at the
center. Children displayed their creations in the
exhibit area. They also entertained their classmates by bringing their volcanoes to life using the experiments provided
by the Grow Up Great Project. The Rock Star classroom rocks!
Disabilities Services
Jaleah, Rodney and Tezharia in Ms.
Minor’s class are blowing air
through a straw. They learned that
by using the air that comes from the
lungs they can move things such as
cotton balls, pompoms, and ping
pong balls.
Kay Spivey from the Alabama
State Dept of Education Special Education Division addresses the group of Local
Area Education providers at a
luncheon hosted by the
JCCEO Head Start Program
as Disabilities Services staff
Tara Boyd and Norma Hill
look on.
QUALITY By The Numbers
During the 2012-2013 program year, the Office of
Head Start (OHS) and JCCEO used the Classroom
Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) to measure
teacher-child interactions in Head Start centers. The
tool has ten sections organized into 3 areas.
JCCEO scored above the national average in one of
the three areas and within the average range in two
areas. JCCEO is on the move, and we are giving
children a Head Start!
Carmelita Poindexter, Education Coordinator
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National
JCCEO
S
c
o
r
e
Technology can make
children with exceptional abilities better
communicators. According to university
professor Bill Penuel,
the best technologies
are interactive and let
children be in control.
Digital tablets that contain pictures or schedules, and computers
with voice output devices are good
choices. Be sure the
software you choose is
related to the child’s
IEP goals and outcomes.
“Disabilities Services
Newsletter”, National
Center on Quality
Teaching and Learning,
Sept. 2013
POISON PREVENTION
Better
Bodies
By Dr. Crystal B. Spivey,
Health Coordinator 327-7530
This week is National Poison Prevention Week. Poisoning incidents can be prevented if parents
and caregivers remember to lock up products that could potentially cause serious harm to children. An EPA study revealed
that in households with children under 5 years old, nearly half
stored pesticides in an unlocked cabinet within reach of children. Please remember while in the midst of Spring cleaning to
keep pesticides and cleaning supplies out of our little ones
reach.
Common products that could seriously harm a child if ingested include:
 Bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers, including
bleach
 Household cleaning or maintenance products such as drain
cleaner, paints or glues
 Anti-freeze or windshield washer fluid
 Health and beauty products e.g. hair and nail products
Nutrition
News
Roach and rat poison and bait
 Insect repellent
 Weed killer
 Products used to kill mold and mildew
 Flea and tick shampoo, powder and dip
Some simple steps toward poison prevention include:
Use the safest possible cleaning products. Look for the Design for the Environment (Dfe) label on products.
Remove children, pets and
toys, pacifiers and bottles before
applying pesticides. Follow directions to determine when children and pets can return.
Never use illegal pesticides
e.g. Tres Pasitos, unregistered
insecticidal chalk. Look for an
EPA Registration ID number on
the label, for example EPA REG.
No. 500-123456
Program,1-800-222-1222, the
Poison Help number into your
phone for quick access in an
emergency. from www.epa.gov

By Kelly Grantham, Nutrition Coordinator 327 –7500
With spring around the corner, fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available and a great choice!
It is difficult for our children to get the nutrients they need from just three meals. Plan snacks as
part of the daily menu and use them to help our children meet their nutritional needs.
Healthy snacks
are essential for
our children!”
As a general rule, make snacks that include at least two food groups. For example pair apple
slices with cheese or a mini-bagel with peanut butter.
Snack Ideas from Each Food Group:
Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Dairy
Protein Foods
dry cereal, whole grain crackers, mini rice cakes, sliced bread, mini bagels, graham crackers, whole wheat
tortillas
veggie "matchsticks" (thin sticks) made from fresh carrots* or zucchini,* bell pepper rings, cherry tomatoes*, steamed broccoli, green beans, sugar peas, avocadoes
apple slices*, tangerine sections, strawberry halves, bananas, pineapple, kiwi, peach, mango, nectarine,
melon, grapes*, berries, dried apricots*
low-fat cheese slices or string cheese, mini yogurt cups, fat-free or low-fat milk, low-fat cottage cheese
egg slices or wedges, peanut butter*, bean dip, hummus, slices of lean turkey* or chicken*, shelled pumpkin seeds
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JCCEO Head Start-Early Head Start-Pre-K Program
Lipscomb kindergarten teachers Mses.
Lawley, Colley, and
Warnock shared information with parents at
a Head Start parent
meeting. They talked
about what the children will learn in kindergarten
Head Start
teacher Ms.
McNeal
joined her
class at
Calloway
Center in
dress up to
celebrate St.
Patrick’s Day.
Tax Time Tips
Parents must prove legal custody of children in order to claim
them for the earned income tax credit (EITC). Upon request,
JCCEO will provide a letter for custodial parents, documenting
the child’s enrollment in Head Start-Early Head Start for the
current year. Ask your family services worker for more information.
‘Already filed for this year? If you are eligible for the EITC you
can re-file your taxes to claim the credit by doing an amended
tax return. Go to www.irs.gov for more information .
Family Services
Resources for You
Bilingual Counseling Services: Inexpensive counseling for individuals or
families. Action Counseling and Consulting. John Ocampo, Licensed Professional Counselor. 205-249-7475.
Small Wonders: Assists families of children who have special needs, Brandi
Chelette 205-945-6000.
Employment Opportunities: Open an account with Alabama Local JobNetwork to get listings of jobs you qualify for. Job openings will be sent directly to
your email address as new openings are announced. To set up your personal account, call 877-343-8181 or go to www.metrobirminghamjobs.com for
more information.
GED Online: Adult education offered by Lawson State Community College
and the Family Guidance Center’s Center for Families-Jefferson County. Call
929-6481 for more information.
Mother’s Hope. Substance abuse treatment program for pregnant and post
partum mothers. Alethia House, 324-6502 Free
Alabama law requires all
registered voters to show
a photo ID to vote in local, state, or national
elections. If you do not
have a photo ID you can
get one free during normal business hours at the
Jefferson County Board
of Registrars Office. Mobile units will also be
available at various sites
across Jefferson County
May 5—May 12, 2014 to
make ID cards. For more
information call
1-800-274-VOTE or go to
www.alabamavoterid.com
To sign –up for the Affordable Care Act insurance program, a.k.a.
ObamaCare, for coverage to begin April 1 is
Call AIDS Alabama
324-9822 for more information.
St. Patrick was not Irish,
but born to an aristocratic
Englishman, kidnapped
and taken to Ireland as a
child, where he lived as a
slave until he escaped.
YOUNG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS
WORKSHOP, for men, women and
children ages 3—10. Cooking demonstration, activities for children,
discussions. UAB School of Nursing, April 5, Call 975-8656 to register.
Free
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT PREVENTION
FORUM. Advocacy workshops, activities for children, listen, share &
learn. Alabama Mental Health Coalition. 9-1pm JCCEO Headquarters,
Saturday April 12. Free
FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP. Keys
to become financially solvent. 5:307:30pm, JCCEO Kingston Center,
March 24. Call 201-7555 ext. 6316 to
register. Free
The Promise of Community Action
Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we
are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
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