STUDY AFFIRMS THE LONG-TERM IMPORTANCE OF HIGH

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For Early Childhood Professionals
Promoting a good start for all our children
www.windhamchildcare.org
STUDY AFFIRMS THE LONG-TERM
IMPORTANCE OF HIGH-QUALITY CARE
It takes time to organize activities that
build language skills, it takes patience to
read the same story time and again, and it
takes energy to manage a game with little
ones just learning to cooperate with each
other.
But that time, patience, and energy
from you – the child care provider – is
what translates to an experience of
“high-quality” child care for children in
your program. A recent research study
has confirmed what we all have long
understood (maybe even just in the back
of our minds): high-quality care matters.
Your time, your patience, your energy
truly matters.
Obviously, it matters for the day-today enjoyment and stimulation of those
little ones, but one study, in particular,
now shows that benefits of high-quality
care have long-term impacts for children.
The National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development’s long-term study
of kids born in 1991 shows a definite
correlation between the quality of child
care and both acadmenic achievement and
behavior during the teen years. Children
who had the most engaging, high-quality
childcare at a very young age experienced
lasting academic benefits through age 15
and were less likely to misbehave.
A provider and child at Winston Prouty
For purposes of the research, they
measured “high quality” child care by the
caregiver’s warmth, emotional support,
and cognitive stimulation for the children
in the child care program.
PHOTO BY SARAH MCKINNEY
and patience to offer “high-quality” care to
the children, but it’s worth it. And you are
doing it!
What can you do to continue offering
the highest-quality care to children in your
For this project, researchers studied
For Windham Child Care Association, program? One thing is to take advantage
1,300 children from birth and assessed
this study reaffirms a lot of what we know: of the programs offered by Windham Child
them 13 times between the ages of one
Care Association. Whether it’s through the
the work of local child care providers
month and 15 years, observing them at
mentor program, workshops and trainings,
(you) is critical for children’s well-being,
their child care settings five times between their future, and our community’s shared
or the gardening program, we are here
the ages of 6 and 54 months.
to support you in providing the best care
future. It takes a lot of effort and energy
possible to our community’s children!
Inside:
PROGRAM UPDATES: Little Arrows
GOOD TO GROW: The Co-op offers free program
SPOTLIGHT
130 Birge Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Tel (802) 254-5332 Fax (802) 251-7200
[email protected]
www.windhamchildcare.org
Mission: To improve the lives of Windham County
children and families by assuring access to highquality, economically viable child care. We:
• Provide support, resources and training to early
childhood professionals;
• Help parents identify, locate and pay for
quality child care and
• Advocate for improvements in the early
childhood system.
WCCA News: Funded in part by the Vermont
Department for Children and Families and the Child
Care Development Block Grant.
Board of Directors:
Bette Abrams, Secretary
Ken Brautigam, Assistant Chair
Jennifer Facey, Treasurer
Kathie Gatto Gurney
Lisa Harris
Jim Maland, Chair
Annamarie Pluhar
Beverly Stewart
Staff:
Sarah DiNicola, Administrative Assistant (ext. 313)
Grace Esdon, CACFP Support Specialist (ext. 315)
Sadie Fischesser, Executive Director (ext. 311)
Maggie Foley, Director of Development and
Communications (ext. 314)
Jeanna Genest, Eligibility and Referral Specialist (ext.
318)
Cyndi Miller, Program Support Specialist (ext. 312)
Elizabeth Raposa, Director of Family Programs (ext.
319)
Deborah Satterfield, Outreach and Communications
Coordinator (ext. 316)
Judy van Wageningen, Eligibility and Referral
Specialist (ext. 317)
USDA Child Nutrition Programs are available to all
eligible participants regardless of race, color, sex,
age, handicap or national origin. Any person who
believes that he or she has been discriminated
against in any USDA activity should write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C. 20250.
Newsletter is printed on recycled paper.
The classroom at Little Arrows
Little Arrows Early Childhood
Learning Center is officially open!
This center is a new educational
program to Vermont Center of the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. Little
Arrows Early Childhood Center is setup to serve deaf, hard of hearing and
children with normal hearing from age
two to five.
(ASL), will provide the children with
the skills to expand communication
options, as well as communicate with
their deaf peers, their deaf parents/
siblings and program staff. We
encourage both languages to be use in
the center.
Our Early Childhood Education
center is a year round program that
is open 5 days a week. Our time
sessions vary. The center provides
before and after school care for the
children in the program. The center
has a school setting environment
and a curriculum that will be taught
by qualified teachers and staff. The
staff and environment focuses on
the social, emotional, physical and
cognitive development of the child
and encourages them to learn those
skills through play.
Our program strongly believes
in creating a partnership with each
child’s parents. Communicating
and involving parents in the child’s
learning process will help promote
learning, not only at school, but at
home as well.
A Bilingual Communication
approach is established at our center.
The communication mode, spoken
English and American Sign Language
2 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
We are currently working on
expanding our center to serve children
under the age of two in the near
future. We are looking forward to
welcoming the little ones and their
parents to our center!
Submitted by Laura Lopez, Director of
the Little Arrows program. To submit
your program update, email maggie@
windhamchidlcare.org
Do you know that WCCA’s training calendar is now
online? Visit www.windhamchildcare.org for dates!
Interested in applying for a United Way Grant for your
program? Visit www.windhamchildcare.org for info!
Shooting for the STARS
While the official name might be
the “Step Ahead Recognition System”,
Windham County’s child care programs
have leapt ahead in participation in
Vermont’s quality ranking system for
regulated child care, early education, and
afterschool programs. Just in the past few
years Windham County had one of the
lowest participation rates; in a January
2010 report our region’s providers
topped all other Vermont counties with a
participation rate of 40%.
The STARS program awards up to
five stars to applicants based on their
achievements in five area and upon its
introduction to the state’s early care
and education providers, the STARS
program was initially met with a cool
reception and a correspondingly low
participation rate. Windham County was
no exception. Calling the application
process “daunting”, Windham Child Care
Association’s Program Support Specialist,
Cyndi Miller, could easily understand
how the providers were initially resistant
to program participation.
However, with the right level of
technical support from both Miller
and peer mentors – combined with
appreciation for the program’s incentives
and growing momentum among
colleagues – Windham County providers
began to embrace the program and had
a “dramatic turnaround” according to
Miller, bringing the county’s participation
to the highest level in the state.
For the providers, STARS encourages
sound business practices and curriculum
improvements that benefit the program
regardless of the ranking. Providers
have also received a cash bonus for
each star they achieved, in addition to
better program marketability. Recently,
however, providers suffered a STARSrelated setback when the state shifted the
tuition-based incentives from a financial
incentive for providers to a financial
benefit for parents in a STARS-ranked
program. It’s still unclear whether this
change will hurt participation levels.
Regardless, it has emerged as another area
where providers have seen once-positive
support systems and incentives being cut
by the state.
For providers interested in joining
the STARS program, Windham Child
Care Association staff member, Cyndi
Miller, provides intensive support to help
first-time applicants get their foot in the
door. She starts by helping the provider
review the application and creates a twopart plan of attack. “The first thing I do
is help the provider identify what can be
done easily. Most providers can attain at
least one star without making significant
program changes. Then, we assess where
they could come in – how many stars they
could start with – if they did a little bit
more work. The provider can then choose
what they’re willing and able to invest to
get started.” (If you would like Cyndi’s
assistance with your STARS application,
she can be reached at 254-5332 ext. 312.)
Miller lauds STARS for helping
providers assess programs in new ways.
“Providers are, understandably, very
focused on getting through the day.
STARS gives you a reason to take time,
step back, and look at what they’re doing
and how it impacts children.” Especially
for those entering the STARS program
at one or two stars, Miller sees STARS
as capable of bolstering confidence,
encouraging curriculum innovations, and
motivating providers to set concrete goals.
According to Miller, “STARS can really
help give perspective on where you want
your program to go.”
According to Windham Child
Care Association’s Executive Director
Sadie Fischesser, “there are a lot of
people who deserve credit for this
achievement. First of all, local providers
have dedicated a huge amount of time
and energy to improving their programs
and documenting those improvements.
I think the providers would agree with
me, though, that Cyndi’s support and the
mentors’ support has been invaluable. It
can be a difficult program to begin if you
don’t have someone on your team.”
Congratulations on this achievement
to all local STARS participants!
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
I 3
UPDATES & EVENTS
NETWORKING
IN WINDHAM
COUNTY
FROM THE DIRECTOR
A landscape in flux
Spring is definitely in full bloom and it has been a season of change!
As I write this note, I know that by the time you are reading it the landscape
outside my window will have changed in many ways. Of course the trees will
be fuller and different blossoms will be peeking out. What is less predictable
is how the system of early care and education in the state of Vermont will be
organized. Although the changes will not have been implemented yet, there
will be decisions made about things that are variable as I write.
Over the course of late winter and early spring, the state of Vermont has been considering
many aspects of the early care and education system. Unfortunately, this is happening in an
economic climate where financial considerations are complicating programmatic concerns. The
Child Development Division is working on proposals to change service delivery and funding
in a significant way over the next 18 months including many different programs: CIS Early
Intervention (formerly FITP), Early Childhood Mental Health (ICG/CUPS), Starting Points
networks, Parent Child Centers, Building Bright Futures… the list goes on. And of course, they
are looking at reorganizing the delivery of some of the services provided by Windham Child
Care Association: eligibility determinations for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program,
resource development, and child care referral. Some of these proposed changes are smart and
reflect ways we have been working together in our community for years. Some seem antithetical
to the progress we have made supporting healthy development for children in our community
and state.
With so much uncertainty, I wanted to let you know a little bit about the approach that Windham
Child Care Association staff have been taking as we work to keep the interests of children and
those who care for and teach them at the forefront. At a staff meeting, we talked a little bit about
what guides us and what is at the core of our actions to preserve and improve services for you
and the children in your programs.
Face-to-face contact is different, because relationships matter. Through relationships, you get
the whole story and this is important. Local, community partnership is valuable. We cannot let
the safety net for children and families (including WCCA, early education and care providers,
and community partners) become frayed.
The language might not be perfectly elegant—but it is powerful. We have these words posted on
a chart above our copier. Over the past few weeks I have been reflecting on them often and I am
sure I will continue to do so in the months ahead.
Thank you for all your support and the work you are doing to improve the lives of children
and families. Please contact us anytime to share a story, voice concerns, or ask questions. We
are committed to our mission of improving access to high-quality, affordable child care now as
much as ever.
With hope,
Sadie Fischesser
CONGRATULATIONS TO AREA
PROGRAMS ON NEW STARS!
New:
Jean Gilbeau has 2 stars
Mary Gilbeau has 2 stars
4 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
Brattleboro Early Childhood
Educators Network meets the
2nd Tuesday of each month
from 6:30- 8:30 at the Academy
School in West Brattleboro.
Contact Sue Clarke at 254-4932
for more information. Topics
scheduled thus far are:
June: Sharing & planning
July/ August: No meetings
Deerfield Valley Starting
Points Group meets the 3rd
Tuesday of each month, at 6:00
pm at the Dover Free Library
with the exception of August.
For more information, contact
Heather.
May: Dawn Le will be joining us
to discuss Unions
June: Finger Grip and Scissor
Usage with Melissa Powers OT
July: Summer BBQ meeting to
discuss fall plans
Brown Bag Discussion
Series for Director’s of CenterBased Programs meets the
4th Tuesday of each month
for timely presentations,
discussions and resource
sharing. Bring your lunch from
12:30 - 2:00 PM to Windham
Child Care Association’s office.
Early Childhood Educators’
Network of Southeastern
Vermont Third Annual Making
Connections Conference is
November 13th. Look for
details this summer and fall!
Increases:
Juanita Lane increased to 3 stars
Headstart Putney increased to 5 stars
Lisa Harris increased to 4 stars
Whitingham Elementary School Preschool
increased to 4 stars
LOOKING
AHEAD
20th
AUGUST
Deadline for ECE of the
Year nominations
18th
SEPTEMBER
River Valley Credit
Union Kids Fair
13th
NOVEMBER
ECEN Making Connections
Conference
Month of the Young Child celebrations a success!
A children’s art display on April 2nd at
the River Garden kicked off a month-long
celebration in honor of young children
and their caregivers. Many free activities
were available to families throughout
the month. All events were well attended
and enjoyed by families from all over!
Special thanks to all who contributed to
the month’s success!
Kay Curtis of Happy Hands School for
Little People
Meredith Wade of the Brattleboro Food
Co-op
Annie Richards of Infant Child Guidance
Annie Frelich of the Brattleboro Music
Center
Carolmarie Stock, storyteller
Sue Clarke of Sue’s Family Child Care
Steve Leichach, drummer
Michelle Morton of the Mulberry Bush
Early Learning Center
Elsie Smith of the New England Center
for Circus Arts
Parent Express
Judy Rosner of Judy’s Family Child Care
Vermont Early Educators – AFT
Ariani Szykier of Winston Prouty
Zephyr Designs
PHOTOS:
Above: Sandglass Theater performs a puppet
show, Punschi
Left: Children play at the sensory table at the
Young Child’s Art exhibit opening
Above right: Carolmarie Stock gets a little help
from her audience as she tells a story at the
Retreat
Right: A little boy becomes a superhero at the
River Garden thanks to face painter, Michelle
Morton
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010 I 5
PASS IT ON !
Community Resources for Parents
Parenthood is the hardest job you’ll ever have. For other types
of jobs, there is usually training and resources are available from
your employer – when parenting is your job, it can be hard to
know where to access support and education. The following
organizations provide various levels of support for families in
Windham County, from parent education courses, to peer support
groups, to a calm, knowledgeable voice on the other end of the
phone when you’re at the end of your rope and need immediate
help.
These resources are here for you – no matter your level of
experience as a parent or caregiver, no one has all the answers.
We encourage you to seek the support you need in order to create
skilled, resourceful families! Please note that this is not intended
as a complete list – contact any of the organizations below for
additional referrals.
SAFETY ALERTS & RECALLS
Listed beloware recalls fom the Consumer Product Safety Commission
For a searchable database of items, go to: www.cpsc.gov
INFANTINO
SlingRider Baby Sling
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC)
and Health Canada (HC), in
cooperation with Infantino
LLC, of San Diego, Calif. are
announcing a free replacement
program for the Infantino
“SlingRider” and “Wendy
Bellissimo” infant slings. One
million of these infant slings
are being recalled in the United
States and 15,000 are being
recalled in Canada. CPSC advises
consumers to immediately stop
using these slings for infants
younger than four months of
age due to a risk of suffocation
and contact Infantino for a free
replacement product.
GENERATION 2 WORLDWIDE
AND “CHILDESIGNS”
Drop Side Crib Brands
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) is
announcing the recall of all
Generation 2 Worldwide and
“ChildESIGNS” full-size and
portable drop side cribs. CPSC is
warning parents and caregivers
who own these drop side cribs
that infants and toddlers are at
risk of serious injury or death due
to strangulation and suffocation
hazards presented by the cribs.
CPSC staff urges parents and
6 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC)
Sue Graff, Program Coordinator
802.257.2175, [email protected]
www.BrattleboroAreaPreventionCoalition.org
Serves Windham Southeast with Supporting School Success
and Guiding Good Choices classes and other substance use
prevention resources and workshops for families and caregivers.
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH)
802.257.0341, www.bmhvt.org
The BMH Birthing Center offers many prenatal and postpartem
classes and supports for new families, including Breastfeeding
Basics, Baby Basics, Sibling Class, New Moms’ Network,
and Meet the Doulas. BMH also publishes a health education
calendar, Wellness in Windham County, as well as hosts many
ongoing support groups – check their website for a complete
listing.
caregivers to stop using these
cribs immediately and find
an alternative, safe sleeping
environment for their baby. Do
not attempt to fix these cribs.
The crib’s plastic hardware can
break which can cause the drop
side of the crib to detach from
a corner of the crib. When the
drop side detaches, it create a
space into which an infant or
toddler can roll and become
wedged or entrapped. When a
child is entrapped between the
drop side and the crib mattress,
it creates a risk of suffocation
or strangulation. In addition,
the crib’s mattress support can
detach from the crib frame,
creating a hazardous space in
which an infant or toddler could
become entrapped and suffocate
or strangle.
GRACO
Harmony High Chair
The screws holding the front
legs of the high chair can loosen
and fall out and/or the plastic
bracket on the rear legs can
crack causing the high chair to
become unstable and tip over
unexpectedly. This poses a fall
hazard to children.
MANHATTAN GROUP
Pull-A-Long Friends Toucan™,
Pull-A-Long Friends Alligator™,
and Pull-A-Long Friends
Sharky™
The toy has wooden components
that can break or come loose,
posing a choking/aspiration
hazard to young children.
EVENFLO
Top-of-stair wood plus gate
The slats on the gate can break
or detach, posing a fall hazard to
children.
Early Education Services of Windham County (EES)
802.254.3742 or 1.800.427.3730
Rocking Horse Circle of Support for mothers and pregnant
women affected by substance use.
Fatherhood Programs, including 24/7 Dads, Dedicated Dads
Making a Difference, and Training Camp for New Dads.
Health Care & Rehabilitation Services (HCRS)
802.254.6028, www.hcrs.org
Community mental health center with five major service
programs: Adult Outpatient, Children’s Division, Community
Rehabilitation and Treatment (CRT), Developmental Services
(DS), and Windham/Windsor Recovery Assistance Program
(WRAP).
Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC)
1.800.222.1222, www.mmc.org
The NNEPC is the regional certified poison center serving Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont, via the Maine Medical Center.
They provide immediate treatment advice for poison emergencies,
as well as information about poisons and poison prevention, 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
Parent Assistance Line
1.800.PARENTS
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAVT)
Noreen Lake, Family Support Programs Coordinator
802.498.0606, [email protected], www.pcavt.org
Parents Stress Line, 1.800.CHILDREN (1.800.244.5373)
Serves Windham County with Circle of Parents support groups
and Nurturing Parent classes, as well as other prevention trainings
and workshops related to shaken baby syndrome, internet safety,
and bullying. PCAVT publishes The Vermont Parents’ Home
Companion and Resource Directory annually.
Turning Point of Windham County
802.257.5600, [email protected]
Turning Point is a peer-driven recovery facility that provides
social support to individuals and families in recovery from
addiction.
Youth Services, Inc.
802.257.0361, www.youthservicesinc.org
Youth Services provides programs and services, including
Intensive Family-Based Services, youth and family counseling,
and the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, that promote the
healthy development of local youth and families and help them
gain the skills necessary to lead constructive lives within the
community.
Thanks to Sue Graff of Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition for
submitting this comprehensive list!
Dedicated Dads
Making a Difference
Dedicated Dads is celebrating three years of meeting
and learning about what it means to be a better man,
father and partner. Take advantage of this local program that offers ongoing Training Camps for New Dads
and activities geared for new fathers in the community.
Their next Training Camp will be Saturday, July 31st.
For more info and sign up, call Josh Miller at 254-3742
x172 or by email at [email protected]. We hope to
see you there!
This spring, we had an amazing Training Camp for New
Dads with our largest group ever. Ten rookies showed
up to get the low down on being a dad for the first time.
Our six veterans brought their little ones to show off and
share their experiences of their children’s births. We broke
off into smaller groups and the vets were able to talk
more about decisions they have made in taking care of
their little ones, while rookies were each able to change
a diaper, feed a baby or just get a little more acquainted.
We discussed safety, bonding and how the new addition
has affected their lives and their relationships. One of our
veteran dads stressed how important it still is to maintain
a close and intimate relationship with your partner even
though much of the focus is on your baby. All in all, our
workshop was a success and for the first time we were
able to give our gracious veterans a t-shirt and onesie for
their baby. Consider joining us in July!
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
I 7
FOR EDUCATORS
SUMMERTIME SAFETY
STAY SAFE IN THE SUN
Did you know that 80% of a person’s
lifetime exposure to sun occurs before
age 21? Sun exposure can put people
at risk for skin cancer and premature
aging – but regular use of sunscreen
by children can lower their risk of skin
cancer by over 75%.
HOW TO USE SUNSCREEN:
Use sunscreen with both UVA and UVB
protection, with a SPF of 15 or higher.
Use sunscreen daily, even if it is cloudy,
since most of the sun’s radiation
penetrates clouds and can still cause
sunburn.
Consider using a sunscreen with
ingredients (such as zinc oxide or
titanium dioxide) that physically block
the sun’s radiation if your child has
sensitive skin.
Apply sunscreen in a thick coat at
least 30 minutes before going outside,
and reapply every two hours, or more
if children have been swimming or
sweating heavily.
MORE SUN SAFETY TIPS:
Wear protective clothing, including
a hat and long sleeve shirt and long
pants.
effectively as teenagers and adults do
and they sometimes don’t recognize
when they are thirsty.
Make sure children drink water regularly
throughout the day.
Water is best, but natural, 100% juice
and milk are also fine.
Stay away from caffeinated beverages,
which are dehydrating.
TICK ALERT!
Ticks carry Lyme disease, which can be
treated with antibiotics, though left
untreated cases can lead to serious
complications.
TO HELP PREVENT LYME DISEASE:
Protect skin with clothing – long
sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and a
hat.
Wear light-colored clothing – dark
colors are more likely to attract bugs.
Apply insect repellents to children’s
clothing. (Check with parents before
using DEET)
Keep in mind that clothing only has
a SPF of 5-9, so you can still get sun
damage with a shirt on.
Do daily tick checks of children who
have had a possible exposure, especially
after hiking. Be sure to check under the
arms, in and around the ears, inside the
belly button, the back of the knees, in
and around the hair, between the legs,
and around the waist.
Try to keep children out of the sun
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3
p.m., when the sun’s ultra-violet rays are
the strongest.
TO SAFELY REMOVE TICKS:
Use fine-tipped tweezers and protect
bare hands with a tissue or gloves to
avoid contact with tick fluids.
STAY HYDRATED:
Dehydration can lead to heat
exhaustion or heatstroke. Young
children are particularly vulnerable
because they can’t release heat as
Grab the tick close to the skin. Do not
twist or jerk the tick, as this may cause
the mouthparts to break off and remain
in the skin.
8 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
Gently pull straight up until all parts of
the tick are removed.
After removing the tick, wash your
hands with soap and water (or waterless alcohol based hand rubs when soap
is not available). Clean the tick bite with
antiseptic such as iodine scrub, rubbing
alcohol, or water containing detergents.
Watch for signs of illness, which include
a reddish, bull’s-eye rash where the
bite was, followed by fever, headache,
fatigue and muscle or joint pains. See a
health care provider if these develop.
SUMMER ANNOUNCEMENT FROM
THE FAMILY SERVICES TEAM:
Providers who are reimbursed
through the Child Care Financial
Assistance program please note
the deadline date for payroll.
All attendance for pay period
6/20/2010 to 7/3/2010 must
by submitted by noon Monday
June 28th.
Summer is right around the
corner! Parents with school age
children will be receiving summer
schedule requests in the coming
weeks. Please let our office know
if you have any openings in your
program. It helps us to have the
most current information as parents call about possible summer
placements. You can email
Elizabeth with your updates –
[email protected]
Good to Grow:
The Brattleboro
Food Co-op offers
free program with
food activities and
recipes!
The Brattleboro Food Co-op offers
free outreach lessons to support your early
education program. A Co-op educator
will come to your childcare program to
teach lessons that have been specifically
designed to meet the needs of young
children.
Included below is a list of some of
the programs offered. If you are working
with children on a specific theme or skill,
together we can design an activity that
fits! All visits include a healthy snack
Good to Grow Programs for toddlers
and preschoolers:
Eating the Rainbow
Using a variety of brightly colored
food models, the children will create a
rainbow of foods while learning about the
importance of eating all the colors of the
rainbow.
Counting with Fruits
We will read Eric Carle’s classic story
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and together
count through the fruits that the caterpillar
eats. Using models, we will practice
one-to-one correspondence and take some
bites of our own!
The Magic Seed
We will bring a variety of fruits and
vegetables to sample and discover the joy
of finding a diversity in size, shape and
color of seeds.
Tops and Bottoms
We will read the Caldecott Honor book,
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, and
nibble the edible parts of plants that grow
above and below the ground.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRATTLEBORO FOOD CO-OP
Meredith Wade, Brattleboro Food Co-op’s Education/Outreach Coordinator, enjoys a
ladybug picnic with children at Judy Rosner’s program in Vernon
Local Farms and Food
Children will play a game to discover the
way food travels from local farms to our
tables.
Tea Party Manners
Let us host a tea party with your children.
We will share a snack and tea
while learning and practicing
good manners.
Contact Meredith Wade and Heather
Sperling, Education/Outreach
Coordinators for the Brattleboro Food
Co-op at 254-3267 or e-mail at
[email protected] to arrange a visit.
Cooking for Tots
Let’s make pancakes, muffins,
pretzels or anything else! We
will bring the ingredients,
kid-friendly recipes and lead a
cooking class geared for your
little ones.
The Tiny Seed
We will read a story and plant
seeds in recyclable containers.
The children can keep their
seedlings to care for and
observe the seed’s magical
transformation through time.
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010 I 9
ODDS & ENDS
New avenues for Evening Care
WCCA signs on for temporary
management of Evening Care
Almost seven years ago, Community
Action Brattleboro Area (CABA) took on
what many thought was a “crazy idea.”
Because many of the area employers
hire people to work second shift, there
was a need for a child care program that
would accommodate these non-traditional
working hours; area programs are typically open from 7.30 AM until 5.30 PM.
CABA, with then Executive Director, Patrick Moreland, embarked on a challenging
and rewarding journey.
In 2005, CABA Evening Care opened
its doors at the Canal Street School. Many
people contributed to the development of
the program—the Vermont Child Development Division, Windham Child Care
Association, and the Windham Southeast
Supervisory Union, to name a few—
which had many unique elements. The program was the first of its
kind in the state, and remains the only
dedicated second-shift early education
facility in the state. Children are part of an
innovative program that mirrors evening
time spent at home while also providing enriching educational opportunities.
The children enjoy a family-style dinner,
participate in developmentally appropriate
Welcome, Sarah!
educational activities, and each child has a
dedicated personal sleeping space.
The combination of changes in the
state funding structure for child care
financial assistance and adjustments to
other state programs for children made it
clear to CABA that it was time to take the
Evening Care program to another level. A
dedicated and creative staff led by Director Carol Ames is now poised to build on
their experience to keep the program vital
in the coming years.
In an exciting development, Windham
Child Care Association has taken on temporary administration of the Evening Care
program as this new phase begins. Staff
from CABA and Windham Child Care
Association have been working together,
talking about program development and
fiscal management. Together, our immediate goal is to determine short and
long term strategies to keep the program
operational and innovative. Stay tuned
for updates and ideas as we move ahead
together!
When you call Windham Child Care Association on Tuesday, Wednesday, or
Thursday morning, you will probably hear a new voice answering the phone; the
new voice belongs to Sarah DiNicola, who joined WCCA this past winter as the
Administrative Assistant.
Sarah has worked with or in support of children for 15 years. She's been a substitute pre-school and elementary school teacher, a full-time nanny, a 'big sister' and
an arts & crafts teacher. She's also worked for numerous community organizations,
focusing on after-school care and one-on-one relationships . Most recently, she
worked for a non-profit organization that provided professional development and
published books and videos for elementary grade educators. Sarah appreciates
joining a team that is making child care more attainable for local families. She is a
happy mom to 11 month old Sylvia and 3 year old Nina.
10 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
TIPS & ACTIVITIES
GETTING READY TO GARDEN
Gardening with young children doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it doesn’t need to
happen every day or every week. Start by inviting the children to become curious about
gardening. Here are three ideas to think about:
1.Get Ready to Dig
2.Consider Safety
Before “digging in” with the
children, you may want to
reflect on what you would like
to have the children discover
about gardening. It’s good to
take a look through a book on
gardening with children to help
you plan. Have on hand a few
simple supplies to start. A plant
or a book about gardening to
show the children can spark
their interest. Also, you may
want to have soil, seeds, cups/
pots, watering cans/misters, and
magnifying glasses. Gardening
tools are not necessary at this
point.
Always be safe and use good
judgment when working with
young children. Gardening does
have a few risks. The Poison Hot
Line (1-800-222-1222) can offer
lists of plants and materials not
suitable for young children. Know
which are poisonous. Know what
your potting soil has in it and
if it is safe for young children
(your local garden center should
be able to help). Know also that
some seeds are coated with
chemicals harmful to young
children (read labels of seed
packages). Seeds should not be
used with children under three
years of age. Watch also when
using water and tools with young
children. Activities should be
age-appropriate and supervision
is a must!
Are you interested in more
information on gardening with
children? WCCA offers a
gardening program... call Cyndi at
254-5332 ext 312 to hear more and
plan for joining next summer!
3.Involve Everyone
Before starting your activity,
think clearly if your children can
do all the steps involved. Is it too
hard or too easy? If working with
mixed age groups, find ways to
involve everyone. You might hold
a baby to look at a gardening
book while the toddlers are
scooping and counting cups
of dirt. Older children can help
younger children with seeds. We
all know that learning comes
from doing. Involve the children
in many ways. For example, let
them help get supplies ready
(line table with newspaper, pass
out paper cups, fill watering can,
mist the plants, etc.). Have the
children help plan what to do
next.
Adapted from Penn State’s Better Kid Care program: www.betterkidcare.psu.edu
RECIPE BOX: FROSTY FRUIT SMOOTHIES
During the hot days of summer, whipping up healthy smoothies makes a cool and refreshing snack!
Peanut Butter Banana :
Liquid Sunshine: Bananaberry: 2 cups milk or 1-1/2 cups plain
yogurt
2 cups milk or 1-1/2 cups plain
yogurt
2 cups milk or 1-1/2 cups plain
yogurt
2-3 bananas
1 cup crushed pineapple
2-3 bananas
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2-3 bananas
1 cup strawberries or blueberries
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon vanilla
Puree in blender and serve immediately. Each recipe serves 4 preschool children
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Spring/Summer 2010
I 11
Nonprofit Organization
U. S. Postage Paid
Brattleboro, VT
Permit #131
130 Birge Street, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
CONTENTS
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRATTLEBORO FOOD CO-OP
Inside: Learn about a fun, free program about food
offered by the Food Co-op that can be brought to your
program!
The Importance of High-Quality Care . . . . . . 1
Little Arrows opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Shooting for the STARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
From the Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Windham County Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Month of the Young Child wrap-up . . . . . . . . 5
Pass It On! pullout section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Summer safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Good to Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Odds & Ends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tips & Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
www.windhamchildcare.org