FCC February 2015 Newsletter

FCC Office
552-3995 –
voice mail
Cell 441-7315
(No Text message – emergency
calls only )
USDA – 384-2283
Family Child Care
Newsletter
February 2015
FROM THE FCC COORDINATOR
SPECIAL DATES
We have lost a few FCC providers over the past
couple of months and they will be greatly missed. On a
good note we have licensed three new FCC providers.
Please welcome Rashelle Lewis, Jessica Bell, and
Catherine Slade to our program.
I have seven
applicants five of who have completed the class and are
well on their way to getting their FCC license. They are
finishing up the last few steps of the process. I am sure
all of you remember how much work there was to be
done to receive your license so if you have the time
please feel free to offer your help and experience to
them as they begin this rewarding journey as an FCC
Provider. I am sure they will greatly appreciate
anything you have to offer. The next scheduled FCC
Orientation class will be held 9 – 13 March 2015.
As you already know we are always needing FCC
substitutes and struggle to find coverage when we need
it. The good news is that Tamara Davis and Bertha
Clark have started doing substitute care now. I also
have an applicant that is awaiting approval to be a
substitute provider. We usually do not have substitutes
available but this will put us at a total of three.
Hopefully we are on the downside of the cold
weather. But the weather here in Alaska can change at
any time. So please ensure when you are venturing out
with your children, make sure your children are
appropriately dressed and you have your emergency
evacuation bags with you. Safety is always paramount
in working with children so make sure you are prepared
for any situation that may arise.
I have not heard anyone mention how our children
are doing in the “One Page @ a Time Program”. This is
a valuable experience for our children, so ensure you
are getting the word out there to your families. It is for
all children 5 years and up, including your own that are
enrolled in the FCC Program. The last day for this
program is 24 March 2015. If you have any questions
about this program please give me a call at the FCC
Office.
Keep up the good work ladies. We have a great
program and I am very proud of all the hard work that
you put into it.
Connie Nicholson
1 Feb - National Baked Alaska Day
2 Feb – Lending library and end of month paperwork
due 1800-2000
4 Feb – PAB Meeting 1200-1300
6 Feb - National Frozen Yogurt Day
8 Feb - Boy Scout Anniversary Day
7-8 Feb – UTA Weekend
8 Feb - Kite Flying Day
9-13 Feb - FCC Orientation Class 0900-1600
10 Feb - Umbrella Day
11 Feb - National Peppermint Patty Day
12 Feb - Home-Baked Pancake Day
14 Feb – Valentine’s Day
16 Feb - FCC Office closed in observance of Presidents
Day
17 Feb - My Way Day
17 Feb - What Shall I Be? Day
18 Feb – USDA Training 1800-1930
19 Feb - National Chocolate Mint Day
20 Feb - Harry Potter Day
20 Feb – Providers page for March newsletter due
20 Feb – Provider of the year nominations due by COB
20 Feb – updates for March 15 FCC Providers Listing
due
21 Feb - National Sticky Bun Day
21-22 Feb – UTA Weekend
23 Feb - National Banana Bread Day
24 Feb - International Pancake Day
26 Feb – FCC providers page for FCC office due
26 Feb – FCC meeting/training 1800-2000
27 Feb - International Polar Bear Day
28 Feb - Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day
28 Feb - National Chocolate Soufflé Day
2 Mar – Lending library and end of month paperwork
due 1800-2000
USDA FOOD PROGRAM
If your mealtimes change throughout the year from the times you listed on your State Form,
please notify me so that I can change the times on the form. Also, if you are going to do
weekend care, please send me an e-mail in advance. I’m required to conduct reviews on
weekends periodically throughout the year.
If any of you are serving chicken nuggets or fish sticks, please make sure to serve a brand that
has a CN label on the package. If you are serving these foods, please keep the wrapper, once
you’ve finished the package, and turn the wrapper in to me, so that I have a record in your file
that you are using the products with the CN Label.
I will be holding a training on Wednesday, February 18th, on Creating Cycle Menus at 6:00
p.m. in the FCC Office. Please call or e-mail in advance if you plan on attending this training.
February Recipe:
Baked Apple French Toast Squares
Ingredients:
5 large eggs
¾ cup milk
1 ½ tsps. Cinnamon divided into ½ tsp and 1 tsp.
1 tsp vanilla
10 slices whole wheat bread
5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
5 apples, medium to large
Procedure: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl,
whisk together eggs, milk, ½ tsp cinnamon, and vanilla. Cut or tear bread into small cubes and
add to egg mixture. Mix gently until all bread pieces are coated. Spread mixture evenly in
baking pan and set aside. Peel and cut apples into bite-sized pieces. Pour maple syrup into
large microwavable bowl and microwave 20 seconds. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon and mix well.
Add apples to syrup and toss until all pieces are coated. Spread apple mixture evenly over
bread. Bake 35 minutes or until apples are softened and bread pieces are firm. Cool slightly
and serve.
Counts towards bread and fruit serving.
“This institution is an equal opportunity provider”
PARENT INFORMATION
The Parent Advisory Board (PAB) will meet the first Wednesday of every month at 1200, in Bldg. 600, Room
107, Warfighter & Family Services Conference room (Fort Richardson side).
The FSS web page –has the current FCC provider listing and the Parent newsletter. You can also obtain a copy
from any FCC provider , the CDC’s and other youth facilities, and Central Registration. Copies are also
available in the left mail box at the front door of the FCC office.
.
CHILD CARE FOR VOLUNTEERS
Recognizing the importance of volunteers to the base community, the AFAS provides funding for the Child Care
for Volunteers program. The AFAS will provide up to $1000 per month to pay child care expenses in AF
licensed or affiliated FCC homes for volunteers who are engaged in supporting programs, which benefit the AF
community. This funding is not meant to replace other moneys that may be available for this purpose, but rather,
to provide additional funds to increase the number of volunteers at a base.
It is hoped that this funding will be used to support as many volunteers as possible who work at a variety of
agencies throughout the base. It should be noted that this program is not meant to pay for child care for
volunteers in resale (Thrift Shop), fund raising, or social activities.
Contact the FCC Office for additional information.
EXPANDED CHILD CARE (ECC)
ECC is an AF Program to assist parents who have to participate in Base Exercises, have
Guard/Reserve Weekend Duty or have Additional Child Care needs due to a Active Duty spouse’s
Deployment/TDY of 30 days or more.
Providers interested in expanding their business and becoming an ECC provider, complete the
Cyber Awareness training located at http://iase.disa.mil/eta/ cyber challenge/launchPage.htm.
Click on the link marked Launch Cyber Awareness Challenge Department of Defense Version.
Once the training is completed, print the certificate and send a copy to the FCC office. Your
request will be forwarded to the FCC Panel for approval.
CHILD CARE FOR PCS
The Child Care for PCS Program is intended to help relieve some of the stress felt by families in the process
of a PCS move. The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) will pay up to 20 hours of child care (per child) in
licensed FCC homes on base or in AF affiliated homes off base.
Air Force families with PCS orders can obtain a Child Care for PCS Certificate at the base Relocation
Office in the Airman & Family Readiness Center. Families can receive a certificate at both the base from
which they are departing and at their new base. Certificates are good only at the base at which they are
issued--unused hours do not transfer from one base to another.
Families may use the 20 hours of child care within 60 days before the family's departure from a base, and 60
days after arriving at the new base. This program is open to all ranks unless there are a shortage of child
are providers at the base in which case priority would be given to junior ranking personnel.
Dramatic Play Enhances Children’s Learning
Dramatic play can be defined as a type of play where
children accept and assign roles, and then act them out. It is
a time when they break through the walls of reality, pretend
to be someone or something different from themselves, and
dramatize situations and actions to go along with the roles
they have chosen to play. While this type of play may be
viewed as frivolous by some, it remains an integral part of
the developmental learning process by allowing children to
develop skills in such areas as abstract thinking, literacy,
math, and social studies, in a timely, natural manner.
Children enrolled in at Danielle Daigrepont’s FCC
program here on JBER are using recycle materials
to pretend that they are shopping at the grocery store.
The Proper Environment
In many homes the dramatic play area has traditionally been
centered in “housekeeping”. However, when we actually
watch children play, we see them reinventing scenes that
might take place in other areas of life such as gas stations,
building sites, department stores, classrooms, or grocery
stores. This shows us, that in order to derive the full benefit
from dramatic play as it relates to learning, FCC providers
should “set the stage” throughout their home environment.