Wee Can Academies Bulletin June 2017
Make Summer Fun and Safe!
Summer is a great time for kids to enjoy different indoor and outdoor activities. Whether they are young children or teens, learn ways to keep your kids safe and healthy while they enjoy the summer fun.
Water-related activities are popular for getting physical activity and have many health benefits. Here are some tips to stay safe while having fun.
- Learn how to prevent recreational water illnesses and help protect yourself and your kids.
- Help kids get H2O Smartzabout water safety.
Drownings are the leading cause of injury death for young children ages 1 to 4, and three children die every day as a result of drowning.
- Always supervise children when in or around water. A responsible adult should constantly watch young children.
- Teach kids to swim. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning.
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Your CPR skills could save someone’s life.
- Install a four-sided fence around home pools.
Recreational boating can be a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends. Make boating safety a priority.
- Wear a properly fitted life jacket every time you and your loved ones are on the water.
Oral health- Keep up with brushing your teeth
Dental Health is important for more reasons than you think! Did you know keeping a clean mouth helps you speak clearly, eat healthy foods and can even make you feel better about yourself? Brushing your teeth will keep away large medical costs, pain and distractions. If you have an achy mouth, you are less able to focus and learn!
What can you do as a parent?
- Brush your child’s teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- Parents, be a role model and brush with your kids
- Eat healthy foods and reduce sugar
- Go to the dentist
Tooth Brushing Implementation
We will be working on implementing tooth brushing in Early Head Start classrooms. We will be providing teachers with Colgate, “Dr. Rabbit Meets a Brushalotamus” activity kits to work into daily curriculum and get those smiles shining bright.
Know the signs of child abuse and neglect
We know that child abuse and neglect happens in communities across the country. Child abuse and neglect affect everyone, whether your area is rich or poor, urban or rural, in California, Texas or Maine. Because of this, all parents should know the signs of child abuse and neglect.
There are different warning signs for different kinds of abuse and neglect. However, some indicators can signal abuse in any form. Some of the major signs are when a child:
- Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance;
- Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention;
- Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen;
- Lacks adult supervision; and
- Appears afraid or hesitant to go home after school.
If you think a child is being abused or at risk of abuse, the most important step you can take is to report it. If you suspect a child is being or has been physically abused, please call 1-800-4-A-Child. This is the number for the ChildHelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline, which is staffed 24 hours a day, every day, and is available in 170 different languages. All calls to the hotline are confidential, and by calling you can find more information, literature, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. If you need immediate assistance, call 911.
Congratulations to Laurie Anderson!
Ms. Laurie Anderson participated in SER STEM Robotics. Ms. Laurie not only participated in the SER’s Robotics, but she won 3rd place in the competition.
Ignacio Salazar (President/CEO), Laurie Anderson, and Roger Rocha (Board Chair)
“Growing up in Pleasant Grove and trying to overcome statistics, I have always worked hard no matter what. I am a teen parent, was a high school dropout. None of this defines me. SER EHS have shown me no matter what the circumstances, you can overcome them. I was lucky to be offered an opportunity to participate with the SER – STEM program. The education and encouragement has givenme to me has pushed my drive to attend college.”
INTRODUCING COR advantage…our guide to your child’ school readiness
At SER Early Head Start we regularly talk about getting your child ready for school, but what does school readiness mean?
COR Advantage is the assessment tool caregivers use to help them look at all aspects of your children’s learning. To complete COR Advantage, your child’s caregiver observes and writes notes about what he or she does and says during the daily routine. The information you share about what happens at home also helps your child’s caregiver complete a full picture about your child.
Caregivers will begin to use COR Advantage in May. To monitor children’s growth, we will assess your child 4 times per year. At the end of each assessment period, your caregiver will create a report to get a profile of your child’s learning. She will use this information to plan activities for your child. As a reminder, children at this age learn through hands-on play, not through “school type” lessons.
You will get more information and training about COR Advantage in June. We look forward to working with you to get your child ready for preschool!!
Earn a $20.00 Walmart Gift Card!
It is important for your child to attend the program daily. He/she must attend the program Monday thru Friday for a minimum of 6 hours a day to benefit from the learning opportunities that prepare him/her for pre-school and to retain enrollment in the program.The Office of Head Start expects children to be present at least 85% of the time. We will award a $20.00gift card from Walmart to families that have children with Perfect Attendance, until funds are exhausted.
The Grand Prairie Workforce Center is hosting a hiring event on Wednesday, June 14th, 2017 from 10:00am-12:00pm.
The following employers will be featured:
JP Energy-Pinnacle Propane Automation Personnel Services
Childcare Careers Enterprise Concrete Products
G2 Secure Staff Intermountain Staffing
A word from Araceli Paniagua, EHS Director
You will start receiving a daily Parent Communication Folder. The folder will have to two sections. On the left side, are forms/documents that you will return to the center and the right side will contain documents that you may keep for your records. Samples of items that you can expect to receive are:
- Parent Engagement Activity Log
- 2016-2017 EHS-CCP Calendar
- Financial Literacy Presentations Calendar
- Menus
- SER-EHS Monthly Newsletter
Your time is very valuable. Please help us by documenting your in-kind contributions on the Parent EngagementActivity Log. Your child’s teacher will send this form on Mondays for you to record learning activities (Monday-Thursday) that you complete daily with your child. Please record time spent each day, sign and return the form on Friday.
Wee Can Academies Parent Meetings
(Round Table)
June 15, 2017 (Pleasant Grove)
June 15, 2017 (Grant East)
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Wee Can Academy Grant East
2901 Morgan Drive
Dallas, TX 75241
972-325-7979
Ms. Pictra Payne, Child Care Manager