April 2017

Water Safety for Little Swimmers As temperatures slowly climb and we emerge from winter to spring, our focus changes from indoor activities to outdoor fun. Although swim-ming is a fun activity, as with any other sport when we are not properly trained to participate it can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Addi-tionally “the majority of infant drowning deaths happen in bathtubs or large buck-ets” (www.safekids.org). According to infor-mation from the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the number one cause of accidental death among children under the age of four. That being said, it is especially important that parents of young children be pro-active in practicing wa-ter safety. So before the weather gets warm and the children want to visit the pools and water parks here are a few safety tips parents can practice: “Never leave your child unattended around wa-

ter babies can drown in one inch of water. Keep young children within arm’s length of an

adult. Drain water from tubs and buckets immediately

after use. Store kiddie pools upside down or deflate after

use. Leave toilet lids down. Keep bath and laundry room doors closed. Enroll children in swim lessons. Peoria Park

district offer lessons for small children. Learn CPR and basic water rescue

skills.” (www.safekids.org) Swimming can be fun so let’s get prepared and enjoy a water safe summer.

Preparing for Kindergarten Children entering kindergarten are presented with many new and exciting opportunities but also with many demands. Kindergartners spend a majority of the day in structured activi-ties where they are expected to sit with their classmates, listen to the teacher, follow directions and finish specific tasks. Par-ents you may ask yourself, “how can I help my child?” From the moment children enter the kindergarten class-room they will be expected to complete a series of tasks that make up classroom routines. This is where parents come in! Parent involvement is vital but even more as they begin the transition to kindergarten. Parents can prepare their children for kindergarten by establishing routines within their own fami-ly. Within family routines, parents are able to work on many essential kindergarten skills such as listening, following direc-tions or completing tasks. Therefore, when children enter kin-dergarten, the routines that have been put in place at home will help to acclimate them to the routines in their kindergarten classroom. For example, family meal time at home can be a great opportunity to help children learn skills needed for kin-dergarten. You can ask your child to help set the table. You may start with simple directions such as “first get the plates and next the forks”. You may then add directions that are more complicated such as “we need to set the table for 5 peo-ple tonight however, use the red plates and blue cups only”. This type of direction requires your child to listen for all the information before completing the task. There are many op-portunities in the mealtime routine that will give you child the opportunity to practice skills to build on a successful kinder-garten experience.

Please be on

the lookout for

more School

Readiness

Tips!

8 Practical Tips for Parents

of Young Children with

Challenging Behavior Tip #1: Keep Your Expectations

Realistic. It is important for you to know and understand your child’s abilities and limita-tions.

Tip #2: Plan Ahead Make sure that you plan ahead to help your child have a successful experience.

Tip #3: Clearly State Your Ex-pectations in Advance. Be sure to give your child one clear instruction so that he knows what it is that you want him to do.

Tip #4: Offer Limited, Reasona-ble Choices. In order for your child to learn to take per-sonal responsibility they will need plenty of support and practice.

Tip #5: Use “When…Then” Statements. This type of statement is a simple instruc-tion that tells your child what he or she must do in order to earn a desired outcome (what he/she wants to do). This is also known as a contingency statement.

Tip #6: Catch Your Child Being Good. Try giving specific positive attention to the behav-ior that you want to see.

Tip #7: Stay Calm. Remember, you are modeling desired be-havior for your child. The more out-of-control your child be-comes, the more self-control you need to show.

Tip #8: Use Neutral Time. Neu-tral time is when everyone is calm enough to think and talk and listen.

Remember - Social and emo-

tional growth are part of a

child’s development.

Recruiting for 2017-2018 School Year is Underway!!!!! It’s that time again!! Head Start and Early Head Start are recruiting for the 2017-2018 school year. We began this recruit-ment season with a tailgate-themed kickoff event that was held Friday March 3

rd. During the event, community partners and ven-

dors such as Molina, Heartland, Peoria County Health Depart-ment, Patient Innovation, Open Door Crisis Program, Children’s Hospital of Illinois, OSF Care-A-Van, and Methodist were all on-site to provide information and assistance with obtaining certified birth certificates, health insurance and physical appointments for families interested in enrolling their children in the Head Start and Early Head Start program. Fun on the Run provided enter-tainment for the children and all attendees enjoyed barbeque fresh off the grill. Now we know families may be excited as they begin to think about spring break and summer break, but we want our families to be equally excited about enrolling their children into Head Start and Early Head Start—and we encourage them to do so early! Last year Head Start had 585 slots available, but over 700 applications. So don’t wait to apply. We’re enrolling now! Give your children and your pockets an opportunity to grow with Head Start and Early Head Start. We provide compre-hensive services for the entire family at no cost to you. We offer half day sessions as well as full day sessions for working parents or those who are going to school. We also provide transportation for families who live within our transportation boundaries. If you live in Peoria County, are pregnant or have children age birth to 2 call 309-495-5254 or visit 427 W Main St for more details. If you live in the area and have children who are 3-5 years old, call 309-671-3960 or visit our office at 923 W Millman. If you are ready to apply, bring the following documents with you:

Child’s current physical no older than 6 months (including immunizations, lead, T.B. & Hemo)

Child’s medical or insurance card Child’s certified birth certificate Child’s social security card Proof of residency (piece of mail with current address) Proof of income (for the past 12 months or last calendar

year)

Slots are filling fast. Hope to see you soon!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss March 2, 1904, was the birth date of one of the most prolific writers of children’s literature, Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. He was credited with illustrating and publishing over 40 children’s book with the last book “Oh the Places You’ll Go” being published in 1990 when he was the tender age of 87. On March 2, 2017, in celebration of the anniversary of his 113

th birthday, Early Head Start (EHS)

and Prevention Initiative (PI) held a socialization in his honor. Families were greeted by The Cat in the Hat and it was fun to watch the children’s eyes light up in amazement as the beloved character seemed to come to life. Activity stations were set up and children made hats that helped them to learn primary colors, walked lines made of colored tape to help them devel-op gross motor skills, and story time consisted of the reading of the book Green Eggs and Ham, which was followed by the fine motor activity of pining or taping green eggs on a plate. The meal consisted of scrambled green eggs for those daring souls and ham and fruit which sur-prisingly was a hit with the children and adults alike. EHS and PI staff had as much fun as the families par-ticipating in the activities. Some families won a book titled Green Eggs and Ham or Huevos Verdes con jamon by Dr. Seuss. Although it’s hard to imagine having more fun

next year at Dr. Seuss’ 114th birthday celebration, the

EHS staff certainly are looking forward to it.

Employment Leads Safety & Security Transportation Security Administration: TSO USIC: Revenue Protection Global Security Services: Armed Security Of-

ficer G4S: Security Officer/ Security Guard John Q Hammons (E. Peoria): Security Food Service/Hospitality Peoria Civic Center: Banquet Servers and Bar-

tenders Peoria Civic Center: Concession Stand Workers Hy-Vee: Sushi Clerk Chick-fil-A: Catering and Events Director Subway (East Peoria): General Manager Granite City (E. Peoria): Server Auntie Annes: Shift Manager Hungry Moose: Waitress Washington Family Restaurant: Manager Buffalo Wild Wings (E. Peoria): Server/

Bartender Janitorial/Housekeeping/Maintenance VSI: General Cleaner LaCosta: Janitorial Worker Molly Maids: Housekeeper/Maid

John Q Hammons Hotels: Room Attendant

Head Start Children Age 3-5 Must meet income eligibility guidelines Full and Half Day Classes available Disability Services, including Speech and

Language Therapy Hearing, Vision and Dental Screenings Contact: PCCEO Head Start 923 W. Millman Street Peoria, IL 61605 (309) 671-3960 pcceo.org/pages/Head-Start facebook.com/PcceoHeadStart

Early Head Start Children Age birth to 3, & expecting mothers Must meet income eligibility guidelines Monthly Socializations & Educational

Opportunities Developmental Screenings & Assessments Nutrition Education Contact: PCCEO Early Head Start 427 W. Main Street Peoria, IL 61606 (309) 495-5254 pcceo.org/pages/Early-Head-Start Search for us on Facebook! facebook.com/PCCEO.EHS

Join the Family PCCEO Head Start and Early Head Start Programs are accepting applications. If you know someone interested in the quality early childhood education our programs offer please share this information:

The following article is a reprint of an article that appeared in the March 10, 2017 edition of Early Learning In-sights, a newsletter published by the Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Child-hood Development. The article exten-sively quoted Melinda Wenner Moyer’s article, “Getting Preschool Right.” Head Start offers the high quality and long lasting benefits that are discussed in this article.

Getting Preschool Right

(Reprinted from an article written by Melinda Wenner Moyer)

Over the past two decades, re-search on brain development and a better understanding of children's early development have empha-sized the importance of a child's first learning experiences and the need to nurture them in safe and stimulat-ing environments. Policy makers in many states have come to recog-nize the foundational importance of preschool-especially for lower-income children-and its potential to narrow the vast achievement

gap between wealthy and poor kids.

For most children, preschool is their first learning experience out-side the home. In order for pre-schools to create an environment where children learn best, they should have a child-centered curric-ulum that encourages students to learn math, literacy and critical thinking via hands-on activities and play, and should empower children toward self-directed education. Teachers play a critical role as they help kids navigate their emotions, encourage and value the students' perspectives, and guide playtime to

make it more meaningful. In 2012, 28 percent of American four-year-olds attended preschool, twice the percentage that did in 2002. Despite this increase, the number of quality preschool pro-grams has decreased. According to the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes, only 18 per-cent of low-income American children, versus 29 percent of high-income kids, are getting a high-quality preschool education, and many children attend medio-cre schools that provide few, if any, lasting benefits. This issue finds its roots in funding and work-force problems and the push for kin-dergarten readiness. Read Melinda Wenner Moyer's article to get a better understanding of the changing landscape in pre-school education in the US and what we can do to help children get a better start at learning.

Getting Preschool Right