Monday, September 10, 2012

September Overview


Hello Families, Partners, and LTI Community
It's September and the kids are back in school. Is it more or less hectic for you now? Your FIRST 5 LTI is here year round and ready to connect with our families, partners and the larger community. Best wishes for all of us involved with children and schools as we begin the 2012-13 school year.

Here is your September Blog. 

News & Highlights:
·     ZUMBA!! You are invited to our FREE Fall Zumba Fiesta at Mercy Street FRC on Friday September 28 from 6:00-7:30pm. Kids can participate in their own kidzone and those who do not wish to participate can go into the childcare. Pre-registration required, childcare provided. For registered FIRST 5 families only (contact us to register with an intake). 
·         Halloween Costume Exchange Party in Mountain View (Mercy Street FRC). Donations will be collected at all our sites and classes from now through the September 28, and the pick-up will be on September 29. See Mountain View, Sunnyvale & Cupertino pages for details.
·         Fall Health and Fitness Events. FIRST 5 LTI received a grant from Lucille Packard to improve health and fitness in our community. We will be partnering with local health & fitness providers to offer classes for kids, parents, and kids/parents together. See the city pages for special events happening between now and November, like TaeKwon Do for kids, a group hike to Rancho San Antonio, Zumba classes, Infant Massage, and more!
·         Sometimes Once just isn't enough! In order to reach as many families as possible, we have a "once a week" rule, where families can only take one Arts Enrichment/Play & Learn class per week. Several of our families really wanted more, and have started informal groups at Escuela and Mercy Street. These classes are open only to the families they are inviting to keep it small as they learn how to facilitate the groups. We love their enthusiasm and commitment to their children's learning. If you would like to start your own informal group, please be in touch with our FRC Staff.
·         Fall Programming Launches at MVLA. Our fall programming collaborative with Mountain View Los Altos Adult Education starts this month. We have a full year of activities planned - they're almost like a fifth FRC! The year will begin with a cultural Play & Learn Around the World Arts Enrichment Class to teach parents new ways of engaging with their children. We will also be offering our core parenting classes (SEEDS, Abriendo Puertas and Triple P), along with other requested classes such as helping parents deal with stress. We will be working with the Young Parent Program (parents still in high school), and the ESL class, where parents study English and children are in preschool. This year, many of the classes will be taught by our highly trained volunteers. We are proud of our collaboration and looking forward to seeing what we create together with this community.
·         Outdoor Play & Learn. We had our last Outdoor Play & Learn in Cupertino on Friday, August 31st at Wilson Park. We were supposed to have our popular “water day” on our last day of class. Unfortunately, the weather did not permit us to. Nonetheless, we still had a lot of fun ending the class with a lot of songs and games! Many new families came to learn about us through attending the program. Families were encouraged to participate in our exercise activities and to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. We’ll see you next year in the park when the weather warms up again!

Outreach

Where have we been?
Each month, you'll find all of our dedicated Community Workers at the libraries, preschools, and faith-based organizations. Here are some highlights of places we've been to and special events we will be attending. We welcome volunteers who wish to help us outreach, and suggestions for events where we can reach families with young children. 
·         Ana Moreno and volunteers Janet, Alma and Graciela went to the CAT Ice Cream Social  on August 3 and met over 200 families.
·         We went to Back to School Nights at Castro, Landels, and Monta Loma. Many thanks to volunteers, for your help in reaching so many new families.
·         Hadas Keppel went to the Sunnyvale library's Baby Lap Sit and Stories for Ones on August 21 and met over 25 new people.
·         Hadas Keppel and Yadira Rios also went to the Sunnyvale Childcare Provider Network to connect and educate local childcare providers about our services and offerings. We will be expanding our outreach to home childcare providers in an effort to increase their ability to provide literacy-rich environments for children (more on this coming soon).
·         In West San Jose, our continually successful Mommy & Me at Westgate helped us to find 45 new families. Many thanks to Community Worker Nancy Doan and Volunteers Janet, Alma & Archana for your support in outreaching to new families.
·         In Cupertino, Nancy also attended the West Valley Community Services Family & Children Outreach Fair. We are happy to be collaborating with West Valley in the wonderful work they are doing for families in Cupertino and West San Jose. 

Upcoming outreach events
Here's where to find us next! If you are available to help share information at the table, please contact Nancy Doan at 650-967-4813 or nancydoan5@gmail.com

Mountain View
·         Ana Moreno and fellow Medi-cal Application Assistant, Lily Lai will be outreaching to help people register for health insurance for children on 9/11 and 9/18. They will be outreaching to Rengstorff Community Center's Preschool classes during drop off & pick up, El Camino Hospital Mom's group, and other places in the area. 
o    Do you have a suggestion for a great location to go for finding more people who need health insurance for their children? Please be in touch 650-967-4813. 
o     Did you know we have regular hours every Tuesday from 10-2 and other times by appointment? We also offer services in Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese.

Cupertino
·         Stories for 2's at the Cupertino Library on September 13 from 10:15-11.

Sunnyvale
·         Stories for 2's at the Sunnyvale Library on September 5 from 10:45-12.
·         Story Time 4's and 5's  at the Sunnyvale Library on September 13 from 10:45-12.

West San Jose
·         Mommy & Me & Daddies Too. Community Workers Julia Zhu and Nancy Doan and volunteer Archana Krishnan will be at the Westgate Mall on Wednesday, September 12 from 10:00 - 12:00pm at the Westgate Mall



Sign-Up for outreach


Mountain View

See below for classes at our TWO Mountain View Centers. Note: the Escuela FRC is partially funded by the City of Mountain View and is for Mountain View Residents only.

News


·         ZUMBA!! You are invited to our FREE Fall Zumba Fiesta at Mercy Street FRC on Friday September 28 from 6:00-7:30pm. Kids can participate in their own kidzone and those who do not wish to participate can go into the childcare. Pre-registration required, childcare provided. For registered FIRST 5 families only (contact us to register with an intake). Details below.
·         Fall Health and Fitness Events. FIRST 5 LTI received a grant from Lucille Packard to improve health and fitness in our community. We will be partnering with local health & fitness providers to offer classes for kids, parents, and kids/parents together. 
o   TaeKwonKids - 10 kids were chosen to take a 3-class intro, and chance to win $10 towards continuing classes. (Sorry, there is no more space available.)
o   Scott Davis, AKA "The Culinary Dude" will be hosting two cooking classes for us- one for volunteers and the other for participants in our J&P Organics Food Box Program. Scott has a talent for getting kids involved with cooking and teaching families how to use more fresh vegetables in their recipes. You can find Scott at the Los Altos Whole Foods, where he offers cooking classes.
o   Congratulations to LTI volunteer, Leyla Jurado Romani, who will be taking a training course to become a Zumba teacher! We hope to be able to offer more Zumba classes in the future, and Leyla has the perfect upbeat energy for the job. Good luck, Leyla!
o   Group hike to Rancho San Antonio! Families will walk together and have lunch at the farm. Strollers are welcome, bring sun protection and lunch for you and your child.
·         Infant Massage Class - for pre-crawlers (birth to around 8 months). Great for improving circulation, and relaxation for your child as well as improving parent-child attunement. See details under classes.
·         Halloween Costume Exchange Party in Mountain View (Mercy Street FRC). Donations will be collected at all our sites and classes from now through the September 28, and the pick-up will be on September 29.

Halloween Costume Exchange
Wouldn't it be nice if your kids could just wear last year's costumes? After all, they only wore them once. While you can't magically make last year's costume fit again, you might find a gently used costume for free at our costume exchange!

First
Donate your old costumes (clean and gently used) during your classes or at the FIRST 5 Mercy Street Office at 748 Mercy Street in Mountain View between August 6 - September 28.

Next
Come to our exchange event at: Mountain View Mercy Street FRC: Saturday September 29 from 10:00 am -12:00 pm
 


Note: To participate, we ask that you donate your old costume and understand that you may not find a new one that you want to replace it with, and we will not be able to give you your old costume back. Hopefully though, you'll find a great new (to you) costume that your child will love.

Don't Have a Costume to Exchange? Costumes may be purchased for $5 from 11:30am - 12:00pm.

Save the Date!

Third Annual Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 27
Time: 3:00 - 5:00pm
Address: New World CDC, 730 East Homestead, Sunnyvale, CA
Notes: Our most popular event of the year. Costume parade, photo booth, crafts and FUN! A candy-free, healthy Halloween event. Please Register.

Mercy Street FRC Classes:
For a complete description of our classes, go here

New/Limited Time Classes & Events

Triple P - Positive Parenting Program (Spanish)
Led by Yadira Rios
DateWednesdays, August 22, 29 & September 5
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View
Notes: 3 week session. Childcare provided. Registration Required.
If you want to know more about Triple P, you can go to www5.triplep.netOr see link above for class descriptions. It's OK to attend just the third session. 

Focus on Fall Health & Fitness: Discovery TaeKwon Do at TaeKwonKids
DateThursdays, September 6, 13 & 20
Time: 3:00 pm – 3:40 pm
Address: 2065 El Camino Real, Mountain View 94040 (near Rengstorff)
Notes: 3-week session, must commit to all three classes. Class is Full. For kids ages 3-6 hosted by TaeKwon Kids. Kids will engage in simple, fun and high energy activities and develop coordination, agility, balance and flexibility. For Mountain View residents. http://taekwonkids.net/

"Playful Parenting - Improvisational Skills For Family Life" 
By Maddi Pascua, ATR, MFT Intern and Sue Walden
Cost: $35 in advance, $40 at the door.
DateThursday, September 6
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Address: Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 East Remington Drive, Sunnyvale.
Notes:  Class Canceled

Focus on Fall Health & Fitness: Group Field Trip to Rancho San Antonio
DateFriday, September 7
Time: 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
Address: 22500 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos, CA
Notes:  Registration Required. Gather in the lower parking lot and bring lunch for you and your child. We will walk to Happy Hollow Farm and back. Please bring water and sunscreen. Strollers are fine on this wide, easy trail.

Infant Massage Class
By Hadas Keppel
DateFriday September 14, 21 & 28 (3 classes)
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View
Notes:  Registration Required. For parents of pre-crawling infants (birth to around 8 months). Please bring a mat, towel or blanket for your baby to lie on, and wear comfortable clothing for sitting on the floor.

Fall Planting Party (In Sunnyvale)

DateSaturday, September 15
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Address: New World CDC, 730 East Homestead, Sunnyvale, CA
Notes: Families and friends are all invited to come to our Fall Planting Party to learn and play. Help plant seasonal vegetables and plants. Find out where good food comes from and learn about eating healthy foods. Stories, Songs, Crafts, and plant the crops. Wear closed-toed shoes and sun protection. No registration necessary. 





Third Annual Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 27
Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Address: New World CDC, 730 East Homestead, Sunnyvale, CA
Notes: Our most popular event of the year. Costume parade, photo booth, crafts and FUN! A candy-free, healthy Halloween event. No registration necessary.


Mercy Street FRC Classes:
For a complete description of our classes, go here

New/Limited Time Classes & Events

Focus on Fall Health & Fitness: Discovery TaeKwon Do at TaeKwonKids
DateThursdays, September 6, 13 & 20
Time: 3:00 pm – 3:40 pm
Address: 2065 El Camino Real, Mountain View 94040 (near Rengstorff)
Notes: 3-week session, must commit to all three classes. Class is Full. For kids ages 3-6 hosted by TaeKwon Kids. Kids will engage in simple, fun and high energy activities and develop coordination, agility, balance and flexibility. For Mountain View residents. http://taekwonkids.net/

"Playful Parenting - Improvisational Skills For Family Life" 
By Maddi Pascua, ATR, MFT Intern and Sue Walden
Cost: $35 in advance, $40 at the door.
DateThursday, September 6
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Address: Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 East Remington Drive, Sunnyvale.
Notes:  Class Canceled

Focus on Fall Health & Fitness: Group Field Trip to Rancho San Antonio
DateFriday, September 7
Time: 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
Address: 22500 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos, CA
Notes:  Registration Required. Gather in the lower parking lot and bring lunch for you and your child. We will walk to Happy Hollow Farm and back. Please bring water and sunscreen. Strollers are fine on this wide, easy trail.

Infant Massage Class
By Hadas Keppel
DateFriday September 14, 21 & 28 (3 classes)
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View
Notes:  Registration Required. For parents of pre-crawling infants (2 months to around 8 months). Please bring a mat, towel or blanket for your baby to lie on, and wear comfortable clothing for sitting on the floor.

Fall Planting Party (In Sunnyvale)
DateSaturday, September 15
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Address: New World CDC, 730 East Homestead, Sunnyvale, CA
Notes: Families and friends are all invited to come to our Fall Planting Party to learn and play. Help plant seasonal vegetables and plants. Find out where good food comes from and learn about eating healthy foods. Stories, Songs, Crafts, and plant the crops. Wear closed-toed shoes and sun protection. No registration necessary. 

Fall Zumba Fiesta
With Zumba Instructor Alejandra Picollo
DateFriday September 28
Time: 6:00-7:30pm
Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View
Notes:  Registration Required. Kids can participate in the KidZone area or be in childcare. Space is limited.

Halloween Costume Exchange
DateSaturday, September 29
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View
Notes:  Registration required when you donate your costume. To participate, we ask that you donate your old costume and understand that you may not find a new one that you want to replace it with, and we will not be able to give you your old costume back. Hopefully though, you'll find a great new (to you) costume that your child will love. If you do not have a costume to trade, you may purchase one for $5 from 11:30 am - 12:00 pm. See above for more details.


Please register with The Mercy St FRC, at mercystreetfrc@gmail.com, or by calling 650-967-4813


Ongoing Classes at Mercy Street


Play & Learn

Led by Volunteers Sharmila & Yuko

DateMondays

Time: 10:00am - 12:00 pm

Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View

Notes: No registration required, but class will be limited to the first 15 children / 30 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. In English. Japanese available.


Play & Learn (Spanish)

Led by Yadira Rios

DateWednesdays

Time: 10:00 - 12:00 pm

Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View

Notes: No registration required, but class will be limited to the first 15 children / 30 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. For Spanish speaking families only.


Play & Learn (Japanese)

Led by Volunteers Yuko & Tomoko

DateFridays

Time: 10:15 - 11:45 am

Address: 748 Mercy St, Mountain View

Notes: No registration required, but class will be limited to the first 15 children / 30 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. In Japanese with English available. All are welcome.


Family Day Class Canceled

Family Day Arts Enrichment

Led by Volunteers Lu & Diane

Date: Saturday, August 18 (usually the third Saturday of the month)

Time: 11:30 - 1:00pm

Address: 748 Mercy Street, Mountain View

Notes: For all caregivers & children. Registration Required. Class will be limited to the first 15 children / 30 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. Spanish available.


ESCUELA FRC Classes:
All classes are currently ongoing and no registration is required. Questions? Call 650-967-4813. This FRC is partially funded by the City of Mountain View. Classes at Escuela FRC are for Mountain View residents only.

Play & Learn
Led by Volunteers Woomi & Einat
DateMondays
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Address: 260 Escuela Ave, Mountain View (behind Senior Center)
Notes: The Monday Class is on break until October

Play & Learn (Spanish)
Led by staff member Yadira Rios
DateTuesdays 
Time: 9:30 -11:00am
Address: 260 Escuela Ave, Mountain View (behind Senior Center)
Notes: No registration required, but class will be limited to the first 13 families / 26 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. For Spanish speaking families only.

Play & Learn (Spanish)
Led by Volunteer Margarita and Staff Ana Moreno
DateThursdays
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Address: 260 Escuela Ave, Mountain View (behind Senior Center)
Notes: No registration required, but class will be limited to the first 13 families / 26 people who enter per class. Please plan to arrive on time and stay until the end. Spanish speaking families only.

Play & Learn Canceled until further notice
DateFridays
Time: 3:30 - 5:00pm
Address: 260 Escuela Ave, Mountain View (behind Senior Center)
Notes: