It’s August and families
are starting to get ready for SCHOOL!
At CHAC/FIRST 5, we’re especially interested in your children who are starting
Kindergarten, and the ones who still have a few years to go. Did you know that
Kindergarten Readiness is for the whole family? Is your family ready? See below
for tips and post your own advice on our Facebook page. Good luck everyone! Here is news from across the region
10 Million Steps to Better Health
 |
| Escuela's Walking Group |
What have you been doing
to get more steps in? We’ve been taking short lunchtime walks and family walks
in the evening. Have you noticed any difference in your energy level since
you’ve been walking?
Keep going! We’re so
proud of you, and so is FIRST 5 – our region will be featured for our walking
efforts on their website and Facebook page soon. Stay tuned!
The program officially ends August 10. http://www.10millionstepsscc.com/
The program officially ends August 10. http://www.10millionstepsscc.com/
Is Your Child
Starting Kindergarten This Fall? We would love to part of the celebration! Please send us your videos, pictures and first day stories. We may post them on the blog or our Facebook page. We would also love to hear how our Family Resource Center programs helped contribute to your child’s success so we can share the word with new families.
I’m Ready for
Kindergarten!
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County has great information about Kindergarten Readiness, including videos and their booklet. See below for tips, links, and ways your Family Resource Center is helping children get ready.
Is your child ready?
Here are the top 4 skills Kids should have, and examples
of each (can you guess?)
- Self-Care and Motor Skills (washing hands, general coordination)
- Self-Regulation (pays attention, plays cooperatively, participates in circle time)
- Social Expression (expresses empathy, curious and eager to learn)
- Kindergarten Academics (shapes, letters, colors, writes own first name)
- Preparing for new routines.
- Planning for your role in supporting your child, teacher, classroom and school.
- Having a positive and enthusiastic attitude about preparing for Kindergarten.
Podcast on Kindergarten Readiness: http://blog.first5kids.org/?portfolio=kindergarten-readiness
How Our FIRST 5 Program Helps:
- Arts Enrichment and Play and Learn Classes mirror the classroom environment and focus on all of the skills.
- Parenting classes give you skills to help you work with your child.
- SEEDS – Early Literacy and Language building classes
- Triple P – Skills that help with behavior, resiliency, and social emotional development
- Abriendo Puertas – a variety of topics that cover all aspects of kindergarten readiness. Especially designed for Latino parents.
- Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) help parents know what children are learning at each age and what skills to practice as they develop.
CHAC/FIRST 5 Family Resource Centers are proud to announce the launch of our “I’m Ready for Kindergarten” class starting in August. The program will reach Spanish speaking families who are not in preschool, to give them an opportunity to practice readiness skills. The program will serve 12 children ages 3-5 and their parents, and will last the school year, concluding with a graduation ceremony. Parts of the class will have parents and children together, like Arts Enrichment, but most of the course will have parents and children learning separately, allowing children to get used to separating and listening to the teacher. Classes for parents will be led by Community Worker Ana Moreno and the children’s classes will be led by Associate Community Worker Guadalupe Romo. We are excited to watch the children grow in the coming year. (Registration is full, but we are taking names for a waiting list).
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Summer classes are
still happening at our centers. In addition to our regular classes, here are
the special events/classes happening through August
Sunnyvale
Healthy Eating Pizza Party – Wednesday, August 28 from 10:30am-12:30am, at Full Circle Farm, 1055 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. Event includes farm tour, healthy eating tips, children can harvest their own organic vegetables for their pizza, and much more! Cost is $5 per child, pay upon arrival HOWEVER, registration is required prior to attending because we need to ensure we have enough materials for everyone. Please registration by going to http://bit.ly/1etwreE
Cupertino
2 weeks left! Mandarin Fun in
the Sun – Thursdays, August 1 & 8 from 10:00am-11:30am, at JollyMan Park 1000 S. Stelling Rd (near McClellan Rd), Cupertino. Cost
is $1 per class or purchase a $5 fun pass for all eight sessions. This class is
designed to encourage healthy living habits and movement for families, and will
include special physical activities to develop children’s gross motor
skills. Families will also have access to the park playground. Remember
sun protection and outdoor appropriate shoes. Registration is not required. For
Mandarin speakers or Mandarin language learners.
Mountain
View
Last Sing a Summer Song Meet Up – Tuesday, 10:15am-11:00am August 6, at the Mountain View Library. All of our Tuesday morning classes
will be on break until August so that we can enjoy Sing a Summer Song at the
Mountain View Library together! Bring a blanket and we will reserve a group
area together so that our families can stay connected through the summer. All
families welcome.
Date
|
Performer
|
August 6
|
Miss Kitty
|
Bilingual Storytime – Fridays from
3:00pm-4:00pm at Mercy Street FRC. Here
is the class you have been waiting for! Stories and songs in English and
Spanish for all. This program is provided by our guest facilitator,
Marti Krow-Lucal, from the Sunnyvale Library bi-lingual services. No registration required, limited to the
first 15 children/30 people. Class ends on August 30
Science Kids: A Science Exploration class for children ages 3-5
Thursdays
10:30am-12:00pm at Mercy Street FRC,
starting on August 1, lasting for 9 weeks. Registration is not required, but
class is limited to the first 15 children or 30 people. There is a $1fee per
child per class to cover materials. Led by Aliza Savransky.
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Volunteers
Needed! Do you have a few hours a week you that you can spare? Do you want to give back to your community? Do you want to make an impact in the lives of young children and their families? Do you want to expand your knowledge of early childhood development? Come join our team. If you are interested and/or want more information on our fabulous volunteer program, please send an email to Nancy Doan at nancydoan5@gmail.com. Thanks for
considering – the success of our program depends on Volunteers! Together we make the difference.
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Volunteer Network! CHAC/FIRST 5 Volunteers, stay connected on all our volunteer news, updates, training opportunities, and more! You can take part in our Facebook Volunteer Group. Find us by typing "nancydoan5@gmail.com" in the search bar or click
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Feedback: Do you have comments that you would like to send the
staff? Please send us a note to:mercystreetfrc@gmail.com
