Greetings Families, Partners, and LTI Community
Happy June everyone! Summer
is here!! For those of you with older children, it’s a big change in schedules,
and for some of you it means summer travel – before the kids start getting
bored, please check out our fun new activities.
Here’s this month’s news
June is Ages and
Stages Month!
This month in all our
classes, staff and volunteers will be encouraging you to fill out an Ages and
Stages Questionnaire for your child.
Why?
Studies show that
parents who understand what their child is working on in their development will
be better equipped to support their learning as they continue to grow. You
might be amazed and delighted to know some of the things that your child is
capable of doing. Also, you will see how activities we provide in class are
designed to support all parts of their development – language/communication,
fine and gross motor skills, personal care, social emotional regulation, and
problem solving skills.
Questionnaires are a
great learning tool for you as your
child’s first and most important teacher.
FIRST 5 has asked that as
many of our parents participate as possible because they are convinced of the
usefulness of the tool, so completing the Ages and Stages Questionnaire is also
a great way to help your center. If you have already completed one for your
child, they can complete a new one every six months, so feel free to complete a
new one for your child’s current stage.
Two ways to participate:
1.
Make
an appointment and complete the questionnaire with a volunteer or staff person.
Parents say they enjoy having someone help them and like being able to ask
questions. Appointments last 60-90 minutes. This particular way has been reported as a time-saver by many parents.
2.
Ask
for a copy to complete on your own - a great option if you are short on time to schedule an appointment, or
prefer to do it at home. Return the questionnaire so that Mercy Street can let
FIRST 5 know how many we completed.
Your kids might enjoy
the chance to show you what they know!
Cafecito Moms Raise
Funds to Continue Group
Moms from the Spanish
speaking Mother’s group, “Cafecito” banded together to save their group from
budget changes that would have made childcare no longer available for their monthly
gatherings. The group, which has been meeting since 2008, has become a place
for mothers to gather and enjoy time together – talking, doing arts and crafts,
and sometimes hosting speakers. Without childcare, the moms knew the group
could not survive.
Ana Moreno, founder of
the group, said, “When you are a mom, sometimes you need time for a break from
the children where you can just talk and be with other moms. This is the
opportunity for Spanish speaking moms to get together and let the children
enjoy their own time with childcare providers who play with the children, do
art, games, reading and songs with them. It’s a great outlet for moms who can
have a lot of stress, but also a fun learning time for the children.”
When the moms were told
in May that budgetary changes would no
longer allow childcare to be free, the group knew they would not be able to
continue without some help. Moved to action, the moms created a raffle of a
tablet and hosted a fundraiser where they sold food and snacks to parents in
other classes. In total their efforts raised nearly $600.
Program Director Maddi
Pascua, said, “We are so impressed by the efforts of these moms who took it upon
themselves to save their group. We believe in Cafecito because it not only provides a time when moms can support each other, but it also creates a space for them to learn, grow and empower each other. We love being
able to support their group.”
Efforts to save the
group will be ongoing. If you would like to support the group, donations are
accepted. $60 pays for one childcare provider per meeting (2 needed per
meeting). Please contact Program Director, Maddi Pascua, at (650) 967-4813 or mpascua.chac@gmail.com if you would like to make a donation.
Sunnyvale’s “I’m Ready for Kindergarten” class hosts graduation celebration
The
nine month long “I’m Ready for
Kindergarten” cohort celebrated completion of the program in a wonderful
graduation ceremony on May 28. 13 children and their parents hosted a
celebration and pitched in to have a taco truck to cater the event. The group
attended classes once a week – with children learning pre-kindergarten skills
and parents learning how to support their development.
Each child was presented with a yearbook made of pictures taken throughout the year and designed by student volunteer, Syndnie Mahar, with the support of her mother, Nannette Mahar. This project was made possible from sponsorship by Girl Scouts of Northern California, and donation from Shutterfly.
Parents
developed a strong connection to each other and learned to have more confidence
to organize field trips, lead circle times for the children and connect with
the Vargas principal during one of her “Coffee with the Principal” meetings.
Special
thanks to
- Ana Moreno, our Sunnyvale Community Worker
- Guadalupe Romo, our lead Children’s teacher
- Francisco Hernandez, Community Worker
- And all of the Assistant teachers: Cristina Rios, Alejandra Balocatin , Lina Rappoport, and Florence Quintanilla
FirstFocus
Partnership helps Escuela FRC Kids See a Bright Future
30 Children at our Escuela FRC received a free vision
screening, thanks to FocusFirst (a program of the Healthier Kids Foundation that
is partly funded by FIRST 5 Santa Clara County).
Testing a young child’s vision can be tricky, because they
may not be able to complain about vision problems, but the FocusFirst program
uses a special camera that can photograph the child’s eyes and let parents know
if there is an undetected vision problem.
Read more about how kids with vision problems can be
misdiagnosed with other conditions, and cause difficulty with learning.
If you would like to have your child’s vision screened, we
are hosting another event on June 26 from 10am-12pm at Vargas Elementary, room
15.
Please register with Ana Moreno at 650-967-4813
Children's
Art Studio is coming to Sunnyvale!
Class
is 17 weeks total, starting on Friday, June 13
- Summer session is 4 weeks (June 13, June 20, June 27, July 11)
- Fall session is 13 weeks (September 5 - December 5)
Every child is an artist!
Children will....
Paint and have fun making sculptures!
Make a collage using your favorite things.
Sing & dance with your favorite poems and rhymes.
Learn how to express your feelings and emotions through art.
Learn about famous artists and see how they made their masterpieces.
Paint and have fun making sculptures!
Make a collage using your favorite things.
Sing & dance with your favorite poems and rhymes.
Learn how to express your feelings and emotions through art.
Learn about famous artists and see how they made their masterpieces.
We will visit our Art
Gallery each class and learn how to appreciate art.
Most important is that we will learn that through art we can express our feelings and our emotions.
Most important is that we will learn that through art we can express our feelings and our emotions.
Let's speak through art.
Cost:
Full Series: $120 (17
weeks) if paid by the first class on June 13. (Save $62*)
Summer session only (4
weeks: June 13- July 11 (no class on July 4)): $29
Fall session only (12
weeks: Sept 5 – Dec 5) $130, or $95 if paid by July 11)
*Class is valued at
$170.
Cost is per child and
fees are non-refundable and not transferrable to another series.
Cash or checks only.
Checks should be made out to CHAC.
Registration is required. You can pre-register by going to http://bit.ly/1iYalYQ
If you have any questions, you can contact us at 650-967-4813 or send an email to: mercystreetfrc@gmail.com
Registration is required. You can pre-register by going to http://bit.ly/1iYalYQ
If you have any questions, you can contact us at 650-967-4813 or send an email to: mercystreetfrc@gmail.com
Class
is designed for children ages 3-5 years old, sorry we cannot have younger
siblings in class.
Literacy
Superstars starts Tuesdays in Sunnyvale
Join our fun filled 5-week class for literacy and language building
and watch your child’s
vocabulary G – R – O – W.
Kids will practice the
“Big 5” of literacy:
- Vocabulary & Meaning
- Alphabetic Knowledge
- Book & Print Rules
- Phonological Awareness
- Conversation and Oral Language Skills
Parents will learn 5 key elements for
helping children develop a lifelong love of reading. Recommended for children
who will be able to learn separately from their parents (this is great practice
for preschool and kindergarten!). Covers the same information as SEEDS, so if
you have taken that class, this would be repetitive).
Dates: June 24 – July 22
(5 weeks)
10:00AM – 12:00PM
At Vargas Elementary
School, room 15 – 1054 Carson Drive, Sunnyvale
FREE Class
Register here: http://bit.ly/1rMvc6b
Or Call 650-967-4813
This month we would like to thank Elizabeth Gonzalez.
Elizabeth had been volunteering for FIRST 5 in another region, and had the idea
of forming a Children’s Art Studio class and bringing it to Sunnyvale. She has
done an amazing job at outreaching to friends and companies for donations of
supplies so that the class can serve as a fundraiser for our program.
We can’t wait to see what she does with this
wonderful class, and we so appreciate her passionate support of bringing art
into children’s lives.
This month we would like to thank Elizabeth Gonzalez.
Elizabeth had been volunteering for FIRST 5 in another region, and had the idea
of forming a Children’s Art Studio class and bringing it to Sunnyvale. She has
done an amazing job at outreaching to friends and companies for donations of
supplies so that the class can serve as a fundraiser for our program.
We can’t wait to see what she does with this
wonderful class, and we so appreciate her passionate support of bringing art
into children’s lives.
Holidays
and Scheduled Closings:
Here is a list of
upcoming days we will be closed and class cancelations. Please watch our
calendars for unexpected closings, such as teacher illness.
6/27 – Volunteer Appreciation Celebration – details coming
soon. Japanese Play and Learn canceled.
7/4 – All centers closed
for 4th of July
9/1 – All centers closed
for Labor Day
Summer
Schedule Changes:
If you class is not
listed here, it will continue for the summer. Always check Google calendars for
last minute cancellations.
Mountain
View/Mercy Street:
Tuesday Play and Learn for children 3 and Under to continue through summer. We
anticipate a smaller class due to the Library Concert Series, so if you prefer
smaller class sizes, this is a great time. Class is 10am-12pm.
Mountain
View/Mercy Street:
Japanese Play and Learn will continue through the month of June until our lead
teacher Tomoko goes on maternity leave. The fate of the class depends on any of
our Japanese speakers who would be willing to take the lead in her absence.
Please let Nancy Doan know if you might be able to help. 650-967-4813
Sunnyvale:
The Tuesday afternoon
Play and Learn will be on break for the summer. Last class is June 10.
Sunnyvale:
Bombay Jam will
continue through the end of June. Last class is June 26. Class will resume in
fall
Cupertino: The Mandarin and English Play and
Learn Classes are on break. Last classes are June 9 and 10. Classes will return
starting August 19.
What’s NEW for June?
Mountain View
From
our Partners:
City of Mountain View:
Summer Outdoor Movie Night Series. Great FREE movies in the park – Starts July
11. http://beta.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/events/summermovie.asp
Mountain View Library:
Sing a Summer Song – a wildly popular summer concert series for little ones. http://library.mountainview.gov/screens/singasummer2014.pdf
Sunnyvale
Children’s
Art Studio:
Summer Session: Fridays June 13-July 11 10:30-12:30 (4
weeks)
Fall Session: Fridays September 5 – December 5 (13
weeks)
Full
Session: All 17 weeks
See
Sunnyvale page for details on registration and fees.
Literacy
Superstars: Tuesdays
June 24-July 22 from 10-12 (5 weeks) FREE. See Sunnyvale page for registration
and other details.
FREE
Vision Screening at Vargas Elementary (room 15). June 26 from 10am-12pm. Please
register with Ana Moreno at 650-967-4813. Screenings provided by Focus First.
Cupertino
Let’s
Get Moooving! Our
popular outdoor fun in the sun class is back on Fridays, starting May 2 – June
20 (8 weeks). 10:00-11:30am. Cost is $3 per child per class. Includes playground exploration, music & movement, story time, and fun
art project to take home. Parents AND children encouraged to move. Please wear
comfortable clothing and sun protection. Bring water. No registration required.
Fun pass is nonrefundable and not transferable to other series.
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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? Do you have expert knowledge that you can teach to our families? 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
