November 2014 RENO COUNTY HEAD START November 2014 2014 - 2015 Head Start Policy Council Seated Head Start Program Regulations require each Head Start program to establish and maintain a formal structure of shared governance through which parents can participate in policy making or in other decisions about the program. This structure must consist of the following groups, as required: Policy Council and Parent Committee. Policy Council must include two types of representatives: parents of currently enrolled children and community representatives. Policy Councils must work in partnership with key management staff and the governing body (USD 308 Board of Education) to develop, review, and approve or disapprove program policies and procedures. Congratulations to those elected to serve on the Reno County Head Start Policy Council for the 2014-2015 school year! Parent Representatives Shirlie J Hutcherson Center USD 308 CHARLES CRUMBLE CRYSTAL FOGG SARAHI MENDOZA MARGARITA ZIMMERMAN Elected KHSA Parent Representative McCandless USD 308 DEL REY CARLSON Nickerson USD 309 LISA SACK South Hutchinson USD 309 TERRY LYLE - Elected Chairperson Union Valley USD 313 ANTOINETTE JOHNSON Plum Creek USD 313 Plum Creek USD 313 AMBER SEACHRIST Early Head Start JESSICA GRESTY BOBBI ROSE - Elected Vice Chairperson SHAWN STUNKEL - Elected Secretary Community Representatives BETH CARLTON Childcare Links Elected KHSA Friend Representative STEPHANIE KING 308 Board of Education SUSAN MABRY Parents as Teachers HEATHER PETERSON Reno County Health Department Congratulations and thank you to all of those serving on the 2014/2015 Reno County Head Start Policy Council . Volunteers Needed At Museum in November Head Start Day of Caring Volunteers (DOCS) will be cleaning and sanitizing toys at the Kansas Kids Museum at the Hutchinson Mall Tuesday, November 18 starting at 5:30 p.m. All Head Start parents, family members, friends and staff may be DOCS volunteers. Transportation to the museum will be provided for volunteers who need it. School vans will depart from the Hutcherson Center at 5:15 p.m. All volunteers will meet at the museum at 5:30. Child care will be available at the Hutcherson Center for children of volunteers starting at 5:00 pm. Upcoming Dates: WATCH FOR FLYERS AND CHECK YOUR CHILD’S BOOKBAG FOR MORE INFORMATION! DOCS NOVEMBER 18 PARENTING CLASSES PARENT COMMITTEE APPLY FOR HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE Inside this issue: NUTRITION SCREENINGS PERSONAL SAFETY AWARENESS FALL ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS If you have questions or would like more information call Mary @ (620) 615-5793. WHAT: Head Start Day of Caring Volunteers (DOCS) WHERE: Kansas Kids Museum at the Hutchinson Mall WHEN: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 @ 5:30 p.m. Head Start Day of Caring Volunteer Volunteering changes lives, Including your own. HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE WAYS TO CUT THANKSGIVING CALORIES November 2014 Nutrition Screenings *A hemoglobin test is done for several reasons: To check overall health To diagnose a medical condition To monitor a medical condition Dear parents/guardians, All children have been screened for nutrition risk factors. Your children have been weighed and measured in their classroom. The results from these heights and weights along with the hemoglobin*, taken from your child’s physical are used to screen each child for nutrition risk factors. Some risk factors include underweight, overweight, at risk of being over weight and low hemoglobin. If your child has a nutrition risk factor the dietitian will do a further assessment using the nutrition information you filled out during enrollment. A note and a handout with information about your child’s specific Head Start has a dietitian on staff for all parents that would like nutrition information or counseling. Some topics may include food budgeting, low fat cooking, picky eaters, healthy family weights, lowering your child’s sugar intake, and many more. Please contact the Nutrition Coordinator, Tracey Colbert at (620)615-5785 if you wish to make an appointment with the dietitian, Ellen Garden. You may also request a print out of your child’s growth charts or ask questions about your child’s nutrition screening. *What is Hemoglobin? Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. A hemoglobin test is used to determine how much hemoglobin is in the blood. The hemoglobin test may be used to screen for, diagnose, or monitor a number of conditions and diseases that affect red blood cells. If a hemoglobin test reveals a hemoglobin level that is lower than normal, it indicates a low red blood cell count (anemia). Anemia can have many different causes, including vitamin deficiencies, bleeding and chronic diseases. Anemia is one of the most common childhood disorders. If a hemoglobin test shows a higher than normal level, there are several potential causes — the blood disorder polycythemia vera, living at a high altitude, smoking, dehydration, burns and excessive vomiting. Because Kids Don’t Come With Instructions One thing most parents will agree upon is that raising kids is hard work, but yet the most amazing and rewarding thing you may ever do. No matter how experienced we are as parents, and how much we think we know, the reality is that raising kids cans sometimes be challenging. As parents we may try something that doesn’t work, adjust our methods and try again. What worked for one child will not necessarily work for another. Head Start offers parenting support to moms and dads in the form of parenting classes, one on one mentoring, mental health consultation, and Family Time. All services are provided at no cost to Head Start and Early Head Start parents. If you have questions or want more information please contact your FSW or Home Visitor or call Mary @ 620-615-5793. Parenting Classes For Mothers and Mother Figures: “Star Moms” How did we learn? How will we teach? In this last STAR Moms session, we will reflect on experiences and people who have influenced our parenting style. We will focus on what we want for and from our children in order to help them be contributing members of the family. This session corresponds with the Strong Dads class. We will begin with a family style dinner and then children will be in supervised play while moms and dads enjoy an evening of fun and learning. For Fathers and Father Figures: “Quenching the Father Thirst Developing A Dad” is a class for fathers by fathers in which dads get together to discuss issues for today’s dads and learn important Dad skills. Page 2 Supper and child care are provided for dads and their kids. Space is limited for mom classes and dad classes so call right away to make reservations at 620-615-5793. One on One Mentoring for Dads Sometimes dads just need someone to listen to their concerns and offer encouragement. If you are looking for answers to your parenting questions but a group setting is not your thing, Head Start offers one on one dad mentoring with Kevin Guffey. Kevin is a Strong Dads Community Trainer/Mentor with the Kansas Strong Dads/ Super Kids program. Mental Health Consultations: All families enrolled in Early Head Start and Head Start can participate in Mental Health Consultation with Morgan Penner, Licensed Master Social Worker. Parents often request Mental Health Consultation due to concerns about stress, anxiety, tantrums, sleep issues, toilet training, divorce, death and parent mental health. Family Time Family Time is for one parent and one child and is held once weekly for 30 minutes. Each week parents learn new games to play at home with their children. There is a Family Time for Spanish speaking parents and one for English speaking parents. Child care is provided for siblings during Family Time. November 2014 Personal Safety Awareness Dear Head Start Families, From the beginning of the year, teachers have been teaching children about safety using the Second Step Curriculum. Children have learned about fire safety, bus safety and pedestrian safety. Beginning in January, classes will continue the safety theme and learn about touching safety. Research has shown that an informed child is less likely to be a victim of abuse than an uninformed child, and so we provide this information as part of our efforts to protect children. The safety rules about touching teach children that there are three kinds of touches. 1. Safe touches. These are touches that keep you safe and are good for your body. They make you feel cared for loved and important. Safe touches include hugging, holding hands, pats on the back and a shot from the doctor. 2. Unsafe touches. These are touches that are not good for body and either hurt your body or hurt your feelings. 3. Unwanted touches. These may be safe touches, yet the child does not want to be touched in that way, by that person in that moment in time. It’s ok for a child to say “no” to unwanted touches. During classroom lessons, the children will learn the Touching Rule: A bigger person should not touch your private body parts except to keep you clean and healthy. Children will learn that private body parts “are those parts covered by a swimsuit”. In preparation for these lessons, information about the Talking About Touching program will be presented at the November parent committee meeting. The curriculum will be available for parents to review and a parent video will be presented about how to talk with young children about what to do if unsafe or unwanted touches happen. If you cannot be at the parent meeting but would like more information about the Talking About Touching series, contact your classroom teacher or your Family Support Worker. Sincerely, Tamme Buller, Mental Health Coordinator Reno County Head Start Fun Activities For Fall - Take It Outside! Outdoor Games Play the old standbys, like Hide and Seek, Kick Ball and Freeze Tag, Mother May I, Simon Says, Ring Around the Hit the Trails Rosie, Hopscotch, Red Light With the weather not too hot Green Light and Red Rover. and not too cold, fall is the Toss or roll the basketball, perfect time to explore football, soccer ball or baseparks, trails, and other local ball. Make an obstacle scenery. Older kids may ride course using boxes, cans, and outdoor furniture. trikes/bikes while younger children are pulled in a wagRake and Jump on or pushed in a stroller. Take a nature hike and have Turn fall yard work into family fun. Everyone knows that your child look for colored leaves and other natural ob- the best reward for raking leaves is jumping in the piles, jects. Ask your child to tell you colors and count items as and the bonus is that both the raking and the jumping get you enjoy nature. Let your hearts pumping. If you have child describe the weather a preschooler, supply him (hot or cold? Windy or calm? with a child-sized rake so he Cloudy or sunny?) or sing a can help just like the bigger song together as you stroll. kids. It's also fun to make Kids enjoy being pushed in a mazes and trails in your swing or on the merry go leaves before you bundle round. Take along a favorite them all into piles. toy for the sandbox. Don't let the end of summer mean the end of outdoor play! Get out and get moving with these fun fall activities. Page 3 Make a path through the leaves then have kids walk, run, or bike the course. Have the kids help with other seasonal yard work too. The cooler months are a good time to plant evergreens, bulbs, and fall flowers like mums, so hand out shovels and let kids help dig some holes. Outdoor play is good for children. It increases physical activity, increases the body’s vitamin D levels, reduces anxiety and improves mood, helps develop stronger immune systems, and improves focus. Natural light, exercise, and fresh air can benefit both parent and child. Take it outside! 10 More Free Outdoor Activities: Eat lunch outdoors Make a scarecrow for your yard or porch Look at books or read a story outside Create a scavenger hunt Sky gaze- instead of spending yet another evening in front of the television, grab a blanket and head outside for some star or cloud gazing. Marvel at the full moon, the planets, the stars, and whatever else the little ones can imagine up in the sky. What do you see in the clouds? Go on a bug hunt Play “parachute” with a large sheet Play in the puddles after it rains. Why not make some mud pies? Ever dance in the rain? Have a toy car wash Climb a tree Be sure you and your child are dressed appropriately for the weather. If you need help getting a coat, hat or gloves for you or your child please tell your FSW, Home Visitor, or another staff person. Small Talk Thanksgiving Safety Use Small Containers Hot food that’s kept in a large container takes a long time to cool off. That warm spot in the center can grow bacteria, even if it’s in the fridge. Keep leftovers at least 2 inches apart in the fridge to allow cold air to circulate. Reheat Leftovers Thoroughly Even though your food has been cooked, it’s best to reheat leftovers to at least 165 degrees because that will kill any germs that may have set up shop while it was in the fridge. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water before handling leftovers. Choking As your child grows, he'll be eager to sample food from your plate – and you'll be eager to add variety to his diet. But not all foods are safe for your child at every age. Some still pose a choking hazard. Supervise children whenever they are eating or drinking. Make sure you're child sits while eating. Mash or cut up your child’s food. Pieces for your child should be no larger than a pea. Common choking hazards include popcorn, nuts, hot dogs, grapes, hard candy and cough drops. Avoid chewing gum and soft foods like marshmallows and jelly or gummy candies that might get lodged in your child's throat. Be careful not to give your toddler large dollops of peanut butter or other nut butters, which can Butterball Turkey Talk Line Never leave children alone in a (800) BUTTERBALL (800-288-8373) Availa- be difficult to swallow. Instead, spread peanut butter thinly on bread or crackroom with a lit candle. ble November 1 through December 28, ers. You might want to try thinning it weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST; Saturday with some applesauce before spread Make sure smoke alarms are and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST; Thanksgiv- ing it. Avoid letting your child eat in working. Test them by pushing ing Day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST; Nov. 24 to the car since it's hard to supervise the test button and replace Dec. 25, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST. while driving. If you're using a rub-on batteries if necessary. teething medication, keep a close eye Honeysuckle White on your toddler as it can numb his Children can help cook using (800) 810-6325 Recorded answers to throat and interfere with swallowing. recipes that can be done outfrequently asked turkey preparation In adults, choking most often occurs side the kitchen. questions. when food is not chewed properly. Talking or laughing while eating may Have games, play dough, puzzles or Safely Storing Holiday Leftovers cause a piece of food to "go down the books available to keep children busy Leftovers give you a few more days to savor wrong pipe." your holiday creations. Make sure they're outside of the kitchen. Holiday Pet Safety safely stored by following these pointers. Do not feed your pets cooked turkey Follow the Two-Hour Rule bones. Cooked turkey bones can be Bacteria can start growing on your food just dangerous as these bones are sharp two hours after your meal leaves the oven. and may get lodged in the GI tract, pack those leftovers away as soon as esophagus, or teeth of your pet. possible. Safe Turkey Handling Tips Thawing a Frozen Turkey If you are buying a frozen turkey, allow plenty of time for it to defrost. You can defrost the turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water. Never defrost a turkey at room temperature. Defrosting the bird in the refrigerator is the safest method. Leave the turkey in its original wrapping and place it in a baking pan, breast side up. If you choose to use the cold water method, put the turkey, still in its original wrapping, in a large sealed bag to prevent contamination. Place the turkey in a baStay in the kitchen when you are sin or bath and cover with cold water. Change the water completely every 30 cooking. minutes. Undoubtedly this is a faster (though labor-intensive) method, but there is a risk of Keep children away from the bacterial growth near the surface of the bird stove. as the interior continues to thaw. Once thawed this way, the turkey should be Make sure children stay away cooked immediately. Make sure you use a from hot food and liquids. separate cutting board and utensils for the turkey to avoid contaminating other foods. Keep the floor clear so you Be sure to wash your hands with hot, soapy don’t trip over children, toys, or water before touching anything else in the bags. kitchen. Wash the cutting boards and utensils used for the turkey as soon as you are done Keep sharp knives out of the with them. Use paper towels instead of cloths reach of children. for clean up wherever possible. There is plenty of help available from various Be sure electric cords are not turkey hotlines. dangling off the counter top within easy reach of a child. Reynolds Turkey Tips Line (800) 745-4000 Open through December Keep matches and lighters out 31, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. of the reach of children. Did you know there are more cooking fires on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year? The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Children love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home. Here are a few tips to keep children safe during Thanksgiving and other important family holidays. Page 4 November 2014 Thanksgiving Assistance KWBW Operation Thanksgiving: Provides families with a Dillons card to purchase items to prepare a Thanksgiving meal. Applications will be taken at the Salvation Army Office, 700 N. Walnut in Hutchinson Monday, November 3 - Thursday, November 20, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Applicants must provide: 1) Photo ID for adults 18 and over 2) ID for each person under 17 years old (shot record, school ID, SS card, insurance or medical card, National identification card, birth certificate, etc.) 3) Proof of income (pay stub, income tax statement, DCF letter, etc.) 4) Proof of address. Applicants will be asked to provide a working telephone number (home, friend, cell, neighbor, etc.) in order to be notified of date and time to pick up Dillons card. If your contact number changes let the Salvation Army know. FREE Thanksgiving Meals: Single Parent Thanksgiving Dinner Sunday, November 23, 5:00 - 7:00 pm @ Elmdale Community Center 400 E. Ave. E in Hutchinson. Games for children in the gym. Sponsored by Crossroads Christian Church. Soup Kitchen FREE Thanksgiving Meal 301 East 3rd Street, Hutchinson. The Soup kitchen is serving a full Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday, November 26. Dining room opens at 11:00 am, meal served at 12:00 Noon. Meals will be delivered to those unable to get to the Soup Kitchen. In order to receive meal delivery reservations must be made by 6:00 pm Tuesday, November 25. Call 620-662-6468 to arrange for home delivery. Everyone Welcome! FREE Community Thanksgiving Dinner Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 27 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 140 E. 30th in Hutchinson.11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Please call the church office for reservations: 620-662-8622. Don't be alone on this special day. Join the Emmanuel family for good food and fellowship. RCAT will provide transportation from pickup locations. For the pickup locations and times call the church. An invitation to all! FREE Thanksgiving Dinner at Sterling College Student Union, 125 W. Cooper in Sterling. Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. All are welcome! Christmas Assistance Salvation Army Christmas Assistance: Food basket and toys. Applications will be taken at the Salvation Army Office, 700 N. Walnut in Hutchinson Monday, November 10 Wednesday, November 26 and Monday, December 1 - Wednesday, December 10 from 9:00 am -11:00 am & 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm. Applicants must provide: 1) Photo ID for adults 18 and over 2) ID for each person under 17 years old (shot record, school ID, SS card, insurance or medical card, National identification card, birth certificate, etc.) 3) Proof of income (pay stub, income tax statement, DCF letter, etc.) 4) Proof of address. Applicants will be asked to provide a working telephone number (home, friend, cell, neighbor, etc.) Distribution is Thursday, December 18. Call 620 - 663-3353 for information. First Call for Help Christmas for Teens: Provides gifts for teenagers ages 13 - 17. Gifts will be handed out Friday, December 19, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the First Call for Help office, 721 West 2nd in Hutchinson. Those wanting to participate must pre-apply at the First Call for Help office. Applicants must provide identification for each person in the household under age 17. Identification may be a birth certificate, social security card, medical card, school ID, national identification card, etc. Adults 18 and older must have photo ID. Must also show proof of address and proof of income. Applications are being taken at the office now through Friday, December 12. For more information call 620 - 669 - 0159. Page 5 November 2014 RENO COUNTY HEAD START Head Start 330 Charles Hutchinson KS 67501 620-615-5750 Early Head Start 518 N. Washington Hutchinson KS 67501 620-665-8648 The VISION of Reno County Head Start is to create and sustain an environment where low-income pregnant women and families with children ages birth to five thrive by: Recruiting and selecting highly qualified, well prepared and motivated staff and volunteers; Developing and maintaining productive partnerships within the community; Providing access to comprehensive health care; Promoting healthy lifestyle choices; Ensuring the development of infants, toddlers and young children, including children with disabilities; Developing the capacity of families to nurture their children; Preparing children to succeed in school and in life. We’re on the Web! www.usd308.com Like Us on Facebook! Reno County Head Start & Reno County Early Head Start Ways to Cut Thanksgiving Calories The holidays are coming and they're typically full of rich and highly caloric foods that aren't necessarily good for our health or our waist lines. The average American gains approximately one to two pounds during the holidays. These pounds typically aren't shed and can add up over the years. By making just a few minor adjustments, you can save yourself hundreds of calories. Use some of the tips below to reduce calories and fat while preserving the flavor of your meals. HIGH CALORIE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS 1. Baked Goods Oils and butter in these recipes can be substituted with apple sauce, prune puree, or bananas. 2. Chocolate Use fewer chocolate chips than a recipe calls for or substitute with cocoa powder. 3. Whole Milk, Whipping Cream Lower fat milk or imitation whipped cream will reduce your calories greatly. 4. Butter Use healthier fats like light cooking spray, canola oil, whipped butter, olive oil, peanut oil, or a trans-fat-free margarine. 5. Salad Dressing Salads may seem super healthy, but just a tablespoon of some salad dressings can set you back 100 calories. Instead use reduced-calorie salad dressing, lemon juice, reduced-fat cottage cheese, or herb-flavored or wine vinegar. 6. Cheese Instead of the usual cheese, try reduced fat cheese. I bet neither you nor your family will be able to tell the difference. 7. Sour Cream, Mayonnaise Use a plain fat free yogurt--it has the same texture and similar flavor to both sour cream and mayonnaise. 8. Gravy Put your gravy into the refrigerator before serving. Once it gets cold the fat will collect at the top, skim it off, defrost, and serve. Page 6
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