| Council Connections
| January 2012 |
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Greetings!
Happy New Year! Enjoy the January edition of School Age Connections, an e-newsletter from the Child Care Council of Westchester. It's a new year, a new month and a great time to review the School Age Care Regulations on Program Requirements and perhaps make some quality improvements to your program. Keep the joy and good cheer throughout the month! Susan M. Edelstein Director, ISACC |
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School Age Child Care Regulation
Review: 414.7 Program Requirements |
Review this regulation on program requirements and make some quality improvements to your program.
(a) The school-age child care program must establish an organized, informal and nonscholastic program of activities appropriate to the age, needs and interests of the children, including children with disabilities.
(b) Children must be provided with a program of self-initiated, group-initiated and staff-initiated activities which are intellectually stimulating, and foster self-reliance and social responsibility.
(c) A written daily schedule of program activities and routines which offers reasonable regularity in routines, including snack and meal periods, quiet activities and active play, and activities which provide children with opportunities for learning and self-expression is required.
(d) Children must receive instruction, consistent with their age, needs and circumstances, in techniques and procedures which will enable them to protect themselves from abuse and maltreatment.
(e) The program must make a sufficient quantity and variety of materials and play equipment available to the children. Such materials and equipment must be appropriate to the ages of the children and their developmental levels and interests, including children with developmental delays or disabilities, and promote the children's cognitive, educational, social, cultural, physical, emotional, language and recreational development. |
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Spotlight on: KEEPS, Inc. | |
KEEPS is a quality after school program established in 1983. Located in a church in Mamaroneck, the program provides a warm, nurturing, stimulating and enriching environment for children in kindergarten through 6th grade during out of school time. KEEPS is a private, not-for-profit organization organized under the laws of New York State and registered by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. The program is open to children in public or private schools in the Village of Mamaroneck and surrounding communities. KEEPS is dedicated to children of all abilities, cultures, religions and socio-economic status. Their mission is to provide children with life skills and experiences that will help them develop into well rounded individuals.
KEEPS meets the needs of children who have participated in a regular school day. Children have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of age appropriate indoor and outdoor activities. Activities include arts & crafts, sports, games, science, homework center, creative play, and daily snack. The program environment is set up to give children autonomy in selecting materials and carrying out activities. Children can pursue their interests by playing individually or in small groups. Recognizing differing needs for older children, a separate space and special materials for our 5th and 6th graders is provided.
At the KEEPS After-School Program, there is a commitment to creating an environment in which children can develop the basic values of Respect, Caring, Honesty, and Responsibility.
Values are introduced at a group meeting. Staff and children discuss what the values mean, why they are important, and how they can expressed to others.
Each value is represented by a color:
Respect - yellow
Caring - red
Honesty - blue
Responsibility - green
When children or staff members are observed doing a Respectful, Caring, Honest, or Responsible act, a strip of colored paper corresponding to the value observed is awarded to them. All of these strips are then joined together to make paper chains that are displayed throughout our center. There's just one rule: You can't tell about yourself! Only another child or staff member can relate the value you have "been caught" practicing. It is truly amazing - even the youngest children have incorporated these values into their vocabulary and use them as a guide to socially appropriate behavior. Implementing this program has prevented a lot of discipline problems and has helped instill good behavior habits in all members of the KEEPS family.
For additional information about the KEEPS after school program, contact Director Ann Marie Terrone or Assistant Director Noreen Brett at 914.698.5632 View their website at www.keepsafterschool.org |
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Resources for After School Professionals | | Many of Westchester's after school programs are housed in elementary schools, using shared space such as classrooms, cafeterias, libraries and gymnasiums.
A survey conducted by the National AfterSchool Association and Champions asked elementary school superintendents to report on the importance of after school programs. The survey results reported that after-school programs improve students' core skills. Surveyed superintendents also said that after-school programs benefit children through improved classroom performance, by providing academic opportunities and offering a safe place for children. Read the survey results here. Use this information when you meet with the superintendent of your district, as well as the principal of the school in which your program resides.
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Common Sense Media helps educate children to be savvy media consumers. They have created a toolkit for after school staff that provides lesson plans, by grade level, that help after school age children how to stand up to cyberbullying. These plans also provide after school staff with information on creating a positive environment for children. Check out the cyberbullying toolkit.
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Edutopia is director George Lucas' educational foundation. Following his belief that "improving education is the key to the survival of the human race", Edutopia provides educational downloads and guides that are useful for after school professionals. Visit Edutopia to view these great resources. |
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TA Tip of the Month: Space for
Relaxation and Comfort | |
As with adults, school age children need to decompress after the stress of a long day at school. Much of the school day is spent sitting down at a desk. Children are on a set schedule created by the teachers and the school, not themselves. Many children look forward to getting to their after school program to relax and just 'be' without having to follow a set schedule.
School age programs should provide a variety of spaces in the program environment that allow children to decompress in a way that is comfortable for them. By providing an area with soft furnishings, you give the children a space to relax, be comfortable and have some down time to unwind from the school day.
This space is easy to create, even if your program is located in shared space. Pillows, bean bag chairs and a small rug is all that you need to furnish this area. If your program is operating on a shoestring, ask a local carpet store for their discontinued carpet squares or maybe even a donation of a remnant.
Put these furnishings in a corner of the room that is away from the program's traffic and noisy activities. Place a basket of books with the soft furnishings, signaling to the children that this is a quiet area. Be sure this area is still in view of competent, direct supervision and not blocked or hidden from view.
The Child Care Council of Westchester offers technical assistance and training to maintain compliance with OCFS regulations and to familiarize school age staff with best practices in school age care. Contact Mary Ann Brendler at maryannb@cccwny.org or 914-761-3456 x 172 if you would like additional assistance on this topic or any other topic relating to school age care. |
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Upcoming Events and Workshops |
Pre-registration is required for all workshops and conferences. When registering online at www.ChildCareWestchester.org, you automatically save $3.00 on standard workshops costing $33/$43.
Saturday, January 14, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Heartsaver CPR with AED & Heartsaver First Aid
Training Categories: 2, 3, 4 for each
Cost: $95 members, $105 non-members for both CPR & First Aid combined
Code: 12134 Modality/Age: All
Trainer: David A. Cadogan, President, Lifeline Rescue Training
Description: The CPR with AED workshop will cover the basic techniques of adult, child and infant CPR, how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and how to respond to a choking victim. The First Aid training will teach how to manage illnesses and injuries in adults, children and infants. Topics include First Aid Basics, Medical Emergencies, Injury Emergencies and Environmental Emergencies. Each participant receives a course completion card for each of the trainings valid for 2 years from the American Heart Association and a training certificate from the Council.
Tuesday January 17, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
School Age Director's Network Meeting
Wednesday, January 18, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Child Abuse Identification & Prevention, Including Shaken Baby Syndrome
Training Categories: 1, 6, 8, 9
Cost: $33 members, $43 non-members
Code: 12135 Modality/Age: All
Trainer: Darryl Gibbs, founder of the Cynthia Gibbs Foundation & Laura Cleare, Infant Toddler Specialist, CCCW
Description: Join Darryl Gibbs and "Mikey", the SBS Simulator, to learn how to identify and prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome. Help break the cycle of child abuse and neglect by understanding your responsibility as a mandated reporter. Learn how, when and why to report suspected cased of child abuse.
Saturday January 21, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Medication Administration Training Course
Training Categories: 2, 4, 5, 7
Cost: $150
Code: 20121 Modality/Age: All
Trainer: Elissa Guzzardi, Director, Health Services, CCCW
Description: The MAT Course is highly recommended for all child care programs and will cover all regulations for programs that administer medication as well as those programs that only administer emergency medication.
Tuesday January 24, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Know Your Regs!
Training Categories: 2, 4, 5, 7 Cost: $33 members; $43 non-members
Code: 12137 Modality/Age: All
Trainer: Miriam Kerness, Infant Toddler Regional Coordinator, CCCW
Description: Get to know the NYS OCFS child care regulations and have fun doing it. Specific regulations pertaining to Health and Safety will be discussed.
Wednesday, January 25, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Making School Age Program Planning Intentional and Meaningful (part of the CCCW/ISACC Training Kit Series)
Training Categories: 1, 3, 4
Cost: $69 Workshop and Training Kit Rental; $35 Workshop Only
Code: 12138 Modality/Age: F, G, C, School Age
Trainer: Mary Ann Brendler, Management Consultant, CCCW
Description: The CCCW/ISACC Training Kit Series is designed to give child care professionals who work with school age children an additional resource to train program staff. This training provides activities and program planning strategies for school age staff to use when developing activities. |
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