Note:  The ECPSPC and UWTSA do not endorse any childcare provider listed.  Information is provided for reference purposes only.

What:              1.5 hour free Professional Development workshop on "Interactions:  Promoting Childrens Thinking Through Conversation"  

Who's Invited?  All early childcare professionals in South Pima County

When:             Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Where:            Sahuarita Unified School District's Early Childhood

Center.  For driving directions click here.

All participants will receive a certificate of completion and light refreshments will be available.

Register today:  email vfelty@unitedwaytucson.org or call 903-3922.  Thanks!  Se habla espanol.

What:  Regular monthly meeting for the South Pima Early Childhood Partnership of South Pima County 

Where:  Anamax Park, 17501 S. Camino de las Quintas, Sahuarita,85629 

For driving directions Click Here 

When:  Friday, May 13th from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Agenda: 

1.  Welcome/Introductions

2.  Member updates 

3.  Recflecting on this past year's accomplishments

4.  Sensory Park:  organizing volunteers for the summer months

This will be a "pot luck" event so please let us know what you want to sign up to bring.  This is our final meeting before our summer break and we will reconvene in August.  I hope you can make it!

For more information, contact Vanessa Felty at 520-903-3922 or vfelty@unitedwaytucson.org. 

What:  Come interact with new Imagination Playground and Sensory Wall that is part of our project to create a safe and fun play area for all children with sensory special needs and their families. This project is made possible through funding from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation, and the collaboration between the Town of Sahuarita and the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona's Early Childhood Partnership of South Pima County.

To view the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony featured on FOX news, Click Here. 

When:  Saturdays, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Where:  Anamax Park, 17501 S. Camino de las Quintas, Sahuarita, AZ 85629

Driving Directions:   Click Here

For groups larger than 15, please call 903-3922 to make a reservation.  Ideal for special occassions such as birthday parties, too! :)   Preschool programs welcome to tour the play area throughout the week by appointment. 

For more information, including how to become a Sensory Partner, including participating in a FREE training to become a Playtime Associate Volunteer, please contact Vanessa Felty at vfelty@unitedwaytucson.org or 903-3922.

Invitation to the Annual "Best of Stories that Soar!" Extravaganza

Art Supply & Furniture Giveaway on May 7 (*While Supplies Last)

Thanks to a generous donation from the Kids in Need Foundation and the National Arts Materials Trade Association we received brand new art supplies and art related furniture that we can give away for FREE to our members during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Therefore, we will be giving away "Treasure Gift Bags" in a drive through giveaway on

Saturday, May 7^th from 10:00am to 5:00pm to all our members.

Please come over to "Treasures 4 Teachers" (T4T) on that day, follow the balloons and signs, you will be entering in the back of the suite as volunteers hand out "Treasure Gift Bags." You must be a current member of Treasures 4 Teachers to receive a "Treasure Gift Bag". If you are not a member, you can still sign up that day.

Regarding the furniture (drawing tables, easels, chairs, rolling carts and large canvas), we will be giving raffle tickets to all our members on that same day,

Saturday, May 7^th, from 10:00am to 12:00pm only

and you will be able to preview the items. The drawing for each item will be pulled between 12:00 and 12:30. You must be present during the drawing and if you win, you must be able to take this item that day otherwise you will forfeit it to the next person that is chosen, so please bring a truck, van or large car. You must be a current member of Treasures 4 Teachers to qualify for this giveaway. If you are not a member, you can still sign up prior to the drawing.

If you have any questions please call us at 480-751-1122

Click here for driving directions.

We hope to see you on Saturday!  Thank you for being a teacher!

Barbara Blalock

Executive Director - Treasures 4 Teachers

 (*) Offer valid while supplies last

The KARE Family Center offers a variety of workshops and groups for Grandparents, Relatives, and Others raising children not born to them.  To learn more, call 520-323-4476 or visit http://www.arizonaschildren.org/karecenter.htm.

• Financial assistance for childcare business application fees
• Professional and educational oportunities to collaborate with other child care providers
• Marketing assistance for your business
• Benefits for existing providers also!


Register today!

The second annual rural childcare providers conference for South Pima early childcare professionals will take place on Saturday, May 14 from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson. 

Click here for a regsitration form. 

Please fax the completed registration form to:  625-1598 Attn: Vanessa Felty.

For further information in the South Pima Region please call Child & Family Resources at 520-881-8940 and ask about Project M.O.R.E.

• Pregnancy support and education
• Child development education
• Support for pregnant and/or parenting teen mothers/fathers
• Parenting classes
• Parent and child play-based learning groups
• Parent support groups
• Support for families with medically fragile children
• Assistance with identifying and supporting children with developmental delays
• Connections to community resources your family may need

Dear Early Childhood Partner:

(In April) First Things First was proud to partner with organizations statewide in kicking off a series of public awareness efforts around Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Brain research and common sense tell us that the quality of a child's early experiences - the family, educational and health support they receive from birth through age five - lay the foundation for success in school, and in life.

Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. The more negative things a child experiences early on - such as abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse, domestic violence, etc. - the more negative outcomes await them in their teenage and adult years.

The Centers for Disease Control and health care giant Kaiser Permanente are partners in what is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, analyzing the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma, and health and behavioral outcomes later in life.

That study found that children who experience childhood trauma have a greater risk of suicide, heart disease, chronic lung disease, injuries and sexually transmitted diseases. Adverse childhood experiences also are linked to alcohol and drug abuse, instability in adult relationships, homelessness and performance in the workforce.

What does this mean for us today? It means that abuse follows kids beyond childhood and that the youngest children face the greatest risk. Nationally, 80% of children who die from abuse or neglect are under age 4 and 40% are under age 1. In Arizona, more than 48% of all the child abuse and neglect reports received last year involved at least one child 5 or younger in the household, more than 16,000 reports. Children who are under school age aren't seen by many of the people who can spot and report abuse or neglect - people like bus drivers, teachers, school nurses and counselors. Even when they are seen, they don't have the language skills or the developmental capacity to tell anyone about what's happening to them.

That's where all of us come in. First Things First is a partner in those efforts by allocating more than $78 million to family support programs through fiscal year 2012 to help more kids reach kindergarten without experiencing early childhood trauma. These programs include:

·         Support for a FREE statewide hotline where nurses and child development experts answer family and caregivers' toughest parenting questions.

·         And, home-based and community-based programs to support families in their role as their child's first teacher by providing information and resources that promote more positive parent/child interactions and healthy development.

Child abuse is not just a parental issue or a criminal issue. Child abuse is a critical health issue that is 100% preventable. Thank you for your continued partnership in these prevention efforts.

Rhian Allvin
CEO

• Add a "Family-Style Meal Service Provision" -  having at least one childcare provider sit with the children at mealtimes and eat the same meals and snacks and that children serve themselves food.
• Limit juice to a total of 4-6 ounces per day for children over one year of age
• In addition to "high fat or high sugar food items such as muffins, brownies, donuts, pastries, croissants, cakes, or cookies are served to satisfy a meal or snack category no more than twice each week" add that "foods of low nutritional value are served infrequently";
• Add limit screen-time to no more than 1 hour per day instead of just requiring screen time to be posted;
•  Put the prohibition on serving high-sugar cereal more than twice each week back in the rules;
• Add a requirement that childcare providers do not withhold active playtime as punishment;
• Add a requirement that children are provided the opportunity for outdoor active playtime;
• Add that homes should provide at least 60 minutes planned, adult guided and developmentally appropriate physical activity daily

The new draft of the Child Care Group Homes rules is posted at:

http://www.azdhs.gov/diro/admin_rules/child_care_group_homes.htm    

There are 2 public meetings scheduled for comment (one in Tucson, one in Phoenix) as well as the survey monkey link to submit comments. 

Thanks for your attention!