e-News You Can Use 05.17.11

Applications are currently being accepted for Fostering Financial Success: [RE]FRESH. This is a skills training and job placement program for foster youth ages 16 to 21. The program allows older youth to obtain job training and experience, demonstrate their ability to earn and save money, and finally, obtain jobs in the community. For more information, click here or contact Nickie at 314.367.8373 x2235.

Coalition News

Training Extravaganza - Saturday, June 4th

Register now for the Training Extravaganza on Saturday, June 4th, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register now to ensure your name is included in the childcare lottery. Registration deadline is May 25th. The Extravaganza is an all-day workshop that allows foster/adoptive/relative caregivers to receive 7.5 in-service training hours in one day, and you can bring the kids!

Click here to download the registration form.

You can return your Registration Form three ways:

By mail to: Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition, ATTN: Training Extravaganza, 1750 South Brentwood Blvd., Suite 210, St. Louis, MO 63144

By fax to: 314.241.0715

By e-mail to: Download a registration form (available in .doc format to easily save to your desktop or .pdf format to print), fill out, scan, and email back to Nickie at nickiesteinhoff@foster-adopt.org.

Childcare lottery: Space limited to 200 adults and 100 children.

Registration forms must be received by May 25th to be included in the childcare lottery. ALL requests for childcare received by May 25th will be placed into the same lottery pool. Registration forms will be drawn at random until the 100 childcare slots are filled.
All families who register will be notified by mail. If childcare is full, adults are still welcome to attend the workshops and receive 7.5 training hours.

24-Hour Crisis Intervention

The Coalition offers 24-Hour access to Crisis Intervention for pre- and post- guardianship/adoptive families in St. Louis County. For immediate assistance, call Dawn Milburn, Lead Family Intervention Specialist at 314.614.2342.

Share Your Beliefs on Fostering

The Catholic University of America invites you to take part in a research study they hope will help them understand how foster parents are thinking about the care they provide.

Purpose of the Study: This study will measure the relationship between beliefs about foster parenting, parenting behaviors, and satisfaction with foster parenting.

Description: Your participation in this research study will involve completing five questionnaires about your foster parenting experience on a secure website. Your responses to the questionnaires will be completely anonymous. The questionnaires will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Benefits of Participation: You may learn about your foster parenting beliefs when you complete study questionnaires. You will be contributing to the knowledge about foster parenting so that support and training programs can more effectively meet the needs of foster parents.

Questions? Email cua-fosterparentstudy@cua.edu to contact:

Primary Investigator: Barry Wagner, Ph.D.

Student Investigator: Catherine Schwerzler, M.A.

Click here to access the online survey.

Please feel free to forward this flyer to other foster parents you know who may be interested in participating. Many thanks for your time and consideration!

Educational Advocacy Corner

For help with IEPs, tutoring, and educational concerns, please contact:
Leslie Lewis, Director of Educational Advocacy, at 314.367.8373 x2237 OR
Dell Vinson, Director of Educational Advocacy (St. Louis City) at 314.600.0305

Scholarships for Current and Former Foster Youth and Foster Parents
A partnership between the University of Phoenix and the National Foster Parent Association is making possible 15 full tuition scholarships redeemable at any University of Phoenix campus for youth in foster care, former foster youth and foster parents. Any foster parent applying for a First Chance Scholarship must be a member of NFPA or become a member at the time of application. The First Chance Scholarship is offered on a competitive basis and membership in NFPA is not a guarantee of receiving the scholarship. Recipients may choose any campus they want to attend, including the online campus. The program will be administered by the NFPA under the First Chance Scholarship umbrella. The scholarship application is available online here. The deadline for submitting applications is July 1st, 2011.

Special School District 2010-2011 Orientations for Parents
05.24.11 / 9 to 11 a.m.
Special School District Administrative Office (12110 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, MO 63131)
Join us for an orientation to Special School District and the services provided to your child.
It is helpful to bring your child's evaluation report and IEP if you already have one. Please call 314.989.7807 to register. If you are unable to attend, you may request a 30-minute DVD, "Orientation to Special School District, by calling 314.989.8108 or e-mailing jnoll@ssdmo.org. You may also view the Orientation video here. For questions about this orientation or other workshops for parents, call Joann Noll, Parent Education, at 314.989.8108.

Community Calendar

Public Works Fair

05.18.11 / 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
O'Fallon, MO (West parking lot at Tom Ginnever Ave. and T.R. Hughes Blvd., O'Fallon, MO 63366)
Cost: FREE
Parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and daycare centers are invited to bring youngsters to the event, which showcases specialized vehicles and equipment used by the O'Fallon Streets Division, the Parks and Recreation Department, and Water and Sewer Operations. Additional activities include free safety and educational activities for kids, information for parents, free rides for all ages on the City of O'Fallon's Krekel Line Train, free hot dogs, chips, soda, water, and other giveaways. Kids will be able to operate the mechanized arm that raises and lowers City trash and recycling carts, check the speed of their pitch with a radar trailer, and play a lively game of red-light-green-light with a real traffic signal.
More information: www.ofallon.mo.us

Homeschool Special: Poisonous and Venomous Things
05.19.11 / 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Powder Valley Conservation Nature Area (11715 Cragwold Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122)
Cost: FREE
Are you leery about going outside for fear of snakes, spiders, or poison ivy? Well have no fear. With a bit of know-how you can easily learn to identify some common outdoor hazards and safely enjoy the great Missouri outdoors. Parents and children ages 6 and older will learn the difference between poisonous versus venomous in the classroom and then get out and explore on a hike. Reservations are required.
More information: www.mdc.org or 314.301.1500

Free Asthma Screening sponsored by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
05.21.11 / 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
O'Fallon Family YMCA (33451 Pheasant Meadows Dr., O'Fallon, MO 63368)

Cost: FREE
Douglas R. Berson, M.D., an ABAI Board Certified Asthma Specialist, is hosting a free Asthma Screening program at the O'Fallon, Mo., Family YMCA. This event is sponsored by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
More information: 314.469.5944

Beyond Consequences Live: A Workshop for Parents and Educators
05.21.11 / 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Edward Jones Auditorium (12555 Manchester Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131)
Cost: FREE to those with a copy of Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control (can be purchased through CHS or at the day of the event)

Children's Home Society of Missouri (CHS) welcomes Heather Forbes, co-author of Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control, at the Beyond Consequences Live! A full day of training and learning for parents and professionals that focuses on parenting techniques for children with attachment disorders. Research has shown that children may develop an attachment disorder as a result of severe abuse or neglect during their formative first years of life.
More information and to register: www.BeyondConsequencesLive.com

Free Concert in the Park
06.02.11 / 7 p.m.

Amphitheater behind St. Peters City Hall between Rec Plex South and the baseball fields
Cost: FREE
The City of St. Peters, as part of the "Celebrate St. Peters" series of events in 2011, is hosting free summer Concerts in the Park. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, snacks and coolers. A concession stand will also be available. Rock out with songs by the Beatles, Eagles, James Taylor and others.
More information: www.stpetersmo.net

Family Festival

June 3rd and June 4th / each night, immediately following the 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. theater productions

Affton High School (8309 MacKenzie Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123)

Cost: FREE

Arts and theater related activities and games for children. Activities will take place in the lobby of Affton High School before each evening's theater production. Clown and balloon artisit will perform.

More information: 636.349.6880

Youth Gateway to Aviation Day
06.11.11 / 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
St. Louis Downtown Airport (4300 Vector Drive, Cahokia, Il 62206)
Cost: FREE
This fun event (for children of all ages with a parent or guardian) will teach kids aviation education through hands-on interactions, activities, presentations, and more. This event is held at a fully functioning airport and will have working aircraft. Therefore, all children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Register now to be entered into drawings to win aviation items and free flights! For a full event listing click here.
More information and to register: Click here

Community Resources

Free Books for Foster Families

The Book House (9719 Manchester Rd, Rock Hill, MO 63119) will give $25 in free books for Missouri and Illinois youth in foster care (as well as biological children living in the home). Foster parents just need to bring proof of their foster parent status. The Book House is having a book fair fundraiser May 28th (10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.), 29th (noon to 6 p.m.), and 30th (10:30 to 5 p.m.). Books will be priced as low as $1.00 and on Monday you can take all you can carry for $5. For more information, email info@bookhousestl.com or visit www.bookhousestl.com.

Kids of Victory (K.O.V.) Summer Camp Openings!
KOV is a high energy camp for children held at Southgate Church (9820 East Watson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63126). The mornings are fast-paced fun as a variety of methods are used to talk about important character values. The camp runs from July 11th through July 15th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are openings for 1st through 6th grade girls and boys to attend the camp. Space is limited. More information and to register: Contact Nickie at 314.367.8373 x2235

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