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 Danbury Children First Updates
Parent Leadership / Parent Engagement
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| February 2009 |
Volume 2, Issue 1 |
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Greetings!
A Danbury Multicultural Fair will be held this year on Friday, May 8, 2009, from 4 pm to 9 pm. The Art and Writing Contest involves Danbury students in this exciting event. Please see below for details.
This issue highlights People Empowering People (PEP) and the great things this program's graduates are doing in the Danbury community. Read below to find out more about how this program is changing lives for Danbury parents.
The Greater Danbury Child and Family Network is offering a Transition Workshop in February and a Family Fun Night in March. A Social Skills Group is also starting in March for children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and other learning disabilities. See below for details.
If you haven't already, please take the Danbury Parent Survey. It is part of a community-wide project to make sure parents in Danbury can get connected with the resources they need to raise happy, healthy children. The survey is now available in Spanish and Portuguese.
Thanks for taking a few minutes to read this newsletter. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at carolinel@danburychildrenfirst.org.
Caroline LaFleur
Communications Coordinator
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 Students!
Entries are Now Being Accepted for
the Multicultural Art and Writing Contest!
The new Danbury Multicultural Fair will be held in Danbury on Friday, May 8, 2009 from 4 pm to 9 pm. The Fair will be held at Western Connecticut State University's Midtown Campus.
An exciting and important part of the Multicultural Fair is the Art and Writing Contest. Students in preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and college are encouraged to submit entries. All entries will be displayed at the Westconn Midtown Campus, and prizes will be awarded on the day of the Fair.
Artwork can be submitted in any medium, on any topic.
Essays and poems are being accepted for the Writing Contest. There are a number of topics to choose from.
To view the topics and contest rules, click here.
There are prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each age category.
All entries are due by March 6, 2009
Entries will be picked up at Danbury Public Schools. Or you can bring them to Danbury Children First's Offices at 83 West St., Danbury, CT 06810.
If you have questions, please feel free to call Danbury Children First at 797-8088.
We look forward to seeing your entries!
The Danbury Multicultural Fair is a Citywide event sponsored by many community partners, led by Danbury Children First and Western Connecticut State University.
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 People Empowering People participants visit Filosa Convalescent Home
On December 23, 2008, participants in the latest People Empowering People (PEP) program visited Danbury's Filosa Convalescent Home to bring some seasonal cheer to the elderly residents.
The PEP participants sang, and the children of the parents who attended the program brought a decorated tree for the Filosa residents to enjoy. The visit was one of three community projects this PEP class is organizing. The other two are a workshop for fathers called "Real Dads Forever" and a workshop focusing on better communication between couples.
Participants celebrated their graduation from the PEP program at a Graduation Ceremony and Party that was held at Hatter's Park on January 23, 2009.
In Danbury, the People Empowering People program is conducted in Spanish and Portuguese. The curriculum was developed by the UConn Cooperative Extension system. It focuses on communications, problem solving, parenting, community issues, and civics.
If you would like more information about participating in People Empowering People, call 797-8088 and ask for Gloria Mora.
To download a copy of the PEP brochure, click here.
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 The Great Danbury Child and Family Network Offers Transition Workshop, Family Fun Night, Social Skills Group
The Greater Danbury Child and Family Network is a group of parents and professionals who work together to improve the lives of families who have children with special needs. It holds a number of workshops and meetings throughout the year to help parents connect with the information and resources they need.
On February 24, the group is sponsoring a Transition Workshop for parents whose children will be leaving the Birth to Three system and entering preschool. The Workshop will be held from 9:30 am to 11 am at the Early Care and Education Training Institute's seminar room at 30 Main St. in Danbury (across from Super FoodMart). Members of the public school transition teams, Birth-to-Three providers, and parents who have been through the process will all be there to answer parents' questions.
For a copy of the Transition Workshop Flyer, click here.
A Family Fun Night and Resource Fair for famiiies who have children with special needs is planned for Wednesday, March 11 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm at Park Avenue School. This is the fifth year for this highly successful event! FREE pizza and fun interactive entertainment make for a special evening. Resources and information from local agencies that serve families who have children with special needs are also provided. It's a great opportunity to relax as a family and meet other parents who have the same questions and concerns about raising children with special needs that you do!
For a copy of the Family Fun Night Flyer, click here.
A Social Skills Group for children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder and other learning disabilities is beginning on Wednesday, March 6, 2009, and running for six sessions. The group will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at Education Connection at 345 Main St., Danbury. Parents must provide transportation and remain on-site during the program.
For a copy of the flyer, click here.
For more information about the Greater Danbury Child and Family Network, or to find out more about these upcoming events, call Caroline LaFleur at 797-8088, or email carolinel@danburychildrenfirst.org.
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Parent Survey Now Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
Danbury Children First is working with parents from all sectors of our city, as well as community leaders, to create a plan to ensure that all families have access to the information, support, and education they need to help their children. But we need your help!
To help us in this planning, we're trying to gather as much information as possible about what it's like to raise children in Danbury. That's why we've developed a survey for Danbury parents. It's an online survey that can be completed in 15 minutes.
To complete the Danbury Parent Survey in English, click here.
To complete the Danbury Parent Survey en Español, click here.
To complete the Danbury Parent Survey em Português, click here.
We encourage you to forward this e-newsletter to other parents in the community, so that they can share their thoughts and experiences, as well.
We're
hoping to create a plan that will serve parents from all walks of
life--including grandparents, teen parents, foster parents, and parents
of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds and income levels. Your input,
through the survey, will be extremely valuable in helping us create a
plan that will connect Danbury's parents with the resources they need
to raise happy, healthy children.
To find out more about this project, call Linda Kosko at Danbury Children First at 797-8088. Or email lindak@danburychildrenfirst.org.
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