Child Care
Training Newsletter 
 November 25, 2009 
  A Resource for Early Childhood Professionals
Happy Thanksgiving! 
Professional Development
Child Care Job Bank
Earn Clock Hours Online
Parent & Family Resource Corner
Useful information and links ready to share with families and parents at your center. Print and post by check in, affix to room doors, place in cubbies or in parent folders. 
 
Training Future Picasso's - Active Learning Through Art
Teachers who understand the role art materials have in developing creative thought and expression provide Pablo Picassoopportunities for their class to develop independent and artistic expression. The new online self-study course, Active Learning Through Art, explores ways you can analyze your curriculum and classroom set up to make sure children's hands are creating, constructing and getting messy, each and every day!
 
With the ease of the online format of this course, you can take the class today and begin implementing tomorrow.
 
Sign up today!
Recall Information
Mind Those Little Fingers!
Maclaren announced a recall that affects about 1 millionRecalled Mclaren Stroller umbrella strollers that can reportedly amputate or lacerate children's fingertips.
The recall affects the following models: Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno, and Easy Traveller.
 
Check Your Drop-Side Cribs
More than 2 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs areTraining being recalled. A piece of plastic that attaches the drop side can become disconnected creating a space that can cause suffocation or a fall to the floor.
The recall includes Stork Craft drop-side cribs with the Fisher-Price logo. The cribs were sold at major retailers including Sears and Wal-Mart and online at Amazon.com and Target.com between January 1993 and October 2009.
Don't forget to post or keep in a central area to meet licensing standards!
Kindergarten Readiness - Year in Review
Since 2005, the Kindergarten Readiness program has served 145 classrooms, representing 31 child care centers and 55 registered family child care homes.  More than 90 professional development scholarships and over $50,000 in equipment and materials have been awarded. Outcome evaluation results show that classroom environments have improved an average 54%. 
 
Camp Fire USA First Texas Council Kindergarten Readiness program, collaboration with the Fort Worth ISD in select zip codes, is a five-year pilot project to help children enter school with the skills they need to succeed. The program aims to:

  • Improve child care teachers skills in understanding child growth and development and enable them to provide an environment that encourages children's skill development
  • Help child care teachers build children's literacy skills and develop positive relationships with children
  • Increase interactions between child care teachers and local schools to support children's early learning and preparation for kindergarten
The program provides training and mentoring to child care teachers to help improve children's earliest classroom environments to support their healthy development and learning. Teachers also receive educational equipment and materials for their classrooms.
 
For more information on the Kindergarten Readiness Program you can contact Pam Rinn at Pam@CampFireFW.org or call 817-831-2111 ext. 114
 
Camp Fire USA First Texas Council is deeply grateful for support from the many donors who help make this program possible, including the Morris Foundation, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, John P. Ryan Foundation, Bank of America, and William E. Scott Foundation and Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation (see article below).
 
We are also extremely proud of last year's participants: Center for Creative Living, Glorious Creations, Teenie Tiny Toddlers, Vicki McMillan, Shirley Gray, Royal Children's Home, Pecola Daniels, Oretha McLane, Bettye Crane, The Daisy School, Esparanza Contrerez, Maria Flores, Rosie Williams, Elizabeth Ramerez, Isabel Frias, Neressa Lawson, Susan Mikes, Laticia Thomas, Elydalia (Eli) Rubio and Rozzette's Child Care.
Upcoming Camp Fire USA Classes 
Click on a class title to learn more. 

Please note our new fax number 817-806-5150 that delivers your registration directly to our registrar.

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Mission: Readiness, Congress and President Obama Push for Significant Investments in Early Childhood Education
Mission: Readiness, a nonprofit and bipartisan group of retired military officers, unveiled a study showing the impact of early childhood education on military service. 
The group is pushing for significant investments in early childhood education, parenting guidance as well as mental and nutrition services. Mission Readiness
 
Additionally, Congress is considering legislation for a new initiative called the "Early Learning Challenge Fund" designed to help states improve their early education programs and expand access to include more at-risk kids. The House already passed its version of the bill, which would fund $1 billion annually for eight years in competitive grants to states. The Senate has yet to vote on that bill.
 
In March, President Barack Obama announced his agenda for improving educational outcomes from cradle through career and challenged states to develop a cutting-edge plan to raise the quality of their early learning programs.
 
"Show us how you'll work to ensure that children are better prepared for success by the time they enter kindergarten. If you do, we will support you with an Early Learning Challenge Grant that I call on Congress to enact," he said at the time.
 
Read the Report summary for Texas
WachoviaWachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Supports Kindergarten Readiness Programs
The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundationrecently donated $5,000 to support the efforts of Camp Fire's Kindergarten Readiness program. These dollars are vital to help us better prepare children to enter school with the skills they need to succeed. These dollars will be used in preparing early childhood teachers and providing them with materials they need to engage and support the program's goals and objectives.
 
Pictured is Landon Brim business relations manger, Wells Fargo, Jennifer Folzenlogen, vice president of the Work Family division at Camp Fire USA First Texas Council and Pam Rinn, director of programs at Camp Fire USA First Texas Council.
 National Child Care Teacher Awards -
       Nominate a Teacher You Know
Recognizing the need to raise the status of child care teachers and the TLLCCF logoneed for quality child care, the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF) created the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's TYLENOLŪ National Child Care Teacher Awards™.
This award acknowledges the critical role of child care teachers in providing quality early care and education. Child care teachers from all 50 states are invited to apply. Fifty teachers are selected for their commitment and dedication to the children they serve. Of the top ten recipients, one is selected to receive the Helene Marks Award as National Child Care Teacher of the Year.
 
Award recipients will receive $1,000 -- $500 as a stipend to acknowledge each child care teacher's special dedication and $500 to fund the classroom enhancement project they each designed. The award recipients will be honored at a special ceremony in early spring and will receive an all expense paid trip to the Philadelphia area. The top ten qualifiers become finalists for the Helene Marks Award to become the National Child Care Teacher of the Year. The top scorer receives an additional $1,000 award with this honor.