NOVEMBER 2014
Ready Set Learn groups

  

Every week the Ready for School team is out in the community hosting Ready Set Learn groups. Ready Set Learn groups are a time for children and parents to participate in fun age appropriate learning activities. The activities are designed to foster a child's growth in the areas of gross motor, fine motor, self-help, creativity, language, cognitive and social-emotional skills.  Ready Set Learn groups provide an opportunity for children to practice social skills with other children in a safe and nurturing environment.  These groups also provide an opportunity for parents, grandparents and caregivers to spend time together as well. 

 

  
In addition to our regular scheduled learning groups, every few weeks we have a Family Connection Week.  On these weeks, parents will have their own learning experience with other parents.  During our last  Family Connection Week, the parents learned about the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and how this tool can help a caregiver celebrate a child's successes and learn about areas of growth. The families who participated in the Family Connection Week each took home the book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type.

 

 

Find a Ready Set Learn group near you.

 

Attend our 2014 Annual Breakfast
Thursday, December 11, 2014, 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Haworth Inn & Conference Center

Special Guest Speaker
Brian Gallagher
National Executive Director of Reach Out and Read

 
Reach out and Read on the Today's Show
Reach Out and Read is an internationally acclaimed program that promotes early literacy and school readiness. The program prepares children to succeed in school by partnering with health care providers to "prescribe" books and encourages families to read together. 
 
More than 50 health care providers from 11 pediatric or family practices in Holland and Zeeland participate in Reach Out and Read. Through the program more than 10,000 books are distributed annually.

 

Just last week, Reach Out and Read was featured on the Today's show.  We are so thrilled to support this great  program in our community and excited to welcome the program's National Executive Director, Brian Gallagher as keynote speaker at our 2014 Annual Breakfast.

  

  

 

 

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Building Bridges 


The 5th Annual Building Bridges training program took place Monday, October 27th at Christ Memorial Church in Holland.  This one-day training program connected 65 preschool staff and in-home childcare providers with practicing kindergarten teachers for a three hour training. The goal is to work together as a team to ensure a smooth transition for students to kindergarten and to find ways to teach intentionally in an environment of play.  

 

In this session, kindergarten teachers introduced participants to the Common Core Math Standards for kindergarten age students and provided specific examples of ways in which early childhood providers can prepare their children to meet these standards in age appropriate fashion.  

 

One of the highlights of the Building Bridges in-service is that participants received math literate books, math materials and age appropriate activities that can be used in conjunction with their new learning to build the bridge between preschool and kindergarten starting the very next day.  Our experience has been that participants and the children with whom they work, love the materials and the engaging activities that are presented.

 

WGVU 


Ready for School has been selected as a finalist for the WGVU Engage I HAVE Made a Difference Awards in the Health category!

WGVU Engage I HAVE Made a Difference awards one Non-Profit organization that best exemplifies outcomes in the five WGVU Engage areas of focus (Inclusion, Health, Arts, Veterans and Education) and overall excellence in support of our community. Awards will be judged by a group of panelists representing the WGVU Engage Committee, WGVU Public Media, and the community. Wish us luck!

Learn more about the WGVU I Engage I HAVE Made a Difference Awards and its previous recipients.
 
Spread the Word



Just one way you can support the work of Ready for School is to invite colleagues, friends and family to learn more by purchasing and filling a reserved table of eight at our 2014 Annual Breakfast for just $200. 


 


Ready for School   |   (616) 834-0515  | www.readyforschool.org
 

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