Friday, April 17, 2015

Update

*Important Daycare Dates*
(P-Personal, H-Holiday, & S-Sick)

****No Daycare & Other Important Dates****

May 25 - H
****Date change****June 12th - P (14) (Minor surgery to remove hardware from my foot, but I will be walking the next day)

Payments that are due during this time are to be paid prior to the personal or holiday days

*Personal Days-P & Holiday Days-H to be paid/contract*

*15 Personal Days as of 1/1/15*
*5 Sick Days as of 1/1/15*

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

April Newsletter

Spring Time is in the Air & Childcare is Springing 

Forward
I would first like to say "THANK YOU" for everyone's support and willingness to help with the crib issue the other night with the State.  I would also like to apologize for ALL the text messages and emails that were sent out.  I am truly blessed to have such wonderful parents to work with!!!!  There are a few new rules being added to home daycares that will cause me to add an addendum, but not until June…..Watch for this to come out.

I know it has been since January since I sent out a newsletter, but there has been so much information coming to me, that I've been trying to get it all gathered up before I sent out another one.  Please take the time to read this entire newsletter.

The Colorado Dept of Human Services has put together somethings for Providers to do…..1)  QRIS - Quality Rating and Improvement System.  Every daycare(family or center), preschool, & Head Start Program is being required to have this done….it is a level based system similar to Qualistar Ratings.  I am just in the being of getting things put together for this.  I would like everyone to know I have been moved up from a Level I to a Level II as of last week.  I am working on getting to Level III right now.  To continue to get to a Level III or higher (from what I have gathered so far) I have to go back to school.  This should not affect anything with daycare.  2)  PDIS - Professional Development Information System.  This is where I have to get all my certificates, trainings, education, & information into the system.

The second piece of information I am proud to announce is I have teamed up with Results Matters Expansion Project & the Colorado Department of Education.  This projects gives me training on doing birth to Kindergarten authentic ongoing observational assessments.  This may include curriculum, but I have not got that far into the training yet (I really hope so….Their curriculum is $2,200, but I have also learned this assessment can be done with any curriculum as well).  I have just started with this and I will be sending out a letter in the future with more information regarding this.  With only a few months of training I am very excited to get this started.  Having this available helps both myself and you as parents form a partnership with your child's progresses, helps set goals, & the program that is used, Teaching Strategies GOLD, helps give ideas to individualize each child's growth, development, and learning.  Teaching Strategies GOLD has been laid out by the State of Colorado to support Kindergarten assessment on the Common Core State Standard level….All Public Preschools & Head Start Programs are being required to use this now. So with a little hope, I will be able to have access to and use the same curriculum as all other preschool programs….YAY!  Research has found that learning starts sooner than at the preschool level.  So that is why they have started assessing from birth.  Teaching Strategies GOLD Objectives for Development and Learning have 38 objectives & the objectives cover 10 areas of development and learning, which we will get into in the fall at our family conferences.  With all this training this will also help me towards the QRIS setup by the State & moving up to the different levels as mentioned above.  I do know that the starting of the assessments will beginning in the fall for my childcare.  It will only be for the ones who are full time, are not enrolled in another preschool program, and you as the parent have an opportunity to opt your child out of this.  I do have 1 Touring Guide book that you are welcome to read threw and look at here at the house, if you would like more information until I finish this training.  Also below is a little more info from Teaching Strategies GOLD….

I am very excited to move on with all this new expansion and look forward to passing all this knowledge along to you & your children.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask.  I will try my best to answer them.  Please look forward to this NEW EXCITING expansion to our childcare.

School Pick-ups & Drop-offs
We will leave the house about 3:10pm & will return around 4:00pm.  In the mornings we will still be leaving the house about 8:15am & will return around 9:00am.

Flu Season
Flu Season has approached us. Please if you have any questions as to if your child should attend daycare please feel free to ask. I've got a list from the The Children's Hospital of different things as to when to keep your child home with you. Just remember that a lot illnesses are contagious before symptoms appear.  Temperature over 100 degrees F is considered a fever according to the CDC.

Student Spotlight
April Birthday's
Kylie - 4/30

*Important Daycare Dates*
(P-Personal, H-Holiday, & S-Sick)

****No Daycare & Other Important Dates****

May 25 - H
June 5th - P (14) (Minor surgery to remove hardware from my foot, but I will be walking the next day)

Payments that are due during this time are to be paid prior to the personal or holiday days

*Personal Days-P & Holiday Days-H to be paid/contract*

*15 Personal Days as of 1/1/15*
*5 Sick Days as of 1/1/15*

*Other Important Dates*
None as of right now.

School Schedule
Foster - Early Release - 4/22, Assessment - 4/23 & 24, No School - 5/1

***Sign-In & Sign-Out Sheets***
State of Colorado & Food Program is requiring all parents to sign their children in and out of daycare. On the front porch is a clip board with the list of all kid's names. If you would please do this, that would be awesome!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!  FOOD PROGRAM has said they are starting to not reimburse if this is not done.

Kellie Volleyball Schedule
I have to take Kellie to her volleyball practice on 8th & Simms every Tuesday.  She has to be there by 4:15pm.  So we will pick kids up from school, take her straight there, & come straight back home.  I'm hoping to be home by 4:30pm.  We will have snack before we leave the house on Tuesday's, except for Beau who will get his when we get home.  THIS SCHEDULE WILL BE DONE ON APRIL 14TH.
**NEW SCHEDULE AFTER APRIL 14th**
Starting 1st week of May, I will have to run Kellie to Wheat Ridge High School on Monday's & Wednesday's.  She has be there by 5:15pm.  So we will leave the house at 5 and will be right back.  There may be days Jaycee will be able to take her, but I can't count on it 100%.

Jefferson County Childcare Association Parent Newsletter