Friday, April 8, 2011

Make children's care the best it can be

Make children's care the best it can be

Written by

Ted Maple Filed Under Opinion
Letters to the editor in the Indianapolis Star

Education reform is a hot topic this year. However, one key reform has been absent from the discussion: early-childhood education. Given that children are learning from birth, we must recognize that we will never have a strong education system as long as we continue to largely disregard the first five years of a child's life as "pre-learning" years.

Since we have no public pre-kindergarten program in Indiana, and Head Start reaches only a small percentage of children, we turn to the private sector -- child care. Tens of thousands of children in Central Indiana spend their days in homes, centers and ministries -- programs that parents choose and pay for to care for and educate their children.

The fact that so many children are cared for outside the home isn't necessarily a bad thing. What matters is how they are cared for. When children are talked with, played with, provided developmentally appropriate learning materials and allowed to explore their environments, they are very likely in high-quality child care.

Research has shown over and over that when children are in a high-quality child-care program, they are likely to be more successful in school. If we want to improve math and reading achievement, reduce dropout rates and prepare kids for college, we should ensure every child is in a high-quality program.

Fortunately, parents have many options. They have teachers who have received specialized training and provide a safe and stimulating classroom for children. They ensure that classes aren't too big or too crowded and are well-supervised. Children are actively learning about their world and how to interact with each other.

These programs are often nationally accredited and participate in Indiana's Paths to QUALITY rating system. Parents should always look for a child-care program that has achieved the highest Paths to QUALITY level (Level 4) or is progressing toward that goal. Some of United Way's partner agencies -- The Children's Village, Day Nursery Association and St. Mary's Child Center -- have already achieved Level 4, and many more are working toward that distinction.

We should also make certain that all children are in programs that meet basic quality criteria. After all, the success of my children and yours also, depends on the success of their peers. Unfortunately, Indiana does not require all child care providers -- even those receiving public funding -- to meet basic health and safety standards.

Children are in danger every day because of substandard care. This is why United Way supports changes to this state policy as a fundamental condition for a community that aspires to have all its children ready for kindergarten and succeeding in school.

Bottom line? Child care is important. It allows us to work and support our families. But it will only educate our children and prepare them for success in school if the quality is high. Parents, policymakers and the public can join United Way of Central Indiana and Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children by choosing to support excellent programs, encouraging those who are working to improve, and pushing our leaders to elevate quality for all.


Maple is director of Success By 6 at United Way of Central Indiana and board president of the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

It’s time for Kindergarten Registration!

Saturday, April 16th:
11am 2pm
IMCPL Central Library,
 Downtown Indianapolis - 40 East Saint Clair Street, Indianapolis 46204
 Register your child for FULL day Kindergarten with IPS
Your child must be 5 years old by September 1st
A Family, Fun Event with Free:
Backpacks and supplies
Immunizations
Uniform Shirts
Prizes

Bring the following items with you to register: child's birth certificate, proof of current address, current immunization records, parent/guardian photo id. 


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

FREE mammography

The Latino Health Organization and St. Vincent Cancer Care are having FREE mammograms.

Requirements:
*Women 38 years old and older.
*Do not have a Medical Insurance.
*To have a family doctor or PCP.
* Do not have implants, or breast cancer history.
*Complete a registration form.
*The last mammogram had been at least 1 year ago.

Date: May 10th, 2011 and June 3rd, 2011
Address: St. Mary’s Church-Parking Lot (311 N New Jersey St. Indianapolis, IN 46204 Downtown). Time: from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
For more information and to make your appointment call: 317-972-4564

Mamografías GRATIS

La Organización Latina de la salud y St. Vincent Cancer Care realizarán mamografías
totalmente GRATIS!!!

Requisitos para calificar:

*Mujer mayor de 38 años.
*No tener seguro médico.
*Tener un médico familiar.
*No tener antecedentes de cáncer de seno o implantes.
*Completar la planilla de registro.
*Que la última mamografía realizada haya sido hace un año o más.

Fecha: 10 de Mayo, 3 de Junio del 2011
Lugar: Estacionamiento de la Iglesia Santa María (311 N New Jersey St. Indianápolis, IN 46204- Centro de la ciudad). Hora: Desde las 8:00 a.m. hasta la 1:00 p.m.
Para mayor información y hacer la cita comunicarse al número: 317-972-4564

Monday, April 4, 2011

Hidden Surprise Easter Egg Treats


Give these Easter egg-shaped goodies a shake to hear the tasty surprise inside – M&M'S® candies!

Makes: 12 eggs
Serving Size: 1 egg
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter or margarine (diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended)
# 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal
1/2 cup M&M'S® Easter colored chocolate candies
Canned frosting or decorating gel (optional)
12 plastic snap-apart 3 x 2-in Easter eggs
Instructions
Clean, then coat inside of plastic eggs with cooking spray. Set aside.
In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal. Stir until well coated.
Using greased hands, firmly press 1/4 cup of Rice Krispies® mixture into both halves of each plastic egg. Use fingers to make hollow center in each half. Remove from molds. Place on wax paper. Cool slightly.
Place about 6 M&M'S® Brand Chocolate Candies in one half of each egg. Gently press two halves of each egg together until they stick. Cool completely.
Decorate with frosting and additional M&M'S® Brand Chocolate Candies (if desired). Best if served the same day.
Tips:
For best results, use fresh marshmallows. 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows

Why is Easter so Late This Year?

Easter is the first Sunday, after the first full moon, after the spring equinox. The Equinox is March 20th, but there is a full moon just before that. The NEXT full moon is April 18th, which is a Monday. So that pushes Easter out another 6 days...

Stewards of Children: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training

Stewards of Children: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training
The Stewards of Children program is the only nationally available program proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and change child-protective behaviors. This revolutionary program is for any responsible adult who cares about the welfare of children. It is also appropriate for youth-serving organizations (sports leagues, day care centers, after school programs, children’s clubs, church groups and more).

Join us for our next FREE training!



Wednesday, April 20th from 9am – Noon
Hummel Park Community Center
1500 South Center Street, Plainfield * FREE Breakfast Included *
Contact us at: 317-745-6496 or email
mfairchild@childrensbureau.org
for more information or to register


What topics are covered in Stewards of Children?
  • Facts about the problem of child sexual abuse
  • The types of situations in which child sexual abuse might occur
  • Simple, effective strategies for protecting children from sexual abuse
  • The importance of talking about the prevention of sexual abuse with children and other adults
  • The signs of sexual abuse so you that you might intervene and be able to react responsibly
What outcomes can I expect?

  • Increased awareness of the prevalence, consequences and circumstances of child sexual abuse
  • New skills to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse
  • Proactive, positive input to change organizational policies and procedures
  • Individual commitment to action via a personal prevention plan