Be Safe This Christmas

Christmas trees that glitter with lights and tinsel symbolize the joyous spirit of the holiday season. The American Red Cross urges Americans to remember that the trees also symbolize the potential fire hazards that can be a tragic part of this time of celebration.
About 600 fires a year are started by ignition of Christmas trees. The months of December, January and February are bad months for house fires, including those associated with holiday celebrations. More than 40 percent of home fires occur during this three-month period, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
The 1.2 million volunteers in the American Red Cross’ 921 chapters respond to 67,000 disasters a year – one disaster every 8 minutes. Major disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods get the headlines but every single holiday fire comes down to a single, terrible moment for the victims.
During December, January and February, the majority of the responses by the Red Cross are for fires. Red Cross volunteers help victims of these fires find temporary shelter, provide them with vouchers for food and clothing and provide other needed assistance.
The American Red Cross cautions people to be extra careful during the holidays when it comes to fire prevention. Decorating trees and homes and cooking holiday meals can be happy and joyous times if a few common-sense precautions are taken:

1. Decorate Christmas trees only with laboratory-approved lights.
2. Unplug Christmas tree lights when leaving home or going to bed.
3. Do not decorate metal trees with lights.
4. Do not decorate trees with candles.
5. Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible material.
6. Place trees away from heat sources and exits.
7. Water trees daily.
8. Make sure chimneys are inspected before the holidays and cleaned if necessary.
9. Keep space heaters at least three feet away from bedding, clothing, furniture, drapes and anything else combustible.Use equipment that is approved for indoor use. Turn space heaters off if you are not available to monitor this equipment. Remember at all times children anywhere near space heaters
must be supervised at all times.
10. Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing when cooking to avoid ignition by stove burners.

Santa Comes to Town

Today at the State Fair Grounds Toyota Pavilion, is Santa Comes to Town! There will be giveaways for children and information about local service agencies. The event is free and runs from 11am - 6pm. Stop in and check out our booth!

Holiday Hours

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

From your Friends at Child Care Answers

Our holiday hours

Dec. 20th-22nd~ open 8-5; Dec. 23rd~ open 8-2; closed Dec. 24th

Dec 27th -29th ~open 8-5; Dec. 30th~open 8-7; closed Dec. 31st

Call Your Senators TODAY to Support Increased Funding for Child Care!!!

Child Care Spending Needs to Be Increased to Ensure the Safety of Our Children

Today could be the day the Senate takes up a year-long funding bill (referred to as the omnibus funding bill). Funding for all federal programs is at stake. The House of Representatives passed a year-long funding measure with a $400 million increase in child care funding for next year. The Senate bill includes $2.8 billion for child care – an increase of about $700 million! Let your Senators know that getting the economy back on track hinges on parents being able to afford child care. The Senate vote could be today!

What happens next? Senators need to adopt the omnibus bill. The House needs to either pass the omnibus bill or negotiate the differences between the two bills in a conference committee. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until Saturday. Call your Senators TODAY -- especially if you are from the states of AK, CO, FL, IN, ME, MN, MO, MS, OH, and WV -- to tell him/her to support the omnibus appropriations bill with $2.8 billion for child care. Every call counts! We are counting on you to weigh in – every Senator needs to know that the omnibus bill is important and child care funding is critical to working parents.



Take Action! TODAY!



1.The toll-free number to call is 1-877-227-3801. This will connect you to the U.S. Senate Operator.



2.The first person to answer will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Senator. If you’re not sure, [click here] to find out.



3.Once you are connected to the office of your Senator, a staff person will answer the phone. Please say:



·My name is (name) and I’m calling from (city, state).



·“I’m calling to urge your support for the omnibus appropriations bill, which includes $2.8 billion for child care.



·Working parents need child care. Make child care a priority to help people get and keep a job!”



4. After your call please forward this notice on to all of your friends and/or coworkers to also have them make a call. We must continue to let Congress know that it is critical to invest in early childhood funding. AFTER YOUR CALL, follow-up with an email to your Senator by clicking here.

NACCRRA urges all to Take Action Now!

**BREAKING NEWS**ALERT: CALLS STILL NEEDED! Take Action!


Call Your Senators TODAY to Support Increased Funding for Child Care!!!

Child Care Spending Needs to Be Increased to Ensure the Safety of Our Children

Today could be the day the Senate takes up a year-long funding bill (referred to as the omnibus funding bill). Funding for all federal programs is at stake. The House of Representatives passed a year-long funding measure with a $400 million increase in child care funding for next year. The Senate bill includes $2.8 billion for child care – an increase of about $700 million! Let your Senators know that getting the economy back on track hinges on parents being able to afford child care. The Senate vote could be today!

What happens next? Senators need to adopt the omnibus bill. The House needs to either pass the omnibus bill or negotiate the differences between the two bills in a conference committee. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until Saturday. Call your Senators TODAY -- especially if you are from the states of AK, CO, FL, IN, ME, MN, MO, MS, OH, and WV -- to tell him/her to support the omnibus appropriations bill with $2.8 billion for child care. Every call counts! We are counting on you to weigh in – every Senator needs to know that the omnibus bill is important and child care funding is critical to working parents.

Take Action! TODAY!

1. The toll-free number to call is 1-877-227-3801. This will connect you to the U.S. Senate Operator.

2. The first person to answer will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Senator. If you’re not sure, [click here] to find out.

3. Once you are connected to the office of your Senator, a staff person will answer the phone. Please say:

· My name is (name) and I’m calling from (city, state).

· “I’m calling to urge your support for the omnibus appropriations bill, which includes $2.8 billion for child care.

· Working parents need child care. Make child care a priority to help people get and keep a job!”

4. After your call please forward this notice on to all of your friends and/or coworkers to also have them make a call. We must continue to let Congress know that it is critical to invest in early childhood funding. AFTER YOUR CALL, follow-up with an email to your Senator by clicking here.

New Preschool-Based Curriculum for Jumping and Jump Roping Skills Available

The brand new Jump Start! Preschool-Based curriculum is now available under "Resources" as a free download from the Jump Kids Jump Movement website, www.jumpkidsjump.org. This new curriculum, available for free, meets Indiana Academic Standards for Kindergarten and Foundations: Indiana Academic Standards for Young Children from Birth to Age 5.

Also found under "Resources" is the Jump Start! video that is now available as a free complement to the curriculum. The video illustrates some of the jumping activities preschoolers can engage in to develop skills for jumping rope and can be downloaded and burned to a DVD.

To access these free resources, all you need to do is register on the www.jumpkidsjump.org web site.

Says Pattie Ryan, Deputy Director for the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral (IACCRR), "Our state's preschoolers can benefit considerably from Jump Start! as a way to help them develop and practice jumping skills as an essential first step before learning to jump rope. Jumping rope is a fun physical fitness activity they can do all their lives." The curriculum, a ready-to-go resource for anyone working with preschoolers, contains lessons, activities, and resources to help introduce preschoolers to jumping and jumping rope. With Indiana's children among the most obese in the nation, "early intervention with a curriculum and DVD like Jump Start! is a hands-on way to help our preschoolers develop a fitness life skill that can help prevent them from ever becoming overweight and from battling health problems now and in the future," states Dr. Jeff Sperring, Riley Hospital's Chief Medical Officer.

Ideas for Christmas Break

Most school-aged children are on vacation for two weeks and the budget’s blown on holiday gifts…What’s a parent to do? Listed below are several ideas to keep the kids busy without spending a fortune.

Active
◦Bundle up and take a walk around The Canal and White River State Park or Monument Circle admiring the Circle of Lights® presented by the Contractors of Quality Connection and Electrical Workers of IBEW 481 (until Jan. 8) – FREE.
◦Go swimming at the Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI.
◦Go duckpin bowling at Action Duckpin Bowl or Atomic Bowl Duckpin in Fountain Square.
◦Take a twirl around the ice skating rink at the Indiana/World Academy Skating Academy in Pan Am Plaza.
◦Test your skills at the Amazing Games arcade at Jillian's or try cosmic bowling in the Retro Hi Life lanes. Grab a bite to eat in the Video Café.

Educational
◦Take a guided memorial tour and visit the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum, located in the basement of the Indiana Soldiers & Sailors Monument (open Wednesday through Sunday) – FREE.
◦Take a tour through the Indianapolis Museum of Art or check out Christmas at the Lilly House through Jan 2. – FREE (parking included.) ◦Kids will love the hands-on approach at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, where kids of all ages are encouraged to touch and let their imaginations take over! Don’t miss The Children’s Museum Jolly Days Winter Wonderland through Jan. 9. This event features a Snow Castle, Yule Slide and photos with Santa. Polar Bears to Penguins exhibit is also on display through Jan. 2.
◦Visit the Indiana State Museum’s Celebration Crossing through Dec. 31 and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition through Jan. 16.
◦View the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art’s new exhibit, Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure, on display through Jan. 9. (IUPUI students and staff and kids under 4 get in FREE.)
◦Visit holidays past at the beautifully decorated Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, dressed up in all the trappings of holidays past at the White House. He was the first president to decorate a tree in the White House.
◦Visit the past at the Morris Butler House Museum and the James Whitcomb Riley Home.
◦It’s tea time! Take the family to the Indianapolis Propylaeum’s Holiday Children’s Tea "Peter Pan and the Pirates" Dec. 29, complete with scones, tea sandwiches, sweets and flavored teas.

Entertainment
◦The Indiana Historical Society hosts Winterfest Dec. 27 -30. Engage your creative spirit and roll up your sleeves for family-friendly, hands-on activities and more!
◦Visit the Indianapolis Zoo for Christmas at the Zoo & White River Gardens' Woodland Wonderland presented by Wells Fargo Advisors until Dec. 30. Stroll through the Zoo covered in lights to see animals, indoor exhibits, the holiday dolphin show, Santa’s Village presented by Community Health Network, carolers, Santa’s Sweet Shop, the All A-Glow Light Show presented by Macy’s and more!
◦Don’t miss Christmas at the Puppet Studio! This Downtown tradition takes place Dec. 10 - 27 at Peewinkle's Puppet Studio.◦Follow the yellow brick road to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis’ Lilly Theatre for “Dorothy Returns” holiday production Dec. 18 - 19, 21 – 24, 28 - 31 and Jan. 1 – 2.◦Have “Tea with Mrs. Claus” Dec. 19 & 26 in the Indiana State Museum’s L.S. Ayres Tea Room. Mrs. Claus and Raggedy Ann greet guests as they enjoy dainty sandwiches, scones, pastries and tea.
◦Take in the spectacular Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Yuletide Celebration through Dec. 23.

Seeking Hamilton County Child Care Providers!

The Prevent Child Abuse Council is seeking the involvement of child care providers in Hamilton county. The council meets from 8am to 9am on the third Friday of every month at the Hamilton County DCS office.

If you are interested or would like additional information you may contact Tory at (317) 636-5727 ext. 245 or email torym@childcareanswers.com

Early Childhood Investigations Webinar Series

FREE webinars to continue your professional development journey...

Robert-Leslie Publishing is not just another publishing company, they are members of your early childhood education community. They believe it is their responsibility to actively participate in the community by making important information accessible and available to administrators, teachers, parents, and other early education professionals. They sponsor Early Childhood Investigations, a free webinar series that makes it easy for early childhood professionals to hear from and engage with leaders in the field.

The 2011 Early Childhood Investigations Webinar Presenters:

Dr. Becky Bailey
Vicki Ehlers
Beth Engelhardt
Susan Gunnewig
Ana Lomba
Karen Nemeth
Debra Pierce
Dr. Timothy Shanahan
Bob Siegel
Sarah Sprinkel
Wendy Young


Check it out...
http://www.investigatorclub.com/AbouttheProgram/Webinars/tabid/263/Default.aspx#webinar1

Clergy for Child Care

You are invited to the first meeting of "Clergy for Childcare".

A gathering of religious leaders who provide or promote quality early care
and education through their places of worship or outreach ministries.

Thursday, December 9th, 2010 8am - 10 am.
North United Methodist Church
3808 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis
(Northwest corner of 38th and Meridian)

Speakers will include:
Dr. Eugene White, Superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools
Ellen K. Annala, President and CEO, United Way of Central Indiana
Panel of local clergy discussing opportunities and challenges of child care ministries

Opportunities will include:
Networking with local clergy who provide or promote quality child care
Helpful ideas from education, nonprofit and religious leaders
Resources to take back to your ministry, children and families
A continental breakfast will be served.

Please R.S.V.P. to Melissa Jackson at United Way of Central Indiana
at 317.921.1335 or melissa.jackson@uwci.org.

St. Mary's Child Center Winter Seminar

St. Mary's Child Center Educational Outreach Program will hold it Winter 2011 Seminar Series in February. The seminar will focus on exploring and interpreting the Work of the Schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy at St. Mary's Child Center.

The seminar is ideal for those educators who would like to know more about St. Mary's Child Center's exploration and interpretation of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy and how to bring it to their classrooms. It will look at the classroom environment, interactions with children and families, and the documentation of the children's project work and investigations.

Seminar Dates:
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 (Part 1)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 (Part 2)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 (Part 3)
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
(A light dinner will be served)

St. Mary's Child Center, Gilliatte Building (Ft. Benjamin Harrison)
9230 Hawkins Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 42616

Seminar Fees: $40 per seminar or $100 for all 3 seminars
Scholarships are available for educators serving children impacted by poverty, violence, and trauma.

Please contact Sharon at (317) 361-4893 or outreach@stmaryschildcarenter.org for more information or to register.

Call the White House on Tuesday, November 30

Call the White House on Tuesday, November 30
NAEYC Children’s Champions Alert

The funding bills are still under negotiation between the White House and Congress. On Tuesday, November 30, advocates from across the country will contact the White House to ask them to remind Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start, and to support the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

The President and his important staff are key players in these funding decisions and we need to continue to let them know that young children and families should not lose out on the early care and education they need during these difficult times.

How to Call or Email the White House on November 30

Leave a message for President Obama on the White House Comments line:
To call the comments line dial 202-456-1111. (You may need to call more than once if you get a busy signal.)

Here is a sample voicemail message:

My name is ________ and I'm from (City), (State). Please urge Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included. Thank you.

Send President Obama an e-mail in support of early childhood education programs.

To e-mail the President, go to www.whitehouse.gov/contact.

Use the web form to send the White House an email. Here is a sample message you can type into the form:

Dear President Obama,
Please urge Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the FY 2011 appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included. These programs help children learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. They also help families get ahead by giving parents the support they need to be productive at work. Thank you.


Sincerely, (Insert Your Name)

Holiday Hours

Child Care Answers will be closed November 24th, 25th and 26th to observe the Thanksgiving holidy. We wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. The office will reopen on Monday November 29th.

Now Offering: Online Child Care Professional Training

Child Care Answers now offers Online training opportunities...

Training courses are designed to help early childhood professionals complete annual training requirements and acquire required training hours for those seeking a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, CDA credential renewal or in-service training. Courses provide a variety of engaging topics designed specifically for the early childhood professional. Courses are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Don't delay - go to www.childcareanswers.com to register
Questions: contact Vanessa 317 636-5727, ext. 241 or vanessaf@childcareanswers.com

Scholarship dollars are not available to cover the cost of these training courses; however the cost of your CDA assessment could be covered by TEACH if you qualify

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIAL FOR INDIANA YOUTH WORKERS

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIAL FOR INDIANA YOUTH WORKERS: Classes Now Forming

Ivy Tech Community College is offering the new Indiana Youth Development Professional program.

Developed in partnership with Indiana YouthPRO and the Journey Fellowship, the Ivy Tech courses lead to an Indiana Youth Development Credential. Courses start January 10, 2010, at Ivy Tech's Indianapolis, Columbus, Kokomo, Lafayette, Muncie and South Bend campuses.

For more enrollment info from Ivy Tech, e-mail Tracy Schmitt at: tschmitt15@ivytech.edu

More info on the Indiana Youth Development Credential:
Indiana YouthPRO.

300,000 Children Could Lose Care

A broad coalition of early childhood advocacy groups is urging early childhood professionals to call on Washington about funding TODAY. Here is their message:

Congress is back in Washington today and has limited time to do some important work: ensure that funding is not cut for child care and Head Start before the end of the year.

Watch this video and share it with your friends and coworkers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7pEQ_pUaOk

Then, call Congress!!

As many as to 300,000 children stand to lose child care and Head Start, and we need to create the Early Learning Challenge Fund to encourage states to do even better for young children and families. Congress i s considering appropriations bills that could go backwards in spending for child care and Head Start, and would lose the Early Learning Challenge Fund.


Tell Congress to move forward and fund the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

1.Call 1-888-460-0813

2.The first person to answer the phone will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Member of Congress. (Not sure? Look it up here: http://action.ececonsortium.org/

3.Once you are connected to the office of your Member of Congress, a staff person will answer the phone. Tell the staff person:
■ My name is (name) and I am calling from (city, state) and I am (your role).
■ Don’t drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included.
■ We are counting on you here in (state). Thank you.

4.Then, hang up and ask five friends or coworkers to make a call as well.

New study confirms Videos for infants have little educational impact

New study confirms research from The Future of Children’s Issue on Children and Electronic Media: Videos for infants have little educational impact.

Read the full blog posting: The Future of Children Blog.

Winter Farmers Market

The Indy Winter Farmers Market opens in a new location this year, The Maxwell, on Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. from Nov. 13 - April 30, 2011. This is your one-stop-shop to purchase vegetables, fruit, meat, baked goods, herbs, natural cleaning products and other locally produced food & household products straight from regional farmers. By directly connecting farmers and producers to Indianapolis area residents, the Indy Winter Market supports family farms, preserves farm land and delivers fresh healthy produce to Indianapolis residents.

Healthy Child Care America

Looking to find a child care health consultant or early childhood mental health consultant for your program? Not sure who to contact? With the help of many state representatives, Healthy Child Care America has identified key contacts in each state and has made this information available at www.healthychildcare.org/Contacts.html

Contacts that you will find:

- Child Care Health Consultants

- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants

- AAP Chapter Child Care Contacts

- CCDF State Administrators

- Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

- ECCS Coordinators

- Licensing Contacts

- Professional Development Contacts

Not familiar with the role of a child care health consultant? Visit www.healthychildcare.org/WorkWithHP.html for more information.

If you believe the information listed on the state contact Web page of the HCCA Web site is incorrect, please e-mail childcare@aap.org with the correct information.

Feel free to share this information with your colleagues! Don't forget that you can print and disseminate the HCCA flyer from www.healthychildcare.org/ResourcesEECCP.html (first item listed) so others can learn about all that the HCCA Web site has to offer.

Rush Hour Recycling

Green Piece Indy will be hosting a round of rush hour recycling during the month of November.Drive through one of five locations to drop off old electronics and cardboard. Most of our hosts are offering a cup o’ joe just for recycling! Please share the dates with your colleagues and customers.

Each event is from 7 to 9 am:

Nov. 15: Bjava Coffee, 5510 Lafayette Rd
Nov. 16: The Coffee Brake, 6215 Allisonville Rd
Nov. 17: Lazy Daze, 10 S. Johnson Ave
Nov. 18: The Strange Brew, 4800 W Smith Valley Rd
Nov. 19: Earth House Collective, 237 N. East St

Rush Hour Recycling

In celebration of America Recycles Day, Rush Hour Recycling will take place the week of November 15. All Rush Hour Recycling events are from 7 to 9 a.m.

Nov. 15: Bjava Coffee, 5510 Lafayette Rd
Nov. 16: The Coffee Brake, 6215 Allisonville Rd
Nov. 17: Lazy Daze, 10 S. Johnson Ave
Nov. 18: The Strange Brew, 4800 W Smith Valley Rd
Nov. 19: Earth House Collective, 237 N. East St

Acceptable Recycling Items:
Clean, white EPS foam only. Recycle #6. No food containers.
Cardboard and box board (cereal boxes)

Televisions ($10 donation)
Telephone systems
Cellular phones
PC (personal computers)
Laptops
Computers
Monitors (CRTs) complete (no bare CRT tubes)
Mainframe computers
Scanners
Printers
Fax machines
Back-up power supplies systems
Photocopiers
Toner cartridges
Microwaves
VCR’s
Electronic wiring
Power cables
Electronic motors
Metals – Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Nickel.
Integrated Circuits (IC)
Computer mice
Microphones
Laserdisc Players
Computer Keyboards
VCR/DVD Players
Games Systems
Power Supplies
Surge Protectors
Palm Pilots/PDA
Motors
Computer boards
Copiers
Cash Registers
Satellite Components