VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

SUMMER, 2013

Childcare Connections
A joint newsletter of the Alamance Partnership for Children and the Alamance Alliance for Children and Families
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY APPLICATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRAININGS PROGRAM UPDATES NEW EMPLOYEE: CAREY ANN WATKINS ALAMANCE ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM THE DIRECTOR 2

Ten Fun Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer:

Looking for some fun outdoor activities for you and your family? Be sure to try these simple, imaginative, and fun activities! By Kellye Carter Crocker

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RESOURCES WELCOME LAURA HAMRICK BEHIND THE SEEN EVENT PHOTOS APC BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF 6 5

Swing in a hammockSnuggle close to your child, and sway the afternoon away. Look for pictures in the clouds and watch them change, or read books to each other. Do yard work togetherToddlers can help pull weeds and sprinkle the flowers with a tiny watering can. Have a kid-size rake and a bubble-blowing lawn mower on hand. Play dress-upCollect funny hats, gloves, purses, flowing gowns, and "superhero capes" at a garage sale or thrift store. Slip into your new finery, and have a make-believe garden party, Spider-Man adventure, or masquerade ball. Build a secret fortDrape old sheets over lower tree limbs and clotheslines. Eat dinner there. Stay up chasing fireflies and listening to "night sounds." Hold a car wash Park your car in the driveway and let your child give it a good scrub with a pot of water and sponge or with the garden hose. Get the whole family involved for added fun! Go on a bug safariDig for worms, scout for lizards, and hunt for frogs and tadpoles. Marvel at an ant carrying an oversize crumb. Befriend a firefighterBake cookies (or pick up some ice pops), and deliver them to your local fire station. The firefighters will appreciate the surprise -- and your child will meet some heroes, see those awesome trucks up close, and learn a lesson about giving to others. Chalk it upEveryone loves sidewalk chalk. Use the glow-in-the-dark kind so you and your child can glimpse your artwork from the window at bedtime. Make beautiful musicSpread a blanket in the backyard for a stage. Ask preschoolers to create (and collect) "tickets" to the big event. Invite kids to bring their instruments and perform -- even your littlest musicians can join in using pots, wooden spoons, and shakers. Set up lawn chairs for the audience, and cheer your little stars. Dance in the rain Surprise your kids by taking them outside during a gentle summer shower. Dance around in swimsuits, catch raindrops in your mouth, and jump in all the puddles.

For other ideas visit Parents.com (reprinted with permission from Parents.com).

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DOLLY PARTONS IMAGINATION LIBRARY REGISTRATION FORM

Dolly Partons Imagination Library

In 1996, Dolly Parton launched a reading program to benefit the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her countys preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. In Alamance County, eligible children receive a free book in the mail per month until they reach their fifth birthday. The books, distributed by the Dolly Parton Foundation, are carefully selected to be age -appropriate and to deliver positive, developmentally important skill opportunities for children. Alamance Partnership for Children is currently providing this service to the Eastlawn, Newlin, Andrews, Haw River, Grove Park, Pleasant Grove, and North Graham school zones. To be eligible, a child between the ages of birth to five years of age needs to reside within one of these districts. Please mail in the completed enrollment form above, if you are interested in enrolling your child. For more information call 336.513.0063.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CARRIE THEALL

A Look Ahead in the New Year Here at the Partnership we are gearing up for the 2013-2014 year, which begins on July 1st. There are many exciting developments occurring for our children and families here in Alamance County. First of all, we are pleased to announce the Incredible Years program has received a grant through the Department of Health and Human Services that will run through the next three years. This will ensure this much needed parenting program is provided to our families seeking help with challenging behaviors. In addition, we are continuing development on the Model Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE). It is our hope that the OLE will be open to everyone in October. In the meantime, we are going to provide trainings to our local child care providers so they can learn strategies and techniques for developing their own OLEs on site within the community. Stay tuned for an announcement about the OLEs grand opening celebration, as well as news about our new OLE Specialist. The child care services staff is busy working to meet goals set by the Race to the Top grant. As a result, we will be offering several new trainings related to professional development to child care providers in Alamance County. Finally, the Partnership and its Board members have long recognized the need for our services to be accessible in the community. In that regard, we are making efforts to provide support to our most high risk children. We are in the process of working closely with Allied Churches to include homeless families and children in our mission to have all children healthy and ready to enter kindergarten. There are also efforts being made to embed some of our services in the Eastlawn community. Despite some setbacks with Smart Start funding, we continue to set the bar higher in order to serve more children and families. The Partnership appreciates all the support we receive in this community to do this most important work.

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FOURTH QUARTER TRAINING SCHEDULE JULY-SEPT 2013

The following trainings will be held at : Guilford Child Development 1200 Arlington Street Greensboro, NC 27406 To register go online at www.guilfordchilddev.org or call 336 -369-5023.
Date Cost JULY 7/9/2013 $10.00 11-Jul $10.00 13-Jul $40.00 16-Jul $10.00 18-Jul $10.00 22-Jul $10.00 23-Jul $25.00 23-Jul $10.00 25-Jul $15.00 29-Jul $10.00 30-Jul $10.00 AUGUST 3-Aug $40.00 5-Aug $10.00 6-Aug $35.00 7-Aug $10.00 8-Aug $10.00 12-Aug $10.00 13-Aug 15-Aug $10.00 19-Aug $10.00 20-Aug $25.00 21-Aug $10.00 21-Aug $35.00 22-Aug $15.00 22-Aug $10.00 24-Aug $35.00 26-Aug $10.00 27-Aug $25.00 28-Aug $10.00 29-Aug SEPTEMBER 4-Sep $10.00 7-Sep $40.00 9-Sep $35.00 10-Sep 11-Sep $35.00 12-Sep $10.00 12-Sep $35.00 16-Sep $10.00 17-Sep $10.00 18-Sep $25.00 19-Sep $10.00 19-Sep 23-Sep $10.00 24-Sep $10.00 24-Sep $35.00 25-Sep $15.00 26-Sep 26-Sep $10.00 30-Sep $10.00 Quality Solutions 2 Basic School Age Care Part II Stop the Fight! 2 6:30pm-8:30pm First Aid 2 6:30pm-9:00pm 6:30pm-8:30pm Basic School Age Care Part I 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm SACERS 2 6:30pm-9:00pm Basic School Age Care Part II Classroom Management Techniques 2 10:00am-12:00pm Managing Behavior With Play 2 6:30pm-9:00pm 6:30pm-8:30pm CPR 0 6:30pm-8:30pm It's SIDS 2 6:00pm-8:30pm Supporting A Parent Friendly Environ. 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Basic School Age Care Part I 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm Beyond Bandaids 2 6:30pm-9:00pm Infant Toddler Development Part II Bullying Prevention 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm Infant Toddler Development Part I 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm 8:30am-2:00pm CPR and First Aid 2, FA only 6:30pm-8:30pm Four Principles of Healthy Living 2 9:00am-2:00pm 6:30pm-8:30pm Playground Safety Part II Discipline = Growth 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Playground Safety Part I 4 6:30pm-8:30pm Autism 101 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Basic School Age Care 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm Please Teach Me What To Do 2 9:00am-2:00pm First Aid 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Prelicensing for FCCH's 5 6:30pm-8:30pm It's SIDS 2 9:00am-2:00pm CPR 0 6:30pm-8:30pm Infant Toddler Zone Part III 2, .6 CEU's 6:00pm-8:30pm Choosing an Approp. Curriculum Pt. II Get Ready, Get Set, Go 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Infant Toddler Zone Part II 2 6:30pm-8:30pm 6:30pm-8:30pm Intro to the CLASS Scale 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Are You A Super Hero? 2 10:00am-12:00pm Choosing an Approp. Curriculum Pt. I 5, .5 CEU's 6:30pm-8:30pm Infant Toddler Zone Part I 2 6:30pm-8:30pm CPR and First Aid 2, FA only 6:30pm-8:30pm 9:00am-2:00pm Supervision and Safety 2 How Are You, How Am I? 2 6:30pm-8:30pm First Aid 2 6:30pm-8:30pm Stay and Play Outdoors 2 6:30pm-8:30pm CPR 0 6:30pm-8:30pm Stay and Play Outdoors 2 6:00pm-8:30pm Intro to the CLASS Scale 2 6:30pm-8:30pm It's SIDS 2 6:30pm-8:30pm CPR and First Aid 2, FA only 6:30pm-8:30pm Let's Use Storytelling to Teach 2 9:00am-2:00pm No More Biting 2 6:30pm-8:30pm 6:30pm-8:30pm Workshop Title Credits Time

Program Updates:
Motheread B.A.B.Y, Birth and Beginning Years, a FREE class for pregnant parents and new parents of a child under four months, begins July 30th and goes through September 11th from 5:30pm-7:00pm at Alamance Regional Medical Center. Learn ways to take care of your baby and yourself, share ideas with other moms, receive a FREE library of childrens books, and enjoy a light dinner. This 8-week series will take place on Monday evenings in the Wave Crest Caf, private dining room. To register, call Alamance Regional Medical Center at 336-586-4000 or sign-up online at www.armc.com.
Congratulations to our very own Kim Morabito, IY Coordinator and Facilitator with the Alamance Partnership for Children, for becoming a Certified Incredible Years Group Leader! Way to go Kim! The Partnership for Children has also received two grants for Incredible Years, from the Department of Health and Human Services and from the United Way of Alamance County, to offer Incredible Years classes for preschool and school aged children. Classes will begin in September for children aged 3-5 and 6-12 and a Spanish class for children 3-5 will begin in August at Centro La Communidad. For more information contact Kim Morabito at 513-0063 ext. 118 or kmorabito@alamancechildren.org.

Welcome Carey Ann Watkins

Welcome to our newest employee, Carey Ann Watkins, who is our Outdoor Learning Environment Specialist. She will be overseeing the development and training associated with our Partnerships Outdoor Learning Environment, as well as the Shape NC grant. Contact information: Carey Ann Watkins Outdoor Learning Environment Specialist Alamance Partnership for Children (336)513-0063 ext. 108 cawatkins@alamancechildren.org

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A System of Care Newsbrief In Alamance County, North Carolina

The Alamance Alliance for Children and Families supports the social and emotional health of young children and their families in Alamance County. A community-wide initiative, the Alamance Alliance partners with local child-serving agencies, the community, and most importantly, with families. The end result? Keeping families safe, healthy and together. Need help?

From the Director: Connie Windham

The past few months have been a whirlwind of activity for The Alliance, from preparing for National Childrens Mental Health Awareness Day on May 9th to the 3 day scheduled visit from federal grant reviewers. Thanks to everyone who participated in the awareness day events, whether the documentary premier of Behind the Seen at the Paramount Theatre, the flash mob at Active City Streets, distribution of the newspaper insert Give Your Child the Best Beginning, or any of the other activities. The work we do together helps get the word out to parents and the community about the importance of the social and emotional development of young children, how to promote positive development, and where to turn if they have concerns. While we all know what great things are happening in Alamance County to support the positive health and development of our youngest citizens we dont often get to hear how we stack up in comparison to other areas of the country. Those of you who participated in our site visit exit interview got to hear first hand from national reviewers the many areas they identified as exceptional including collaboration among agencies, coordination of services, community planning, workforce development, outcomes for families, and use of family partners. We should all be proud of the work we do, and know that it really does make a difference for families and our community!

Infants2 year olds, CDSA: Phone 336-449-4055 ext. 201, Fax 336-449-7368 35 year olds, Alamance-Burlington School System: Phone 336-570-6130, ext. 37819 Clinical Coordinator at the Alamance Alliance : 336-202-3188 Classroom Management in Child Care : Alamance Partnership Early Childhood Specialists : Phone 336-513-0063, extensions 107 and 116 Laura Hamrick, Family Solutions, 336-899-8800, ext. 23

Parents looking for child care: 1-855-327-5933 Alamance County Health Department : 336-570-6273 Alamance Department of Social Services : 336-570-6273

Rally4Babies
July 8, 2013, 2:00pm 2:30pm
Learning Happens from the Start is a national virtual baby rally that will mobilize people across the country to demand that early learning investments begin with babies and toddlers. The rally is being held in conjunction with the Strong Start for Children coalition in an effort to get people talking about the importance of early learning birth to five. For more information and to get involved go to http://rally4babies.org

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New Resources for Young Children:

Give Your Child the Best Beginning: A joint publication of the Alamance Alliance and Project Launch. Go to http://issuu.com/news_review/docs/ snr_alamance?e=2059002/2122672 to view the flip book. Too Small To Fail: One of the best investments we can make is to give our kids the ingredients they need to develop in the first five years of life. Hillary Rodham Clinton. toosmall.org. MentalHealth.gov: A new website with resources for mental health. http://www.mentalhealth.gov. Baby Unplugged: Resources on medias affect on children. http://babyunplugged.com.

Meet Lauren Hamrick: ECMH Consultant

Welcome to Lauren Hamrick, our new Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant. Laurens role is to work collaboratively with early childhood education staff, programs and families to improve their ability to prevent, identify and respond to mental health issues with their children. She earned a Masters Degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and took courses at the Psychological Studies Institute towards a Professional Christian Counseling Degree. Lauren is a Registered Play Therapist and loves incorporating play, and playfulness in counseling. She has a heart for helping families and working with parents to help them utilize their strengths to overcome the challenges that come with raising a family. Lauren has specialized training in: play therapy, trauma, grief, loss, physical, sexual abuse, and neglect, Christian counseling, anxiety disorders and PTSD. Need help? Contact Lauren at 336-8998800, ext. 23.

The premier of Behind the Seen was a terrific success with over 100 people attending. Thank you to all who supported the project and a special thanks to our sponsors for the event: Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington Pediatrics, Kernodle Clinic Pediatrics, Healthy Alamance, Alamance County Arts Council, Project LAUNCH, the Alamance Partnership for Children and NC Families United. A discussion guide will be available for use with groups in the community. For more information contact Mary Erwin at merwin@alamancechildren.org.

Alamance Partnership for Children

VISION: All children arrive at school healthy, happy and ready for success in school and life. Our Board of Directors: Board Chair-Stephanie Williams Vice Chair-Ron Waters Past Chair-Bryan Hagood Treasurer-Eddie Boswell Secretary-TBD Barry Bass David Carter Chris Clemmons Mark Cryan Patti Horan Jeremy Ireland Martha Krall ..
Board Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at noon. These meetings are open to the public. Should you have an interest in attending, please contact Nan Gilliam at 336.513.0063.

Our Staff:
Carrie Theall-Executive Director-ctheall@alamancechildren.org Tamatha Macherosky-Program Director-tmacherosky@alamancechildren.org Dana Boylan-Walker-Finance & H.R. Manager-dwalker@alamancechildren.org Nan Gilliam-Admin/Office Mgr.-ngilliam@alamancechildren.org Jasmine Walker-Admin. Support Specialist-jwalker@alamancechildren.org Kim Morabito-Incredible Years Coordinator-kmorabito@alamancechildren.org Kristie Kylander-NC Pre-K Coordinator-kkylander@alamancechildren.org Shonna Trinidad-Literacy Specialist-strinidad@alamancechildren.org Bonita Brown-Lead Early Childhood Specialist-bbrown@alamancechildren.org Lisa Rettie-Early Childhood Specialist-lrettie@alamancechildren.org Jessica Johnson-Lead Parents as Teachers Educator-jjohnson@alamancechildren.org Gaby Quinteros-Parents as Teachers Educator-gquinteros@alamancechildren.org Jessy Estrada-Parents as Teachers Educator-jestrada@alamancechildren.org Nelgi Moreno-Parents as Teachers Educator-nmoreno@alamancechildren.org Mary Erwin-Outreach Specialist-merwin@alamancechildren.org Carey Ann Watkins-OLE Specialist-cawatkins@alamancechildren.org

Susan Osborne Jeannie Proctor Tony Roper Granville Simmons Julie Walker Davina Woods

Contact us: 2322 River Road, Burlington, NC 27217-8359 Phone: 336.513.0063 Fax: 336.226.1152 Website: www.alamancechildren.org E-mail: ngilliam@alamancechildren.org