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Upcoming Events
Thursdays in August
Amador County Library Jackson, 223-6400.
August 20, 22, OR 28 - three locations
Please call for more information. Please RSVP if you will need child care. (209) 257-1080 x 103.
Para informació
n en Español, por favor llame al (209) 25-1980 x 104.
August 22 - Thursday
10:00-2:00, Ione
August 23 OR 24 - Friday OR Saturday
12:45-2:45pm Friday or 9:00am-1:00pm Saturday
Friday: for more information please contact Kelly Thomas, 588-5068.
Saturday: for more information please contact Rochelle Sweet, 754-6914.
August 24 - Saturday
10:00am - 12:00pm
Space limited, please RSVP to save your spot: 257-1092
August 28 AND August 29 - Wednesday AND Thursday
1:00-4:00pm (two day training)
Please call to RSVP, 257-1092.
September 4 - Wednesday
4:30pm Dinner/Networking
5:00-8:00pm Training/Professional Development Hours (CPIN)
Please call by Aug. 30 to RSVP, free child care provided, 257-1092.
September 10 - Tuesday
July 30 - Sept 10
For more information or to register, please contact Coral Stricler at (209) 257-1980 x 103.
June 10 - August 9
Call for more information, 223-1624, x204.
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13 Tips for Starting Preschool and Kindergarten
By Diane Tunis, Rhonda Kleiner, and Fredda Band Loewenstein
Is your child entering a preschool, transition-to-kindergarten, or kindergarten program for the first time? Use these tips to help both you and your child make a smooth transition.
- Visit your local library during a read-aloud time so your child gets used to hearing someone other than Mom, Dad, or Grandpa read aloud book in a group setting.
- Establish a routine of "early to bed" and "school wake-up time" several weeks before school begins so your child has time to adjust to the new schedule.
- Find out about the toileting procedures at the new school or center so you can review the situation with your child and make sure she is comfortable.
- Arrange play dates with children who will be in your child's class. Usually moms or dads go along on these early play dates. Ask the teacher or school for a list of children who will be in your child's class.
- If there's a home visit or school visiting day, make sure you and your child participate. If you aren't able to participate, call the school to arrange for a visit to the school and to meet your child's teacher.
- Make a book at home about the new preschool experience your child is about to begin. Perhaps take photos of the school or of your child in front of school and add text like: "This is Sammy at school. This is her favorite t-shirt. This is Mommy picking up Sammy when school is over."
- Let your child pick out a new backpack and together write her name on it.
- Tell stories about when you went to school and share how you felt about it. Find childhood pictures of yourself and other adults in your child's life and talk about the photos.
- If your child has never before been cared for by someone else, start to leave her for short periods of time with friends or relatives. Reinforce the fact that you will return and that she is safe with others.
- Give your child a personal belonging of yours like a favorite scarf or bandanna so she knows you will come back to get it.
- Read books about going to school and saying goodbye, such as
- The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- David Goes to School by David Shannon
- Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen
- First Day of School by Anne Rockwell
- When I Miss You by Cornelia Maude Spelman
- Take a Kiss to School by Angela McAllister
- It's Time for Preschool by Esme Raj Codell
- A Pocketful of Kisses by Audrey Penn
- Select a special object from home that your child can take to school--like a lunchbox, a book to share, and a small pillow for rest time.
- Remember that separation is a process. Expect that your child (or yourself) will need time to feel comfortable with the new situation.
Thank you to NAEYC for these great tips!
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Calling all children 0 to 5 years of age - get
free books for your children!
Sign your child up today and start receiving one free book every
month from the Imagination Library! This is a free program, paid for by First 5 Amador and donations from local individuals and service organizations locally. Books are available to all Amador County children aged 0-4 (from birth until their 5th birthday).
All you have to do is read to your child!
For more information and to register online, click
HERE.
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Celebrate being a dad (or uncle, or grandpa...) every month at
our D
ad and Me outings, held at fun venues around the county!
Join us for this month's Dad & Me event... Let's Cook! Meet local Chef KC at Bistro 49 and make a special dish. Print the flyer HERE.
Come and help your child create a tasty dish, and enjoy a free book and snacks. Open to ALL children aged 0-5 and their dad, grandpa, uncle, etc... and all FREE!
Saturday, August 24
, 10:00am - 12:00pm.
Bistro 49
250 French Bar Road, Jackson
Call (209) 257-1092 to save your spot!
Save the fourth Saturday of every month for more outings held at fun venues around the county. Story time, a snack and a free book are provided each month!
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For Lilliput's full July-September newsletter, click HERE.
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Calling all Child Care Providers
& Preschool Teachers!
Are you a family child care provider or preschool center staff participating in Amador "Quality for Kids?"
If you need to accrue professional development hours, you can earn a stipend through Quality for Kids.
Check out these upcoming workshops below, as well as these fantastic, short, ONLINE workshops!
(Save your receipts, and we can reimburse
you for
any cost
for these online workshops.)
Find all the workshops
HERE!
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Your opinion matters!
Below is a link to a
Q
uality Counts California survey for child care providers and preschool teachers. If you could take a moment to complete the survey, it would help us here at First 5 to let the state know how and if IMPACT / Q4K supports you in your career and at your site.
Thank you!!
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Provider Profile
First 5 Amador and Amador Quality for Kids would like to highlight
Rachel Conolley, head Pre-K teacher at Gold Star Preschool in Jackson. Rachel participated with Amador Quality for Kids during this past fiscal year, and was able to earn a substantial stipend for all of her hard work through professional development hours, and completion of multiple college classes this year. Rachel sent us the following summary of her journey through the field of early childhood education.
Congratulations on such a successful year, Rachel!
I first entertained the idea of becoming a teacher when my boss Sue Garlick, at Grey
Gables Bed and Breakfast told me that it would be a good profession for me. Her granddaughter would come to the inn on weekends and ask if she could help me (she was about 4 at the time). I would let her put the new soap bars in the bathrooms and help me make the beds. She would say "Rachel, you have such patience, you should be a teacher." So I decided to look into it and began my schooling at Columbia college in Sonora. I attended school and worked at the children's center there for two years. I worked mostly in the infant center but I was also in the toddler and preschool classes as well. I almost finished my associate's degree but ended up leaving to go back home for a different job. I transferred to an online school called Post University and finished my associate's degree. I worked at Web of Life Preschool where I was also the assistant director for about 6 months before I left. I left to go and work for my former co-worker and friend whom had opened up her own school called Gold Star Preschool. I started out as a sub, all the while attending yet another online university called Ashford University, to study for my B.A. in early childhood education. Soon we acquired more students and I became a part time teacher, still working towards my degree. Fast forward a little and now I am the head Pre-K teacher there, and I graduated this past May with my B.A. in Early Childhood Education. So 10 years later I now know that Sue was right... all the schooling and hard work was meant to be, it shaped me into the teacher I am today. I love what I do, to me it is not a job, it is what I was meant to do. I love watching the children grow and learn.
To learn more about Amador Quality for Kids and how you and your child care facility can benefit from participating, please call us at 257-1092.
How can you give kids the best start in life?
... by taking your children to well-child and dental check ups and also, by doing an "ASQ."
The Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) is a way to make sure your child is "on track." The screening tools are designed
to be completed by parents or primary caregivers, that encourage parent-caregiver involvement.
Each questionnaire can be completed in 10-20 minutes, and is divided into five areas: Communication, Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Problem Solving, and Personal-Social.
The benefit for all children and families is so that parents/caregivers know which areas they can focus on at home with their children.
For more information,
please call First 5 Amador at 257-1092.
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Get Involved!
Would you like to improve the quality of care you offer to children in your family child care home, preschool setting, or other early learning environment?
Give us a call at First 5 and find out about the many resources (and incentives!) available to you, (209) 257-1092.
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The
Amador Network of Care
community web site and community announcements page is a resource for individuals, families and agencies concerned with behavioral health. It provides information about behavioral health services, laws, and related news, as well as communication tools and other features. Regardless of where you begin your search for assistance with community resources or behavioral health issues, the
Network of Care
helps you find what you need - it helps ensure that there is "No Wrong Door" for those who need services.
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One day, California's success
will be measured by the
well-being of its youngest children.
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Calling all children 0 to 5 years of age.
Join Amador's favorite reading club!
Get free books for your children!
Currently 825
Amador kids are receiving books!
Sign your child up today and start receiving one free book every
month from the Imagination Library! This is a free program, paid for by First 5 Amador and donations from local individuals and service organizations locally. Books are available to all Amador County children aged 0-4 (from birth until their 5th birthday).
All you have to do is read to your child!
For more information click
HERE.
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It's Our Job as Adults to Keep Kids Safe
Stay up to date on all the news and information about keeping our kids safe from abuse and neglect. Sign up for the
Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council's monthly e-newsletter
HERE!
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PO Box 815 / 975 Broadway | Jackson, CA 95642
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First 5 Amador supports and designs programs for children 0-5 years old and their Families.
For more information call us at (209) 257-1092, visit our website,
and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
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