May 2021 VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER

From Joan's Desk.........

Dear Volunteers, Hi everyone and Happy Spring! I am so happy to say that COVID restrictions are loosening and we are back into schools doing programs. Many of you I know are now anxious to start volunteering again. Some of you have already started helping again and we are so grateful. Stay tuned for emails with volunteer opportunities. Please keep us informed about your volunteer status. If you no longer wish to volunteer and want to be taken off our communication emails please notify me. Enjoy this newsletter as we have lots of great information to share with you. Sincerely, Joan ELC Early Literacy Coordinator

Check out the ELC YouTube channel...

The ELC of North Florida has their very own YouTube channel! You will find awesome & educational videos! Take a minute to check it out & watch a fun video! Please subscribe & visit often to check out new videos. Click the link to see one of our videos- Click here to view video .

Volunteer Spotlight....

Our Volunteer Spotlight for this newsletter is Melanie Kent! Melanie has been married to her wonderful husband Tom for 22 years. She has been a resident of St. Johns County for 40+ years! Melanie worked at Flagler Hospital for over 30 years before retiring. In her free time she enjoys taking Ballet classes & herb gardening, Melanie is a Reading Pal at Castle Brook Academy in St. Augustine. She never had children of her own & said she absolutely loves reading to the children & helping inspire them to love reading. Melanie enjoys sharing her love for Ballet with the children. She recently helped with a dance program & also shared ballet steps with the children. The children loved seeing her dance & showing off her point shoes. Melanie has started writing children's book & most recently wrote one about washing your hands that is called "Wash Those Paws". Melanie has been volunteering with ELC since 2018 & we appreciate all that she does! Thank you Melanie!

Dr. Seuss Reading Corner Contest

The ELC of N. Florida held a contest for the most creative Dr. Seuss themed classroom reading corner during the first two weeks of March. Over 45 entries were submitted. It was extremely hard to pick the winners as so many of them were top notch. The top two winners were First Baptist Preschool in Palatka and Bartram Academy in St. Augustine. The winners received a Read and Learn Area Rug 7’8 x 10’8 from Kaplan Early Learning Co. valued at $459.00 .

Reading Pal Volunteers

We know many of our reading volunteers have not been reading due to COVID. As you feel safe returning we ask that you please contact your assigned school to see when they would like you to return. Please keep Lacy Doss our Clay County reading pals contact and Joan Whitson our St. Johns and Putnam County contact updated about your assignments. We are in need of more reading volunteers and will be holding new volunteer trainings in August for the coming school year. If you know of anyone who might be interested please have them contact us.

Literacy Outreach Programs

Dr. Seuss Programs Dr. Seuss was on the loose in March and April. The ELC outreach team put on Ten Dr. Seuss themed literacy programs in local preschools. The programs consisted of a story time with special guest the Cat in the Hat. The children all received a FREE Dr. Seuss book and the classroom received a wonderful bag of Dr. Seuss book teaching materials for their class.

Meet the Masters Program   During 2020 the ELC of N. Florida launched it’s Meet the Masters arts program as an independent program. The program was put to video with seven lessons each featuring a different famous artist like Monet, Van Gough and Mary Cassatt. ELC volunteers dressed up as each artist and put on their acting debut to the camera sharing about their art and their lives. The videos were put together along with a teaching binder into a kit that includes art supplies to do an art project to go with each of the seven artists. Since September 35 kits have been mailed out to local schools. Since we were not able to go into schools due to COVID this provided a creative way that we could still provide programming. The feedback has been fantastic. The teachers are sending photos of them using the kits and doing all the art projects. A big thanks goes out to Clay Electric Foundation for helping the ELC with a grant to fund this project.

Music/Dance Program The ELC expanded it’s Music/Dance literacy program in St. Johns and Putnam counties in April. The program was launched in Clay County in 2019. During this program the children get to play with musical instruments such as jingle bells and castanets. They get to make their own fan then learn a special Asian fan dance. Special guest Fee Fee the Flamingo helps teach the kids ballet while acting out the story Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle. Children receive a free copy of the book “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae.

Pete the Cat Programs: Pete the Cat was busy all during the Spring accompanying outreach assistant Lacy Doss all over Baker and Clay Counties. Pete and Lacy brought a lot of cheer and high fives! Each child received a FREE Pete the Cat book and the teachers received a custom Pete the Cat bag filled with books.

Did you know?

Did you know that the Early Learning Coalitions provide child care subsidies for parents of a certain income who are working or going back to school? Visit the ELC of N. Florida website to find out more information. www.elcnorthflorida.org

Sponsorship by the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and Florida's Office of Early Learning Early Learning Coalition of North Florida | 904-342-2267 sdunnavant@elcnorthflorida.org| http://www.elcnorthflorida.org Administrative Office: 2450 Old Moultrie Road, Ste. 103 St. Augustine, FL 32086