Mission Statement
  
To elevate child development to a new level by leading the social and emotional growth and education of young children by providing a safe, welcoming, home-like environment with a caring, educated and professional staff that promotes partnerships between parents, children, and other early childhood professionals. 
 
 
Upcoming Dates

March 3rd:   Mindfulness & Movement @ K2
March 4th: P.A.C. Meeting 5:00pm
March 8th: Daylight Savings Day
March 14th: SNL @ K2 5:00pm-10:00pm
March 14th: St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 20th: First Day of Spring
March 23rd-27th: Scholastic Book Fair
March 23rd-27th: School Age Days


Closure Dates for 2020

Please click   here  to view the Katie's Kids Center Closure list for 2020.    

            

March Notes of Interest

Accreditation Update
We are excited to announce that we have officially gained our national accreditation through the National Accreditation Commission! We have an incredible staff that work hard each day to provide the quality care that each child deserves. It is great to see our hard work pay off. 

Reminder: Tuition Rates About to Change
Just a reminder that with the changes to the minimum wage policy we will be raising tuition rates again as of April 6th. Only full time rates will be affected this time.  The new rates are as follows:

Infant 5 days/week: $332
Toddler/Two 5 days/week: $308
Preschool 5 days/week: $288

We will be sending out new financial agreements in the coming weeks. Please turn them back into us as soon as you can. 

Kindergarten Registration
For those of you who have children going to Kindergarten this fall, registration for both Unit 5 and District 87 is quickly approaching. See below for information on how to register your child for school this fall. 

Unit 5: March 10th - click here for more info
District 87: April 9th - click here for more info

Spring Fundraiser
This spring we are hosting a flower fundraiser. This "Art in Nature" fundraiser focuses on spring bulbs which can make a wonderful addition to any garden or work well as a Mother's Day gift. Information and order forms will be sent home at the end of this month. All funds raised will be used towards out door materials for both of our playgrounds.

March 14th @ 1 pm
Uptown Normal

Join us in walking in the parade or make it a family event & attend the parade.   Make sure to watch for us.  

This event supports Children and Home and Aid in our community.  

Staff Kudos

Do you have any positive moments you want to share about our staff? If so, we want to hear them! We have created a new Google form called Katie's Kids Kudos. The form is easy for you to access from home, so no need to take extra time at pick up and drop off. Simply click on the button below, fill out the form, and submit. We will be sure to share these positive moments with our staff, as well. 


  Kudos!


Help spread the word of Katie's Kids!
Do you have a friend, neighbor, or colleague looking for care?  For every family you refer to Katie's Kids we will apply a $50 credit to your account after the family has been with us for 90 days.

Saturday Night Live

Saturday, March 14th
5:00 - 10:00 p.m.
@ Ft. Jesse (K2)


Enjoy a night out on your own! We will watch your kids. Children ages 3+ have the opportunity to watch a movie and use their artistic abilities to create a masterpiece of their choice! Free play activities will be set up for children under the age of 3 years. If you have any questions please ask the KKLC Leadership Team. 

New pricing as of 1/2/2020
6 weeks - 35 months old: $40 ($25 for siblings in this age group)
3 years - 10 years old: $35 ($20 for siblings in this age group)

New No Call/No Show Policy as of 2/21/2020
We know that plans can change last minute. If you sign up for SNL but have to cancel, please call the center and let us know. You can cancel at no charge. 
However, if you do not call and cancel and you do not show up then you will owe the full price. We schedule staff to work this event based on how many kids sign up to attend. If you do not show up, we still have to pay our staff for their hours. So please call and notify us as soon as you know you will not be able to attend. (Leaving messages on our voicemail will be accepted as long as it is before 5:00pm on the day of the event.)

Health Corner

Poison Prevention 

March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month. As parents and caregivers, our goal is to keep our children safe. Children are naturally curious. Young children are also prone to exploring things with their mouths. That is why it is especially important for us to know what is in our environment and have a plan to lock up potentially hazardous materials to prevent accidental poisoning. Some poisons are pretty obvious, such as household cleaners and medications, while others may not be thought about as much, such as certain household plants. Check out the following links for more information on this important topic.





Community Connections
















Our community has great things to offer families! This section of the newsletter is to help you connect to the variety of community events occurring  in the Bloomington/Normal area. Enjoy!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Children under age 5 can earn a free tote bag by reading 1000 books before Kindergarten. Click here for more information.

Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
Click here to view the 2019 - 2020 Season of Events

Children's Discovery Museum
Click here for the March schedule of events

Downtown Bloomington First Friday Events
On the first Friday of each month Downtown Bloomington businesses showcase their wares and artistic abilities. Click here for more information.

Family Art Making Workshop
This is a free ISU event held at University Galleries. Click here for more information.

Sharing of the Green Parade
Come to Uptown Normal to enjoy the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. March 14th @ 1:00pm. Click here for more information.

St. Paddy's Open Skate
Go ice skating on green ice plus more St. Patrick's Day fun. Click here for more information. 
Ideas for Home
--------------------------------------------  


Make your own lava lamp for scientific and sensory play! 


 
Loose Parts Donations  

We, at Katie's Kids, would like to keep utilizing loose parts in our classrooms throughout the year.  Therefore, we are inviting parents and families that are interested to keep the supplies coming!  If you choose to donate you can drop the materials off at the front desk at any time!
  
Be sure to look through our center for how the loose parts are being used within the curriculum! 
  
Thank you in advance for your donations, we look forward to seeing the creativity that stems from all of the materials!


Our Focus this Month: 
  • Paper Towel Rolls
  • Yarn
  • Rubber Bands
Meals to Go

Did you know? In order to make our foot print a little less on this Earth, we use reusable food containers for our Meals to Go! We kindly ask that you rinse your containers and return them to the front desk at your earliest convenience . We will wash and sanitize these containers to be used for our next meals. 

_______________________




No Meal to Go 
until further notice


Getting Healthier...
At Katie's Kids Learning Center, we are committed to providing the best possible nutrition to you and your family.  We hope you enjoy the following recipe: 
 
Chicken Tostadas

Ingredients:
  • 8 corn tortillas or tostada shells
  • 3 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 4 medium avocados, diced
  • 3 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • Lime, juice of
  • 15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 3 cups shredded chicken
  • 1/2 cup feta or Cotija cheese
  • Cooking spray

Directions:
  1. To make tostada shells, line large baking sheet with silicone mat and arrange tortillas in a single layer. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes per each side.
  2. While tostadas are baking, make easy guacamole salsa by combining tomato, avocado, red onion, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt and lime juice. Get other ingredients ready.
  3. To assemble tostadas, top each shell with guacamole, beans, chicken and cheese.



 

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Katie's Kids Learning | @ the Links | 309.663.5800 |  Katie@katieskids.net | www.katieskids.net
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