MAY 2023
Greetings!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
In honor of Mother’s Day, we will be hosting snack with mom on Thursday, May 11, from 4:00-5:00 pm All mom’s, grandma’s, sisters, special caregivers that pick up that afternoon are welcome to attend. We will also be hosting a photo backdrop if Mom (or the special someone’s) would like to take a picture with her kiddos. We hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!
CENTER HAPPENINGS
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK 5/8-5/12/23
In honor of teacher appreciation week—we have a few different color pages in the front entry in which you can draw a picture of your teacher or write them a special note. Place in our EFC mailbox and we will make sure it is delivered to them this week or if you would like to give it to them personally feel free to do that as well…
Thank you for your participation.
potwithflowers
FAMILY PROJECT OF THE MONTH
This month we will leave supplies to create flowers for the entryway. Materials will be available in the front entryway for all who wish to participate!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Preschool Graduation for the children entering RSK or Kindergarten in the fall will be held on Wednesday, May 31. There will be more details to follow…
FAMILY REMINDERS
CONFERENCES
We will be holding conferences for infants, toddlers and preschoolers during the month of May. It is a great way to keep you informed on your child’s progress as well as discuss any questions that you may have. Please watch for further information from your classroom teacher.
 
The conferences will be 20 minutes in length, and we will be hosting them in person. We still have the capability to do conferences via zoom, google meet, or over the phone if that is a preference. Please talk to the classroom teachers. 
 
Each classroom will also be distributing the Parent Conference Form for you to complete. It gives the teachers valuable information about your child as well as things that you may wish to discuss on conference day. 
EFC CLOSED—IN-SERVICE DAY AND HOLIDAY
EFC will be closed on Friday, May 26, for our Staff In-service Day, as well as Monday, May 29, for Memorial Day. Staff will be participating in a company-wide in-service training.                                         
 
STAR WELLNESS RECIPE
star wellness
SESAME SALMON BOWLS
 
From the NYTimes Kid-Friendly Recipes:
 
“This one-pot meal, which is inspired by chirashi, or Japanese rice and raw fishbowls, features a savory vinegared rice that’s typically served with sushi. Traditionally, the rice is cooked first, then mixed with vinegar, but here, the rice is cooked in vinegar-seasoned water to eliminate a step. The result is sticky rice that’s tangy and sweet, and a perfect bed for fatty salmon. The salmon is added toward the end to steam directly on top of the rice for an easy one-pan meal. Packaged coleslaw is a time saver, eliminating extra knife work. Make a double batch of the zesty dressing for drizzling over roasted vegetables or green leafy salads the next day.”
ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS
EFC ANNUAL FAMILY SURVEY
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”
– Ken Blanchard
Each year, we invite you to provide feedback on your family’s experience with our program through our Family Survey. It is that time of year again! While our hope is that you are able to communicate regularly with your directors and your child(ren)’s teachers—as well as with the EFC administration—about your family’s needs and expectations, the survey offers a more formal means for you to share specific comments and feedback.
 
In the survey, we ask about your child’s experiences with his or her teachers and the curriculum, how communication is going for you, whether your expectations for your child and family are being met, and if there is anything else you would like to share with us.
 
Our goal is to partner with you in this special time of life. It is extremely valuable for us to understand how things are going for you and to learn a bit more about your family (including any family or cultural traditions you’d like to share at your center). We invite you to fill out the survey at the link below by 5/15.
 
We also wanted to take this opportunity to share bios of the EFC Administration—the team that will receive your feedback—in case you aren’t familiar with us yet!

 
DeeAnn Besch, VP of Operations
DeeAnn joined Especially for Children in 2007 and has spent her career in early childhood. DeeAnn works to support all of our directors in their roles through her deep knowledge of the field. She ensures EFC programs meet not only licensing standards but NAEYC accreditation standards and creates opportunities for teaching staff to grow and develop. She has dedicated her career to high quality, developmentally appropriate programs that help children grow and thrive.
 
Alli Zomer, Director of Operations
Alli works closely with DeeAnn in supporting directors, teaching staff, and all aspects of our center’s operations. She especially enjoys helping teachers and managers grow through meaningful professional development opportunities. Alli is part of the “original” EFC family—a daughter of EFC founders Priscilla and Steve Williams. These days you will find her preparing our new center in SW Minneapolis for its May opening!
 
Angie Williams, Director of Marketing and Finance
Angie joined EFC in 2016 and works to support EFC centers and the organization in the areas of marketing/communications (she prefers newsletter articles to Covid letters!), financial management, and facilities. She is also a daughter of Priscilla and Steve, and she and Alli have had the pleasure (in their younger years) of mowing EFC lawns, preparing meals, and, of course, spending time in classrooms with children!
 
We appreciate the opportunity to support your family at EFC.
TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS

Now-5/7 Framed: Step into Art, MN Children’s Museum
Now-5/14 Disney's Newsies Jr., Stages Theatre, Hopkins
Now-6/18 An American Tail, Children’s Theatre, Mpls               
5/6 Vehicle Day, Southdale, Edina 
5/6 Walk for Animals, St. Paul 
5/6 Animal Open House, Eden Prairie Outdoor Center
5/13-5/14 Mother's Day Plant Sale, Arboretum
5/13-5/27 Story Time on the Plaza, 50th&France, Edina 
5/14 Mother's Day Concert, Landmark Center
5/19-5/21 Art-A-Whirl, NE Mpls
5/20  Women Run the Cities, Mpls     


Especially for Children
6223 Dell Road
Eden Prairie MN 55346 
(952) 934-1119 

Center Directors:
Cathie Underwood and Jamie Kittleson
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The website Meet Minneapolis has some great ways to celebrate! Check them out here: https://www.minneapolis.org/calendar/holidays/aapi-heritage-month/
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