November Newsletter

In November, we immersed ourselves in the spirit of Thanksgiving, cultivating gratitude and creating cherished moments for our students. Our classrooms have festive decorations, and the Thanksgiving projects our students created became treasures shared with their families.

The partnership with parents shone brilliantly during our family engagement activities. Witnessing parents and children enjoy our Fall Festivals and make lasting memories filled our hearts with warmth.

As we reflect on the year and the incredible people who have supported the important work we do, we are grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for contributing to our mission of preparing children for kindergarten—ready to read and ready to learn.

This year, we expanded our offerings with the opening of two additional locations. Help us extend our impact by sharing our mission and services with your friends, family and community. Your efforts can connect us with more families who may benefit from our nationally accredited program.

Thank you for being an integral part of the Fun Time Early Childhood Academy community!

Warm regards,

Jessica Campbell

Executive Director

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SUPER HEROES UNITE!

Join us on a special mission to benefit

Fun Time Early Childhood Academy

February 22, 2024

Grey Oaks Country Club

6 p.m.

Honorary Chairs Carol and Dick Munro

Help us prepare our little heroes for success!

To buy tickets or become a sponsor, please click on the link below.

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Fun Time Fall Festival

We joyously celebrated all that we are thankful for this season at our Fall Festival. Smiles and laughter were abundant as families happily spent time with their children and our teachers.

Fun Time Academy is so thankful for the support of our Fun Time families, we are grateful to the parents who have chosen to place their child in our care!

David Lawrence Center: Second Step Program

This month, we kicked off our partnership with the David Lawrence Center! Every Wednesday, they will be presenting their Second Step program to our VPK classes at our Downtown and Golden Gate locations.

This fun, engaging and interactive program goes hand in hand with our Conscious Discipline curriculum. It teaches our students about emotional regulation skills, kindness, being a good friend, taking turns, and so many other critical skills needed to be successful in kindergarten.

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United Arts of Collier County

Art is abundant at Fun Time Academy! This month, United Arts Collier returned to teach art lessons to our students. Excitement and enthusiasm were felt by all who participated in this fun lesson, where students painted their hands and created handprint turkeys!

They learned about the art term "background" and had to create a detailed backgrounds for their turkeys. We are thankful for our community partners who provide such amazing experiences for our children.

Cooking Class by UF/IFAS Extension Family

Nutrition Program

The final stir fry cooking class offered by The University of Florida's Lastinger Center was a blast! Participants loved learning a new recipe to cook at home and were thrilled to receive a new cooking skillet, as well as all of the ingredients to replicate the meal at home. We are excited to launch the next round of Parent Cooking Classes, where participants will make fajitas and receive a new air fryer.

Now Accepting Volunteer Applications

Our volunteer season is in full swing! Our amazing Fun Time volunteers have been busy working in the garden, helping in classrooms, and participating in our SEEDS reading program.

We are looking for volunteers for all three of our locations! If you're eager to join us as a volunteer and want to explore the many ways you can contribute to Fun Time Academy, please don't hesitate to reach out to Christen Krembs at 239-261-8284 or via email at ckrembs@funtimeacademy.org for any inquiries you may have about volunteering.

New to Volunteering?

Are you considering joining the ranks of our dedicated volunteers at Fun Time Early Childhood Academy? To learn more about our volunteer program and what to expect, take a moment to watch this informative video. It's your first step toward becoming an essential part of our mission!

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Interested in Supporting Our Mission?

If you'd like to make a financial contribution to support our mission, consider making a donation. Your generosity will help us continue providing safe, quality and affordable education and care to children in need.

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Multiple Year-End Donation Options for You

Are you aware of the tax benefits associated with Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) and Donor Advised Funds when making year-end donations to support Fun Time Early Childhood Academy?

If you're 70½ or older, you can take advantage of QCDs, enabling you to direct up to $100,000 annually from your IRA to a qualified charity like Fun Time Academy. By using QCDs, you can offset Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your IRA, ensuring a tax-free withdrawal and the opportunity to make a charitable contribution without depleting your current cash or other assets.

Many financial institutions require QCD arrangements from your IRA to be set up in October or November, so consider this option for your year-end giving now.

Another alternative is to donate through a Donor Advised Fund.

This year, the Secure 2.0 Act has introduced a new option for those aged 70½ or older with IRAs. They can use a QCD from their IRA to fund a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). A CGA is a mutually beneficial contract where donors provide a gift, potentially earning a partial tax deduction, and receive a fixed stream of income from the charity for life.

Consult your financial advisor to determine the best option for you.

To explore making a year-end gift through your donor-advised fund or IRA or to learn more about establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity, please contact Beth Sterchi at 239-261-8284 or BSterchi@funtimeacademy.org.

Introducing the Legacy Society

For our dedicated supporters who share a deep passion for Fun Time Early Childhood Academy's mission, there's a unique opportunity to leave a lasting educational legacy for generations to come.

By including Fun Time in your estate planning, you can create a preplanned legacy gift with a profound and enduring impact. This thoughtful gesture allows you to experience the tax benefits of your contribution long before the actual gift is made, ensuring that your love for education and our particular mission will live on.

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School will be closed on the following days:

December 22, Teacher Professional Learning Day.

December 25-29, Winter Break.

Returning to school:

January 2, 2024

Download the App

Collier CARES is a mobile and web app that connects people in need with vital resources and services in Collier County, Florida. Created by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) in partnership with the Collier Community Foundation and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, the app serves the most vulnerable populations in the county.

This free bilingual application provides users with information about critical resources and services available in Collier County. NCEF is dedicated to partnering with community leaders, stakeholders and service providers across the county to ensure that every family has access to help in times of need.

If you recently moved or changed your email address or phone number, please update your information by clicking the button below.

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Thank You!

Your commitment to Fun Time Early Childhood Academy allows us to provide safe, quality, affordable education and care for children and parents from low-income working families and to prepare the children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!

Annual Report

Fun Tim e Early Childhood Academy