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National Day of Service Video | |
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Providing care for your children and the Palo Alto community is important to PACCC. In October, PACCC's Board of Directors sent a letter to the PAUSD Childcare Ad Hoc Committee to recommend that PAUSD maintain current options for onsite, afterschool care to give families a choice in how to best address their students’ specific needs.
We look forward to an informed, transparent decision-making process with PAUSD on how to best serve the needs of Palo Alto students and families.
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A LOOK INSIDE PACCC'S
EARLY EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
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Infant-Toddler and Preschool
PACCC preschools hosted Annual Parent Nights to orient families to their program, philosophy and curriculum. Parent Night is a great opportunity to get to know the staff and gain further insight into their child’s early education experience. Teachers were inspired after their week of professional development this summer and have been focusing on creating warm, enriching, home-like environments for the children.
| Ellen Thacher Children's Center children develop skills and confidence in their newly renovated environment through active engagement with peers and teachers during snack time. | This Sojourner Truth Child Development Center preschooler is sitting with teacher Mary to read and look at pictures and letters in their new home-like outdoor space. Experiences like these enhance early literacy, which develops language and listening skills and prepares children to understand written words. | Children at College Terrace Children's Center cheerfully interact with each other in their newly modernized space, using their curiosity and energy to master new skills. | |  |
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School-Age
School-age teachers have implemented Second Step SEL curriculum, which has supported the children's transition back to school. AKC’s Junior Staff Program is quite a hit with the older children. They are given opportunities to increase responsibility and leadership development by planning and leading activities, helping younger children and assisting teachers. ECKC students are highly interested in art, so teachers have been setting up various art experiences. They are excited to host a family art exhibit soon!
| Addison Kids' Club Junior Staff leader attentively motives younger children to build on literacy skills. | Hoover Kids' Club students designed colorful self-expression skull art in preparation for October festivities. | |
Besse Bolton Kids’ Club 4th and 5th graders visited Mitchel Park Library. As a group they played Grounded for Life, a card game which involves completing silly sentences that make the children laugh with glee.
| Barron Park Kid's Club students wore big smiles as they discussed how dentists teach them to keep their teeth healthy though responsible decision making, such as brushing twice a day. | | |
STAFF DEVELOPMENT | PROJECT CORNERSTONE
COMMUNITY THANK YOU
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Staff Development
PACCC educators and leaders have been highly engaged in ongoing professional development and focused on enhancing quality of care and the education and development of young children and youth in alignment with the PAUSD Promise. During the months of August and September, educators and leaders participated in learning cohorts, staff meetings, webinars and reflective discussions focused on:
- Developmentally appropriate practices to support young children
- Effective, safe and engaging early childhood classroom environments
- Supportive interactions to strengthen relationships and self-regulation skills in young children
- Social and Emotional Learning (e.g., Second Step and Program for Infant Toddler Care)
- Developmental assessments (e.g. Desired Results Developmental Profile) and screenings (e.g. Ages and Stages Questionnaire; ASQ-3, ASQ:SE 2)
- Management skills and leadership development for Regional Coordinators and Center Directors
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Alison, a marketing specialist at H. T. Harvey & Associates, originally joined the PACCC family as a teacher while she was attending San Jose State University. She remembers building strong relationships with PACCC families and contributing to a supportive environment that fostered early childhood learning. Alison now provides classroom teaching experience and professional marketing skills with PACCC. As a board member, she hopes to make a positive impact on PACCC’s future and its position in the community.
Last year Alison accepted the challenge of developing PACCC’s next strategic plan. PACCC’s strategic plan is a guiding document used to turn goals into actions and actions into impacts. PACCC continues to focus on creating “a community where children thrive, educators are valued and families are supported.” Alison thanks everyone for sharing their PACCC experience through surveys, focus groups, and community interviews. Last year, PACCC completed the initial discovery phase of the strategic planning process and may ask for additional information to further guide the process.
Alison has a passion for writing and utilizing storytelling to convey important messages and ideas. She is inspired by people who use their own passions and skills to help others and make the world a better place.
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Fall Monthly Assets
Developmental Assets are positive values, relationships, skills and experiences that help children thrive.
The Search Institute created the developmental assets framework and has identified
41 positive supports and strengths that young people need to succeed. In collaboration with Project Cornerstone, PACCC works to advance learning opportunities for children, families, and staff within our programs in relation to The Search Institute framework.
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September
The Importance of Parent Involvement in Schooling
Asset #6: Parent(s) are actively engaged in helping young person succeed in school.
Besse Bolton Kids’ Club children, parents, and staff joyfully bond at family engagement night. Parents were able to see children perform The Wizard of Oz and participate in art activities and games.
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October
Positive Family Communication
Asset #2: Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).
Sojourner Truth Child Development Center and Infant-Toddler Center came together for open house to build connections with new and continuing families. PACCC educators know that children learn better and are more motivated when their parents are involved and committed to supporting their learning.
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November
Positive Cultural Identity
Asset #41: Young person feels comfortable with and proud of her/his identity, including but not limited to disabilities, ethnicity, faith/religion, family status, gender, language, and sexual orientation.
Living in a community filled with many different languages, it’s important we support our multilingual families and each child’s sense of self-identity. Through books, songs, games and parent participation, children at Downtown Children's Center learn about their peers' home language and experience a new way to communicate. They are very proud when their parents make a guest appearance and teach us new words!
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COMMUNITY EVENTS | RESOURCES | WORKSHOPS | |
California Department of Social Services
Free Fall Math Forum - Register Now!
The California Department of Social Services, Child Care and Development Division, is a proud partner of the California Early Math Project. The California Early Math Project is hosting a free, virtual forum for educators, childcare providers and families from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, October 13, 2022.
The Early Math Forum will focus on discovering math in everyday places, the connection between math and play, the role of public libraries in math development and strategies for aligning math learning from preschool through third grade. The keynote and breakout sessions will provide ideas and tools to support the mathematical development of all young children.
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Palo Alto Library offers an abundance of family activities and learning opportunities for children of all ages and stages. Check out their website for more details.
Books to Celebrate and Learn about Indigenous Peoples
October 10 is Indigenous Peoples' Day. Check out Palo Alto Library's list of books to explore the histories and stories of Indigenous Peoples.
Celebrate Diwali
Diwali is on October 24. Learn more about the Indian Festival of Lights with a list of picture books and non-fiction books.
STEAM Lab Saturday
1st Saturday of the month | 12pm
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October Festivities in the Community
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October 15 - 16 | Want to see one of the largest pumpkins in the world? The 50th Annual Arts and Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay is holding their World-Famous Celebration of the Great and Almighty Gourd. Enjoy food, drinks, arts, entertainment, and more!
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October 22 | Live animals and pumpkin patches! The City of Cupertino is holding their Wildlife and Harvest Day at Blackberry Farm. Families can learn about local birds, nature, and ecology while staff provide live animal demonstrations, educational presentations, and free hands-on activities.
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October 22 | Celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, with the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. Learn about the rich traditions of Diwali by making a Diya lamp and enjoying music and dance.
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October 29 | Want to learn more about Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? Join the San Jose Museum of Art as they celebrate with live entertainment, cultural demonstrations, and an eclectic mix of artmaking experiences. Admission is free, but make sure to register here.
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CONNECT WITH US
Check the events section of your center newsletter or Learning Genie
communications to learn how your center will be participating!
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World Mental Health Day
Oct 10
Indigenous Peoples' Day
Oct 10
Diwali
Oct 24
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Sep 15 - Oct 15
Halloween Festivities
Oct 1-31
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Dia de los Muertos
Nov 1
Day Light Savings Time Ends
Nov 6
Veterans Day
Nov 11
World Kindness Day
Nov 13
Giving Tuesday
Nov 29
Thanksgiving Festivities
Nov 1-31
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First Day of Hanukkah
Dec 18
First Day of Winter
Dec 21
Last Day to Make A
Tax-Deductible Donation
Dec 31
Winter Holiday Festivities
Dec 1-31
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Give Back
Support children, families and educators in your community!
Your support will help to provide quality services at all 19 PACCC centers, over 100 educators to grow through professional development, and accessibility to working families of all income levels. By investing in quality learning it directly influences the significant impact it will have on a child's linguistic, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
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Thank You To PACCC Partners and Community Supporters |
- CA Department of Education
- City of Palo Alto
- Kiwanis of Palo Alto
- Palo Alto Unified School District
- Palo Alto Community Fund
- Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund
- WestEd E3 Institute
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You Shop,
Amazon Gives to PACCC
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When you shop on Amazon Smile using smile.amazon.com,
Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to PACCC.
Register PACCC as your charity today.
You can also use Smilematic, a free Chrome extension that will automatically turn your everyday Amazon purchases into AmazonSmile donations. You’ll never miss an opportunity to raise money for PACCC!
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