Voice of the Fields - August 2012

FA R M L A B O R I N F O R M AT I O N B U L L E T I N

Voice of the Fields California

August 26, 2012

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Parent and Family Involvement Creates Success at School

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hildren learn most of their attitudes and behavior from family. At home, you can teach your children skills to help them do well with others. Manners, respect, and obedience are important, but there are many other skills that will help them succeed at school. Teach them to count, and teach them the names and uses of objects, like the telephone, the weather, and your address. If English is difficult, speak in your native tongue to accelerate your child’s learning. If you can, however, try learning English, together with your child.

Meet with your children’s teachers frequently. Before meeting with the teacher, ask the school for a translator, or bring along a friend, or family member who speaks both English and Spanish. It is important that you can speak freely to teachers, and understand them as well. Ask about your child’s learning and behavior. Ask about things you can do at home to help your child learn more effectively.

Talk to other parents who have been involved with local schools to find out what their experiences have been.

The Migrant Education Program Can Help In the United States, universal education includes all children, including children from farmworker families. The United States Government has funded a program called the Migrant Education Program (MEP). The MEP can be found in all 50 states, but California’s is the largest in the Nation. This is because one out of every three students from farmworker families lives in California.

The MEP was established to provide children from farmworker families with special educational services. There is even a tutoring service, called Mini Corp, to give academic and social support if needed, to help students master their school work and stay in school.

The tutors come from farmworker family backgrounds and are full-time college students. Mini-Corps tutors work with students during the school year and summer school to strengthen the relationships among students, teachers, family members, and the community.

Eligibility for the program is established through an interview

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conducted by a Migrant Education recruiter who visits both home and word locations. To get more information about the program, you can visit your local school or call the Migrant Education Office (Part of the California Department of Education) at 916-319-0851. If you have access to a computer and internet, more information about the program and services and other important phone numbers can be found at: http://www. cde.ca.gov/sp/me/mt/programs.asp.

Importance of school attendance for student success One of the most important things your child can do in order to succeed in school is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. When you make school attendance a priority, you are sending a message to your child that education is very important for your family and that it is important to take your responsibilities seriously including going to school.

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Parent and Family Involvement Continued from previous page

quizzes and tests on time. There are other benefits as well: n Exposure to the English language: Regular school attendance can also help kids who are learning English. n Being part of a community: Just by being present at school, your child is learning how to be a good citizen by participating in the school community and learning valuable social skills.

As a parent or guardian, it is possible to plan ahead in order to limit your child’s absences, and make school attendance a priority. Here are some ways to do this: n Follow the school’s guidelines and attendance policy, and report excused absences immediately. At the beginning of the school year, sit down with your child and review the school’s rules to make sure you understand

who you need to contact if your child is going to be absent. n Try to limit the amount of time that your child misses school due to medical appointments or illness. If possible, avoid scheduling doctor’s appointments during the school day. Allow your child to stay home only in the case of contagious or severe illnesses. n Keep updated on school events and announcements. Read the school documents that your child brings home and take note of important announcements and dates, such as back-to-school night and parentteacher conferences.

Homework is important too Homework is not assigned just to keep children busy at home.

Homework provides an opportunity for children to develop self-discipline,

study habits, and time management skills. Homework is a bridge between school and home. Learning should happen at home as well as in school.

Parents can help kids succeed at homework. Setting aside a specific time every day can make homework part of a child’s daily routine. Find a quiet and distraction-free area that your child can use when doing homework. Review homework assignments with children and provide support and guidance if possible. Parents who do not know a subject well or for whom English is a second language may be afraid to help, but even if you are not comfortable with some subjects, you can show interest and applaud your child’s efforts. If assignments are unclear, communicate with the teacher and ask questions. Most importantly, parents should provide encouragement to their children.

Demonstrate to children how important homework is by taking an interest in it.

Breakfast & Lunch Programs for Kids: Nutritious Foods Help Kids Perform Their Best

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owadays, it’s easy for children to get their hands on food that is not good for them.

There are fast food restaurants on every street corner, and the healthy food our children should be eating can be expensive. Lots of TV ads tell kids that fast food is fun and good for them, but children need food that provides nutrition as well as a full stomach.

The healthier your child’s diet is, the healthier your child can be. While healthy food is very important for

everyone, it is especially important for children because diet impacts how they grow and develop. A healthy diet can help prevent obesity and weight related diseases, such as diabetes. It also helps children learn. The connection between what children eat and how they perform in school is important for all of us to understand. This is why our schools offer affordable or free healthy breakfast and lunch options for kids.

Providing students their choice of milk, fruits, vegetables, whole grains

and lean proteins, school meals are a great value. School cafeterias offer students lots of healthy choices and help children learn how to assemble a wellbalanced meal. Parents can know that their children will be eating the correct amount of food in school cafeterias as well because federal regulations require schools to serve age-appropriate portions as part of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program.

All children at participating schools

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may purchase meals that meet federal nutrition standards, through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, but many families are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Families receive applications for the free and reduced price program from their school at the start of the school year.

To learn more about the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs in your child’s school, visit your local school website or you can find links to California school districts at: http:// www.cde.ca.gov/re/sd/. Once at the school district’s website, you can get information about school lunch and breakfast menus, and the application process to get your child involved in this program. It is also always ok to visit your child’s school to get any questions you may have, answered.

Voice of the Fields California Circulation: 40,000 copies www.LaCooperativa.org Published monthly by: La Cooperativa Campesina de California 1107 9th Street, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone 916.388.2220 Fax 916.388.2425 Produced with the support of the Employment Development Department Voice of the Fields may be reproduced

California programs work to end hunger in our communities

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ecause much of Agriculture work is seasonal, there may be periods of time when workers are unemployed or in need of assistance. The State of California and its partners provide many services to help those in need find help, such as where to go for food assistance.

CalFresh Program The CalFresh Program provides people in need with a monthly benefit to buy food at most supermarkets and some farmers markets. The benefit is based on the size of your household, your income level, your property and your bills.

The CalFresh program allows you to buy nutritious food for your family, as well as plants and seeds to grow food on your own with food stamps.

While there are some limitations to what you can buy with Food Stamps, such as alcohol and tobacco products, this program helps many Californians provide their families with the fresh, healthy food they need.

How to apply for the CalFresh Program To get information on the CalFresh Program you can visit C4yourself, an online application system that will assist you in applying for benefits at www. c4yourself.com or you can print out an application at www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ foodstamps. You can also call the CalFresh information line at 1-877-847-3663.

Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) & Local Food Bank Information The Emergency Food Assistance Program provides people in need with surplus food, called “commodities” donated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Food Banks throughout the state provide individuals and communitybased organizations with food in a coordinated effort running off volunteers and community involvement.

These commodities are provided to qualifying people at no cost.

To qualify people must meet the eligibility requirements in accordance with USDA Regulations, including that they reside in the geographical area being served.

People may be asked to present evidence that they live in the service area, such as a Driver’s License.

However, if documented proof of residency cannot be supplied, food may not be denied to the recipient To find a food bank in your area, visit http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ efap/PG1910.htm

School Starts Soon; Is Your Child Fully Vaccinated?

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s you help your kids get ready for school, make sure they’re fully vaccinated. Children need immunizations to protect them from certain dangerous childhood diseases.

All children Where can my under the age child get shots? of 18 entern Doctor’s office, ing school, clinic or hospital transferring to n Pharmacies a new school, n Local health and children department entering

school from outside the U.S., must present an immunization record. This is a written record made by a physician or clinic. It must include the month and year each dose was received, and the record must show that all vaccines have been received.

How can I get help paying for vaccines?

Children under the age of 18 may be eligible to get vaccines for free through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) pro-

gram if they are eligible for Medicaid, uninsured, or underinsured. Some doctors can charge a fee to give each shot, but if your family is unable to afford the fee, VFC vaccines cannot be denied to an eligible child. To see if your child is eligible and for more information about the VFC program, visit the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: http:// www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/ default.htm.

Do you have unclaimed property?

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nclaimed property is lost or forgotten financial accounts. The most common types are cash left over in inactive bank accounts and overpayments to businesses.

In many cases, businesses have lost contact with a customer or the customer has not responded to notices that they

have unclaimed property. If a business has unclaimed property, they send it to the state for safekeeping until the customer claims it.

In California, there is over $6 billion in unclaimed property belonging to approximately 17 million individuals and organizations. To search and find out if you have unclaimed property visit: http://

scoweb.sco.ca.gov/UCP/ and enter your information.

You can also watch a brief video about unclaimed property at this website: http://www.sco.ca.gov/upd.html.

Once on the page click the link “Video: The State Controller offers tips about unclaimed property.”

Agricultural Jobs available to U.S. workers under H-2A contract You may apply for these jobs by phone or in person at your nearest Employment Development Department (EDD) field office Name of Employer

CalJOBS Number

Job Title

Pay Rate

Contract Dates

Positions

City of Job

Employer’s County (for ECMS)

EDD Workforce Services Site Office

1

Sierra Cascade Nursery

CA13048838

Farm Worker, Straberries/Raspberries

$10.24

9/25/12 11/9/12

480

Tulelake

Siskiyou

Redding (530) 225-2185

2

Sierra Cascade Nursery

CA13040184

Farm Worker, Straberries/Raspberries

$10.24

9/19/12 11/2/12

530

Susanville

Lassen

Redding (530)225-2185

3

Carneros Creek Winery

CA13015503

Farm Worker, Grape

$13.67

8/30/12 10/21/12

12

Napa

Solano

Santa Rosa WS (707) 576-2016

4

Western Range Association

CA10339218

Farm Worker, Sheepherder

$1,422.52

On-going

143

California & Western States

California & Western States

Contact any EDD WSB Office

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A employers must demonstrate that qualified U.S. workers are not available for the job and the employment of temporary foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Preference in hiring will be given to qualified U.S. workers before employers are allowed to bring in foreign workers under the program.