Head Start Family News - May 2024

Head Start Family News

Time to Register Children for Kindergarten

While you continue to work on the skills needed for your child to attend kindergarten, don’t forget the practical steps you need to take to enroll them.

Registration for most districts is now open and information is available on your school district’s website. Be sure to read all the information thoroughly. Reach out to your Family Services Assistant if you have questions about where to go or need help with an online application process.

You can also ease any nervousness in your child by helping them know what to expect. Talk to them about some of the differences between Head Start and kindergarten. They might be riding a school bus or eating lunch in the cafeteria. Visit your public library and choose books about kindergarten to read together.

Keep practicing literacy skills by helping your child write their name. Work on letter identification and sounds. Page three of this newsletter includes some tips on teaching your child to hold a pencil correctly and to use scissors safely.

Routines are critical for early learning. Establish a regular bedtime routine and get in the habit of arriving at school on time. Remember that public schools do

not allow late arrivals and count missed school by the MINUTE!

Many schools offer organized opportunities for rising kindergartners to visit. Take advantage of these or contact the school to arrange your own. At these visits your child can play on the playground, walk around the cafeteria, meet the principal and even talk to teachers and students.

Here are some other things you can do with your child to help them

become familiar with school experiences.

X Register for a Safety Town event with your local police department.

X Attend a public library story time to practice sitting and listening quietly, then check out some books.

X Help your child make a sandwich and practice packing a lunch.

Head Start students in LCCAA’s school-based classrooms have opportunities to visit kindergarten classrooms, the school cafeteria and even the school bus!

We’re on Instagram!

LCCAA Head Start now has an Instagram account. Follow us and tell your friends that Head Start Works!

Staff and Students Prepare for Bridging

Each center is making its own plans for bridging ceremonies during the last week of school. All children are recognized during bridging ceremonies whether they are moving on to kindergarten or returning to Head Start in the fall.

The last day of school for all centers is May 23 and students will be dismissed at noon.

Central Plaza students will have bridging events on May 20. Each classroom will have its own ceremony in the gym beginning at 10:30 a.m. and followed by cookies and

juice. On the last day of school, the Lorain Police and Fire departments will visit with multiple vehicles for the students to explore.

Firelands students will have their bridging ceremony and viewing of the year in review video on May 23 at 10 a.m. in the Firelands High School Auxiliary Gym. Snacks and social time will follow the ceremony.

Griswold classrooms will record a bridging ceremony then bring parents in for activities, a viewing and snacks.

Hopkins Locke families will gather on three different afternoons to hear what their children want to be when they grow up. Parents will be invited back to the classrooms for cookies, punch and more.

LaGrange and Wellington students will join together for their bridging and family fun day. Events are set for May 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Carlisle Reservation.

Home-based students will bridge May 21 at 11 a.m. in the Central Plaza gym. Cookies and juice will follow.

Head Start Now Enrolling for Fall Classes

It’s time to register for Head Start for the 2024-2025 school year!

If your Head Start student will be returning this fall, contact your family service assistant or home visitor to update your paperwork and reserve your child’s space. If a younger sibling will be joining us, your family service assistant or home visitor can help with that too.

Children from age three to age five whose families have incomes below the poverty guidelines are eligible for Head Start services. Families receiving SNAP (Supple-

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 6 to May 10

Show your appreciation for our teachers and staff with a hug, a card or just a word or smile.

Thank you to all our teachers and staff for proving that Head Start Works!

mental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) or SSI (Supplemental Security Income) are automatically eligible. Homeless children and children in foster or kinship (grandparents) care are also automatically eligible.

Head Start also serves children with disabilities. Registration can be started online at www.lccaaforms. net. Packets are also available at all of our centers.

Share your Head Start story with friends and neighbors. Make sure they know Head Start Works!

Dates to Know

X May 6: No School, Home Visits

X May 9: Health Advisory Committee, 9 a.m.

X May 13: No School, Home Visits

X May 20: School for all children

X May 20: Policy Council, 5 p.m.

X May 23: Last Day of School, dismiss at noon

X May 27: LCCAA Closed, Memorial Day

X June 19: LCCAA Closed, Juneteenth

Handy Tips for Writing and Scissors Skills

Summer break can be a great time to reinforce key skills your child has been working on in Head Start. Holding a pencil with the proper grip and using scissors safely and correctly are key skills for new kindergarteners.

Head Start works on these skills and has compiled some great information you can access using the QR codes below.

Patience is critical. The X-ray shown here illustrates the difference between a preschoolers hand (left) and the hand of a seven-year-old. Small or fine motor skills such as pencil grip and cutting with scissors develop as the hand grows and strengthens.

Other tips to remember:

X Pencil grip happens over time and in a series of steps.

X The correct pencil grip, called the Mature Tripod Grip, may not happen until your child is 5-6 years old.

X Your Head Start teachers use a program called Learning Without Tears to help children to pick up their writing utensil and position it for correct use.

X This song will be familiar to our students: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP5htYZ5jjQ

X Scissors skills also take time to develop. The best way to build them is to not even use them! Tearing paper is a necessary first step.

X It is helpful to start with cutting playdough and then move on to thicker papers like old greeting cards, cardstock and construction paper.

X Remind your child that holding scissors requires a big “thumbs up!”

X Use your long summer days to support small motor development by having your child do things such as play with playdough, dig, collect items outside, write with chalk, and throw and catch balls.

We’re Wild About Celebrating Young Children

LCCAA Head Start has had a busy spring nurturing growing young families with music, collaborative projects, door prizes and tacos!

Two well-attended Wild About Health and Nutrition events were hosted in March, celebrating National Nutrition Month. The events included food demonstrations, community information and

lots of healthy snacks as well as a taco bar.

The Griswold event drew approximately 150 people and HopkinsLocke’s event welcomed 140. The Tooth Fairy made it to both!

In early April, classrooms returned from Spring Break - and the Solar Eclipse (WOW!) - to celebrate the

Week of the Young Child. Students embraced working together to build classroom forts and created their own artwork using well-known masters as inspiration.

They also tried plums - just like Mr. Carle’s famous caterpillar. For more photos of all these events, please visit our Facebook page.

Home-based students and families meet regularly to encourage social interaction.

Here are upcoming dates: May 3: Preschool May 10: EHS May 17: Combined For details on socializations, contact your home visitor.

Kits Will Keep Learning Going Book Pairings

Offered by INFOhio

Young children are fascinated by big trucks of all kinds when they see them in their neighborhood. Fire trucks are unique because usually when they see them, they have a loud siren, lights, and are moving fast.

Books are a great way to introduce important new topics like fire safety.

The two books I’m Brave by Kate and Jim McMullan and How Things Work: Fire Trucks by Joanne Mattern are a great example of the fiction and nonfiction duo you will find in BookFlix when you log into INFOhio.

INFOhio is Ohio’s Prek-12 online digital library that is filled with educational materials for children and parents. Ask your child’s teacher or FSA for more information about INFOhio!

Children need ongoing opportunities to gain experience and practice essential skills. This is especially true during the summer months.

Did you know that children can lose up to two months of knowledge and skills that were learned throughout the school year, if they do not practice them over the summer?

To help reduce summer learning loss and to encourage parent engagement, your Head Start child will be coming home with a backpack filled with hands-on learning materials.

Bags will be distributed the week of May 20, 2024.

Each bag will include the following, based on the famous children’s author Eric Carle:

X Eric Carle drawstring backpack.

X Children’s picture book to encourage early literacy and language development. (Photo contains one possible book)

X Lacing card to increase fine-motor (small muscle) skills.

X Mini puzzle.

X Dry-Erase marker, eraser, and sentence strip to encourage printing their name and other fun activities.

X Caterpillars for color recognition, patterns, counting, etc.

X Tongs and pom poms to build those fine motor (small muscle) skills.

X Pack of white paper for drawing, cutting, etc.

X Eight pack of crayons.

X Watercolors for painting.

X Scissors to build those fine motor (small muscle) skills.

X Activity guide.

We encourage families to take the time to continue to work on kindergarten readiness skills to reduce summer learning loss and have fun with your child this summer! Have a safe and fun summer!

Scan this code to see the latest menu for most of our Head Start Centers.

Staff Have Been Busy Earning Credentials

LCCAA Head Start staff members easily share their love of lifelong learning with their students every day because they are still learning themselves. More than a dozen staff members have earned new credentials in the last six months.

Many have worked in Head Start for a number of years and several have also sent their children through the program.

Damaris Velazquez-Rodriguez earned her master’s degree to support her current and future students.

“It’s gratifying to help students learn and develop skills and a strong foundation,” said the dual-language classroom teacher at Hopkins-Locke.

All staff earning credentials cited their love of children as the main reason for working to increase their skills.

“Children are fascinating little people,” said Nilsa Baez, a Family Service Assistant (FSA) at Hopkins-Locke for the last 10 years who earned her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.

“I want to have a positive impact on children’s lives,” said Wellington Early Childhood Service Worker Stacey Minter.

The CDA is considered foundational for early childhood education professionals. It requires extensive coursework as well as a classroom observation. In all, 14 staff members have earned their CDA since December 1. (Some declined recognition.)

“Between the pandemic and workforce changes in the last four years, staff has been required to make a lot of shifts,” said LCCAA Head Start Professional Development Specialist LouAnn Rhodes. “Our classroom staff have stretched between the responsibilities of teaching children as well as learning themselves.”

In addition to their jobs at LCCAA, staff

juggled their own children, other jobs or caring for elderly parents as they completed the process.

“They do all this because of their dedication to children and families we serve,” Rhodes said.

“They have so much to be proud of and celebrate as they reach their goals!”

Other staff earning CDAs recently include:

X Hortensia Agosto, FSA Griswold

X Tarnisha Freeman, FSA Wellington

X Jonelle Kirby, ECSW Griswold

X Ruth Martin, ECSW Griswold

X Yaraydaliz Medina, ECSW Hopkins Locke

X Marlis Moon, Asst. Teacher, Griswold

X Tina Showalter, FSA Firelands

X Chelsea Stubbs, ECSW Griswold

X Jackie Watkins, FSA Hopkins-Locke

Moms Invited for Muffins

LCCAA Head Start invites moms and mother figures to visit classrooms on May 10.

Mothers, stepmothers, aunts, grandmothers and all the special women in our lives are invited to enjoy muffins and classroom activities.

Families will also receive a copy of the classic P.D. Eastman book Are You My Mother?

Case Western Reserve Dental School students are coming to our centers this month. Contact your Family Service Assistant for permission slips and details.

Network

Marks 60

LCCAA is proud to be a member of the nationwide network of Community Action Agencies celebrating 60 years of service in 2024. The Community Action network was born when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act in August 1964. Today, 99% of American counties are served by a Community Action Agency.

Years

Every year, agencies like LCCAA connect more than 9.5 million people with services and supports that improve their lives. All programs and services are designed to meet specific, local needs and created in cooperation with people who have lived in poverty.

Annually in May, the network celebrates its work during Community Action Month. LCCAA is grateful to Mayor Jack Bradley for proclaiming May Community Action Month in the City of Lorain. Mayor Bradley will present the proclamation to Acting CEO Shauna Matelski, Ed.D. on May 7 in a special visit to the agency.

LCCAA serves all of Lorain County with emergency assistance and empowering programs. Visit www.lccaa.net to learn more.

May 18, 2024

Sign on to Keep Head Start Strong

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) has issued a call to action for all Head Start families past and present.

NHSA wants the Office of Head Start to amend the rule changes it proposed last November.

“To be direct, the changes the rule proposes threaten the existence of Head Start in many communities and must be reconsidered,” said NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “Our goal is to get more than 50 thousand Head Start parents and caregivers to sign the open letter.”

As Head Start celebrates its 59th Anniversary on May 18, NHSA plans to present their position with supporting signatures. The letter asks the administration to prioritize maintaining the deep and lasting impact of Head Start.

The deadline to sign on is May 12. Use this code to read and sign the letter if you believe Head Start Works!

Energy Assistance Options Still Available

Winter has ended but energy assistance through LCCAA hasn’t. Although the Winter Crisis Program ended March 31, Lorain County residents can still apply for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) until May 31.

HEAP is a once per season benefit applied to heating bills. If you have received the benefit in the past, you must reapply. Applications are open from July 1 to May 31 for the winter season. You do not need an appointment at LCCAA for HEAP.

Other Options

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan lowers your energy bills to a percentage of your income. If your home is all electric, you will pay 10% of your income to your electric company. If you heat with gas, you will pay 5% each to the electric and gas companies.

Staying current on PIPP payments also helps erase old balances. You do not need an appointment at LCCAA for PIPP.

For both HEAP and PIPP, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply. Allow up to eight weeks and use the system to track your application. You can also mail an application, but should allow 12 weeks. Mailed applications cannot be tracked. You can download the application from LCCAA’s

website.

The Summer Crisis Program is set to begin on July 1. This program provides monetary assistance, repairs to central air systems, window air conditioning units and box fans, depending on eligibility. Summer Crisis is primarily intended for seniors and those with chronic medical conditions. Eligibility can vary. Watch our website and Facebook page for details this summer.

Appointment Locations

In addition to appointments conducted by phone, LCCAA Energy Services offers in-person help at three locations in Lorain County.

Seniors are welcome to walk in at

You do not need an appointment to apply for HEAP or to reverify your information for the PIPP Program.

Learn more about all your options by scanning the QR code to download our Guide to Energy Services.

the Lorain County Office on Aging, 534 Abbe Road South, Elyria on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 8 and 11 a.m. or between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Anyone can walk in at the Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman Lane, Elyria on Tuesdays during the same hours.

Appointments are required at the Wellington office of the Lorain County Office on Aging on Fridays at 105 Maple St. Call 440-731-2640 to make an appointment.

Secure drop boxes are available at all locations for submitting required documents.

LCCAA’s Produce Center will remain open throughout the summer. You can use the center every week! Ordering windows are open from 8 a.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Sunday or until all appointments are filled. Keeping your appointment is critical! Scan the code to learn more and start your order.