Child Care Now-January 2015

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January 2015

In the News:

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Do you know the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting?
    Cleaning - removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects.
    Sanitizing - reduces, but not necessarily eliminates bacteria on the treated surface.
    Disinfecting - destroys or irreversibly inactivate all forms of infectious bacteria but not necessarily the spores of the bacteria or fungi. 

Want to learn more? Find Green Cleaning information at: http://informedgreensolutions.org/?q=news/green-cleaning-workshops-2012

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Quote of the month: 

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

-Napoleon Hill  

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Find out more about GSA Child Care:

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Tell us what you think?

Contributions and comments on Child Care Now are welcome and encouraged.

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Consumer Products Information

Would you like to learn more about consumer product recalls? Sign up for alerts by clicking the Consumer Product Safety Commission logo.

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Helping Working Families with Young Children

State of the Union

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  "In today’s economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever. It’s not a nice-to-have — it’s a must-have. It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us"

 - Barack Obama

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GSA Annual Survey

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It is time for the GSA CHILD CARE CENTER ANNUAL SURVEY 


Our annual survey provides GSA critical information about the program.  The information is used to compile an annual profile of child care centers in GSA-controlled space. This important tool helps GSA monitor requirements specific to the licensing agreements, identify training needs, and follow program initiatives. We use the data to track program trends and growth, as well as individual centers’ success.  Information is reported to the administration, Congressional Offices, and sponsoring agencies. Stakeholders frequently use the data to benchmark tuition rates, staff salaries and benefits, as well as identify needed resources. Please visit our web library to view previous years annual reports: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103724#Child Care Publications

Providers: The annual survey is open now through February 6, 2015.  Center Directors, please ensure you recertify and can access the survey. Remember to use the same email and password you used to recertify.  If you did not recertify or if your email address changed, request access to the survey using one of these links (internal users) http://r2pbsapps.gsa.gov/cc_survey or (external users) https://r2citrix.gsa.gov/cc_survey/AnnualSurvey/Default.aspx Please contact your GSA RCCC if you need help or have any questions.

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Hand-washing and Sanitizing

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How can you help prevent the spread of the flu?  Hand washing!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) February is the peak month for flu season (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm). Hand washing is like a "do-it-yourself" vaccine—it involves five simple and effective steps (think Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry). Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.  

If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% to 90% alcohol in order to effectively kill germs. The use of hand sanitizers by children over twenty-four months of age and adults in child care programs is an appropriate alternative if traditional hand washing with soap and water is not available. For visibly dirty hands, rinse under running water or wipe with a water-saturated towel to remove as much dirt as possible before using a hand sanitizer However child care programs should follow the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how long the hand sanitizer needs to remain on the skin surface to be effectiveSupervision of children is required to monitor effective use and to avoid potential ingestion.                  

Note: The preferred method for preventing germs is hand washing. For more information on hand sanitizer compliance, "Caring for Our Children" visit: http://cfoc.nrckids.org/StandardView/3.2.2.5

Keeping washing your hands to do your part to stop spreading germs!

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In the Spotlight

Region 1

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The Kathy Herward Child Care Center, on the IRS Andover, MA campus has been providing high quality child care for IRS employees, other Federal workers and the neighborhood for over 28 years.  Recognizing this successful partnership and the IRS support is something center director Jennifer LaCroix makes part of her ongoing operations but , “daily issues and challenges can keep you busy. It is often easy to forget the impact others have on your mission” said LaCroix. 

This year, they didn’t want to forget their friends in the IRS, and decided to thank them in a unique way.  All of the staff baked dozens of cookies, put into holiday tins and topped with “thank you” cards made with children’s handprints.  About 150 candy canes were handed out to employees along the parade route.  Walking along with the Kindergarten class, staff visited friends in the building, from security, to maintenance, to computer assistance, to the Directors of the Center.  “With each small gift, we wanted to let them know that what they did for us meant a lot to us – and to the success of our program. We saw many smiles that day, which made it all worthwhile”, relayed LaCroix. It just proved to us again that it is in the smallest of gestures that you can find the greatest reward.  

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Board Business

Getting off to a great start!

Got a Board Mission Statement? Of course you do. Most often Board Members are not aware of their Board's goals and objectives. So, let's start 2015 off right by either revamping your mission statement or enhancing your mission's awareness.  

Think about the list of questions below and see if your Mission Statement meets your current needs.  If your statement does fulfill your requirements, please work to ensure your Board Members are aware of the Board's objectives.  If not, now it is time to refresh your mission for the New Year!

Does your mission statement answer these essential questions?

1) Why does this organization need to exist?

2) What do we strive to accomplish?

3) How will we accomplish our goals?

4) What values and benefits sustain our efforts?

5) Who does the organization benefit?

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