Child Care Now- July 2016

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July 2016

In the news:

Reminder

Please Save the Date for our ​Board Networking ​Call 

When: Tuesday, September 13th 

Time: 1:00 pm EST.

Topic: "Recruiting New Board Members". 

naeyc


Please help us congratulate the following centers on their recent NAEYC reaccreditation:

  • USDA Child Development Center- Washington,DC
  • Social Security Child Care Center / Woodlawn - Baltimore, MD
  • Harborview Children's Center- Boston, MA


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With summer in full effect, please take a look at the link below on ways to protect children and yourself  during the heat of summer.

http://www.cdc.gov/extremehhtml

Quote of the Month:

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

- Fred Rogers

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Consumer Products Information

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A Welcome Visit

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A recent visit from the Denver Fire Department prompted GSA Property Manger Aaron Rodriguez to share the following:

"As a Building Manager, you see/hear the sounds of the emergency response team,  and we immediately express concern for our facilities in hopes a fire was not occurring, a false alarm was not activated (resulting in a full building evacuation) or a medical emergency is not happening within our facilities. 

Well today the Denver Fire Department's presence at the Chavez Building was a very positive learning experience for our future leaders! The Colonnade Child Care Center at Chavez conducted an educational fire fighters visit for the children. It appeared the children really enjoyed the visit! "


Thanks for sharing.  


Center Spotlight: Region 4

kabob

 

The children at the KIDazzle Child Care Center in Atlanta, GA are spending part of their summer learning about healthy eating. The center's nutrition plan provides children with many servings of fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. The teachers and staff are teaching the kids about the importance of eating a balanced meal, in hope these lessons will turn into healthy habits.  Research shows one way to help kids get the fruits and veggies they need is by making eating them fun.  In the picture above the children had their own fun making fruit kabobs.

Board Business: Communication

One question we get frequently from Boards is about how to foster effective communication with the Child Care Provider.  Research shows that collaborative relationships work best in early childhood settings, so Boards have a special obligation to encourage that kind of communication during all Board meetings and interactions.

In the book "Art and Science of Dealing with Difficult People", author David Brown identifies seven qualities that Boards could use to create an atmosphere of collaborative and effective communication, not only with the Provider, but with each other.  These qualities are:

· Respecting other people's values, beliefs, and opinions.

· Having the courage to accept pressure and face conflict.

· Being open to new ideas.

· Seeking first to understand, then to be understood.

· Accepting that differences are okay.

· Building trust and/or credibility before seeking to bring     about change.

· Judging other people's performance, not their character.

Brown's book is available for a free download at:

http://bookereads.com/pdf1/free.php?asin=1616083638

As you work on your strategic plan for the coming year, don’t forget to include something about communication, essential for successful boards and child care centers.  If you have any communication ideas to share in future newsletters, please contact Jill Rhea at jill.rhea@gsa.gov or Sandy Axelrod at sandra.axelrod@gsa.gov