A note from Executive Director Nela Cumming
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Dear Encompass Family,
We at Encompass miss you all and hope that you are all well. Even though all of us are working from our homes, we are continuing to engage with Encompass children and their families. Through video chats and groups, virtual therapy sessions, phone calls, story time on YouTube, new podcast episodes, and emails, we are using many tools to connect, inform, and support!
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One of our families left a surprise for staff outside the Early Learning Center
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Encompass will remain closed through May 4th. Decisions about how and when to reopen will be coming in the next week based on guidance from Public Health and the government. In the meantime, please reach out to us if you have a question or need support! We are in this together.
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Finding a Way During COVID-19
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The usual service delivery method for all Encompass programs is through face-to-face interaction. While COVID-19 restrictions have put a hold on those in-person visits, our Encompass teams have put in extra hours to make sure our services to families and children don't stop.
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Our preschool teachers continue to provide materials by mail and through bins filled with art and school supplies outside our preschools. Teachers are FaceTiming students, organizing class Zoom calls and doing special story time videos shared through social media. They communicate with families through weekly newsletters providing valuable tips and resources for keeping kids engaged at home.
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Our clinic team members have provided an outstanding array of resources through blogs, podcasts and videos. These are regularly shared through our social media channels and serve as a valuable tool for helping families navigate these challenging times.
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Telecommunications Resources
Our therapists and early intervention specialists have worked overtime to find new and creative ways to serve our families through Telecommunications channels such as FaceTime, Zoom, and Teletherapy. Though some clients were ambivalent at first, they are learning firsthand that these alternate forms of connecting are working!
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"I hesitated doing teletherapy because it wasn't in person and there were so many uncertainties. But in the end, teletherapy provided a way to bring services to my daughter that are now tailor made through our evaluation and the therapist observation. I look forward to see how the session with my daughter will go moving forward. Thank you for making a way to help me to communicate better with my daughter."
"Jacoby did speech therapy yesterday with the incredible Ashley Egger through a Telehealth platform. I was originally skeptical over how this would be accomplished but I was actually blown away by the progress he made. We did it all over the phone video-chatting and it was engaging!"
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Encompass Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinic Team Supervisor Lindsey Cooper shares how our therapists have adapted their approach and include parent coaching to make sure virtual services are as effective as in-person visits.
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Zoom calls, FaceTime stories, special delivery mail of school and art supplies . . . Our staff members are doing what they can to make sure we stay engaged with our families.
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Parent Talks Podcast: April is Autism Awareness Month
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In honor of
National Autism Awareness Month
, we’re discussing Autism Spectrum Disorder on our Parent Talks podcast in two parts. In
Part 1
, two mothers share their experiences and the signs and behaviors that led them to seek professional help. We also hear from two pediatric therapists with Encompass, Missy Budworth and Kim Hall, as they offer their suggestions and guidance to parents who have concerns about their child’s development.
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Blog Post: Dealing with Behavioral Challenges from Disrupted Routines
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With the long-term closure of schools and parents’ work schedules changing, normal routines have gone out the window, which means a diminished sense of control and security for children and parents alike. With these feelings of uncertainty, it is natural for children to act out and misbehave. In this blog post, Special Educator Sally Rasmussen and Early Intervention Team Supervisor Missy Budworth give tips for dealing with these behavioral challenges.
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Virtual Story Times on the Encompass YouTube Channel
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We have loved watching our staff members step up and find new ways of connecting with families through COVID-19. In addition to many virtual visits, we are also providing story time videos through social media. We've got more story time videos coming, so subscribe to the
Encompass YouTube channel
to see them all!
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Summer Camp Registration is Open!
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Registration for Encompass Summer Camps is now open.
Our award-winning enrichment camps are for kids aged 2-7 years and include teacher-planned, age-appropriate, theme-based crafts and activities. Encompass provides healthy snacks daily for all campers and activities take place in both our beautiful outdoor and indoor learning environments.
Space is filling quickly, so don't miss out!
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Acknowledgements & Thanks
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Encompass Receives Valuable Grant Support from RealNetworks Foundation and Perigree Fund
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Recently, Encompass received grants from The RealNetworks Foundation and the Perigee Fund. Both of these grantors accelerated their grant-making process in order to support Encompass and other nonprofit organizations during this uncertain time.
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This year the
RealNetworks Foundation is celebrating its 10
th year of giving. Encompass is proud to have been a beneficiary of their good work throughout this time. The Foundation invests in community-based organizations in a wide variety of sectors but gives priority to direct, human services (housing, health and hunger-relief) as well as employment and training programs that help individuals and families become self-sufficient. At Encompass, funding from the RealNetworks Foundation supports our CHERISH and Kinship Care Support programs.
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Like Encompass, the
Perigee Fund believes that early experiences matter, that babies need intimacy and connection to thrive, and that bright futures start with strong families. Perigee Fund’s work is grounded in their belief in the power of relationships to create change. Encompass is excited about this new partnership and we are grateful for their support.
Thank you to both of these organizations!
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Save the Date for #GivingTuesdayNow
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Encompass: Here Now. Here Always.
Encompass has been an active participant in the GivingTuesday movement that occurs after Thanksgiving weekend each year. It's been a fun and vital part of our fundraising program. Next month, we will participate in
#GivingTuesdayNow
—
a global day of giving and unity that will take place on
May 5, 2020
as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.
Watch for more information about this important event and how you can be involved!
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Rise & Thrive Breakfast Now a Virtual Event
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Tuesday, May 19
9:00 am
Virtual: Details TBD
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Rise & Thrive has been rescheduled for May 19 and will now be a virtual event.
We are still working out the details, but the morning will include
Dr. Rebecca Partridge
speaking on the importance of early intervention in childhood development and support of children and families in our community. Please watch for more details and plan to join us online on May 19th!
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Encompass Rocks the Valley: A Family Concert Series
DATE CHANGE FOR ALL CONCERTS!
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Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all concerts have been rescheduled.
If you have already purchased tickets,
visit our website
to learn more about your options.
If you have not done so already, please consider purchasing tickets for one or all of our family concerts supporting the
It Starts Here
campaign to build a new pediatric therapy and early learning center in Snoqualmie:
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Save the Date for "Take a Seat for Kids"
Seven custom-designed pairs of Adirondack chairs, created by local artists, will be sold online from
June 8 - 22
. You will be able to view and bid on the chairs via an online auction and at the end of the auction, the highest bidders will get to take home these one-of-a-kind works of art. All proceeds go directly to supporting Encompass programs for children and families. Watch this space for more information!
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Community Advocate:
When COVID-19 restrictions lift, we anticipate Encompass participation in a number of community festivals over the summer.
We are seeking a volunteer lead for those upcoming events (approximately once a month). This person would be trained to set up an Encompass table and share about our services with the public. Applicants must be 16 years or older.
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You can see a full list of events seeking volunteers on our website! For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer,
email us.
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Encompass is looking for passionate people to join our dynamic team! We are currently hiring for the following positions:
Click below to view the job postings and learn more about how to apply!
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