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Greetings!
HELLO, SCHOOL YEAR
We think that this is a perfect time to tell you that…“We’re so glad you are here.”
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COMING SOON…
We will be introducing
The Kindness Corner in early September. This will be a space that is located outside the office. There are routines and rules that are a part of each day at EFC. You may have heard some of the rules, such as:
We are gentle, we take turns, we clean up our toys, we use walking feet, etc. We believe each of these smaller rules all stem from and fall under two big rules:
Being Safe and Being Kind.
We are excited to continue to help foster these important life skills for all the children in our care. From the infants and toddlers curious about the space and people around them to the preschoolers learning to navigate their social friendships, we encourage safety and kindness each day. We hope the Kindness Corner will be a positive place for everyone to explore that helps provide opportunities to discuss safety and kindness.
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FAMILY GALLERY
We would love to continue to display the family art in our hallways. If you haven’t already completed one, please stop by the office for a piece of cardstock. Have fun decorating it in any way that represents your family.
FLU VACCINATION CLINIC
We will be hosting a Flu Vaccination Clinic on
Wednesday, September 19, from 4:00-5:45 p.m. A nurse from the Minnesota Visiting Nurses Agency will be here to administer the shots and this clinic will be available for parents, children, and staff. More details will be posted at the parent table. Please sign up or email us if you/your family would like to participate.
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APPLE ORCHARDS
September is a great month to visit one of Minnesota’s fantastic apple orchards.
Aamodt's, Stillwater
Enjoy apple picking, wagon rides, the Honeycrisp Express train, and more!
Applewood, Lakeville
This orchard includes raspberries and pumpkins too! You can also check out the Corn Maze.
Deer Lake, Buffalo
In addition to apple and pumpkin picking, Deer Lake features pony rides, a play house, facepainting, and outdoor games. Festival weekends at the orchard also include music and food trucks!
Emma Krumbee's, Belle Plain
In addition to the traditional orchard activities, Emma Krumbee’s features an artistic Scarecrow Festival with over 100 unique scarecrows.
https://emmakrumbees.com/apple-orchard/
Minnetonka, Minnetrista
Minnetonka Orchards are pet-friendly, so your leashed pup can enjoy a family outing too! You can also enjoy live music every weekend in September and October.
http://minnetonkaorchards.com/
TC FAMILY EVENTS—OCTOBER 6
There’s something for everyone at the TC Family Events, part of the TC Marathon Weekend. Race distances include 10k, 5k, Family Mile, Half Mile, Toddler Trot, and Diaper Dash. Enjoy the beauty of the State Capitol as well as fun activities in the Family Activity Tent. For more information and registration info, visit:
https://www.tcmevents.org/events/medtronic-twin-cities-marathon-weekend-2018/race/family-events
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HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A CHILD CARE CENTER IS DOING A GOOD JOB?
Many people say that they can feel what a program is like on their first visit. But for others it is a difficult thing to know exactly what their child will experience in a center by simply taking a tour and meeting with the director. However, whatever your decision-making process was, we are so happy that you are a part of the EFC family.
As you continue to participate in our program, we want to make sure that you are aware of the three main vehicles to assess quality in center-based child care in Minnesota. Here is a quick snapshot.
Licensing – A process overseen by the Minnesota Department of Human Resources (DHS) that regulates centers. Centers are required to be licensed which is an extensive process. After initial licensing, centers are routinely inspected. Requirements cover health and safety, equipment, space needs, staff qualifications and staff/child ratios as some of the key components. Minnesota has among the highest standards in the nation which contributes to the quality, as well as the cost of providing care in our state.
Accreditation – There are several organizations that accredit centers in the U.S. At Especially for Children we have chosen to seek accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the largest accrediting body. Under the NAEYC system centers voluntarily apply to be assessed on over 400 criteria.
After months of work preparing classroom portfolios, administrative portfolios, collecting parent and staff surveys, and assuring that each classroom reflects quality standards, an outside evaluator visits to assess all aspects of the center’s operations. Centers go through the accreditation process every five years.
We are extremely proud to announce that all eight of our centers are NAEYC accredited. Seven of our locations have recently received letters that they have been reaccredited as a result of outstanding performances at their validation visits this year. The Edina center will have its visit by the end of the year and we anticipate that it will be reaccredited with outstanding scores as well.
We are so proud of our directors and teaching teams who have worked together to make this happen!! With their commitment to quality our staff is determined to continuously live up to the accreditation standards.
Parent Aware – A Minnesota Quality Rating System that centers in Minnesota can apply to for an assessment of their quality on a variety of criteria. Parent Aware holds NAEYC accreditation in high esteem so as NAEYC accredited centers we become Parent Aware centers after having our staff complete significant additional training beyond the requirements of NAEYC and licensing. All of our eight centers are 4 Star Parent Aware rated which is the highest designation of quality.
Please remember that it is our commitment to be continually challenged to maintain these high standards. And your feedback is always welcome. Here’s to a great year!
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Apple Orchards
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As noted in the Especially for Parents article, Especially for Children seeks accreditation through NAEYC. The organization has resources for families as well.
Check out their
blog
for articles on child development as well as developmentally appropriate activities you can do at home!
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Especially for Children
5015 W. 70 Street
Edina MN 55439
(952) 946-9971
Center Directors:
Susan Wilson and Michelle Botz
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