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Greetings!
"WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE!"
As we begin our fall program, we welcome you! We appreciate your decision to choose our center and we take the responsibility you have given us seriously. Whether you are new with us this fall, or whether you have been at the center for years, we want to say, “We’re glad that you’re here!” We will work hard to:
- Keep your child safe
- Maintain our environments to promote good health and sanitation
- Love and nurture your child
- Provide challenges that stimulate your child’s development.
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FAMILY PICNIC
Join us for our fall family picnic on
Tuesday, September 11 at Rosland Park (right next to the Edina Pool) between 6 and 8 PM. Bring a dish to share; EFC will supply pizza, plates, utensils and beverages. We hope to see you there!
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UPCOMING HOLIDAY
Especially for Children will be closed for teacher in-service on
Friday, August 31 and for Labor day on
Monday, September 3. We wish you and your family a terrific long weekend!
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INTRO TO OUR FALL ENRICHMENT CLASSES
Karen—Sign Language
Karen returns in September to teach sign language classes to our Pre-K groups. Karen has a degree in Early Childhood Education from U-W Madison. She offers an interactive class based around the same themes that we are studying here at EFC. Classes are held on Monday mornings, starting at 9 AM.
Kyle—Music with Mr. Kyle
Kyle is a former public-school music teacher who now introduces young children to music concepts. His course is a pre-instrumental course where children learn about high/low notes, variations in sounds, as well as being introduced to many instruments. Kyle will sing with the toddlers, Puppy and Penguin classes every other Monday morning.
Hannah—Spanish
Hannah (former Puppy teacher) will be teaching Spanish to our preschoolers this fall. Hannah is fluent in Spanish and is excited to share O’Neill Language Academy’s Spanish preschool curriculum with the children. We plan to vary the class day so that all children have an opportunity to be part of the class. See our calendar on the back for more info.
Nikki—Stretch-n-Grow
Coach Nikki has a degree in Community Health Education and is a Certified Health Education Specialist, and fitness instructor. Stretch-n-Grow is designed to promote exercise and wellness for children through games, music and stories. A short wellness lesson is followed by warm-up, exercise and cool down; teaching children that exercise is fun and important for good health! Nikki is here every other Thursday morning and teaches all our toddler & preschool groups.
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OPTIONAL (PARENT PAID) CLASSES
Soccer Shots—Monday mornings
Soccer Shots will be kicking off their fall session on
Monday, September 11
for all preschoolers. Please register no later than
Friday, September 8
.
Kiddy Keys—Tuesday afternoons, starting 9/12
Mr. Kyle returns on Tuesday afternoons for an optional music class for preschoolers. In Kiddy Keys, children are introduced to rhythm & music exercise that develop small & large motor skills, memory skill building, recognition of the music alphabet and musical terminology.
Kid Dance—Wednesday mornings
In Kid Dance, a variety of dance styles including basic ballet technique, jazz, tap and creative dance are taught by our long-time instructor Amy. Dancers also participate in two annual shows, complete with costumes, in December and May. If you are interested, please let your child’s teacher know; your child can attend a trial class before signing up!
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ESTABLISHING ROUTINES
As we start our fall routines we would like to offer some tips for morning drop offs. It’s important we all work together and know what to expect each day.
- Keep goodbye rituals short and sweet--and positive. Give your child a big hug and say you will be back at pick up time, and leave. Every child is different and some may need more assistance with transition into the classroom. We are here to help in any way possible.
- If your child is comfortable and doesn’t need assistance with drop off, please come in and say “hi” or give us a wave. This just lets us know your child has arrived and is engaged in the classroom.
- Feel free to call! If your child had a tough time at drop off or if you just want to see how the day is going, please call us! We want you to feel comfortable and know that your child is loved and cared for.
- Remember to call us by 9 AM if your child is not coming to school!! We like to know that our friends are healthy and safe at home! Our direct phone number is 952-835-0505. You can also communicate absences via Baby Connect for your infant or toddler.
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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/w 70th Street 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
3300 Edinborough Way
Edina MN 55435
(952) 835-0505
Center Directors:
Anna Wilson
Samantha Baker
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