Mission Statement
  
To elevate child development to a new level by leading the social and emotional growth and education of young children by providing a safe, welcoming, home-like environment with a caring, educated and professional staff that promotes partnerships between parents, children, and other early childhood professionals. 
 
 
Upcoming Dates

February 5th:   P.A.C. Meeting 5:00pm
February 8th: SNL @ K1 5:00pm-10:00pm
February 17th: Closed: Professional Development Day
February 18th: School Age Day
February 24th: Picture Day: Infants & Siblings
February 25th: Picture Day: Todds & Preschool
February 25th: Bloom Information Night @ K2


Closure Dates for 2020

Please click   here  to view the Katie's Kids Center Closure list for 2020.    

            

February Notes of Interest

New Chef
Sadly we had to say goodbye to Chef Cody this week. He has been accepted into a school to learn masonry. We will miss him greatly and his happy smile each day. I am also excited to announce that we have hired a new chef named David. Please give him a warm welcome when you see him! In the meantime, we will be suspending our Meal-To-Go option for a couple of weeks as David adjusts to his new role with us. Please watch for more information on this. 

No Outside Food
We have noticed an increase of children eating food from home in the classroom, particularly at drop off. We understand that it is hard to find time in the morning to get a good meal in before coming to school so we respect that your child my still be finishing a morning snack upon arrival. However we can not allow outside food in the classrooms anymore due to DCFS regulations, except on special occasions (ex: store bought birthday treats). If your child is still finishing their food when you get to the center, please feel free to have a seat with your child on our couch in the lobby to allow them to finish their food. Once you enter the classroom, the food will have to be thrown away or taken home with you. Thank you for your understanding!


Hand-washing at Drop-off
Hand-washing is an important part of our daily process and the best way to cut down on germs. Our staff do a great job at ensuring all of our children are washing hands at the appropriate times throughout the day. But it has been noted that we are missing a crucial time period...Drop-off! Please help us cut back on the outside germs being brought into our classroom by washing your child's hands when they enter the classroom upon arrival each day. Not only is this is a DCFS requirement that we need to follow, but it is a healthy habit to have especially while we are in sick season. 

Third Toddler/Two Room
We now have three toddler rooms at our center! Room 2 has been transitioning from an older infant room to a toddler/two classroom over the past few months. This transition allows us to meet the higher demand for care at this age group. What this means if your child is in this room:
      - Curriculum implementation is presented in a different and developmentally appropriate way. 
      - You may now where shoes in the classroom.
      - Meal times have been pushed back by a half an hour to match our other toddler/two schedules.

PayPal Account
Katie's Kids now has a PayPal account to be used for fundraising purposes. There is now a permanent button at the bottom of our newsletters so you can easily find the link to donate in the future. We hope this makes future fundraising easier on all of our families. 
Staff Kudos

Do you have any positive moments you want to share about our staff? If so, we want to hear them! We have created a new Google form called Katie's Kids Kudos. The form is easy for you to access from home, so no need to take extra time at pick up and drop off. Simply click on the button below, fill out the form, and submit. We will be sure to share these positive moments with our staff, as well. 


  Kudos!

Winter Weather Closures

In the event Katie's Kids is closed due to weather, please refer to our website at www.katieskids.net or our facebook page. 
The closure will also be posted on WJBC, WBNQ, or WBWN



Help spread the word of Katie's Kids!
Do you have a friend, neighbor, or colleague looking for care?  For every family you refer to Katie's Kids we will apply a $50 credit to your account after the family has been with us for 90 days.

Saturday Night Live

Saturday, February 8th
5:00 -10:00 p.m.
@ the Links (K1)


Enjoy a night out on your own! We will watch your kids. Children ages 3+ have the opportunity to watch a movie and use their artistic abilities to create a masterpiece of their choice! Free play activities will be set up for children under the age of 3 years. If you have any questions please ask the KKLC Leadership Team. 

Health Corner

Common Winter Illnesses

Winter season is sick season! Below is an article that explains why we tend to get sick more in the winter than any other season. There is also information about some of the most common illnesses we see over these winter months.


RSV



Community Connections
















Our community has great things to offer families! This section of the newsletter is to help you connect to the variety of community events occurring  in the Bloomington/Normal area. Enjoy!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Children under age 5 can earn a free tote bag by reading 1000 books before Kindergarten. Click here for more information.

Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
Click here to view the 2019 - 2020 Season of Events

Children's Discovery Museum
Click here for the February schedule of events

Downtown Bloomington First Friday Events
On the first Friday of each month Downtown Bloomington businesses showcase their wares and artistic abilities. Click here for more information.

Dress Up Movie
Normal Theater is hosting a dress up movie on Feb. 8th. The movie this month is Smallfoot. Click here for more information.

Stroller Tour
This is a chance for your young ones to view an art exhibit at University Galleries on Feb. 10th. Click here for more information.

Uptown Covered in Chocolate
A fun night of shopping and chocolate on Feb. 6th! Click here for more information.
Ideas for Home
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Here is a fun idea to work on hand eye coordination for toddlers...Place pipe cleaners inside the holes of a colander! See below for more information.


 
Loose Parts Donations  

We, at Katie's Kids, would like to keep utilizing loose parts in our classrooms throughout the year.  Therefore, we are inviting parents and families that are interested to keep the supplies coming!  If you choose to donate you can drop the materials off at the front desk at any time!
  
Be sure to look through our center for how the loose parts are being used within the curriculum! 
  
Thank you in advance for your donations, we look forward to seeing the creativity that stems from all of the materials!


Our Focus this Month: 
  • Q-tips (unused)
  • Bottle Caps (cleaned)
  • Popsicle sticks (unused)
Meals to Go

Did you know? In order to make our foot print a little less on this Earth, we use reusable food containers for our Meals to Go! We kindly ask that you rinse your containers and return them to the front desk at your earliest convenience . We will wash and sanitize these containers to be used for our next meals. 

_______________________




No Meal to Go 
until further notice


Getting Healthier...
At Katie's Kids Learning Center, we are committed to providing the best possible nutrition to you and your family.  We hope you enjoy the following recipe: 
 
Bell Pepper Nachos

Ingredients:
  • 4 bell peppers, cut into small wedges
  • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
  • 1 c. guacamole
  • 1 c. pico de gallo salsa
  • 1/2 c. pickled jalapeño slices
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1 tbsp. milk (or water)
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 425° and line two small baking sheets with foil.
  2. Divide bell peppers between baking sheets. Toss with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Lay the wedges on the baking sheets in a single layer, cut side up. Bake until peppers are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
  3. Top bell peppers with both Monterey Jack and cheddar. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
  4. Top with guacamole, salsa, and pickled jalapeños. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and milk together and drizzle over bell peppers. Squeeze a lime wedge on top and serve with more lime wedges.
 

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Katie's Kids Learning | @ the Links | 309.663.5800 |  [email protected] | www.katieskids.net
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