MARCH 2020
Greetings!

EFC LOVES TO READ!!
March is ‘EFC LOVES TO READ!!’ month. Our study for all age groups will be Books this month! We are excited to kick off the month by celebrating Dr. Seuss!
CENTER HAPPENINGS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS!
If your child has a favorite Dr. Seuss book, feel free to bring it to share with the class during the first week of March.

Some of our celebrations during the week will be:

Monday, March 2, Dr. Seuss’ birthday, we will enjoy “Green Eggs and Ham” for breakfast. It is actually quite yummy even if it looks rather odd!

On Friday, March 6 we will have a silly sock day, so find your silliest socks to wear or even just mismatch them!
PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIP
The preschoolers will take a field trip to Eagle’s Nest on Tuesday, March 24. Please be sure to arrive before 9am for this trip!             
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
READING TOGETHER
A great way to promote reading is to make sure the whole family reads together. This doesn’t mean reading aloud to your child 100% of the time, but reading together can help foster feelings of love and security, increase imagination and vocabulary and increase future success in reading and writing.

Here are a few tips for an enjoyable reading time:

  • Choose a book with repetition.
  • Choose a story that is not too long.
  • Choose a book with pictures that you can discuss together.
  • Read with expression.
  • Be careful not to read too quickly.
  •  Allow your child to ask questions.
  • Set aside a special reading time, such as right before bed time.
  • Read books that your child likes again and again.
ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS
KIDS COUNT!
By Alli Zomer, Director of Operations

There is a truly momentous thing happening in America in 2020, something that is sure to shape our government for many years to come. An event filled with door knocking, ad campaigns and witty slogans. No, I am not talking about the election…I am talking about the census!

Every ten years, the federal government is required to count us, all of us. That may seem like a simple task, but it is a far cry from counting the green and speckled frogs my kids are so fond of (for the record, there are 5 of them). The census is a massive, complicated task. A huge team of people (called enumerators) hit the streets and literally knock on doors to try to understand how many people live in the US. In addition to those face to face counters, people can submit their census forms in the mail and, for the first time in history, online.

Census geeks will spend hours talking about the process, the methods and the data. But for most of us, there is a much simpler question that comes to mind: why does it matter? The results of the census are a pretty big deal for all of us, and especially for our children, for a few reasons:

Representation: The census determines how many seats each state has in the US House of Representatives, as well as the voting districts for state and local government. For Minnesotans to have our voices heard, this representation is vital.

Funding: Census data is what lawmakers use to decide how much money is spent in local communities. And when it comes to our children, everything from school lunch to healthcare to food assistance to childcare subsidy support relies on census data. We know that children and families in our community rely on these resources, and an accurate census helps to ensure that children get the support they deserve.

Planning: The government relies on census data to plan roads, schools, hospitals and more. By knowing who is in our community, lawmakers can create better plans that meet their needs.

Knowing that all these important things are tied to the results of the census (and stay in place for 10 years until the next count), it is important to make sure everyone is counted. Unfortunately, children are one of the most undercounted groups across the country. They often get missed, which means that we lose out on the representation and the resources our children and families need. So, as we head into the spring, think of it as census season, and make sure that your family is counted!

To learn more, visit: https://mn.gov/admin/2020-census/
TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS

Now-3/8  Tropical Beach Party , MN Zoo, Apple Valley
3/1 Kid’s Dance Party , Can Can Wonderland, St. Paul
3/7  First Free Saturday: Kids' Film Fair , Walker Art, Mpls
3/7 & 3/14  Irish Day Running Races , Various Locations
3/10-4/5 The Rainbow Fish , Children’s Theatre, Mpls
3/12-3/14 Disney on Ice , Target Center, Mpls
3/17 St. Patrick's Day Parade , St. Paul
3/17 Irish Celebration , Landmark Center, St. Paul
3/21 Kids at the Castle; Mini Makers , Swedish Institute
3/27-3/29 Peace 4 the Ages , Stages Theatre, Hopkins
3/27-4/30 Farm Babies , MN Zoo, Apple Valley 
 
Especially for Children
2 H South Pine Dr. 
Circle Pines MN 55014 
(763) 786-9410 

Center Director:
Linda Burck
Center Assistant Director:
Kris Steffens
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