Greetings!
2021 EFC SUMMER PROGRAM
We are looking forward to spending a fun summer with your child, learning, growing, and learning about Minnesota!
The Creative Curriculum will continue to be our foundation. This year, our teachers are expressing their strengths and creativity by choosing their own summer themes with an emphasis on themes that are tangible, relatable experiences that children can make connections to. Themes will continue to be reflected in interest areas, books, sensory activities, science experiments, etc. throughout the classrooms. All of our themes will be based around Minnesota…with an emphasis on gardening at the beginning and end of summer as our gardens grow.
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DONUTS FOR DADS
In honor of Father’s Day, all Dads, grandpas, special caregivers, or whoever drops off on Friday, June 18, will get special donut treats to go! Have a Happy Father’s Day weekend!
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MUSIC WITH MRS. JEAN
Music classes begin on Tuesday, June 1, and will be held every other Tuesday throughout the summer months. Jean has taught music at our location for many years, and we look forward to having her return. This class will be 30 minutes in length for each group and will be held for toddlers and preschoolers.
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SUMMER SPANISH
We will be hosting summer Spanish on Thursdays for preschoolers beginning Thursday, June 17. Our Spanish teacher for the summer will be Kaelyn Swartout—one of our Dolphin teachers. The Dolphin and Monkey groups will have Spanish once a week with different units studied.
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SUMMER REMINDERS
--Although flip flops are fun to wear, they are not very safe and will not be allowed at the center. We ask that your child wears tennis shoes or sandals with covered toes and a firm strap around the heel.
--Please make sure to keep a bottle of non-aerosol sunscreen, labeled with your child’s name, at school. We apply sunscreen before going outside both in the mornings and afternoons. Feel free to bring in sun hats or caps for your child to wear outside!!
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SCHEDULE CHANGES
Please notify the office of any schedule changes or vacations this summer. You can stop by the office or email us at efc10@especiallyforchildren.com. If you are staying home for miscellaneous days, you can also mark the attendance log in the entryway with “X” on days not attending. Also, if your drop-off/pick-up times change, please update us as well so we are staffing classrooms appropriately to accommodate your needs.
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LOOKING AHEAD
Especially for Children will be closed on Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day. Enjoy your long weekend!
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NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY
National Gun Violence Awareness Day is on June 4. We are deeply saddened by the escalated gun violence the Twin Cities and our country is experiencing. While this topic is challenging to discuss, it is important that we are all aware of what we can do to keep our children and our communities safe. Tragically, each year children are the victims of both intentional gun violence and unintentional/accidental shootings. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following advice to families and caregivers:
- The safest home for a child is one without guns. If you are a gun owner, explore your options for storing your gun in a safe location away from home.
- If guns are stored in the home, the safest way to store them is locked and unloaded, with ammunition stored and locked separately.
- Ask about guns when your child goes to a playdate. Just as you might ask about allergies, pets or supervision, make it your routine to ask “Are there any unlocked guns in your home” before your child goes to play.
- Talk to your child about gun safety. Remind children that if they ever come across a gun, they should stay away from it and tell an adult immediately.
- Distinguish between movies/TV/play and real life. While children may see guns in the media or play with toys like squirt guns, we should be very clear with children about the difference between pretend guns and real guns, so they understand how dangerous real guns can be.
Following these precautions can help keep children and all of us safe.
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SHARE YOUR PASSION PROJECT
A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY AND WHAT KEEPS US LEARNING AND GROWING
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Over 45 years, thousands of children, staff, and parents/caregivers have been connected to the Especially for Children community. In honor of EFC’s 45th Anniversary, we want to learn about, celebrate, and share the passions of the wonderful people that make up the EFC family.
WHAT’S YOUR PASSION?
What does your child, or what do you, love to do in the world? Is there something you or your child love to create? Art, music, stories, photography, movement, food? Or something you like to experience and explore? Nature, science, culture? A passion can be a talent, but it does not have to be--it is just something you love and that makes you, you!
SHARE IT WTH US!
We would love to learn about your child’s and/or your passion and share it in our Gallery! Send us a photo, video, representation, or any method that works for communicating your/your child’s passion with us. We will create both digital and physical Galleries to post on our website and social media as well as display at our centers. We hope to receive submissions from many members of the EFC community--past and present—children, adults, and everyone in between.
HOW TO SHARE
Email your submission* to angiew@especiallyforchildren.com with the Subject: Share Your Passion Project, or mail it to Especially for Children c/o Angie Williams, 5223 W 73rd Street, Edina, MN 55439.
Feel free to include the EFC center you are or were connected to, your name, and your age. If you have friends who previously attended, we would also appreciate if you could spread the word!
*By sharing your submission, you agree that EFC may use it in on EFC's website, on social media, and in our centers.
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Especially for Children
6223 Dell Road
Eden Prairie MN 55346
(952) 934-1119
Center Director:
Cathie Underwood
Center Assistant Director:
Jamie Kittleson
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