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End of Year Celebrations just ended and included a unique drive-up party at each site. Each enrolled child received a certificate of achievement and a tote full of gifts.
Teacher Appreciation Week May 3-7
This year Teacher Appreciation Week coincided with the annual Education Celebrations and All Staff Event. Throughout the week, each site celebrated Teacher Appreciation in their unique ways, many incorporating parents and classroom kids.
Our agency of 300 staff then came together to attend the virtual All Staff event. This virtual All Staff event included education appreciation presentations with staff shout-outs and photos of what the classroom and virtual teaching look like during Covid-19.
The virtual All Staff event also included agency updates delivered by Executive Director Jen Bailey and uplifting performance by our internal band, The Podz.
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Last fall, we introduced a new position: Child and Family Resilience Specialist (CFRS). Four of our Family Outreach Workers transitioned into the newly created positions to work more intensely with Head Start Preschool Parents. |
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The CFRS offered the Devereux Your Journey Together curriculum to select center-based classrooms. Your Journey Together is a strengths-based parenting curriculum designed to promote the social and emotional well-being and resilience of vulnerable children and families. It is a journey of discovery, learning, and reflection. More parents will have the opportunity to join the program again in the fall for the next program year.
Big congratulations to the parents that completed this first-year program in a virtual setting!
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2021 Family Service Credential Graduates |
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Another round of Reach Dane graduates successfully completed the 2021 cohort!
Family Service Credential is a comprehensive, competency based-training experience, created to support direct service staff in their work with children and families. It is designed to support staff in the refinement of skills and strategies to incorporate the core values of being family-centered, relationship-focused, strengths-based, ecological, and reflective.
The training is appropriate for any staff who work intensely with families in programs such as Head Start / Early Head Start, child care partners, home visitation programs, early childhood or 4-year-old kindergarten programs, family resource centers, etc.
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Hats Off at New South Madison Site |
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Construction Finalized
South Madison on Latham Drive has officially finished construction! Daniel's General Contractors provided logo stickers for Sout Madison children to decorate kid-sized hard hats! The children had fun getting in on the fun and learning about their move and new space. They will officially see the new site in early August when it opens for fall programming.
Your invite to tour the site will arrive soon!
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Former Employee's Generous $10,000 Donation
A former Reach Dane Family Advocate, Autumn Battaglia, and her husband, Wes Schroll, generously donated $10,000 to Reach Dane for direct family needs. Donations to direct family needs allow us to serve families in their most immediate and unique needs in an unrestricted setting.
Direct family needs can include:
- Infant and toddler clothing & toys
- Rental & utility assistance
- Hygiene products & diapers
- Gas and food cards
- Other emergency needs
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"Wes and I are dedicated to making an impact by focusing on issues that will have the greatest impact. We know the importance of social-emotional development and children receiving trauma-informed care and support from their daycare teachers and social workers!
I loved my time at Reach Dane, especially getting to organize family fun days and see everyone get together and have a good time!"
Thank you, Autumn and Wes!
She continues her charitable work by donating proceeds from monthly gym subscriptions to a local nonprofit.
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Madison Homelessness Awareness Event, Sunday 6/20 |
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Please join national speaker, Diane Nilan, and the President/Founder of the organization Hear Us: Voice & Vi, at FUM (First United Methodist) on Sunday (in person or virtually) and hear about Diane's amazing advocacy work building awareness and voice from those experiencing homelessness across the US. Additionally, Diane is currently in Madison collecting more voices of homelessness especially from those who are experiencing homelessness.
We hope you join us virtually or in-person on Sunday!
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Madison Reading Project
Madison Reading Project continues to support our programming as a sustainable partner and we want to bring attention to their many literacy programs for educators.
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Bike Equity
The Madison-based organization, Bike Equity, has been hard at work to create supportive, safe, and welcoming opportunities for Black and brown children, families, and individuals to get on and stay on the bike.
Their Mission: to support the health and wellbeing of Black and brown individuals and communities through cycling.
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Reach Dane joined Bike Equity and other local cycling groups at their June 12th family-friendly event at Penn Park. This event is part of a summer series that offers FREE bike repair, bike rentals, community rides, and snacks. Our staff helped engage families to share our program options and support enrollment.
Look what Bike Equity accomplished just in that one day!
- Loaned 16 bikes. Including 2 long-term loaners (through the end of summer).
- Donated 17 helmets.
- Provided 12 bikes for bike earners.
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New Therapeutic Classroom |
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We are opening a therapeutic classroom within our Head Start program to begin this Fall 2021. The goals of the program are multi-faceted and ambitious. The therapeutic programming will support both enrolled children and their caregivers. An overarching aim of the classroom is to provide access to learning using therapeutic techniques that promote regulation, connection, and resilience.
The target audience is Head Start eligible children that have experienced trauma or other social inequities that put them at risk to achieve necessary social-emotional outcomes.
We are immediately hiring for the Therapeutic Classroom. Please share this email with anyone you know that may be interested in applying for these positions. We are beginning the interview process soon so please encourage interested parties to apply ASAP. Please send questions to Rebecca Miller, Mental Health Manager rmiller@reachdane.org.
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Join a team of caring professionals engaging in meaningful work in Dane and Green County. There are many career opportunities open at various Reach Dane locations in Dane County. Many include a sign-on bonus and all include excellent benefits and work/life balance.
Please help spread the word or apply today!
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Reach Dane changes the lives of underserved children and families through education and supportive services. |
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Reach Dane | www.reachdane.org
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