SEPTEMBER 2021
Greetings!

GOOD LUCK, KINDERGARTENERS!
Goodbye and good luck to our Pre-K graduates! We will miss you all and have enjoyed seeing your growth! It was a joy to be a part of your child’s learning and we appreciate you sharing your children with us at EFC. We wish your family the best as you begin this new chapter. Take care and hugs from us to you!
CENTER HAPPENINGS
KINDNESS BOOK CLUB
For our Kindness Book Club this month, we will gear our book selection primarily for our Infant and Toddler classrooms with a selection of fun board books.
PICTURE DAY
Picture Time will be here on Tuesday, September 14, to take individual photos. Pictures will be taken outside (weather permitting), and classroom composites will be also be created.
FLU VACCINATION CLINIC
We will be hosting a Flu Vaccination Clinic on Wednesday, September 15. A nurse from the Minnesota Visiting Nurses Agency will be here to administer the shots and this clinic will be available for parents, children, and staff. Details and sign-up instructions will be posted at the parent table. To ensure social distancing, all paperwork must be completed prior to arriving.
PARENT REMINDERS
EFC CLOSED
As a reminder, Especially for Children will be closed on Friday, September 3, for our company-wide professional development day and Monday, September 6, for Labor Day. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!
HEALTH CARE SUMMARY AND IMMUNIZATIONS
We appreciate everyone’s efforts to keep their child(ren’s) files updated at our center. Our license requires us to keep current records on site of each child. We need annual physical forms as well as the computer print out of updated immunizations. If you have an appointment scheduled, feel free to stop by the office to gather the necessary paperwork. Again—thank you for your help!
STAR WELLNESS
star wellness
HOMEMADE VEGETARIAN CHILI
 
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons chili powder*
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice, to taste
 
Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or crème fraîche, grated cheddar cheese, etc.
 
View instructions here:
ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS
TEACHING STRATEGIES: SIX POSITIVE MESSAGES
By Angie Williams
As we begin the fall program at Especially for Children, we wanted to share with families some of the guiding principles for our classrooms and interactions. The Six Positive Messages below come from Teaching Strategies, author of The Creative Curriculum®, and for the past several months, our team of managers has reflected on them and set goals and strategies for ensuring they are reinforced in our program:
 
This is a good place to be.
The intent of this message is reassurance for children that they will enjoy being in the classroom and feel safe there. Our goal is to have them look forward to learning new things and spending time together.
 
You belong here.
This is a message of acceptance. By sending this message, we help children feel accepted for who they are and encourage them to build connections with others. Our messages can help children appreciate different types of people and learn to find similarities that form the foundation of friendships.
 
This is a place you can trust.
This message is about reliability. Young children crave consistency, routine, and structure. Once children build trust in their environment, teachers, and classmates,
they feel safe to unleash their creativity and big ideas.
 
There are places you can be by yourself.
The intent of this message is respect for children as individuals. Some children need more alone time than others. We let them know that this is okay and that we respect their needs.
 
You can do many things on your own here.
This is a message about nurturing independence. During the early childhood years, children are learning that they are unique individuals with their own interests and agency. By sending this message and providing developmentally appropriate
challenges, we are building children’s confidence in their ability to achieve their goals.
 
This is a safe place to explore.
This is a message of confidence. To do their personal best, children need the freedom to try new things without fear. They should feel that it’s quite acceptable—even expected and encouraged—to make mistakes as they learn.
 
These positive messages guide our teaching staff and leadership as we arrange classrooms and build relationships with children and families. In addition, we will look to EFC’s core values below as we build community at the start of the “school year”:
 
  • Trust and openness
  • Respect and affirmation
  • A balance between flexibility and structure
  • Adaptability and spontaneity
  • Support of individuality and self-reliance
  • A spirit of cooperation
  • An atmosphere of warmth and caring
  • A sense of humor
 
Thank you for choosing Especially for Children. We look forward to a wonderful fall together!
Angie Williams
EFC Marketing Director
TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS

Now-9/6 MN State Fair, Saint Paul
Now-10/3 (weekends) Renaissance Festival, Shakopee
9/10-9/12 City of Ramsey Happy Days, Ramsey
9/19 Red Barn Pizza Farm, Northfield, MN
9/18-9/19 Excelsior Apple Day, Excelsior
 
Apple Orchards
Aamodt's, Stillwater
Deer Lake, Buffalo
Emma Krumbee's, Belle Plain
Minnetonka, Minnetrista
 
Especially for Children
5015 W. 70 Street
Edina MN 55439 
(952) 946-9971 

Center Directors:
Susan Wilson and Michelle Botz
SHARE YOUR PASSION
We’d love for you to Share Your Passion with us as we celebrate our 45th Anniversary! See current submissions here:

You can email your entry to angiew@especiallyforchildren.com
CONNECT WITH US