- Redmond Toddler Group

Redmond Toddler Group
17725 NE 65th Street
Suite A100
Redmond, WA 98052
425-869-5605
www.redmondtoddler.org
April 2012
RTG C A L E N D A R
April 2012
4/2-4/6 Spring
Break
Wed 4/18
Hazards on the
Homefront by Erin
Hislop from King
County Waste at
7pm at RTG
Sheila Dearden
follows General
Membership Mtg
May 2012
Thurs 5/3 Open
House at RTG 34:30pm
June 2012
Mon 4/23 RTG
Board Mtg at 7pm
at RTG
Mon 6/18 Last
day of school
7pm
Year Party at 1012pm Location to
TBA
Come join the Executive Board!
My time as one of the board members this school year has been
a delightful experience! To see the effort, dedication and love
that is put into our school has been a great inspiration. Toby
school is such a special and amazing place because of the generosity and time donated by parents. So much has been accomplished this year and
with the commitment of incredible parents and teachers, the skies the limit with what
our little school can do!
Please consider playing a pivotal role in the functioning of RTG and become a board
member. The different positions are described in this issue. The teachers and curTues 6/19 Open
rent board members are available to answer any questions, so don’t hesitate to ask.
Wed 4/25 General House at RTG 1011:30am
Membership
Applications are available now and can be left in the president’s box or emailed to
Meeting at RTG at Wed 6/20 End of
her at colleen.pryke@live.com
Wed 4/25
Importance of
Outdoor Play by
RTG’s First Advisory Board!
The Advisory Board will consists of current or former members of RTG, along with a Teacher-Advisor. Their
role is to support and advise the Board of Directors and focus on the long term health of Redmond Toddler
Group. They will oversee employees, long term financial planning goals, promote the cooperative, oversee
scholarships with the treasurer and faculty, and assist with finding an appropriate location for the school (when
needed), assisting with lease and contract negotiations.
The various roles of the Advisory Board are:

Financial Affairs

Academic Affairs

Fund Development/Community Outreach

Professional Development

Buildings and Grounds
The term for the Advisory Board will be no less than two and no more than three years. Quarterly meetings
will be held unless more are deemed necessary by the Advisors.
We look forward to begin this special board! It is an exciting opportunity to show your commitment to
Redmond Toddler Group’s purpose, mission, and values.
Applications being accepted now, so please let your teacher or any board member know if you would like more
information or want to apply!
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Toby Times
Board Positions for 2012-13 School Year. If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to speak
with your instructor or any current board member or parent leader. Parents are always welcome to attend board meetings. Attendance at our April 25th General meeting is highly encouraged!
PRESIDENT
Establishes clear goals and objectives for program and individual Board members.
Works with Treasurer to develop a responsible and conservative budget. Monitors actual financial performance against budgeted goals in
order to make necessary recommendations to improve performance.
Provides assistance support in particular to Fundraising Chair.
Coordinates annual Parent Survey and recommends changes based
on responses.
Ensures that all Board Members are performing their jobs effectively.
Acts as liaison between RTG members, Board, LWIT and teachers.
Prior service on board for at least a year required.
Time commitment : averages 5-8 hours per week, busiest times are
August and Carnival (March) at 10-15 hours per week.
Current President contact : Colleen Pryke colleen.pryke@live.com
REGISTRAR
Assigns students to appropriate classes, processes incoming registration forms and mailing
confirmation letters.
Communicates with prospective students by answering any questions
and familiarizing them with RTG’s programs
Ensures that classes are filled to capacity; managing wait lists for classes that are full. Maintains and distributing current class rosters.
Acts as a liaison between students, parent leaders and teachers to
ensure that everyone is given a warm welcome into the RTG community. Registrars are Vice President positions.
Time commitment : 2 hours/week and up to 10-15 hours during busy
times (e.g., September); also requires commitment to run Early Registration Night (March)
Current registrar contacts : Natalie Chabot nat4crim@hotmail.com and
Vera Bremner knittingvee@gmail.com
SECRETARY
Produces and distributes monthly board meeting minutes. Organizes and coordinates annual Preschool Information Night.
Checks school voicemail regularly and forwarding messages on to appropriate Board members (usually Registrars). Sends
thank-you letters to speakers, donors, and other friends of RTG as needed. Assists Publicity Chairperson with events planning.
Time commitment : 3 hours per month, roughly 20 hours to organize Preschool Information Night in January.
Current Secretary contact : Heather Armenise harmenise@gmail.com
CO-TREASURERS
Prepares annual budget and end-of-year performance overview. Prepares monthly reports and
assess year-to-date performance. Makes and
records all deposits and maintain student/class payment records.
Work with tax accountant to prepare necessary report.
Works with Fundraising Chair to fulfill cash needs at events.
Disburses/deposits cash as necessary for special events or other
School expenses. Tracks all RTG funds.
FUNDRAISING CHAIR
Requires strong familiarity with Excel, basic familiarity with Intuit QuickBooks or other accounting software.
Leads all fundraising activities with approval of Board. Recruits and
coordinates steering and sub-committees to assist in executing these
activities. Coordinates procurement and building of baskets to be raffled or put up for silent auction at Carnival. Recommends new fundraising ideas as well as determines the cost/benefit of previous years’
fundraising efforts.
Works closely with President and Treasurer to develop a fundraising
budget and income goals.
Works closely with Publicity chair, Toby Times editor, and Webmaster
to publicize fundraising events and donations.
Time commitment : 7 to 10 hours per month during off-peak times, 15 to
20 hours per month during peak times (September, December, March).
Must be present for Carnival (March).
Time commitment of 4 to 6 hours per month, with
10 to 15 hours per week from January to March
(preparation for Carnival).
Current Treasurer contact : Megan Anderson megaroma1@gmail.com
and Hailey Chamberlain haileyc@chamberlaincs.com
Current Fundraising contacts :
Megan Mehlum meganmehlum@hotmail.com
and Sarah Diamond sarahldiamond@gmail.com
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Toby Times
TOBY TIMES
EDITOR
SCHOLASTIC BOOKS
Works with Webmaster to ensure continuity between Toby Times
and website information
Distribute book order forms to RTG students on a monthly basis.
Verifies book order and check amount for each order.
Consolidates all orders into one and submits RTG order to Scholastic
Books.
Receives order at home where each student order is filled and put into
plastic bags.
Places orders in the Scholastic Book center for student pick-up (in parent
ed room).
Tracks bonus points earned by RTG and coordinates usage of points with
teachers.
Good organization and communication skills
Time commitment of 2 to 5 hours per week
Time commitment of 10 to 12 hours per month
Current Toby Times contact : Joy Randall joyous1118@gmail.com
Current Scholastic contact : Mary Lech
m.lech@comcast.net
Creates and distributes RTG’s monthly newsletter, “Toby Times”. Generates or solicits articles from Board
members, students, and professionals in the community. Sells advertising space and creates ads as well. Works closely with the
Board and teachers to ensure that all relevant dates are included,
and that articles appropriately highlight major events
PUBLICITY
Distributes RTG program and special events information to local media. Creates, updates and distributes
RTG fliers/brochures to local resources such as libraries, schools, and community centers. Works with local
hospitals, schools, parent-support groups to ensure RTG’s visibility in the community. Writes and distributes
press releases for special events (e.g., Wheel-a-thon, Carnival). Works with President and VPs/Registrars to
develop a fluid budget for advertising or other outreach expenses. Coordinates release of information with
Toby Times editor and Webmaster. Recommends new ways to reach potential new students
Time commitment of 3 to 5 hours per week, peak times (Carnival, Registration) will require 5 to 10 hours per
week
Current Publicity contact : Himali Pethe himali.pethe@yahoo.com
LIBRARIAN
Takes inventory of lending library materials three times during the
school year
Catalogues new acquisitions
Reviews checkout cards on a regular basis in order to issue past due
notices if necessary
WEBMASTER
Maintains website with up-to-date information.
Updates website with current status of open/full classes, fee schedule,
important dates, and student forms
Repairs, replaces or removing damaged materials
Coordinates content with teachers, registrars, Publicity Chair and Toby
Times Editor.
Maintains children’s library in the toddler room
Strong familiarity with HTML and CSS.
Reports on status at monthly Board Meetings
Availability to make updates as needed by email.
Computer experience is helpful to maintain the library’s inventory
Time commitment of 5 to 10 hours per
month
Time commitment of 2 hours per week, peaks at 5+ hours per week
during registration and Carnival.
Current Librarian contact : Ann Bogart
ann.bogart@gmail.com and Eleanor Jacka
eleanorjacka@gmail.com
Current Webmaster contact : Chris Segura
Chris.segura@live.com
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MYSTERIES OF TODDLERHOOD, REVEALED
By Shari Steelsmith
Tip—Toddlers live in the present, without expectation of the future.
Ever wonder why young children (about 18 months to 3 years) tend to be uncooperative? I know, I’m
putting it nicely. What I call “uncooperative” here can range from mild resistance to loud, screaming tantrums. Why do they seem to fight so many requests and transitions?
Pediatric nurse, Helen Neville, author of Is This a Phase? Child Development & Parent Strategies, Birth
to 6 Years, offers some insight into the mysterious mind of the toddler. “Toddlers live in the present.
They are faced with choices long before they have a clear sense of time. They don’t know yet there is a future.” For example, a toddler
is inside the house and knows the sidewalk exists outside. She knows she’s not on the sidewalk at this moment. Without a sense of
the future, in her mind, a walk is never going to happen if it doesn’t happen right now. There’s a good chance she’ll have a tantrum if
her mom doesn’t take her outside for a walk right then. It’s also likely that mom will be scratching her head, wondering, why can’t she
wait for us to finish our lunch to take a walk?
Tools—It helps if you, the adult, can understand a toddler’s sense of time. Words and phrases such as soon, later today, this afternoon, tomorrow, and next week have no meaning. In a toddler’s mind, if it isn’t now, it’s never. “No wonder these toddlers are so
impatient and demand everything now,” comments Neville.
Sometime after they turn 2, these present-timers will understand the phrase in a few minutes. They’ll actually understand this idea
more easily if they can measure the time by watching an egg timer or by listening to a familiar song.
When they turn three, children have the cognitive ability to divide the day into before lunch and after lunch. They will also begin to
understand tomorrow is sooner than ten years from now.
Toddlers learn about time through sequence. For example, a child starts to understand that after his daddy fills up his cup, he can
drink the milk. They start to pay close attention to sequence: “After eating in my high chair, my face gets wiped. After lunch comes a
nap. After bath, comes my bedtime.” Sequence becomes their clock. This is why they get so upset when adults do things out of the
regular order. Neville points out that we, too, would get upset if someone went around resetting all our household clocks.
Have you ever tried to skip a few pages of a story you’ve already read to your child umpteen times? Does he throw a fit? Of course, he
does. The ritual and sequence of the story are comforting and reassuring to him. Without sequence, toddlers live in the middle of an
overwhelming collection of disconnected events. When there is a secure, predictable routine, life feels safer and the child feels more in
control.
You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Is This a Phase? Child Development & Parent Strategies, Birth to 6 Years by
Helen F. Neville, B.S., R.N.
Copyright Parenting Press, www.ParentingPress.com, reprinted by permission
Feeling Challenged by Your Child’s…
Power Struggles,
Whining, Bedtime Routines,
Lack of Follow Through,
Sibling Conflicts
….or Something Else?
Parenting Classes based on Positive Discipline
Next seven session Class: April 11-May23, Kirkland
Register: www.kirklandparks.net #34781
Questions: Melanie Miller, M.Ed., nwmillers@frontier.com
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Toby Times
Marriott Redmond Town Center Sky Zone
Desert Fire Restaurant
Zen Rock Fitness
Thai Ginger
Seattle Red Cross
Remlinger Farms
Bikram Hot Yoga
Willows Run Golf Club
Seattle Mariners
Trader Joe’s
Casual Uncluttering LLC
Moments of Expression
Lisa Dupar & Co
Mehlum Family
Seattle Sun Tan
Ben Franklin Crafts– Redmond
Colleen Pryke
Heleyna Holmes Photography
Hubbell Art Glass
Arena Sports
Taproot Theater
Megan Mehlum Photography
Salon LaDiva
Savvy Parents Safe Kids
Café, Inc.
Orange Blossom Society
Better Off Threads
Vineyard Salon
Dance Works
Drawn2Art
Bandito’s Mexican Café
Shoofly Farm
Mehfil Indian Cuisine
Jamba Juice
Hancock’s Bakery
Cushman Family
Spazzo Italian Grill
Little Gym
Pro Sports Club
Shannen Wyman/Kazia Digo
Palettes and Pairings
Eastside Gymnastics Academy
Pine Lake Ale House
Moonie Tunes
Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta
Miller’s Martial Arts
Sports Clips Hair Cuts
Simply Placed Organizing
Dawn’s Candy and Cake
Sky Zone
Fine Wine and Cigars
Adrianne’s House Keeping
Apex Winery
Gymboree Play & Music
Shell Gas Station
Jeffrey L. Wright, LMP
The Nest
Great Play
Sammamish Point Espresso
Gotta Dance
Experience Music Project
5 Graces Restaurant
Happy Nest
Eastside Parenting
Elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
NW Aerials
Creatively Yours
Massage Envy
Rapunzel’s Salon
CeeCee’s Cupcakes
Waterbabies
Family Fun Center
Sammamish Hot Yoga
Jillian’s Billiard Club
Seattle Children’s Museum
Columbia Athletic Club Pine
Lake
Tree House, Children’s Consignment
Regis Salon– Redmond Towne
Center
Great Harvest Bread Co.
David R. Atherton, DDS
Storybook Theater
Mac & Jack’s Brewery
Yogurtland—Redmond
Parent Map
Redmond Police Explorers
Megan’s Toy Box
Columbia Winery
Just Between Friends
QFC
Albertsons
Smith Brother’s Farms
Tim’s Cascade Snacks
Garlic Jim’s Pizza
Costco
Pirate’s Brand Snacks
Mary Leche
Eleanor Jacka
Megan Anderson
Donors cont’d on pages 6 & 7
Page 6
Toby Times
425-881-8252
www.agaverest.com
Agave serves contemporary Mexican food. Hand-crafted
using fresh, natural ingredients, no preservatives, trans
fats or lard. Sustainable seafood, free-range, hormone-free
chicken, beef, eggs, rice & beans.
Also, most of our food is gluten-free.
Free Appetizer with Purchase of 2 Lunch
or 2 Dinner Entrees.
Expires 5/14/2012
Not Valid with Other Offer
Now Enrolling
Educating for
58 Years!
The Redmond Toddler Group runs completely through both the generosity and time donated by parents in the program.
The instructors are the only paid staff. This means that phone calls, registration, accounting, publicity, fundraising, etc.
are all done by your fellow classmates. If you’d like to help out, please talk to your parent leader, your instructor or any
board member. We can *always* use the extra help! And if you run into a parent leader or board member, be sure to
thank him or her for their extra efforts !!!
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Scholastic Book Orders. Order Online OR in Class.
Scholastic Books orders are a great and inexpensive way to help build your child’s reading library
AND to help our school. RTG receives a FREE book for each order placed. For online orders go to:
http://pcool.scholastic.com/parentordering/login.jsp
If you’re a returning student click on Parent enter your user ID and Password. For new students,
click on Register, create your account, then click Submit.
CLASS ACTIVATION CODE is GNBT2
Alternatively, you can order using the printed flyer and hand in a Club order form with a check. Any
questions, contact Mary Lech at m.lech@comcast.net .
Welcome Thomas!
Class J would like to give best wishes to the
Brown family on the birth of their son
Thomas, born on March
19th weighing 7lbs 6ozs.
Congratulations to Isabelle, Scott and big sister
Sophie.
Hope to see you in class soon!
Would you like to welcome a new baby to our community?
We are happy to publish baby announcements.
If there is a birth or adoption in your class, please submit the
names of the parents, new baby and
sibling(s), along with your class letter.
Send all information to Joy Randall
at joyous1118@gmail.com, or leave it
in the Toby Times box in the cabinet
by the bathroom.
CLASSES WITH OPENINGS
Class K 0-12 months Wed 11:45 am - 1:45pm
Class N 12-24 months Fri 11:15am -1:00pm
Class B 24-36 months Mon 11:15 am - 2:15pm
Class J 24-36 months Thurs 9:15 am - 12:15pm
Class L 24-36 months Thurs 12:15 pm - 2:15pm
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Toby Times
Deviled Egg
Boats
Shop Amazon through the
Redmond Toddler Group website
and generate 4-15% donated
funds to our school!
Go to our website: www.redmondtoddler.org
Click on the Amazon ad on the bottom of the Homepage or
Classes page. You’ll be redirected to Amazon.com. Do
your shopping. Depending on what’s purchased and volume of sales through our website, RTG will receive 4-15%
of the amount spent.
These cleverly engineered eggs with a mustardy zip and
We have raised $400 thus far! Let’s keep it going!
colorful sails are sure to become an instant favorite with your
crew.
Ingredients






12 hard-boiled eggs
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons vinegar (white or cider)
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 red, orange, yellow, or green bell peppers
Paprika
Instructions
1. Peel the eggs, then slice each one in half to make boats.
Place the yolks in a medium-sized bowl and mash them with
a fork. Add the mustard and the vinegar, then add the mayon-
Buy a Papa Murphy’s coupon card for
just $5 and RTG receives $4 for each
card sold. Our school raises much
needed funds and you can enjoy an
easy meal for a great deal!
Just ask your teacher or parent leader
in class. Feed the family and support
Redmond Toddler Group at the same time!
naise, stirring until the consistency is smooth but not soupy.
slice each square in half diagonally.
Parents, we would love to hear from you! Share your activity
ideas, recipes, fun crafts, tips, anecdotes, opinions….we want it
all!
3. Fill the egg-white halves with the yolk mixture. Stick the
sail upright into the filling and sprinkle with paprika. Makes
Kindly email your contribution to Joy Randall at
joyous1118@gmail.com with Toby Times as subject by
April 23, 2012 to be included in the next edition.
2. Next, make the sails. To do this, cut each pepper into 1inch-wide strips, then cut the strips into 1-inch squares and
two dozen.
Now Enrolling
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Toby Times
Events Around Town
*Family Discovery *KidsQuest Children's Museum
*4091 Factoria Blvd. S.E., Bellevue * 4/5 ; Thurs 11am
Join this fun and educational class where families work
together on art projects, science experiments, and more.
Perfect for families with children of different ages! Price
includes 2 children. Ages 0-5. $8/member, $10/nonmember (single class). #425-637-8100
http://kidsquestmuseum.org
*First Experiences *KidsQuest Children's Museum *4/5
*Thurs 2pm This introductory class provides time for child
socialization, parent to parent discussion and new experiences. Get messy with paint, experiment with color mixing,
and learn news songs and rhymes! Pre-registration encouraged. Walking-3 years old with caregiver. $8/member,
$10/non-member.
*Eastside Farm Life *KidsQuest Children's Museum
*4/6; Fri 5-8pm Celebrate Bellevue’s farming history by
using a corn shelling machine and corn grinders. You can
take home some of the ground corn to feed to the birds, or
plant a corn seed and see what happens when it grows! All
ages. Free. In partnership with Eastside Heritage Center
& 4Culture.
*Eggstravaganza in Redmond *City Hall Campus,
15670 NE 85th *4/7; 9-11am Hop on over to
Redmond's favorite annual Egg Hunt! Enjoy face
painting, arts and crafts, and Mr. Bunny photos for a donation. Egg Hunt: 10am sharp at Redmond City Hall Campus.
All ages. Free. #425-556-2395
http://redmond.gov/ParksRecreation/Events/
*Kids' Cove Concert Series: Nancy Stewart *Bellevue
Square * 4/14; 10:30am Bellevue Square continues its
concert series for kids with award-winning singersongwriter Nancy Stewart. All ages. Free. #425-454-8096
http://www.bellevuesquare.com
*Beethoven’s Birthday Bear *Benaroya Hall *Seattle
*4/20-21; Times vary Open musical gifts and join in this
jolly birthday celebration, featuring the music of Beethoven. Bring your favorite teddy bear! Featuring Let Your
Music Shine with Lisa and Linda. Ages 0-5. $12. #206-2154800. http://seattlesymphony.org
*Celebrate Earth Day *Community Garden
at Beaver Lake *25101 S.E. 24th St.,
Sammamish *4/21; 12-3pm Celebrate Earth
Day at Beaver Lake Lodge. Lots of earth friendly activities
and information as well as with fun things for the kids to
do. Meet with vendors and local non-profits with ideas and
suggestions on how you can be more earth friendly at home
and at work. All ages. Free. #425-295-0556
*Scenic Train Rides *Northwest Railway Museum *38625 SE
King St, Snoqualmie *4/1-10/28; Sat. & Sun 12-3:45pm
The Northwest Railway Museum will officially resume full passenger service aboard its vintage railway. The Museum will offer
scenic rides through the Cascade Foothills to the top of
Snoqualmie Falls. Round-trip excursions are 75-minutes long.
Board in Snoqualmie, 38625 SE King Street, 12:01 p.m., 1:31 p.m.
or 3:01 p.m., or in North Bend, 205 McClellan Street, 12:31 p.m.
or 2:01 p.m. For more, see www.TrainMuseum.org or call #425888-3030. New this year: Guided tours of the Train Shed Exhibit Building will be offered on the first train every Saturday,
beginning in late spring. Adults $15, Seniors $12, Children $10,
under age 2 free. http://www.trainmuseum.org
Do you have a background as a CPA, in
bookkeeping or Quickbooks? We can
use your help. Please contact our
president, Colleen Pryke at
colleen.pryke@live.com
February and March 2012 Board Meeting Highlights

Board Member applications now being accepted for next
school year.

Advisory Board application and roles/responsibilities to be
offered to prospective applicants.

Bookkeeper position considered.

New class added for Fall schedule– Family Class, Sat 10am.

New teacher(s) will be hired to teach Baby Class and
Family Class for next school year.

PL’s will be required to email Registrars of class changes vs
using change forms.

New financial form posted.

RTG signs on building approved.

Toy Cleanings changed to All School Deep Cleanings.

School currently has 155 students.

Miss Ginny will be retiring.

Carnival generated over $9,000! Final amount pending.

PO Box to be discontinued.

Library to become computer automated for next year.
*Next board meeting scheduled for April 23, 2012 . Parents are
welcome to attend. Please note : Budget and complete minutes
from the latest Board Meeting will be posted on the small bulletin
board in the hall across from the classroom door.