September 2014

NEWSLETTER
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September 2014
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KBYH summer
The KBYH Group Homes had a very adventurous and even6ul August 2014. Ge?ng our boys outdoors is our mission, our goal, and our passion when it comes to acEviEes. When we travel, our boys experienced unique acEviEes that expose them to real life adventures that are an aJempt to bring reality to the eyeballs and feelings of our children. At KBYH, we believe learning exists when children are exposed to an experience to which they can connect. We want to give our boys the opportunity to go beyond group home boundaries and have first hand experiences. One of many events that took place last month was an ouEng to Redondo Beach. The boys went fishing and took a cruise around the Redondo Bay. Next, the boys went to Magic Mountain and celebrated the birthday of one their peers. While at Magic Mountain, the boys experience rock climbing, roller coaster riding, as well as water rides. They also aJended WWE when it came to town last month. Our boys had the chance to witness professional wrestling at its best. According to one of the boys living at Almklov, “This was the most exciEng event I ever been to in my life”. This event gave our boys a chance to see their favorite WWE superstars live, which included: Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Alberto Del Rio, WWE Divas and many more. Lastly, the Almklov House rented a huge water jumper for the boys. The boys had a blast in their own backyard for the enEre day. !
TRAINING
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The fifth annual Celebrating Siblings Event
was held on August 14th at the Canyon Hills
church gymnasium. 138 children and 62 foster
parents participated. The theme again this
year was the Wizard of Oz. The Canyon Hills
Church staff provided a delicious dinner,
Grimway Farms provided snack pack carrots
and Giumarra Farms provided the grapes.
Several booths were provided by FFA’s and
other organizations. The children and foster
parents appeared to have a great time. Thank
you volunteers for helping us give another year
of celebrations for our foster children and
foster parents.
Upcoming Trainings
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(please RSVP)
October 15, 6:00-­‐8:00PM: “AJachment” with Jessica and Carrie !
November 11, 9:00-­‐11:00AM: “MAB Premisis” with Mark Dominguez !
December 10, 6:00-­‐8:00PM: “Planning & AdjusEng for Change” with Ruth Jackson !
Ongoing Trainings
Mark Dominguez will be offering the following trainings on an ongoing basis: !
CPR/1st Aid RecerEficaEon (for anyone who has previously had CPR/1st Aid training): First Thursday of every month from 10:00am-­‐Noon and from 6:00-­‐8:00pm. ParEcipants must RSVP by the Monday of the week of training. !
CPR/1st Aid iniEal course (for those who have never had the training before): First Saturday of February, May, August, and November, 9:00am-­‐5:00pm. ParEcipants must RSVP by the Monday of the week of training. !
KBYH News Flash, Part III
We sincerely apologize for
misreporting once again. Reports that
Christina Harp is expecting triplets
are false. A seasoned undercover
reporter, James Bond, contacted us
anonymously urging us to correct the
record. Bond is associated with a
special news outlet connected with the
Council of Responsible Adults and
Zealous Youth (CRAZY). Bond
reports that Christina Harp is actually
expecting quadruplets. We were also
informed that an extra stork was
contracted through Canada in order to
make the deliveries. Again, our
congratulations to Christina and Jared.
Maternal and paternal grandparents
are elated.
www.kernbridges.com PH 661-396-2301 FAX 661-396-2349
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SAVE THE DATE
KBYH’s annual Halloween
Carnival is scheduled for
October 23, 5:30-7:30PM at
Silver Creek Park.
Child Birthdays September 23:Rosalva M. September 25: Anjelica M September 30: Junaita M. Foster Parent Birthdays September 1: Kelli Cortez September 6: William Edwards September 18: Hortencia Salas September 21:Claudia Amador September 24: Mike Hicks September25: Susanna Chavez KBYH Staff Birthdays
September 15: Ana Lopez September 16: VerneJa Carter September 19: Casey Walker September 21: Oscar Morales !
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KBYH Staff Anniversaries
Keisha Davis: 12 years Kathy Irwin: 17 years www.kernbridges.com PH 661-396-2301 FAX 661-396-2349
SPOTLIGHTS
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Foster Children of the Month: Mariah! !
Mariah is a very intelligent and active girl. She is a Junior with high potential. Mariah has been
involved in the explorer program through Halls Ambulance and she earned her CPR/First Aid
certification through Kern Bridges. At this time she is interested in the medical field but is open
to other options. She has become active in church activities and volunteer work. Mariah has
started losing weight on her own and is exercising on a regular basis at the gym. Mariah, the
sky is the limit for you!
Foster Family of the Month: Hilda Gayton and Rodolfo Cisneros !
Hilda Gaytan and Rodolfo Cisneros are outstanding foster parents who are highly
deserving of this recognition. The family has performed all of their foster parent duties
and responsibilities in an outstanding manner. They are very loving, dedicated foster
parents who have provided a wonderful home for the children who have been placed in
their care. They treat every child as if they were their own. Hilda and Rodolfo have
received many accolades from the Department of Human Services and schools on how
well they take care of the children placed in their care. The Department of Human
Services often inquires if there are openings in their home. Hilda and Rodolfo are
involved in and attend all school activities and functions for their children. They involve
the children in numerous activities and family outings. They also attend various cultural
events held throughout Delano. Hilda and Rodolfo are positive role models for each child
placed in their care. The Gaytan-Cisneros home provides each child with a very loving,
structured and stable environment. It is apparent that each child receives the
unconditional love, nurturing and parenting they need to become happy, well adjusted
children. Thank you for opening up your hearts and home.
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DHS Social Worker of the Month: Sonia Adams
!
KBYH would like to spotlight DHS Family Services Social Worker, Sonia
Adams, in this month’s newsletter. Sonia has been a social worker with
DHS in the Family Services unit since March, 2013. She had previously
worked at DHS in Court Intake, Quality Control and Family Services from
1999 until 2002. Sonia took approximately 10 years off to stay home with her
two sons, now 10 and 12 years old. Sonia enjoys spending time with her family and riding bikes
with her sons. She also enjoys scrapbooking and gardening, but her boys keep her busy! Thank
you, Sonia, for all you do for us and our kids!
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www.kernbridges.com PH 661-396-2301 FAX 661-396-2349
SPOTLIGHTS
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SAFETY
Each month we will publish a series of safety articles from the foster pride training. This is a second
article of the series. We hope the information provided is useful in helping maintain your home safe.
Bath Time
Every year, children die in bathtubs. Drowning at this age also occurs in
toilets and buckets. Children can drown in just a few inches of water in a
matter of seconds. Constant supervision is the key to drowning prevention.
-Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub for even a second. Experts
recommend that children be constantly supervised in the bathtub until
they are six years old. Don't leave your child to be watched by an older
brother or sister. If you need to answer the phone or door or attend to an
emergency with another child, wrap the child in a towel and take him or
her with you.
-Collect and organize all the bathing supplies you need before you run the
bath water so that you can support the child without reaching for bath
supplies. Always firmly support babies or toddlers until you are sure they
can sit up safely without toppling. Do not allow children to stand or
crawl in the tub.
-Do not use bathtub seats with suction cups. The seats can overturn and
flip a child into the water.
-Check the water temperature to make sure the bath in not too hot or too
cold. The ideal temperature of a child's bath is 98 degrees, and just five
degrees higher is too hot. To prevent changes in water temperature, don't
leave the water running while your child is in the tub. Supervise children
so that they don't turn on the water by accident.
-Buy a cover for the waterspout, or wrap a washcloth around it. The
waterspout can get hot and it may have sharp edges.
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www.kernbridges.com PH 661-396-2301 FAX 661-396-2349