Head Start November 2014 Newsletter

November 2014
RENO COUNTY HEAD START
November 2014
2014 - 2015 Head Start Policy Council Seated
Head Start Program Regulations require each Head Start
program to establish and
maintain a formal structure of
shared governance through
which parents can participate
in policy making or in other
decisions about the program.
This structure must consist of
the following groups, as
required: Policy Council and
Parent Committee. Policy
Council must include two types
of representatives: parents of
currently enrolled children
and community representatives. Policy Councils must
work in partnership with key
management staff and the
governing body (USD 308
Board of Education) to
develop, review, and
approve or disapprove
program policies and
procedures.
Congratulations to those
elected to serve on the Reno
County Head Start Policy
Council for the 2014-2015
school year!
Parent Representatives
Shirlie J Hutcherson Center
USD 308
CHARLES CRUMBLE
CRYSTAL FOGG
SARAHI MENDOZA
MARGARITA ZIMMERMAN Elected KHSA Parent Representative
McCandless USD 308
DEL REY CARLSON
Nickerson USD 309
LISA SACK
South Hutchinson USD 309
TERRY LYLE - Elected Chairperson
Union Valley USD 313
ANTOINETTE JOHNSON
Plum Creek USD 313
Plum Creek USD 313
AMBER SEACHRIST
Early Head Start
JESSICA GRESTY
BOBBI ROSE - Elected Vice
Chairperson
SHAWN STUNKEL - Elected
Secretary
Community Representatives
BETH CARLTON Childcare Links Elected KHSA
Friend Representative
STEPHANIE KING 308 Board of Education
SUSAN MABRY Parents as Teachers
HEATHER PETERSON Reno County Health Department
Congratulations and thank
you to all of those serving on
the 2014/2015 Reno County
Head Start Policy Council .
Volunteers Needed At Museum in November
Head Start Day of Caring Volunteers (DOCS) will be cleaning and sanitizing toys at the Kansas
Kids Museum at the Hutchinson Mall Tuesday, November 18 starting at 5:30 p.m. All Head Start
parents, family members, friends and staff may be DOCS volunteers.
Transportation to the museum will be provided for volunteers who need it. School vans will
depart from the Hutcherson Center at 5:15 p.m. All volunteers will meet at the museum at 5:30.
Child care will be available at the Hutcherson Center for children of volunteers starting at
5:00 pm.
Upcoming Dates:
WATCH FOR FLYERS AND
CHECK YOUR CHILD’S
BOOKBAG FOR MORE
INFORMATION!
DOCS NOVEMBER 18
PARENTING CLASSES
PARENT COMMITTEE
APPLY FOR HOLIDAY
ASSISTANCE
Inside this issue:
NUTRITION SCREENINGS
PERSONAL SAFETY
AWARENESS
FALL ACTIVITIES FOR
FAMILIES
THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS
If you have questions or would like more information call Mary @ (620) 615-5793.
WHAT: Head Start Day of Caring Volunteers (DOCS)
WHERE: Kansas Kids Museum at the Hutchinson Mall
WHEN: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 @ 5:30 p.m.
Head Start
Day of Caring
Volunteer
Volunteering changes lives,
Including your own.
HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE
WAYS TO CUT
THANKSGIVING CALORIES
November 2014
Nutrition Screenings
*A hemoglobin test is done for
several reasons:
 To check overall health
 To diagnose a medical
condition
 To monitor a medical
condition
Dear parents/guardians,
All children have been
screened for nutrition risk
factors. Your children have
been weighed and measured in their classroom.
The results from these
heights and weights along
with the hemoglobin*, taken from your child’s physical are used to screen
each child for nutrition risk
factors. Some risk factors
include underweight, overweight, at risk of being
over weight and low hemoglobin. If your child
has a nutrition risk factor
the dietitian will do a further assessment using the
nutrition information you
filled out during enrollment. A note and a
handout with information
about your child’s specific
Head Start has a dietitian
on staff for all parents that
would like nutrition information or counseling. Some
topics may include food
budgeting, low fat cooking,
picky eaters, healthy family
weights, lowering your
child’s sugar intake, and
many more.
Please contact the Nutrition
Coordinator, Tracey Colbert at (620)615-5785 if
you wish to make an appointment with the dietitian,
Ellen Garden. You may also
request a print out of your
child’s growth charts or ask
questions about your child’s
nutrition screening.
*What is Hemoglobin?
Hemoglobin is a protein in red
blood cells that transports
oxygen throughout the body.
A hemoglobin test is used to
determine how much hemoglobin is in the blood. The
hemoglobin test may be used
to screen for, diagnose, or
monitor a number of conditions
and diseases that affect red
blood cells. If a hemoglobin
test reveals a hemoglobin level
that is lower than normal, it
indicates a low red blood cell
count (anemia). Anemia can
have many different causes,
including vitamin deficiencies,
bleeding and chronic diseases.
Anemia is one of the most common childhood disorders.
If a hemoglobin test shows a
higher than normal level, there
are several potential causes —
the blood disorder polycythemia vera, living at a high
altitude, smoking, dehydration,
burns and excessive vomiting.
Because Kids Don’t Come With Instructions
One thing most parents will agree
upon is that raising kids is hard
work, but yet the most amazing
and rewarding thing you may
ever do. No matter how experienced we are as parents, and
how much we think we know, the
reality is that raising kids cans
sometimes be challenging. As
parents we may try something
that doesn’t work, adjust our
methods and try again. What
worked for one child will not necessarily work for another. Head
Start offers parenting support to
moms and dads in the form of
parenting classes, one on one
mentoring, mental health consultation, and Family Time. All services
are provided at no cost to Head
Start and Early Head Start
parents. If you have questions or
want more information please
contact your FSW or Home Visitor
or call Mary @ 620-615-5793.
Parenting Classes
For Mothers and Mother Figures:
“Star Moms” How did we
learn? How will we teach? In this
last STAR Moms session, we will
reflect on experiences and
people who have influenced our
parenting style. We will focus on
what we want for and from our
children in order to help them be
contributing members of the
family. This session corresponds
with the Strong Dads class. We
will begin with a family style
dinner and then children will be
in supervised play while moms
and dads enjoy an evening of
fun and learning.
For Fathers and Father Figures:
“Quenching the Father Thirst Developing A Dad” is a class
for fathers by fathers in which
dads get together to discuss
issues for today’s dads and
learn important Dad skills.
Page 2
Supper and child care are
provided for dads and their
kids. Space is limited for mom
classes and dad classes so
call right away to make reservations at 620-615-5793.
One on One Mentoring for
Dads
Sometimes dads just need
someone to listen to their
concerns and offer encouragement. If you are looking
for answers to your parenting
questions but a group setting
is not your thing, Head Start
offers one on one dad
mentoring with Kevin Guffey.
Kevin is a Strong Dads
Community Trainer/Mentor
with the Kansas Strong Dads/
Super Kids program.
Mental Health Consultations:
All families enrolled in Early
Head Start and Head Start
can participate in Mental
Health Consultation with Morgan Penner, Licensed Master
Social Worker. Parents often
request Mental Health Consultation due to concerns about
stress, anxiety, tantrums, sleep
issues, toilet training, divorce,
death and parent mental health.
Family Time
Family Time is for one parent
and one child and is held once
weekly for 30 minutes. Each
week parents learn new games
to play at home with their children. There is a Family Time for
Spanish speaking parents and
one for English speaking parents. Child care is provided for
siblings during Family Time.
November 2014
Personal Safety Awareness
Dear Head Start Families,
From the beginning of the year, teachers have been teaching
children about safety using the Second Step Curriculum.
Children have learned about fire safety, bus safety and
pedestrian safety. Beginning in January, classes will continue
the safety theme and learn about touching safety. Research
has shown that an informed child is less likely to be a victim of
abuse than an uninformed child, and so we provide this
information as part of our efforts to protect children.
The safety rules about touching teach children that there are
three kinds of touches.
1. Safe touches. These are touches that keep you safe and
are good for your body. They make you feel cared for loved
and important. Safe touches include hugging, holding hands,
pats on the back and a shot from the doctor.
2. Unsafe touches. These are touches that are not good for
body and either hurt your body or hurt your feelings.
3. Unwanted touches. These may be safe touches, yet the
child does not want to be touched in that way, by that person
in that moment in time. It’s ok for a child to say “no” to
unwanted touches.
During classroom lessons, the children will learn the Touching
Rule: A bigger person should not touch your private body
parts except to keep you clean and healthy. Children will
learn that private body parts “are those parts covered by a
swimsuit”.
In preparation for these lessons, information about the Talking
About Touching program will be presented at the November
parent committee meeting. The curriculum will be available
for parents to review and a parent video will be presented
about how to talk with young children about what to do if
unsafe or unwanted touches happen. If you cannot be at the
parent meeting but would like more information about the
Talking About Touching series, contact your classroom teacher
or your Family Support Worker.
Sincerely,
Tamme Buller,
Mental Health Coordinator
Reno County Head Start
Fun Activities For Fall - Take It Outside!
Outdoor Games
Play the old standbys, like
Hide and Seek, Kick Ball and
Freeze Tag, Mother May I,
Simon Says, Ring Around the
Hit the Trails
Rosie, Hopscotch, Red Light
With the weather not too hot Green Light and Red Rover.
and not too cold, fall is the
Toss or roll the basketball,
perfect time to explore
football, soccer ball or baseparks, trails, and other local ball. Make an obstacle
scenery. Older kids may ride course using boxes, cans, and
outdoor furniture.
trikes/bikes while younger
children are pulled in a wagRake and Jump
on or pushed in a stroller.
Take a nature hike and have Turn fall yard work into family fun. Everyone knows that
your child look for colored
leaves and other natural ob- the best reward for raking
leaves is jumping in the piles,
jects. Ask your child to tell
you colors and count items as and the bonus is that both the
raking and the jumping get
you enjoy nature. Let your
hearts pumping. If you have
child describe the weather
a preschooler, supply him
(hot or cold? Windy or calm? with a child-sized rake so he
Cloudy or sunny?) or sing a can help just like the bigger
song together as you stroll.
kids. It's also fun to make
Kids enjoy being pushed in a mazes and trails in your
swing or on the merry go
leaves before you bundle
round. Take along a favorite them all into piles.
toy for the sandbox.
Don't let the end of summer
mean the end of outdoor
play! Get out and get moving
with these fun fall activities.
Page 3
Make a path through the
leaves then have kids walk,
run, or bike the course.
Have the kids help with other
seasonal yard work too.
The cooler months are a good
time to plant evergreens,
bulbs, and fall flowers like
mums, so hand out shovels and
let kids help dig some holes.
Outdoor play is good for
children. It increases physical
activity, increases the body’s
vitamin D levels, reduces
anxiety and improves mood,
helps develop stronger
immune systems, and improves
focus. Natural light, exercise,
and fresh air can benefit both
parent and child.
Take it outside!
10 More Free Outdoor Activities:
 Eat lunch outdoors
 Make a scarecrow for your yard
or porch
 Look at books or read a story
outside
 Create a scavenger hunt
 Sky gaze- instead of spending
yet another evening in front of
the television, grab a blanket
and head outside for some star
or cloud gazing. Marvel at the
full moon, the planets, the stars,
and whatever else the little ones
can imagine up in the sky. What
do you see in the clouds?
 Go on a bug hunt
 Play “parachute” with a large
sheet
 Play in the puddles after it rains.
Why not make some mud pies?
Ever dance in the rain?
 Have a toy car wash
 Climb a tree
Be sure you and your child are
dressed appropriately for the weather. If you need help getting a coat,
hat or gloves for you or your child
please tell your FSW, Home Visitor,
or another staff person.
Small Talk
Thanksgiving Safety
Use Small Containers
Hot food that’s kept in a large
container takes a long time to cool off.
That warm spot in the center can grow
bacteria, even if it’s in the fridge.
Keep leftovers at least 2 inches apart in
the fridge to allow cold air to circulate.
Reheat Leftovers Thoroughly
Even though your food has been
cooked, it’s best to reheat leftovers to
at least 165 degrees because that will
kill any germs that may have set up
shop while it was in the fridge.
Wash your hands well with soap and

warm water before handling leftovers.
Choking

As your child grows, he'll be eager to
sample food from your plate – and
you'll be eager to add variety to his

diet. But not all foods are safe for
your child at every age. Some still
pose a choking hazard. Supervise

children whenever they are eating or
drinking. Make sure you're child sits
while eating. Mash or cut up your
child’s food. Pieces for your child

should be no larger than a pea.
Common choking hazards include
popcorn, nuts, hot dogs, grapes, hard

candy and cough drops. Avoid
chewing gum and soft foods like
marshmallows and jelly or gummy
candies that might get lodged in your
child's throat. Be careful not to give

your toddler large dollops of peanut
butter or other nut butters, which can
Butterball Turkey Talk Line
 Never leave children alone in a (800) BUTTERBALL (800-288-8373) Availa- be difficult to swallow. Instead, spread
peanut butter thinly on bread or crackroom with a lit candle.
ble November 1 through December 28,
ers. You might want to try thinning it
weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST; Saturday
with some applesauce before spread Make sure smoke alarms are
and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST; Thanksgiv- ing it. Avoid letting your child eat in
working. Test them by pushing
ing Day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST; Nov. 24 to
the car since it's hard to supervise
the test button and replace
Dec. 25, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST.
while driving. If you're using a rub-on
batteries if necessary.
teething medication, keep a close eye
Honeysuckle White
on your toddler as it can numb his
 Children can help cook using
(800) 810-6325 Recorded answers to
throat and interfere with swallowing.
recipes that can be done outfrequently asked turkey preparation
In adults, choking most often occurs
side the kitchen.
questions.
when food is not chewed properly.

Talking or laughing while eating may
 Have games, play dough, puzzles or
Safely Storing Holiday Leftovers
cause a piece of food to "go down the
books available to keep children busy
Leftovers give you a few more days to savor wrong pipe."
your holiday creations. Make sure they're
outside of the kitchen.
Holiday Pet Safety
safely stored by following these pointers.
Do not feed your pets cooked turkey
Follow the Two-Hour Rule
bones. Cooked turkey bones can be
Bacteria can start growing on your food just dangerous as these bones are sharp
two hours after your meal leaves the oven.
and may get lodged in the GI tract,
pack those leftovers away as soon as
esophagus, or teeth of your pet.
possible.
Safe Turkey Handling Tips
Thawing a Frozen Turkey
If you are buying a frozen turkey, allow plenty of time for it to defrost. You can defrost
the turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water.
Never defrost a turkey at room temperature.
Defrosting the bird in the refrigerator is the
safest method. Leave the turkey in its original
wrapping and place it in a baking pan,
breast side up. If you choose to use the cold
water method, put the turkey, still in its original wrapping, in a large sealed bag to prevent contamination. Place the turkey in a baStay in the kitchen when you are sin or bath and cover with cold water.
Change the water completely every 30
cooking.
minutes. Undoubtedly this is a faster (though
labor-intensive) method, but there is a risk of
Keep children away from the
bacterial growth near the surface of the bird
stove.
as the interior continues to thaw.
Once thawed this way, the turkey should be
Make sure children stay away
cooked immediately. Make sure you use a
from hot food and liquids.
separate cutting board and utensils for the
turkey to avoid contaminating other foods.
Keep the floor clear so you
Be sure to wash your hands with hot, soapy
don’t trip over children, toys, or water before touching anything else in the
bags.
kitchen. Wash the cutting boards and utensils
used for the turkey as soon as you are done
Keep sharp knives out of the
with them. Use paper towels instead of cloths
reach of children.
for clean up wherever possible.
There is plenty of help available from various
Be sure electric cords are not
turkey hotlines.
dangling off the counter top
within easy reach of a child.
Reynolds Turkey Tips Line
(800) 745-4000 Open through December
Keep matches and lighters out
31, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
of the reach of children.
Did you know there are more cooking fires
on Thanksgiving than any other day of the
year?
The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Children love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the
kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and
people at home. Here are a few tips to keep
children safe during Thanksgiving and other
important family holidays.
Page 4
November 2014
Thanksgiving Assistance
KWBW Operation Thanksgiving: Provides families with a Dillons card to purchase items to prepare a
Thanksgiving meal. Applications will be taken at the Salvation Army Office, 700 N. Walnut in Hutchinson
Monday, November 3 - Thursday, November 20, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Applicants must provide: 1) Photo ID for
adults 18 and over 2) ID for each person under 17 years old (shot record, school ID, SS card, insurance or
medical card, National identification card, birth certificate, etc.) 3) Proof of income (pay stub, income tax
statement, DCF letter, etc.) 4) Proof of address. Applicants will be asked to provide a working telephone
number (home, friend, cell, neighbor, etc.) in order to be notified of date and time to pick up Dillons card.
If your contact number changes let the Salvation Army know.
FREE Thanksgiving Meals:
Single Parent Thanksgiving Dinner Sunday, November 23, 5:00 - 7:00 pm @ Elmdale Community Center 400
E. Ave. E in Hutchinson. Games for children in the gym. Sponsored by Crossroads Christian Church.
Soup Kitchen FREE Thanksgiving Meal 301 East 3rd Street, Hutchinson. The Soup kitchen is serving a full
Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday, November 26. Dining room opens at 11:00 am, meal served at 12:00 Noon.
Meals will be delivered to those unable to get to the Soup Kitchen. In order to receive meal delivery reservations must be made by 6:00 pm Tuesday, November 25. Call 620-662-6468 to arrange for home delivery.
Everyone Welcome!
FREE Community Thanksgiving Dinner Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 27 at Emmanuel Lutheran
Church, 140 E. 30th in Hutchinson.11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Please call the church office for reservations:
620-662-8622. Don't be alone on this special day. Join the Emmanuel family for good food and fellowship.
RCAT will provide transportation from pickup locations. For the pickup locations and times call the church.
An invitation to all!
FREE Thanksgiving Dinner at Sterling College Student Union, 125 W. Cooper in Sterling. Thanksgiving Day,
Thursday, November 27, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. All are welcome!
Christmas Assistance
Salvation Army Christmas Assistance: Food basket and toys. Applications will be taken at the Salvation Army Office, 700 N. Walnut in Hutchinson Monday, November 10 Wednesday, November 26 and Monday, December 1 - Wednesday, December 10 from 9:00 am -11:00 am
& 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm. Applicants must provide: 1) Photo ID for adults 18 and over 2) ID for each person under
17 years old (shot record, school ID, SS card, insurance or medical card, National identification card, birth certificate, etc.) 3) Proof of income (pay stub, income tax statement, DCF letter, etc.) 4) Proof of address. Applicants will be asked to provide a working telephone number (home, friend, cell, neighbor, etc.) Distribution is
Thursday, December 18.
Call 620 - 663-3353 for information.
First Call for Help Christmas for Teens: Provides gifts for teenagers ages 13 - 17.
Gifts will be handed out Friday, December 19, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the First Call for Help office, 721 West
2nd in Hutchinson. Those wanting to participate must pre-apply at the First Call for Help office. Applicants
must provide identification for each person in the household under age 17. Identification may be a birth certificate, social security card, medical card, school ID, national identification card, etc. Adults 18 and older must
have photo ID. Must also show proof of address and proof of income. Applications are being taken at the
office now through Friday, December 12. For more information call 620 - 669 - 0159.
Page 5
November 2014
RENO COUNTY HEAD START
Head Start
330 Charles
Hutchinson KS 67501
620-615-5750
Early Head Start
518 N. Washington
Hutchinson KS 67501
620-665-8648
The VISION of Reno County Head Start is to create and sustain an environment where low-income
pregnant women and families with children ages birth to five thrive by:
 Recruiting and selecting highly qualified, well prepared and motivated staff and
volunteers;
 Developing and maintaining productive partnerships within the community;
 Providing access to comprehensive health care;
 Promoting healthy lifestyle choices;
 Ensuring the development of infants, toddlers and young children, including children
with disabilities;
 Developing the capacity of families to nurture their children;
 Preparing children to succeed in school and in life.
We’re on the Web!
www.usd308.com
Like Us on Facebook!
Reno County Head Start &
Reno County Early Head Start
Ways to Cut Thanksgiving Calories
The holidays are coming and they're typically full of rich and highly caloric foods that aren't necessarily good for our health or our
waist lines. The average American gains approximately one to two pounds during the holidays. These pounds typically aren't shed
and can add up over the years. By making just a few minor adjustments, you can save yourself hundreds of calories. Use some of
the tips below to reduce calories and fat while preserving the flavor of your meals.
HIGH CALORIE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
1. Baked Goods
Oils and butter in these recipes can be substituted with apple sauce, prune puree, or bananas.
2. Chocolate
Use fewer chocolate chips than a recipe calls for or substitute with cocoa powder.
3. Whole Milk, Whipping Cream
Lower fat milk or imitation whipped cream will reduce your calories greatly.
4. Butter
Use healthier fats like light cooking spray, canola oil, whipped butter, olive oil, peanut oil, or a trans-fat-free margarine.
5. Salad Dressing
Salads may seem super healthy, but just a tablespoon of some salad dressings can set you back 100 calories. Instead use
reduced-calorie salad dressing, lemon juice, reduced-fat cottage cheese, or herb-flavored or wine vinegar.
6. Cheese
Instead of the usual cheese, try reduced fat cheese. I bet neither you nor your family will be able to tell the difference.
7. Sour Cream, Mayonnaise
Use a plain fat free yogurt--it has the same texture and similar flavor to both sour cream and mayonnaise.
8. Gravy
Put your gravy into the refrigerator before serving. Once it gets cold the fat will collect at the top, skim it off, defrost, and serve.
Page 6