Who can attend?
Any teacher/caregiver who works directly with children between birth and five years of age and has not yet been to a Little Read Wagon workshop in 2008.  If you have already attended one Little Read Wagon workshop in 2008, we look forward to seeing you next year.

What does it cost?   It’s FREE! 

How do I register?
Phone registration is required and is being accepted now.   Participants need to call Little Read Wagon at 207-2517 or 207-0194 to sign up. Space is limited; first come, first served.  Note: Registration of coworkers is limited to five per workshop.

What will we learn?

Each workshop will include information on the San Antonio Public Library, discussion and presentation on six early literacy skills every child needs, and "make and take" literacy prop projects..

Help us make this a great experience for everyone!

1. Please understand that you must arrive on time as a courtesy to presenters and other participants.
2. Please have fun and learn as much as you can by participating in the training.
3. Please call ahead to cancel if you are registered but unable to attend or if a coworker will be attending training in your place.

Failure to comply with these standards of professional behavior will result in one or more of the following:
withholding of training certificate and/or materials, ineligibility for Little Read Wagon workshops for one full year, and being asked to leave the workshop.

GCFLearnFree.org® is passionate about learning. That's why they offer learning opportunities at no cost!

There's freedom in the chance to learn what you want, when you want, and that's why 'GCFLearnFree.org' exists.

GCFLearnFree.org believes that quality, innovative education helps people improve the quality of their lives. Through their computer, technology, and life skills training, anyone can acquire the skills they need to accomplish this.

Some of the Free On-Line training GCFLearnFree.org offers:

LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Quarterly Residential Home Energy Health and Safety Email Alert - Spring 2008

About LIHEAP:

• Federally-funded block grant program for aid with:

•  home heating bills
•  home cooling bills
•  emergency assistance to avoid shut-offs
•  home weatherization
•  home energy equipment repair/replacement

• Assistance available to low-income households susceptible to health and safety effects of insufficiently heated or cooled homes, especially “vulnerable” households with at least one person who is either elderly (60 years or older), disabled, or a young child (five years or younger) 
• Grantees include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and the U.S. territories

Funded at $1.98 billion in Fiscal Year 2008, plus contingency funds

Heating Safety Tips:
Though some states have legislatively imposed moratoria preventing utility companies from shutting off energy services to households with past due balances, such moratoria are often only in effect up to or through March.  When service is shut off, sometimes people turn to alternative methods of hearting their homes, such as by using their ovens, space heaters, or candles. 

To help prevent deaths and injuries resulting from improper or dangerous methods of heating a home:

• Each year have a qualified technician CHECK your heating system and water heater.
• INSTALL battery-operated Carbon Monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms in your home, including inside each bedroom and on every level.
• REPLACE smoke and CO alarm batteries every spring and fall when updating your clocks.
• SEEK medical attention immediately if you are feeling dizzy, lightheaded or nauseous. These are symptoms of CO poisoning.
• NEVER burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or campers, even if ventilation available.
• NEVER leave a space heater on when you go to sleep, place a space heater close to any sleeping person, or use extension cords to power electric heaters.
• OPEN the fireplace damper before lighting the fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool to help prevent build-up of poisonous gases.

From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission booklet, “What You Should Know about Space Heaters," at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/463.html

Did you know?
Babies and toddlers who live in “energy insecure” households, i.e., those without adequate home temperatures, are more likely to:
• be in poor health;
• have a history of hospitalizations;
• be at risk for developmental problems, and;
• be food insecure.

“Food insecurity” is associated with:
• more hospitalizations,
• poor health,
• iron deficiency anemia,
• problems with cognitive development, and;
• behavioral and emotional problems.

When young children fit any of these factors, the adequacy and sustainability of the child’s home energy should be an important consideration in providing aid.

From the C-SNAP report, “Fuel for Our Future”, Sept., 2007, at:  http://www.c-snap.org/

Recent Studies:
Heat or Eat: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Nutritional and Health Risks Among Children Less Than 3 Years Old

PARENTING CLASSES - Precious Minds New Connections

COME JOIN THE FUN ! WATCH ME GROW !

Summer Calendar

Summer Calendar (Spanish)

Precious Minds is…
• a nurturing program for parents and caregivers of children ages 0 – 4,
Caregivers include : aunts, uncles, grandparents, or foster parents, or childcare provider.
• attention is given to children with disabilities, developmental delays or related risk factors,
• a chance to gather together with other parents to share experiences, ideas and support,

Topics include:
• Infant and child development,
• Effective discipline,
• Recognizing and understanding feelings,
• Brain development,
• learning how to tell if a child may have special needs and how to address them
• Nurturing parenting routines,
• Ways to build self-esteem and self-confidence in children,
• Safety in and around the home and other information.

Families will receive the following at no cost:
• 8 FREE group sessions of The Nurturing Program,
• FREE child care from qualified child care providers and behavioral therapists.
• FREE light meal and beverage for the whole family,
• A framed certificate upon completion. And a ZOO PASS for one day admission for graduate and children 4 and under !

CALL 826-4492 FOR INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER.

Great Information on Choking Hazards

The following PDF file is great information to have on hand concerning Choking Hazards:

Choking Hazards PDF file (courtesy of celebratehealthyeating.com)

Kids a Cookin

The K-State Research and Extension Family Nutrition Program has a good site that helps introduce your children to the educational and fun world of cooking. The recipes are not only simple to prepare and affordable, but are an excellent way to share the joys of cooking with your kids. The site can also be read in Spanish.

The Kids A-Cookin site