volume 54 fall 2014 happy thanksgiving everyone!cca eae a evce volume 54 fall 2014 a look at...

CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY & SUPPORT SERVICES

Volume 54 fall 2014

A Look At Children ServicesUp-Close


Best Wishes for a wonderful

holiday from all of the staff

at the Department of Family

and Support Services (DFSS),

Children Services Division

(CSD) – may you have Joy,

Happiness, Peace and Good

Health. The Thanksgiving

season is a special time to

give thanks to all of the people

around us – family, co-workers,

friends and relatives.

This special edition of Up-Close

is completely dedicated to

Thanksgiving including some

traditions, customs, fun facts,

quotes as well as practical

information. As always, we’d

like to hear from you. Tell us if

you have any ideas for future

issues of Up-Close this season

including features and/or

stories.

Happy

Everyone!Thanksgiving

2UP-CLOSE: A Look at Children Services Volume 54 fall 2014

Celebrating and Creating Thanksgiving TraditionsThanksgiving is a time when most families get together to share a meal and take time to be thankful for everyone in their lives. In this country, Thanksgiving is a major fall event and the start of what is considered by many to be the holiday season continuing until New Year’s Day. Thanksgiving is a tradition around the world. The major difference in the celebrations may be the date, rituals and customs but the historical reason behind the festivities remains the same – to be thankful for a huge fruitful harvest.

There are lots of different Thanksgiving traditions and many have been passed down through generations in families. The traditions may be a family recipe(s), specific activities after dinner or visiting a special relative’s home like grandparents, etc. and the list goes on. On the other hand, many families start new traditions as children arrive and families grow. These traditions may include watching the Thanksgiving Parade together, children playing special games while the meal is prepared or everyone helping in the preparation of the meal. Many families from other countries incorporate customs from their homeland into a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Holiday time is family time. Regardless of what a family does the basic idea of Thanksgiving Day is to share a meal with relatives and friends and give thanks. This Thanksgiving get the kids involved with all aspects of “Turkey Day”, from food prep through cleanup, and try to make the day less stressful and more fun for everyone. It’s a great time to start a few traditions if you don’t have any and be sure to get children involved in planning for the special day.

A Few Noteworthy Traditions:Helping Those In Need

Often people use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to help the less fortunate. Some people volunteer to serve food at homeless shelters on Thanksgiving Day while others donate to shelters and/or participate in canned food drives which are on-going this time of year. There may be local activities closer-to-home in your own neighborhood. Check with social service agencies, churches and

community organizations in your area. There are many opportunities to get children of all ages involved in these service activities.

Thanksgiving Day Parades

It is a tradition for many families to watch the New York City Macy’s

Thanksgiving Day Parade together especially while preparing for the day’s activities. NBC has been broadcasting the parade since 1948 from New York City. The parade includes marching bands, floats, songs and performances from Broadway musicals, celebrity performers and 50-foot giant helium-filled balloons,

the biggest attraction for kids of all ages. This three hour live spectacular starts at 9:00

AM. The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade is held on Thanksgiving Day from 8:00 to 11:00 AM in Downtown Chicago. The parade includes giant helium balloons, floats, and award-winning marching bands, performance groups and local and national celebrities that go north on State Street from Congress to Randolph. You can attend the parade or watch the live broadcast on WGN television. In 2013 – 3.91 million people viewed the parade and there were approximately 400,000 spectators on the parade route. Additionally,

the City of Chicago will present the 101st Anniversary of the Christmas Tree Lighting

Ceremony on Daley Plaza, Tuesday, November 25 before Thanksgiving. This annual event includes a musical program and the plaza is normally packed with on-lookers.


“ May your stuffing be tasty, May your turkey plump, May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize, And, may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs!”

- ANONYMOUS

Food for Thought

Americans feast on about 535 million pounds of turkey – that’s a lot of turkey!



VR’s Corner

Thanksgiving CraftsPrior to Thanksgiving Day let children make crafts for decoration. Construction paper placements are easy to make and can be personalized for each guest. A handmade card or a place card can be made for guests

to take home. Kids can gather fall colorful leaves to contribute to a centerpiece with candles, flowers, etc. or to decorate the house. Most children enjoy coloring in traditional Thanksgiving coloring books to show to family and friends at dinner. Any homemade craft made by the smallest child will be greatly appreciated by adults.

Family Time in the Kitchen Often there are multi-generations in the kitchen and this is a great opportunity for children to bond with family members as well as a great learning experience for children of all ages. All children including the very young can be involved in the shopping, preparing, cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner.

Shopping – Let young children go to the store with you to shop for the turkey and everything else you need for the meal. As we always emphasize, shopping time can be a learning experience too – depending on the age of the children. You can talk about comparing prices, reading food labels, picking out produce and more.

Cooking – There are many age-appropriate things that even young children can do in the kitchen. Don’t give them busy work but make them feel as if they are really helping, even with the smallest task. Parents know their children the best and they know what they can handle.

Preparing the Table – Children can place napkins, placemats and small items on a table as well as any craft items they may have created for the dinner.

Clean-Up – Make clean-up easy by letting everyone help. Young children can remove small items from the table and older children can help clear the dishes. The older children can also package leftovers for guests and let the younger children deliver them to the guest when it’s time to leave. With everyone pitching in clean-up can be easy and efficient and leave time to enjoy the rest of the day’s activities.

Make Physical Activity – A Family Affair!Resist the urge to watch television after Thanksgiving dinner. Make moving a part of every family event and encourage all family members to get involved in some way. Being physically active makes everyone feel good especially after a large meal.

WALK – Take the dog for a walk;

PLAY – Play outdoor active games like tag or hide-and-seek; or play active indoor games like charades, Twister and hot potato.

BIKE – Go for a family bike ride;

DANCE – Get up and dance. Take the headphones off, turn up the music, and have a family dance contest.

PERFORM – Have an impromptu family talent show, lip synching and dancing to music or original performances.

Over the long Thanksgiving weekend think about family exercise activities such as walking, biking, running, raking leaves, skating or stair climbing. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.

“ Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.” - THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Here’s a Fact!

The average Thanksgiving turkey weighs 15 pounds. The heaviest turkey ever recorded weighed 86 pounds, which is about what a large dog weighs.



An Annual Community Event!A Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for 400 People at NUSH

Northwestern University Settlement House (NUSH) has been doing this annual community Thanksgiving affair for many years. Each year they serve 400 of their neighbors from West Town and surrounding neighborhoods on Chicago’s west side. Their dinner guests include families who access their many programs, including Head Start preschool, Rowe Elementary, House in the Wood summer camp, as well as their food pantry.

Preparing the facility, prepping and cooking food all day long, decorating tables and serving this many families takes approximately 100 very devoted volunteers. Many of the volunteers are young people as well as children.

(Pictured below are guests and volunteers from the 2013 Annual Dinner.)

FOCUS ON

A Helpful Hint!

You can tell a good ripe cranberry because it will bounce, and when making cranberry sauce, it is best to use the fresh kind.

“�Gratitude�makes�sense�of�our�past,�brings�peace�for��today,�and�creates�a�vision�for�tomorrow.”

- MELODY BEATTIE



Young Children at the Holiday Table

Holiday time and special events can provide great learning experiences for young children. As discussed in the previous section, everyone can pitch in to help prepare food, set the table and clean-up including young children. This can also be a perfect time to talk about table etiquette during the preparation. Experts conclude, “It takes time for children to master new skills, which includes table manners. Adults need to lay out clear expectations for meal time behaviors and reinforce appropriate behaviors.” Parents should be role models for children because young children do not automatically know how to eat like adults. They learn how to eat and how to behave at the table by watching their parents and that’s also how they can develop lifelong, healthy eating habits. Additionally, children learn to eat new foods by watching other people eat and enjoy them. If you want a child to eat green vegetables, you have to eat green vegetables and talk about how good they taste and how they make you strong and smart.

Teach kids to eat slowly and savor flavors. Again, parents are powerful role models so set a good example by setting a relaxed pace. Model table manners for children and let them practice at home. Children can learn at an early age which fork to use and where a napkin goes as well as learn how to use phrases such as “Thank You”, “Please” and “No Thank You.” Watch your children while they eat which includes watching older brothers and sisters who may offer foods that younger children can’t handle yet or they may encourage poor behavior at the table.

Many preschoolers are hesitant to try new foods and it’s completely normal for young kids to reject foods they have never tried before. Small portions can yield big benefits. Let young children try small portions of new foods that you enjoy. Give them a small taste at first and be patient with them. Again stay encouraged, just as with anyone learning how to do what is right, children need time to understand how to be mannerly.

Help Children Know When They’ve Had Enough!

Manners learned and practiced at home by young children can certainly be put to good use when visiting a relative’s home for dinner or when the dinner is hosted at home.

• Let children learn by serving themselves. Let your kids serve themselves at dinner. Teach them to take small amounts at first. Preschoolers can practice serving from small bowls that you hold for them. Tell them they can have more if they are still hungry.

• Avoid praising a clean plate. Your child should stop eating when he or she is full, rather than when the plate is clean. The “Clean Plate Club” which many parents have grown up with is no longer the rule.

• Reward children with attention and kind words, not food.

• Reinforce positive behavior and good manners at the dinner table.

Something You Should Know!

On a 15 pound turkey, you’ll usually find about 30% dark meat and 70% white meat. Turkey has more protein than either beef or chicken.

“ Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.”

- Seneca



Do You Know?

Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year!

Thawing a Thanksgiving Turkey

Many Thanksgiving traditions have been passed down for years and most of them include preparing a turkey --- the size of the turkey may vary according to the number of guests and appetites. Not completely thawing the turkey in time can be a problem even for the most experienced cooks (most people have a story to tell). Following are three easy ways to properly thaw a turkey and avoid foodborne illness:

RefrigeratorAllow about one day for every four to five pounds of turkey. For example, a 12-to-16 pound turkey would require three to four days and a 16-to-20 pound turkey would take four to five days to thaw.

MicrowaveCheck your owner’s manual before buying a turkey for the size that will fit in your microwave oven. Also, check the minutes per pound and power level used for thawing. Remove all outside wrapping from the turkey, including the wire that holds the legs together. Place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing and most importantly, do not refreeze or refrigerate a raw turkey after thawing in the microwave.

Sink Thaw in cold water for about 30 minutes per pound for the whole turkey. A 12-to-16 pound turkey will take about six to eight hours and a 16-to-20 pound turkey needs eight to 10 hours. Seal the turkey securely in plastic to make sure no water leaks in and use only cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes and cook the turkey immediately after thawing.

Turkey StuffingNote: To make sure your stuffing is safe and cooked to a proper temperature, stuffing a turkey is not recommended. For more even heating, cook the stuffing separately. If you do stuff your turkey, do it just before roasting and stuff it loosely. Turkey and stuffing are safe to eat when they reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit – use a meat thermometer.

“�AS�WE�EXPRESS�OUR�

GRATITUDE,�WE�MUST�

NEVER�FORGET�THAT�

THE�HIGHEST��

APPRECIATION�IS�

NOT�TO�UTTER�

WORDS,�BUT�TO��

LIVE�BY�THEM”�

-JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY



Storing Leftovers Safely

Most people make too much food for Thanksgiving dinner? Normally that’s not a problem because leftovers can make a great lunch or dinner for the next few days. Everyone enjoys leftovers and it is important to always follow the proper leftover safety steps to avoid getting food poisoning. Following are some tips to keep food safe:

• Keep your refrigerator set to 40°F or below. Don’t pack your refrigerator with food, freeze some leftovers if necessary.

• Make sure you refrigerate leftovers within two hours. If food has been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours or so – toss it!

• You cannot really rely on sight and smell alone to know if the leftovers are spoiled. Place an “eat-by-date” label on leftovers and toss after that date.

Cook Food to Proper Temperatures!

Foodborne illness can strike anyone at any time. Know who’s sitting at your table because some people are at higher risk for developing foodborne illness, including pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

Safety rules must be adhered to when cooking a turkey and dressing but also apply when grilling, smoking or frying a turkey. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

If you are traveling on Thanksgiving Day and transporting food remember this food safety rule: Keep hot food HOT – Keep cold food COLD!

• Keep hot food at or above 140 °F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.

• Keep cold food at or below 40 °F. Place in a cooler with a cold source such as ice or frozen gel packs.

When food is reheated it must be hot and steamy for serving. Just “warmed up” is not good enough. Use the stove, oven, or microwave to reheat food to 165 °F. Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.

A Simple Fact!

Five of the most common turkey leftovers include stew, casseroles, soup, as a sandwich and a burger.

“ Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. ”

- NATIVE

AMERICAN

SAYING

Special Note

Please send any stories and/or photos telling us how your center celebrated Fall and Winter holidays to Julie Ellis at [email protected].



san serif is Univers light 45 serif is adobe garamond pro

Up-CloseA Look At Children Services


Education m Finalize FALL child Assessment data by 11/02/14 using Classroom Profile (save data in PDF)

m Ed Coordinator/Program Director review assessment data to inform program planning

m Complete Classroom Observation and provide feedback.

m Review lesson plans using criteria for child appropriate planning and implementation of curriculum and provide feedback

m Review Gold Documentation Report (for quantity)

m View documentation (for quality)

m Review COPA and Teaching Strategies GOLD information to ensure data entered is accurate for: teacher/classroom match, funding sources, color bands, Home Lan-guage survey, primary language, children with IEPs and HR

m Progress Reports, Goal Plans, and 1st Par-ent Conferences completed.

m Create Individual Development & Learning Report and share with parents to identify and upgrade goals.

m Outcome reports generated, shared with individual teaching teams and manage-ment staff.

m Review 2013-2014 Creative Curriculum, GOLD Assessment, CLASS activities and/or training schedule for the month of Decem-ber and January

m Register new staff into Gateways within 30 days of hire

m Verify GOLD Assessment preliminary markings

m Review and compare COPA #601/970 staff-ing patterns with GOLD staffing patterns and email to DFSS Education Support Service Coordinator

Nutrition Services m Food experiences are conducted based on the monthly schedule.

m Infant feeding schedules and logs are maintained and shared with parents

m Infant formulas are purchased for enrolled children

m Family style feeding is observed.

m Tooth brushing is included in the daily schedule

m Menus are posted and shared with parents

m All children are served daily meals based on the CACFP and Head Start regulations and recorded in COPA

m Follow up on children, pregnant women referred for nutrition issues

m Update COPA case notes

m Document IMIL implementation

m Monitor Nutrition services reports in COPA

m Sanitation requirements observed

Health/Developmental Screening Services

Medical/Dental: m Complete analysis of PIR first quarter reports

m Ensure all physical/dental exams and vision/hearing screenings are completed by the 45th day

m Schedule treatment/follow-up appointments.

m Monitor health services screening (including hearing and vision) reports in COPA

m Update COPA health case notes

m Monitor health services screening (including hearing and vision) reports in COPA and up-date COPA health case notes

Developmental Screenings: m Ensure developmental screenings are completed by 45th day

m Review COPA reports and follow up with agencies

m Verify that children who scored within the referred categories handed over to dis-abilities coordinator within 48 hours

Mental Health Services m Schedule staffing for referred children for further evaluation.

m Review Mental Health Activity Record to ensure the mental health consultant com-pletes services

m Show Evidence that Social-Emotional Screening Meeting (SESM) occur for chil-dren in the Refer category of the ASQ-(SE)

m Review ASQ-(SE) results in COPA for chil-dren needing follow up

m Follow up on referred children and services provided

m Parent and staff workshops are conducted according to training plans

m Update COPA case notes

m Monitor Mental Health services reports in COPA

Management m Management: Review and analyze quarterly PIR numbers submit and certify that data is current and accurate for quarterly report to the Office of CSD

m Management: Certify current utilization m Management/Governance: Submit possible/probable new sites/partners to the Office of CSD & governance entities (Board, pc, supervisors, etc.) for review and approval

m Management: Submit current Em-ployee/Volunteer/Background check clearance information

m Management: Certify that the HR module data and section B of the PIR are complete and accurate in COPA system.

m Governance: Certify election or re: election of Policy Committee members to the Office of CSD

m Governance: Submit Letter of Certifi-cation to the Office of CSD

m Governance: Submit current year policy committee membership list to the Office of CSD

m Governance: Certify that community representatives are made up of mem-bers from the community and are not exclusive of former Head Start parents to the Office of CSD

m Governance: Present independent audit findings and corrective action plan to the policy committee and Board

m Governance: Submit certification that the board meets the 2007 Head Start Act Board Composition requirements.

m Governance: Ensure that the Policy Committee and Board receives accurate and reports monthly as applicable.

m Safe Environments: Submit facility improvement plans as requested

m Safe Environments/Governance: Submit possible/probable new sites/partners to the Office of CSD & gover-nance entities (Board, pc, supervisors, etc.) for review and approval

Evelyn DiazCommissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services

Vanessa RichManaging Editor

Julie A. EllisWriter

Xenia DemoDesigner

Up-Close, A Look At Children Services

is published by the Chicago Department

of Family and Support Services in

conjunction with The Chicago Coalition

of Site Administered Child Care

Programs. Funding for this publication

is provided by the United States

Department of Health and Human

Services (HHS).

NOVEMBER MILESTONES

volume 54 fall 2014 happy thanksgiving everyone!cca eae a evce volume 54 fall 2014 a look at...

Documents