1 (Issue #1, Volume 12)
February 2010
The GLEAMNS Herald
HEAD START PROGRAM ~ PO Box 1326 ~ GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA ~ 29648
(864) 223-8434
www.gleamnshrc.org
The Director’s Corner...
developing new skills. Parents, we hope you will
Elaine F. Kennedy
share your child’s new experience and work with
us in setting the foundation for school success
The Importance of Teamwork
and beyond.
Head Start sets the foundation for skills and
attitudes needed for success later in life. And we
We are expecting great results in 2010. Have a
should take this responsibility seriously. Through
wonderful year!
the combined efforts of home and school, it is our
goal to make your child’s Head Start experience a
time of educational and social growth.
Every penny counts in today’s economy, yet many
Our Head Start program is an exciting and
challenging experience designed to meet the
developmental needs of each child.
We believe
in taking children where they
are develop-mentally and helping
them engage in learning and skill
acquisitions according to their
own developmental rate.
However, we need the
help of all parents in the educational process for
their children.
whenever possible.
participate and
We encourage parents to
volunteer in the center and
Your child will be delighted to see
you at his or her school.
whole new world opens up for them each day.
are
credit that could put up to $5,600 or more in their
pockets.
The Earned Income Tax Credit, or
EITC, can be the needed financial boost for
working people hit by hard economic times.
Many people will qualify for EITC for the first time
this year because their income declined, their
marital status changed, or they added children to
their families.
Families with three or more
receiving
year.
The IRS estimates up to one in four eligible
taxpayers could miss out because they don’t
check it out.
Eligible taxpayers can get their
EITC only if they file federal income tax returns,
Head Start is an exciting time for children, and a
They
working people are overlooking an important tax
children get an extra boost with a larger credit this
We want parents to be a part of the center setting
classrooms.
Earned Income Tax Credit
new
experiences
and
even if they are not required to file
specifically claim the credit.
and
2 (Issue #1, Volume 12)
February 2010
Free Master’s Program at Wake Forest
Wake Forest University has an opportunity for
There is always the possibility of inclement
weather during the winter months. Therefore, we
wish to remind staff and parents of
minority students to attend its MBA program for
our Inclement Weather policy.
FREE, and so far, the response has been very
poor. Please, pass along this opportunity to your
friends, families, and networks to see if there is
an interest. This is a great school and a
tremendous opportunity to attend a top graduate
school. For additional information, check out the
following website.
In cases of inclement weather, Head Start centers
will operate in accordance with the School District
in the county where the Head Start Center is
located.
Information on agency closings or
delayed openings will be communicated to radio
and television stations by 6:30 a.m. and posted
http://business.wfu.edu/default.aspx?id=1454
on GLEAMNS Internal Website.
The following radio and television stations will be
Census 2010
notified of our center delays or closings:
Source: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/
It’s in our hands South Carolina.
Radio Stations
TV Stations
When you fill out the census form,
WCRS 1450 AM
WYFF-TV Channel 4
you’re making a statement about
WCRS 94.1 FM
WFBF-TV Channel 6
what
SUNNY 103.5 FM
WSPA-TV Channel 7
WZLA 92.9 FM
WIS-TV Channel 10
WLMA 1350 AM
WRDW-TV Channel 12
resources
your
community
needs going forward.
Accurate
data
reflecting
changes
in
your
community are crucial in apportioning seats in the
U.S. House of Representatives and deciding how
more than $400 billion per year is allocated for
projects like new hospitals and schools.
That's more than $4 trillion over a 10-year period
for things like new roads and schools, and
services like job training centers. Make sure you
are counted by filling out your form.
Inclement Weather
WJMZ 107.3 FM
On-Site Monitoring Visit
Our program received an on-site monitoring
review December 7-11, 2009. During this review,
centers
were
assessed
to
determine
their
compliance with federal regulations. The following
centers received a visit from the review team:

Pineview

Platt Springs

Rikard

Benedict
3 (Issue #1, Volume 12)

Edgefield

McCormick

Saluda

Greenwood

Abbeville

Sanders.
February 2010
Job Vacancies
We are actively recruiting substitutes,
teacher
teachers,
and custodians for our 200910 school year.
We would like to thank all employees and parents
for their assistance during this review process.
The team was very pleased with the involvement
of our parents, the fatherhood program, and
knowledge of the employees.
assistants,
They commended
the program for providing quality services.
We
are awaiting the final report, which will be shared
with all employees and parents.
Qualifications for
these positions are listed below:
Teachers must have three years of child care
experience and a BS or AA degree or certificate
in early childhood education or a related field.
Substitutes and Teacher Assistants are required to
have one year of child care experience and a
high school diploma or GED.
Now Recruiting Children
Custodians must be able to perform cleaning
Recruitment for our 2010-11 school year started
tasks and operate various types of cleaning
December 1. Children are eligible to participate in
equipment to care for and maintain assigned
Head Start if they are from families with incomes
buildings and related facilities.
below the federal poverty level or if their families
Diploma or equivalent skills are required.
are eligible for public assistance.
A High School
Children must
be three years old on or before September 1. For
For additional information on job opportunities,
a listing of centers in your area, go to our website
visit our website at www.gleamnshrc.org.
Tips for Parents Dealing with Challenging
Behaviors
at www.gleamnshrc.org.
Source: Center for Evidence-Based Practice,
University of South Florida
Annual Recognition Luncheon
Each year a recognition luncheon is held to honor
parents, volunteers, and staff who have made an
outstanding contribution to the program.
This
event will be held March 12, 2010, at the
Brookland Banquet and Conference Center in
West Columbia, South Carolina, beginning at
12:00 p.m.
Has life with your young child become filled with
conflict and confusion? Does it seem as if even
the simplest activity can turn
quickly into disaster when
your child’s behavior is out
of
control?
Are
you
beginning to feel as if things are getting worse
instead of better? You’re not alone.
4 (Issue #1, Volume 12)
February 2010

Offer limited, reasonable choices.
Most
Many, if not most, parents find themselves
children are not born with the built-in
struggling with the challenging behavior of their
ability to make decisions and then accept
young child at some point in time.
the consequences.
news is there
are
The good
evidence-based,
effective
child
to
In order for your
learn
to
take
personal
strategies that you can use to create positive
responsibilities, they will need plenty of
solutions for your family.
support and practice.
These strategies

include:
Catch your child being good.
Did you
ever stop to think about how much time


Keep your expectations realistic.
It is
you spend telling your child what he
important
know
and
should not do?
abilities
and
specific, positive attention to the behavior
for
you
to
understand
your
child’s
limitations.
When you expect too much
that you want to see.
This will teach
or too little from your child, it can lead to
your child what you want him or her to
problems and frustration for you both.
do and will increase the likelihood that
this behavior will occur again and again.
Plan ahead. Try to anticipate what your
child
may
do
or
need
in
various

Stay clam.
situations. Make sure you plan ahead to
experience.
either respond to it or ignore it.
Hope for the best but plan
for the worst.
decide
Always have a back-up
that
a
reaction
is
If you
required,
remember the least response necessary
plan!
is usually the best. Acting calm with the
Clearly
state
advance.
your
expectations
minimum of attention will reduce the risk
in
of strengthening the very behavior you
Some undesirable behavior
wish to discourage.
occurs because your child can’t act
about how you want to respond.
your child simply doesn’t want to act
differently. Either way it helps for you to
Review each of the tips above. You
remember your child cannot read your
may want to try one or two
Be sure to give your child one
of the strategies at
clear instruction so he or she knows
what it is that you want him or her to do.
When you remain
calm, it also gives you time to think
differently, other times it occurs because
mind.
When your child’s behavior
is unacceptable, you can choose to
set your child up for a successful

Instead, try giving
first then add others
as
you
become more comfortable
5 (Issue #1, Volume 12)
with each tip.
February 2010
The idea is to develop specific
You know your child likes to hear the same story
approaches for your own family that can be used
again and again -- so have fun picking out a new
in everyday life.
picture or letter to talk about each time or ask
your child to "read" a favorite story to you --
Preparing Your Child for Kindergarten
even if he or she doesn’t really know how to read
Source: http://childcarehelpline.org/preparingyour-child-for-kindergarten.php
words yet.
"School readiness," "ready to learn," "ready for
Practice the Alphabet
school," or "readiness skills" are all expressions
Sing the ABC song, sometimes skipping letters to
that you will hear as your child gets closer to
see if your child knows the right order; or say the
starting kindergarten. But what does it mean to be
ABC's and stop to see if your child can continue.
"ready"?
Sound out letters and talk about words that begin
It is important to remember ALL children are
always "ready to learn." From birth, children learn
things every day through their experiences and
interactions with adults, other children, and things
in their environment. When schools talk about
children being ready, they're talking about whether
children have specific skills and information that
will help them succeed in school, such as
counting, knowing letters and the sounds they
make, and being able to work in small groups.
As your child gets closer to kindergarten age,
contact your local elementary school or school
district and request information on kindergarten
enrollment. They will have information on what is
needed to enroll your child in the local school
system, as well as information on the kinds of
skills and abilities they would like for all children
coming into kindergarten.
with a letter. When you are running errands with
your child, play games in the car, having your
child pick out letters on signs and items in the
grocery store.
Name That Thing
Help your child learn how to describe how things
look and what they do by playing the "Name That
Thing" game. Example: Ask your child, "What's
round and you bounce it?" or "What has four
legs, a long nose, and floppy ears?"
Counting in Every Day Activities
At the grocery store, have your child count how
many items you put in the cart, and ask how
many there would be if you add one or take two
away. Count the number of red cars you see on a
short trip. Read books about numbers and
counting.
Ready for Kindergarten Activities
Read, Read, and Read Some More
Safety in the Home
6 (Issue #1, Volume 12)

February 2010
Child-proof your home:
Cover electrical
outlets, and lock household products and
We want to alert our new parents to the dangers
of SIDS. To reduce the risk of SIDS:
flammable liquids out of the way from
children.

Always place your baby on his back to
sleep and remind other caregivers to do

Use oven and stove locks in the kitchen:
so as well.
Turn pots on stove so handles are facing
away from you when cooking.


Install and maintain smoke detectors and
Keep toys and other small objects out of
your baby’s crib to prevent choking.
carbon monoxide detectors in all levels of
your home.

Make sure the mattress and bedding are
firm and flat and fit perfectly into the crib

Have a fire extinguisher(s) in your home
without gaps between crib walls.
and know how to use it in case of
containable fire.

Do not place your infant to sleep on soft
surfaces, such as waterbeds, sofas, soft

Make a home emergency plan: identify
mattresses,
emergency exits in your home and plans
sheepskins.
you and your family have for reacting to
animals out of the crib.
emergency situations.
smother your baby.

Be safe and stay safe.
dangers of SIDS, which is Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome or crib death. No parent is ever really
ready for the changes that come with having a
new baby. It’s a wonderful time, but it is also a
challenging time, full of new worries, new feelings,
you
need
everything to be perfect.
Also keep toys and stuffed
They can
in
your
baby’s
comfortable for an adult.
As a new mom, you may not be alert to the
when
or
clothing as you would wear and keep the
For the New Mother
help
comforters,
Dress your baby in as many layers of
temperature
and new experiences.
pillows,
Just remember, ask for
it
and
don’t
expect

Do not smoke around your baby.
room