The Hand Holders – A Tribute to Childcare Providers

I made a rainbow by Dereon age 3

The Hand Holders
A Tribute to Childcare Providers

There is no job more important than ours,
no job anywhere else in the land.
We are the keepers of the future;
we hold the smallest hands.
Into our care we are trusted
to nurture and care for the young,
and for all of our everyday heroics,
our talents and skills go unsung.
We wipe tears from the eyes of the injured.
We rock babies brand new in our arms.
We encourage the shy and unsure child.
We make sure they are safe from all harm.
We foster the bonds of friendships,
letting no child go away mad.
We respect and we honor their emotions.
We give hugs to each child when they’re sad.
We have more impact than does a professor,
a child’s mind is molded by four,
so whatever we lay on the table
is whatever that child will explore.
Give each child the tools for adventure,
let them be artists and writers and more;
let them fly in the wind and dance on the stars
and build castles of sand on the shore.
It is true that we don’t make much money
and we don’t get a whole lot of praise,
but when one small child says, “I Love You,”
we’re reminded of how this job pays.
~author unknown

Day Nursery Ft. Harrison staffer enjoys biking to work

Even before she realized that May is National Bike Month, Day Nursery Ft. Harrison Assistant Director Jessica Stewart and her two-year old daughter Ava started biking to work from their Lawrence area home. Jessica says the pair make the 20 minute ride several times a week through neighborhoods and a park.  Today is National Bike to School Day and we salute Jessica for setting a good example for the children in her center.

Day Nursery Federal Center two year olds celebrate Earth Day with special visitors

Day Nursery Federal Center teacher Nina Woodbury is known for going the extra mile to present a hands-on learning opportunity for the two-year olds in her classroom.  Today she didn’t have to travel any further than her driveway at home to find some special visitors for her class. On her way to work, Miss Nina scooped up a handful of earth worms to bring in to celebrate Earth Day today.  While our downtown Federal Center has a beautiful playground, it doesn’t have much dirt on it to explore so Nina imported the visitors. The chatter around the earthworm table has been punctuated with giggles this morning as the children have worked up the courage to touch the worms and marvel at their mobility.  Hope you and your little ones have a chance to dig into the dirt today.  Happy Earth Day!

Post update 11:15 am-Just got this photo emailed to me by Day Nursery Federal Center Director Sarah Parks.  She wanted to share this picture of the worms being released on the grass in front of the Federal Building.  She thought some grownups might be concerned about the worms spending the entire day with two year olds.  Rest assured, the worms have been safety returned back to the earth.

Reggio approach inspires Day Nursery teachers

Day Nursery teacher Matt Miller shares with his peers his reflections of the morning session

Six of our staff members,  Marsha Lindsey (Chief Operating Officer), Shannon Garrity (Ruth A. Lilly Center Director), Sara McHenry (Lilly Center teacher), Jeannette Wrightsman (Lilly Center teacher), Matt Miller (Avon Center teacher) and Shanna Nowosielski (Northwest Center teacher) are in Kentucky today for a professional development opportunity: Building Continuity of Learning through Reggio Approach: Creating Excellence in Education. While we wish we could have sent representatives from every center, we know these six will bring back great information to share with our teachers. The Reggio approach to education isn’t an early childhood method or set curriculum, but rather a deep knowledge in theory and community-constructed values that have been and are continuously being translated into high quality early childhood practices.

Day Nursery Indianapolis Annual Meeting

The Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis held its Annual Meeting October 23, 2012 at the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church on Central Avenue.  During the first half of the meeting, new board members were elected, retiring board members were saluted and community volunteers and donors were honored. The second hour of the board meeting was filled with recognition of Day Nursery staff.  Here’s a recap of the staff who were honored.

Day Nursery Staff honored for 5 Years of Service Sherri Shidler* (Avon), Nichole Blackwell (Avon), Larissa Freeman* (Avon), Rhonda Ostrum (Avon), Vanessa Shenfeld (Avon), Gaye Ireland (Child Care Answers), Amy Cavin (IU Health), Tammia Sanders* (IU Health), Syretta Warren (IU Health), Rhonda Roberts (Lilly), Twannette Harrington* (State) *indicates they are included in this photo

Day Nursery Staff honored for 10 Years of Service Matt Miller* (Avon), Joslyn Hurm-Sullivan* (Child Care Answers), Cathy Johnson* (Admin), Kimberly Townsend* (Fort), Neila Raine (IU Health), Shelly Anderson* (State) *indicates they are pictured in this photo

Day Nursery Chief Operating Officer Marsha Hearn Lindsey was honored for 20 years of service to Day Nursery. She is pictured here with board member Ivan Hoffman.

Congratulations to Day Nursery IU Health Center Office Manager Melinda Memmer who was honored for 25 years of service

These staff members were recognized for 20+ Years of Service: Sally Coombs* (Lilly Center 21 years), Cheryl Knierim* (Avon Center 21 years) Eva Johnson (Northwest Center 24 years), Colleen White* (Avon Center 28 years), Teresa Carter* (Fort Center 31 years), Jesse McCloud (State Center 32 years), Jackie Williams* (Avon Center 32 years), Joyce Martin* (Nurse Practitioner 32 years), and Anita Jones (Lilly Center 38 years) *indicates they are included in this photo

These staff members were recognized for their Educational Achievements:
Shannon Ford, Master of Science – Education (Child Care Answers); Sylvia Harris*, Associate of Science-Early Childhood Education (Child Care Answers); Cassie Miller, Bachelor of Science-Elementary Education (Federal Center); Ana Maria Romero*, CDA (State Center); and Marissa Williams CDA (Northwest Center) *indicates they are pictured in this photo

These staff members were recognized for Staff Promotions: Keah Hilderbrand , Lead Teacher (Avon Center); Tomi Lessaris*, Lead Teacher (IU Health Center); Kia Fears, Lead Teacher (IU Health Center); Marissa Williams, Lead Teacher (Northwest Center); Natalie Wiseman, Lead Teacher (Northwest Center); Asia Carter, Lead Teacher (Lilly Center); Ana Maria Romero*, Lead Teacher (State Center); Ashleigh Smith, Lead Teacher (State Center); Dorresa Thomas, Lead Teacher (State Center); Sylvia Harris*, Administration (Child Care Answers); René Withers*, Coaching Coordinator (Child Care Answers); and Charity Jablonski, Center Director (IU Health Center) *Indicates they are included in this picture

Joslyn Hurm Sullivan was honored for 10 years of service to Day Nursery, most recently with our Child Care Answers program. She arrived after the group picture was taken.

Charity Jablonski was honored at the Day Nursery Annual Meeting for her promotion to Day Nursery IU Health Center Director.

Day Nursery Federal Center staff bid farewell to a great teacher

Miss Amanda with Federal Center Director Sarah Parks and her daughter Selena

Today’s post was submitted by Day Nursery Federal Center Director Sarah Parks

Day Nursery Federal Center staff gathered Friday night to celebrate Amanda Childress, her 10 years of service to Day Nursery, the friendship and memories we share with her, and to wish her well as she starts a new chapter in her life in Alabama.  She was presented with a plaque, as well as a “moving gift” of cash from staff, families at the center now, as well as families whose lives she has touched in the past.  There were hugs, tears, smile, and lots of laughter.  The whole week Ms. Amanda was visited at the center by a host of families–past and present, as well as Senior Management from the main office.  It’s not every day you come across someone so dedicated to her job and to the families that she served, we will miss her more than she knows. Good Luck Amanda, and thank you for everything!

Hey everyone its Ms. Amanda and I cant thank all of you enough for all the love shown to me during my last week and especially my last day. I love you guys and families that allowed me to become a part of your lives and will miss you all more than you will ever know. Thank you for all years of love and laughter. It has been a great journey and I wish all of you nothing but the best.

 

Join us in welcoming new Day Nursery Development Director Sarah Ferguson

Please join us in welcoming Sarah Ferguson to the Day Nursery Association senior management staff.  Sarah started Monday as our Director of Development taking over for Beth Rodriguez who is relocating to Bloomington. Sarah comes to us from the Riley Children’s Foundation where she served as a Riley Society Gift Officer. During her career she also worked for the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Indiana Chapter, as Development Director for six years. Sarah has been an active volunteer in our community with affiliations to Junior League of Indianapolis, United Senior Action, Community Health Charities, and A Caring Place – Adult Day Service.  Sarah is married and has two young children.  She can be reached at (317) 636-9197 ext. 240 or sarahf@daynursery.org.

8 Days of Hanukkah

Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center preschoolers learned about the menorah and Hanukkah from teacher Marti Gough during their morning circle time yesterday.  The eight-day Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, began last night at sunset.

Day Nursery preschool teacher Marti Gough

Day Nursery Too Cute Tuesday-Coloring with Miss Sally

No matter what time of day you drop into the Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center classroom of Sally Coombs, you will find her fully engaged with her two year-old students.  This morning I found her on her stomach on the floor coloring with the children.  It was a lesson in sharing, colors, shapes  and language disguised as fun.  Sally skillfully redirected a child to a new container of crayons when the color he wanted was unavailable and at the same time introduced the new color in both English and Spanish when she offered it to the child.   On January 27,  Sally will celebrate her 20 year anniversary as a Day Nursery teacher.

Day Nursery Crazy Hair Day

Teachers and students at the Day Nursery Hendricks County Early Care and Education Center in Avon got a chance to get silly Friday on Crazy Hair Day. Each Friday the center has a special day to wrap up the week. To prove that she is a good sport, Center Director Joy McCall (who also was celebrating Colts Blue Friday) included two pictures of herself with her crazy blue streak when she shared these photos.