Day Nursery families from all seven centers turned out in force for Target Free Family Night at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. Here’s a look at some of the families and sights we saw tonight. Thanks to Patty Fisher, our Director of Center Administration for coordinating the preparation of over 350 sack dinners and to our center staff for assembling them. Hope you had fun!
It was a great day to be outside and Day Nursery students took full advantage of it. At the Day Nursery Northwest Center, Assistant Director Deanna Saylor shared pictures of the fun going on at her Pike Township location. She reported that the Kindergarten class was outside enjoying some sidewalk chalk. Ms. Marissa was outside with them drawing a 
rainbow. The Toddler 1 classroom was outside for a walk. They loved watching the big trucks drive by and Mr. Glynn was having them imitate the sounds of the truck.
Earlier in the day inside, the two year olds in the Toddler 4 class experimented with shaving cream for the first time. Ms. Renee wrote their names in the shaving cream to see who would recognize their own names.
I’ve worked for Day Nursery for 10 years and I don’t remember ever once closing for weather. Today, unfortunately is going to break that streak. All Day Nursery Centers will be closed today, Wednesday February 2, 2011 due to the severe weather conditions in Indianapolis.
Posted in Day Nursery
Tagged Day Nursery, Day Nursery Indianapolis, indianaolis weather closing
Tory Masters, Cathy Johnson, Susan Davis, Denise Hancock
I am heading out the door in a few minutes on this Blue Friday to find the best dressed Colts fans among our staff at our 7 early childhood centers. One winner at each site will get a $25 gift certificate for staff apparel. The first winner is here at our adminstrative office downtown in the English Foundation Building. Congratulations to Tory Masters (left), Inclusion Specialist for our Child Care Answers program.
Posted in Day Nursery News
Tagged Blue Friday, Cathy Johnson, colts, Day Nursery, Denise Hancock, Indianapolis Colts fans, Susan Davis, Tory Masters
Tim McGraw will be at the Verizon Wireless Music Center this Thursday evening. Tickets are still available.
The FRITOS brand has partnered with Tim McGraw and his Neighbor’s Keeper Fund to donate a total of $500,000 to nonprofit organizations in 34 cities, where he’ll be playing as part of his “Southern Voice” Tour. Day Nursery is proud to be selected as the Indianapolis beneficiary of McGraw’s stop this Thursday night at Verizon Wireless Music Center. If you are lucky enough to have tickets for the concert this week, look out for any Day Nursery logos around the event. “FRITOS brand corn chips have been part of American family traditions and community gatherings for generations,” said Christy Kulka, FRITOS Marketing Manager, Frito-Lay North America. “It was natural to partner with Tim McGraw and his Neighbor’s Keeper Fund as they are focused on bringing communities together. The FRITOS brand has worked with Tim to hand-pick each nonprofit that we will support so we can impact as many families as possible.”
The chosen organizations represent an array of needs across many communities, but they are connected in their common theme of uplifting families, specifically women and children.
Neighbor’s Keeper focuses mainly on children’s initiatives, and funds the work of existing charitable groups who are already working in areas where relief is needed.
“My wife and I believe it’s imperative for neighbors to help to improve communities, and FRITOS is stepping up to do just that,” said Tim McGraw. “In conjunction with my Neighbor’s Keeper Fund, the FRITOS brand’s generous donation will help children and families thrive across this great country.”
Annie Hayes (left) and Shelly Anderson (right) helped the State Center staff win by losing more than 10 pounds each during the contest.
The results are in… The Day Nursery State Center was our biggest loser winner of our Let’s Get Moving employee wellness campaign held early this summer. Over a 3 month period of time their staff lost a total of 142.75 lbs (with 14 staff members participating), way to go!!! As a group, they received $25 per staff member to be used on an item that will continue to promote fitness in their center. The staff has chosen to purchase a Wii, which will allow them to keep track of their fitness progress while having fun exercising during their lunch break. They obviously worked extremely hard and shared a lot of encouragement with each other to accomplish this goal.
The individual winner was Christine Whitaker of the Day Nursery Hendricks County center in Avon. We are proud to say that she lost the most individual weight (24 lbs!) during the three month contest. What I think makes her accomplishment even more impressive is that she is the cook at our Avon Center. Talk about daily temptation! She will be receiving $25.00 to spend on herself to continue promoting wellness.
Nikki Ngunjiri of the State Center logged over 2,000 minutes of exercise in the month of June.
Founded in 1899, Day Nursery is the oldest and largest non-profit provider of early care and education in Central Indiana. Serving more than 1,300 children a year ages six weeks to six years old, we believe that every child deserves a chance to reach his or her full potential.
Continuing a tradition of elegant afternoon teas established by the Day Nursery Ladies Auxiliary in the early 1900′s, we invite you to join us in celebrating 110 years of Day Nursery history and friendship Friday, June 5 at a Silver Teaat the Alverna Estates home of Dennis and Donna Oklak. The event will honor the past presidents of our Association, Foundation and Auxiliary Board of Directors. Formal tea service, hors d’oeuvres and champagne punch will be served. Tickets are $60 each and the event will be held from 2:00-4:00 pm.
Proceeds from this event will help ensure that no child is turned away from Day Nursery by providing a tuition assistance scholarship to qualifying families in need.
The event is presented with support from Benefit Associates, Anthem, Clarian Health and Johnson, Grossnickle+Associates.
If you would like to attend, you can purchase your tickets online or you can call us at 636-9197 ext. 240 to make a reservation.
Costumed teams of Butler University students will blow off end-of-semester steam by racing customized baby cribs on Hampton Drive Saturday, April 25.
Free and open to the public, the first-time Crib Race is co-sponsored by Kappa Delta Pi International Educational Honor Society, the College of Education Student Education Association and the Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis.
Activities start at 10:30 a.m. in front of Schwitzer Residence Hall, 750 W. Hampton Drive, with a parade of participants to determine the “Most Beautiful Baby” (crib rider) and best-dressed race team.
Contenders will then compete in heat races of two teams each. Four student runners will push each crib, with a fifth student riding inside. The 5-foot-high stainless steel beds, weighing approximately 175 pounds each, were donated for the race by Clarian Health Partners.
Day Nursery staffers retrofitted the cribs with larger rubber tires for better stability during the competition.
The race celebrates the 110th anniversary of the Day Nursery Association and caps off the National Week of the Young Child observance
“Seeing today’s university students race in baby cribs seemed a fun way to reflect on how far Day Nursery has come in its more than a century of offering quality child care in Indianapolis,” said Day Nursery Executive Director Carolyn Dederer. Indiana’s oldest child care provider, Day Nursery Association is one of the few non-profit child care agencies in the metropolitan area.
“The Crib Race also points to the long association between Day Nursery and Butler University’s College of Education. We both strongly champion the benefit of early childhood education, and COE has helped educate many of our graduates and our current teachers,” Dederer said.
KDP president Ruthie Leeth said teams will earn points toward championship trophies by collecting new and gently used children’s books for Day Nursery’s seven sites. Books will be counted prior to the race. Spectators can drop off children’s books in a public collection box on race day.
Jennifer Eakins, who attended Day Nursery as a preschooler and is now a 500 Festival Princess, will serve as one of the race judges, along with three Day Nursery Auxiliary volunteers.
For more information on the Butler Crib Race, call Cindy Smith, (317) 940-8464. to learn more about Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis, call (317) 636-9197 or visit http://www.daynursery.org.
Valentine box preparation in the four year old classroom at Ft. Harrison
Since Valentine’s Day falls on Saturday this year, our Day Nursery centers will be celebrating in their classrooms tomorrow. This week, students have been busy making cards, gifts for Mom and Valentine collection boxes. Teachers have been sharing books filled with love, friendship and kindness. If you are looking for a few books to share with your child this week, our staff offers their favorites.
Posted in Day Nursery Staff, News you can use
Tagged Dan Yaccarino, Day Nursery, Day Nursery State Government Center, Deanna Saylor, Diane De Groat, Eve Bunting, favorite valentine books, Jan Brett, Kevin Henkes, Laura Duksta, Lilly's Chocolate Heart, Love You Forever, March Brown, Margery Williams, Robert Munsch, Samone Abel, Shel Silverstein, Susan Davis
I think the time around Valentine’s Day is a great time to reinforce with your children the importance of giving to others. When you are addressing Valentines for friends and family, why don’t you ask your child to pick out someone they know who might not be getting a Valentine this year and surprise them with a note from you and your child. How about surprising the neighbor who you see walking her dog every day by your house or the clerk in the store who always makes sure your child gets a sticker at the checkout. Highlights.com says “Like a garden, generosity needs to be cultivated, but gently and carefully.” As a parent, you have many opportunities to help your child grow, so spread some love this Valentine’s week by encouraging your child to give.
