Day Nursery Federal Center teachers, students and families Live United

Today’s post comes from Sarah Parks, Center Director at the Day Nursery Federal Center located in downtown Indianapolis  in the Minton Capehart Federal Building, 575 N. Pennsylvania Street. 

As many of you already know, Day Nursery is a United Way agency.  Each year the United Way allocates funds to Day Nursery which are used in a variety of ways, one of which is to provide tuition assistance scholarships to those who might not otherwise be able to attend an accredited early learning facility.  As a United Way Agency, we also participate in their annual campaign to help raise funds that the United Way will turn around and use in our community, wherever the need is greatest.  In the past few years we have been trying to bring the concept of giving and sharing with those in need to the children in our centers as well.  In years past we have read the book Benny’s Pennies and done different activities to raise money for the campaign such as bake sales and art sales.  This year we are reading the books The Doorbell Rang and The Little Red Hen to promote sharing and giving.  Our classrooms will also be doing additional activities around these themes and books. 

 In my center, our Toddler 2 classroom is hosting an Art and Craft Fair today and our parents are invited to purchase child made arts and crafts in their classroom.  All proceeds will go to the United Way of Central Indiana campaign.  Ms. Jennifer and Miss Belinda have done a great job with this project.

We are also hosting a center-wide school dance next Thursday October 27 from 4 to 5.  Parents may buy tickets to attend with the children, for any size donation to the United Way campaign.  Join us for an hour of dancing, refreshments and games…all for a good cause!  Children may bring fancy dress up or dance clothes to wear to the dance if you would like.  Again, all proceeds will go to the United Way campaign.   

Finally our classrooms have worked together to create a Giving Tree—paintings of children’s arms & hands serve as branches, and any “green” that anyone would like to add to the tree for leaves will also go to the United Way of Central Indiana.   

At the Day Nursery Federal Center, we are proud to Live United.

Thanks for your support in helping teach our children about the importance of helping others, and sharing what we have.

Car Seat Clinic scheduled for October 30 at The Children’s Museum

Three out of four child safety seats are improperly installed.

Is yours one of them?  

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital for Children will host a car seat clinic on Sunday, October 30 from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm in the parking lot of  The Children’s  Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 N. Meridian St.Indianapolis. 

Enter off of Illinois Street (parking lot located one block south from the museum between 29th and 30th Streets on the left hand side).

Have your child’s car seat checked during this FREE event sponsored by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s (ICJI) Traffic Safety division and the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital. You can also enjoy interactive games and prizes from Radio Disney at this event.

Things to Know Before You Go:

• Bring Your Child With You. In order to have your child’s seat fitted properly, he  or she must be present at the event.
• Plan Ahead for Possible Wait Time. Safety seat clinics operate with one goal in mind – to ensure the safety of child passengers in every vehicle checked. Depending upon several factors (number of children, type of vehicle, etc.), the process can be lengthy. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to be assisted by our technicians. Vehicles will be served on a first come, first served basis.
• What Happens During a Seat Check?
  Inspections will be conducted only by certified safety technicians who will
  • Check the child safety seat to see that it has been properly installed.
  • Remove and inspect the child safety seat for damage.
  • Ensure the child safety seat is not a recalled model.
  • Get information about children riders from the vehicle owner (size and weight of child, etc.)
  • Ensure the child safety seat is appropriate for the size and age of the child.
  • Teach the auto owner the correct procedure to properly and safely install the child safety seat in his or her auto.
  • Show the parent or caregiver how to secure the child in the seat.
  • Discuss other vehicles and safety seats they own, and provide instructions to repeat the correct procedure with other seats or when installing the seat in other cars.

Day Nursery Federal Center students venture into the Indiana Wild

Animal advocate and funny guy Alligator Aaron is visiting three Day Nursery Centers today with his menagerie from his company Indiana Wild.   His first stop this morning was at our downtown Federal Center where he introduced the children to a rabbit, an alligator (of course), a hedgehog, a hissing cockroach (really!), a bat and a skunk.  His conversational patter is full of fun facts about the creatures he brings making his program educational as well as entertaining. Thanks to Center Director Sarah Parks for sharing these pictures from the Federal Center this morning. His afternoon stops today include Family Fall Festivals at our Ruth A. Lilly Center and our IU Health Center.  He is hopping around Day Nursery like the Energizer Bunny today!

Day Nursery Friday Faces: Northwest Center

It’s day two of picture day at the Day Nursery Northwest Center, 5735 W. 73rd Street.  Here’s Mr. Glynn and two of the toddlers in his classroom dressed and ready for Apryl from Dimensions Photography yesterday.

Day Nursery Federal and State Centers closed for Columbus Day

In observance of Columbus Day, our Day Nursery early learning centers in the Indiana State Government Center as well as our two Federal Centers (Ft. Harrison and downtown) will be closed today, Monday, October 10.  Our other locations are open.  If you have any concerns about the schedule today, please call Marsha Lindsey at 636-9197 ext 226.

Phone call from teacher helps Day Nursery children Read for the Record

Listening to Miss Nina's voice on the phone

This is one time when having an employee “phone it in” is a good thing.  To learn more about this story, I wanted to share a note to Day Nursery Federal Center parents from Center Director Sarah Parks:

All of our classes read Llama Llama Red Pajama today for Jumpstart’s national Read for the Record day.  For those of you who know our teacher, Ms. Nina, that is her FAVORITE book.  She would read it DAILY while she was here.  As many of you know, Ms. Nina has been off on medical leave, and is missing her children so much.  So, Ms. Nina…as a special guest on speakerphone…read the book to her class of two and three-year olds,  while Ms. Brittany flipped the pages.  The children enjoyed it so much…they have missed Ms. Nina.  It made Nina’s day as well. 

Miss Brittany turned the pages while the children listened to Ms. Nina read the story over the phone.

Day Nursery students join national Read for the Record

Day Nursery teachers, parents and students will join 2 million people across our nation tomorrow in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record presented by Pearson Education, sharing the book Llama Llama Red Pajama.  In some Day Nursery centers, children will even come to school in their pajamas.  If you would like to join us, take the pledge below and click this link for more information.  If you don’t have the book on hand, you can read it on line by visiting the website.

I pledge to read Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney with children in my life on October 6, 2011. By sitting down to read, I’ll be joining more than 2 MILLION people in calling for an end to America’s early education achievement gap. Together, we’ll stand up to demand that all children receive the quality early education they deserve.

Day Nursery Too Cute Tuesday

It is Building Week in the Preschool 2 classroom at our Ft. Harrison center. They learned about different types of buildings, materials used to build, tools and occupations of the people in different buildings. This was the class project. Thanks to our Director of Center Administration Patty Fisher for capturing this great picture.

Day Nursery Auxiliary Style Show this Friday

We hope to see you this Friday, October 7 at the Oak Hill Mansion in Carmel for the Day Nursery Auxiliary’s annual Luncheon and Style Show fundraiser. A limited number of tickets are still available. If you need more information, check out the Auxiliary’s website.

Day Nursery Ft. Harrison students say Go Colts!