Local Positive Male Role Models read to Head Start of Shawnee Mission children
Published April 25, 2012
Mike Bukaty, Mike Thompson, Brian Redelsheimer, Clarence Small, Dr Fred Hall, Brent Stewart, Rex Taylor and Ron Shaffer
Tony Choi, Gale Hansen and Bill Meador
Head Start of Shawnee Mission hosted a Special Guest Reader event on Tuesday, April 24th as part of our celebration of the Week of the Young Child. The Week of the Young Child™ is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child™ is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The 2012 Week of the Young Child™ is April 22–28 and the theme is Early Years are Learning Years®.
We invited local positive male role models to read the book, “When I Grow Up” by Mercer Mayer to our preschool children. A special thank you to the following positiveKansas Cityrole models:
Mike Bukaty, President, Bukaty Companies
Mike Thompson, Chief Meteorologist FOX 4
Brian Redelsheimer, Battalion Chief Overland Park Fire Department
Ron Shaffer, Prairie Village Mayor
Rex Taylor,RoelandParkPolice Chief
Brent Stewart, CEO, United Way of GreaterKansas City
Clarence Small, Regional Program Manager-Region VII Office of Head Start
Dr Fred Hall, Physician, Children’sMercyHospital
Tony Choi, Patrolman, City ofMission
Bill Meador, Investment Advisor Rep/ The Wright Legacy Group
Overland Park Fire Department Battalion Cheif Brian Redelsheimer
Mike Thompson, Chief Meteorologist FOX 4
Mike Bukaty, President, Bukaty Companies
After reading the book, our guest readers asked the children what they want to be when they grow up and the children shared, doctors, pizza makers, a samurai, bakers, firemen and more.
Low income children often lack exposure to early learning opportunities putting them behind their more affluent peers. Head Start of Shawnee Mission program and services have a positive impact on the lives of low income children and their families. Children are prepared for kindergarten and their parents are achieving self sufficiency.
Bill Meador, Investment Advisor Rep, The Wright Legacy Group
We are delighted that our guest readers enhanced the literacy of our children and shared their time and talent with us. Thank you!
Brent Stewart, CEO, United Way of Greater Kansas City
Dr Fred Hall
Congratulations to Head Start of Shawnee Mission Board President, Brian Clark
Published April 17, 2012
Congratulations to Brian Clark, Head Start of Shawnee Mission Board President for his selection in the 2012 Kansas City Ingram’s magazine 40 Under Forty list of honoree’s. It is an honor for Brian to be selected as a Kansas City professional striving for excellence in his work. Brian has shared his involvement with Head Start of Shawnee Mission has been rewarding: “I get experience that I wouldn’t be able to get in any other workplace; it’s really exciting to see the impact we have on the families and children.”
Congratulations to Brian. How fortunate we are at Head Start of Shawnee Mission to have him as a leader of our board of directors!
Go to http://ingramsonline.com/Â to read the complete article.
Congressman Yoder reads and rhymes with Head Start of Shawnee Mission children
Published March 3, 2012
On March 2, 2012, Congressman Kevin Yoder visited Head Start of Shawnee Mission preschool classrooms to participate in Read Across America Day. The Congressman, called Mr. Kevin by the preschoolers, read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss and Dr Seuss’ ABC. The Congressman also brought his mother-in-law, Brenda Robinson to join in the fun.
This national reading celebration sponsored by the National Education Association takes place each year across the county on or near March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss.
We were honored to have Congressman Yoder read to our children. We value his involvement as a positive male role model in encouraging early literacy which is so important in the development of children’s reading skills. Children who are read to from an early age have a larger vocabulary and better language skills when they begin kindergarten, making it easier to learn to read.
According to information shared by the Reach Out and Read National Center, children in low-income families face the highest risk of literacy problems with only 36% of children among low income families read to daily.
Congressman Yoder reads One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Thank you Kappa Kappa Gamma’s!
Published February 24, 2012
It was a great start to the day at Head Start of Shawnee Mission on February 23, 2012. During our early morning monthly Board of Directors meeting, Brian Clark, Head Start of Shawnee Mission Board President and I accepted a check for $24,000 from Marissa Schaffner and Rise Strasser, two of the three chairs of the 2011 Kappa Kappa Gamma Holiday Homes Tour. The tour is sponsored by the Kansas City Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Head Start of ShawneeMissionwas chosen to receive part of the proceeds from the 2011 tour, which was in December.
Marissa Schaffner, Brian Clark, Rise Strasser and Terrie VanZandt-Travis
The support from the Kappa Kappa Gamma’s is critical to our program. As a recipient of Federal funds, for every $100 we receive in Federal grant dollars, we must raise a $25 match. Support from the Kappa Kappa Gamma’s helps us meet that mandate and will make a difference in our efforts to serve low income JohnsonCounty children.
Thank you Kappa Kappa Gamma’s! We appreciate your support and investment in our program and services.
This Land is Your Land
Published February 11, 2012
Former Congressman Moore
Last week former congressman Dennis Moore visited Head Start of Shawnee Mission to read, sing and play the guitar to 16 excited preschool children in Ms Vicki and Ms Rachel’s classroom. A fun time was had by the children, staff, former congressman Dennis Moore and Mr. Moore’s former employee, Cynthia Wendt. Thank you to Cynthia Wendt for coordinating this visit. Mr. Moore performed songs such as This Land Is Your Land, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Old MacDonald. He then took requests from the children.
The energy was electric in the classroom. We are so appreciative of the support of our community friends. Mr. Moore shared his talent and sense of fun with the Head Start children. Thank you for demonstrating how a positive male role model gives back to his community.
“We all have equal rights”
Published January 17, 2012
Today while in Classroom 2, I found the class working on an activity to increase diversity awareness. The teachers, Ms Vicki and Ms Rachel, set out various paint colors to resemble skin color. They then asked each child to look at their skin color and determine if the paint matched their skin. If not, the children added and mixed additional paint colors to match their skin tone. The children painted an oval to represent their face and added facial features including yarn for hair.
I asked Ms Rachel what led to the activity and she shared the activity was in response to Head Start of Shawnee Mission’s closing yesterday, January 16, 2012 in honor of Martin Luther King Day.  As the program closure was out of the routine of a typical week for the children, the teachers addressed why we were closed, Martin Luther King’s role and how we are all different. Ms Rachel shared one child stated to the group, “We all have equal rights.”  Ms Vicky shared the following comments from several of the students at her work table:
Sophia-“Girls deserve to have equal rights, so I can be a cheerleader.”
Aubree-“I already know what is wrong with people, that’s why I am going to be a doctor. Then I get money for telling them.”
Carlos-“Hey look my skin is brown; I wish it was green like my car.”
Ahzzis-“Ms Vicky isn’t white like paper. She had to have some brown (added to her paint) too.”
This activity is a perfect example of the research, evidenced based High Scope curriculum used here at Head Start of Shawnee Mission. The High Scope curriculum emphasizes active learning and direct hands on experiences with people, objects, events and ideas. Ms. Vicky and Ms Rachel did just that. They took an event related to the experience of the children and supported the children in their active learning.
May I hug the human?
Published January 6, 2012
Yesterday I had the pleasure of reading Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow to  one of our morning preschool classrooms. I have a monkey puppet Rodney named after my deceased father who was a lifelong educator. Rodney helped me read the book and assisted in engaging the children in the story.
 During the process of reading the book, I asked children, teachers and the parent volunteer to fully participate by standing up and jumping when referenced in the book. The activity focused on literacy and health by having children engage in movement while listening to the book.  To assist with the children transitioning to the next activity, at conclusion of the book, I asked each child if they would like to pet, high five, hug or kiss Rodney the puppet. Â
Throughout the reading, one child was struggling focusing on the book.  His teacher, Miss Mary,helped him be successful in participating in the activity. When it was his turn to decide if he wanted a hug, high five, or kiss from Rodney the puppet, he asked Miss Mary, “Can I hug the human?” Miss Mary directed the child to ask me directly. I asked, “Am I the human” to which he replied yes and we exchanged a hug. You should have seen the smile on my face as I left the classroom and returned to my administrative duties.
This interaction made my day and fuels me for my advocacy of the importance of early learning and intervention.  It brings such joy to my heart to be a part of the learning and growth of young children.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to attend one of our monthly one hour Crayon Box Tours you are missing out on an opportunity to see first hand the positive difference we are having on the lives of low income children living in Johnson County. You too might receive a warm “human” hug while touring our classrooms. Call me at 913-649-9714 to attend one of our upcoming tours on Wednesday, January 11 from 8-9 am or Tuesday, February 7 from 11:30-12:30 pm.
Head Start of Shawnee Mission ensures children are safe
Published December 13, 2011
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a Head Start Safety Report from a May 2009 -October 2010 audit of three Head Start grantees from each of eight States that were most at risk for noncompliance with health and safety regulations and standards.
The following statement should be attributed to Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of the National Head Start Association:
 “The results of the HHS audit of Head Start programs at-risk for noncompliance with health safety regulations and standards are a testament to the Head Start community’s shared commitment to ensuring the safest, highest-quality programs for the over one million children and families Head Start and Early Start serves every year,” said Yasmina Vinci, Executive
Director of the National Head Start Association.
Recently the Office of Head Start released new regulations which will raise the already high standards of Head Start programs across the nation. Head Start provides quality early learning and comprehensive support services for children and families in poverty. Kansas has 28 programs providing services to more than 9,000 children and families 86 counties.
The audit targeted 24 grantees with a high risk for non-compliance, 21 of which immediately corrected deficiencies, with the three remaining grantees losing Head Start funding. Each and every one of the more than 1,600 Head Start grantees recognizes that providing a safe early learning environment is a primary goal and remains committed to excellence in the pursuit of quality.
The Head Start community takes health and safety regulations seriously and is committed to ensuring every program meets or exceeds rigorous safety standards and delivers the most efficient and effective services during the critical window of opportunity from birth through age five.
Head Start of Shawnee Mission teaching staff conduct daily health checks for each child enrolled in their classroom and complete daily playground inspections. The teaching staff conduct weekly classroom cleaning which includes sanitizing all toys and disposal of outdated items in the refrigerator. Regular health and safety inspections are conducted monthly at our center located at 8155 Santa Fe and at our collaborating partner, Kids at Heart. We conduct monthly fire and tornado drills and are inspected annually by the Overland Park Fire Department and Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Child Care Licensing and Regulation. National criminal background checks are conducted following an agency approved schedule on all employees, volunteers and board of directors.
 Head Start of Shawnee Mission is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment to children and families.Â
CenturyLink adopts 17 families for the holidays
Published December 9, 2011
It was a joyous morning at Head Start of Shawnee Mission on Friday, December 9, 2011. CenturyLink employees arrived with a truck and trailer driven by Tom McEvoy, CenturyLink Senior Vice President – Business Integration, filled with wrapped gifts for 17 Head Start of Shawnee Mission families. This is the second year for CenturyLink staff involvement with Head Start of Shawnee Mission’s Holiday Family Adoption program.  As the CenturyLink and Head Start of Shawnee Mission staff unloaded the gifts and carried then down the hall to our Multi Purpose Room the children were in the halls on the way to the playground with eyes wide open repeatedly saying, “Wow!”
The families we serve live at or below the poverty level. They often do not have the resources to provide for holiday gifts. Many of our family’s struggle paying for basic necessities such as utility bills, cleaning products, diapers and food. Having beautifully wrapped gifts to open on Christmas morning is a wonderful treat.
CenturyLink’s generosity will truly make a difference in the lives of our families. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has participated in our Holiday Family Adoption program.
Thank you and I wish all of our supporters a safe and happy holiday.
Terrie
Don Harman will be missed by Head Start of Shawnee Mission
Published December 6, 2011
Ten years ago when I was a teacher in one of our preschool classrooms my class regularly reported on the day’s weather. As Don Harman has been my favorite weatherman, I asked him to come and report the weather with my class. Once word spread within the building here at Head Start of Shawnee Mission, all classroom teachers wanted to be a part of Don Harman’s visit. I can still recall a 4 year old girl in my class who asked Don, “How do you make a rainbow?” Don carefully explained how a rainbow was made before 100 young children and staff using a large piece of paper and washable markers. After the explanation Don asked the group, does anyone have another question? This young girl raised her hand again and asked, “How do you make a rainbow?” This brought chuckles from the staff and Don. He politely explained again how a rainbow is formed using paper and markers. He then asked, “does anyone else have a question?” A young boy raised his hand and asked. . . . . .wait for it. . . .”How do you make a rainbow?” Don took this all in stride and laughed at the situation and once again provided the answer. It’s important to note that young children often do not know what a question is and will provide statements such as “I have a red shirt or I just ate breakfast” when asked to put together a question. The good news is the Head Start children knew what a questions was. The fun part was Don’s laughter and reaction to the repeated question.
Since that time, Don also served as an emcee for our Annual Golf Tournament and most recently was a guest reader in December 2010 helping Head Start of Shawnee Mission celebrate our 45th birthday. Don was very giving and had a fantastic sense of humor.
On behalf of the staff and children and families served at Head Start of Shawnee Misssion, we send our condolences to Don’s family and the staff at WDAF Fox 4 News. We will miss him!
