Coordinator Corner, MECC member, feature teacher, trainings and announcements, ideas for parents and providers.

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Coordinator Corner

â€˜Twas but a few days before Christmas

And all through the town

Shoppers were bustling and rushing around

The MECC staff is exhausted from a fun family night

We played games, did crafts and took fun photos too

Santa was there â€“ he was looking for you!

He checked his list of those naughty and nice~

And found the nice list to be the long one

And said his elves hard work is never done!

The work of parents and teachers also has no end

And we at MECC are hoping that each of you reading this can spend

Quality time with your families over Christmas vacation

And we wish peace and love to you and yours all over this great nation!

We thank you for your partnerships during 2013 and look forward to continued work with each of you in 2014. Happy Holidays!

-Vangi

Feature Teacher

Cindy Whitaker is the co-owner/ teacher of Lil' Rascals Preschool and Daycare. She was born in Kansas but raised in Farmington, New Mexico. Cindy has lived in Cortez for 28 years and loves it here. "I like the smaller town where you run into people you know everywhere." Cindy has two children and nine grandchildren. Mickey and Cindy started Lil' Rascals 21 years ago and like having a small in home center where they get to know the children and families in their care.

"Challenges to having your own business is that you work very long days and its best not to get sick during the week. Having your own place has many more advantages, mostly you can do things the way you believe they should be done."

Cindy started her early childhood career in large centers and has been in the field for 31 years. She enjoys to craft, draw, crossstitch and is learning to crochet. "My first blanket is going well, but a bit crooked." Spending time with her grandchildren and travelling brings her joy. When looking to the future, she hopes to keep up with the changes in the early childhood field, continue working, loving and teaching young children and would eventually like to teach college class in early childhood. Thank Cindy for dedicating 31 years and counting to young children and their families.

Meet a MECC Member:
Geof Byerly

A Colorado native, from Greeley originally, I came to Montezuma County in 1996 for the opportunity to teach French at the Cortez Middle School. How time has flown! I have managed to work my way around Cortez at a variety of schools and have found myself with different age groups. Some of those students from the earlier years now are parents whose children I have gotten to know when I decided that I needed to go back to preschool. It was when my two sons, Jackson(12) and Benjamin(10), were born that I deemed it necessary to explore the world of Early Childhood Education. With a BA in Secondary French Education from the University of Northern Colorado, I have also earned a Montessori credential from the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies in Boulder. Doesnâ€™t Infant Toddler work sound appealing? Seriously! I have the distinction of being the first man Vangi has hired at MECC.

In my experience I have come to appreciate the important work that is accomplished in the ECE classroom and it was with excitement that I accepted the Social/Emotional Coaching position at MECC. This position will allow me to stay connected with the children served in the community and develop collaborative relationships with the wonderful administrators, teachers and assistants in the schools. Thank you to those I have already met for making me feel welcome in this position. For those I have yet to meet, I look forward to it. If I can be of service to you, please feel free to contact me at the MECC office by phone at 970-564-3211 or by e-mail at geofb@monteloresecc.org.

For Families and Providers

Five Senses Snowman

Gather googly eyes, bells, cinnamon, small candy canes, and cut out arms from sand paper. As the children build their snowmen, talk about how we can see with our eyes, feel the sand paper arms with our hands, hear the bells with our ears, taste the candy cane with our mouths, and smell the cinnamon with our noses. Visit Teach Preschool, Promoting Excellence in Early Childhood Education for other great ideas.

Christmas Tree Snack

Arrange snap trees in a tree shape, use pretzel stick for the trunk, and cut a cheese slice into a star. Fun and Healthy! Courtesy of Blue Skies Ahead.

The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke for Children

The New Year is right around the corner, and many of us ponder resolutions for the upcoming year around healthier choices. So let us ponder on this; why is secondhand smoke so dangerous for children?
Secondhand smoke contains over 4000 chemicals including arsenic, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and benzene, 60 of which are known to cause cancer. The truth: there is NO such thing as a safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Minimal exposure is harmful to your health.
Secondhand smoke is dangerous to children as their bodies are still growing and developing and can slow a childâ€™s lung growth. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have increased ear infections, more severe and frequent asthma attacks, allergies, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Infants exposed have an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Parents who smoke are not bad parents. They love their children, care for their children, and always want to protect their children from harm. There are some myths around protection from secondhand smoke exposure.

The Distance Myth: smoking in another room or different part of the house can protect my child. The Truth: In a home or in a car, there is no safe distance between children and secondhand smoke.
The Ventilation Myth: Opening a window or using a fan or air filter makes the air safer. The Truth: Ventilating secondhand smoke does not do enough to protect children.
The Odor Myth: If you cannot smell secondhand smoke in the air, then the air is safe. The Truth: Even if someone canâ€™t smell secondhand smoke, he/she may still be breathing its poisonous toxins.
The Quit Myth: Parents have to quit smoking entirely to be able to protect their children and keep the air safe in the home and car. The Truth: Parents donâ€™t have to quit smoking right away to start protecting their children right away. Take One Step, one step out your door or outside of your car.

So as we move on with the New Year, keep in mind the four myths around protecting children from secondhand smoke whether you smoke or do not, are a parent, provider, or community member, and take One Step. If you smoke, do it outside of your home or car. If you are community member or provider, have the conversation with parents about the dangers of secondhand smoke and talk about taking One Step. Resolve yourself to protect children from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Information from State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Monthly MECC meeting January 6th, 2014 at 11:45am at the Johnson Building Room 110. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP before the holidays, no later than January 3rd.

Pop a Tab For Sam!

Start saving your aluminum can tabs and consider donating them to Sam. For more information on how you can help Sam with your can tabs, click here.

Just a reminder that MECC has the 5210 table tents available to distribute within the community. This is part of MECC's strategic plan and the Nutrition and Health committee. Help us distribute these in Montezuma and Dolores counties. Stop by the office, the Johnson Building, or call 970-564-3211. Let's keep spreading the message!

Check out this great jingle to promote 5210 in your homes or in your centers.

MECC is now accepting applications for our 5th cohort of Family Leadership Training Institute. Let's expand our network of Family Leaders. For more information click here, and to apply visit: www.Coloradofamilyleadership.com. Applications due by December 30th, 2013 and classes will begin in January.

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