In This Issue

• Impact of Children's Futures
  • Preparing Children for School Through Family Child Care
  • Child Safety is One Focus of Children's Home Society's South Ward Program
  • CF Seeks Vice President of Program Management and Development
• Links to Print/Web Articles
  • Family Resources, Parenting Quality Influence Children's Early Cognitive Development
  • Even Toddlers Get It: Data Chunks are Easier to Remember
  • Rotavirus Vaccine Said to be Working
• Upcoming Community Calendar Events
  • Free Family Movie Night Features "Mulan"
  • Seminar Offers Understanding on the Explosive Child
  • Annual UIH Golf Tournament
• Ongoing Community Activities
  • CF Center-Based Programs for Children and Families
  • Pre-School Registration for 2008-2009 School Year
  • City-Smiles Programs for Trenton Children and Families

Impact Of Children's Futures

Preparing Children for School Through Family Child Care

Family child care is the most common form of child care in this country, yet family child care providers are perhaps the most unrecognized segment of caregivers in this field. Recognizing that many of the children entering preschool in Trenton each year are cared for in registered family child care homes, Children's Futures (through its Improving Quality in Child Care focus) has supported the work of the Child Care Connection (CCC) to enhance quality for family child care provider homes. During the past three years, CCC's family child care coordinator Alethia Deans has been modeling, teaching, and providing resources to Trenton family child care providers. According to Ms. Dean, "As a result of this investment, we've witnessed an increased focus on improving the literacy skills of young children 0-3 years old. Many family child care providers have set up their homes like a mini preschool (see pictures below) creating segmented learning areas for reading, sand and water play, blocks and manipulatives, music, and art. Each home-like setting includes child-related displays, materials at the child's level for easy access, bright, well-lit areas, and pictures of the children and their families. There are also cozy corners with soft, child-size furniture where children can relax. "Family child care homes really feel like learning zones. The children are excited and happy and music fills the air," she explained. This learning is not limited to the confines of the family child care homes. "Children are taken outdoors on a daily basis if the weather permits. And all activities are carefully planned to engage the children and help them learn," she added.

CCC's technical assistance specialists provide techniques to help children actively explore their environments and invent new ways of playing with materials.. Some of these techniques include the incorporation of early literacy activities, hand washing for both the provider and the child, encouraging self-help skills, potty-learning, tooth brushing, dramatic play, and daily circle time activities that include music and movement. Research shows music helps children establish good listening skills, an essential skill for school achievement. In addition, providers are giving children the "tools for learning." Children are read to daily and are given books to take home. Providers are also given information on implementing a home lending library and maximizing learning through room arrangements and infant/toddler activities. A Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale is used to track provider improvement.

Family child care providers build lasting relationships with the children in their care and their families. "For infants and toddlers, mental health or emotional well-being is about feeling safe and secure along with the early development of healthy relationships. Children thrive emotionally, socially, and physically when they feel confident that their needs will be met," Ms. Deans concluded.

Family child care home settings receiving technical assistance from Child Care Connection through Children's Futures (like those pictured above) have become structured environments for learning, play, music and movement (Photo Credit: Alethia Deans)

Child Safety is One Focus of Children's Home Society's South Ward Program

CF's South Ward Family Success/Parent Child Center at Children's Home Society on South Clinton Avenue is helping dozens of families ensure their children's safety. As part of its "Lunch and Learn" series this summer, child Identification cards were recently distributed to children following a presentation by Mercer County Sheriff's Office Investigator Jason Salvatore. Investigator Salvatore spoke to families about the importance of safety during the summer months, particularly when attending outside events or visiting amusement parks. He reminded his audience that sometimes in difficult situations, panic sets in and parents can't remember seemingly simple things like their child's eye color, height or weight. Child identification cards are one way to help law enforcement should a child get lost or become abducted. Families interested in securing a child identification card should contact Maritza I. Raimundi-Petroski at 609-695-6274, Ext. 160 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Mercer County Sheriff's Office Investigator Jason Salvatore prepares to take Mayrin Arabia's thumb print to add to her child ID. (Photo Credit Angela Garcia)

CF Seeks Vice President of Program Management and Development

At Children's Futures (CF), our nonprofit's mission is to improve child health and development outcomes for children from prenatal to age 3 in Trenton, NJ, to ensure every child enters preschool healthy and ready to learn. CF has launched a search for an individual to serve as Vice President for Program Management and Development with a passion for creating and supporting community-level change. This position reports to the CF President.

Candidates should have an advanced degree (Master's or higher), 10 years of senior leadership with 5 years of management experience in: early childhood health and development; strategic planning; fiscal analysis; project management; grant writing; and contract development/monitoring. Candidates must also possess strong written, verbal and group facilitation skills with ability to represent CF in health, policy, legislative, community and philanthropic settings. Knowledge of federal, state and local public/private funding sources is essential.

The position offers a competitive salary and benefits. Interested parties should mail a cover letter with a resume/CV and references to: Att: CF Human Resources, 28 W. State St., Suite 305,Trenton, NJ 08608 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 8/15/08. For more details on this position, click here.

Links To Print/Web Articles

Family Resources, Parenting Quality Influence Children's Early Cognitive Development
The Society for Research in Child Development release describes a new study, appearing in the July/August 2008 issue of the journal Child Development, reporting how economic factors and parenting quality jointly influence children's development.

Even Toddlers Get It: Data 'Chunks' Are Easier To Remember
Science Daily reports that researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have discovered that children as young as 14 months old can -- and do -- use the same technique as adults to increase their working memories.

Rotavirus Vaccine Said to Be Working
According to the New York Times, the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention reported a marked reduction in incidence of the Rotavirus among infants and young children in 2007-2008.

Vitamin D Levels in Pregnancy Linked to Baby's Dental Health
Health News reports on a study of women in their second trimester of pregnancy.

Upcoming Community Calendar Events

July 2008

Monday, July 21:

Family Movie Night: "Mulan": free (includes refreshments); 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. p.m.; Family Success/Parent Child Center South; 635 South Clinton Avenue (at the Roebling Complex). For information, please call Sarah Watermulder at 609-695-6274, ext. 169.

Tuesday, July 22:

Explosive Child: free (includes free child care); 6-8 p.m.; IBIS Plaza Office Suites 400; 3535 Quakerbridge Road; Hamilton, NJ. For information, please call 609-586-1200.

August 2008

Sunday, August 3:

The 31st Puerto Rican Day Parade: free; 1 p.m; begins at Trenton Central High School; for sponsorship information please call Isabel Garcia at 347-837-6509 or Ida Margicin at 609-209-5009 or go to www.trentonprparade.com

Thursday, August 7:

Annual Double Dutch Competition: free; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Martin House 794 East State Street in Trenton. For volunteer or sponsorship information, please call Bridget Lewis-Burgess at 609-815-2188 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Monday, August 11:

UIH Family Partners Annual Golf Classic: $150 per person. Lunch/Registration 11 a.m. Shotgun start 1 p.m.; Mercer Oaks West Country Club in Princeton Junction, NJ; proceeds support programs for more than 600 families. For sponsorship information or to register to golf, just dinner ($55) or for early-bird discounted rates for foursomes, please call Ed Gittens at (609) 695-3663 (ext. 215).

Thursday, August 14:

Baseball Benefit for the Mercer County Million Mom March Chapter: $10; 7:05 p.m..; Waterfront Park in Trenton featuring the Trenton Thunder against the Bowie Baysox. For ticket information, (tickets must be ordered by July 31) please contact Adam Smedberg at 609-394-3300 (ext. 124) or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For information about the Mercer County Million Mom March Chapter, please contact Carole Stiller at 609-882-3211 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

September 2008

Saturday, September 13:

3rd Annual Latino Parenting Conference-"Safety in the Latino Community": free; 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, 635 South Clinton Avenue in Trenton. Organizations interested in reserving a community resource table or if you have any families who may be interested in attending, please call Maritza Raimundi Petroski at 609-695-6274 (ext. 160). Space is limited to 150 individuals and 25 community organizations.

Wednesday, September 24:

Trenton Board of Education, Office of Early Childhood 2nd Pre-K Fair: free; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trenton Board of Education, Ellis Auditorium, 108 North Clinton Avenue in Trenton. Parents will also be able to register each child for school on the day of the Pre-K Fair if proper documentation is presented. To sign up. please call Denise Holguin at 609 656 4900 Ext. 5669 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ongoing Community Activities

CF Center-Based Programs for Parents and Children: Free programs at Children's Futures' centers provide families with the support they need to be empowered to succeed in life. Children's Futures' partners offer sessions to improve literacy, enhance employment opportunities, promote health, safety and good nutrition, address behavioral health issues, and encourage parent/child bonding and educational achievement. For more information on July, 2008 programs, please call Tonya Bellamy at 609-695-1977 (ext. 109) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pre-School Registration for 2008-2009 School Year: Beginning July 1, 2008, the Trenton Public Schools' Early Childhood Department will begin registering children every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 8:30am-11:00am. Children are eligible for free preschool if they turn three or four by September 30th and are Trenton residents. An appointment is needed in order for parents to complete the registration process for each eligible child. For appointments, please call 609 656-5667. Documents needed for registration: Child's Birth Certificate, Vaccination Record, 2 Current Proofs of Address (within 30days of registration date) utility bill, lease, home telephone, or cable bill will be accepted.

CitySmiles Offers Information About Programs Throughout the Year for Children and Families: For more information about fun and educational programs for children and parents contact CitySmiles at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or link to www.citysmiles.org http://www.citysmiles.org/

Isles, Inc. is providing dust sampling in 115 homes to determine if hazardous lead levels are present. If high levels are found, Isles will counsel parents about next steps including---protecting their children, speaking to a landlord, working with a city housing inspector, and applying for loans or grants to make a home lead safe. For more information, please call 609 341-4703.

Swim Classes at the YMCA: The Greater Trenton Area Y.M.C.A. is now offering Adult and Youth swim lessons. Lessons are available every Saturday until August 30, 2008. Youth class- 9am to 10:30 (starting at 3years old) Adult class- 10:30 to 12:00 noon

Location-Greater Trenton Area YMCA 431Pennington Ave. Trenton, NJ Fee: $40.00 plus Associate Membership $25.00 total -$65. Pre-registration is required. Please call 609-599-9622 for more information.

Pre-School Center Openings still available at Greater Trenton YMCA for September: The Pre-School Center serves children living in the City of Trenton 3-5 years of age and is an all-day program. Please call 609-599-9622 for more information

The New Jersey State Parent and Information Resource Center, a program of Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, has valuable services available for schools and community agencies (including FREE workshops for parents to support parental involvement efforts) Workshops are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to schools/agencies that can gather more than 30 parents per session. For more information please call 732-246-8060 ext. 110. To receive workshop application forms, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Camp Fire USA of New Jersey: All Six Flags Great Adventure Tickets Available Through Camp Fire USA of New Jersey Have Been Reduced to $20 Each. The $20 ticket is good for any one day admission to the theme park for adult or child. Camp Fire USA New Jersey Council, Children's Futures' Community partner in the Trenton Reach Out and Read program, is selling the discounted tickets for Six Flags Great Adventure as a fundraiser. All proceeds benefit Camp Fire programs for the prevention of violence, child abuse, abduction and substance abuse To order tickets: Send check or money order made payable to Camp Fire USA ($20 per ticket and $3 per order for postage and handling) to Camp Fire USA New Jersey Council, 535 East Franklin Street, Trenton, NJ 08610. Tickets may also be picked up at the Camp Fire office. For more information, please call: (609) 695-8410.

Womanspace: Womanspace is seeking volunteers to join the Domestic Violence Victim Response Team (DVVRT) & Sexual Assault Support Services Advocate Team (SASS). Team members respond to local police stations or hospitals and meet with victims, providing them with support, information and referral. In the past ten years the teams have gone on 3,785 call-outs and served over 5,000 residents of Mercer County. DVVRT and SASS volunteers support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault when they need it most. Qualifications include the ability to communicate well with others and be a good listener, ability to maintain confidentiality, 18 years of age and resident of or employed in the Mercer County area, valid driver's license and available transportation, no criminal history or prior history as a defendant in a domestic violence or sexual assault related matter, and availability to attend classes and meetings. Volunteers will receive 80+ hours of extensive, specialized training on topics including the law, sensitivity to the needs of victims and their children, and how to provide appropriate responses at a very critical time. Trained volunteers need to be "on call" (available to respond to call-outs) for two to four shifts a month. Training begins on Tuesday, September 9, 2008. Interested persons must submit to a background investigation, including fingerprinting. Bilingual individuals (especially those fluent in Spanish, Polish, and American Sign Language) are encouraged to apply. Applications must be received by Monday, August 4, 2008. For more information, please contact Heidi Mueller at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Alison Daks at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (609) 394-0136.