Smart Talk

QRIS Center Tots Around the Clock

Yesterday, we sent a letter out to our Quality Rating and Improvement System partners with some exciting news to announce.  Want to be in the know?  Click here to learn more about the future of QRIS in our region.

As we all prepare to hunker down and cozy up for the snowstorm this  afternoon, we’ve got a great idea for you and your family to pass the time: make cookies!

Cooking is a great activity to do with your preschooler–it helps teach math and science skills, the importance of following directions, and strengthens their fine motor skills as they practice filling, pouring, and mixing.

And best of all, this is one learning activity that yields a delicious treat upon completion!

Need a good recipe?  Several years ago, The New York Times went on the hunt for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and what they came back with did not disappoint!  Below, is their recipe aka “The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever Made!”

Enjoy!

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Big News: Virginia Beach GrowSmart has been selected to present this spring at the Alliance for Innovation’s 2013 Transforming Local Government Conference under the category “Economic Vitality” in response to the strong alignment between early education and economic development.

Using their first-hand experience from their work with GrowSmart and the city of Virginia Beach, they will make the case that the first five years of life has an undeniable impact on the quality of the future workforce and on the economic vitality of a community and share that:

• There is a strong link between early childhood education and the future workforce and economic vitality of a community.
• Investing in high-quality education in the first five years of life yields a significantly higher rate of return than investment in K-12, post-secondary, or job training programs.
• The development of a competitive, skilled workforce begins prior to kindergarten.
• Access to reliable, affordable child care raises employee productivity, reduces absenteeism, and factors into an employee’s decision regarding where to live and work.
• Private-sector early education providers are small businesses; providing them with business support, training, and mentoring helps to strengthen the local economy.
• Both the public and private sectors have a stake in ensuring the availability of high-quality early education; a successful strategy engages both sectors.

Congratulations on such a great achievement!  Learn more about GrowSmart at vbparents.com

With the holiday season in full swing, here at Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads, we have been busy!

Smart Beginnings staff enjoyed the pleasure of making gingerbread men with the children of QRIS center Ida Barbour Early Learning Center in Portsmouth.

Gingerbread men are a great holiday activity to strengthen your child’s fine motor skills and creativity.  You can also use them to practice colors, patterning, and counting.  Watch the video below of Lisa Howard for some fun ideas:

Additionally, members of Faithful Beginnings, including Teri Rigell, wife of U.S. Congressman Scott Rigell, enjoyed creating gingerbread houses with the children of QRIS center Noah’s Ark Christian Preschool in Norfolk.

And later, the children had fun with bells and instruments and “jingled all the way…”

The holidays can be busy, but in the midst of the chaos, remember that they are a great time to enjoy quality time with your children!  Take time to dance, sing, be creative, play games, tell stories, read, and, most importantly, have fun being together!!

In case you missed it, our very own Lisa Howard appeared last week on Cox Connections with Gary McCollum to talk about the work of Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads and share a little about our upcoming transition.  Check it out below:

Looking to change the conversation around kids in this country?  So is Too Small To Fail, a national movement dedicated to creating a groundswell to prompt Americans to rise to the challenges facing our nation’s children and build a stronger future for our children.

On their website, you’ll find compelling stats on prioritizing education, blog posts on the need to prioritize our children, and tips for parents, families, and employers on how to create a better future for the next generation.

Get on board by:

• Visiting their website;
• Following them on Twitter; or
• Becoming a Facebook Fan

Let’s work together to make our kids a priority!

Tots Around The Clock, Virginia Beach

Last month, NPR’s Planet Money aired a story focusing on the importance of quality early childhood programs as “a solution to all of society’s problems” and the best job training program we can provide for our children.

Did you know that before age 5, children acquire the foundation for desirable business skills such as communication, teamwork and critical thinking.  It’s a narrow window—and one we can’t afford to miss.

Click here to listen to the full story.

This fall, sisters Madison and Aven Oliver got together to support Faithful Beginnings partner, Noah’s Ark Preschool, in Norfolk, with back packs and school supplies.  The girls recruited help from their church and neighborhood, and handed out fliers wherever they could.

The result?!  Not just a trunk full of back packs, but a CAR LOAD full of back packs.

What a great way to get involved, give back, and support some of the youngest children in our community at the start of a new school year.  Way to go, girls!

Aven & Madison with Noah’s Ark Preschool Director Patricia Williams

Happy Monday!  In case you missed it, we wanted to make you aware of today’s article in The Virginian-Pilot on the transition efforts of Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads.  Click the images below to be redirected to the full article:

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden attend an event for Operation Shower. Photo via whitehouse.gov

Here in Virginia, we’re fortunate to have our nation’s First Lady as well as our state’s First Lady dedicated to serving the needs of military families.  Last year we let you know about two exciting initiatives supporting military families: Joining Forces and Serving Our Service Member  Families.

Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched an exciting new effort to aid in the education of military children.  ”Operation: Educate the Educators” will partner with over 100 colleges offering teaching degrees to better prepare teachers instructing children with parents in the military.

The life of a military child can be tough–with a parent deployed, frequent relocations, and learning to adjust to a new school–both socially and academically.  Through “Operation: Educate the Educators” student teachers will have the chance to learn more about the unique needs of military children and how best to support and encourage them while at their school.

Learn more about the new initiative here.