September 11th – December 19th

No ECFE classes on October 18, 19, 20

Community Learning Center | 912 First Ave NE Austin, MN 55912 | 507-460-1709

NON-SEPARATING BABY CLASSES Baby & Me Birth - 12 months Free Being a parent is a time of excitement and wonder. This class will include parent and baby activity time, parent discussion, and time to connect with other parents. Parent discussion may include attachment, sleep, feeding, child development, adjustments to parenting, calming techniques, play, safety, nutrition and temperament. Sibling care is available. Mondays 11:00 – 12:00 pm September 11 – November 13 FREE Baby Bags Congratulations to all new parents!!! To celebrate you, ECFE invites you to a baby meet and greet to discover all the

resources we have for you and your family. You will receive a bag of goodies filled with things just for you and your baby. Items include a board book, resources, toy, and some special

items designed by other parents. To receive your baby bag and set up your meet and greet, contact Parent Educator Cassie Boettcher at cassie.boettcher@austin.k12.mn.us or 507.460-1700, ext. 4961

Just as your baby first learns to sit up, crawl and finally walk, learning to read begins at birth! Bond with your child and build their love for learning. Babies love board books, cloth books and books with baby faces! www.talkingisteaching.org

TODDLER CLASSES

Tiny Tots – non-separating $40/family 11 – 23 months Young toddlers love to play and explore as long as parents are near. The ECFE room offers lots of fun opportunities for exploration and discovery. Children learn

through play while you discuss toddler parenting topics in another part of the room. Sibling care is available. Mondays, 9:00- 10:15am September 11 – November 13 Tremendous Two’s – separating $40/ family 24 – 35 months Two year old’s are filled with wonder and excitement. Their development explodes as they discover the world around them. Explore fun and creative ways to enjoy parenting and playing with your children. Parent education time takes place in a separate room with helpful resources and topics. Enjoy this parent networking time while children continue activities with ECFE staff. Sibling care is available. Wednesdays, 8:45- 10:15am September 13 – November 15 (No class October 18)

Toddlers and preschoolers love books and cuddling with parents to read. Allow toddlers to choose their books and be ready to read the same stories

over and over again. Ask your preschooler to make predictions about what might happen next and point to the words and pictures as you read. Toddlers love touch and feel books and books that rhyme and name things. Preschoolers like alphabet and counting books and books with patterns and folk or fairy tales. www.talkingisteaching.org

PRESCHOOL AGE CLASS Thrilling Threes, Fours and Fives 36-60+ months – separating $40/Family per session (sign up for all 3 sessions in the fall and get $5 off session 3) Children and parents will explore a variety of interest areas including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math); Foreign Language exploration, and music. Ideas will be shared for more activities at home. Sibling care is available. Thursdays, 8:30–10:30am (session 1) September 14 – November 16 (no class October 19) January 10 – March 15 (session 2) April 5 – May 24 (session 3)

MULTI-AGE CLASSES Fun with Nature – non separating $20/family Birth-5 Enjoy fall with an outdoor class at the Hormel Nature Center. Children will learn about nature through songs, scavenger hunts and outdoor activities. Families will participate in potentially messy educational activities, please dress accordingly. No sibling care. Fridays, 10:00 - 11:15am September 22, 29 and October 6

MULTI-AGE CLASSES - continued Flourishing Families Birth – 5 years – non-separating $40/family per session (sign up for all 3 sessions in the fall and get $5 off session 3) Parents and children will explore a wide variety of activities together to stimulate all senses. Class activities will be designed around the ages of the children enrolled and the interests of the families. No sibling care. Tuesdays, 9:00 – 10:15am September 12 – November 14 (session 1) January 9 – March 13 (session 2) April 3 – May 22 (session 3) Flourishing Families Holiday Fun $20/family Birth – 5 years non-separating Come and explore with your children in a hands on active class with a holiday theme. This class includes music, movement and art experiences. Family discussions will include stress free holidays, gift ideas and family traditions. No sibling care. Tuesdays, 9:00 – 10:30 am December 5, 12, 19

MULTI-AGE CLASSES - continued Mis Hijos y Yo – separating $40/family Birth – 5 years This class is taught in Spanish. Parents and children will explore a wide variety of sensory activities. Learn about your child’s growth and development, share ideas with other parents and staff and have fun playing. No sibling care. Esta clase se enseña en español. Padres y hijos van a explorar una amplia variedad de actividades sensoriales. Los padres tendrán la oportunidad de aprender sobre el crecimiento y desarrollo de su hijo, compartir ideas con otros padres y con el personal, y simplemente divertirse jugando con sus niños Tuesdays, 11:00 – 12:30 September 12 – November 14 Back Packer Book Club FREE Birth – 5 years

Bring your friends and join us at the Austin Public Library for a variety of story time fun and activities. Bring your backpack and library card to take home more reading fun. No sibling care.

Wednesdays, 12:30-1:15 pm September 13 – November 15 (no classes Oct. 11 or 18)

http://www.facebook.com/AustinECFE

MULTI-AGE CLASSES - continued Random Acts of Kindness $10/Family Birth – 5 years Every small interaction with someone is an opportunity to have a positive impact on both of your lives.

Join the ECFE team in creating a special treat at the CLC that we will deliver to our civil servants at the fire station and law enforcement center. Thursday December 7 9:00 – 10:00 am

ECFE is partnering with The Cedars of Austin for an intergeneration experience. We will visit residents, share stories and do a project together. Thursday, December 14 9:00 – 10:00 am

Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training is a multisensory approach to learning for 3 – 5 year old’s that involves

brain stimulation activities. This program develops visual, auditory, balance, fine and gross motor readiness. Find out more about SMART in your ECFE classes.

SPECIAL EVENTS AND CLASSES Pizza and Parenting $15/Family/class All ages 5:00 – 7:00 PM

Bring the family for dinner and discussion. Discussion will be led by Parent Educator Cassie Boettcher. Childcare will be provided by the ECFE staff. Each family will receive a copy of the book used in the discussion.

Families will eat together from 5:00 – 5:30 then parents will separate for the discussion from 5:30 – 7:00. There will be a gluten free option. Monday, September 18 – Power Struggles Oh, those dreaded power struggles! Such emotional tug of wars can make family life so unpleasant. With the help of the book Unplugging Power Struggles, by Jan Faull, we will learn how to prevent or resolve these battles. Learn when and how to hold on to power, to allow your child to assume it gradually, or to drop back or out of the struggle. Tuesday, October 10 – Sleepless in Austin? When we choose sleep we choose a happier, healthier and more successful life for our families. This class will address sleep issues from birth through the teen years. We will share ideas to help children and adults get the best night’s sleep. We will use the book Sleepless in America, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. Tuesday, November 7 –No Drama Discipline No Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson will be discussed to help gain strategies for identification of the parents’ own discipline philosophy and master the best methods to communicate the lessons they are trying to impart. Discussion will also cover facts on brain development, type of discipline appropriate for each age, tips for navigating through the storm and twenty discipline mistakes even great parents make.

SPECIAL EVENTS AND CLASSES - continued Moms Day Out $6/child Birth – 5 Take time for yourself. Go home and take a nap, shop or enjoy coffee with a friend while ECFE takes care of your children. Parents will need to provide a lunch for the child. ECFE will provide a snack and milk or water. Monday, December 4 9:00 – 12:00 Santa Workshop FREE

Families with children birth – 8 years This fun family event is an opportunity to enjoy the sounds and activities of the holiday season. We will have music, art, sensory play, treats, book fair and of course Santa! Santa is available for visiting and photographs so bring your camera. No registration required.

Thursday, December 7 5:00 – 6:30 PM

ECFE is

a Pyramid Model

School. This tiered

approach focuses on building

a safe and caring environment

in which all students can learn.

Our Mission: Austin Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) builds and supports the skills and confidence of parents, strengthens families and provides a safe educational environment to promote the healthy growth and development of families with children birth to kindergarten. Family Lending Library contains a wide variety of children’s books, educational resources, equipment, fun toys and games. A $5.00 annual fee allows unlimited access. Attendance: Many classes fill to capacity and have a wait list. If you are unable to attend a class you are registered for, please call the main office at 507 460-1700. Families that miss 3 or more sessions without contacting the office may be dropped from the class. Illness: Keeping children, staff and parents healthy is our top priority. If your child has had any of the following with the past 24 hours, please keep them home. ➢ Fever: oral 100 degrees or above, rectal 101 degrees or

above ➢ Severe coughing or breathing troubles ➢ Unusual spots or rashes ➢ Yellowish skin or eyes ➢ Pinkeye (i.e. conjunctivitis) ➢ Sore throat or trouble swallowing ➢ Vomiting ➢ Uncontrolled diarrhea ➢ Unclear runny noses

Bathroom/Diapering: Staff will alert parents that

their child needs to go to the bathroom or needs a

diaper change. Diaper changing stations are

available in the bathrooms. All diaper changes need to occur in

these stations for the health of all participants. Disinfectant

spray, gloves, sinks and plastic disposal bags are located near

these stations. All diapers must be placed in a plastic bag and

disposed of in the trash can. All parents must wash hands

following a diaper change and wipe down the changing station.

Registration Information: Register online with a credit card at

http://austin.revtrak.net. Registrations can also be made through the mail or in person at the Community Learning Center, 912 1st Ave NE. Registration form can be downloaded at www.austin.k12.mn.us/clc Phone registrations are accepted with the use of a credit card, 507-460-1709. Enrollment: All classes require pre-registration unless stated and payment must accompany registration to reserve your space in the class. Class sizes are limited and enrollment is on a first-come basis. Children must be of age by the first day of class to be accepted into age specific classes. Older or younger siblings must be enrolled and attend sibling care for age specific classes. Financial Aid: Sliding fee and scholarships are available for any family that qualifies. Call the main office for more information, 507-460-1709 Sibling Care: Quality childcare is provided FREE for families who need care for siblings ages birth – five while participating in an ECFE class with another child. Sibling care room is available 5 minutes before the beginning of class. All children need to be picked up with 5 minutes of the end of class. Pre-registration of at least 48 hours is required to provide appropriate staff. Food: Snack is provided in most ECFE classes as a social emotional development time. ECFE is Nut Free. Please alert staff if your child has any type of food allergy when you register. Inclement Weather: When Austin Public Schools is delayed due to weather, morning ECFE classes will be cancelled. Afternoon and evening classes will be held as scheduled.

*When Austin Public Schools closes early, all classes scheduled to begin after 10:45 am are cancelled.

*When Austin Public Schools is closed there are no ECFE classes.

What parents are saying about ECFE!

I really enjoyed connecting with

other moms and building friendships.

I enjoyed the encouragement from teachers and parents!

I enjoyed hearing other parent’s struggles and success stories.

I liked how teachers gave us suggestions and strategies

on how to educate our children in an understanding way

Knowing that I am not alone in my struggles.

ECFE classes contain three main areas

Parent and child activities

Parent discussion and networking

Child development and play

www.austin.k12.mn.us/clc