NOVEMBER NEWS FOR THE PARENTS OF KINDERING CHILDREN

NOVEMBER

CALENDAR

2017

NOVEMBER 3 SIBSHOP

KINDERING BELLEVUE

4:30-7:30 p.m.

NOVEMBER 10 VETERANS DAY

No classes or Therapies

NOVEMBER 22-24

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY EARLY INTERVENTION

PROGRAMS &

KIDSCLINIC No classes or Therapies

MULTI-CULTURAL FAMILY HOLIDAY

PARTY SAVE THE DATE

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14TH 9:30am-11:00am in BELLEVUE 9:30am-11:00am in BOTHELL Mark your calendars for our annual Family Holiday Party. This is a heartwarming opportunity to experience Kindering’s diverse cultures as we celebrate winter holidays from around the world! Bring the whole family to enjoy art activities, music, holiday foods, and photos with Santa.

FIESTA FAMILIAR MULTI-CULTURAL RESERVA LA FECHA JUEVES,14DE DICIEMBRE

9:30am-11:00am -BELLEVUE

9:30am-11:00am -BOTHELL

Marquen sus calendarios para nuestra Fiesta Familiar. Es una oportunidad para celebrar la diversidad de culturas en Kindering así es como celebramos fiestas en el invierno de muchos partes del mundo. Toda la familia está invitada para disfrutar actividades de arte, música, comida, y fotos con Santa.

NOVEMBER NEWS

FOR THE PARENTS OF KINDERING CHILDREN

"Kindering embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar.”

12TH ANNUAL

LUNCHEON RAISES

OVER $400,000! Our heartfelt thanks to all who attended, supported, or otherwise contributed to our 12th annual Salute to Courage Luncheon – you made it a huge success! Together we raised nearly $410,000! 85% of brain growth occurs in the first 3 years of life, making this the

most powerful investment we can make in a child's development to help them reach their full potential.

Keynote Speaker Lenny Wilkens reinforced the importance of giving back, noting that our communities are an integral part of who we are. Wilkens’ message was bolstered by event host Lauren Silvernail, an alumni parent of Kindering’s Early Intervention programs, as well as Autumn Wells (another alumni parent), both of whom shared moving firsthand accounts of the obstacles overcome by their children with the help of Kindering.

Thank you for being a part of our community, we truly couldn’t do it without you.

NOVEMBER NEWS FOR THE PARENTS OF KINDERING CHILDREN

SIBSHOPS

If your child with special needs has a 6-11 year old typically developing brother or sister, Sibshops is a great opportunity for siblings to connect and share their experiences. Visit https://kindering.org/services/familysupport/sibshops/ to learn more and register or email

sibshops@kindering.org .

BABY STEPS

Have you wished you could meet other parents of infants/toddlers with special needs? Have you wondered where you could take your baby to experience socialization, play, and also have adult contact? Would you like new play ideas and songs? If you answered yes to any of the questions, then Baby Steps may be for you!

Baby Steps is a parent/infant class that focuses on connection, play, support, and building relationships. In this class, the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs will be shared, celebrated, and supported. Baby Steps is the first of many beginnings.

If interested, contact your family resource coordinator for more information.

OPEN ENROLLMENT: STEPPING STONES TODDLER

PRESCHOOL We are currently enrolling children in our Stepping Stones Toddler Preschool program at our new location in Renton, as well as at our Bothell and Bellevue campuses. Our spaces for children who are receiving early intervention services are limited (your child may be added to the waitlist if they are not already). We are also enrolling community preschoolers- please refer friends or enroll siblings, ages 22-33 months. For more information, please contact your Family Resources Coordinator, your current providers or the Early Learning Coordinator Lauri Stoll @ 425.747.4004 ext. 4332 or email Lauri.Stoll@kindering.org.

"Kindering embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar.”

NOVEMBER FAMILY NEWSLETTER

ILLNESS EXCLUSION AND

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

POLICY Kindering is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all children, staff and other volunteers of the agency. We view parents as our partners in promoting the safety and health of others by preventing the spread of communicable disease. To that end, we consider the advice of the King County Health Department . Please take a minute to review the entire policy located in your parent handbook. Thanks for your continued support in the is area!

FATHERS NETWORK

Join the Fathers Network mailing list to get monthly information about articles, workshops, conferences, classes and events. This is information about the community in general, not just about the Fathers Network. And, anyone, not just dads, is welcome to be on the mailing list.

ANNUAL FATHERS

NETWORK CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 4TH

The Fathers Network annual conference takes place on November 4

th in Bellevue. Our theme

this year is Dads as an Anchor in a Sea of Change. We have excellent breakout sessions scheduled and this is a great opportunity to meet other dads and get information that will be helpful to you and your family.

More information can be found here, including a link to register.

"Kindering embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar.”

NOVEMBER FAMILY NEWSLETTER

KINDERING INCLEMENT

WEATHER POLICY In the event of inclement weather and snow, please check if Kindering will be closed.

Kindering Bellevue generally follows Bellevue School District’s closing and delay schedule.

Newsline 425.456.4111 or www.bsd405.org

If Bellevue’s elementary schools are closed, Kindering Bellevue will also be closed

If Bellevue’s elementary schools are 1 to 2 hours late, Kindering Bellevue will open at 11:00 am. Classes and therapies scheduled to begin before 11:00 will be cancelled. Classes and therapies scheduled for 11:00 and after will resume their normal schedule. Kindering Bothell generally follows Northshore School District’s closing and delay schedule.

Newsline 425.408.6001 or www.nsd.org

If Northshore’s elementary schools are closed, Kindering Bothell will also be closed

If Northshore’s elementary schools are 1 to 2 hours late, Kindering Bothell will open at 11:00 am. Classes and therapies scheduled to begin before 11:00 will be cancelled. Classes and therapies scheduled for 11:00 and after will resume their normal schedule. Kindering Renton generally follows Renton School District’s closing and delay schedule.

Newsline 425.204.2300 or www.rentonschools.us

If Renton’s elementary schools are closed, Kindering Renton will also be closed

If Renton’s elementary schools are 1 to 2 hours late, Kindering Renton will open at 11:00 am. Classes and therapies scheduled to begin before 11:00 will be cancelled. Classes and therapies scheduled for 11:00 and after will resume their normal schedule.

Other ways to inclement weather closures and delays

Kindering’s main phone voicemail greeting may include closures or delay

Check www.flashalert.net

KIRO Radio 710 AM/100.7 FM

KOMO TV News (Channel 4) 206.443.4145

KING TV News (Channel 5) 206.448.5555

KIRO TV News (Channel 7) 206.728.7777

TWO EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT

KINDERING WHILE YOU DO

YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING!

Amazon Smile Do you shop on Amazon.com? With the one-time click of a button, a portion of your Amazon purchases will automatically be donated directly to Kindering! Get started by choosing Kindering as your charity at: http://smile.amazon.com.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards You can help support Kindering just by shopping with your Fred Meyer rewards card! Visit https://www.fredmeyer.com/topic/community-rewards-4 to sign up for Fred Meyer’s Community Rewards Program by linking your rewards card to Kindering; search for us by name or by our nonprofit number, 89099.

FREE

PARENTING CLASS

Kindering is offering a free parenting class to parents of children 2 through 12 beginning on Monday, November 20

th. The class will meet at

the Bellevue campus every Monday night from 6:00– 8:00pm for ten weeks (though the class will not meet for the two weeks of winter break). Unfortunately child care will not be provided.

The class is taught by Lois Ralph who has been teaching parenting classes at Kindering for almost 27 years. The class is aimed at parents of typically developing children.

For more information or to register, please contact Lois at lois.ralph@kindering.org or 425.653.4302.

Hello! My name is Reisa Hardy, and I am a new Family Resource Coordinator here at Kindering. I grew up in Central California and recently moved to the Seattle area. I have my Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Northwest Nazarene University. I then began working as a foster care and

adoption social worker. During this time I earned my Master’s degree in Social Work. While in this field, I found my passion for working with children and families. I feel so privileged to be a part of the Kindering team. My hobbies include cooking, baking, and traveling. I enjoy spending my free time with friends,

family, and my Labrador retriever. Hello! My name is Melissa Hellen, and I am so excited to join the Speech-Language Pathology team at Kindering. I grew up moving all over the country with my military family before settling down in the beautiful Pacific NW for my bachelors and masters in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Washington. I have had the opportunity to work with both kids and adults in a variety of settings. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading, music, and spending time with my family and very pampered cats.

Hi! My name is Katie Cramer and I am a new Special Educator here at Kindering. I grew up in Seattle and then attended University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. There I earned my Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Development and Education. After receiving

my degree I returned to Seattle student teach in a Special Education classroom and a first grade classroom. Last year I taught 2

nd grade and have since

found my passion in Early Intervention. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, skiing, sailing and doing DIY projects.

WELCOME NEW STAFF

Hi! My name is Arin Kynaston, and I am very excited to join Kindering’s extraordinary team of Physical Therapists. I grew up on a cattle ranch in Rio Rico, Arizona, a small town along the U.S. – Mexico border, and earned my

Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Arizona. I then worked for the University of Arizona Press as the Exhibit’s Manager for five years before pursuing a life-long dream of earning a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. During my program and clinical rotation at Providence St. Peter’s Outpatient Pediatric Rehab, I developed a strong interest and passion for working with children and their families seeking physical therapy services. My husband and I have always loved the Pacific Northwest and feel so fortunate to be living in such a beautiful and unique location as Seattle! In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends.

Hi! My name is Anne Acker and I am the new development assistant here at Kindering. I grew up in Seattle and received my Bachelor’s in Economics & International Relations from Gonzaga University. In college I was a club leader and

loved being involved in events and community engagement. Following graduation and a bit of globe trotting, I worked as a live-in caregiver for adults with autism. This experience helped me realize my passion for supporting the success of people with various abilities. I am so excited to be a part of the development team to support the amazing kids, families and programs here at Kindering. Outside of work I am pursuing a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. In my free time I am an avid skier and enjoy horseback riding, hiking, reading, spending time with friends and traveling.

"Kindering embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar.”

NOVEMBER FAMILY NEWSLETTER