Welcome to Eden Prairie Schools and the Education Center!  

 Children learn best through their everyday, fun experiences, with the people they love and trust. Your child is preparing for the day they enter kindergarten from the moment he/she is born, and you will forever appreciate the fact that you were an integral part of their discoveries.

 The Early Childhood Family Education program welcomes, supports, educates, and celebrates parents.  ECFE is about connecting and sharing wisdom and experiences. You and your child will build countless shared memories throughout your experiences here.

 We are excited to get to know you and your family, but we must also share the following information around our programming as the pandemic continues to impact our communities:

• Executive Order 20-81 states all individuals over the age of 6 must wear a mask. It is not required for your young child to wear a mask, but any individual who enters the building over the age of 6 must wear a mask.

• All staff will wear masks and/or face shields until further notice.

• All staff, children and parents will receive temperature checks upon arrival.

• If you or your child is presenting any symptoms associated with common illnesses or COVID-19 contact your child’s classroom teacher and please keep them home.

• In the event that you or your child has a temperature above 100 upon arrival, you will need to return home.  

• Class sizes will vary depending on the size of the classroom so that social distancing guidelines can be followed.          ONLY ONE ADULT/PARENT IS ALLOWED PER FAMILY                            

• Increased cleaning of common spaces and classrooms will be completed after every class. 

• If you arrive early for your class, please remain in your car until the class begins. The classroom doors will be opened at the beginning of your class.  To keep everyone healthy we discourage people standing in the hallway before or after their class time.  

Below you will find valuable information about our class. Please let us know if you have questions about any of this information! Or check out the ECFE https://www.edenpr.org/community-education/ecfe-preschool/early-childhood-programs-early-childhood-family-education

• Nametags:  Name tags will be placed on the table inside the classroom. Please wear them each week so we can learn your names!

• Cubbies and/or Room Hooks:  There are cubbies in the hallway outside our classroom or hooks in the classroom for your personal belongings, such as boots and jackets.  

• Shoes:  Shoes must be worn at all times for safety reasons. Please do not forget to bring shoes to class during the months of boot weather!

• Class Begins and Ends on Time: As mentioned above, if you arrive early, please wait in your car until your class time.  

• Forms:  Health and Immunization forms are required by the State of Minnesota for each child in our program.  Please complete and return the forms to your classroom teacher or the office before you leave on the first day of class. Or you can fax the forms to our office: 952-975-6921.

• Health Guidelines:  We follow the School District Health Guidelines – a child should not come to class if they have had any of the following in the past 24 hours: a fever of 100 degrees or more, vomiting or diarrhea, a significant cold with green or yellow discharge, or an undiagnosed rash.

• Attendance:  If you and your child will be absent from class, please call our attendance line, 952-975-6940.  

• Hand Washing: To help minimize the spread of germs, please wash your own hands and your child’s hands as you enter and exit the classroom each week. Hand Sanitizer stands are also available in the hallways.

• Parent/Child Interaction Time:   Please enjoy the first part of class to play and explore with your child. During this time, please maintain a 6 feet social distance between other parents and children if possible.  If your child places something in his/her mouth, please put the item in the sink so that we can thoroughly clean it before replacing it in the classroom. 

• Song Time:  Young children are very busy, and they may not want to stop their play to join us for this activity.  You can help by modeling the behavior of sitting in the circle and participating in the songs yourself.  We know that each of the children will join the group when they are ready.

• Diaper Bags:  Please place your bags in the hallway, if possible.  This will help us by minimizing clutter in the children’s classroom. 

• Diapering:  There is a diaper changing area in the classroom bathroom and in the building bathrooms.  There are plastic bags provided to dispose of dirty diapers.  Please use the spray bottle cleaner to wipe down the area before and after the diapering is complete.

• Toilet Learning:  Many of the children will be learning toileting skills during this school year.  This often involves accidents, so please bring extra clothes with you.  We do have a few extras here if needed, and we would just ask that you launder them and return them the following week. 

• Snacks:  We will not be having a formal snack time during class.  A snack before you come to class would be helpful so children don’t get hungry during our time together. 

• Birthdays:  Birthdays are very special, and we want to be part of the celebration. Please notify your classroom team as your child’s birthday approaches.  We will sing happy birthday during song time!

• Guests:  Due to class size restrictions and health guidelines, no additional guests will be allowed to join us for our weekly class.  

• Extra Children:  Currently, sibling care has been suspended. We are not able to accommodate additional children who are not registered in class. Please make other arrangements as needed.  

Again, welcome to the Eden Prairie Schools.  We are looking forward to a wonderful year together!

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns:

Stephanie Hendrickson

 shendrickson@edenpr.org 

Group Guidelines

ECFE is support and education

Shared Responsibility for adherence to group guidelines and group learning

Multiple Perspectives are encouraged, appreciated, and respected

Personal Boundaries of participants and their families are respected and protected

Respectful Listeners

Support vs Judge

Confidentiality maintained outside of class

Right to Pass

Limit phone use

Developmental Milestones

Parents who understand how young children develop and grow and who acknowledge the individual uniqueness of each child can develop more positive relationships with their own children, respond to, support, and anticipate development needs, and recognize when a child needs additional support for healthy development.

CDC Developmental Milestones

Help Me Grow MN

Importance of Secure Attachment

Most children develop relationships with their parents that make them feel safe and give them a sense of security and confidence. These children will have a psychological model of their parents as being available and loving, and a complementary model of themselves as being worthy of their parent’s support and love. This positive expectation of relationships is part of “secure attachment” and is an advantage to children and a protective factor throughout life. A secure attachment during early childhood has a positive impact on the emotional development and mental health of children as they grow up. 

Circle of Security (video)

Building a Secure Attachment 

Parents Anger: Turning down the heat in your home

Strengths for Living and Learning

The following strengths are important for healthy social emotional development and will support future success in school and life.

ATTACHMENT and RELATIONSHIPS

The warm connections a child has with another familiar person are called relationships. These relationships might be with a mother, father, grandparent, and other relatives or important caregivers. Happy relationships help a child form healthy attachment, the bond that exists between children and familiar adults as a result of a nurturing relationship. When children have healthy relationships that support attachment, they learn to trust that the world is safe, and they have confidence to explore and learn.

Grown-ups can help build this strength by:

·      Smiling and talking with the child during daily routines such as diapering, feeding and bathing. 


·      Responding to their attempts to communicate through facial expressions, gestures, and     babbling. 

·      Cuddling, playing and reading with them. 


·      Protecting them from, and helping them cope with, “scary” situations whenever possible. 


INITIATIVE 


As they grow, toddlers start trying to do lots of new things for themselves. As they begin to think and act on their own, they are using what is called Initiative. Initiative is the child’s ability to use independent thought and action to meet his or her needs. Toddlers who have strong initiative will show interest in exploring their surroundings and keep trying to do something when they are not successful the first time. Toddlers need opportunities to learn and practice new skills. 


Grown-ups can help build this strength by:

·      Allowing them to explore surroundings (while keeping them safe). 


·      Praising them for efforts to try new things. 


·      Supporting her when a mistake is made and allowing them to try again. 


·      Letting him know that you "believe" they can succeed. 


SELF-REGULATION 


Self-regulation involves handling emotions, gaining control of bodily functions, learning to focus, and paying attention. By the time a child is a toddler, they have learned a lot from adults about how to regulate frustration and calm down when upset. Infants and toddlers learn early on how to control feelings and emotions by watching and figuring out the actions of adults around them 


Grown-ups can help build this strength by letting him/her: 


·      Provide soothing actions and words to help calm a child down when upset.

·      Help your child understand and name the feelings that they are having. 


·      Provide rituals and predictable routines. 


·      Explain beforehand if a routine will need to change so that they have time to adjust. 


Temperament  from Zero to Three (includes video)

Infant Toddler Temperament Tool includes a "quiz" to help parents determine their own and their child's individual temperament.

Understanding Goodness of Fit  When there is a match between the demands and expectations of the environment and the child’s temperament and abilities, that is a good fit. This makes success and high self-esteem more likely. When there is not a good fit, there is a greater risk for difficulties for the child. Learn how to support Goodness of Fit for your child.

Playdough for classroom.  Here is the recipe!

 Stir together dry ingredients:

• 4 cups flour

• 2 cups salt

• 1 can cream of tarter

ADD:

• 9 Tablespoons vegetable oil

• 4 ¾ Cups hot tap water

• Food coloring

Combine ingredients in a large pan (non-stick if you have one). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. It looks like a mess, but it will thicken (get lumpy) and form into a ball.

Turn play dough ball out of pan on to a lightly floured surface and knead. Put in bag while still warm and check it later for consistency.

Hints: When first in pan try to break up lumps. Later, when it is getting close to being done, lumps will form and all the goo will come together and form into a ball.

When playdough is done it should be very soft and easily squish through your fingers. You may have to add extra hot water.

Store in gallon ziplock bag when cooled.

Stephanie Hendrickson, Parent Educator

What is your professional background?  I have a Bachelors degree in Social Work , a Masters in Education, and  a license in Parent and Family Education. 

How long have you been an educator? I have been a parent educator for Eden Prairie Schools since 2003.

Who is in your family? I have two adult children, a son (Jimmy) and a daughter (Anna). 

Personal interests? I love local live music, hiking, biking, reading and gardening. My favorite place to hike is the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern MN. 

Kathy Matthews, Parent Educator

What is your professional background? I received a Bachelors degree in Marketing from Winona State University and started working at ADC Telecommunications and then completed my Masters of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas. I then left corporate America to pursue my love of teaching. I received a Masters of Education and Parent Education license from the University  of MN in 2005.

How long have you been an educator? I have been a Parent Educator since 2005 and have worked for Eden Prairie since then.

Who is in your family? I have one son who is a young adult and one daughter who attends Eden Prairie schools. We also have a puppy named Charlie.

Personal interests? I enjoy spending time with my family doing anything outside. I love to race sail boats, play pickelball, tennis, bike, ski and going on hikes/walks.

Arya Zipoy, Early Childhood Educator

What is your professional background?  I have Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of MN, Twin Cities.  I have worked in childcare, preschool settings, and in several elementary schools prior to staying home with my three young children.  While I was home, I attended EP ECFE where I found my passion serving our community through my involvement with the Parent Advisory Council and Eden Lake PTO.  I am now entering my third year teaching for the district that my children continue to grow in.

How long have you been an educator? On and off since 2004

Who is in your family? I have been married over 10 years and have three young children and a Yorkie named Gus.

Personal interests? I have enjoyed extra time with my family and getting outdoors as much as possible.  I have started to learn golf this summer and hope to be halfway decent at some point in my life.  My biggest passion though is building relationships with other parents as we walk through this crazy thing called parenthood!