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BETTER BEGINNINGS
PENNY PATTER |
March 26, 2004
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April is just around the corner. What a cheerful word, April, conjuring up visions of gentle spring showers and budding trees. Whoever said April was the cruelest month had to be kidding. Besides its promises, the month is special because: taaaaa dahhh: Earth Day is April 22, the week of the Young Child is April 18-24, 2004. And then.. To top it all off, we get to dress up and have some fun at the Mayors' Shining Star Gala on April 25, 2004. Meet us at the Ramada, from 5 to 9 pm to honor this year’s honored award recipients: Binnie Thom, Dr. Suzanne Harkness, Latina Women's Council (organization) and Brace Place (business/industry). The awards are in recognition of their high degree of commitment to the welfare of others, their impact on the community and lives of others, and their demonstration that service to the community can make a difference. The proceeds benefit Better Beginnings. Tickets are $80. To purchase a ticket, an ad, or to be a sponsor, call us at 609-448-6226. Visit |
www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc for more information. Sponsors already on the bandwagon include First Washington State Bank, Shiseido, Macroni Grill, Mercer Title Services Agency, Inc., American Diner, and Customized Benefit Solutions. Penny Pincher, of course, loves Earth Day. She would like to make Earth Day every day. She loves to reduce, reuse and recycle. As you all know, discarded items, from a box to a magazine, are the material of her crafty grist. Once again this year, East Windsor Township and the cosmetics firm, Shiseido America, are sponsoring an Earth Day poster contest among elementary school students. The theme, of course, is to promote one or all of the "4 R's" of the township's recycling program logo - recycle, reuse, reduce and rebuy. Hurry, posters are due by April 5. Visit your school’s administrative office for details. |
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is a time to recognize that children's opportunities are our responsibilities, and to recommit ourselves to ensuring that each and every child experiences the type of early environment--at home, at child care, at school, and in the community--that will promote their early learning It is well-recognized that the first 8 years of life are critical to a child's physical and emotional growth. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their |
families and to support the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. (National Organization for the Education of Young Children) Events and celebrations marking the Week of the Young Child are often designated to increase public awareness to some of the issues affecting our youngest citizens, including quality childcare, poverty, health care, and abuse. (Joni Levine, about.com) |
| With help from members of the First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown, Sunny Young Deli, Helping Hands, and Joyce Abbott, our copper coin collection has grown to 1,524,294. In | dollars, the 100-cent equivalent, that is $15,242.94 accumulated since we started the drive in 1997! Thank you all for keeping those cents rolling in. They do add up! |
| Thanks to Harry Horowitz & Family for a very generous contribution in honor of Carmine Petito’s birthday. How gratifying to know that this is a gift that will keep on giving, as it is | added to our small endowment fun, to grow and multiply. A beautiful certificate designed by our "Miss Iris", suitable for framing, was sent to the recipient. |
| Thanks also to Daniel P. Buriak (Pfizer Inc.), Carole Dailey – Antoinette L. Grimsley – Christine S. Macomber (AAA), Thomas L. Lucas, Jr. - Mark R. Warfield – Gary Shoblock (Johnson & | Johnson), K. B. Brushi (IBM) and John D., Tampellini (J. P. Morgan), for designating Better Beginnings for your United Way workplace pledge. |
| Danielle Horta, for winning the Governor’s Award in the area of vocal music. To those who volunteered to take Community Emergency Response Team training, together with our regular first response teams. Raghav Srinivasan, 8th grader at Melvin | H. Kreps School, for spelling pitchblende and pimpernel, to win the Times annual spelling bee. How many of us even know the meaning of either word? My computer spell check never heard of them! |
| Block play is an important learning experience for young children, including math skills such as counting, matching, sorting, grouping, adding, subtracting, and discerning weight and length. However, blocks can be very expensive. An alternative is to build ones own blocks using throwaway boxes such as cracker and cookie boxes. They can be covered in left over wallpaper or other decorative papers, or with pictures cut or torn from magazines and catalogs. Obviously, |
involving the young student in the earth friendly transformation, is in itself a learning experience. Safety Penny likes the light weight of these blocks. With wooden unit blocks, we have a rule that the young learner cannot build higher than anyone's head. With these light weight blocks, we are more comfortable with tall buildings! Some can be decorated with flowers or other objects to add variety and inspiration to the building. |
| Do you have suggestions, ideas, a tip for the Penny Pincher? Please write to me at bewith@mail2peace.com or PO Box 187, Hightstown NJ 08520. Want to know more about Better Beginnings? Visit |
www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc or pay us a visit at 318 North Main St., Hightstown, where the First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown generously shares their space with us. |
March 19, 2004
| We interrupt our regular program, to express our gratitude to those who read Penny Patter, visit Better Beginnings’ | website, contribute, and otherwise take an interest. With special thanks to those who ask for answers, this column responds: |
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“Abbott money” is mandated by the State Courts. “Poor” school districts receive extra State funding as a means of offering equitable education to all New Jersey children. The districts’ eligibility is based on the percentage of free and reduced lunches that are served. The percentage in our school district is not high enough to qualify us. We are neither "poor" nor "rich", percentage wise. We contend that the |
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“Abbott” money should follow the child, and not the percentage. Our point of view has been given credence, but so far, that is all! We do have our own “Abbott”, of course: Liston Abbott is a gem who has served as our Board Chair, as our advocate, and as an outstanding volunteer, for many years. While he is worth his weight in gold, he is not related to the “Abbott” of the aforementioned districts. |
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State funds are provided to those areas to create full day Kindergarten, full day Preschool for 4-year-olds, and even some 3-year-olds. They are also constructing needed buildings so that there is room, space for all those children. Teachers are being paid salaries that are comparable to others in the school districts. Teachers are scarce as it is; now there is a huge demand for preschool teachers. Better Beginnings with its present funding cannot compete with what is being offered in these districts. We also do not have adequate space to serve |
all the children who need our service. Presently, our waiting list is the largest ever: 60. We are presently serving 99, our limit. And our teachers have not had a salary increase for six years.
There is a silver lining: we have learned how much our community and its members value Better Beginnngs' children and families, and the services we provide because of the regular, consistent support we receive. That is a treasure, like a warm blanket of caring, which we relish. |
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No. Some 15 or 20 years ago, we came to face the fact that by serving only “poor” children, we were segregating. It was, in fact, an East Windsor Councilwoman as well as a former Borough Nurse who gently pointed this out to us. We made it a “long range” goal to “integrate”. Thus, when we had a sudden opportunity (when all of our After-Kindergarten children were suddenly absorbed into a full-day (no longer in existence) Kindergarten program.), leaving us with “vacant” spaces, we were ready. We quickly enrolled children on our waiting list and created some “over income” spaces, which still exist today.
These six “over income” families are not eligible for State child care subsidy because |
they earn more than the government “poverty” guidelines. Their weekly payments, of course, are considerably higher than the sliding scale co-pay used for the “income-eligible” subsidized families. While these families are a very small percentage of our overall enrollment, they are part of our valued “diversity” philosophy.
I am glad we made that move for several reasons. For one, some of our graduates return to enroll their own children. Because they have fulfilled our wish, working their way up the ladder to "reach their full potential", they would not have been “income-eligible”. Having these families choose to bring their precious little ones is a special vote and a great vote of confidence. |
| The After-K group (Heart Friends) arrives much earlier, in time for lunch, in fact. The After-School program (Super:BBs) arrive later, in time for the afternoon snack! Super:BBs are Grade One and up, | and is open only for the school-year. The Heart Friends is full year, with summers that are engaged in having some learning fun with an emphasis on emergent reading skills and math skills. |
| Penny Pincher loves Nancy Kennedy Green and Gloria Perez. No bread goes stale at Better Beginnings. One or the other will take any bread even thinking about approaching retirement age, and make it | into tasty bread pudding. Both versions are delicious, and both are thoroughly enjoyed by the children (and me). I don’t have the recipes, but I do know they use eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and raisins. |
| A Visit to Better Beginnings’ website, webmeister the aforesaid Liston Abbott, will reveal something new: copies of our current “Week-end Fun Work” in English and Spanish. These have been enjoyed | very much by our families, eager to participate in their children’s learning. We hope others will find them useful. Visit www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc |
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One of our teachers stays late on Mondays to offer her coworkers
Conversational English. Another
tutors three ESL students on the week-end.
Both are free of charge.
What a joy to work with people who are so kind and caring on the
job and off.
Congratulations to Drew School Principal Gayle Parker, her faculty, and especially |
the students on the “Giving Tree” project. Learning how much joy one enjoys from helping others is a great life lesson. Cognitive skills, reading and math, may be the “meat”, but other skills and intelligences are the delicious vegetables, fruits and, yes, the sweets! What a joy to work in a community with people who are so giving in time and kindness. |
| Warm clothing, toys, books, board games arrived from good friends and frequent donors David Goldstein, Debby Meixler and Lisa Ernst. Another group who are learning caring and kindness is the 4 Leaf Clover 4-H Club via Claudia Sutton. They shared their bounty by purchasing; collecting and donating much needed craft supplies. “Mr. Jonathan” Craig and the Trinity Church donated baskets, |
computer keyboards and computer discs. And John T. Jones remembered that Tuesday is Paper Day at Better Beginnings, with computer paper, on the roll and in the case. Minnie Bell and Frances Rios lovingly contribute to our small endowment fund in memory of brother and uncle Jimmy Jackson. What a joy to work in a program that attracts such generous and kind people. |
| Have you more questions? Do you have suggestions, ideas, a tip for the Penny Pincher? Please write to me at bewith@mail2peace.com or PO Box 187, Hightstown NJ 08520. |
Want to know more about Better Beginnings? Visit www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc or pay us a visit at 318 North Main St., Hightstown, where the First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown kindly shares their space with us. |
March 12, 2004
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I was asking myself that just the other day. Self-talk can be positive or negative. Negative self-talk is so powerful it takes 20 positive statements to offset just one negative. Worse, it doesn’t take a continual repetition of negative statements from parents, peers, teachers and others throughout our childhood to cause low self-esteem. When we get a couple in our |
head, we repeat them, often unconsciously. (source: allaboutcounseling.com)
Publications and therapists galore offer to help us improve our self-talk, suggesting that we can improve our health, outlook, productivity, and be lots more fun to be around and work with. An Internet search yields thousands of hits. |
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An idea: Let’s start with a list of twenty things we like about ourselves, then proceed to a similar list for family members, co-workers, giving particular attention to those who irritate us. Once we make such |
a list and (optionally) share it, such a person might seem (be) less annoying. We find that describing actions rather than using adjectives is most effective. |
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Children can benefit greatly. If we should by some rotten chance make a negative statement, by word, deed or body language, to a child, please see above about the potential harm. We could warp the child for life! He might go around unconsciously endlessly repeating negative self-talk forever!
To counteract the bad mouthing, I believe we have an obligation to that child, payable within eighteen hours. Just to get his self-image back to where it was before our disparaging act, we owe him a minimum of twenty positives! From there, we can proceed to regularly use such positive statements. I think a daily twenty is aplenty. But more will score. Thusly, the child receives encouragement needed to achieve the successful fruition of his talents and abilities that we call “full potential”. I think we can. I know we can.
"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world." -Buddha
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The Little Engine that Could exemplifies positive self-talk. Another example is The Super:BB creed written by our first after-school group and recited daily. They call it the “I ams”. I am asking our webmeister to post it at our website. I will mail it to you if you like. My e-mail addy is bewith@mail2peace.com. Snail mail is PO Box 187, Hightstown NJ 08520.
As an elder, instructed by the younger, I observe that when we teach a child to read, encourage a child, and in any way promote good education and standards of behavior, we affect the child’s future. Everyone gains if our future is peopled with those who are compassionate, caring, competent, fully able to read and reason.
Yes, parents and teachers, children often need positive discipline too. We have a positive discipline policy. If you would like to review it, just ask, write or otherwise convey your wish. In general we find that when we consistently look for the best in the child, the child will regularly reveal his best for us. |
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Congratulations to Principal Virginia Kearns, the faculty, and students of Melvin H. Kreps Middle School for participating in the inaugural national No Name Calling Week sponsored by the State Justice |
Department. Our schools are safer and a better place to be when bullying, harassment and name-calling are unacceptable. Thank you for your share in making our community a great place to be. |
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Realage.com reports that doing things for other people could help you live a healthier life. In a study, people whose lifestyles included lending support to others tended to report better mental health compared to people who were not as giving. And mental |
well-being has been linked to better overall health, according to research.
Best wishes for good health, then, to our many friends! |
| Delicious meal and camaraderie were featured at our Spaghetti dinner fundraiser, sponsored by Macaroni Grill. Many assisted, led of course, by Pete Bussone and Kerri Peterson. Parents, Staff, Board members, and friends joined together for a labor-intense event. They included: Sherry Watkins, Mercedes Vargas-Colon, Latisha Johnson, Jorge Pintado, Olga Pintado, | Raquel Herrera, Althea Lewis, Luz N. Horta, Nancy Green, Gloria Perez, Altagracia Minyetty, Elba Hernandez, Deb Napolitino, Dodie Colavecchio, Carol Jones, Sarah Kluxen, Emil & Donna Kohut, Lindsay Marans, Elder Defreis, and Elder Grissiths. Thank you and thanks also to our many supporters who patronized the event. |
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Thank you also to those who find so many ways to help: Thomas Lucas, Jr. and Debbi Martinez of Johnson & Johnson; Michele Madonia and Kenneth Jacob of Merrill Lynch, and Abraham Valliath of DeLoitte & Touche, who designated Better Beginnings for their United Way contribution, as well as Cheryl Evans whose workplace contribution is matched one for one by the Microsoft Giving Campaign, and Ondina and Will Jeffers who make their monthly contribution directly to Better Beginnings.
Others like Dr. David Goldstein and Chris Hennessey who donate needed items, knowing our families and children can make good use of them. |
Dee Murphy, of course, donates many useful and enjoyable items, such as canned fruit, craft books, Easter eggs, acorns, toothpaste, relevant articles, and various craft items and gift sets.
Minnie Bell, a longtime staff member at Better Beginnings, now retired, keeps the children and center in mind, and she remains in our hearts. This time, she sent us a set of eight Jungle Books, including Little Giraffe, Tiger, Elephant, Panther, Lion and Monkey. Who knows better than she how much the children enjoy these books, and how much we appreciate her help in achieving our pre- and emerging literacy goals. |
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Save those egg cartons. They are wonderful for many preschool activities, such as learning the meaning of dozen, and all kinds of sorting and classifying. For instance, 1) a dozen plastic eggs in an assortment of colors can be used to |
encourage the young student to sort the eggs by color in the carton; 2) the cartons can be decorated for use as a jewelry box or to keep small supplies like paper clips and safety pins separated. Any more ideas?? |
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Every week-end Better Beginnings offers activities for family and young student to do together. These have been popular and well-received. The description of the activity, the supplies needed, the curriculum areas, learning styles, and skills affected, are |
offered in Spanish and in English. Now, other families and children can enjoy these. They are available at Better Beginnings' website. www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc. Just click on the button, "Week-end Fun Work". |
| If you have suggestions, thoughts, ideas, comments that you would like to share, please write to me at bewith@mail2peace.com or PO Box 187, Hightstown NJ 08520. Visit our website at www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc |
March 8, 2004
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That is the title of a post-academic university course that came to my attention. I moan, "Oh no!" At Better Beginnings, we look upon diversity as a good thing, definitely not something to be "coped with." We look upon it as a joy, a benefit, a necessity. Who wants to tell the face that it |
needs to cope with the fact that its
nose is not like its lips! Cheeky! Who will tell the leader of a symphony
orchestra that she must cope with musical notes that are not alike! Or that the
piano and the violin are different! Brassy! |
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At Better Beginnings, we have team teachers in the classrooms. They are
chosen to complement each other, not to be carbon copies of each other. Even
the administration of the name-withheld university can surely agree that
"diverse" teachers have more to offer the young students.
There is a little anonymous story that has been circulating on the Internet for some time. Friends send this anecdote to me from time to time, knowing I will love it. I do. I love reading it every time I get it. I wish I knew who wrote it. Here it is. |
"Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that
he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On
the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school.
Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what
Mom," he shouted, and then said those words that touched my heart:
"I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
Jamie’s teacher is gifted, yes? Jamie is fortunate to have learned so early
the importance of everyone's role, including, maybe especially, those who
encourage, boost, "clap and cheer". |
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Because of their first-hand observations, our teachers believe deeply in
multiple intelligences and various learning styles. Everyone is intelligent,
everyone has talents, and everyone has something to contribute to others and
to the whole. Discovering each young student's special talents,
intelligences
and gifts is key. It follows that giving
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each/all the dignity and respect they deserve is essential. Come to think of it,
that could be interpreted as encouraging, boosting, clapping and cheering!!
Let’s hear it for the teachers! Give me a "T", Give me an "E" … |
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What
if all coins were the same? That would be an unwelcome change! |
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Do you have one of those plastic bottles that soda or water comes in? Turn it upside down. Does the bottom look like a flower or maybe a star? What can you use that for? Maybe to make an imprint in clay? Or brush some paint across it to make a stamp? Cut off the bottom portion and pour |
in some plaster of paris to make a decorative piece. Add some marbles or pretty stones if desired. The bottom is also great for playing in damp sand. The upper portion makes a good funnel. Not just for holding liquid, even the plastic bottle is diverse! |
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upon receiving an award from the American Heart Association. It is well deserved. We admire greatly the wide range of |
activities P.A.L. offers and the work they do for the young people of this community. |
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Many
unshed tears remain, it seems. Countless are the unfilled dreams. For those
we lost, we sorrow still. Remember? Always. More tears spill. We came
together then as one. Acting in concert, from sun to sun…eased our grief
and |
helped us cope. Gave us courage, gave us hope. Our memories remain, the tears still fall. Our pain is for one, and is for all, Joining hands, we face another day. Together is the better way. |
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If
you work together, you can get more done than you can if you each work
alone. (There's even a name for it: synergy) |
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Togetherness
in Action: A special thank you to Reg. Bishop of Trinity Church via
"Mr. Jonathan" Craig for sixty children's books; to Clara Martino
for another ten hand crocheted blankets; to Maria Sanchez for |
leche, manzana and papel; to Ondina and Will Jeffers for their monthly contribution for "our children"; and to Mercer County for their continued support. |
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Here
is one: "MUSIC AND DANCE Ask parents to lend you recordings of music
that their family enjoys. Teach the children songs and dances from different
nations of the world. Children will begin to see that all people like to
sing and dance, but every |
group has its own special ways of doing it. Talk with the children about how different music sounds: loud, soft, fast, or slow. Listen for the different instruments. Again, ask parents if they have any instruments children could listen to or try." |
In spite of the fact that
inveterate and incessant punning is considered a mental illness by some and
mental abuse by others, Punny Penny carries on:
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You have another?? Send it to me at bewith@mail2peace.com or PO Box 187 Hightstown NJ. Same address for ideas for Penny Packer, comments and suggestions of all kinds. If you wish to make a contribution, please feel free to do so. It will be spent well. You can visit your contribution at work at 318 North Main St. in Hightstown, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
March 5, 2004
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Around about the 50s, we had a
scare. We heard that concealed ads were being shown to moviegoers. We became
concerned about the possibility of having our behavior secretly controlled. (Don't
cook tonight.)
Vance Packard even wrote a book, "Hidden Persuasion", in which he referred to professional persuaders", ad men who probed the psychology of buying. (Don't cook tonight. You have worked hard all week and you deserve to eat out.) |
Packard warned that the deceptive
nature of the new techniques could influence our purchasing decisions and
thought processes.
(If you buy a meal
at Better Beginnings, you can feel good about it because it will be helping
others).
James Vicary, according to Packard, designed a subliminal projection machine, capable of flashing unnoticeable messages within big-screen movies. (It's really a bargain too. You can get a yummy Macaroni Grill meal for only $7.00 adult, $3.00 child.) |
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Liston Abbott gives much time, expertise, intelligence and compassion in service of others. Recently, East Windsor Mayor recognized his many years of giving with a handsome proclamation, enumerating his |
many gifts and acts of kindness. We beseeched him to post it at our website. Begging worked. He finally agreed. Can be seen at www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc |
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Our friends Mike and Anastasia Vandenbeck shared with Better Beginnings a healthy portion of the proceeds at the Slowdown Café from the special event when local high school student played. Now |
I call that a triple treat: encouraging our teen youth, providing an event everyone could enjoy, and then sharing the proceeds to support Better Beginnings’ services. |
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Gene and Faith Sarafin know of my weakness for yarn, which is closely akin to my fondness for all kinds of beautiful paper. Some of the big bagful of yarn they donated will go to the classrooms for crafts; a portion will be transformed, via my crochet hook, into warm hats for the children. My |
goal is 100 warm hats by December, one for each of our young students. My cup would run right over if I have enough for their brothers and sisters too. Sometimes I also make soft hats for cancer victims. Betty Holonics gave me that idea. Yes, crochet/knit fans, I could use some help! |
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We need classroom Volunteers! Presently, we have a staff vacancy, making extra hands and hearts even more needed than |
ever. Call 609-448-6226 for more details. Or visit the website as above. |
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A generous contribution of $1, 000 arrived from Anonymous "for whatever
is needed" for the children. We will probably opt for safe lightweight
furniture replacements for the classroom, with an eye towards enhancing the
learning centers per "Creative Curriculum".
Our friends at First Presbyterian who also share their beautiful space, all these years, with Better Beginnings, started the fund with a generous contribution. Incredible "Miss Dee" Murphy collects many useful items for us. This time, she included many boxes of cereal, Girl Scout cookies, and juice, drums, cards, magazines, newspaper comics, other publications and more. We also count on friends, like Amy Sidelinger, whose workplace contribution is matched by McGraw-Hill, and Deborah Meixler who in addition to being a regular volunteer reader, made a contribution in memory of Dr. Jerome Bodin, as did Joan and Herbert Freeman, as well as Luz |
Nereida Horta. Such contributions are, unless otherwise directed by the
contributor, added to our small endowment fund so that, in fact, it is a
living memory, with proceeds used to continue services to families and
children. We think Dr. Bodin would bless us with one of his warm smiles at
that thought.
Videos, books, toys including a set of Lego building blocks for each classroom, and other valuables arrived from Kathryn & Kristin Schwacha, Lillian Conley of Cranbury, Barbara Regan, Robyn & Rich Brandow, Lisa Murphy, James Johnson, and Shelly Pomonis. Helping Hands remembered that "Tuesday is Paper Day" with helpful paper goods of several kinds, and two boys’ bikes were donated by Warren Wilson, who is also our Property Commission liaison with First Presbyterian. Super Doopers Erika and Anshel joined Sunny Young Deli in adding to our penny collection, bringing it to 1,518,844 in coins or equivalent. |
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We thank you all. You keep us going. |
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Eat in or take out. We had so much fun just "visiting" with each other at the last one. Come join in. We will be using the kitchen and Fellowship Hall at the Fist Presbyterian Church at 318 North Main St. in |
Hightstown. Romano’s Macaroni Grill is again supplying the food. $7.00 adults, and $3.00 children. Advance orders: 609-448-6226. |
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Every week-end Better Beginnings offers activities for family and young student to do together. These have been popular and well-received. The description of the activity, the supplies needed, the curriculum areas, learning styles, and skills affected, are |
offered in Spanish and in English. Now, other families and children can enjoy these. They are available at Better Beginnings' website. www.princetonol.com/groups/bbcdc. Just click on the button, "Week-end Fun Work". |
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