Las Animas Head Start

Due to our current closure, Picture Day has moved to Tuesday October 5th. There is no need to send picture money or an order form with your child as ordering will be done online AFTER picture day. Just send your child looking their best :) -Bright colors help them stand out against the background, and you will be able to CHOOSE which background you like during the online ordering process. We are excited to see you all on Wednesday! We have missed you :)

The Las Animas Center is closed through September 23, 2021, due to Covid-19. Services will resume September 24, 2021. All staff and children will need to quarantine during this time, according to local health department officials. Any families who attended Family Night on September 15 will also need to quarantine. If you have any questions, please call 384-3100. Thank you for your cooperation.

In-Person School resumes on Monday 9/13/21 at 8:00 a.m. We will begin receiving children at 7:45 a.m. We have certainly missed all of our friends this week and can't wait to see you all on Monday!

Head Start Reminder: Please stay in your car when picking up and dropping off your child to ensure the safety of you, your child and others.

Attention families: Due to COVID-19, the Las Animas Center is closed. Classes will resume on Monday, September 13. We appreciate your patience during this time. If you have any questions, please call 719-384-3180. For any questions specifically related to COVID-19, please contact your primary care provider or local health department.

Starting tomorrow, Sept 1st, we will be starting our H.E.R.O. (Here Everyday, Ready, On-time) Contest for the year. Children with perfect attendance for the month will be given an opportunity to choose a prize from our H.E.R.O. Treasure Box, and every day that the class has all students in attendance, they will become the holders of the H.E.R.O. Trophy for the day! This is a fun way to encourage children to have regular attendance and children really enjoyed it last year.

Our Policy Council Election will be held on Sept 1st. A paper ballot will be brought to your vehicle during drop-off tomorrow, and we will need it returned by pick-up on Wednesday Sept 1st. This will allow you time to read the biographies of our candidates so you can make an informed decision. We have 2 candidates and need to vote in 2 new representatives, so please vote for 2. This is an anonymous election, but we must track WHO has voted in order to ensure no repeat votes and that we have received back all the ballots. See you tomorrow!

Due to schedule conflict, Picture Day has been changed to September 28th. There will be no need to send Picture Money. All children will have their photo taken and ordering will be done online after picture day. See flyer for more details.

We are closing in on our Policy Council Election... if you plan to run, please email me your Biography/Blurb by Monday afternoon. It doesn't have to be a novel, just a little about who you are and why you would like to represent our center at Policy Council. Here is a page I found with good tips on how to present yourself to voters. https://www.onlinecandidate.com/articles/tips-writing-candidate-bio

During Parent Orientation, we talked a lot about what Policy Council is and how important it is to ensure that our center has representatives on the council in order to make sure Las Animas has a voice in our program. If you want more info, I have uploaded a brochure and job description into the document section of this app and I am available to answer questions. I am looking for individuals who are interested in being the voice of our center. Remember, CDS reimburses for mileage to and from meetings, provides a meal at meetings, and provides child care for meetings. There's is nothing to lose, and so much to gain from participating. Meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month in the evening. If you are interested in running, please email me (cassandra.maurer@ojc.edu) or call me (719-384-3181) this week so that we can get you started in the election process.

If you missed Parent Orientation today, you MUST attend tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. in order for your child to come to school on Monday. Orientation is a Head Start requirement and MUST be completed before your child can attend school. This is our last opportunity to meet that requirement before school on Monday so PLEASE call me if this time does not work for you. Last-Chance Parent Orientation Friday Aug 20 @ 11:30 a.m. In-Person at the Center

We are getting more and more excited to see your children on Monday and begin to build those special Teacher/Child relationships! But first, we have a couple of things we are required to have your participation in: Parent Orientation is REQUIRED for all families to have at least one parent/guardian attend before the start of school. We have two times available on Thursday 8/19 to try to make this convenient for you: 9:00 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. Children are not required to attend this, but child care will be available on site for those who need it. YOUR CHILD CANNOT ATTEND SCHOOL UNTIL THIS IS COMPLETE. Teacher Home Visit is also REQUIRED before your child can attend their first day. This gives Ms. Tosha a chance to meet with your child in a familiar environment and with you present. This helps children feel more comfortable with their teacher on the first day of school and can help lessen any separation anxiety they may feel. We will also take a few pictures of your family during this visit so that your child has them to look at during school when they are missing you. Ms. Tosha will be contacting each of you to arrange a time for her to come visit. -- Please note- we're NOT coming to inspect your home! We are parents too and we know that kids make messes and parents are often busy! Please don't feel any anxiety over a "lived-in" house :)

Las Animas Head Start is proud to take part in the Back to School Picnic being held by the City of Las Animas! Open Enrollment will take place at City Park from 11-7 on Thurs Aug 12th. The city is serving free hotdogs and hamburgers from 5-7 and sponsoring live music and free swimming from 6-8! Come on out, enroll your 3 or 4 year old, and have some hot eats! Then cool off in the pool with live music! See you there!

Back to School is coming soon... don't let your 3-5 year old miss out on their HeadStart in life! Spread the word that TOMORROW'S the DAY! Las Animas Head Start will be doing Open Enrollment tomorrow! Friday 7/30/21 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Walk-Ins welcome... but you can save time, by reserving your time! Call or email to book an appointment! Appointments will be assisted first. 719-384-3180 or cassandra.maurer@ojc.edu You MUST bring the following documentation to complete the enrollment: Age Verification Document (most commonly, a Birth Certificate... don't have one? Give me a call and we'll work together to find something else that will meet the requirement.) Income Documentation for ALL HOUSEHOLD INCOME (can be a pay stub, income tax forms, W-2, public assistance/TANF or SSI, child support documentation, dated and signed letter from your employer specifying your pay schedule and amount, etc.) Immunization Record (Don't have one? Come anyway, I'll do my best to help.) Insurance Card (if your child has one) We will have more delicious, ice cold Lemonade- Freshly Squeezed by the cup and Movie Style popcorn available. Don't wait until we're full and it's too late- come register NOW!

OJC CDS will be providing FREE Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade and Movie Style Popcorn to the Las Animas Community on Thurs 7/29/21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Come by and quench your thirst and your salty snack cravings! Bring your preschool aged children with you and we can get them enrolled for the upcoming school year while you're here! We will need age verification (Birth Certificate or 2 other official documents), household income (paystubs or tax documentation etc.), and Immunizations (if done in CO, we may be able to pull this up for you).

Catch up with the latest student stories, events, and news updates. It’s everything OJC Child Development Services, in your pocket. Download the app on Android: https://bit.ly/3mkdAhz or iPhone: https://apple.co/3woomaW.

3 days left! We are planning some fun activities for our last day on Thursday... and it could get a little WET! Please dress your child for water play (shorts and a t-shirt is fine) and send an extra set of dry clothes (if you're able), in case they get TOO wet.

Welcome to the LAST WEEK of SCHOOL! We are going to miss your little ones so much over the summer! We're sending home lots of goodies this week to keep your children busy during the break. Have lots of fun with them and remember that playing is learning! Stay Safe and Healthy and we'll see those of you returning in the Fall! And Congratulations to those who are moving on to Kindergarten! We know you're going to rock it!

​We are actively looking for new Enrollments at ALL centers. Please help us spread the word! For Las Animas: (719)384-3180 All other centers: (719)384-3100

We are loving our new app! Access documents, news updates, and even emergency notifications. Download the app on Android: https://bit.ly/3mkdAhz or iPhone: https://apple.co/3woomaW.