PAID US Postage US Postage Inc. Rochester, NY Rochester, NY Permit No. 4061 Permit No. 4061 NON PROFIT ORG. WE DO THAT! CARING MATTERS March 2010 - Vol. 28 Issue 3 Building Children’s Brains through Neurokinesiologist Jean Blaydes Madigan believes the best way to nourish children's brainpower is to get them up and moving. Cost Diplomat Banquet Center Now through April 9 1956 Lyell Avenue Rochester, NY 14606 Council Members $55.00 Current Resident or: or: Resident Current Non-Members $75.00 Registration: 8:00 am April 10 Conference 8:30 am — 2:30 pm Lunch: 11:00 am-12:00 pm All $150.00 Call 585-654-4720 for Scholarship funding to participate in registration information this training may be available through the NYS Educational Incentive Program (EIP), Apply Now! Free Parking & Free Lunch *Receive 5 hours of NYS accepted training* (.5 CEU) Covers NYS Licensing Training Categories 1 & 3( $150.00 Value) President Amy Fici * CEO Barbara-Ann Mattle * Editor Jennifer Weykman * * * * * LOCATIONS * * * * * Main Office Wayne County Branch Office Livingston County Branch Office 595 Blossom Rd. Suite 120 1173 East Union St. 3513 Thomas Dr. Suite 4 Rochester, NY 14610-1825 Newark, NY 14513-9201 Lakeville, NY 14480-0670 Phone: (585) 654-4720 Phone: (315) 331-5443 Phone: (585) 346-6050 Fax: (585) 654-4721 Fax: (315) 331-5271 Fax: (585) 346-6058 595 Blossom Road, Suite 120 120 Road, Suite 595 Blossom Rochester, NY 14610-1825 CCC Membership Benefits and Application Individual Membership—$35.00/yr › Loan privileges at the Early Childhood Professional Libraries › My First Library for your own children between the ages of 6 weeks thru 5 years Benefits › Free Notary Public Services News You Can Use › Access to group rate Health and Dental Insurance › Council Pin, Lanyard, Tote Bag or Cooler Beach Bag Child Care Center Staff Member, Registered Family Child Care Provider or Kudos to Caregivers! Legally Exempt Child Care Provider Membership-$50/yr › 50% discount on Business Center Services All Benefits › 10% membership discount every Tuesday on Recycle Shop purchases We would like to congratulate JoAnn Halloran, Executive Director Above Substantial member savings on Council offered classes and events Plus › of Kiddie College, and her dedicated staff at their Irondequoit Single Site Group Family Child Care Provider or location on 330 Pattonwood Drive, for receiving National Non-Child Care Organization Membership—$75/yr Accreditation from the Children’s Institute. › Substantial member discount on in-service training at your location Thank you for committing to high quality All Benefits › $5.00 discount on individual staff memberships in the Child Care Council child care through all your hard work! Above Substantial discount on Council classes and events for provider and assistants Plus › Congratulations!!! Child Care Center, Nursery School, School-Age, Multi-Site Group Family Child Care Membership Special Recognition is given from a thankful (anonymous) parent $100.00/yr (1-10 staff members) $200.00/yr (21-30 staff members) to TLC Adventures in Child Care in Hilton. $150.00/yr (11-20 staff members) $250.00/yr (31+ staff members) “Dedication to consistent and quality provision of care is so evident All › Substantial Discount on Individualized Training Program and In-Service Sessions Benefits in the way the staff of this center have kept us informed, and All staff members eligible for substantial member savings on Council classes and events Above › provided curriculum that not only has kept our child happy, but Plus has taught him wonderful, usable skills. He is counting in Spanish (much to our delight), and he brings home projects almost daily CCC Annual Membership Application that reflect that he has been engaged in fun activities throughout □ Individual Membership ($35) Mail form & payment to: our time apart. Also, much understanding was extended to us as □ Center Staff Member Membership ($50) Child Care Council Membership we worked through some illness with our son, making the care so □ Family Provider Membership ($50) 595 Blossom Road, Suite 120 much easier to deal with!” Rochester, NY 14610 □ Single Site Group Family Child Care Membership ($75) □ Non-Child Care Organization Membership ($75) Membership Fees are non-refundable Ku·dos., □ CACFP Family Provider ($25) Please √ one Noun - an expression of approval and commendation. □ CACFP Group Provider ($37.50) From time to time we will be publishing recognitions of ___ New □ Center □ Nursery School □ School-Age □ Multiple Site □ Group Family individuals in the field of child care. □ 1 - 10 Staff Members ($100) □ 21-30 Staff members ($200) Membership ___Renewal Memb. □ 11-20 Staff members ($150) □ 31+ Staff members ($250) Membership #_____ If there is someone that you would like to recognize please send your kudos to: Name______________________________________________Home Phone ( )___________________ Attention: Caring Matters Editor Home Address___________________________________________City________________Zip________ Child Care Council, Inc. Center Name________________________________________Center Phone ( )___________________ 1173 East Union St. Newark, NY 14513 Center Address___________________________________________City_________________Zip_______ or Total $:__________ MC/Visa#______________________________Exp. Date__________ V#________ [email protected] (3 digit # on back of credit card) Publication is subject to approval of the staff of Child Care Council, Inc. Amount Enclosed:________- Check #_______ Signature:__________________________________________ Article submission does not guarantee publication. All items Please check one: □ Council Pin □ Lanyard □ Tote Bag □ Cooler Beach Bag submitted become the property of Child Care Council, Inc. Pg 11 Business and Referral Services A Closer Look Inspection Services Department Family Focus Department Get the Credit You Deserve Indoor Field Trips By Renee Scholz, Referral Services Coordinator By Polly Ellstrom, Family Child Care Inspector Did you know that you or the families you serve may be eligible for It’s Cold Outside!! valuable tax credits? Now more the ever, the Federal Government is What do you do in a Family Day Care program when the winter helping families put more money in their pockets by allowing the following tax credits: seems like it will never end? Cabin fever has sunk in and the kids are bouncing off the walls? Create your own indoor field trips! Earned Income Tax Credit, which helps provide a wage Adventures use imagination, various motor skills and can supplement for low and moderate-income families earning less than incorporate crafting and kid cooking. $48, 279. This credit is worth up to $5,657. Here are some simple, yet fun ways to take that at home field trip. Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, designed to offset some of Let’s go to the zoo. Gather kids together and decide what it is we the child or dependent care costs that families incur in order to work. This credit is worth up to $2,100. see at the zoo. Read some books about zoo animals. Find all the animals in your play area that you would see at the zoo. Designate Child Tax Credit, designed to help families offset some of the costs an area to build cages. What can we use for cages? Blocks, upside of raising children. This credit is worth up to $1,000 per child. down laundry baskets, pack and play cribs. Have kids take charge Families who owe little or no income tax can receive some or all of placing animals in cages. Maybe there is a petting zoo area too. this credit as a refund if they earned at least $3,000 in 2009. After the zoo is built, decide who will be the zoo keepers and who will be customers. How are the customers getting to the zoo? Making Work Pay Credit, designed to increase families’ take-home Lining up chairs one behind the other creates a great bus. Who pay. This refundable credit is worth up to $800 for couples. Many will be the driver? Does your zoo have a snack bar? Making play workers already have received its benefits through an increase in tickets or play money that the child can exchange for a healthy their take-home pay. snack is fun. Set up a small table and have a cashier take the There are programs that offer free tax preparation assistance. tickets and pass out the snack. Build the adventure around lunch These include: time and have a picnic lunch on the floor. Kids love to have roles and responsibilities assigned to them. Creating adventures is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), this program super way of teaching, creating and having fun as a group. offers free tax help to low to moderate income people ($49,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. To locate Other possible at home field trips: the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-829-1040. Let’s take a train ride. Read stories about different places in the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program, provides free tax help to world. Hop on your play train (It looks much like the bus we took people aged 60 and older. AARP offers the tax aide counseling to the zoo, but the train has a conductor instead of a driver). program. To locate the nearest site call 1-888-227-7669. Decide where your destination is. Incorporate tickets and passports to get on the train. When you return, sculpt or paint The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) oversees the operation of memories of things seen on your trip. the military tax programs worldwide and serves as the main conduit Let’s go hiking and camping. Discuss what supplies we need for a for outreach by the IRS to military personnel and families. camping trip. Have kids draw maps of where the campers will Volunteers are trained to address military specific tax issues such as walk. Set up camp. Build your lunch and snacks around combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the Earned Income Tax camping type foods.