News
Monday, May 19, 2008
Preschool Parent and Caregiver Expo on June 7
Parents of pre-school children are invited to attend a “Preschool Parent and Caregiver Expo” that will be held June 7, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) West Campus. Admission is free. Free childcare is provided to parents enrolled in a district Childcare Center, Head Start or Migrant Education Program. Also, free transportation to the EXPO is provided by each district from a designated location that will be convenient for parents in Carpinteria and Goleta.
The Expo is designed for parents and caregivers of children ages 3-5 years of age who are entering kindergarten. Parents will learn how to enhance their child’s preparation for kindergarten and success in school with 15 minutes a day of quality time, using practical tools for teaching children how to appreciate learning, and help a child stay healthy through healthy eating and exercise.
Beginning with registration and light refreshments at 8:00 AM and ending at 4:00 PM, the conference features keynote speakers delivering concurrent workshops in English and Spanish. The keynote speakers are Elizabeth Sanchez and Alina Rosario, hosts of the award-winning series “A Place of Our Own” and “Los Nino’s En Su Casa” produced by KCET-TV. Their presentations will include ways to make a difference in the lives of young children through techniques and skills that parents can easily learn. Workshops include a Sesame Street presentation on teaching “Healthy Habits for Your Preschool Child,” Increasing Literacy Skills through Reading and Storytelling,” and “Constructive Discipline with Your Child.”
The lunchtime allows participants to enjoy a complimentary meal and an interactive agency fair. Parents can leave with new ideas for how to seize those brief ‘teachable moments’ with their preschool children and leave with valuable give-aways from Sesame Street and other agencies.
The “Preschool Parent and Caregiver Expo” is sponsored by the First Five Children and Families Commission and the Orfalea Foundation. Co-sponsors are Santa Barbara City College and the SBCC Foundation, SBParent.com, KCET-TV, and Sesame Street Healthy Habits for Life Program.
Planning Team members represent local school districts, CAC Head Start, the public libraries and leaders in early care and education. Space is limited. Participants can register online by going to www.first5santabarbaracounty.org. Print registration forms are also available to parents whose children are enrolled in district-sponsored preschool children’s centers of the Carpinteria Unified School District, the Santa Barbara School Districts, the Goleta School District, and the Hope School District as well as Head Start Parents of children entering kindergarten are also invited to attend and applications are available at school sites
For more information on “Preschool Parent and Caregiver Expo,” contact Pat Wheatley, Executive Director of the First Five Children and Families Commission of Santa Barbara County at (805) 884-8085, or Katie Corda at (805) 560-1039.