Wabasso Area Early Childhood Initiative

Improving the lives of our youngest citizens.

2 New Features!

First of all, the forums are up & ready for your questions!  Click here to go directly to the forum page.  Please note that you'll have to register in the forums if you would like to ask or answer a question. 

Another fun feature--look for us on Facebook!  The ECI has a fan page.  Check us out and become a fan of the Wabasso Area Early Childhood Initiative on Facebook!

We're in the process of setting up a question & answer board/forums on the site!  Be watching for that to open up to the public in the next few weeks.

Mini Grants for Child Care Providers

We are now offering 10 mini-grants, up to $100 each, to licensed family child care providers residing in the Wabasso School District!  Grant applications will be reviewed at the Wabasso Area ECI meeting (typically held at 4:00pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month at the Wabasso Community Center) in the order they are received and providers will be notified in approximately one month.  For more information and a printable application, click on the Mini Grant Information page.

Child Care Provider Appreciation

We recently held an appreciation supper for the Wabasso area child care providers at the Brau Haus in Lucan.  10 of the 15 area providers were in attendance.  It was an evening of good food, awards and appreciation for all the work they do for our young children.  Schmiesing Flower Farm donated the flowers for the centerpieces, which each provider got to take home at the end of the evening.  Jonti-Craft, Inc. donated a child-size table and chairs as a door prize.  Sherry Ubl was the lucky winner of that prize.  Recognition awards were given to each provider for their years of service.  Celebrating 0-5 years are Bernadette Thooft, Jessica Paul, Joanne Krause and Jodi Baune.  Celebrating 5-10 years are Char Albu, Lori Iverson, Jeanette Rohlik and Sherry Ubl.  Celebrating 10-15 years are Mary Beth Baumann, Gail Fischer, Laurie Ourada and Lisa Schunk.  Celebrating over 15 years of service are Dawn Anderson, Vicky Jenniges and Pam Vogel.


Front Row: Lisa Schunk, Gail Fischer, Vicky Jenniges, Pam Vogel, Mary Beth Baumann
Back Row: Char Albu, Lori Iverson, Jeanette Rohlik, Sherry Ubl, Bernadette Thooft

To see more pictures from the event, click hereScroll to the bottom of the page.

 

Look What We've Accomplished!

Below is a list of activities/projects conducted under our Year 1 grant (some may be ongoing into Year 2).
 
- 2007 Week of the Young Child Activity Buckets distributed at area businesses
- Library/Bookmobile publicity and free book punch cards
- Baby changing stations in area communities
- ECI website including local activities for young children/families, parenting info., community coloring pages, child care provider list, pictures, helpful links
-2008 Week of the Young Child recipe cards/activity kit drawing
- Child Care Provider appreciation event
- Entries in area parades
- Parenting articles in Wabasso Standard & on website
- Saturday Library hours/ storytime pilot
- Music in the Parks events
- FRED (Fathers Reading Every Day) events
- 1000 books by Kindergarten (Library program)
- Imagination Library
- Incredible Years Parenting classes
- Early Learning activity kits at Library
- Corwin Kronenberg - "Getting Kids to Listen" - parent education speaker