05 Spring Pg1

05 Spring Pg1

Text Box: Hello Everyone!
Truly March went out as a lamb! I hope all of you got outside with your children and enjoyed this beautiful week! The news reported that so many went to the zoo this week that they ran out of parking spaces! I guess everyone was happy to get outside.
So many have been severely ill, I hope all of you are better or are recuperating. There has been a bad strain of strep going around and RSV is already being reported. From a communicable disease stand point, make sure you review your communicable disease manual, or if you do not have one, please let your worker know. You need to know when children need to be excluded from day care and who you need to report what illness to. Also, remember hand washing is the key! Also do not use too many products with antibacterial agents added. Studies by the Center for Disease Control has found using too many of these products actually kills the good bacteria and so the bad bacteria (like strep) is harder to kill.
A word about spring and audits. Audits are a normal part of all of our lives because we received Federal dollars. You may have had auditors in your home for the food program, for the county voucher program or if you are a Head Start home, for that program. How can you prepare yourself? What should be your attitude with auditors? First of all, you can prepare yourself by taking an evening and doing your own audit. Do you have all of your forms in order? Are all of your enrollments and attendance records current? Do you have your latest certificate or inspections displayed? Are parent numbers by the phone? Have you checked your smoke detector (and reinforced with your children not to steal the batteries for their games)? Remember that for both programs you are to call when you are not doing care. This will protect you in case you are visited and have no care children that day. Make sure that your substitutes are approved and that they know where your paperwork is! Now about your attitude. I certainly know how nerve-racking audits can be. But, if you have a professional attitude and the mind-set that all audits make us better and allow us to grow as professionals, it will help you through the process. Never take the attitude that the auditors have no right to come into your home. You are obligated to allow them into your home if they have proper identification. That said you can of course call and confirm who they are, you also have the right to question them about where they are looking and what they are looking at. Also, you have the right to note if the form they ask you to sign was done in pencil, and you have a right to request a copy of whatever you sign. When they have left you have the right to collapse! :-)
Some exciting classes coming up! Hope to see many of you soon! Take Care!

Text Box: NEIGHBORHOOD Child Care News

Text Box: CACFP REMINDERS: Remember that all monthly reports need to be to us by the 3rd of the month or postmarked by that date to be considered on time. You then have until the 25th of the next month to submit any late monthly reports for the claim month, or any adjustments. After the 25th of the next month no claims can be processed. Remember if your report is late, the state does not have to honor that money request until the end of the fiscal year which is 9/30/05!

Text Box: Important numbers: General: 216-252-0094
The Director, Penny Wagner Bauer: Ext. 104
Register for classes, Barb Hader: Ext. 100
Food Program Questions, Nan Bauer: Ext. 101
Care For Kids Questions, Frieda Mathew: Ext. 102
Spanish Questions, Yolanda Plaud: Ext. 125
Food Program Check Release Information: Ext. 191
Directory of Employees: Ext. 555

Text Box: It’s spring! Walk outside stretch and smell the good air. As one of my day care children said, “Miss Penny you have to come out and taste the air!”