11/27/2017 1

The Weekly Memo

Southern Oregon Child & Family Council, Head Start, Early Head Start, LISTO & Preschool Promise

2017-2018, Issue 14 - November 27, 2017 - Editors: Valerie Blade & Linda Bettis

Meetings and Trainings

Nov. 27—Monday ○ Fiscal Team Meeting, Fiscal Office, 9:30-10:00

Nov. 28—Tuesday ○ ACE Interface, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 8:00-10:00

○ Area Manager/EHS Center Manager Meeting, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 1:00-4:00

○ PC Executive Committee Meeting, Admin., 5:00-6:00

Nov. 29—Wednesday ○ Health Department Meeting, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 1:00-2:30

○ Directors Meeting, Admin., 1:30-3:30

○ Budget Committee Meeting, Admin., 5:00-6:00

Nov. 30—Thursday ○ Drug Team Committee, Admin., 8:00-9:00

○ Family Connection Training, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 9:00-12:00

○ PFCE Dept. Meeting, PFCE Office, 9:00-12:00

○ Reflective Supervision Cohort 2, Admin., 10:00-11:30

○ ECE Advisory Committee Meeting, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 2:00-3:30

○TLC-Stephanie & Crystal’s group, Admin., 2:30-4:00

Dec. 1—Friday ○ ED Planning at Centers, 8:00-10:00

○ EHS Center Meeting at Centers, 9:00-10:30

○ Center Meetings at Centers, 10:15-12:15

○ EHS-ED Planning Debrief at Centers, 12:30-2:00

○ Labor Management Committee, Val’s Office, 1:30-3:30

Dec. 4—Monday ○ Fiscal/Ops, Admin., 9:00-9:30

○ Fiscal Team Meeting, Fiscal Office, 9:30-10:00

○ Local 2619 Meeting, Blue Bldg. Conf. Rm., 5:30-8:00

INSIDE Pg. 2—Listo Family Literacy Program Pg. 3—Main Office 8th Annual Civil War Potluck Pg. 4—Spotlight on Safety by Our Center Safety Reps.: Time Change & Safety Pg. 5—Deer Safety: Tips for Avoiding Collision Pg. 6—Coats for Kids “Thank You” Pg. 7—Staff Solution Kit

Mission Statement Southern Oregon Head Start prepares children and their

families for success in school and throughout life.

The Weekly Memo Submission Deadline is Friday at noon.

Please send your articles, pictures (love those pictures!) and news

items to Linda Bettis/Valerie Blade.

Online Training and Excel CD’s

are now available for Staff Use

In response to the Training Survey, we are offering two online trainings.

Intro to Outlook 2013 Mail and Outlook Calendar. You can get to the training by going into the Staff Zone, Policies and Procedures, IT Trainings.

Also available are Excel CD’s:

Mastering Excel Macros

Excel Tips & Shortcuts for Every User

How to Use Excel Pivot Tables to Easily Summarize and Analyze Data.

If you would like to sign these out, con-tact the front desk (Linda or Jonnie).

Kathy Stassi, PHR, SHRM-CP

Human Resources Director

11/27/2017 2

LISTO FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM

Thank you to the SOCFC Board of Directors for visiting LISTO Program!

LISTO promotes literacy for the entire family under one roof, supporting all

family members with their educational needs and goals.

LISTO Family Literacy Program is providing services to 75 Hispanic/Latino

families and reaching 273 participants in Jackson County. LISTO is housed at

Phoenix Elementary and Medford Central High School and operates four

nights a week from 5:30 pm -8:00 pm.

LISTO partners with; SOCFC-Head Start, INEA, Mexican Consulate, Phoenix

Talent School District, and Medford School District.

LISTO staff and families wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!

“By coming to LISTO not

only helps me but also

helps my children because

they learn and advance

more. I love the program!”

-Angelina

For more information contact:

Patty Gutierrez, Listo Manager

P.541-734-5150 ext.1049

Email: patty.gutierrez@socfc.org

www.socfc.org

Thank you to all of our founders, partners, SOCFC Board of Directors , Listo staff and partici-pants for your

commitment to Listo Program! By Cecilia Giron, Listo Interim Director

11/27/2017 3

-Main Office News-

8th Annual Civil War Potluck

Celebrating Oregon Beavers & Ducks

A big Thank You to everyone who participated in this

fun time and enjoyed the super fantastic food!

Organizers: Karen Wolters, Ally McCann, Sarah Forga

Dr. Michelle Homer-Anderson and Sherry Whaley

Fatih Cox helping to put the

finishing touches to the food

table.

11/27/2017 4

ow that we have set our clocks back and there is less daylight it is a good time to

talk about what that means for safety. Darkness is our biggest natural clue that bed-

time is approaching, but what does that mean when our work day begins and ends in the dark? It reminds

us to still get plenty of sleep. Being alert when driving is a critical key for safety. Be-

cause with it being darker (and foggier), we aren’t able to see all potential hazards

while driving. Also, the temperatures are dropping, so it may take longer to warm

up vehicles and drive to work, so we should all remember to give ourselves extra

time while commuting.

It is also good to note that since actual daylight hours are shorter, we are using more ar-

tificial light. Artificial light can cause headaches, eyestrain and increased irritability in

some people. These can also be distractions at the least, and even lead to health issues.

Remember to take multiple mini breaks and walk and/or stretch, and drink plenty of

water. When the sun is shining take advantage by standing outside to soak up some

sunlight.

Robyn Neel, Teacher Assistant & Safety Rep.

White City Head Start

SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY by our Center Safety Reps.

The word “Listo” in Spanish means “ready,

smart, clever”.

11/27/2017 5

Deer Safety: Tips For Avoiding A Collision

Like a scene straight out of a sports car commercial, you’re driving along a winding road in the

dead of night, the eerie glow from your headlights meeting the narrow asphalt, when suddenly,

two green eyes flash in the darkness ahead – and a deer steps onto the roadway. Unlike the

television ad when the driver swerves wildly around the animal and then speeds off carelessly

into the blackness, encountering a deer while you’re on the road can be dangerous and scary.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), large animal-

vehicle collisions resulted in an average of 187 fatalities in recent years. So, what can you do

to stay safe during deer season?

Deer Statistics

Dawn and dusk are the times you are most likely to encounter deer along the roadside.

Deer breeding season runs from October through early January, and during this time they are highly active and on the move. This is when deer-vehicle collisions are at their peak.

Though deer may wander into suburban neighborhoods, they are most frequently found on the outskirts of town and in heavily wooded areas.

As pack animals, deer almost never travel alone. If you see one deer, you can bet that there are others nearby.

Preventive Techniques

The two most important ways to avoid a deer-vehicle collision are: slow down and SLOW DOWN. If you are driving through an area known for high deer populations, slow down and observe the speed limit. The more conservative you are with your speed, the more time you will have to brake if an animal darts into your path.

Always wear a seat belt. The most severe injuries in deer-vehicle collisions usually result from failure to use a seat belt.

Watch for the shine of eyes along the roadside and immediately begin to slow.

Use your high beams whenever the road is free of oncoming traffic. This will increase your visibility and give you more time to react.

Deer can become mesmerized by steady, bright lights so if you see one frozen on the road, slow down and flash your lights. Some experts recommend one long blast of the horn to scare them out of the road, as well.

Pay close attention to caution signs indicating deer or other large animals. These signs are specifically placed in high-traffic areas where road crossings are frequent.

If you’re on a multi-lane road, drive in the center lane to give as much space to grazing deer as possible.

Encountering a Deer

Never swerve to avoid a deer in the road. Swerving can confuse the deer on where to run. Swerving can also cause a head-on collision with oncoming vehicles, take you off the roadway into a tree or a ditch, and greatly increase the chanc-es of serious injuries.

Deer are unpredictable creatures, and one that is calmly standing by the side of the road may suddenly leap into the roadway without warning. Slowing down when you spot a deer is the best way to avoid a collision. However, if one does move into your path, maintain control and do your best to brake and give the deer time to get out of your way.

Don’t rely on hood whistles or other devices designed to scare off deer. These have not been proven to work.

If you do collide with a deer (or large animal), try to let off the brakes at the moment of impact. Braking through the impact can cause the hood of your vehicle to dip down, which can propel the animal through the windshield.

Call emergency services if injuries are involved, or the local police if no one is injured, but damage has been caused to your property or someone else’s.

Never touch an animal that is in the roadway. Report the incident to your insurance company as soon as possible.

Knowing what to do when you encounter a large animal on or near the roadway can be a life-saver. Keeping calm and driving smart improve your chances of avoiding a collision and staying safe on the road. Safe travels!

Submitted by Linda Bettis, Receptionist From Geico Safe Driving Tips

11/27/2017 6

Coats for Kids—Thank You!!

Carla Singer/KDVR 12 and Southern

Oregon Linens Services

Such a big and wonderful project they take on for all of the kids in our Valley! I was so

honored to see all the hard work and dedication they put to making sure all kids get

winter coats! Head Start families are so thankful for all that they do! I also want to

share how happy they all were to receive all of these Thank You cards! They were so

thankful and both said “this is what makes what we do so worth it.” “These are so

sweet. we are so thankful.”

Thank You to all of the Centers who took the time to do these amazing cards!

I also want to thank all who helped bundle these Coats. Thank you…

Maria (Arroyo), Christine (Russo), Joy (May), Shandi (Phelps), Karen Valerio, Jeannette (Holmes),

Miriam (Silvestre), Arely (Diaz), Joyce(Borden) and Kaycee (Cottone).

Submitted by Yoana Martinez

11/27/2017 7 Submitted by Karen Lowery, Executive Administrative Assistant