Archive Notice:
This is an archived version of the emailed newsletter: “Updates!” All contact info has been deleted for privacy sake. If you need information on any of the events/items posted on this blog please email ccheupdates@gmail.com for further information.
Copper Country Home Educators
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Registration for the summer session will begin Wednesday, May 6, at 8:00 am. You may register for programs on-line at http://www.aux.mtu.edu/rec/ by clicking on the "Online Registration" link or at the SDC Ticket Office. If you are taking advantage of any discounts such as TechFit, SDC Membership, or sibling discounts, you MUST register at the SDC Ticket Office. The current brochure can be found online at http://www.aux.mtu.edu/rec/community/commprog.pdf.
In our continuing effort to offer the best service and value, we would appreciate your opinion of the program(s) you or your child participated in during the past session. The information that emerges from your comments and suggestions will assist in identifying both positives and negatives in each program. As a result, we will strive to make adjustments to provide the best experience for you and your family.
Please take a moment to fill out our on-line survey at https://www.aux.mtu.edu/survey/public/survey.php?name=Community_Programs_2008. Feel free to make any additional comments that may be helpful in evaluating the program(s). If you would like to see a particular program or activity added, please let me know.
I may be contacted at (withheld for archive)if you have questions or concerns that need to be addressed personally.
This list, created for those who currently participate in Michigan Tech Community Programs or participated in the past, more efficiently manages notices of upcoming sessions, class changes, etc. If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, you can send mail to <majordomo@mtu.edu> with the following command in the body of your email message:
unsubscribe communityprograms-l
or reply to this email, and I will remove you from the list.
Sincerely,
(withheld for archive)
Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education
A partnership of
Copper Country & Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School Districts and Michigan Technological University
Serving schools and communities in Houghton, Baraga, Gogebic, Ontonagon and Keweenaw Counties
Website: http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/
For Immediate Release: April 20, 2009
For More Information: (withheld for archive)
Where Do the Children Play? Premiere Showing & Community Discussion
As adults, some of our fondest childhood memories include exploring in the woods, streams, and sand boxes in our backyards. In contrast, children today are often connected to electronic media or scheduled sports events, leaving little time to imagine or engage in make-believe play. Time spent building forts, playing neighborhood games, and exploring nature's wild edge is slipping away from children's lives. Should we be concerned?
Where Do the Children Play, a one-hour award-winning documentary produced for Michigan Public Television will be shown from 6:30-7:30 pm, Monday, May 4, at the Portage Lake District Library. Community conversation will follow as we examine whether this is a concern in our own communities.
The film visits three separate locations (Beaver Island, a suburb, and an inner-city Detroit neighborhood) to probe how sprawl, congestion, and suburban development may be impacting children's mental and physical health.
This program is sponsored by the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Get Outdoors Michigan! Western U.P. Summit Planning Committee, the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, and Michigan Technological University.
For more information, contact (withheld for archive). Library events and presentations are free and open to the public.
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Portage Lake District Library ~ 58 Huron Street, Houghton, MI 49931 Tel: 482-4570
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Indoor Playspace is in the Planning Stage!
Hi everyone,
For a long time I've been thinking about starting an indoor playspace for young children. Because winters are long, and because my grandchildren would love it, ideas have been swirling around in my imagination for some time.
Little did I know that my friend, (withheld for archive), was thinking the same thing. She took it to the top, though, and has done an incredible amount of work already.
She has a pledge of $25,000 from a private individual, a committment of space from the manager of the mall, and the support of Scott MacInnes for the city of Houghton and the Keweenaw Family Resource Center to go forward with her plan. One of those two entities will take it on as their project, and discussions about the details are being considered and worked out.
Attached is her power point presentation that she has taken to meetings such as Rotary, the Co-op, Portage Hospital, Michigan Tech, and other civic organizatons. Groups are on board with this idea, and it really will happen!
Jessica had a meeting for parents at her home on Friday and is encouraging all who attended to spread the word. She is looking for help in all areas with this plan.
I'm going to work hard to help get this playspace set up and running. The goal is to have it in place sometime this year.
If you want to attend meetings, please let me know. Also, if you have questions or want to talk about it, please call me at (withheld for archive).
Thanks!
Chris
The Portage PlaySpace
Get Involved with Something Good!
Jessica (withheld for archive)
The Numbers (according to Copper Country Great Start)
- Approximately 3,000 children ages 0-5 in CC
- 2288 Houghton
- 581 Baraga
- 118 Keweenaw
- 22% preschoolers overweight (compared with 14% nationally)
Concept
- Multi-phase project unifying services for families beginning with indoor playspace for children ages 0-6 and their families to open Fall/Winter 2009
- Indoor track for walking
- Ideally owned and maintained by pre-existing nonprofit organization or municipality
- To become self-sustaining within 2-3 years
Phases
WinterPark
Busy Hands
ParentPlace
J.P. Fitzy's Café
SunRoom
TotShop
Phase I – Winter Park (Playground)
- Climber
- Slide
- Ball area
- Wall activities
- Quiet corner
- Mirror play
- Benches and/or chairs and tables
- Breastfeeding area and changing station
- Vehicle area
- Infant area
- Tunnel
- Train tables
- Teeter totter
- Community newsboard
- Track
- Vending machines with healthy choices
Phase II – Busy Hands
(activity areas to expand services to older children)
- Water Play
- Costume Shop
- Potato Playthings
- Legos!
- Smart Shopping Grocery Store
- Kid Café
- Rides, Rides, Rides!
- Art Area
- Mailroom
- Doctor's office
Phase III – J.P. Fitzy's Café
- Coffee, tea, and other beverages
- Light refreshments
- Nutrition focused, etc. (menu sections to include "The Protein Bar", "Fiber Fill-up", "Carb Complements") to help educate kids and parents about what they should be eating
- Convenience items (milk, eggs, frozen entrees)
- Birthday parties?!?
Phase IV - ParentPlace
- A multi-purpose area for parents to hold small events and share talents.
- Babysitting co-op
- Healthfairs
- Clothing and toy swaps
- Lectures /services
Phase V – The Sunroom
- Haircuts
- Full spectrum lighting area to help beat those winter blues!
- A quiet space for parents to read?!?
Phase VI - TotShop
- TotShop GIFT SHOP!
Community involvement
- Funding (Rotary, Kiwanis, KCF, Tech, fraternities and sororities, parent groups, individual donors)
- Co-op (participate in fundraisers and day-to-day support for playspace (i.e., 3-hour shifts hosting)
- Potentially pay nominal fee for use ($100-200 per annum)
- Donate talents to help build and maintain space
Fundraising and Marketing
- Get Involved with Something Good! campaign
- Show and Tell events (dinners, coffees, contest)
- $25,000 donor
- Playground equipment grant
- Annual consignment sale
- Concert/show
- Individual donors purchasing play areas
- Potentially have persons donate services with proceeds going to project (writing wills, etc., haircuts, pay-it-forward babysitting services) for several days
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