Life Skills for Student Parents Update:

Café HOPE will begin again on October 13 with a special presentation on Women's Health Issues from Kim Martin, Patient Educator with the Kaufman County Health Clinic. Mrs. Martin is a wonderful speaker and always brings excellent information to our students on topics important to young mothers. Lunch will be served, so come on out to Project HOPE during your regular lunch period on October 13. Other upcoming presentations scheduled are:

November 29, Anna Kesler from the Office of the Attorney General, speaking to us about child support and father's rights

December 13, Christi Villegas from the Texas Workforce Commission, speaking to us about the TWC Youth Program called "WIA," which helps assist students with work, childcare, and college financial aid.

Please make plans to attend these important luncheons. All parents are invited to attend with their students as well. Remember, lunch is provided for you while you attend the presentation.

Project HOPE PEP Student Update sheets are coming out next week. Please be sure to review them and get with Mrs. Black if you have any questions about grades or special concerns. We have really good grades this six weeks; probably the best I've seen in five years. I am so proud of all of our students!!!!

This week, we are enjoying the use of a computer in the preschool classroom! The students are using a preschool software program to help develop language, math, reading, and technology skills. What a great addition to our program!!

We are also enjoying our BEAUTIFUL new playground! The children adore the new look and the great space to play. We have new toys as well, and everyone is getting to socialize, take turns, exercise, and really have a great time outside. We are so proud of the playground and the hard work that our maintenance staff put in to building it for us.

"C" them working!

Today, Miss Linda and Mrs. Carraway were helping students learn all about the letter C. They passed around a camel, a camera, a car, and a cake...and then they got to draw the letter C by themselves! I managed a few pictures while they were working.

Ready, Set, Learn!

Students in Mrs. Carraway's class were having a great time this week learning about bugs. Miss Ann was able to take a few pictures of the children reading the big book as well as making their own butterflies today. What a great activity!

Library trips have been a lot of fun for the children as well, and we hope to continue our weekly visits to the Terrell Public Library so that our students develop a lifelong love of books and reading.

Our playground is ALMOST finished! We have a new porch, new play area, and new pea gravel in place...the fence is being installed as we speak, so when it is complete, the only thing left is the painting of the porch and we will be able to play outside! Wheeeee!!!!! We have purchased new riding toys and a new basketball goal so that the children can get lots of exercise, build important fine and gross motor skills, and learn socialization skills such as taking turns and the importance of teamwork. I am so proud of the new playground and appreciate so much the hard work that the maintenance staff have put into building it for us.

In other news, Project HOPE's parenting program is about to begin our "Café HOPE" series again on September 27. Be sure to attend if you are a teen parent in our program! Come out to Project HOPE during your lunch period on September 27 for a guest speaker and free food. You can't beat that!

Everyone have a great weekend and I look forward to sharing more news with you soon!

Project HOPE is off to a great start this year, both with the parenting program and the day care. Our parenting program has 31 enrolled participants so far, just in four short weeks of school. The day care is up to 21 children enrolled, 11 of whom are teachers' children. The day care's preschool class (ages 3-5) is enjoying a new component since we have added a trip to the Terrell Public Library for storytime every Wednesday morning at 10:30. The kids have gone twice and have thoroughly enjoyed their time at the library. With each trip, they learn valuable literacy skills, foster a love for reading, and practice important social skills as well. I am so pleased to be able to offer this storytime to the children!

Our new playground has started to take shape...the concrete has been poured and we are awaiting the fence and new gravel for the play area. Within a week, the kids should be outside and enjoying a new, ant-free and puddle-free play zone. Hurray!

We've welcomed one new baby since school began and are currently expecting eight others throughout the year. The student parents are excited about the prospects of parenthood, but are more excited about finishing their educations and becoming productive members of our community while at the same time raising their children in safe and loving homes.

We are planning Café HOPE meetings to begin at the end of the month, and will continue to have monthly luncheons for our program participants that highlight important topics that are relevant to student parents. We are also trying to establish a partnership with the Kaufman Community Health Clinic to better provide medical and family planning services to our participants.

We have set our yearly WIC schedule...if you need a WIC appointment, be sure to check these dates and make your appointment during one of these times so that we may provide your transportation to and from the WIC clinic. You will not be counted absent from school if you ride to WIC with us. The dates are as follows:

9/26; 10/24; 11/14; 12/19; 1/23; 2/20; 3/20; 4/24; 5/22

If you or your baby need to see a local doctor, please give us 24 hours notice of your appointment date and time so that we can plan your transportation.

Our bus radio is on the blink, so contacting Ms. Ruth in the mornings is difficult. If you have missed the Project HOPE bus or need a ride and Ms. Ruth didn't know it, please call the bus barn at 972-524-4282 and let them know to call Ms. Ruth on the bus.

I hope your start back to school has been productive and cheerful. Let us know if you need anything or have any questions!! :)