The KIDCO Express was designed to communicate
with Parents about the upcoming activities we have
planned at KIDCO and is updated on a Monthly basis.
The KIDCO Express is available in English and in Spanish.
Parents like to know what their kids do during the
day. This is our opportunity to list and describe the
different activities we provide.

 
                   

February is the Black History Month Celebration.

February 8
♦ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Gym Classes at KIDCO I & IV.

February 10
♦ 4:00pm - “Cultural Diversity” training at KIDCO II & KIDCO III.

February 11
♦ RIF Distribution – All Centers
♦ 3:00pm - “Cultural Diversity” training at KIDCO IV.

February 12 
♦ Red Color Day – Dress with something Red.
♦ 2:00 pm - Valentine’s Day Raffle at KIDCO Central.
February 14     
♦ Valentine’s Day.
February 15          
♦ President’s Day – ALL CENTER CLOSED.

February 16
♦ KIDCO IV Anniversary. Congratulations.
♦ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Gym Classes at KIDCO I &
KIDCO  III.

February 17
♦ 4:00 pm - Policy Committee Meeting at KIDCO Central.

February 18
♦ 2:30 pm - Training for parents at KIDCO IV “Link up Florida.”
♦ 4:00 pm - Training for parents at KIDCO I “Cultural Diversity”

February 22
♦ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Gym Classes at KIDCO II.

February 26
Black History Activities & Parade – All centers.

 

Chicken Burgers

Baked Mac and Cheese

12 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup nonfat sour
12 ounce fat-free evaporated milk
8 ounces low-fat cheddar cheese or Colby cheese, shredded
tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
12 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream; set aside. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear around the edges (known as scalding). Reduce heat to low, add cheese and simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a whisk, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add cheese mixture to pasta; mix well. Transfer to a 3-quart casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

By: Yomari b. Cruz-DeWeese MS, RD, LD/N, Dietitians  Adapted from www. Fitnessfreebies.com, webmd, americanheart.org

MAKING HOME A LEARNING PLACE 

Children who have been regularly read to have 32 million more words by age four than children who did not hear language.  Reading to children from birth gives them both educational and social advantages and helps them learn to read independently.  Therefore, it is very important to expose children to language since birth.  Read to children with enthusiasm and excitement.  The more animated you are, the more they will develop a love for books and reading.
Reading out loud to infants provides the foundation necessary for learning.  It can also be a great bonding experience and helps the infant develop listening and focusing skills.  When reading to infants, select books that have 10 to 15 words and big, bright and colorful pictures.   Make sure to describe what is happening in the pictures.
When reading to toddlers, select books that show how other children manage the fears of what is under the bed or tackle the challenges of potty training.  Also, select books about letters, colors, people, animals, and the real world around them.  Make sure to describe the pictures in order to promote vocabulary development.  Select a regularly scheduled reading time every day, such as, before naps or bedtime.
Reading to preschoolers should be an interactive experience.  Talk about the parts of the book, the author and illustrator, encourage children to describe the cover and pictures, talk about the characters and encourage them to make predictions about the story.  When reading to preschoolers make sure to point to each word you are saying and remind them that print is read from left to right and top to bottom.  This is what promotes early reading skill
s.

 

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS   

Rosanna Mojica

February 1

Silvia La Villa

February 8

Carline Estime

February 12

Viviana Gaeta

February 13

Irma Cervantes

February 15

Maria La Calle

February 21

Marisela Perez

February 21

Marietta Gutierrez

February 27