Habitot Achievements
Habitot's 11th Birthday Celebration
Over 400 people attended Habitot’s 11th Birthday Celebration April 18th.
Thanks again to Life is good® for sponsoring the day.
Project Joy Teacher Training
Workshops
A Huge Success -
Scholarships Awarded
Through a month-long competitive application process that included site visits and interviews, Habitot has selected twenty-five highly motivated preschool teachers who are working with vulnerable preschool populations to participate in the first West Coast "Basic Playmaker" training developed by Project Joy, Habitot's collaborative partner. The nationally-known Project Joy program has trained teachers working in the Katrina zone, in Boston inner city schools and internationally in the uses and techniques of play to help very young children exposed to trauma. The training, food and lodging for the two-day training retreat will be free to participants thanks to support from the Life is good Foundation. Habitot's trained staff will provide year-long followup to ten schools/organizations participating in the training. The selected schools are:
- Centro Vida, Berkeley
- La Academia, Fremont/Berkeley
- San Antonio Head Start, Oakland
- King Child Development Center, Berkeley
- Fruitvale Head Start, Oakland
- West County First 5, Richmond
- Crescent Park Children's Center/Head Start, Richmond
- Brookside Children's Center/Head Start, Richmond
- Alameda Head Start, Alameda
Habitot-Project Joy Training Wows Educators
Waldelia Gardner from Brookside Head Start, Richmond, shared her thoughts after the June 27-28 training retreat for 30 preschool teachers, "I’ve been teaching for 20 years, and been to lots of trainings, and this was the first one I’ve been to that put preschool teachers first!" Teacher feedback about the rejuvenating value of the retreat was extraordinary.
Habitot staff coordinated the presentation of the first West Coast "Preschool Playmaker Basic Training" training developed by Project Joy, a training that is designed to re-activate joy and playfulness in teachers working with vulnerable children exposed to trauma. With underwriting support from the Life is good Kids Foundation, the teachers, who were selected by Habitot, received full scholarships to participate. Habitot recently received a grant from the Trio Foundation to follow up with teachers over the next year. Planning has already begun for the 2010 training retreat.
1st Annual "Preschool Teachers Make a Difference"
Contest
Nominations and Results
Thirty-one preschool teachers were nominated in Habitot's 1st annual "Preschool Teachers Make a Difference" contest. The deadline for nominations was May 29.
The nominated teachers represent preschools in communities throughout the East Bay and beyond -- from independent preschools, to child development centers, to Head Start programs. A distinguished panel of judges reviewed the nominators' statements this month. The judges were:
- Miguel Dwin, Emery Unified School Board Member;
Alameda County Child Care Planning Council Board Member
- Mark Friedman, Executive Director, First 5 Alameda County
- Pedro Rosado, District Representative for Education,
Office of State Senator Loni Hancock
- Rebecca Wheat, Leadership Coach, UC Berkeley School of Education
The panelist look for evidence of enthusiasm and dedication for bringing out the best in young children; joy, empathy, and creativity in teaching; and positive impact on children and families.
Eleven preschool teachers (in recognition of Habitot's 11th anniversary) were selected and winners were announced on June 19, and an awards ceremony will be held at a "Back to School" event on September 21!
Join us in recognizing these wonderful nominated teachers:
- Cammy Arnold, Burbank Preschool, San Lorenzo
- Jan Bly, Recreation and Parks District Junior K Preschool Program,
Pleasant Hill
- Ramee Brown, The Room to Grow, Oakland
- Pradera Burnett, Hansel and Gretel Preschool Nursery Co-op, El Sobrante
- Daisy Chan Grattan, Child Development Center, San Francisco
- Linda Cox-Kuntze, California School for the Deaf (CSD), Fremont
- Adrianna De La Cruz, Easter Seals Healthy Environments Child Care Center, San Francisco
- Frank Duhl, Binda Magic Family Child Care, San Francisco
- Jacqueline Hardiman, Rockridge Little School, Oakland
- Janice Haywood, Blue Skies for Children, Oakland
- Juneko Horncliff, International Children Resource Institute of Alameda, Alameda
- Dolores Kelley, The Rainbow School, Oakland
- Lisa Li, Easter Seals Healthy Environments Child Care Center, San Francisco
- Sherrie Rose, Maleson Congregation Beth Anns's Ban Ami preschool,
Los Altos Hills
- James McCaffrey, Rainbow School, Oakland
- Elizabeth (Betty) McPeek, Mauzy School, Alamo
- Amy Murphy-Hilt, Cedar Creek Montessori School, Berkeley
- Anne Olson, A Kid's Kingdon, Castro Valley
- Gretchen Ramos, Little Handprints, Brentwood
- Debbie Sabatte, Apple Tree Christian Preschool, Brentwood
- Nangkeo Sipaseut, Contra Costa Community Services Balboa Children's Center, Fremont
- Linda Sudak, Binda Magic Family Child Care, San Francisco
- Katie Ulmer, Meher School/ White Pony Preschool, Lafayette
- Chris Walton, Jewish Community Center Preschool of the East Bay, Berkeley
- Sandy Westlie, Peter Pan Parent Nursery School El Cerrito
- Cassandra Wilder, The Child Unique Montessori Alameda
- Nitayane (Nita) Youmagul, Contra Costa Community Services Balboa Children's Center, Richmond
- Deanne Sullivan, Wendy Vasquez, Jeannette Kuneli (nominated jointly), Holy Cross Lutheran School, Livermore
Winners Chossen in 1st Annual
"Preschool Teachers Make a Difference" Contest
Eleven exemplary teachers are the winners in Habitot’s 1st Annual contest celebrating the outstanding contributions of early childhood educators. The teachers were selected by a distinguished panel of judges from nominations received from parents and school administrators from all over the Bay Area. Teachers will be honored at an awards ceremony at Habitot in September.
Congratulations to this year’s winners:
- Linda Cox-Kuntze, California School for the Deaf (CSD), Fremont
- Frank Duhl, Binda Magic Family Child Care, San Francisco
- Jacqueline Hardiman, Rockridge Little School, Oakland
- Dolores Kelley, The Rainbow School, Oakland
- Sherrie Rose Maleson, Congregation Beth Am's Gan Ami preschool,
Los Altos Hills
- Elizabeth (Betty) McPeek, Mauzy School, Alamo
- Ramee Serwanga, The Room to Grow, Oakland
- Nangkeo Sipaseut, Contra Costa Community Services Balboa Children's Center, Fremont
- Katie Ulmer, Meher School/ White Pony Preschool, Lafayette
- Chris Walton, Jewish Community Center Preschool of the East Bay, Berkeley
- Sandy Westlie, Peter Pan Parent Nursery School El Cerrito
Preschool Teachers Honored at Annual Event
Seventy-five friends, relatives and colleagues came to Habitot on September 21 to congratulate and honor eleven exemplary teachers selected by judges in the 1st Annual "Preschool Teachers Make a Difference" contest sponsored by Habitot. Local businesses and companies stepped forward with gift certificates and educational products to support children’s first teachers (after parents, of course!).
We’d like to recognize and thank the following companies for their generous support:
- Folkmanis Puppets
- ALEX Toys
- Do a Dot Art
- Five Little Monkeys
- Golden Apple Learning Store
- Oompa Toys
- School Specialty
- Dick Blick Art Materials
- Office Max
- Rockridge Kids
- Silver Moon
- Staples
- Crackerjacks
- Paxton Gate Curiosities for Kids
Habitot Featured at EB Moms Preschool Fair
Contra Costa Times article aPARENTLy Speaking - FAB FIVE: Things you may have missed at preschool fair.
Habitot Receives Goldenberg Painting
June, 2005 - New Hampshire philanthropist Tom Haas has donated Roger
Goldenberg's "Shel Game, The Big O vs, The Missing Pieces"
to the museum's permanent collection of kid-friendly contemporary
art. The painting is installed adjacent to the museum's drop-in
Art Studio.
Roger
Goldenberg's Painting
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