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OLC-Month 9: April1, 2024
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April 1, 2024
Mark Your Calendars!
🚫No School on the following dates:
- April 1st, 2024 (April Break)
- Students return on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024.
Birth Certificates
Please provide a copy of your child's birth certificate to the front office.
Per the 2023-2024 Early Childhood Education Parent Handbook (linked at the bottom of this newsletter), State law requires that a certified copy of a child’s birth certificate be used when enrolling a new student in school.
If your child is registering with Grand Island Public Schools for the first time, you may obtain this document from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state in which your child was born. Assistance in obtaining birth certificates may be obtained from Health Records Management, P.O. Box 95065, Lincoln, NE 68509-5065 or online (Click Below). There is a fee per certificate. If you need assistance obtaining your birth certificate, please contact the school office.
Your child’s birth certificate must be received within 30 days of the start of preschool. If it is not received, your child may not be able to attend preschool.
Strong Fathers Strong Families Presents: Dad & Kid Math Night (Kids of all ages)
Parent Hangout on April 27th, 2024 from 5pm to 7pm
Join us for our Monthly Parent Hangout on April 27th at the O'Connor Learning Center!
School Day Hours
OLC, Starr Elementary School, and Lincoln Elementary School
AM Session: 7:50am - 11:20am
PM Session: 12:00pm - 3:30pm
Monday- Thursday
No class on Friday
Howard Elementary School At Door 10
Arrival: 7:50am - 8:00am
Class: 8:00am - 3:15pm
Monday - Thursday
No class on Friday
GIPS Family Wellness Resources
Coaching for Parents
Have you ever felt lonely in your parenting journey? Parenting can be very hard and feel lonely, just know, you are not alone. Parent Coaching is here to support you in the loneliest of times. It is a FREE resource provided by your school district that connects you with a coach and content created by therapists. Click here to register for on-going support from a coach: https://cookcenter.info/coaching
CareSolace
CareSolace provides mental health and substance abuse care coordination support. CareSolace also helps link families to therapy providers more quickly and efficiently.
With a network of thousands of providers, CareSolace will help families and staff find the right help at the right time, 24/7/365, at no cost. They will connect people with providers accepting all medical insurances, including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance. They can help through several languages, too.
Here is our custom website for families and staff to connect to mental health support: https://caresolace.com/site/grandisland.
Our school social workers or counselors (and soon nurses and school psychologists) can also help families and staff with warm handoffs or help get connected more quickly to mental health supports.
We will have this service through August, so please take advantage and encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity.
ParentGuidance
Grand Island Public Schools is excited to partner with the Cook Center for Human Connection and their website ParentGuidance.org. This is a mental health resource for parents and provides parents a trusted place to go for real answers, to find support and real help for their children.
This FREE resource offers parents access to licensed therapists delivering different courses for parents on topics like living with a child with depression, identifying anxiety, coping with grief and loss.
The four parts to this service are:
1. Monthly GIPS-Specific Webinars - Hosted Monthly on Zoom @ 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
2. Parent Coaching Sign in to ParentGuidance.org
- Click on “parent coaching” to sign up for a trained parenting coach then select “Register for Coaching”
- Coaching is just what it sounds like; one-on-one help with a trained coach, helping you face issues with yourself or your family.
- Coaching is free and confidential.
3. Online Parenting Courses In ParentGuidance.org,
- Click on “Courses” select over 50 Free courses in the privacy of your own home.
4. Ask a Therapist In ParentGuidance.org,
- Click on “Ask a Therapist” to review therapist responses to Frequently Asked Questions submitted by parents, or submit a question of your own.
Parenting Tips
Boystown Helpful Parenting Tips, Guides, and Tools
Conscious Discipline Tips
Need helpful discipline tips? Click below for more information.
Parenting Classes offered in Grand Island
Strengthening Families Parenting Class being offered at Knickrehm Elementary
Starting Thursday, February 22nd from 5:15pm to 8:00pm.
THE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM IS TAUGHT THROUGH AN 11-WEEK SERIES, AGES 7-17.
The sessions are one evening per week on Thursdays at Knickrehm with childcare and dinner is provided. Click below for more information.
Common Sense Parenting from Boys Town (for parents/caregivers with children aged 2-24)
The Common Sense Parenting Program originally designed for parents of children ages 6 to 16, but an adaptation for parents of toddlers and preschoolers is also is available. A session is comprised of 6 weekly, 1 1/2-hour sessions led by a credentialed trainer who focuses on teaching practical skills to increase children's positive behavior, decrease negative behavior, and model appropriate alternative behavior.
The class is provided via Zoom.
Cost: $90.00
Currently only available in ENGLISH.
Circle of Security (for parents/caregivers with children aged 0-5)
Circle of Security™Parenting is an opportunity to join other parents just like you, for an 8-week class where you’ll learn to:
• Strengthen your relationship with your child
• Be present with your child during the best and toughest of times
• Recognize your child’s needs and make sense of his or her behavior
• Meet your child’s needs by being bigger, stronger, wiser and kind
Circle of Security is an eight session parenting series geared for parents and caregivers of children ages 0–5. The series aims to help parents and caregivers be the best of themselves for their young children.
Who should attend: Caregivers for children – Hall County residents
Location: Ombudsman Learning Center 2300 N. Webb Road Suite 110
Cost: Free to Hall County Residents
How to register: Email Nikki2458@gmail.com with Contact Info
Helpful Links/Resources
Grand Island YWCA
The GI YWCA has an array of programs available to the public. Please click below for more information.
Childcare Search Database in Grand Island
Are you in need of childcare? Click below to search around your area for childcare:
Kids Workshops at the Home Depot
Kids Workshops take place from 9am to 12pm every first Saturday of the month. Register online for their workshops to secure a spot today.
Need help with applying for Medicaid?
Heartland Health Center (HHC) has community navigator Kendra Ramos who can help families apply for Medicaid insurance. For more information please contact Ms. Ramos at (308) 379-5451 or KRAMOS@HHCNE.ORG
Free English Classes in GI
Want to work on your English? Join the Literacy Council of Grand Island for their FREE Conversational Class every Sunday at the Grand Island Public Library from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. It is open to the public!
Contact Information
Phone: (308) 675-3292
Website: www.giliteracy.org
Heartland United Way
Click below to see the most updated Heartland United Way Resources available in town.
Central Nebraska Community Action Partnership (CNCAP)- Project THRIVES
The goal of the THRIVES program is to provide rapid re-housing for the homeless to address the characteristics of rural Nebraska. Assistance is provided to help the participant obtain affordable housing through limited financial assistance and maintain housing utilizing the case management services provided.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Click below if you'd like to learn more or apply for SNAP.