December 2007
Broadreach thanks generous community members for holiday donations to program families... read the story here.
For great parenting tips and fun activities for children, check out the December
Broadreach Alphabet Soup Newsletter
November 2007
For great parenting tips and fun activities for children, check out the November
Broadreach Alphabet Soup Newsletter
Tomie dePaola comes to Belfast, reads to Broadreach schoolchildren
Tomie dePaola signs his latest work, "Front Porch Tales and North Country Whoppers."
BELFAST (Nov 6, 07): Belfast, November 5—Renowned author/illustrator Tomie dePaola entertained a packed house of school children at Mr. Paperback in Belfast Monday morning. Mr. dePaola, best known for his book “Strega Nona,” read from his newest work, “Front Porch Tales and North Country Whoppers” and signed copies afterwards.
To read the full release, click here.
October 2007
For great parenting tips and fun activities for children, check out the October
Broadreach Alphabet Soup Newsletter Waldo County Preschool & Family Services changes its name Belfast , October 3—The agency formerly known as Waldo County Preschool & Family Services has changed its name. Effective October 1, after 25 years of service, WCPFS will now be known as Broadreach Family & Community Services. A ceremony was held at the agency's head office in Belfast to commemorate the occasion. The change was necessitated by the recent mergers of Mid-Coast Children's Services (2005) and Youthlinks (this year), both of Rockland , with Waldo County Preschool & Family Services. “With our service area expanded into Knox County , our original name simply no longer fit,” said Alex Owre, Broadreach's Communications Coordinator. “We saw the process of choosing a new name as an opportunity to reaffirm our core values and mission, and to reappraise our vision going forward. We believe our new ‘brand' successfully reflects our image, reputation and objectives. But what's most important for people to understand is that we are the same agency they have known for years, with the same leadership.”
Said Ruth Southworth, Executive Director, “Today is the culmination of a dream for a handful of people who 25 years ago created an agency to provide quality services for children and families in Waldo County ..."
To read full release, click here.
September 2007
Patrick Walsh appointed to State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group
Augusta, September 25---Governor John Baldacci has announced the appointment of Patrick Walsh of Morrill to the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG). The JJAG prepares the State juvenile justice plan, manages funds awarded to the State under terms of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, monitors State compliance with national juvenile standards, and advises State policy makers on juvenile justice issues. 
Walsh will represent Waldo County Preschool & Family Services (WCPFS) where he is director of the Child and Parent Council and the Healthy Youth Project. Prior to coming to WCPFS, Walsh was employed at the District Attorney's Office in Waldo and Knox counties as a Victim/Witness Advocate from 1979 to 1986 and as Prosecutorial Assistant in Knox County from 1990 to 1999.
Click here to read full press release.
A GROUP FOR YOU: PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
"Why my Child?
"September 136-7:30
272 Park St., Rockland
Mid-Coast Children's Services is continuing to offer a monthly meeting for parents of young children with special needs called “A Group for You.” The next meeting will be
Thursday, September 13th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at 272 Park St. in Rockland. Parents have chosen the topic “Why my child?” to discuss. Many parents of children with special needs find themselves asking “Why?” Answers may be sought in many ways—by turning to “experts,” to oneself, or searching for spiritual or religious guidance. The group will offer respect and caring as each parent has the opportunity to explore this important question. For more information, click
here.
Waldo County Preschool & Family Services,
The Knox, Waldo, Lincoln Council on Transition
And the G.E.A.R. Parent Network
Collaboratively Present in Belfast :
Workshop for Parents of Children with Disabilities
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 6 to 8 p.m.
“Resources that Parent Support Agencies & SAD 34 School Services Offer”
Guest Speakers: Beth Thomas, Maine Parent Federation, Cindy Seekins, GEAR Parent Network, and Sandy Lannon/Bonnie Gallagher, SAD 34
Location: Capt Albert Stevens School Library, Elementary Lane, Belfast
You are NOT ALONE! Parents, grandparents, foster parents and others raising or caring for a child/children with special emotional and behavioral issues gather once a month to educate and empower themselves, to give and receive support and to share successes, difficulties, knowledge and resources. Cindy Seekins (GEAR Parent Network), Wanda Johnson (WCPFS) and Bonnie Gallagher (MSAD 34 Teacher, MMRT B) are co-facilitating this group and bring in speakers on a variety of topics.
For more information or to register for a workshop, please call Cindy Seekins at 223-9993 or 1-800-264-9224 or Wanda Johnson at 338-2200 ext. 123
GEAR is a Parent-to-Parent Network of Information & Support
for Parents of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Issues
GEAR is a program of Crisis & Counseling Centers and is funded by the Department of Health & Human Services
MELLI: Maine Early Language & Literacy Initiative
A five-session professional development series for early childhood educators and trainers led by University of Maine adjunct Professor and author Dr. Susan Bennett-Armistead.
University of Maine, Augusta
September 28
October 11 & 26
November 15
December 7
For complete information, click here. Adobe Reader required: for free download, click belowhttp://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
August 2007
A GROUP FOR YOU: PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Thursday, August 2
6:00 - 7:30 pm
272 Park Street, Rockland
Mid-Coast Children's Services is continuing to offer a monthly meeting for parents of young children with special needs called “A Group for You.” The next meeting will be Thursday, August 2nd from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at 272 Park St. in Rockland . Parents have chosen to discuss “The future with our children.” Parents of children with special needs often worry about their children's futures. Will my child have friends in grade school? What will my child be like in high school? How will my child function as an adult? The group will discuss the joys and uncertainties of raising a child with special needs. On the fun side, parents will also discuss ways to have fun with their children this summer. Parents of young children with special needs face a variety of challenges above and beyond those of most parents. Parents meet to share their experiences of what they have learned along the way about how to care for their children and for themselves. “Special needs” include a broad range of developmental, health, and behavioral challenges such as speech delays, vision or hearing problems, autism, and ADHD. Facilitated by Annie Kiermaier, LCSW. Child care is provided. The meeting and child care are free of charge. Interested parents can call to register at MCCS at 594-8474. Mid-Coast Children's Services is a program of Waldo County Preschool and Family Services.
June 2007
Autism and Early Intervention: Michael's Success Story
Rockland , ME - June 25, 2007 - Wanda Frost knew something was wrong. Her infant son wouldn't look at her the way her other children had when they were babies. He had few facial expressions and never said “dada” or “mama.” When Michael was 13 months old, she brought him to Child Development Services. Michael was diagnosed with autism, a complex developmental disability impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Autism results from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. Typically appearing during the first three years of life, autism often presents in infants with early symptoms that are considered red flags:
• Does the baby respond to his or her name when called by the caregiver?
• Does the young child engage in "joint attention"?
Near the end of the first year of life, most infants begin to join with their caregivers in looking at the same object or event. To aid in this process of "joint attention", typical infants begin to shift their gaze from toys to people, follow other's points, monitor the gaze of others, point to objects or events to share interest, and show toys to others.
• Does the child imitate others?
• Does the child respond emotionally to others?
(source: Exceptional Parent Magazine)
Michael was fortunate that his mother sought help early. Experts agree that early diagnosis and intervention is crucial: the sooner a child is diagnosed, the sooner he or she can begin to benefit from a specialized intervention program.
Click here for the full release.
Many Voices... One Song
Click
here to see the 2005-2006 Waldo County Preschool & Family Services annual report.
SPIRALS Literacy Summit underscores science of learning to read
Belfast, Maine – May 31 – According to Dr. Laura Justice, If our record with airplane safety was only as good as our record in teaching children to read, 33% of planes would fall out of the sky. This level of failure in the aviation industry would be unacceptable, she said in her keynote address to the May 18 th SPIRALS Literacy Summit at Camp Kieve in Nobleboro—and so should it be in the “business” of early literacy education.
In a presentation titled “Making Every Moment Count,” Dr. Justice made her argument to Waldo and Knox County preschool teachers, consultants and staff from Waldo County Preschool & Family Services (WCPFS). All are participants in the three-year SPIRALS ( Supporting Preschoolers in Reading and Language Success ) program, which aims to transform several mid-coast preschool classrooms into “centers of excellence.” This goal reflects the federal Early Reading First mission “to ensure that all children enter kindergarten with the necessary language, cognitive, and early reading skills for continued success in school.”
Early Reading First, which funds SPIRALS, comes at a time when there is more scrutiny on early childhood education than ever before, said Justice. With a $7 billion public investment and an increased focus on “universal access” to preschool, policy makers want to know if children are learning… and if the investment is showing returns.
Click here to read the full press release.
A GROUP FOR YOU:
Spring Workshops for Parents of Children with Disabilities
Mid-Coast Children's Services is continuing to offer a monthly meeting for parents of young children with special needs called “A Group for You.” The next meeting will be Thursday, June 7th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at 272 Park St. in Rockland. This month parents will be discussing “The Stages of Acceptance of our Child's Diagnosis for Family Members.” Everyone who loves and lives with a young child with special needs goes through emotional stages similar to the grieving process, starting with denial and hopefully reaching acceptance. For parents, the reactions of family members, most especially their own parents, is a vital part of their ability to cope and care for their child. Learning that a young child has special needs is a complex process for everyone. The group will discuss that process with a special focus on family members. Child care is provided. The meeting and child care are free of charge. Interested parents can call to register at MCCS at 594-8474. For more information, click here.
May 2007
Lessons From Holland
By Annie Kiermaier, LCSW
Belfast, Maine - May 16, 2007 - In the seventeen years that I have been working at Mid-Coast Children's Services, I have had the incredible opportunity to be welcomed into the homes of many young families. I have driven down driveways full of potholes during mud season, sat at kitchen tables in mobile homes, and played on the floor with children in old Maine farmhouses.
Most of the families I work with have a child with special needs. The child might have autism, ADHD, developmental delays, anxiety, a regulatory disorder, or a variety of other problems that begin to emerge during infancy or early childhood. But regardless of the specific difficulty, the families all share a common experience.
In the first moments following the birth of their child, they held their newborn lovingly and gently whispered their hopes and dreams for their child. But sometime in those first few years, those hopes and dreams began to fade or crumble, or at the least transform into new dreams. I am reminded of the words of Emily Perl Kingsley who wrote the following about her experience of having a child with special needs in 1987:
“I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
To read the full article, click here.
WCPFS Now Accepting Applications for Preschool Fall Enrollment
Belfast, Maine - May 16, 2007 – Waldo County Preschool & Family Services is now accepting applications for classrooms in its Early Childhood Inclusive and Four Year Old Programs in Belfast, Unity and Searsport. Programs are licensed by the State of Maine and accredited by the National Association for the Accreditation of Young Children.
Certified early childhood instructors plan their curriculum around each child's unique needs, interests and strengths. Bright classrooms are equipped with materials designed to stimulate and challenge children, providing a comfortable, enriching environment for children to learn through play activities designed to promote social competence and early literacy.
Click here for full release.
 
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The Knox, Waldo, Lincoln Council on Transition
Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, Waldo County Head Start, And G.E.A.R. Parent Network
Collaboratively Present in Belfast :
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|
Free Workshop for Parents
Can They Do That?
A Parent's Guide to Maine's Child Protective System
Guest Speaker: Ferdinand "Andy" Slater, Esq.
Date: Wednesday, May 30th 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: United Methodist Church, 23 Mill Lane, Belfast
Andy Slater graduated from Albany Law School in 1997. He has over 26 years military service and currently serves as a Judge Advocate in the Maine Army National Guard. Capt. Slater recently returned from a one-year deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he served as trial counsel to the multi-national forces. He owns and operates a general practice firm in Ellsworth, Maine specializing in child protective matters, family law, military law, cases requiring a guardian ad litem, and other criminal matters. He is licensed to practice in Maine and Federal Courts. Additionally, Andy participates in the Lawyers Referral, an information service, and the Volunteer Lawyers Project. He is a member of the Maine State Bar Association and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
Topics Discussed:
• Help! There's A Caseworker at My Door
• You Have Rights So Use Them!
• Policy, Procedures and Timelines
• Caseworker, Are They Friend or Foe?
• Administrative Versus Judicial
• When to Hire A Good Lawyer Who Will Advocate For You and How To Find One
• Reputable Resources
We are a gathering of parents, grandparents and foster parents who have children with emotional/behavioral health needs who are learning from our own experiences, sharing our knowledge, our pain and our successes with other parents. We use parenting education, some referral services and a lot of emotional support! We offer no guarantees, only hope, sharing, caring and perhaps some helpful suggestions. We have been there; we know how you feel and You Are Not Alone!
Please call for more information or to register for this workshop. Registrations accepted until May 28th .
Cindy Seekins, Regional Representative, Waldo, Hancock , Washington , Knox, Lincoln,
& Sagadahoc Counties at: 1-800-264-9224 or 223-9993
GEAR is a program of Crisis & Counseling Centers and is funded by the Department of Health & Human Services
NEW PROGRAM! Becoming a Nurturing Father
Belfast, ME - May 2, 2007 - Waldo County Preschool & Family Services has announced the scheduling of the Nurturing Fathers Program, a ten-week course for fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers and male guardians. Classes will begin on Tuesday, May 22nd and will continue on Tuesdays until July 24th. Sessions will meet from 6 pm until 8:15 pm at the Waldo County Preschool & Family Services office at 5 Stephenson Lane in Belfast.
Sessions of the program address: The Roots of Fathering; Nurturing Ourselves/Our Children; Fathering Sons/Fathering Daughters; Discipline Without Violence; Playing with Children; Managing Anger/Resolving Conflict; Teamwork with a Spouse/Partner; Balancing Work and Fathering; Communication and Problem Solving; Cultural Influences; Dealing With Feelings; and The Father I Choose To Be.
For complete program information, click here.
Spring Workshops for Parents of Children with Disabilities
May 8, 2007 (Tuesday) 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
TOPIC: "Internet Safety, What Parents Should Know"
Guest Speaker: Rachel Linton, Education Manager at the Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center .
Rachel educates students, parents and the community on the following topics: Sexual Assault & Date Rape Drugs/Alcohol, Sexual Harassment, Healthy Relationships, Media Literacy/Gender Bias and Internet Safety. She also co-teaches (with the Family Violence Project) an Adult Education class entitled "Exploring Relationships". In addition, Rachel serves as an Advocate for sexual assault survivors. She resides in Readfield and is the mother of a 15-year-old daughter, Katie.
Click here for more information on this and other workshops.
April 2007
Congratulations to WCPFS Board Chair, Sharon Goguen!
Sharon Goguen Named MADSEC Special Education Administrator of the Year
anchester, Maine - April 18, 2007 - The Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (MADSEC) has recognized Sharon Goguen as Maine's Special Education Administrator of the year for 2007. MADSEC is the association of special education administrators in Maine's local public schools, private special education schools, and Child Development Services sites. For over 30 years, Sharon has devoted her considerable energy to MSAD #56. In 1977, she implemented resource rooms and services for special education pursuant to law 94-142, while also serving as Resource Teacher for all of K-12. She assumed the Directorship of Special Services for the district in 1979 while continuing to teach K-6 part-time. Since 1985, she has focused exclusively on administration as the Director of Special Services.
Sharon's profound belief in the importance of early childhood education has been a driving force within the county and beyond. Her shining example of steadfast support for early intervention has been a beacon of hope for countless families and has resulted in success for hundreds of at-risk children. A cofounder of Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, a private non-profit dedicated to providing quality educational and support services to children and families, Sharon has served as board chair since 1991. Her other affiliations include: current first vice-president of Delta Kappa Gamma and founding member of MADSEC, for which she serves as secretary and sits on the Department of Education/MADSEC Liaison and Advocacy Committees.
Sharon began college as an art major before switching disciplines, leading to an M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Maine. The artist's love of change and transformation, however, has remained with her. To “shake things up” over the years, she initiated the “Kids on the Block” puppet troupe and Project ABLE (an adventure-based program) for middle-school students; implemented diversity training and multiple-intelligence practices in the schools; and developed a student-teaming practice for special education students—among her many other achievements. MADSEC offers its hearty congratulations to Sharon, and thanks her for her lasting contributions to the lives of those who need it the most.
Safe Children and Healthy Families a Shared Responsibility
Thomaston, Maine - April 4, 2007 - Last week, local Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention (CAN) Councils around the state held rallies to kick off National Child Abuse Prevention Month. At the Maine State Trooper Barracks in Thomaston, Cynthia Aho of the Knox CAN Council offered some statistics on Maine 's battle against child abuse to attendees of the rally. The following is an excerpt from her speech: “I'm about to share some very sad numbers with you, numbers that haven't changed much year to year. Maine 's Department of Health and Human Services reports that in the year 2005, their child protection services intake office received 17,681 referrals for intervention. Of that number of referrals, slightly less than half, 7,950, were considered serious and complex enough to warrant further investigation. Of that number of referrals, 2,617 reports were assigned to a contract agency, 9 were not assigned, and 5,324 reports involving 10,707 children were assigned to a caseworker for a safety assessment. 4,313 of those children were birth to age four, 2,395 were aged five to eight, and 2,034 were aged nine to twelve. Click here to read full press release.
Workshops for Parents of Children with Disabilities
April 10, 2007 (Tuesday) 5 :30 to 7:30 p.m.
TOPIC: Roundtable Discussion, Autism Spectrum Disorder (for parents only)
Guest Speaker: Allen Thomasello, BCABA, Discover Kids Consulting Services
Press here for a complete listing of spring Workshops for Parents of Children with Disabilities0.
Mid-Coast Children's Services Benefits from Donation from The First
Rockland, Maine – March 28, 2007 - Employees of The First recently donated a check in the amount of $607.66 to Mid-Coast Children's Services (MCCS), a division of Waldo County Preschool and Family Services.
The funds were collected by First employees in exchange for the privilege of dressing casually each Friday.
First employee representative Joyce Hilt and marketing coordinator Jen Oldham, from the Rockland and Rockport branches, visited the facility at 272 Park Street in Rockland to make the presentation. On hand to accept the check were Becky Stoddard, Site Director and Elizabeth Berry, Development Director.
Click here to read full press release.
Meet a Real Goat at SPIRALS Story Hour!
April 6, 11 a.m.
Abbott Room, Belfast Free Library
Come pet a goat! Read goat books! Eat goat cheese! We're giving away free Learning the Seasons with Little Goat CDs!
Click
here for information on our spring Workshops for Parents of Children with Disabilities.
March 2007
Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, Youthlinks Boards Approve Merger
Belfast, Maine - March 12, 2007 - The boards of directors of Waldo County Preschool & Family Services (WCPFS) and Youthlinks voted at their March 8 th and 9 th meetings, respectively, to formally approve a merger of the two organizations. WCPFS is a private, non-profit social-service agency dedicated to the needs of mid-coast children and families since 1983. Rockland-based Youthlinks is a private, non-profit youth services agency providing adolescents with volunteer, service learning, enrichment and mentoring opportunities in Knox County . Click here to read full release.
Celebrate Women with WIC on International Women's Day!
Belfast, Maine - March 8 - International Women's Day (March 8) highlights women's contributions to children, families and communities around the world. Right here in the mid-coast, we have much to celebrate in the success of the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Nutrition Program, which provides pregnant, post-partum and breastfeeding women with nutrition education, health and social service referrals and supplemental food vouchers. According to Linda Baker , WIC Coordinator for Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, the program currently serves 715 people and continues to grow. One WIC statistic she is proud to share centers around breastfeeding rates among program participants. These rates, she reports, increase from one year to the next, reflecting a growing understanding of the benefits. Click here to read full release.
January 2007
Congratulations to WCPFS Board Member Mike Towey!
Newly made Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(As reported in IN PULSE: News from Waldo County Healthcare)
Congratulations to Michael Towey, M.A., CCC-SLP, manager of Speech/Language Pathology and the Voice and Swallowing Center of Maine, who was awarded the status of Fellow from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for outstanding contributions to his profession. The award is retained for life and is one of the highest honors this professional organization can bestow.
Earlier this year, Towey also received the Patricia C. Lindamood Award in recognition of a lifetime of clinical leadership excellence in language and literacy.
Raising a Thinking Child
Parent Education Series: Begins February 1st, 6-8pm
Waldo County Head Start and Waldo County Preschool & Family Services are teaming up to offer a parent education series for parents of children aged 3 to 6. Using the proven curriculum, Raising A Thinking Child, the classes give parents some new tools in helping their children learn to be problem solvers. The course material focuses on play activities and a special list of vocabulary words that support children's learning. Parents who have always felt that they need to do the thinking for their child, or who feel that they need to be right all the time, will come away with some new insights about their child’s ability to make good decisions.
Classes are scheduled to begin on Thursday, February 1st from 6 pm to 8 pm and will continue for 6 weeks at the Belfast United Methodist Church on Mill Lane. You can register or get more information by calling Debra Palmer at Head Start, 338-3827 or Patrick Walsh at Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, 338-2200 ext 109.
Click here for full press release.
Waldo County Preschool & Family Services, Youthlinks Discuss Merger Possibility
Belfast, Maine - January 17 - The Boards of Directors of Waldo County Preschool & Family Services and Youthlinks are delighted to announce that the organizations have agreed to explore a formal affiliation. Youthlinks Board President, Dan Bennett, said, “From a programmatic perspective, the two organizations are highly complementary, and both enjoy long histories of contributing meaningfully to the communities they serve. Financially and programmatically, working together would only enhance the impact each is able to have. In this extremely competitive time for non-profits, joining forces is a very strategic consideration.” Ruth Southworth, WCPFS Executive Director, added, “ WCPFS eagerly anticipates exploring the possibility of a merger with Youthlinks, while maintaining the highest level of service and integrity long found in both organizations. This affiliation can only strengthen what is currently in place. With two agencies combining their best qualities, exciting opportunities for individuals will abound. How exciting this is for us all!” Further details will be made public as the discussions proceed. Click here for full release.
WCPFS DONATES $1,000 TO BOOKS FOR BABES
Alex Owre, WCPFS Community Relations Coordinator, and Linda Brier of Delta Kappa Gamma, hold a donated book at the entrance of the Woman & Infants Health Care Unit at WCGH. The donation reflects WCPFS efforts to encourage children's love of reading, preparing them for a lifetime of educational success. The Books for Babes program of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society provides new children's books to all babies born at the hospital.
FABULOUS FOOD FARE RETURNS TO THE SAMOSET
Mid-Coast Children's Services' 21st annual Fabulous Food Fare and Silent Art Auction will be held on Tuesday, February 6 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. This event is not only the agency's largest annual fundraiser, but has become a Valentine's Day season tradition in mid-coast Maine .
“We are definitely known to be the best party of the season.” explains event chair, Marge Mitchell of Rockport. “The Food Fare is a wonderful mid-winter outing. Our guests know that they will be treated to generous and delectable food selections from nearly 30 mid-coast restaurants as well as interesting and unique auction items donated by some 65 of this area's artists.”
Click here for full press release.
