Purse Bingo Benefits Babies

Save the Date April 3rd, noon to 4 pm for a fun-filled afternoon of Bingo with brand-name purses as prizes plus raffles, tricky trays, door prizes, refreshments. Organized by CSC Staff Campaign volunteers. To be held at Liberty High School, Bethlehem. Easy parking! $20 for 20 regular games. See Events or contact louiseb@cscinc.org.

3S33d_admin January 21st, 2011

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Winter Wonderland Story Time

January and February in the Family Library focus on Listening & Literacy. Stories, snack and craft are featured for young children up to kindergarten age. Story Time is held most Mondays and Thursdays throughout the month, 10-11 am and 1-2 pm. Martin Luther King Holiday will be observed Monday, January 17 (Library closed both Jan 14 & 17th). For more information, call 610-437-6000, ext 3140. Free and open to the public. (Coming up soon: Free Family Movie Night featuring Ratatouille, Feb 4, 6:30 pm.)

3S33d_admin January 11th, 2011

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Accredited by Middle States

Head Start/Early Head Start of the Lehigh Valley, administered by Community Services for Children, recently received re-accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. We were one of 70 schools honored at the November 2010 meeting of the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools.

Accreditation signifies that we engage in a rigorous process of developing self-knowledge. We hosted an evaluation team of independently appointed educators to review our program. And we have created an on-going strategic plan to move school improvement forward.

Accreditation also signifies that we have met the Middle States standards for a quality school. These standards reflect current research and best practices from throughout the education profession.

Accreditation is recognized around the world as an indication of trustworthiness, educational quality, and a commitment to on-going school improvement.

3S33d_admin December 21st, 2010

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Lehigh Valley Web Design

Thanks to ksg3, CSC’s web views have exploded! Page views have increased 20% over 2009 and 50% over 2008. ‘They have given us all the tools we need to manage the site and update it as we please,’ says Sara George, VP, Development at CSC. ‘And they constantly give us new ideas to consider. So we remain fresh.’

3S33d_admin December 6th, 2010

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CSC helps A-town Youth Success Zone

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has made its first grant to CSC to provide parenting education in Allentown’s Youth Success Zone. The Zone is a 10-block area focusing on improving child success in school. Numerous organizations will be working together to support family stability, self sufficiency, and student achievement. In addition to parenting classes, CSC received federal funds to offer a new Head Start classroom in the Zone. The Zone aspires to imitate the success of Geoffrey Canada’s in Harlem’s Children’s Zone.

3S33d_admin December 6th, 2010

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Friendly’s Family Fun Night Dec 14th

Friendly’s (Catasauqua and Airport Rd) hosts a Family Fun Night, December 14, 5-8 pm. 10% of all proceeds will be donated to our ‘Building a Safestart for Babies’ Campaign. Help us build the region’s only classroom-based treatment center for babies and infants who have suffered neglect or abuse.

3S33d_admin December 2nd, 2010

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December in the Library

Delicious December’ is our theme combining literacy and cooking. Special story time, craft or activity and snacks are available most Mondays and Thursdays, 10-11 am and 2-3 pm. See the calendar for additional details or call 610-437-6000, x 3140. Free.

3S33d_admin December 2nd, 2010

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CSC Breaks Ground for Tots

Community Services for Children (CSC), local administrator for Head Start and Early Head Start, officially broke ground for a new day treatment center for infants and toddlers referred by Children and Youth of both Lehigh and Northampton Counties.  The 11,600 sf one-story building will be completed next summer.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony were Jane Ervin, CEO/President of CSC; State Rep. Steve Samuelson (D); Don Cunningham, Lehigh County Executive; Paula Margraf, Executive VP of CSC and Director of Head Start of the Lehigh Valley; and Tina Thompson, Vice Perisdent of the Head Start Parent Policy Council.

Firms selected for work on the project include Spaces for Children of Berkeley, CA and USA Architects, with local offices in Easton, PA. Alvin H. Butz, Inc, Allentown, PA, won the competitive RFP process for construction management of the project.

Contractors to date include Sargent Enterprises of Jim Thorpe for trash removal, Empire Wrecking Company of Reading, PA for abatement and demolition, Liberty Engineering of Allentown for civil engineering /site development, and Barry Isett & Associates of Trexlertown for Phase 1 environmental study.

Additional construction awards have been made so far to Scheuermann Excavating for site preparation, Panzitta for concrete work, Duggan and Marcon for carpentry, The Warko Group for plumbing, Orlando Diefenderfer for electrical work, Millwork Specialties for casework, Hazleton Painting for painting, H. T. Lyons for HVAC, and Slatington Fabricators for steel. Additional work will be awarded in the coming months.

Total project cost is estimated at $5.4 million. The federal government has awarded CSC $700,000 to date. CSC has entered the quiet phase to raise $3 million in a capital campaign, which includes seeking at least $250,000 through a redevelopment grant from the state. The remaining $1.7 million will be mortgaged.

The center will offer SafeStart, the region’s only therapeutic classroom program for abused infants and toddlers. SafeStart helps very young children overcome health problems, developmental delays, and emotional trauma. SafeStart strengthens families to stop the cycle of abuse. With early, intensive intervention, their future can change from failure and costly consequences to success.

SafeStart is funded by the federal Early Head Start program and child welfare in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Due to its success and with the aid of federal and county assistance, CSC expanded SafeStart, but has outgrown current space.

3S33d_admin November 24th, 2010

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Ground breaking center

CSC Breaks Ground for New Infant/Toddler Center

Community Services for Children (CSC), local administrator for Head Start and Early Head Start, officially broke ground for a new day treatment center for infants and toddlers referred by Children and Youth of both Lehigh and Northampton Counties.  The 11,600 sf one-story building will be completed next summer.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony were Jane Ervin, CEO/President of CSC; Don Cunningham, Lehigh County Executive; Paula Margraf, Executive VP of CSC and Director of Head Start of the Lehigh Valley; and Tina Thompson, Vice Perisdent of the Head Start Parent Policy Council.

Firms selected for work on the project include Spaces for Children of Berkeley, CA and USA Architects, with local offices in Easton, PA. Alvin H. Butz, Inc, Allentown, PA, won the competitive RFP process for construction management of the project.

Contractors to date include Sargent Enterprises of Jim Thorpe for trash removal, Empire Wrecking Company of Reading, PA for abatement and demolition, Liberty Engineering of Allentown for civil engineering /site development, and Barry Isett & Associates of Trexlertown for Phase 1 environmental study.

Additional construction awards have been made so far to Scheuermann Excavating for site preparation, Panzitta for concrete work, Duggan and Marcon for carpentry, The Warko Group for plumbing, Orlando Diefenderfer for electrical work, Millwork Specialties for casework, Hazleton Painting for painting, H. T. Lyons for HVAC, and Slatington Fabricators for steel. Additional work will be awarded in the coming months.

Total project cost is estimated at $5.4 million. The federal government has awarded CSC $700,000 to date. CSC has entered the quiet phase to raise $3 million in a capital campaign, which includes seeking at least $250,000 through a redevelopment grant from the state. The remaining $1.7 million will be mortgaged.

The center will offer SafeStart, the region’s only therapeutic classroom program for abused infants and toddlers. SafeStart helps very young children overcome health problems, developmental delays, and emotional trauma. SafeStart strengthens families to stop the cycle of abuse. With early, intensive intervention, their future can change from failure and costly consequences to success.

SafeStart is funded by the federal Early Head Start program and child welfare in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Due to its success and with the aid of federal and county assistance, CSC expanded SafeStart, but has outgrown current space.

3S33d_admin November 17th, 2010

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November at the Library

November Numbers Everywhere! This month we are NUTS about reading and math. Your story time adventure includes stories, crafts and snack. 10 – 11 am; 2 – 3 pm. Nov 1 &4: Making a Counting Book; Nov 8 & 11: Numbers Around the World; Nov 15 & 18: Patterns Patterns Everywhere; Nov 22: Thanksgiving Math. NOTE: Library is closed Nov 25 – Dec 3, reopening Monday, Dec 6th. Call 610-437-6000, ext 3140, for info. Child Care Centers please call to schedule GROUP story time.

3S33d_admin October 28th, 2010

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