Newsletter for September 30, 2008
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.”
~Haim Ginott
HELP Center Announcements
Save the Dates:
This Week Is Super Fantastic Week!
Check out www.spsc.umn.edu/superfantastic for more information about all of the great free activities at the St. Paul Student Center. There will be free food, bowling, concerts and more! This is a great opportunity to get out and have some fun before the long Minnesota winter rolls in. Flyers are also available in the center if you need more information. Please note that the event on Friday afternoon from 4 PM to 7PM in the St. Paul Gopher Spot is a free event specifically designed for our families. They will have free bowling, cake, pizza, pictures with Goldy, Shark Petting from Underwater Adventures, and face painting. This will be a great opportunity to meet other student parents and their families, meet your Student Parent Association officers and have a wonderful time on campus at no cost to you!!!! This is a great chance to show your kids, partners, friends and families where mommy or daddy goes to school. Susan will be at the event and hopes to see many of our students and kids there!!!!
PASS Group (
Parents as Students Support Group)
Wednesdays 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 in Room 24, Appleby Hall.
The group provides the opportunity to connect with other student parents, discuss the challenges and joys surrounding academic studies and parenthood and share a FREE lunch with your fellow SPHC friends.
The direction of the group will be determined in large part by your needs and ideas. Your willingness to share experiences and personal challenges will undoubtedly help others, so we hope you will join us as often as you can. Feel free to come for all or part of the group and remember that you are not obligated to come every week. Simply come as often as your schedule allows. (Your little ones are welcome!!). See below for upcoming group topics.
September 24th, 2008: Please join us for a fun art activity (we will be making name tags representing who you are as a student and a parent)! Afterward we will finish up our group norms for the year and then have an open discussion regarding any questions or concerns that are on your mind. Lunch will be hot soup and a salad.
October 1st, 2008: This week we will be discussing cultural birth stories as well as the history of your and your child(ren)’s names! We will be having cheese tortellini and a salad for lunch.
Note: Please know that the SPHC staff does not want student parents to skip class in order to attend the weekly group meetings. Academics are considered student parent’s priority at the U. If there is a specific topic you are interested in and you are unable to attend group, please inform a staff member and we will be happy to provide information to you afterwards.
If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Susan Warfield, Mary Beth Wyne, or Katie Haas at sphc@umn.edu.
Please remember that the center is closed during group on Wednesdays from 12-2 for all other computer use and studying spaces. Please come back in around 2 PM and we will re-open the doors. If you are going to join us for lunch, please stay at least 1/2 hour and join in the group in order to respect the food budget of the HELP Center.
Save the Dates:
An Exceptional Start: Creating a Positive Environment for Mothers Who Breastfeed
Monday, September 29th, 2008, from 11 AM to 1 PM in Coffman Memorial Union
As part of the Discover Exceptional Women two-week event, the SPHC will be hosting a table in Coffman Union. Please stop by for current information on breastfeeding. We will also have a Lactation Consultant on hand to answer your questions about breastfeeding. For more information on any of the Discover Exceptional Women events, visit http://www1.umn.edu/women/dew/ .
Here is a good web resource on breastfeeding: http://www.kellymom.com/newman/27expressing_milk.htmlNon-Traditional Student Week
November 3-7, 2008
Stay tuned for more information on this upcoming event.
We Need You…
The Student Parent Association (SPA) is a University student group specifically designed to address the issues facing student parents on campus. As the new academic year gets underway, SPA is looking to enroll new members and officers. Membership and officer application forms are available on their website under the “Links” tab. Complete applications can be returned to Susan Warfield, via email attachment sent to her direct email address. We will also have applications available at the activities listed above, and you can attend a meeting and sign up then as well. Meetings are held each Friday from 12:30 to 1 PM in the Student Parent HELP Center. This type of engagement looks wonderful on a resume and goes a long way toward increasing the visibility of student parents at the U of MN. Please visit their website to learn more: www.tc.umn.edu/~umspa/
Opportunities to Share
Student Parent Success Stories
This year, we would like to continue featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating at the end of fall term, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a home, getting married or experiencing any related event that you would like to have us post in the newsletter, please send the details to the SPHC email address, spch@umn.edu. We would be proud and honored to share in celebrating these wonderful life transitions with you and your families.
Photo Gallery
Sharing photos of our children and families is a great way to get to know each other. If you have a photo of your child(ren) or family and would like to see it featured in one of our upcoming newsletters, send it as an e-mail attachment to sphc@umn.edu.
Parenting Information and Resources
Parent Warmline 612-813-6336
The Parent Warmline is a free consultation service for parents provided by Children’s Hospital. If you have questions or concerns about behavioral or developmental issues such as toilet training, discipline, sleep patterns, temper tantrums, fears, etc., call this free hotline (612-813-6336) and leave your name, telephone number and a brief description of your concern. Within 24 hours a professionally trained volunteer will call you back to offer practical advice, encouragement or community resource referrals. Please note that the Parent Warmline is a non-crisis, non-medical service. This service is free to parents who live in the Twin Cities metro area.
211, First Call for Help
Looking for information on childcare, food, housing, transportation or senior services? The Minnesota 2-1-1 database lists more than 10,000 organizations and 40,000 services throughout the state. Just dial 2-1-1 (or 651-291-0211). It's free, confidential and available 24/7. Trained information specialists can connect you to more than 40,000 community resources. Multi-lingual lines are available Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm. You can also download a copy of the 2-1-1 application and database (http://www.ctkodm.com/gtcuw/211_app/ ) directly to your computer. By doing this, you will be able to search for resources at any time without needing an Internet connection.
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Mom Talk!
Looking for a place to learn from other moms, share resources, recipes and experiences? Visit www.momtalk.com. This is a great online forum with information on health and wellness, upcoming events, pregnancy and just about anything related to being a mom in the Twin Cities.
Dads Today!
Welcome, Dads! Here's a place just for you to get the answers you're looking for, make new friends and be a part of an active community. Visit http://www.dadstoday.com/. Have fun!
Energy Assistance
Whether we like it or not the cold is coming! Many Minnesotans will see significant increases in their energy bills, sometimes beyond the ability of some to pay. The Energy Assistance Program provides grants for individuals in need. Please visit the following link for more information: http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?id=-536881374&contentid=
Are you looking for specific information for your County?
If so, please check out the following links for metro Counties:
Scholarship Opportunities
Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP): Open to women who have survived domestic violence, are legal residents of the United States, have been accepted into an accredited course of study at a U.S. institution, demonstrate a need for financial assistance, and are sponsored by a domestic violence service agency. http://www.wispinc.org/About/tabid/54/Default.aspx
Deadline: 2 months before start date of program
Counselor, Advocate and Support Staff Scholarship (CASS): Open to individuals who are employed by a domestic violence service agency. This scholarship was created to help agencies with limited funds assist their staff in developing professionally to better serve their clients. http://www.wispinc.org/Programs/CASS/tabid/63/Default.aspx
Deadline: 12/01/2008 (for spring semester)
Akademos /TextbookX.com 2008 Scholarship: Open to all students enrolled in good standing as an undergraduate or graduate student attending an accredited college or university in the United States sometime between November 1, 2007 and October 31, 2008, and who are legal residents of the United States (international students with valid visas are also eligible). Scholarship range: $250 gift certificate for TextbookX.com- $2,000 scholarship. http://www.textbookx.com/scholarship/ Deadline: 10/31/2008
SEVEN Fund Student Essay Competition: Open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Scholarship range: $10,000 (for undergraduate students)-$20,000 (for graduate students). For more information and the application process, visit this website: http://www.sevenfund.org/press-release-mar-2008-essay-competition.html Deadline: 12/07/2008
Quick and Easy Recipe
Fruit Kabobs
One of the best ways to get kids to eat enough fruit is to make fruit fun. These kabobs are sure to do just that.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serving size: 1 kabob
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 apple
1 banana
1/3 c. red seedless grapes
1/3 c. green seedless grapes
2/3 c. pineapple chunks
1 c. nonfat yogurt
1/4 c. dried coconut, shredded
Directions:
Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into small squares, peeling the banana and cutting it into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it's fresh.
Spread coconut onto a large plate.
Slide pieces of fruit onto a wooden skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little of whatever fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end.
Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut.
Repeat these steps with another skewer.
Suggestions: Roll your kabobs in something besides coconut. Try granola, nuts, or raisins, or use your imagination.
Community Events and Activities
Fun Fall Events
It’s officially fall again, and what could be better than taking a family trip to an apple orchard! For more information and to find an orchard in your area, check out this website: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/minnesotagrown/qlist-apples.htm
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Ten Sundays each year the MIA hosts Family Days. These events feature music, art, dance performance and hands-on activities for kids. October’s event is “Think Big!” and will focus on big ideas! Participants will have the opportunity to help a local artist build a monumental sculpture out of LEGO® blocks. Kids will also be able to create their own architectural model to bring home, listen to music, watch live performances and more! This event is free and takes place on Sunday, October 12th between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. There is no pre-registration required-simply show up anytime between 11 and 5.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is located at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404. Visit http://www.artsmia.org/ for more information.
The Bell Museum of Natural History
The Bell Museum of Natural History located right on our own U of M, East Bank campus, offers two fun family events. Visit their website for more details: http://www.bellmuseum.org/calendar.html
Nature Play
A drop-in family program from 1-3 p.m. on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Free with museum admission. For families with kids ages 4 and older.
Nature Tots
A program for toddlers and preschoolers with their parents, held the first Thursday of every month from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Free with museum admission, but registration is required. Call 612-624-9050.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Did you know…families who receive any assistance in the form of WIC, MFIP, GA, MA, MN Care, SSI, FS, or Section 8 qualify for reduced admission rates at the MN Science Museum. Just bring along current proof that you receive any of the assistance forms listed above, and you and your family can enjoy the Science Museum for the following prices:
Exhibits: $1.00
Exhibits + Omni Theater: $3.00
Please contact the museum with any further questions: 651.221.9444, www.smm.org
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 9:30 am-5:00 pm, Thursday-Saturday 9:30 am-9:00 pm, Sunday 9:30 am-5:00 pm CLOSED MONDAY
Upcoming events at the Science Musuem
On Saturday, October 25 from 1 to 4 p.m., the Science Museum will host Boo-ology, a Halloween event for visitors of all ages. Kids in costume will receive free admission to the permanent exhibit galleries, and they'll have the chance to join in on a variety of spooky hands-on science activities with a Halloween spin! This year's activities include a magician, live theater, and a costume contest.
Grants Update
*CCAMPIS Grant* is expected to process the week of September 22, 2008, and all students who have submitted an application prior to that date should expect a notification letter in the mail by the end of that same week or the beginning of the following week. Processing does not mean the checks will be cut, it just means that the applications will be calculated and award or denial notification letters sent. Remember payments do not go out until approximately the 8th and 16th week of the semester, once charges accrued are equal or greater than the amount of half the grant award. The notification letter will inform students whether they were awarded or denied and approximately what date your child care providers can expect their payment check or checks to arrive at their center. We do not send this type of verification to them, you must provide a copy of that letter to them yourself. We will include an extra copy in that mailing for this purpose.
*Post Secondary Child Care Grant*: first tier students who have already submitted applications are being processed this week and you should begin checking your student accounts for an entry labeled “Post Secondary Child Care Grant”. If you have been awarded the grant should hit your account over the course of the next two weeks (between September 26th and October 3rd). When you see "Post Secondary Child Care Grant" on your account the grant has been disbursed. There should be a preliminary email notification telling you whether you have been awarded or denied that will arrive a day or two before the grant hits your account. At this point in time, we have no idea how far into the second tier of waitlisted students we will get as they have not processed all of the first tier students yet, as their priority deadline just lapsed on September 19, 2008. We will continue to update students via the newsletter and via those email notifications from the One Stop office as they continue to process the applications.
Please contact us if you need further information. If you do not already have an application that means that you were not eligible to apply when we mailed applications in August, or because your application was lost in the mail. We sent multiple email notices prior to the mailing, and contacted any student whose application was returned due to a bad address immediately by phone to tell them their application was at the SPHC for pick up. If you are an on-going student who registered late or filed a FAFSA late, you should contact us immediately to update your status if you have not done so already. That number is: 612-626-6015. New students registering with the SPHC later in the fall term will be waitlisted for grants dependent on availability of funds at the time of intake, and may be given applications in hopes of reallocation periods that occur on the Post Secondary Grant only, throughout fall term.
All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only.
Featured Books This Month
*Note* All of the books/CD’s listed below are available for check-out at the Student Parent Help Center
- The Busy Mom by Sharon Murphy Yates
- Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
- The Anxious Parents’ Guide to Quality Childcare by Michelle Ehrich
- From Chaos to Calm: Effective Parenting of Challenging Children with ADHD and Other Behavioral Problems by Janet E. Heininger, Ph.D., and Sharon K. Weiss, M.Ed.
- Sing Your Own Song: A Guide for Single Moms by Cynthia Orange
- Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden
- Just Kiss Me and Tell Me you Did the Laundry: How to Negotiate Equal Roles for Husband and Wife in Parenting, Career, and Home Life by Karen Bouris
Who’s Who at SPHC
Susan Warfield, MSW, LICSW
As the Director of the SPHC, I am responsible for overseeing all programs of the Student Parent HELP Center, managing our child care grants and supervising SPHC staff. This has meant that I have had to step back from having the degree of direct contact with students I have always enjoyed having in the past. This has been a difficult but necessary step for me to take in order to meet the needs of our growing program. If you have an issue that absolutely cannot be addressed by another SPHC staff member, you may schedule an appointment with me. These appointments should be booked through the SPHC front desk at 612-626-6015. Intakes and basic questions about services offered should be directed to Jerri Clark Wagner (once she returns), Chanee Rudolf or anyone of our three Graduate Social Work Interns. I am entering my 9th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from on-line staff, to Coordinator and now Director. With this evolution has come an increase in responsibilities and duties. Please know that even though you may not see as much of me in the actual Center as you may have in the past, I continue to work each and every day to bring you the programming, funding and visibility on campus that student parents need to have a successful experience at the U of MN. Over the summer and beginning of fall term I have had a chance to step back into the direct service world while our Direct Service Coordinatior is on leave; and will be leading group and completing the largest share of the new student intakes for the 2008-2009 year. It has been fun to get a chance to meet and greet our new students and to hang out with our new and on-going students in group once again. Rest assured that whether acting as the stand in group facilitator, or working on grants and other administrative duties for the center, I am always right next door and will always be working hard to bring you the services and funding needed to assure that each and every SPHC student parent has what they need to succeed at the U!
Jerri Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the Direct Service Program Coordinator for the Student Parent HELP Center. Originally from New York State, I graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with an undergraduate degree in theatre, with minors in sociology and women’s studies. After undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps volunteer for one year in Chicago, teaching arts integration on the west side in a Chicago Public School. In June of 2003, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in graduate school, I served as a therapist with Chicago’s Metropolitan YWCA, working with survivors of sexual assault and their families. From 2003-2006, I coordinated two statewide youth violence prevention programs for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention in Chicago. Prior to relocating to Minneapolis, I spent March-June of 2006 traveling and learning abroad in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. I would love to talk about any of these varied experiences with you and really look forward to working with such an amazing and resilient population at the SPHC!
Mary Beth Wyne
Hello! I am in my first year of the Masters in Social Work program at the U of M and working at the SPHC is my internship for the entire school year. I graduated in 2002 from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, with a degree English. Since graduating I have followed my passion to be in the wilderness as much as possible by guiding youth on extended canoe trips. I have done this by working for Outward Bound Wilderness—an organization that believes in character development through intense wilderness experiences for all ages. I’ve also worked in residential therapy with teenage girls and as a Special Education Assistant in Emotional/Behavioral Disorder classrooms. I’m very excited to be a part of the SPHC this year and am looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know all of you better!
Katie Haas
Hi, my name is Katie Haas. I am new to the U of M, as a student in the Master's in Social Work program and an intern here at the HELP Center. I have worked in a public school, in nonprofits, in the woods, and with homeless youth in the city. The hope of eliminating poverty motivates me and I believe that you are moving us toward that goal. By continuing your education, you are making the world a better place for yourselves, your children's futures, and everyone you will affect with your important work! Student Parents have superhuman powers! I'm eager to learn about your experiences and to provide support when and where you need it.
Melanie Opay
Hi everyone! I am one of the new graduate social work interns this year. I am a first-year direct practice student in the Master’s of Social Work program and am very excited to be in the program, at the University of Minnesota, and working in the Student Parent HELP Center for the entire year. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology from Augsburg College and since then have been working in St. Paul as an MFIP job counselor. I’m thrilled to be working with student parents in a different capacity and look forward to getting to know you and your families throughout the school year!
Chanee Rudolph
Hello!! I am the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UGTA) here at the Student Parent HELP Center. This is my first year so like many of you I am learning a lot of new and exciting things. My job here is to assist you with anything you need as well as make you feel comfortable and welcomed, so please don't hesitate to ask me for anything if you have questions. I am in my third year here at the University and I am a family and social science major and developing a minor in Family Violence Prevention. So far, I have enjoyed myself more than any of you know and I am looking forward to many more to come!
Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Melanie Opay at Sphc@umn.edu.