The January 2024 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages looks at the New Year, New Skills to Learn, VPK Open Enrollment, 2024 Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! and more, click here.
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Community Coordinated Care for Children, Inc. (4C)
Caring for Our Future Today
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The January 2024 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages looks at the New Year, New Skills to Learn, VPK Open Enrollment, 2024 Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! and more, click here.
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The week of January 22–26, 2024, is designated by the Florida Department of Education as Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! Literacy development is an important part of a child’s education and it begins at birth. This year, the Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! theme is Believe In Your “Shelf” – Building Resiliency Through Reading!
With this theme in mind, the Division of Early Learning encourages providers to participate in reading books to deepen children’s knowledge, instill a love of reading and support the Resiliency Florida Initiative. Here are resources for families and providers:
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Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening our communities and families. It’s our belief that every child deserves a bright and successful future. We produce this newsletter as part of 4C’s mission to be a community leader in providing high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! | January 22-26, 2024
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! is designed to raise awareness about the importance of reading and to inspire Florida’s students and families to make reading part of their daily routines. The goal of this year’s Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! is to promote resiliency through literacy and excellent reading habits in the students of Florida. This year, the Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! theme is Believe In Your “Shelf” – Building Resiliency Through Reading! For more information, click here.
Martin Luther King Day | January 15, 2024
The day has become known as a Day of Service, and we are asked to work in our communities in ways that honor Dr. King’s life and teachings. Dr. King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” His goal? To serve and help others make their lives better. Teaching your child how to serve others in your family and community honors Dr. King. Help your child find things they can do to help. Picking up litter in a park, around a church or school would be a good project or visiting someone who is elderly or sick. Helping with laundry, setting the table or picking up toys are ways your child can do service for the family.
National Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month is a means of celebrating and promoting the value of mentoring students. The purpose of National Mentoring Month is to position mentoring as a critical component in young people’s lives, helping them make the decisions that ultimately lead to improved opportunities and connections, which have an impact in real life.
Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday | January 1-14, 2024
Consumers in Florida can purchase qualifying back-to-school supplies exempt from sales tax during the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The sales tax holiday begins Monday, January 1, 2024 and extends through Sunday, January 14, 2024. To learn more, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Friday, January 5
Free Movie, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 6
Kids Workshop, Home Depot locations, 9 a.m.
Saturday, January 13
MLK Parade, Downtown Orlando, 10 a.m.
MLK Unity Celebration, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, noon.
MLK Parade and Celebration, Eatonville, 2 p.m.
Sunday, January 14
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando, noon.
Unity Heritage Festival, Shady Park at Hannibal Square, Winter Park, 1 p.m.
Monday, January 15
Unity Heritage Festival, Shady Park at Hannibal Square, Winter Park, 9:15 a.m.
MLK Parade & Festival, Sanford Civic Center, 10 a.m.
MLK Day Parade and Celebration, Round Lake Park, Oviedo, 10 a.m.
MLK Unity Parade & Celebration, Ocoee, 10 a.m.
MLK Parade & Concert, Winter Garden, 11 a.m.
Thursday, January 18
Job Fair, Orange County Fleet and Facilities, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Friday, January 19
Free Movie, Small Foot, Center Lake Park, Oviedo, 5 p.m.
Saturday, January 27
Heritage Day, Speer Park, Oakland, 11 a.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS
Local public libraries offer a variety of events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family:
EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES
Head Start/Early Head Start
The 4C Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families with children from birth to 5 years old, click here.
Neighborhood Centers for Families
NCF is made up of non-profits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.
Parents’ Pages
Get tips, strategies, and child development information from the Florida Division of Early Learning monthly newsletter, click here.
Sign up for the monthly School Readiness Family Newsletter alerts and other timely information
about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.
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The December 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages looks at holiday learning with your kids, preparing for VPK Open Enrollment and more, click here.
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MyACCESS is a portal where Floridians can get and manage benefits online. This includes food assistance (SNAP) formerly food stamps, cash aid (TCA), and affordable health coverage (Medicaid)
The next time you need to manage your food assistance, temporary cash assistance (TANF), or Medicaid, go to MyACCESS.myflfamilies.com and set up your new account.
If you are having trouble setting up your new account, the Florida Department of Children and Families’ YouTube channel has a playlist of “how to” videos to help, click here.
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Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening our communities and families. It’s our belief that every child deserves a bright and successful future. We produce this newsletter as part
of 4C’s mission to be a community leader in providing high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.
Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month
When it comes to toys and gifts, it’s important to consider the safety and age range of the toys. Prevent Blindness America has declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month. The group encourages everyone to consider whether the toys they wish to give suits the age and individual skills and abilities of the individual child who will receive it, especially for infants and children under age 3. This holiday season (and beyond), consider the following guidelines for choosing safe toys for all ages, click here.
Family Time and Learning Tips for the Holidays
During the holidays, it’s important to keep learning and quality time at the top of the list while children are home on break from school. Research shows that families who spend quality time together and connect activities at home to what children are learning in school have a stronger emotional bond and better communication. These kids do better in school. The holiday season also provides a great chance to expose children to new ideas and information. You can reinforce skills and knowledge. Encourage creativity, which supports their success in school. For some ideas to mix quality time with learning, click here.
National Handwashing Awareness Week
Personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. And though we’re taught as youngsters to wash our hands before dinner, it’s important to remember that germs don’t care what time of day it is. Clean hands prevent sickness. So it’s especially important to learn the basics about hand hygiene so that you, too, can become a champion hand washer. For handy tips and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in honor of National Handwashing Awareness Week, which takes place each year during the first full week of December, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Thursday, November 30
Oviedo Holiday Tree Lighting, Center Lake Park, 5 p.m.
Friday, December 1
Orlando Tree Lighting Celebration, Lake Eola Park, 5 p.m.
Winter on the Avenue, Central Park, Winter Park, 5 p.m.
Free Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Bill Breeze Park, Ocoee, 6 p.m.
Light Up Winter Garden, Winter Garden City Hall, 6 p.m.
St. Cloud Tree Lighting, St. Cloud City Hall, 6 p.m.
Apopka Tree Lighting, Kit Land Nelson Park, 6 p.m.
Light Up Sanford, Magnolia Square Fountain, 6:30 p.m.
Free Movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Central Park, Winter Park, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 2
Winter Park Christmas Parade, Park Avenue, 9 a.m.
Avalon Park Christmas Parade & Festival, noon
Longwood Christmas Parade, Ronald Reagan Boulevard, 3 p.m.
Winter Wonderland Parade, Winter Springs Town Center, 4 p.m.
Light Up the Holidays, Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs, 5 p.m.
Season of Lights, Lake Lily Park, Maitland, 5 p.m.
Casselberry Tree Lighting, Lake Concord Park, 5 p.m.
Oviedo Christmas Parade, Oviedo Boulevard, 6 p.m.
Friday, December 8
Free Movie, The Grinch!, Meadow Woods Park, Orlando, 3 p.m.
Free Movie, The Polar Express, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 9
Health Fair, Engelwood Neighborhood Center, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Apopka Christmas Parade, 10 a.m.
Festival of Lights, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 3 p.m.
Parade of Lights, Downtown Sanford, 6 p.m.
Free Movie, The Grinch!, Magnolia Park, Apopka, 6 p.m.
Violectric Holiday Show, Lake Eola Park Amphitheater, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 10
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando, noon.
Friday, December 15
Free Movie, Elf, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Free Movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Reiter Park, Longwood, 7 p.m.
Free Movie, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Audubon Park Garden District, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 16
Open House, Orlando Fire Department Station 8, 9 a.m.
Party with Santa, Valencia College Poinciana Campus, Kissimmee, 3 p.m.
Friday, December 22
Free Movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 23
Holiday Drone Show, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 8 p.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Local public libraries offer a variety of events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family:
EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES
Head Start/Early Head Start
The 4C Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families with children from birth to 5 years old, click here.
Neighborhood Centers for Families
NCF is made up of non-profits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.
Parents’ Pages
Get tips, strategies, and child development information from the Florida Division of Early Learning monthly newsletter, click here.
Sign up for the monthly 4C Family Newsletter alerts and other
timely information about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.
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Learn about Family Engagement Month, New Worlds Reading Initiative and more inside the November 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.
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Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening
our communities and families. It’s our belief that every child deserves
a bright and successful future. We produce this newsletter as part
of 4C’s mission to be a community leader in providing
high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.
Florida Family Engagement in Education Month
November is Florida Family Engagement in Education Month, a time to celebrate the crucial role parents and families play in their children’s education. When schools work together with families to support learning, children are more motivated to succeed, not just in school, but throughout life. The Florida Department of Education recognizes the vital role that schools and families play throughout a child’s educational journey. Here are several Florida Family Engagement in Education resources for families:
Family Engagement at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving for some families is a time to enjoy being together or to share a festive meal with extended family. Cooking with your child is a wonderful way to teach some of the following skills:
For more information, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Wednesday, October 25
Halloween Spooktacular, Washington Park Branch Library, 4 p.m.
Rock O’Ween Festival, Rock Lake Neighborhood Center, Orlando, 6 p.m.
Thursday, October 26
Halloween Spooktacular, Southeast Branch Library, Orlando, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 28
Trick or Treat Safe Zone, Orlando Public Library, 10 a.m.
Halloween in the Park, Kit Land Nelson Park, Apopka, 10 a.m.
Spooktacular Candy Bash, Goldenrod Recreation Center, Winter Park, noon.
Mr. Richard Concert, Orlando Public Library, 1 p.m.
Free Movie, Ghostbusters, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 4 p.m.
Fall-o-Ween Festival, Independence Square, Maitland, 5:30 p.m.
Free Movie, Goosebumps 2 – Haunted Halloween, Barnett Park, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Monday, October 30
Halloween Spooktacular, Hiawassee Branch Library, Orlando, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 31
Halloween Spooktacular, Windermere Branch Library, Windermere, 4 p.m.
Friday, November 3
Downtown Street Party, Independence Square, Maitland, 9 p.m.
Free Movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Independence Park, Winter Garden, 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 4
Fall Fiesta, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Great Outdoors Day, Lakefront Park, St. Cloud, 10 a.m.
Free Movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Capehart Park, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sunday, November 5
Fall Fiesta, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Monday, November 6
Story Time, Leu Gardens, Orlando, 10 a.m.
Thursday, November 9
Free Movie, Frozen, Park Avenue, Winter Park, 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 11
Great Day in the Country, Oviedo, 9 a.m.
Family Studio, Rollins Museum of Art, Winter Park, 10 a.m.
Veterans Day Parade, Downtown Kissimmee, 10 a.m.
Veterans Day Parade, Downtown Orlando, 11 a.m.
Free Movie, Elemental, West Orange Trail-Chapin Station, Winter Garden, 2 p.m.
Sunday, November 12
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum, Orlando, noon.
Friday, November 17
Free Movie, Grease, Center Lake Park, Oviedo, 5 p.m.
Free Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Bill Breeze Park, Ocoee, 6 p.m.
Free Movie, The Super Mario Bros, Movie, Reiter Park, Longwood, 7 p.m.
Saturday, November 18
Free Movie, Elemental, Little Econ Greenway Trail at Blanchard Park, Orlando, 2 p.m.
Jingle Eve, Gaston Edwards Park, Orlando, 4:30 p.m.
Free Movie, Independence Square, Maitland, 6 p.m.
Thursday, November 30
Holiday Tree Lighting, Center Lake Park, Oviedo, 5 p.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Local public libraries offer a variety of events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family:
EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES
Head Start/Early Head Start
The 4C Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families with children from birth to 5 years old, click here.
Neighborhood Centers for Families
NCF is made up of non-profits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.
Parents’ Pages
Get tips, strategies, and child development information from the Florida Division of Early Learning monthly newsletter, click here.
Sign up for the monthly 4C Family Newsletter alerts and other timely information about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.
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1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national initiative that focuses on fostering strong early literacy skills in children, beginning at birth, by encouraging caregivers to read 1,000 books to their child by the time they enter kindergarten. This challenge is for caregivers of early learners, ages birth to 6 years old, who are Orange County residents. To learn more from the Orange County Library System, click here.
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FAST Star Early Literacy information, Head Start Awareness Month and more inside the October 2023 edition of the Florida Division of Early Learning Parents’ Pages, click here.
“4C is the leading family
resource agency in Florida.”
Address: 3500 W. Colonial Drive,
Orlando, FL 32808
Phone: 407-522-2252
Hours Operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday