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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
| Barb Wehman Receives WDEC Award | Tom Mattke Commendation | Social Development Commission | Sheboygan County Human Rights Association | Marathon County Child Development Agency |
Barb Wehman Receives WDEC "Outstanding Service" Award
The Wisconsin Division for Early
Childhood (WDEC) and the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) has
named Barbara Wehman of Barron, Wisconsin one of the two Outstanding Service
Awards.
Tom Mattke Commendation
During the WHSA Spring Quarterly, Department of Children and Families Secretary Reggie Bicha presented Tom Mattke, Director, Green Bay Area Public Schools Head Start Program the following Governor's Commendation:
WHEREAS, Tom has, over the course of 30 years of professional contributions, played an integral role in the creation of top quality comprehensive early childhood education and care services for children in our State; he has consistently placed himself in roles that expand opportunities for children to succeed, for families to rise out of poverty and for our communities to improve their responsiveness to those with the least, particularly through his involvement in the Wisconsin Head Start Association and with the State’s Head Start Collaboration Project; and WHEREAS, this award honors Tom’s steadfast passion and sincere dedication while working as the Preschool and Head Start Coordinator for the Green Bay Area Public School District, where his work touched the lives of thousands of our State’s most vulnerable children and their families, improving upon their lives one child and one parent at a time; and WHEREAS, Tom has been a committed and vital mentor to his fellow Head Start and Early Head Start Directors across the State while serving in such advanced leadership positions as the Wisconsin Head Start Association’s Board President and Chairperson of the Association’s Community Relations Work Group; Tom played a critical role in achieving Wisconsin’s showcase state supplemental funding of Head Start so thousands more children in our state might receive Head Start services; he was important in the national effort to keep Head Start alive as a federal program so over one million children across our nation would receive a head start each year; and, WHEREAS, whether in the Halls of the United States Congress or the through the door’s of a Head Start classroom, Wisconsin’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs - their staff, parents and children - have relied upon Tom Mattke as their advocate, and he has succeeded always in maintaining their best interests as the focus of his actions, and where he has humbly and inspirationally shared the success of his efforts as the result of the work of all who benefited; Tom’s contributions have set for us an ambitious future course; and WHEREAS, Tom Mattke is an irreplaceable colleague, role model, friend, and leader to all who crossed paths with him, especially to the children and parents whose lives are the better for it; he will continue to be appreciated for his countless professional accomplishments and for the personal sacrifices he made so effortlessly to better assure the bright future of our State; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jim Doyle, Governor of the State of Wisconsin , do hereby present to TOM MATTKE this recognition of his life’s work - something better for all of Wisconsin’s children and their families by providing the very best for those with the very least.
Congratulations Tom!
Social Development Commission (SDC) Head Start Program 4041 N. Richards Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-906-2700 Fax: 414-906-2754 Email: gporath@cr-sdc.org Website: www.cr-sdc.org/
Photos: Krammer & kids, Boris, Khyber, Jasper, and Savard with girl.
New Friends - Kids and Canines Reprinted with permission from SDC. Several SDC Head Start sites have gone to the dogs. . . literally! New classroom volunteers are helping children with their lessons and to get over fears they may have of dogs.
Dogs from Health Heelers Therapy Dog Program are visiting the preschool sites at Green Tree and West Allis as part of a new program. Laura Hey, who operates the animal-assisted therapy program, recently visited Head Start-Green Tree where she introduced Jasper, a 4-year-old Border Collie, to the young children.
Ms. Hey spent time showing the children how to approach a leased dog. A number of the Head Start students have not had positive experiences with dogs in the past and they were taught the best way to get to know a dog and its owner. The children practiced greeting Jasper and learned how to play fetch.
Eventually the dogs will become involved with lessons for the children, helping with counting and alphabet exercises. Right now, the dogs and children at Head Start are getting comfortable with each other and having fun doing so.
Watch footage from the Sheboygan County Head Start Program 2006-2007 featuring Head Start Kids and Dads!
"Any man can be a Father, it takes someone special to be a Dad" To view, click on the link: Dads and Kids
Wausau, WI 54403 Phone: 715-845-2947 Fax: 71-/845-0909 Email: chowe@mccdahs.org Website: www.mccdahs.org
Free To Grow in
Wausau
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