Community Calendar
SEE UPCOMING EVENTS ON SIDE MENU!
Library Free Events
The following events are posted on St. Lucie County’s government website (HERE):
& LIBRARY LOCATIONS CAN BE FOUND (HERE)
- Rhythm & Rhyme (Ages 2 to 3 years)
Early literacy through rhymes, stories, movement & more
When: Wednesdays at 10:30 am
Where: Morningside Branch Library
2410 SE Morningside Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34952
- Storytime Jam (Ages 3 to 5 years)
Did you know that storytime encourages literacy, imagination and socialization? Come to clap, dance, sing and listen to stories.
When: Tuesdays at 10:30am
Where: Lakewood Park Branch
7605 Santa Barbara Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34951
When: Wednesdays at 10:30am
Where: Lewis Branch
2950 SW Rosser Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34953
When: Thursdays at 10:30am
Where: Zora Neale Hurston Branch
3008 Avenue D, Fort Pierce, Florida 34947
When: Fridays at 10:30am
Where: Morningside Branch
2410 SE Morningside Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34952
- Pre-School Storybook Craft
Children ages 4 and 5 are invited to listen to stories, then join their parents and caregivers for a related craft.
When: Thursdays at 10:30 am
Where: Lakewood Park Branch
7605 Santa Barbara Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34951
When: Fridays at 10:30am
Where: Zora Neale Hurston Branch
3008 Avenue D, Fort Pierce, Florida 34947
- Music & Motion For Kids
Action songs, movement, singing, instruments and fun! All kids under 6 with caregiver welcome.
When: Fridays at 10:30am
Where: Lakewood Park Branch
7605 Santa Barbara Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34951
When: 3rd Saturday of the month at 10:30am
Where: Morningside Branch
2410 SE Morningside Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34952
- S.T.E.A.M Power! (Most suitable for K-5th Grade)
SCIENCE – TECHNOLOGY – ENGINEERING – ART – MATH
Explore the world of science, technology, engineering, art & math in fun ways! Learn about weather, rainbows, color, motion and more!When: 1st Saturday of the month at 2:30pm
Where: Morningside Branch
2410 SE Morningside Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, Florida 34952
When: 1st Saturday of the month at 3:00 pm
Where: Hurston Branch
3008 Avenue D, Fort Pierce, Florida 34947
LIBRARY LOCATIONS CAN BE FOUND (HERE)
*Photos used in this section come from www.dreamstime.com
Resources
Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.
- St. Lucie Public Schools VPK Interactive Map
- Virtual Learning from Florida’s Division of Early Learning (DEL)
- KIDVision Pre-K Virtual Field Trips and Information FREE
KidVision Pre-K virtual field trips bring people and places right into the classroom, zoom room, or living room with no cost or worry. There are 100 virtual, action-packed virtual trips to go on.
Field trip out of the question? Think again. Thanks to technology, it’s now possible for kids to visit all kinds of places from the comfort of their classroom (or home!). We’ve compiled a list of the best virtual field trips for you, so enjoy your “visit”
- Teachable Moments from The Children’s Movement of Florida
Tiny Teachable Moments offer a bite-sized nugget of wisdom to help busy parents make the most of the precious time they have with their children.
https://www.childrensmovementflorida.org/impact/teachable_moments/
The 3Ts Initiative: Tune In Talk More & Take Turns (click link below)
The 3Ts Parent Initiative | Early Learning Coalition (elcslc.org)
READ ALOUD WEBSITES FOR FREE
The link below offers a comprehensive listing of Websites for Free Read Alouds and other literary Activities:
MORE ONLINE READING RESOURCES HERE
And check out this link, where famous actors and actresses read to your children:
https://www.storylineonline.net/library/
Storybook Nanny:
https://www.facebook.com/StorybookNanny/videos/
https://www.hatchearlylearning.com/
Florida KidCare | Offering health insurance for children from birth through age 18
Quality, affordable health and dental insurance for kids. From birth through the end of age 18, Florida children are eligible for head to toe coverage, even if one or both parents are working.
Get 2019 health coverage. Health Insurance Marketplace | HealthCare.gov
See if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. 2019 Open Enrollment is over, but you may still be able to enroll in 2019 health insurance through a Special Enrollment Period.www.healthcare.gov
Food Assistance Programs | Nutrition.govThe Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) works to end hunger and obesity through the administration of 15 federal nutrition assistance programs including WIC, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and school meals.www.nutrition.gov
This 3-minute video portrays how actions taken by parents, teachers, policymakers, and others can affect life outcomes for both the child and the surrounding community.
Parent’s Guide to Sleep Regression in Babies
Sleep regressions are hard on everyone. One week your baby is sleeping peacefully through the night, and the next week, they’re waking up sporadically and creating a fuss. Visit this link.
It offers lots of valuable information, such as:
- What sleep regression is, and why parents need to know about it – including the common signs to look out for in children, and how long these changes in sleeping patterns can last (anywhere from 2-6 weeks).
- The causes of sleep regression – with factors such as developmental milestones, growth spurts, teething/pain/illness, and disruptions to a child’s routines all playing a role.
- Detailed guides for parents on the common sleep regression stages babies experience: from the age of 4 months up to 2 years.
- Practical tips and advice for managing each sleep regression stage to help both babies and parents get the healthy sleep they need.
PARENT NEWSLETTERS ARCHIVE
County Agencies
Early Learning Coalition of St. Lucie County5000 Dunn Road, 3rd FloorFort Pierce, FL. 34981772-595-6424www.elcslc.org
St. Lucie Public Schools772-429-3600www.stlucie.k12.fl.us
Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County772-408-1100www.cscslc.org
Treasure Coast Food Bank772-489-3034www.treasurecoastfoodbank.org
Families of the Treasure Coast772-302-3147www.familiesofthetreasurecoast.org
United Way of St. Lucie County772-464-5300www.unitedwayslc.org
211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coastwww.211palmbeach.org/helpmegrow
Kids Connected by Design / Healthy Start of St. Lucie County772-467-2016http://www.kidsconnectedbydesign.org/
Please see our Funders/Partners pages for more information about our dedicated community partners
Helpful Web Resources
Florida Office of Early Learningwww.floridaearlylearning.com
Reading is Fundamentalwww.rif.org
Kidvisionwww.kidvision.org
Zero to Threewww.zerotothree.org
Department of Children & Familieswww.myflfamilies.com
Florida Department of Health/St Lucie Countyhttp://stlucie.floridahealth.gov/
Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)772-595-6363Vroom Brain Building Apphttps://www.vroom.org/
PNC’s Grow Up Great Program
https://www.pnc.com/en/about-pnc/corporate-responsibility/grow-up-great.html
Fun & Educational Websites for Kids
Local Libraries
Kilmer Branch Library101 Melody LaneFort Pierce, FL 34950Phone – 772-462-1615
Hurston Branch Library3008 Avenue DFort Pierce, FL 34947Phone – 772-462-2154
Lakewood Park Branch Library7605 Santa Barbara DriveFort Pierce, FL 34951Phone – 772-462-6870
Lewis Branch Library2950 SW Rosser Blvd.Port St. Lucie, FL 34953Phone – 772-871-5470
Morningside Branch Library2410 Morningside BoulevardPort St. Lucie, FL 34952Phone – 772-337-5669
Port St. Lucie Branch Library180 S.W. Prima Vista Blvd.Port St. Lucie, FL 34983Phone – 772-871-5450
Pruitt Campus Library500 N.W. California Blvd.St. Lucie West, FL 34986Phone – 772-336-6380
Useful Links
- VPK Assessment FAQs
- VPK Assessment Online Reporting System FAQs
- Parent Guide for VPK
- Parent Guide for VPK – Spanish
- Parent Guide for VPK – Haitian Creole
- Official State of Florida VPK Website
- Parent Handbook for VPK – English
- Parent Handbook for VPK – Spanish
- Parent Handbook for VPK – Haitian Creole
- How to Register for VPK classes through DOE
- Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) Renewal Application
- Director Credential Information
- Director Credential Application
- VPK Director Credential Application
- Staff Credential Information
- VPK Payment Rates
- Attendance and Advance Rules
- Readiness Rates of Local VPK Providers
- VPK Program Monitoring Policies and Procedures
- VPK Fact Sheet
- State of Florida Administrative Code – Voluntary Prekindergarten Program defined in rule (6M-8)
- VPK Education Guide: Rules Update Guide
- VPK Enrollment Instructions for Parents
- Sign In and Out Requirements for Providers
- Sign In and Out Reference Guide
VPK Parent Handbook (PDF)
VPK AND SCHOOL READINESS ASSISTANCE
PROVIDER ASSISTANCE
