Registration is open for ARCHS’ 2013 Early Childhood Science and Outdoor Learning Institute set for Saturday, May 4, 2013, 8 am to 3:30 pm, at Harris-Stowe State University.

This year’s Institute will feature Lisa Murphy - the ooey gooey lady® - and representatives from ARCHS, Accredited CPR Services, Gateway Greening, the Magic House, Monsanto, Missouri Department of Conservation, St. Louis Community College, Saint Louis Science Center, and Saint Louis Zoo.

$35 registration fee includes Institute materials and lunch. Up to six clock hours to be awarded.

Registration is only available online (see below).

• REGISTER FOR INSTITUTE (Choose from designated sessions)
• DOWNLOAD INSTITUTE BROCHURE

ARCHS' partnership with the Children's Trust Fund of Missouri (CTF) provided 1,200 books in February to more than 50 families in the St. Louis area. Families selected for book donations were part of ARCHS' Home Visitation Program, formerly known as the Stay at Home Parent Program).

The ARCHS' Home Visitation Program works to promote positive parent child interactions. To help achieve this, the book donations give the parent and child an opportunity to spend quality one-on-one time and is considered a best practice to help prepare children for school.

"Reading with children from birth helps children learn the sounds of language, stimulates their imagination, and introduces them to the world around them," said Amber Stevenson-Donnelly, ARCHS' Vice President of Grant Management Services.

The goal of the grant from the Children's Trust Fund is to promote programs across Missouri that help reduce the likelihood children will become the victims of abuse or neglect.

"For families in high-stress situations, reading can offer a break from the chaos around them as they take 15 minutes out of their day to pause and spend time with each other sharing pictures, sounds, stories, and adventures in books given to them from ARCHS," Stevenson-Donnelly said.

• BOOK GIVEAWAY PHOTO GALLERY
• DONATE TO ARCHS' HOME VISITATION PROGRAM

ARCHS' Kids Vision for Life program is expanding to serve three more school districts in the St. Louis area, with expectations that an additional 4,000 to 5,000 children will be served this school year.

Kids Vision for Life started serving four schools in the Jennings School District in January 2013, and began seeing students in the Normandy School District this month. Services in the Ferguson-Florissant School District will begin in March.

For this school year through December 2012, Kids Vision for Life screened 3,972 students, 925 were given exams, and 672 received new eye glasses in the Saint Louis and Riverview Gardens school districts.

Kids Vision for Life aims to provide free eye screenings to children in grades K-6, provide free eye examinations to students who fail the screenings, and provide free eye glasses to students who need them after completing the eye examination.

ARCHS partners with Essilor Vision Foundation, Crown Vision Center, HealthCare USA, and University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry (mobile van) to provide Kids Vision for Life services.

• WATCH KIDS VISION FOR LIFE VIDEO
• DONATE TO KIDS VISION FOR LIFE

Once again, ARCHS has demonstrated its early childhood expertise by assisting Kids World North childcare center to achieve National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation.

ARCHS has helped more than 20 area childcare centers achieve accreditation - an important recognition by state and national accreditation boards to establish and maintain high-quality learning and nurturing environments for children birth to age eight.

"Accreditation means quality care and education to the families that we serve. The surrounding school district has lost their accreditation, so parents like that fact that at least they have the opportunity to place their child in an early care facility that has its accreditation," said owner Felicia Cook. "Many of the parents like knowing that they are sending their children to a center where the teachers have education, a set curriculum and teaching has a purpose. We also give parents access to high quality childcare in a low income area."

Additionally, over the past four years, ARCHS has helped 21% (26 centers) of all currently accredited programs in St. Louis City/County and St. Charles County to achieve accreditation status