Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc.

2014

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

“People Helping People”www.tvoc.org

In This Issue:* CEO News and Notes (Jason Carlson)* Senior Programs Christmas Party* Upcoming Calendar Items

In This Issue:* Bloggers Needed* I-C.A.R.E Auction, Potluck, and Ugly Sweater Contest* Program Aims Migrant Children Toward Graduation

Similar to last month, several of the projects we are working on are not ready to be reported on. I do however have a couple of important updates.

Per a directive from the Board of Directors in 2012, Tri-Valley is out for bid on its Commer-cial Package and Worker’s Compensation insurance. We have significantly revamped our process since 2012 and expect a very competitive process. We have three vendors who will be working with a specific list of markets to provide Tri-Valley with the best pricing possible. The deadline for submissions is February 27. This will allow the board time to consider op-tions in advance of the March board meeting.

The promised training for Office 365 is becoming reality. Greg Dufault has worked with the Management Team to create a menu of training opportunities that will take place in January, shortly before Tri-Valley migrates from GroupWise to Outlook for e-mail. An alternative training will be offered later to Head Start staff members who do not work a 12 month schedule. Please take advantage of the opportunities offered to learn about our new productivity software. We want to make the most of the new tools we have available.

A reminder that we will have Head Start reviewers here the week of January 5th. Please be responsive to any requests for information. The process being used under the new five year grant cycle is different than what we are used to so we don’t completely know what to expect.

My travel schedule is pretty full in January. I ask that you communicate any needs for signatures or other reasons my presence is required as early as you can so I can best accommodate requests.

I will close this month with a heartfelt “Thank You” for all of your collective contributions to Tri-Valley’s mission in 2014. I look forward to working with our Board of Directors, staff and volunteers to see what we can accom-plish in 2015.

Bloggers Needed!

If you are interested in writing an occasional blog arti-cle for the Tri-Valley blog page, please email Mitch at mitch.bakken@tvoc.org.

Upcoming January Calendar Items:* Jan. 5- School resumes at Crookston, East Grand Forks, and Hendrum Head Start / Early Head Start Centers* Jan. 5- Head Start / Early Head Start Policy Council Meeting* Jan. 7- MNsure Outreach Event, 5-7 pm (Crookston Anytime Fitness)* Jan. 7, 14, 21- Basic Parenting 101, 3:30-5 pm (CFSC)* Jan.26- Build a Wood Project, 6:30-7:30 pm (Washington School in Crookston)

The Tri-Valley Foster Grandparent and Senior Compan-ion Programs held a Christmas Party on Friday, Decem-ber 5.

The event started out with Our Saviors School children singing to the group. Foster Grandma Betty Floan had two great grandchildren in the group and Senior Pro-gram Manager Jeanette Larson had five grandchildren in the group.

The volunteers enjoyed a brunch of egg bake and muf-fins. Following brunch, the group played bingo, Grandma Joyce Hulst played Christmas music on the piano which included a sing along, there was a recipe exchange, and door prizes. At the end of the event, Grandma Deloryce Bertils and Grandma Adeline Woinarowicz presented each of the Senior Programs Staff with a Christmas card and gift. It was a fun event enjoyed by all!

The Tri-Valley Administrative Office in Crookston held a holiday I-C.A.R.E Auction, potluck, and Ugly Sweater Con-test on Thursday, December 18.

The event was kicked off by the I-C.A.R.E. silent auction. Numerous items were donated by staff members and then were bid on by those wanting certain items. The money raised will used to help those in need and help fund oth-er I-C.A.R.E. initiatives. A potluck followed with a spread of delicious appetizers, main dishes, soups, and sweets. Staff members then donned their ugliest holiday sweaters. Awards were given for the Ugly, Uglier, and Ugliest sweat-ers. “Winners” of the Ugly Sweater Contest were Melody Heddan, Missy Janssen, and Tiffany Beerbower. (Pictured L-R in front row of picture below.)

All Participants Included:Tiffany - Head Start, Health Services SpecialistMelody - Head Start, Family & Community Services Spe-cialist Missy - Head Start, Data Systems Coordinator Corrie - Admin, AP SpecialistLaurie - Head Start, Head Start, Child and Family Pro-grams DirectorDawn - Admin/Head Start, Executive AssistantMicaela - Head Start, Migrant Education Program Data CoordinatorSherri - Admin, Human Resources DirectorAmanda - Admin, Human Resources AssistantEmily - Head Start, Food & Nutrition SpecialistAshley - Admin, Human Resources GeneralistKarie - Head Start, Health Services SpecialistCindy - Head Start, Health Services Manager

Program aims migrant children toward graduation

By Marie Wood The Land Associate Editor |

Every May, migrant farm workers come to Minnesota to work the fields.

The jobs vary — picking rocks, hoeing weeds, seeding and sorting potatoes, picking apples, dairy farming or working in the vegetable packing plants. Packing plants in Minnesota pack peas in June until mid-July when they begin corn packing until mid-October.

A large portion of the migrant workers in Minnesota come from the Rio Grande area of Texas. There are also Sudanese, Guatema-lan and Mexican families.

To help migrant farm workers’ children overcome the challenges of moving to new schools, missing school, poverty, and language barriers, the national Migrant Education Program provides edu-cational and support services to migrant children from age 3-21.

“We’re trying to connect the dots so these kids don’t fall through the cracks,” said Noemi Treviño, education specialist at the Min-nesota Department of Education. “We want to make sure that

migrant children receive the same services that their counterparts receive. They are highly mobile, so they have academic gaps.”

Making sure the students receive full credits becomes more crucial in order to graduate, she said. “The bottom line is we want to make sure we have an educated community that’s empowered to contribute to our economy,” Treviño said.

Assisting migrant families for almost 50 years, the program is authorized and funded by Title I, Part C of the Elemen-tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Part C is titled Education of Migratory Children. For pregnant mothers and children from birth to age 5, Head Start and Early Head Start provide services. Support services such as free school food service, health services and screenings are beneficial. Many migrant children tend to be under- or over-immunized.

Since 1967, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council has played a key role in providing migrant services. Employing a network of recruiters and family advocates in six regions across Minnesota, Tri-Valley recruits and enrolls families for Head Start and Title I services. The ability to speak Spanish is a requirement. Partnering with Head Start and Early Head Start, Tri-Valley operates 14 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and Early Head Start centers in Minnesota and one center in North Dakota. Typically, the centers are open May to December.

Laurie Coleman, Head Start director for Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Crookston, said an average of about 1,000 children and pregnant mothers are served annually. With each family, Tri-Valley recruiters and family advocates create a transition packet so the families can get their screenings, health and school records into the next education setting, Cole-man said.

“Some may stop at other states along the way,” she said.

Enrollment has declined. Roundup weed killer, which came out in the 1970s, is responsible for the biggest decline in mi-grant workers. With fewer weeds to hoe, fewer workers are needed. Along with teaching parents about children’s health and development, Tri-Valley educates parents on the dangers of herbicides and pesticides to children.

“That’s our goal — to keep the kids out of the fields and into school. That’s why we’re here,” Coleman said. (Graduation story continued on next page)

Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. (TVOC) is a community action agency headquartered in Crookston, MN. It is our Mission to provide opportunities to individuals and communities in order to improve the quality of our lives. In existence since 1965, TVOC provides services in 84 counties in Minnesota and Northeast North Dakota. For more infor-mation on services offered by TVOC please call 218-281-5832 or 800-584-7020.

Did You Know?...* You can receive more information on Tri-Valley’s programs and services by calling 218-281-5832 or 800-584-7020.

* You can keep up with Tri-Valley news on the TVOC website at www.tvoc.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TVOCInc and on Twitter at @Tri-Valley_TVOC.

* Everyone can receive the Tri-Valley Newsletter. If you know of anyone who would like a copy please have them contact Mitch Bakken at 218-281-5832 or mitch.bakken@tvoc.org.

(Graduation story continued) Rewards

Amber Higgins, assistant identification and recruitment manager for Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Apple Valley, thinks like a farmer, with an eye on the weather.

In spring and early summer, she searched online for articles on spring flooding. This summer, she knew a lot of her fam-ilies would be out of work when a hail storm in Brainerd turned an apple orchard into apple sauce. Higgins knows that weather is a harbinger of when migrant workers will arrive in Minnesota, where they will work and how long they will stay. This season, Minnesota’s long winter and wet spring led to work starting later — and not at all in some places. Many families arrived to work only to return home, she said.

In 2012-2013, Tri-Valley Opportunity Council identified 1,767 migrant children in Minnesota.

When workers migrate to different areas, Tri-Valley has to be creative in providing services to a changing population. That means flexibility in setting up centers and classrooms. To qualify for services, families must be working seasonal jobs that are agriculture-based.

Some school districts, such as Sleepy Eye and Rochester, offer summer school sites.

“Summer programs offer them time to make up,” Higgins said. “When school starts, they are right ahead with their classmates.”

There can be a lag time between identifying families and enrolling them for services. Often, migrant families do not have all the required documents. That’s why transition plans are so important.

“When they arrive at the next place,” Higgins said, “one goal of our program is that they don’t have to repeat this stuff and wait to get into school.”

In recent years, many families have settled out of migrant life, Higgins said. She pointed to an oil boom in Texas, a state many consider to be their home base, as one reason.

“That’s what we want for families — more security and stability for their entire life,” Treviño said.

For Higgins, the greatest success is in getting migrant children kindergarten-ready and graduating. Longtime recruiters are instrumental in keeping young people motivated to stay in school, she said. Higgins relayed the story of a recruiter who had worked with a family for 10 years when one of the kids told her, “I finally graduated.’’

“Every family that is being served gets support,” Higgins said. “Title kids are staying on track to graduate.”

Part 2 of a two-part series on support for the children of migrant farmworkers.

This information is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Contact us at 1-800-584-7020 or by calling the Telecommunication Relay Service at 711 or 1-800-627-3529. Tri-Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer/provider. EOE/M/F/D/V