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Angelique McDonald

7 Back to School Tips for You and Your Family!

7 Back to School Tips for You and Your Family! 2560 1709 Angelique McDonald

The start of a new year can bring challenges as well as excitement. We found this great resource from PBS to help you and your family get ready for the new school year. Here are just a few ways that you can get involved without getting overwhelmed! Click through to read more:

  1. Meet the teacher
  2. Tour the school
  3. Connect with friends
  4. Tool up
  5. Avoid last-minute drilling
  6. Chat about today’s event and tomorrow’s plans
  7. Ease into routine

Preschool Pals Has Begun!

Preschool Pals Has Begun! 756 549 Angelique McDonald

This September, our preschool in North Minneapolis, Preschool Pals, held their first Parent-Child class for the school year. Preschool Pals hosts Parent-Child classes throughout the year, with near-perfect attendance by families. Each class centers around a theme that impacts families every day. This class focused on nutrition.

Lead by our preschool staff, the class was facilitated with the help of University of Minnesota Health & Nutrition Program Educator, Ms. Selah Michele. She spoke to parents about helping children try new foods and keeping them engaged with their food choices by including them in snack prep. She also gave parents tips for providing healthy snack options and answered personal questions from the families. 

The class concluded the session by making their own snack: fruit salsa with cinnamon chips. Parents then went home with a few recipes that they could try with their children. Yum! 

Festival of Fathers

Festival of Fathers 1143 751 Angelique McDonald

We believe every caregiver should be supported in their journey of raising a child. In a show of support for dads in our community, Way to Grow participated in Festival of Fathers at North Commons Park in North Minneapolis this past August. The annual Festival of Fathers is a community sponsored event that seeks to strengthen the positive role and perception of men, specifically fathers, in their families and communities. The event celebrated the essential impact of fathers and father figures in the lives of children and families. Families enjoyed free food, music, entertainment, a petting zoo, pony rides, a moon bounce, prize drawings, and a free t-shirt for dads with kids. We had a great time supporting families and getting out into our community!

What are some ways that you show support for all the types of caregivers in your family?

Backpacks are back!

Backpacks are back! 960 720 Angelique McDonald

An annual tradition was back again this year. On August 14, Way to Grow staff, in partnership with the Greater Twin Cities United Way and SPS Commerce, packed 1,200 backpacks in 30 minutes! Each backpack was filled with school supplies and distributed to families across the Twin Cities. Thanks to our community partners, we filled our school bus with 350 backpacks that were given out to Way to Grow children just in time for the first day of school!

A huge shoutout to our friends at Greater Twin Cities United Way and SPS Commerce for getting our kids ready for school!

2019 Graduations!

2019 Graduations! 1250 834 Angelique McDonald

Summer at Way to Grow is always an exciting time. Read on to hear about our recent 3rd Grade and Early Learner Graduations, and don’t forget to check out all those great smiling faces below!

3rd Grade Graduation

In June, we honored over 60 third graders and their families as we celebrated their graduation from our Great By Eight program. For some, it was bittersweet as they said goodbye to Family Educators that had worked with them since infancy. Yet for many others it was a time to say “see you soon,” knowing their younger siblings would keep their Family Educators busy for years to come.

Families were invited to a fun night of games, crafts, food, and celebration. Each child was presented with a certificate, goodie bag, and a book, and parents and caregivers were recognized for all the work the entire family put in to getting their kids set up for success. It truly takes a village.

Congratulations, 3rd graders! We have loved having you in our program and know you will go on to do amazing things in this world!

Early Leader Graduation

One month later on July 28, over 100 preschoolers graduated from our early learner program. With over 500 people in attendance, we had a blast as our preschoolers walked across the stage, families ate a meal together, and everyone played games, made crafts, and put temporary tattoos everywhere!

This event is always a highlight of the year because it truly reminds us of the importance of the work that Way to Grow does every day. For these children, this is the first of many graduations and it inspires families to keep working towards a brighter future. We are so incredibly proud of the work these families have done so far and cannot wait to see how they continue to grow in the years to come!

We want to extend heartfelt thanks to all who made these wonderful celebrations possible:

Thank you to all the Way to Grow parents and guardians for your work and commitment to your child’s education. To our Way to Grow Family Educators and staff, thank you for all your hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication. None of this could happen without you. Finally, thank you to our volunteers, the Way to Grow Board of Directors, and our funders for your continued support.

A special thank you to Books to Grow and Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club for providing books for our graduates and families!

New Place, Old Friends!

New Place, Old Friends! 960 720 Angelique McDonald

Earlier this month, Little & Company came to visit our new Way to Grow office and left quite a mark!

As part of their 40th anniversary celebration, the staff at Little participated in service projects throughout the Twin Cities, including right here at Way to Grow. One of their Give 40 projects was to help to make our new space feel a little more like home. A small team from Little designed and installed an incredible mural in our new play room, celebrating Way to Grow, our partnership, and the wonderful people we serve. We couldn’t be more thrilled to share this space with our families and it really brightens our days whenever we walk by. Check out the photos below to see this amazing team in action and the completed mural!

Thank you Little!

Little team painting a mural

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