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Tuesday, October 25, 2016
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PAT program going strong at PES Case manager says the state grant was recently approved By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Despite the state’s budget impasse throughout the last year and uncertainty of whether or not the state would continue to fund grants for educational programs, Princeton Elementary School District’s Early Beginnings Parents as Teachers (PAT) 0-3 program has continued to work and serve families. The program even enrolled 13 new children during the last year. The advisory committee for the program met Oct. 18, to hear an annual update on the performance of the program. Marcia Caldwell, program director, shared facts and figures about the program’s progress throughout the 2015-16 year. Lynn Ferrell, case manager, said PAT recently received word the state grant for this year was approved, and the program has plans to continue and
expand its work. PAT is funded by the Early Childhood Block Grant. PAT assists families by increasing parental knowledge of early childhood development, preventing child abuse and neglect, increasing a child’s school readiness and school success, and providing early detection of developmental delays and health issues. The program serves families in the Princeton Elementary School District who are pregnant or have a child age 0-3. Case management services include at least twice a month home visits, group connection opportunities, developmental screening and resource/referral information. Throughout the 2015-16 year, the program has conducted 276 home visits; served 25 families; enrolled 13 new children, completed 25 developmental screens and 25 group connections, according to Caldwell. Also, 100 percent of newly-enrolled families had an initial family-centered assessment completed within 90 days of enrollment; 88 percent of families had a
family-centered assessment completed and documented during the program year; 83 percent of families documented at least one goal during the program year; 78 percent of families with two or more highneed characteristics received at least 75 percent of the required number of visits per month; 86 percent of newly-enrolled children received a complete, initial screening in the required time frame; 62 percent of children received a complete screening during the program year; and 91 percent of families were connected with at least one community resource during the program year. Caldwell was pleased to say all categories were above 60 percent, as required by the grant. She said a couple years ago one of the categories relating to home visits was sitting below 60 percent, and an action plan had to be written to help get the percentage above 60. The action plan guided the program to
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Freedom House hosts Fall Family Fun Fest Amin Marenda (right) and Rodney Schafer play a game during the Fall Family Fun Fest, held Saturday at Soldiers and Sailors Park in Princeton. The event, which included a host of carnival games and a scavenger hunt, was sponsored by Freedom House. See more photos from last week on Page 2. BCR photo/Becky Kramer
Stuffing the storefront for children in need
Coats, mittens, hats and gloves are needed
By Goldie Rapp
145 smoke detectors installed Red Cross/Princeton Fire Department team up to save lives By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — People are stuffing the storefront at Kramers Kitchen again this year with coats, mittens, hats and gloves for local children. The Bureau County Food Pantry is partnering with ServiceMaster Restoration by DSI and Kramer’s Kitchen and Catering to collect items for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Stuff the storefront Page 4
PRINCETON — The local American Red Cross chapter teamed up with the Princeton Fire Department and installed 145 free smoke alarms for residents on Saturday morning. Lori Compton, disaster program specialist for the Northwest Illinois Red Cross Chapter, was pleased with the number of homes the 22 volunteers were able to reach for Prince-
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ton’s smoke alarm drive. “My goal was to install over 100, so I’m pleased with the 145 we did,” she said. The volunteers were able to reach homes within the three trailer parks in Princeton and made their way to several houses on the north end of Princeton between the railroad tracks and Washington Street.
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Economical lab services and diagnostic testing, including digital x-rays, are also offered on-site. These services are available to anyone, regardless of your doctor’s practice or hospital affiliation.
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