Several times a month, I have the pleasure if visiting Buttons and Bows child Care Center located at 2811 Union Street.  Upon first arrival, I am greeted by Ms. Amber with her smiling face, which is just one of the many I encounter along the way.  As I move through the center, I notice two-year-old classroom is buzzing, the teachers talking, singing, and laughing right along side the children.  Further down the way, I visit the Pandas and the Whiz Kids, the preschool classrooms, where excellence is the standard and the children seem to marvelously rise to this standard.
   The St. Louis LDA has been consulting with Buttons and Bows for several years, providing ongoing consultation and observation to many teachers of the center.  These observations and consultations focus of identifying at risk children as well as creating an optimal learning environment for all children.  The teachers always seem so grateful to have our support.
   Through the LDA/Buttons and Bows partnership, classrooms have been observed and teachers have been supplied with information as to how to work with children demonstrating any type of skill deficit in the areas of language, cognition, social/emotional, or motor.  It is evident upon returning to Buttons and Bows for ongoing observations and consultations that teachers integrate the information given to them quickly into their classrooms.  Teachers and administration have also become very proficient in identifying and reporting warning signs they see in students in the center.
   We are proud to partner with Buttons and Bows and look forward to a successful school year in which teachers and consultants work closely together to ensure to the best of our ability that all children’s needs are met.  Thank you, Buttons and Bows, for allowing us this wonderful partnership.




Q: How did Centene get involved with St. Louis Learning Disabilities (LDA)?

A: Centene is strongly committed to making a positive difference in all communities where we have presence, including St. Louis. With that said, Centene also strives to identify nonprofits that closely align with our Foundation (Centene Charitable Foundation) along with organizations and causes that our employees take leadership and volunteer roles in.

Centene’s dedication to improving support for health-related causes, education and communities is equally a priority for St. Louis Learning Disabilities Association, which has made for a mutually beneficial partnership between our two organizations. 

Q: What has the company’s involvement been with LDA?

A: Centene has collaborated with LDA for the past two years, with our initial involvement being linked as the title sponsor of “Unlock the Magic of Learning 2008.” This year, Centene is excited to be able to provide continued support for thousands of children, parents and educators by renewing our commitment as the lead sponsor of “Unlock the Magic of Learning 2009.”  This past August, Centene also hosted its first annual employee health fair, which LDA consultants attended. This was a great opportunity for our 600 employees to learn more about LDA services, LDA’s impact on the community and even more important, it provided employees with the opportunity to ask trained professionals for advise regarding learning difficulties that they personally or someone in their family may be facing. 

Q: As a funder who works with a multitude of nonprofits (including LDA) in the community, what key elements do you feel are necessary to weather this economic storm?

A: Having a diversified funding base is very important. It is risky for an organization to rely on only a few funding streams for a significant portion of their funding. I think organizations should also resist the temptation to try to be all things to all people. An organization should stick with what they know and do well.




   Jodie was a happy, well-adjusted and successful student through her 3rd grade year.  In fourth grade she began to experience difficulties in the majority of her classes, as she was unable to keep up with the workload.  To her, there was too much information and it was coming at her to fast.  She became frustrated and her self-esteem was sinking.  She was tested for special education, but of course failed to qualify.  A review of the diagnostic report did however reveal difficulties with executive function (EF).  While children who have learning disabilities, ADHD and other Psychoeducational disabilities often have difficulties with EF; more children without disabilities are exhibiting EF problems as well.

WHAT IS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
   Executive Functioning is a term used to describe a set of mental processes that help us connect past experiences with present actions.  We use executive function when we perform such activities as planning, organizing, strategizing and paying attention to and remembering details to guide us. (i.e. working memory)

HOW DOES EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFICULTIES EFFECT LEARNING
   Students with executive function problems have difficulty with those cognitive processes that enable them to engage in goal-directed, self-monitoring and problem-solving behaviors.

   Difficulties in EF have long-ranging consequences.  Some obvious effects include children’s ability to organize materials, plan long-term projects, manage time, and persist in accomplishing an academic goal such as a term paper or reading a long book.  Additionally, difficulties may be noted in one’s ability to:
•    Comprehend how much time a project will take to complete
•    Tell a story (verbally or written) and has trouble communicating details in an organized, sequential manner
•    Form mental strategies involved in memorization and retrieving information from memory
•   Initiate activities or tasks, or generate ideas independently
•    Retaining information while doing something with it (working memory)

WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES TO HELP?
1.    Take step-by-step approaches to work; rely on visual organizational aids
2.    Use tools like time organizers, computers, watches or phones with alarms
3.    Prepare visual schedules and review them several times a day
4.    Ask for written directions with oral instructions whenever possible
5.    Create checklists, to do lists and break long assignments into chunks

For additional information:
Executive Function in Education: From Theory to Practice, editor, Lynn Meltzer
National Center for Learning Disabilities
No Mind Left Behind: by Adam J. Cox, Ph.D.



   Do you want food free of pesticides and toxic chemicals?  We do.  As you likely know, pesticides and toxic chemicals are increasingly linked to serious health problems - especially for our children, whose developing bodies are more vulnerable to chemical exposures.
   We'd like to believe our government is effectively policing the safety of our food and the containers they are packaged in, but it's not.
   We think you deserve better. So we're sending you our Healthy Home Tip Series to make it easier to safeguard your family's health. This month's tip is: Go organic and eat fresh foods.
   Learn how to minimize exposure in your food. Our Healthy Home Tips page.



Linda Peters, a six-year veteran LDA Educational Consultant exemplifies what we believe in our Mission Statement Here is a nice note we received this summer on her behalf from one of our parents:

   “I just wanted to say thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do. You have made such a difference in Taylor’s life which has benefitted our entire family. I know that I can always count on you for an honest, intelligent answer and help. You always have Taylor’s best interest in mind and you tell me the truth, not just what you think I want to hear. I respect you because of that. There is no other person that I’d rather have in our corner than you. I hope that you have a fantastic summer filled with all that you desire and more!
  Thanks again, for all that you do! See you in the fall at Taylor’s re-evaluation!”
                                        — Sharon G.



TRENDS ADVERTISERS

www.brehm.org    Brehm Peparatory School, Inc.

www.ed-psy.com  EPS–Educational & Psychotherapy Services, LLC

www.options.brehm.org  Options Program at Brehm

www.sllsgooden.org  Speech Language Learning Systems

www.stlouislife.org  St. Louis Life

www.claytonacademy.org  Clayton Academy

www.coachkristin.com  Coaching Solutions, Inc.