Dear Parents,

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we are reminded of the power of love in all its forms—whether it’s the bond we share with our partners, our friends, and our children. This special day provides a wonderful opportunity to deepen the connection between you and your little ones, strengthening the attachment that forms the foundation for their emotional growth and well-being.

For young children, love and affection are more than just feelings—they are the essential building blocks for their development. When children experience love through warm, consistent interactions, they feel secure and valued, which enhances their ability to build trust, regulate emotions, and form healthy relationships throughout their lives. Valentine’s Day can be a beautiful reminder to be intentional about showing love to your child, not just through gifts, but through your words, actions, and presence.

Here are a few simple ways you can use this day to nurture your child's emotional attachment:

Quality Time: Spend time doing something special together. Whether it’s reading their favorite book, playing a game, or going for a walk, your attention and presence make them feel loved and valued.

Affection: Physical affection—hugs, kisses, or holding hands—sends a powerful message of security and love. These moments are comforting for children and help them feel safe in the world around them.

Words of Affirmation: Tell your child how much they mean to you. Expressing love verbally, whether through a simple “I love you” or by highlighting something specific they did that made you proud, strengthens their sense of self-worth and attachment to you.

Create Traditions: Valentine’s Day can be a time to start a family tradition that celebrates love and togetherness. You could make homemade cards, bake a treat, or even start a “love jar” where you write down things you love about each other and share them at the end of the day.

Positive Reinforcement: Reinforce positive behaviors with love and praise, encouraging your child to continue expressing kindness and care to others. This teaches them the importance of empathy and affection.

Remember, every moment you spend showing love and affection, not just on Valentine’s Day but every day, helps your child feel emotionally secure and more connected to you. This attachment will support them as they navigate the world, develop social skills, and grow into confident, compassionate individuals.

Valentine's Day isn’t just about candy or cards—it’s a celebration of the love that binds families together. Use this day as an opportunity to strengthen the most important bond of all: the one between you and your child.

We hope you use the group connections listed below to spend some quality time with your child as they learn through play!

With warmest wishes for a day filled with love and connection and with best wishes in your parenting journey,

Kim Richardson

Director-Parents as Teachers

You can learn here or there, you can learn ANYWHERE! Thank goodness Dr. Seuss’ birthday comes once a year—and it always gives us great reason to cheer! We’ll partner with Festus library and celebrate literacy and Seuss with learning activities in honor of the literary rhyming master. No registration required.

March 6, 2025

10:30-Noon

Location: Festus Public Library

400 W Main St.

Festus, MO 63028

Ages: ALL

Did you know that a baby's brain doubles in size in the first year. A baby’s brain is hard at work, forming over 1 million new neural connections per second. These connections enable everything from movement to language and problem-solving. But they don’t form on their own—positive interactions with parents and engaging daily experiences help build and strengthen these pathways that last a lifetime! PAT is partnering with Festus Library to show you some great activities to build your baby's brain as they explore and learn through play. No registration required.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

10:00-11:00a.m.

Festus Library

400 West Main Street

Festus MO 63028

Ages: Birth through 2 years of age

Our Parents as Teachers program, along with all of the Jefferson County Parents as Teachers programs, Jefferson College Early Childhood and several Early Childhood Programs and Resources throughout the county will be partnering together to host a BIG CELEBRATION with fun activities for families with children 5 and under. Help us celebrate the start of the Week of the Young Child by attending this FREE event!! This event is open to the public so invite your friends and family with children 5 years and under! No registration required.

Saturday, April 5, 2025

10:00-Noon

Jefferson College Field House

1000 Viking Drive

Hillsboro, MO 63050

Ages: Pre-k and under

PAT hosts a weekly "stay and play" for families enrolled in the Parents as Teachers program. Stay and Play's will occur every Friday morning from 9:30-10:30am. Families will have the opportunity to interact with their child and other families in the new Festus Early Childhood Multipurpose room. Stay and Play's will be canceled if Festus School district closes for inclement weather.

There will be NO Stay and Play March 14, 2025 or April 18,2025. The Last Stay and Play of the school year will be May 16, 2025.

Festus Tiny Tigers Academy: If you would like to have your child added to the waitlist, please contact the Early Childhood Center at 636-465-0395. Children must be three years old by July 31, 2025 and be a resident of the Festus R-VI School District. Bus transportation is NOT provided unless it is required in the student's IEP. The pre-k program is half days, Monday through Thursday. There is no charge for this program.

Crystal City Preschool: Crystal City Preschool Registration is on March 26, 2025. You must reside in Crystal City to attend. Please call 636-937-4017 extension 2 to schedule an appointment. Space is limited. The pre-k program is full days, Tuesday through Friday.

Taylor Preschool: Registration for Taylor's FREE Preschool program is going on now through March 8th. Please call 636-479-5200 ext. 5 for an appt. Children must be four years of age on or before July 31, 2025 and be a resident of the Dunklin R-5 School District. Students enrolling in the Free full day program also must qualify for free and reduced lunch. Bus transportation will NOT be provided. Tuition based spots may also be available on a first come, first served bases.

Jefferson R-7 Preschool Registration packets are available now at the Telegraph office. Registration is open for in-district residents. Parents will then sign up for an appointment to enroll their child. Before and after care is also available for an additional fee.

Here is what you need to know

*Children that attend one of our four school districts pre-k programs will be screened at their pre-k location during the school day. Paperwork has been sent home, please make sure that paperwork is returned so the screening can be completed at school.

*Children screened at their pre-k program during the school day will need to check with their home district on instructions on completing registration requirements. Some districts are completely online, some districts will require an in person appointment.

*All children living in the district who will be five (5) years of age ON or BEFORE July 31, 2025, are eligible to enroll. There are no exceptions to this cut off date.

What to bring to your appointment:

Your child

1-2 Forms of Proof of residency (Utility Bill) Some districts require a second form of proof of residency in addition to a current utility bill. This can include a real estate or personal property tax bill, rental or purchase contract plus deposit receipt, or an IRS tax return.

Child's current immunization records

Official birth certificate issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics

Any guardian papers or court orders

Your ID

Find your home school district below and links or instructions on how to register for kindergarten.

*Festus: Only make an appointment if your child has NOT been screened at Tiny Tigers or their child care center https://calendly.com/nahliktricia/kindergarten-registration-2024-25-clone?month=2025-02&date=2025-02-27

*Dunklin: Kindergarten screening dates for children NOT screened at Taylor Early Childhood are March 10 and 12th https://www.dunklin.k12.mo.us/

*Crystal City: call 636-937-4017 starting March 1. Kindergarten registration is on March 27, 2025 .

*Jefferson R-7: call 636-937-7170 starting Feb 1. Kindergarten registration dates are March 11 and April 8.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is now available in Missouri. The Missouri Imagination Library was made possible by legislation (Section 178.694 RSMo) that identifies school districts as the local partner for this initiative. Full funding was included in DESE’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget to establish and administer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Enroll your child in the Imagination Library and get a FREE BOOK every month until your child's 5th birthday. Click on the link below and enter in your zip code and then select the statewide program.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/