The purpose of the evening was to gather early care professionals - child care providers, preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers - to continue the process of building professional relationships, learn ways to help children they work with build the social skills that will help them be successful and thrive in school and in life, as well as discuss and plan ways to meet local needs for helping children transition into kindergarten.

Presentations included a demonstration on using harp music to calm young children given by Kathy Saxvold, the Pequot Lakes School Early Childhood Special Education teacher. Amber Hunt demonstrated relaxing/stretching techniques she uses for children's yoga.

Katrina Neubrandt, a local preschool teacher, demonstrated a Second StepP violence prevention for early childhood lesson. Ginny Hersey, a retired kindergarten teacher and children's storyteller for the Crosslake Library, shared tips on ways to use children's books to build social-emotional skills with children.

Early care professionals or programs each received a set of books to use in building social skills. The books, "Hands Are Not for Hitting," "Teeth Are Not for Biting," "Words Are Not for Hurting," "Feet Are Not for Kicking," and "Germs Are Not for Sharing" were purchased with a grant given by the Crow Wing County Child Protection Team.

The evening closed with an interactive discussion led by coalition coordinator Patty Durham concerning local goals and future needs in our communities concerning kindergarten transition.

This event was part of a series of gatherings entitled, "Ready, Set, Go," a process developed by the Brainerd Lakes Area Early Childhood Coalition in order to foster collaboration among early care professionals, communicate kindergarten expectations, and smooth children's transition into kindergarten.

This event was made possible by a grant from the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls.

The Initiative Foundation awarded a grant of $3,000 to the Pequot Lakes, Breezy Point, Crosslake Early Childhood to carry out the Ready, Set, Go process.

For information on supporting local efforts to help the youngest members of the community, contact Patty Durham at 568-9200, or pdurham@pequotlakes.k12.mn.us.