Cram the Van!

School is just around the corner! This month we are teaming up with The Early Coalition of the Big Bend Region  for Cram the Van! We are asking everyone to stop by and donate school supplies, and children's books! Five items will earn you a $25 dollar off your next service.

 

The Early Learning Coalition is responsible for the administration of School Readiness, and Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten programs. The ELC serves Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla county. "The Board and staff have strived to provide a holistic service delivery system that is responsive to needs of families and communities while maintaining effective and efficient business practices supporting the following primary goals: Children are ready for success when they enter school; and Families have access to the quality child care services and assistance they need." (The Early Coalition of the Big Bend Region)

 

 Join us in helping the ELC make sure every child has the necessary tools, and supplies to prepare them for success in school!

Back to School Tips

Summer has flown by, and the school year is sneaking up on all of us. Don't be caught off guard on the first day of school, instead, ensure that both you and your children will be prepared for the start of another hectic year by following these simple tips.

School year schedule

Summer nights are for staying up till midnight and waking up at lunch, but the summer has come to an end and the school bell will soon be ringing at 7:30 sharp! So instead of giving your children a rude awakening on August 19th, ease them gradually back into a school year routine. During the last two weeks of summer, re-introduce a school year bedtime. Begin waking late sleepers earlier and earlier, closer to the hour they'll need to rise when school begins.

Create calendar central

The school year has it's own way of drowning you in activities before you know what's happening. School functions. Scout meetings. Ballet lessons. Nothing calms the chaos like Calendar Central: a centralized site for all family calendars and schedules. Color code everyone's activities and don't forget to keep track! Post the calender in a place where everyone will see it (on the fridge, near the phone, etc.) When your hair stylist calls to schedule an appointment or Susie's mom wants to arrange a play date, you'll know at a glance whether you're free that day.

Plan before you shop

August is the second-biggest sales month for clothing retailers. Back to school clothing sales begin as early as July! Don't wait till the week before school to do your shopping or you may find yourself fighting another mom for the last pencil pouch. An informed shopper is a savvy shopper, so prepare before you shop. Take an afternoon and assess each child's clothing and school supply needs so you don't get caught buying unnecessary items.

Also, remember, Florida's tax free weekend is August 2nd-4th!

Gather your papers

School entry may require documentation from immunization records to report cards from the previous school year. Athletes need proof of medical examination. A little preparation can prevent frantic last-minute searches for a birth certificate or registration confirmation.

Call your child's school or check the school district Web site beforehand to find out what paperwork will be required--then find it! You won't be sorry come registration day..

Make a practice run

How will children get to school? The first day of school is no time to find out it takes twice as long as you thought to walk to the nearest bus stop! Before school begins, make a practice run to get children to the school on time (and don't forget to account for early morning traffic)! If they're walking to a bus stop, help them learn the route and note the needed time. Also post your children's bus schedule on your bulletin board or refrigerator to prevent the chaos of a missed bus. 

Improve the daily routine

The school year will have your head spinning before you know it, so don't be caught off guard! Sports practice, music lessons, youth group, doctors appointments, and other various commitments may leave you spending less time in your house than you thought. Get organized and don't get left behind in the school year shuffle!

Cut time in the kitchen: create a menu plan and never again wonder "What's for dinner?"
Streamline dinner preparations. Try a session of freezer cooking to stock the freezer with prepared entrees for stress-free dinner on sports night.
Conquer the paper pile-up. Set up a basic home filing system to track school paperwork, volunteer activities and household planning

Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region

Kia Autosport of Tallahassee's Charity of the Month this July is the Early Learning Coalition, and we couldn't be more excited. We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to be successful. We are cramming the van (a brand new Kia Sedona!) with school supplies. Their wishlist includes (but is not limited to!) hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, crayons, nap mats, tissues, markers, construction paper, scissors, backpacks, and lunch boxes. You don't have to spend a lot of money to change a child's school year (and life!) On August 3rd we will be filling the van with school supplies all day. Don't miss out on this great chance to donate, we will even have free food and raffles going on. 

What is the Early Learning Coalition?

Headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, the ELC proudly serves Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties. A contracted partner with the State of Florida's Office of Early Learning, the ELC is responsible for the administration of the School Readiness and Voluntary PreKindergarten programs.

Throughout this ELC’s history, the Board and staff have strived to provide a holistic service delivery system that is responsive to needs of families and communities while maintaining effective and efficient business practices supporting the following primary goals:

1. Children are ready for success when they enter school; and

2. Families have access to the quality child care services and assistance they need.

The ELC staff work everyday at effectively connecting approximately 7,000 children and their families to the early learning program that best meets the needs of the child and family. 

What does the Early Learning Coalition Do? 

Family Services:

• Child care information and resources
• Customized child care referrals
• School Readiness tuition assistance
• Voluntary PreKindergarten programs for 4 year olds
• Referrals and assistance in accessing additional community resources

Child Services:

• Hearing, vision and developmental screening
• Early literacy programs such as the My First Books "giving library"
• Early intervention services for children with identified areas of concern

Teacher Services:

• Professional development through on-line and classroom training
• On-site coaching and technical assistance
• Resource development
• Linkages to community resources and volunteers

Don't miss out on the opportunity to donate to this wonderful charity that's doing great things for the students and families in our community. Will we see you on August 3rd? 

ELC Month was a Success!

ELC Month at Kia Autosport of Tallahassee has officially come to a close! We were so happy to have the local community's support and generosity throughout the month as we collected supplied for the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend. Without their support we would not have had the success with this event that we did! Just look at all the supplies we were able to Cram the Van with!!

We had hundreds of crayons and markers, colored pencils, construction paper, nap mats, scissors, glue and glue sticks, calculators, books, workbooks, learning flash cards and classroom cleaning supplies! Our General Manager, Melanie Lee, went to the ELC of the Big Bend to drop off the supplies on Thursday, September 1, 2011.

The ELC was overjoyed to see the amount of supplies we collected! Together, we are able to make a difference in the community by helping the ELC help kids get off to the right start in a brand new school year!

ELC Day at Kia Autosport

On Saturday we had our big event here at the dealership, and it was so much fun! So many people came out and donated school supplies! We had 6 different radio stations broadcasting live from the delearship and gave away some AWESOME prizes! The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend was here and had fun activities for the kids. We had amazing bar-b-que from Smokin' Lo's too! If you missed it, you missed out on a great day!

We are still collecting school supplies for the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend until the end of the month, so if you have any extras please drop them off in our showroom! We'll register you to win a 2011 Kia Soul!! We want to send the kids back to school with the supplies they need for a successful school year!

August is ELC Month at Kia Autosport of Tallahassee

The month of August is Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Month here at Kia Autosport of Tallahassee! We have a bunch of promotions and events going on throughout the month and are so excited to bring attention to this great organization!

The ELC is a non-profit organization that provides services for children, families and child care providers throughout the Big Bend. The ELC works with child care providers and families to help prepare children for success in school and support families' ability to work. Family support services include tuition assistance programs, child care information services, and community referrals support each families' individual success by connecting them to the information and resources they need in choosing a program that best meets their child's needs.

As summer draws to end and school supply shopping begins, we want to make sure that our youngest students have all of the supplies and materials they need. Did you know that thousands of local children will begin preschool this year? In partnership with the ELC, Kia Autosport of Tallahassee is helping our local preschools get ready for this school year by hosting a Pre-School Supply Drive!

All month long come help us Cram the Van with school supplies! With a donation you can register to win a Kia Soul all month long. Don't forget to mark your calendars on August 20th for a special event here at the Kia Autosport dealership. Representatives from the ELC will be here with play areas for the kids and information for parents! More details will be posted closer to the event date!

Supplies needed: books, paint, crayons, markers, paper, glue, scissors, nap mats, balls, cleaning supplies, diapers, wipes

Come help us Cram the Van with these items so that our local children can have a successful school year!