WAYNESBORO – A local educator is always striving to ensure “parents never feel alone.”
And based on attendance at fall activities at the new Waynesboro Family Learning Center, they don’t.
“During our very first official season, we were able to connect with over 1,000 children and parents through our outreach events,” said Dr. Erica Vinson-Ondecko, early childhood coordinator for Waynesboro Area School District. “We are truly blessed to not only have the very best community partners, but also, the very best families.”
The center, launched as a base for creating strong relationships between the school district and its families, primarily those with preschoolers, is located in a former classroom at Waynesboro Area Senior High School that was updated with a renovated kitchenette and tables and chairs.
Dedicated to hosting parent workshops, teacher trainings, community meetings and events and more, the project was funded with a bequest from the estate of the late Robert Fries and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Waynesboro and grants and support from other partners. The center is not an additional expense for the school district, according to Vinson-Ondecko.
Parents are made aware of upcoming events through fliers distributed by area preschools and Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library. More information also is available on Facebook and the school district’s website
“We had a whole range of activities during our inaugural fall,” Vinson-Ondecko added.
“One of my favorite events is the story walks through Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library that are held in downtown Waynesboro with various activities at the businesses. The next one, ‘Alien Takeover,’ is at 10 a.m Saturday, March 10. Students will write stories based on prompts that will be illustrated by local artist Seth Holmes and then displayed in the storefronts.”
Tara Grajeda, nutrition education adviser at Penn State Extension, hosted cooking classes, “Healthy Eating on a Budget” that was open to all qualified families in Waynesboro. “She would bring her own cooktop, all the ingredients, offer a presentation about healthy cooking habits and then do a cooking demonstration, and we all got to sample things like fruit smoothies and stir fried vegies,” said Vinson-Ondecko. “The families who participated and completed the coursework got giveaways, through a grant, like air fryers and utensil sets. It was fantastic.”
Another series, a toilet training workshop, was hosted at the center by the Lincoln Intermediate Unit preschool staff. “It was packed,” noted Vinson-Ondecko.
“We also had a workshop about communication, a great one about ways to find community resources in the area for families with young children.
“We had playgroups for the first time in the center, for kids ages 2 to 4, with activities for them each week, and the parents were able to chat and socialize. It was so much fun,” she added.
Members of the high school football team visited for story time and during homecoming week, participated in a sign-making event hosted by the center that was open to any pre-schooler in the district. “It was a good way for high school kids to give back, as well as the pre-schoolers, who were invited to the game and show their support with their signs,” added Vinson-Ondecko, who is the kicking coach for the varsity.
“We have a series open to parents with children up to first grade and hold one-on-one sessions regarding emotional, social, academic and developmental concerns. We sit with them one-on-one for an hour and talk through how we can help, and strategies to use to empower them to tackle big issues.”
The Early Learning Resource Center hosted a conference with a primary focus on improving student behavior for all preschool teachers and directors in the Waynesboro district and surrounding counties.
“We also had an early Head Start open house to try to recruit more families for the free home visit program – parenting coaches visit the household of qualified families and offer tips on ways to work with their kids.
“We’re making so much positive progress – this is only possible because of our incredible partners – the only way we are able to do our programming is through all this teamwork. We are in the planning stages for spring and can’t wait to see what terrific activities we can offer our families.”
