The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides many sources of direct and indirect financial relief for low-income families. These payments and tax credits do not affect family income in determining eligibility for Head Start and Early Head Start programs or count towards adjusted gross income for tax filers. Encourage families to file 2020 taxes to receive available credits. (Source: Office of Head Start) Learn more about understanding and accessing available tax credits: EITCOutreach.orgFree tax preparation services may be available for eligible families at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in your area. Stimulus Checks Single adults earning up to $75,000 and head-of-household filers (e.g., single parents with children) earning up to $112,500 will receive a one-time payment of $1,400, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.Married couples earning up to $150,000 will receive a one-time payment of $2,800, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.This round of payments … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2021
Starfish blog: Small Tool to Face Big Feelings
Childhood is one big roller coaster of emotions. Beginning with toddler tantrums, kids experience highs, lows, and myriad confusing feelings in between. As adults, we are able to at least identify our emotions. For a child, it's bewildering especially when they don't have the words to express how they're feeling. That bewilderment can lead to frustration, making it hard for children to listen, pay attention, and learn. What can we do to help them navigate challenging big feelings? (Feeling Faces information adapted from National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Express yourself: Feeling Faces Important tip! The best time to talk about feelings with your children is when they are not in the midst of an emotionally-charged moment. Create a calm space and try this activity where you and your little ones can explore and practice the language and skills to express emotions. Use pictures (like the Feeling Faces here) to talk about, identify, and describe different … [Read more...]
Starfish blog: #ThankATeacher A Year of Extraordinary Educators
"Through all the challenges we’ve faced this year, educators and families have stuck together to show students a bright path forward. This Teacher Appreciation Week, communities across the country will come together to appreciate educators and the lengths they will go to ensure every student, no matter who they are or where they live, has the tools to learn, grow, and thrive."---National Education Association President Becky Pringle At Starfish, we have over 200 educators who each play a crucial role in the lives of the children we serve. They are rock stars! They strive to provide the highest of quality care to those they serve daily. Without a doubt, we have the most caring, generous, flexible, and creative teachers in our organization. Throughout the pandemic, they showed they were extraordinary! Center Leaders, Coaches, and Preschool Behavioral Health Therapists (PBHTs) work together at a center level to support our teaching staff. This allows them to successfully teach and … [Read more...]