Brooker Memorial Blog

GERMS!

2012-02-22T10:55:00.002-05:00

On the door of our toddler classroom, this activity was written up for parents to read. It’s a great example of the creativity of our Brooker teachers and the important lessons we are teaching the students.

“Today we did an activity about germs. Miss Lynn put glitter on her hands and then shook hands with one friend. That friend shook hands with another friend, etc. all the way around the circle. The kids all saw they had “germs” (glitter) on their hands. We tried to wipe the germs off with a wipe and noticed they were not all gone. The kids enjoyed inspecting their hands with a magnifying glass to look for germs. We all washed our hands with soap and water and all of the germs were gone!"

This activity was conducted by Toddler Teachers: Miss Lynn, Miss Jenn, Miss Danielle, and Miss Michelle.

United Way Speaker Inspires

2012-01-27T16:18:00.000-05:00

The United Way of Northwest CT held its 13th annual meeting on Jan. 25. The luncheon guest speaker was Robert Egger, non-profit advocate and founder of the D.C. Central Kitchen. His remarks urged non-profit orginazations to always strive to go beyond service toward empowerment. He cited his goal early on in Washington DC was not just to feed the hungry people in line for food but to reduce the size of the line. Mr. Egger also spoke about the new look of philanthropy among generation Z. One way young people will engage in philanthropy is by HOW they spend their money. Companies that practice social responsibility and community service will be rewarded with market share: a new dynamic is emerging and there is great opportunity for non profits to respond with creative partnerships and ideas. I was inspired and I'm going to pick up Mr. Egger's book "Begging for Change." It was a great luncheon. Thanks United Way for bringing Mr. Egger to Torrington.

Giving Thanks

2011-12-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

We re-introduced an old tradition at our Early Learning Center. Our child care staff prepared a traditional thanksgiving feast and all the children, staff, several parents and board members enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Thanks Jessica and Kim for all the cooking - it was delicious!

Our energetic and sweet toddlers celebrated Thanksgiving by telling us what they are thankful for:

Alex: turkey
Aubrey: dogs
Sammy: dogs
Madalyn: pa and nanna
Juliana: turkeys
Arihanna: me
Mariah: dogs
Jamie: books
Madden: books
Logan C: mommy and daddy

Mission of Mercy

2011-05-06T11:02:00.000-04:00

Great Job! to Brooker Dental Staffers Dr. Rabat, RDH Glenna and RDH Leigh who volunteered at the Mission of Mercy in Waterbury on April 16 and 17. This annual event provides free dental care for adults and children. More than 2,000 people received care from hundreds of volunteers.

Fire Safety

2011-05-06T10:48:00.000-04:00

All Brooker staff attended an inservice about fire safety and use of fire extinguishers. It was a great presentation by Training Officer Hepburn from the Torrington Fire Department. Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? If you do, and it's in the kitchen, be sure it's in a spot where you could reach it in the event of a stove fire.

The children in our child care center also had a visit from the Drakeville Volunteer Fire Department, coordinated by the Harmon Family. Thanks Harmons!

The beans have sprouted!

2011-04-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

The beans hanging in plastic bags on the window in Miss Jessica's pre-school classroom are sprouting! Emma's bag of beans is leading the growth contest. She has one with a two inch sprout. Wow! The kids learned today that these sprouts are real "bean sprouts" that you can eat! I hope spring gets here soon so we can plant them outdoors!

We'll be at the home/business expo this weekend

2011-04-05T11:20:00.000-04:00

Stop by our booth at the home and business expo this weekend (April 9-10) at the Armory in Torrington. We are at booth #31.

Recycle

2011-03-30T13:13:00.001-04:00

The pre-schoolers in Miss Cath's class have been learning about the earth and recycling. They now have recycling bins in the hallway. The children are very serious and they are recycling their plastic cups, papers and much more. They have reduced their daily trash by 50% - to 1/2 of the trash pail in their classroom! Great job!

Bean Stalks!

2011-03-30T13:09:00.001-04:00

The preschoolers are celebrating fairy tales this week. Miss Jessica's classroom wrapped beans in damp papertowels, placed them in plastic zip lock bags and taped them to the door where they'll get lots of sun. The children tell me the beans will sprout and then they will plant them in the Brooker garden and grow bean stalks, just like Jack and The Bean Stalk! I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Dora the Explorer

2011-03-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

Dora the Explorer made her debut last night at a family health literacy program in Torrington. Dora, the puppet, along with the toothfairy and a dental hygienist, also puppets, entertained chidlren and parents while providing education about good oral health habits and what to expect at a dental visit. Brooker dental hygienists Leigh and Sharon created the puppet show. The reviews were rave!

Dreams for the World...

2011-01-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

Our pre-school aged "dreamers" learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and thought about their dreams for the world. Here are a few:

Jazlyn's dream: That everyone has dinner;

Josh's dream: For everybody to be friends;

Jayden's dream: For everybody to love their moms and dads;

Davion's dream: For everybody to be able to fly;

Bogi's dream: For all the people in the world to have enough food.

"better than the tooth fairy"

2010-12-23T14:14:00.002-05:00

One of our dental patients told her dental hygienist, "I like you better than the tooth fairy!" Now that's saying something!

Bake Sale a Huge Success

2010-12-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

The Child Care Center Parent Committee held a holiday bake sale today to raise money toward the purchase of a bounce house for the center. Staff and families baked a variety of treats. Brooker board members, community friends, staff, dental families and child care families created a steady stream of customers. Thanks to all the parents who coordinated the event, especially Jamie Mankoski, who went above and beyond to make the sale a success. Thanks Jamie!

Wishes for the People of the World

2010-12-13T16:22:00.000-05:00

Rather than focus on their own Christmas wish list, Miss Tammy asked her kindergarten students what they wished for the world. Their responses are heart-warming and thoughtful.
Tessa wishes: "My wish is that poor people have homes."
Michael: "My wish is that all people have enough money."
Tyler: "My wish is that people have enough food and medicine."
Hollisa: "My wish is that all kindergartners have enough snack."
Gavin: "My wish is people have enough to eat."
Dylan: "My wish is for more trees in the rain forest so we can survive."
These young people attend Kindergarten at Forbes, Vogel-Wetmore, Southwest and Torringford Schools and come to Brooker for before or after school care. We're proud of their compassionate responses to the question. What do you wish for the people of the world this holiday season?

Chatty Cathy educates kids in local schools

2010-12-09T08:49:00.001-05:00

Our dental center went on the road this week with our dental education puppet show. Students at East School in Torrington and North Canaan Elementary School met Chatty Cathy and her friends Miss Sharon and Miss Leigh. They learned that a visit with the dental hygienist isn't scary, but fun! They saw Chatty Cathy have her teeth brushed with a Ticklebrush and they saw how Mr. Thirsty works. There were lots of laughs from the kids. All students will have the opportunity to have a free dental exam, cleaning and fluoride application when Brooker Memorial comes to their school in January.

Brooker Children honor vets

2010-11-11T14:25:00.003-05:00

Several of our child care classrooms took a walking field trip today to participate in the Veteran's Day Ceremony at Coe Park. Brooker Memorial salutes and thanks all veterans.