from the office of Dr. Paul G. Young, Executive Director

Visit our website at:  http://www.westafterschoolcenter.org/
This weekly update is distributed via email to the WASC Board of Directors & Staff, Volunteers, West School Staff, Parents, Afterschool Advocates,, Providers, and Community Leaders

West After School Center volunteers always step up to assist in numerous ways. Paige Weaver, a Chief Tarhe Elementary 2nd grader, experienced some serious health issues last year and needed an extra boost as she plans to re-enter school as a 3rd grader this fall. We thank Mary Kuttler and Julie Bibler for their summer tutoring sessions with Paige and we wish her good luck in school. Adam Bibler, home for a summer break from George Washington University, also lent a hand with a guitar and saxophone lesson and completely fascinated Paige.
Free Training Opportunity ...	Why Do They Do That? Understanding the School-Age Behavior and Guiding it Positively Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Time: 10 am – 12 pm West After School Center 620 Garfield Ave., Lancaster, OH 43130 Instructor: Katie Sandford, After School Specialist Register by: October 1, 2007 Free
Coming in September ...	An expanded partnership between the West After School Center and the Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Head Start. We will be starting our third year of partnership with Head Start offering space for the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) Class. Also, we will be offering space for morning and afternoon Head Start Classes, which previously had been a partnership when space was available at West School.			8:30 - 3:15 - ELI Class 8:00 - 11:30 - A.M. Head Start Class 12:00 - 3:30 - P.M. Head Start Class Students are in session Monday-Thursdays. Teachers complete management plans and home visits on Fridays. For information about programs for your child, call 653-4146 or call 653-5678 and ask for Jane Hart, Student & Family Coordinator.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 Whether you’re cooking a gourmet meal, ordering food from your favorite take-out place or eating on the go, rest assured that what your kids really want during dinnertime is YOU! Family meals are the perfect time to talk to your kids and to listen to what’s on their mind. The communication that occurs over the course of a meal is critical in building a relationship between you and your kids and it helps you understand the challenges they face. Research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)* at Columbia University consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. CASA created Family Day — A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™ in 2001, as a national movement that encourages parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and be involved in their children’s lives as simple, effective ways to reduce substance abuse among children and teens. Family Day is celebrated on the fourth Monday in September. Family Day is not just for families. It is a day for all to celebrate, including businesses, unions, religious organizations and community groups. The symbolic act of regular family meals should be promoted and celebrated inside and outside the home throughout the year. Regular family dinners aren’t the only way to help keep your kids substance free. Here are some other important things you can do:  Set a good example. Know your child’s whereabouts, activities and friends.  Set fair rules and hold your child to them. Maintain open lines of communication. Surround your child with positive role models. Learn the signs and symptoms of teen substance abuse and conditions that increase risk.
			Ohio's 21st Century Community Learning Center Advisory Team Members at a celebration event, August 15, 2007, at Ohio State University Kathy McWatters, Warren Fauver, Fannie Metcalf, Paul Young, Amy Gordon and Sue Ullman (pictured at left, from L to R)
Parents - don't forget to register for our childcare classes which start August 22.