Volume 13 Issue 3 October 2009

Agency Newsletter

Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity

Inside FOCUS

2 Director’s Desk Thanks Team JCCEO! 3 Staff Changes 4 Health Corner Ask Personnel 5 70 & 41: It’s in the

Numbers Pyramid is Here! 6 Stars Fell on Ala-

bama 7 Employee Spotlight “Going Green!” 8 Clubbing at Sam’s

“YES WE CAN...AND WE WILL!” Catch the phrase! “Yes we can…And we will!” That is JCCEO’s mantra for the future! Just ask any staff member who was present at the Fairfield Civic Center on the morning of Monday, August 10th.

T h e a u d i e n c e roared our new ‘catch phrase’ with energy and zest, incited by stirring opening remarks from JCCEO Board President Rev. T. L. Lewis at the August agency-wide staff meeting and by pre-siding Community Services Director Ted Debro. Just in time for the commencement

of the 2009-10 Head Start program year, all staff were invited to an agency-wide meeting. The business of the day included Ms. C’s elaboration about the State of the Agency and Child Develop-

ment Services updates, including HS-EHS expansion plans with funds provided via the

American Recovery and Reinvestment A c t o f 2 0 0 9 (Stimulus Plan). Mr. Debro’s up-date of Community Services programs included a power-point presentation,

f u l l y e x -

plaining JCCEO’s current and expanded services, including energy and home weatherization. Following an intriguing introduction from Ms. C, keynote speaker and new Director of Child Development Services Dr. C a l v i n E . Moore, Jr . challenged the audience to be their best...at this time, at this place of service [JCCEO], with this great

opportunity to serve — what must be and what is our destiny. The special treats did not begin or end with Dr. Moore! With raised, in-sync, soulful voices, the JCCEO Choir, led by pianist and Community Services Special Projects Manager Hollis Johnson (accompanied by special guest percussionist James Gill) caused unrestrained excitement, hand clapping, and foot stomping! In a word...FANTASTIC! (A very special thank you to little Miss JaMarria Hudson, daughter of HS Calloway Teacher Assis-tant and JCCEO Choir member J a sm ine McGaha, for her solo performance with the choir!) Renae Dismuke, Executive Secretary, distributed door prize tickets to de-lighted staff members who were first to correctly respond to JCCEO-related questions posed by Ms. C. Brenda Wright, Administrative Assis-tant, helped with the distribution of door prizes to staff winners. With a little humor, (Cont’d, Page 2)

UNLOCK YOUR

TREASURE CHEST OF

FREE TIME!

JCCEO staff enjoying the action

Rev. T. L. Lewis

JaMarria rocks!

Fascinated JCCEO audience

Outstanding JCCEO Choir awaits opportunity to deliver explosive performance!

Mr. Debro

Rev. Lewis & Ms. C: Leadership at its best!

Dr. Moore

Renae Dismuke (r) with lucky ticket

holder Venita Bishop, Data Ser-

vices Specialist

FOCUS is a bi-monthly newsletter produced for the staff, Board of Direc-tors, and friends of the Jefferson County Commit-tee for Economic Oppor-tunity.

CHIEF EDITOR: Viola (“Vie”) E. Mims

CONTRIBUTING EDI-TORS:

Administrative Divi-sion Geri Collins

Child Development Services Division Aisha Abdullah Sandra Abston Linda Ford Diane Gibson Cotelia Hill Patricia Linson Othessa Morris Earl Williams Linda Williams

Community Services Division Dorothy Crosby Lavaiter Law Executive Director Gayle Cunningham

From the Director’s Desk are joining our JCCEO family to help us to grow and meet additional needs, welcome, we are glad you are here, and we look for-ward to working with you to make a differ-ence. Yes We Can…And We Will! So listen out for news about new pro-grams, and let’s all roll up our sleeves, take our vitamins, and do our part to assure that in every way possible, JCCEO is helping this community to weather this economic storm. Yes We Can…And We Will! Thank you to all of you for all that you do here at JCCEO.

of some of our current services and the imple-mentation of new programs and services. Yes We Can…And We Will! Adding additional and new service offerings to our agency means a lot of work for every-one. For those working in currently function-ing programs, we are counting on you to con-tinue to provide the highest quality services to the children, parents, and other participants and clients that we serve each and every day. For those who are putting expanded and new programs in place, we need to move as quickly as possible to make these services available to those who need them. In many instances this means extra effort, and stretching. Please know how much your special contributions to our success are appreciated. To those who

THANKS TEAM JCCEO! Here we go...the biggest team losers! JCCEO Winter-09 Health Challenge winners:

JCCEO Spring-09 Health Challenge winners:

JCCEO Health Challenge will resume at the completion of the ADAPT health project (See Page 8).

Rainy Fall Greetings to My JCCEO Family,

Well, we saw these days coming…the recession is real and more and more of our fellow citizens are losing jobs and homes, having trouble paying bills, needing food and other essentials, and looking to us at JCCEO for help. We saw these days coming and took the time during the last few months to seek resources from the City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, ADECA, and the Federal government, mostly available through President Obama’s Ameri-can Recovery and Reinvestment Act. We are now gearing up to help more of those in need in Jefferson County through expansion

1st Place “Bringing Sexy Back”

(HS Fairmont) Cynthia Austin Estella McCray Lorna Belcher Othessa Morris Letitia Calhoun Yolanda Mosley Tylishia Carpenter Louise Sheffield Darleen Golden Katrina Williams

2nd Place Diva Dolls and Them

(HS Festival) Sonya Henry Melissa Kennedy Earl Williams Randal Smith Funta Pouncy Teneramie Hall Wanda Leech Harriet Freeman

Mildred Bearden

3rd Place Dream Team (HS Arrington)

Earnestine Adams Pat Linson Towana Berry Tara Boyd Dawn Hampton Norma Hill

Debra Menefee Sherrell Watkins

1st Place The Spectacular Six (???)

(HS Festival)

Mia Parnell Melinda Lewis Cherryl Watts Candace Howard Sandra Jackson Annette Barnes Ovetta Ivy Anancia Carrera

Agnes Carrs

2nd Place The Achievers (HS Calloway)

Adrienne Williams Keisha Watts Linda Ford Blanche Townsend

Isje Kemp-Jones Jasmine McGaha

3rd Place 4 Amazing Divas (HS Center Point)

Alesia Watson Gladys McNeal Donna Moor

Shawna Bufford

(“Yes We Can,” Cont’d from Page 1)

Associate Head Start Director Pat Schmidt delivered the results of the winter and spring health challenges. Winners were pre-sented with cash prizes and winning teams were photographed for the JCCEO archives.

Many, many thanks to Earl Williams, HS Fes-tival Center Manager, and John Cox, CSAP Counselor/Youth Pro-gram Manager, for beautifully blessing us, respectively, upon our assembly and departure.

(More on Page 3) Jasmine McGaha beams with pride as daughter JaMarria takes a bow.

Health/Mental Health Services

Coordinator Yoland Reese waves to the

cameraman.

Dot Crosby, Energy Services Coordinator,

has a happy face.

Is Ms. C a clapper? Yes, yes, yes she is!

Pat Duncan, Family Services Worker, belts out a song at

Fairfield Civic Center

Welcome aboard!

FOCUS welcomes the following new staff members to the JCCEO family:

Jackee Armstrong EHS Teacher

Wanda Bonham Teacher

Surlester Boykin Clerk Typist

Amy Bradley Education Specialist

Patricia Bryant Cook

Shaneal Fuller Teacher Aide

Cynthia Garner Education Specialist

Janee Jordan Teacher Aide

Dwinette Kirkland Bus Driver/Janitor

Lisa Moore Teacher

Amber Montgomery Family Services Worker

Robbie Parson Clerk Typist

Tanjaneke Sanders Cook

Selandra Spigner Teacher Aide

Theresa Stringer EHS Teacher

Brittany Thomas Teacher Aide

Tina Waites Teacher Assistant

Twanda Winfield EHS Teacher

Tavia Woods Teacher

Ervin Lanier Cook

Pamela Pierce Teacher Assistant

Bryce Oneal Teacher Aide

Andrea Hubbard Teacher Aide

Lakendria Williams Teacher Aide

Marjorie Hatcher Teacher

Elvira Valencia Teacher Aide

Tia Gates Teacher

Patricia Campbell Bus Driver/Janitor

Rickanne Parker Teacher Assistant

Kendrick Tubbs Teacher Assistant

Cheretta Wellman Teacher Aide

Melvin Robinson III Teacher Aide

Natalie Shields Teacher Assistant

Shonderrell Shepherd Teacher Aide

Pamela Givens Teacher

Darlena Battle CS Administrative Secretary

Willie Pace CS Info Technology Manager

Najee Owens CS Info Technology Assistant

Marvin Fletcher CS Housing Counselor

Darryl Johnson Adult Day Care Aide/Driver

STAFF PROMOTIONS Congratulations to:

Major Holmes Family Services Worker

Vonecia West Teacher

Napoleon Mason Adult Day Care Aide/Driver

Alan Minor CS Specialist

Volume 13 Issue 3 Page 3

(“Yes We Can,” Cont’d from Page 2) After the joint assembly, HS clusters, Community Services, and Headquarters staff journeyed to their respective locations for lunch and staff meetings.

Thanks to Ms. C, our visionary and our leader, who works untiringly to make JCCEO a working wonder! CAN WE?

“YES WE CAN... AND wE WILL!”

Q My teenage son was recently diag-nosed with diabetes. I am interested in chronic disease management for his condi-tion. Is there a program available for JCCEO employees and their dependents who participate in the agency’s group health plan?

A Yes. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s Disease Management program focuses on chronic conditions that are sometimes debilitating, but can be man-aged through early intervention and awareness of appropriate treatment and lifestyle changes. Disease Management conditions include diabetes, asthma, coro-nary artery disease, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As current participants in JCCEO’s group health plan, if you or your depend-ents have one of the above diagnoses and would like to enroll in BCBS’s Disease Management program, you can call 1-888-841-5741. For more information or to contact a Disease Management Coordinator, mem-bers can also visit www.bcbsal.com or email BCBS of Alabama at diseasemanage-ment@bcbsal.org.

(Info from “The Birmingham News” PARADE Magazine)

A significant amount of U.S. healthcare dollars are spent on individuals with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and gastro esophag-eal reflux disease (that causes persistent heartburn and indigestion). If you have been diagnosed with one of these common conditions, specific lifestyle changes can help you control and often improve your health:

Type 2 Diabetes • A weight loss of 10% can have a dra-

matic effect on blood-sugar and insulin levels. Include high fiber foods (beans, nuts, bran, and vegetables) in your daily diet. Avoid starchy carbohydrates, including bread, pasta, and sugary des-serts.

• Daily aerobic exercise enhances the muscles’ ability to soak up glucose from the bloodstream and improve your body’s responsiveness to insulin. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. (Check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.)

Heart Disease • Eat a vegetable-based diet and include

fish at least twice a week. • Increase fiber in your diet. Eat more

whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits.

• Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.

• Indulge in stress reducers such as yoga, meditation, and walking.

Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease • Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake. • Eat smaller meals, more often. Too

much food in the stomach increases pressure and aggravates reflux.

• Modest weight loss reduces pressure on the stomach and heartburn.

• Reduce your intake of fatty foods and chocolate.

NEWS FROM “NOOZE”

St. Joseph’s Senior Nutrition Center Newsletter Alma Green, Editor and Center Manager

Congratulations to our District Five Domino Champions: ROY PRICE and ANNIE DAVIES. Both competed in the local district domino competition at the Trussville Civic Center and have advanced to play in the October State of Alabama Championship, to be held in Florence, Alabama. (Roy Price has been a champion since 2002!) Our best to the best at the finals! A hearty St. Joseph’s welcome to seniors DOROTHY CAIN and EU-LALIA COOPER. We also extend a sincere welcome to INYANG INNO-CENT, our new and first Senior Aide! Congrats to LEONA JOHNSON PACE, St. Joseph’s September 2009 Highlight Senior of the Month and a regu-lar at St. Joseph’s!

St. Joseph’s seniors are thankful for: • Senior Recognition Day at Bethel

Baptist Church, Pratt City (Thank you Rev. T. L. Lewis, JCCEO Board President!);

• UniverSoul Circus experience; • Viva Medicare Plus presentation; • Life Care Hospice presentation; • Natalie, our nutritionist; • Janet Harper’s health tips; • Bingo Day; • Bible Trivia (Yea EVA WIL-

LIAMS!); • Grandparent’s Day September 13th; • Dr. David Roberson, podiatrist; • The season of autumn; and • Another day.

70 AND 41: GIFTS OF AGE AND SERVICE

Gifts that keep on giving…Geri Collins, Human Resources Man-ager and a 41-year JCCEO vet-eran, was celebrated at an after-noon bash in the JCCEO Head-quarters auditorium on September 10th, her 70th birthday! Geri Collins was blown away by the surprise presence of her closest

family members and friends and the sensational decora-tions that greeted her at the auditorium entrance (after a little tugging from Ted Debro, Community Services

Director and emcee for the af-fair). The auditorium’s jeweled-tone décor was “fit for a queen,” said Mildred Henry, Headquarters Receptionist. Guests entered the auditorium through a festive bal-loon arch. Twin balloon tiers

flanked the podium. Centered on each white-linen ta-bletop was a jeweled-colored gift box with an oversized bow. A huge arrangement of color-splashed flowers in a divine tubular vase formed the centerpiece of the skirted food tables. A similar arrangement in a beautiful globe-shaped vase adorned the gift table that held lovely gifts, including an edible fruit arrangement and a stuffed, assorted snack basket. Once Ms. Collins settled down, Mr. Debro traveled back in history, speaking of events that occurred 70 years ago and inventions that were yet to come. Family, friends, and coworkers followed with personal stories and tidbits about and af-fections for Ms. Collins. Jan Fuller, longtime friend of Ms. Collins and sister of the late Audrey Hendricks, Head Start Associate Direc-tor, gave the gift of song to the audience.

Ms. C shared a condensed story of Ms. Collins’ four decades of dedicated service at and her role in the success of JCCEO. Swiped out of the (Cont’d page 8, see ‘Collins’)

“Start with familiar material and build. In Pyramid this is very important for language development. It is also a very important tool to help children become in-dependent thinkers.” These were shared thoughts of Dr. Jef van Kuyk, developer of the Pyramid curriculum, during his visit (at HS Festival Center) to discuss the Pyramid Pilot Project at HS Fairmont Center on Thursday, July 23rd. Accompanied by Mr. Bert Ysveld, CEO of Cito USA (a division of Cito, the International Insti-

tute for educational measurement, at which Dr.Kuyk was project leader in 1979 and devel-oped observation and assessment instruments for young children), Dr. Kuyk was warmly re-ceived by Ms. C, Dr. Calvin Moore, Child Develop-

ment Services Director, and Dr. Ed Green, Pyra-mid Senior Early Learning & Professional Outreach Advisor from New Jersey. The Pyramid concept is a holistic approach to an early childhood education curriculum that bal-ances the initiative of the child with the initiative of the teacher, creating an environment and offering experiences that tap into children’s interests, knowledge, and motivation to learn. The Pyramid approach is widely used in the Netherlands, Dr. Kuyk’s native land, and has been adapted for use in Japan, Germany, Suriname, and Belgium. Thorough testing and research indicate that the Pyramid method is very effective in broadening the learning experiences of children. Dr. Kuyk’s dialog with HS Pyramid teachers, center manager, educa-tion staff, and others reflected his passion for and belief in the highly successful teaching method. He discussed the benefits of challenging instruction that frequently introduces novel ideas so children will begin to think at a higher level. Pyramid’s “welcome program” provides a comfortable, familiar envi-ronment for children. The program begins with daily emphasis, for the first two weeks of the program year, on establishing rules, practices and activities, early on giving teachers more autonomy and identifying their expectations, and helping the children understand structure and become more independent. “Focus on routines,” Dr. Kuyk explained. Ms. C expressed her satisfaction with the project and what it has to offer. “The Pyramid method is a huge leap towards what we want to happen in the classroom...it’s so important we know (Cont’d Page 6)

Volume 13 Issue 3 Page 5

Dr. Kuyk

Mr. Bert Ysveld

Ms. C & Dr. Green

DR. JEF van KUYK VISITS PYRAMID PILOT PROJECT AT HEAD START

FAIRMONT CENTER

HS Fairmont Pyramid teaching staff

(“Dr. Kuyk,” Cont’d from page 5) our children, and figure out how to connect every child to every piece of the cur-riculum.” Dr. Green was on hand to encourage dialog and questions from the audi-ence. After a video presenta-tion of the Pyramid curricu-lum, Dr. Moore wrapped up the session with closing remarks. “We must become stewards of the concept, really

engage in the p r o c e s s where there are opportuni-ties to use and u n d e r s t a n d the language. Pyramid helps us understand

why we are doing what we are doing, and breeds life into our practices.” HS Fairmont Center Manager Othessa Morris and staff are on task, busy incorporat-ing the Pyramid concept at the center. “We are in the process of creating our “storybook homes” and “home sweet homes,” fostering a nurturing and safe home environment in the classroom to help our children feel a sense of security during their transition from home to Head Start. Our classrooms are set up with comfortable, inviting features, including cur-tains, small sofas for our children to curl up and read, cozy rugs, and table mats.” Joining in the Pyramid dialog was Delyne Hicks of the YWCA Central Alabama; Joan Wright, Executive Director of Childcare Re-sources; and Kathi Wales, Child Development Program Coordinator at Jefferson State Com-munity College. Lots of thanks to Pat Linson, HS Administrative Secretary, for arranging breakfast and lunch.

HS Fairmont teachers & teacher aides listen for Pyramid pointers.

STARS FELL ON ALABAMA

In a burst of star power, the 2009 JCCEO Ambassadors performed the-atrical magic at the Carver and Alabama Theaters during July and at their Au-gust finale. Did you happen to witness the raw talent of 16 youth ages12-18 from Jefferson County and six production staff members as they brought the 2009 production Walk As One to life? If you missed any of the action and the vibes, if you missed the superb acting, singing, and dancing, if you missed the theatrical depiction of antisocial and prejudiced behavior, tolerance, and accep-

tance, then you missed a star-struck event. The JCCEO YES (Youth Em-powering Selves) Ambassadors did not disappoint any with their 2009 theatrical production, evidenced by a packed theater at each perform-ance and an audience of no less than 1700 at the Alabama Theater finale on the evening of August 5, 2009! This year, the story line fol-lowed a group of teenagers as they

struggled to effectively deal with a variety of complex relationships developed within their racially diverse school. While exploring the divisive effects of age-old social prejudices, the presentation delivered an ambiance of promise and renewal, refreshing entertainment, and a spirit of hope illustrated, as the story progressed, by the healthy outcomes of social acceptance. Regardless of age, race, gender, or economic status, all of us should Walk As One united human race! Special thanks to Hollis Johnson, Community Services Special Projects Manager and the JCCEO YES Ambassadors Coordinator, Ted Debro, Community Services Di-rector, and Ms. C for a star-quality and successful production! Enjoy pictures!

Grand finale wave: 2009 JCCEO YES Ambassadors

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT!

The JCCEO Head Start-Early Head Start Program 2008 Annual Report is now on our web site. Check it out at www.jcceo.org!

We said “YES!” to paper recycling at JCCEO Headquarters!

HS Fairmont teacher aide

Latorsha Gowdy talks about

Pyramid project.

Save our trees!

Reduce landfills!

Protect the environment!

Conserve energy!

Deposit your paper and paper products in a large American Recycling tote located the end of the hallway (near the restrooms on 1st and 2nd floors) or in the common area (near the handicap ramp exit) on the ground floor. ACCEPTABLE items: Most paper, including office paper, newspapers, hardback books, calen-dars, magazines, catalogs, phone books, construction paper, booklets, and paper towels. Paper clips and staples DO NOT have to be removed! UNACCEPTABLE items: ANY paper products that have touched food, cardboard, bulk stickers/labels and their backing.

Look for other JCCEO locations to “Go Green” soon!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Volume 13 Issue 3 Page 7

The Minor sisters are making major strides. The 2009 Honors Convocation at Miles College was held September 16, 2009. Two of our staff members, HS Calloway teachers and sisters, LA-WANDA MINOR and VERONICA MINOR, were both selected as honorees! Each sister student also shared an impressive cumulative grade point average of 3.79, earning each a spot on the Dean’s List! JCCEO is bursting with pride at their success and wishes them the best. CONGRATULATIONS!!

JCCEO OUTSHINES THE COMPETITION AT SAM’S CLUB

Diapers, baby wipes, janitorial supplies, vending snacks and soft drinks...all items purchased often and in bulk by JCCEO from Sam’s Club on Lakeshore Parkway. On Wednesday, August 12th, JCCEO’s patronage to the store was noted by the designation of JCCEO as the Lakeshore establishment’s “Business Member of the Month.” Marketing representatives Sangnetta Battle and Vickie Dillard (from left, front row) visited JCCEO Headquarters, bearing gifts of gratitude, including a $25 store gift card and several other nice goodies. Ms. Dillard also presented to Ms. C a “Business Member of the Month” certificate. A group photo of JCCEO staff directly involved with Sam’s Club purchases and transactions, including (from left )Dr. Moore, CDS Director; Yoland Reese, Health/Mental Health Coordinator; Ms. C; Pat Linson, HS Administrative Secretary; Cynthia Thomp-son, Finance Director; Brenda Tyson, Transportation Manager; Margaret Robinson, Transportation/Maintenance/Warehouse As-sistant; and Pat Hatcher, Accounting Clerk was visibly displayed on the wall of the Sam’s Club store during the remainder of Au-gust. Thanks to Yoland Reese for coordinating the presentation and photo-op.

Don’t Be Pressured! Lower your blood pressure and improve your diet with the UAB ADAPT (Altering Diets in All Populations to Treat Hyper-tension) program! It is here at JCCEO and going strong! JCCEO employee participants are delighted to engage in the UAB ADAPT program that will help them make healthier eating choices. Ongo-ing group sessions at several JCCEO sites include educational ex-ercise classes, brown-bag-it nutritional education classes, and healthy cooking demonstrations. Each class session will help par-ticipants identify and encourage them to make small, gradual changes that lead to healthy lifestyle habits. Go Team JCCEO!

(Collins, cont’d from page 5) personnel files, Ms. C surprised and shared with the audience a blown-up photo of a younger, svelte Ms. Collins as a new JCCEO employee. Ms. C then

presented to the guest of honor a Community Ac-tion Partnership plague and Com-munity Action Pioneer pin for her many years of devotion to

JCCEO and community action. Pleased with the show of love and appreciation, Ms. Collins humbly ex-pressed appreciation for the ultimate gifts of age and service, allowing her to be here, to be standing, to be of sound mind, and to be a willing servant. With soft music in the air, guest of honor and guests stepped up the c e l e b r a -t ion . . .en joy ing assorted finger

sandwiches, chips, nuts, mints, punch, birthday cake (Ms. Collins blew out the candles and made a wish, all captured in

photo), and the unfor-gettable fellowship.

Many, many thanks to Ms. C; Cynthia Thompson, Finance Director; Brenda Wright, Administrative Assistant; Renae Dismuke, Ex-ecutive Secretary; Alice Fagan, Nutrition Coor-dinator; Carla Hicks, Nutrition Assistant; W. Pearl Glass, Health/Mental Health Services Specialist; and Andre Smith, Headquarters Janitor. Special thanks to Gloria Ayers for her outstanding work on the deco-rations.

Mr. Debro has a light moment with Barbie Swift, Bilingual Family Services Worker and

her daughter Dorothy.

Ms. Collins with brother James Winfield

and dear friend Mary Shaw

Ms. Collins is all smiles with

surrogate son Daryl Perkins

Ms. Collins...then and now

Guest of honor, family, friends, balloons...all requirements met

for a great party.!

Friends Christine Mims and Willo Dean Davis

enjoy party fare.

Ms. Collins & Ms. C said “CHEESE!”

JCCEO’s Exercise Initiative is ongoing! Join us every Wednesday, 5:30 P.M. at the JCCEO Headquarters auditorium!