The Family Fair Planning Committee, Caroline County Public Schools’ Parent Resource Center, and the Special Education Advisory Committee are sponsoring the 11th Annual Family Fair on Saturday, March 14, at Caroline Middle School from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Family Fair is a collaborative effort. The Family Fair Planning Committee consists of: Susan Gayle and Jessie Rollins, CCPS-Parent Resource Center; Cathy Gregory, Lynn Miller, Margarite Jeffer, Billie Teague, CCPS staff; Marcia Fisher, Special Education Advisory Committee; LaWanda Pegi Wright, Virginia Cooperative Extension; Sara Branner, Barb Dickenson, Smart Beginnings; and Brandie Williams, Rappahannock Area Community Services Board.
This is a free event with free lunch, door prizes, and free child supervision for those who participate. Family Fair is financially supported by vendor fees, sponsorships, and grants.
Lunch is cooked on the grill onsite by Preston McLain and Bill Green.
Ten years ago the program started out with only three classes and about 30 participants. This year the committee will offer 21 different sessions on a variety of topics.
Parent Involvement is the foremost purpose of this event, as families and schools form the perfect partnership for student success.
The goal of this event is to provide information and resources concerning families (infants, youth, teens, & senior citizens), people with special needs, and professionals. Some benefits to attendees of Family Fair include: health and child developmental screenings, GED screenings, and childcare provider training. Child supervision is provided with the assistance of Countryside Daycare and Teen Volunteers. More than 45 vendors promote the services available in our community and surrounding areas. These vendors also provide door prizes.
Entire families can attend with their children and participate in a variety of sessions, such as: Couponing 101, Dad’s Playbook, College & Career Readiness, Healthy Relationships, Understanding Medicare, American Sign Language, Budgeting Needs vs. Wants, Parenting with Success, a variety of sessions for Educators and Child Care Providers, and much more. School staff can also earn re-certification/professional development points by participating in Family Fair.
Participants have an opportunity to attend three of the 21 informational sessions worry-free while their children have a separate schedule of fun activities. Some of the activities for the children include: Rappahannock Area Kids on the Block Puppets and Loopiethotamus book reading by local author, Ayana Sala Baugh.
Student volunteers are the backbone of the Family Fair’s success. Over 60 student volunteers from various service organizations from the middle and high school will attend a special training session on March 4 to learn what to expect at Family Fair and how to work with children of different ages, abilities, and temperaments. The planning committee has had consistent participation from the JROTC, BETA, DIVAS, FCCLA, James Farmer Scholars, and Honor Society over the years and values all of their help. They also welcome students who are not connected to a service organization but wish to volunteer for community service hours. Students who participate with Family Fair will be invited to a lunch reception at the Middle School and High School in April as a “thank you.”
For the third year, Family Fair wants to give back to the community. Everyone who attends is asked to support the local Caroline County Food Pantry by bringing canned or boxed food items to Family Fair. Participants will receive a door prize ticket for food donations.
To register online, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/FamilyFair2015-Registration or call (804) 633-7083, or you may email sgayle@ccps.us.
Information is also available at: http://prc.blogs.ccps.us/
Pre-registration for the 11th Annual Family Fair is preferred but not required.
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