(RICHMOND, Va.) -- The Rainbow Station at Boulders school, which offers extended day nursery school and preschool programming as well as educational programs for children ages infant to 14 years old, is hosting a block party next Saturday that is free and open to the public.
The "Rock the Boulders!" event is open to children up to age 14, who must be accompanied by an adult. The block party will start at 10:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. and will include the following activities:
Games including Balloon Toss, Rubber Duckies and a Hula Hoop Contest
Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest (for ages 6 and up)
Sack Races
Bike Parade where children can decorate their bikes and participate in the parade
Face Painting
Bowling
Craft table with organized activities
Bounce House
Refreshments
Booths run by the Chesterfield Fire Department and the Virginia Department of Health to provide information and answer questions that parents may have
Raffle to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. The prize is a week of free tuition for current families and those who register within 30 days of the event.
Open house for the on-site infirmary "The Get Well Place" along with a "Teddy Bear Clinic" where children can bring their favorite teddy bear or doll to the infirmary to get "treatment" of a band aid.
Tours of "The Village," the school based on freedom and choice where children attend curriculum-driven activities in the Apothecary, Arcade, Art Gallery, Café Rainbow, Club 5, Gymnasium, Theater, Toy Shoppe and the Village Green.
The Rainbow Station at Boulders school is located on a two-and-half acre campus at 7421 Boulder Springs Road in Richmond. The school provides year round educational programs including summer camps and before- and after-school programs with buses that transport the children to and from a total of 13 elementary and middle schools located throughout the Richmond and Chesterfield area. The hours of school operation are 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
A strong draw for parents is Rainbow Station's infirmary located in an architecturally separate building on the campus attended by a full-time pediatric nurse so that parents have emergency back-up care when their child is mildly ill. "The Get Well Place" has a dedicated HVAC system designed to prevent any cross contamination, and is additionally equipped with a room with reverse ventilation to further prevent the spread of respiratory illness within the infirmary. The infirmary is open to all children in the community regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in Rainbow Station.
Rainbow Station has received many accolades over its 20 year history. The Greater Richmond Better Business Bureau recognized Rainbow Station's marketplace integrity by awarding the Torch Award in 2006 - 2007, and, in a later competition, the International Better Business Bureau named it a top five finalist in 2008 for marketplace excellence. More recently, Rainbow Station was honored by being named to the Center for Companies That Care 2009 Honor Roll and by receiving the Richmond Human Resources Management Association (RHRMA)'s Employer All Star Award for Workplace Excellence for the second consecutive year.
About Rainbow Station
Rainbow Station is headquartered in Richmond with four schools in the Richmond area with additional locations throughout Virginia, North Carolina and Texas for an overall total of nine campuses. Rainbow Station serves children ages 0-14 with extended day programming. Additional programs include before and after school care and summer camps. The multi-acre campuses include the highly unique feature of providing "The Get Well Place," an infirmary attended full-time by a pediatric nurse. The infirmary is located in a separate building and is equipped with a reverse ventilation system for children with infectious conditions such as Chicken Pox or the flu. Academically, each campus offers a specially constructed "Village," a recreation program based on freedom and choice for the school aged child where they attend curriculum-driven activities in the Apothecary, Arcade, Art Gallery, Café Rainbow, Club 5, Gymnasium, Theater, Toy Shoppe and the Village Green. Additional information on the campus is available on its website, www.rainbowstation.org or by calling the school directly at 804-272-0641.
-Amy Bannon
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Rainbow Station Will Be the First Preschool to Incorporate Covey's 7 Habits of Happy Children
"We only get one chance to prepare our students for the future. What are we going to do with that one chance?" Dr. Stephen R. Covey, world-famous author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®
This April, I was thrilled to be a part of a Greater Richmond Chamber Inner City Visit to Raleigh, North Carolina. While there, the business leaders on the trip were blown away by one of our stops at a local elementary school. It was the highlight of our visit and everyone came back to Richmond ready to try to duplicate what we had seen. Because of this experience, I knew we had to not only prepare our children academically for their future educational endeavors, we needed to give our children the opportunity to develop essential life skills and characteristics needed for success in the 21st century. As a result, we are actively seeking to enhance our Rainbow Station curriculum based on this serendipitous visit. Our administrative team received leadership training in July with the idea that all of our faculty and staff will receive this same training starting in August and continuing throughout the fall semester. This training based on Stephen Covey's work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Sean Covey's work, The 7 Habits of Happy Children will enable our teachers to begin to develop leadership skills in our preschool and Village programs by integrating these skills into our core curriculum and everyday language. This is not “one more thing” teachers will have to do. This training will become a part of our culture, gaining momentum and producing improved results year after year, benefiting our preschool, our Village and our children by
Developing self esteem
Developing self confidence
Decreasing discipline referrals.
Developing character and leadership through existing core curriculum.
Improving academic achievement.
Providing leadership training and professional growth for our faculty and staff.
This April, I was thrilled to be a part of a Greater Richmond Chamber Inner City Visit to Raleigh, North Carolina. While there, the business leaders on the trip were blown away by one of our stops at a local elementary school. It was the highlight of our visit and everyone came back to Richmond ready to try to duplicate what we had seen. Because of this experience, I knew we had to not only prepare our children academically for their future educational endeavors, we needed to give our children the opportunity to develop essential life skills and characteristics needed for success in the 21st century. As a result, we are actively seeking to enhance our Rainbow Station curriculum based on this serendipitous visit. Our administrative team received leadership training in July with the idea that all of our faculty and staff will receive this same training starting in August and continuing throughout the fall semester. This training based on Stephen Covey's work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Sean Covey's work, The 7 Habits of Happy Children will enable our teachers to begin to develop leadership skills in our preschool and Village programs by integrating these skills into our core curriculum and everyday language. This is not “one more thing” teachers will have to do. This training will become a part of our culture, gaining momentum and producing improved results year after year, benefiting our preschool, our Village and our children by
Developing self esteem
Developing self confidence
Decreasing discipline referrals.
Developing character and leadership through existing core curriculum.
Improving academic achievement.
Providing leadership training and professional growth for our faculty and staff.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
In Memory of Latia Winchester
Our Rainbow Station family in Charlotte is dealing with a great loss. One of our Charlotte teachers was killed in a car accident last night by a drunk driver. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this time.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Just for FUN Teambuilding Activities
Get in Order
Organize into 2 teams. Teams must be even. First team to finish claps their hands when they are done. You will be given 30 seconds to brainstorm and then you will start.
1. Order yourselves alphabetically by first name.
2. Order yourselves alphabetically according to the city you were born in.
3. Order yourselves by age; you cannot talk
4. Order yourselves by height; you must keep your eyes closed
5. Order yourselves by the amount of years you have been teaching or have taught. If you are currently a teacher you may not talk. If you are currently a director you may not open your eyes.
Up in the Air
Facilitator throws 4 different colored balloons in the air and the goal for the group is to keep them up in the air. Facilitator then adds more balloons of the same 4 colors into the mix. They must remain in the air as well. Facilitator can add as many balloons as there are people. After a few minutes of “up in the air” time the group will be directed to sort into different groups at given times. Examples: sort by color, if the balloons are different sizes, sort by size, etc.
Organize into 2 teams. Teams must be even. First team to finish claps their hands when they are done. You will be given 30 seconds to brainstorm and then you will start.
1. Order yourselves alphabetically by first name.
2. Order yourselves alphabetically according to the city you were born in.
3. Order yourselves by age; you cannot talk
4. Order yourselves by height; you must keep your eyes closed
5. Order yourselves by the amount of years you have been teaching or have taught. If you are currently a teacher you may not talk. If you are currently a director you may not open your eyes.
Up in the Air
Facilitator throws 4 different colored balloons in the air and the goal for the group is to keep them up in the air. Facilitator then adds more balloons of the same 4 colors into the mix. They must remain in the air as well. Facilitator can add as many balloons as there are people. After a few minutes of “up in the air” time the group will be directed to sort into different groups at given times. Examples: sort by color, if the balloons are different sizes, sort by size, etc.
Dealing with Change Activity
What’s That?
One person in each team starts by drawing a shape or outline.
The drawing is then passed to the next team member who must add to the drawing.
And so on.
Time spent by each person in turn on the drawing is limited to 5 seconds. (The facilitator can shout 'change' when appropriate.)
No discussion is permitted during the drawing, nor any agreement before the drawing of what the team will draw.
The drawing must be completed in one minute.
Optional review (short version of exercise), for example:
• Did the team draw anything recognizable?
• How easy was the understanding between team members?
• How did team members work differently on this task?
• What was the effect of time pressure?
• Was there a natural tendency to draw supportively and harmoniously, or were there more conflicting ideas?
Continue without the above review for a longer activity, involving scoring and a winning team:
After one minute of drawing each team must agree privately a description (maximum three words) of what they have drawn, and pass this to the facilitator, to be referred to later. Teams must identify their drawing with a team name.
The drawings are then passed around the group for each team to guess and write on the reverse of other team's drawings what they believe the drawing is or represents.
Teams are not permitted to look at the reverse of the drawings (at other descriptions guessed) until they have decided on a description.
Drawings are awarded two points for each exact correct description achieved, or a point for a partly correct description.
Teams are awarded two points for each correct description guessed, or a point for a partly correct description guessed.
(Drawings/teams can be scored by the teams themselves, which is much quicker than the facilitator doing the scoring.)
If you score the exercise, ensure teams are instructed to put their team name on their drawing, and alongside their guessed descriptions on the reverse of all other drawings.
Final review, examples:
• What factors enabled teams to produce recognizable drawings?
• What factors led to drawings being unrecognizable?
• Are 'drawing' skills especially helpful in this exercise, or are other capabilities more significant?
• What does this exercise demonstrate about mutual understanding and how to achieve it?
• What obstacles to understanding and teamwork does this activity illustrate?
Variations:
Teams can be told to agree what they are to draw at the beginning of the exercise.
Deduct ten points for teams drawing any of the following 'obvious' subjects: cat, house, car, man, woman, spacecraft, etc.
Award bonus points for teams drawing anything highly obscure and yet recognizable, especially if resulting from no prior discussion.
When the facilitator calls out 'team change', one person and the drawing must move to a different team, (which can be likened to certain changes that happen in real organizational work teams). It produces complete chaos of course.
One person in each team starts by drawing a shape or outline.
The drawing is then passed to the next team member who must add to the drawing.
And so on.
Time spent by each person in turn on the drawing is limited to 5 seconds. (The facilitator can shout 'change' when appropriate.)
No discussion is permitted during the drawing, nor any agreement before the drawing of what the team will draw.
The drawing must be completed in one minute.
Optional review (short version of exercise), for example:
• Did the team draw anything recognizable?
• How easy was the understanding between team members?
• How did team members work differently on this task?
• What was the effect of time pressure?
• Was there a natural tendency to draw supportively and harmoniously, or were there more conflicting ideas?
Continue without the above review for a longer activity, involving scoring and a winning team:
After one minute of drawing each team must agree privately a description (maximum three words) of what they have drawn, and pass this to the facilitator, to be referred to later. Teams must identify their drawing with a team name.
The drawings are then passed around the group for each team to guess and write on the reverse of other team's drawings what they believe the drawing is or represents.
Teams are not permitted to look at the reverse of the drawings (at other descriptions guessed) until they have decided on a description.
Drawings are awarded two points for each exact correct description achieved, or a point for a partly correct description.
Teams are awarded two points for each correct description guessed, or a point for a partly correct description guessed.
(Drawings/teams can be scored by the teams themselves, which is much quicker than the facilitator doing the scoring.)
If you score the exercise, ensure teams are instructed to put their team name on their drawing, and alongside their guessed descriptions on the reverse of all other drawings.
Final review, examples:
• What factors enabled teams to produce recognizable drawings?
• What factors led to drawings being unrecognizable?
• Are 'drawing' skills especially helpful in this exercise, or are other capabilities more significant?
• What does this exercise demonstrate about mutual understanding and how to achieve it?
• What obstacles to understanding and teamwork does this activity illustrate?
Variations:
Teams can be told to agree what they are to draw at the beginning of the exercise.
Deduct ten points for teams drawing any of the following 'obvious' subjects: cat, house, car, man, woman, spacecraft, etc.
Award bonus points for teams drawing anything highly obscure and yet recognizable, especially if resulting from no prior discussion.
When the facilitator calls out 'team change', one person and the drawing must move to a different team, (which can be likened to certain changes that happen in real organizational work teams). It produces complete chaos of course.
Problem Solving Activity
Juggling Act
Listen carefully to the actions you must perform when they are given. When the bell rings you must listen to the next action on the list. Perform the action until you are instructed to stop. You might find yourself having to perform the same action simultaneously with another action. Good luck!
If you are a teacher walk in place.
If you have to work with another teacher in the same classroom pat your neighbor’s back.
If you are an administrator sit in a chair.
If your job involves writing write messages in the air with your imaginary pen.
If you are a mother pretend like you’re rocking a baby.
If you are father sing a lullaby.
If you have to write lesson plans clap your hands continuously.
If you are currently employed stomp your feet.
If you are a student continuously point and laugh at a person that is currently employed.
If you love children put one hand in the air.
If you work more than 7 hours a day frown.
How can this be considered a customer service activity as well?
Listen carefully to the actions you must perform when they are given. When the bell rings you must listen to the next action on the list. Perform the action until you are instructed to stop. You might find yourself having to perform the same action simultaneously with another action. Good luck!
If you are a teacher walk in place.
If you have to work with another teacher in the same classroom pat your neighbor’s back.
If you are an administrator sit in a chair.
If your job involves writing write messages in the air with your imaginary pen.
If you are a mother pretend like you’re rocking a baby.
If you are father sing a lullaby.
If you have to write lesson plans clap your hands continuously.
If you are currently employed stomp your feet.
If you are a student continuously point and laugh at a person that is currently employed.
If you love children put one hand in the air.
If you work more than 7 hours a day frown.
How can this be considered a customer service activity as well?
Communication Activities
Communication Activities
Find your Mate- Participants are blindfolded and assigned an animal. The challenge is to use animal noises in order to meet up with other animals of same species. Releases energy. Loud, fun, chaotic, then gradually order and unity emerge.
Helium Stick -Deceptively simple but powerful exercise for learning how to work together and communicate in small to medium sized groups.
• Line up in two rows which face each other.
• Introduce the Helium Stick- a long, thin, lightweight rod.
• Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out.
• Lay the Helium Stick down on their fingers. Get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
• Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
• The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.
• Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted. Let the task begin....
• Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Helium Stick has a habit of mysteriously 'floating' up rather than coming down, causing much laughter. A bit of clever humoring can help - e.g., act surprised and ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering it! For added drama, jump up and pull it down!
• Participants may be confused initially about the paradoxical behavior of the Helium Stick.
• Some groups or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it not to be possible or that it is too hard.
• The facilitator can offer direct suggestions or suggest the group stops the task, discusses their strategy, and then has another go.
• Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast. In response, be particularly vigilant about fingers not touching the pole. Also make sure participants lower the pole all the way onto the ground. You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to each end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off during the exercise, otherwise it's a restart.
• Eventually the group needs to calm down, concentrate, and very slowly, patiently lower the Helium Stick - easier said than done.
How Does it Work?
• The stick does not contain helium. The secret (keep it to yourself) is that the collective upwards pressure created by everyone's fingers tends to be greater than the weight of the stick. As a result, the more a group tries, the more the stick tends to 'float' upwards.
Processing Ideas
• What was the initial reaction of the group?
• How well did the group cope with this challenge?
• What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
• What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
• What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the group?
• What roles did people play?
• What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?
• What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the Helium Stick?
Find your Mate- Participants are blindfolded and assigned an animal. The challenge is to use animal noises in order to meet up with other animals of same species. Releases energy. Loud, fun, chaotic, then gradually order and unity emerge.
Helium Stick -Deceptively simple but powerful exercise for learning how to work together and communicate in small to medium sized groups.
• Line up in two rows which face each other.
• Introduce the Helium Stick- a long, thin, lightweight rod.
• Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out.
• Lay the Helium Stick down on their fingers. Get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
• Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
• The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.
• Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted. Let the task begin....
• Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Helium Stick has a habit of mysteriously 'floating' up rather than coming down, causing much laughter. A bit of clever humoring can help - e.g., act surprised and ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering it! For added drama, jump up and pull it down!
• Participants may be confused initially about the paradoxical behavior of the Helium Stick.
• Some groups or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it not to be possible or that it is too hard.
• The facilitator can offer direct suggestions or suggest the group stops the task, discusses their strategy, and then has another go.
• Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast. In response, be particularly vigilant about fingers not touching the pole. Also make sure participants lower the pole all the way onto the ground. You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to each end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off during the exercise, otherwise it's a restart.
• Eventually the group needs to calm down, concentrate, and very slowly, patiently lower the Helium Stick - easier said than done.
How Does it Work?
• The stick does not contain helium. The secret (keep it to yourself) is that the collective upwards pressure created by everyone's fingers tends to be greater than the weight of the stick. As a result, the more a group tries, the more the stick tends to 'float' upwards.
Processing Ideas
• What was the initial reaction of the group?
• How well did the group cope with this challenge?
• What skills did it take to be successful as a group?
• What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?
• What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the group?
• What roles did people play?
• What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?
• What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the Helium Stick?
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