Brilliant Baby January Newsletter
Dear BB Community,
Happy New Year Brilliant Baby family! We are back and excited to start the year with you. This year we will be collaborating with OUSD to bring you school-readiness events. If your brilliant baby was born between September 2, 2018 and April 1, 2019, they are eligible for transitional kindergarten (TK). If your brilliant baby will be 5 years old by September 1, 2023, they may sign up for kindergarten. It is important that parents and caregivers apply by February 10th! The Brilliant Baby team will be here to support you along the way.
Program Highlights
This January, we are celebrating 1,380 babies in Oakland (including yours) who have opened a Brilliant Baby College Savings Account.
Community Connections happen every month on Zoom. You will have the opportunity to learn more about early childhood development, while also continuing to get tips from BB Financial Coaches. On January 12th, our partners at Tandem will lead a workshop called “Sharing Stories, Sharing Feelings” for our English and Cantonese communities. On January 19th, Tandem will lead the same workshop in Spanish. On January 26th, and 27th, join Brilliant Baby Financial Coaches for Community Connections meetings. If you have any questions about Community Connections, text “Help” to (510) 726-7809, and one of our team members will reach out to you.
School tip of the Month
As your child begins their educational journey, you will start to hear the term “school readiness.” School readiness means being prepared to start school, and parents and caregivers are ready to support their child’s learning. When people think of school readiness, they may think of skills like knowing the alphabet, writing their name and counting. However, school readiness is also about children being prepared to sit and concentrate for longer periods of time. It can include children displaying self-care skills like sharing an adult’s attention, being patient, using the restroom or even opening their own lunch box. These skills can be developed by parents talking about school expectations, bringing your child to the library for story-time, and by going on different outings. If you are interested in learning more about school readiness, we encourage you to click the button below.
MLK Day of Service
MLK Day is a national day of service where our community has the chance to come together to clean our town. On the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Oakland is celebrating by encouraging Oaklanders to make a difference! The City of Oakland will be hosting cleaning and greening events in your local neighborhood. You can make a pledge as an individual to keep Oakland clean or encourage your entire family to join you in helping our city. If you are interested in participating in an event with other people on January 16th, click the link below to register.
Elementary School Enrollment
Most Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) schools offer both Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten classes. If your child was born between September 2, 2018 and April 1, 2019, they are eligible for TK, which was specially designed to be a first year of kindergarten experience for four and five year-olds. Kindergarten is for 5 year old students. Both TK and kindergarten teachers work with young children with a focus on California Common Core standards. Students learn through whole class and small group instruction, as well as hand-on play and educational activities. Looking ahead to the next year, families will not have to re-enroll for kindergarten or first grade unless they would like to switch schools. To enroll your child in an Oakland Unified school, please click the link below.
Have you looked at the balance
of your Brilliant Baby CSA lately
at my529.org?
You should check your account periodically. If you move, you can change your address online to keep receiving the statements at your home. Additionally, getting in the habit of checking your account helps remind you that this account exists. Remember, when your baby graduates from high school, they will be able to use this money for college or trade school! If you have questions about how to log into your account, text “Help” to 510-726-7809, and one of our team members will get back to you very soon.
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