January 2021
2021 Redding Rancheria Head Start & Child Care – New Playground Redding Rancheria
In May 2020 the Tribal Council approved use of funds from CCDF (Child Care Development Fund) for the Redding Rancheria Head Start and Child Care playground renovation. The concept behind the design was to create a universal play space for all students that meets the safety and accessibility standards of an Early Childhood Education Center. With input from council, staff and community members as well as the design team of Park Planet, a local organization, we are proud to present a beautiful, enriching, cultural outdoor classroom. The Redding Rancheria Cultural Department was helpful in providing input to incorporate culture, history and traditions into the playground design. Outdoor play offers so much more than just physical benefits. It allows children to get fresh air and explore the natural world in a hands-on way. The positive impact of nature is important to the mental and physical development of children. We also believe that helping children develop an appreciation for nature is one of the greatest benefits of having an outdoor classroom. This space provides our teachers with the opportunity to conduct classes and hold learning exercises outside, as well as encourage creative play. The playground includes a diverse mix of equipment such as a traditional Wintu Bark House, a traditional Arbor with a foot drum, sensory exploration in our “riverbed” sandbox, a beautiful new storage area, a covered outdoor kitchen, a garden area, bike path, a nature inspired play structure, climbing features, water play, instruments and an art area. This playground is an incredible asset to our Early Childhood Education Programs and the Redding Rancheria Tribe. This renovation supports our efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. The new playground will continue to support social distancing and open air spaces, giving us potential to facilitate compliance with health and safety standards in response to COVID-19. Additional health and safety elements have been added and include an outdoor handwashing station, covered areas for more shade and water features for cooling. Activities to support mental health include musical instruments such as drumming. Drumming and percussion experiences also help children with special needs in the areas of motor strength and control, speech and communication, social skills, emotional expression, and cognition. Our playground will improve the quality of the educational services, child safety, social-emotional development, kindergarten readiness, program goals and promote Native American culture. We can’t wait for you all to come play! -Sara Zapata: Head Start & Child Care Program Manager
Congratulations 2020
Value winners
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Employee of the Month The Redding Rancheria would like to congratulate, Sean Lemon, Computer Technician Supervisor…as the December 2020 Employee of the Month. Sean Lemon received this award for the following reasons: • He brings positive energy and greets everyone with a big smile at work!
Sean Lemon
December 2020
• He is always willing to learn new technologies, works hard to resolve the help desk tickets in shortest time possible and he usually solves the most tickets in day!
Congratulations Sean Lemon!!!
• He has worked in various departments at Rancheria before joining the IT team. I.T was a big challenge for him in the beginning (he did not have much of an IT background compared to other team members), but in a very short time he blended in so well that it is hard to believe he ever had the least experience.
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PR SRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Redding, CA Permit #190
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www.redding-rancheria.com
REDDING RANCHERIA TRIBAL HEALTH SYSTEM Central Valley Healthcare
Redding Rancheria’s Central Valley Healthcare has been growing and expanding to meet the community needs in Shasta Lake City. We have added 500 new patients into our practice just in the month of January. Providing compassionate high quality healthcare when you need it the most. If you or your family are in need of a great family medical center, call us today to schedule an appointment, or just walk in to our urgent care 5 days a week where you never need an appointment.