Greetings from Realityworks!

We hope all of your April showers turned into May flowers. We, of course, tiptoed through the tulips to bring you this important message . . .

• If you’re out of school for summer, why are you reading this?? Get thee to a sandy beach and we’ll talk about your Babies come autumn.
  
  
• If you’re wrapping up another school year here’s a quick to-do list: check out our technology grant news, poke around for some leftover end-of-year funds to beef up your Baby program for fall, refer to the tips for storing Babies over the summer, and don’t let the door hit you on the way out. We mean that in the nicest way.
  
  
• If you’re going nowhere . . . and we also mean that in the nicest way . . . sit a spell with us. Imagine we’re on the front porch in our rocking chairs, chatting over this newsletter, sipping sweet tea, the soft breeze on our faces and the world going by off in the distance. Ah, isn’t that nice?

In this issue:

• Technology grants beefed up by Obama Administration
• TimeMAPS Financial Literacy program headed to your town
• Storage options for RealCare Babies
• Important tips for storing Babies over the summer

Money! Here! Now!

Now that you’ve fallen off your rocker, here are some funding opportunities we are aware of that might help you purchase Realityworks products.

1. Technology State Grants/EETT
   New! The Obama Administration just released a significant amount of funding to Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) grants. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $650 million is going to Title II Part D—the part of NCLB that addresses technology.
   Available now through the 2010-11 school year.
   
   Contact your Instructional Technology Director for more information. To learn how Realityworks products align with these funds, please contact your Product Consultant today.
   
   
2. Perkins and leftover end-of-year funds.
   Now! Realityworks products align with Perkins funding because they are used for Career and Technical Education, provide career investigation and support for Family & Consumer Sciences, and help prevent dropouts. We can show you how.
   
   
3. Where’s the money at your school?
   Ask! Start with your supervisor or principal to see if there are any funds available. You may not know about grants and discretionary budget dollars, but they will. We can help you prove that our products are worth the investment.
   
   
4. Professional development funds.
   Get training. We can design a Baby package for you that includes training. Plus, you may now earn CEUs! Contact your Product Consultant today for more information.
   
   
5. School clubs and parent organizations.
   Advertise. Do parents and school clubs know how great these products are? Might they get on board if they did? Check with FCCLA, DECA, HOSA, PTO, PTA or booster clubs to see if they would help raise funds or “adopt” Babies for your classes.
   
   
6. Community Service Organizations.
   Be a guest speaker! Your local Optimists, Soroptimist, Exchange Clubs, Rotary, and Lions traditionally support educational programs for youth. Tell them about your important work using Baby. They may even offer you lunch!
   
   
7. Foundations.
   Find hometown benefactors. You may be eligible for financial support from local community foundations. Individuals interested in leaving a legacy often contribute significant dollars that could benefit your programs.
   
   
8. Insurance companies.
   Get a corporate donation. See if yours is required to make community donations for teen pregnancy prevention or other health/wellness programs.
    
9. Local businesses.
   Get sponsored. Banks, retailers, utility companies and more sponsor athletic and academic teams. Might they finance your program, too? Go Child Development Team!

Storage Options for RealCare Baby

How do your Babies feel about mobile homes? Whether it’s a small apartment, a condominium or a luxury suite, we can put your program on wheels! Is somebody humming “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer” out there??

With RealCare Baby II-plus and a 5-Baby Case or our Mobile Storage & Charging Carts, you can charge all of your Babies and program them all at once without taking them out of storage. Keep accessories and program materials under lock and key, too. Purchase these units individually or combine them with a Baby package for the greatest value.

Disclaimer: Sorry, Sammy Kershaw fans, carts and cases do not come with polyester curtains or redwood decks. They do come with a one-year limited warranty and two keys.

Product Support Tip: Say goodnight, Babies!
Important tips for storing your infant simulators over the summer

It’s that time of year when many of our customers put Baby away for a summer siesta. Here are some simple housekeeping tips before you give Baby a well-deserved rest.
What to do with batteries:

• For RealCare Baby II-plus—give Baby one final charge before storing. HOWEVER, be sure to unplug Baby from the charger. The best thing is for the rechargeable battery module to slowly drain until dead. Do not leave Baby plugged into the charger, and NEVER remove the battery module from Baby's back. Recharge Baby when you return.
  
  
• For RealCare Baby II—be sure to remove batteries before storing! Do not leave batteries installed in Baby over a long period of time. The batteries may leak and damage Baby's electronics. Have you checked out RealCare Baby II-plus? No batteries required! Hint, hint.
  
  
• For the RealCare Baby II handheld control unit—remove the batteries. Do not leave batteries installed over the summer.

Best practices for storing:

• Place Baby in a plastic bag; this will protect Baby’s vinyl.
• Lie Baby flat on its back in a box, car seat or other storage device.
• Never stack anything on top of Baby; it may distort the vinyl.
• Store Baby in a dry location.

Product Support hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Call 800.830.1416 or email productsupport@realityworks.com or refer to the list of Frequently Asked Questions.

On the road again...

Here’s a partial list of where we are headed next. Please come and visit us at these conferences, or call ahead to reserve some time with a Realityworks representative while we’re in your area.