Happy Spring!

We’re seeing robins and tulips and signs of a busy month ahead …
there’s no time for tip-toeing, Tiny Tim—we’ve got work to do!

This month we’ll mark National Child Abuse Prevention Month with a story about customers going above and beyond. We’re also introducing our Baby Bucks promotion, and a free trial of our new Business Education Simulations.

You may notice the Star has a shorter email format this month, with a quick article introduction and links to full articles. Tell us what you think!

Spring has sprung! Hop in and see what it’s all about …

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Do you remember the bumper sticker “Have you hugged your child today?” What better way to observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month than to teach people how to handle babies properly? We introduced the Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulator four years ago this month! Now we’ll introduce you to some extraordinary educators who are putting these simulators to good use.

Arkansas FACS makes major commitment to SBS prevention

The Arkansas Department of Career Education (ACE) recently purchased more than 200 Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulators from Realityworks for use in Child Care Guidance, Management and Services, Parenting, Child Development and in the child development unit of the comprehensive Family and Consumer Science class.

According to Suellen Ward, state FACS program manager, her first experience with the Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulator was “a real awakening and a scary experience.” She attended a training where participants were required to shake the simulator. As a teacher for 26 years, she had much experience teaching about child abuse and Shaken Baby Syndrome.

“This experience was so much more powerful than anything that I explained in the classroom,” Ward said, who immediately started thinking about how her state might be able to get the simulators into their classrooms. “Discussing the issue is important, but when a great visual such as this is available the impact will remain with the students forever.” 

The opportunity to act came shortly thereafter. Arkansas teachers achieved high proficiency scores in state competency testing, which entitled them to reserve Perkins funding. Ideas were circulated about how to best use the extra funds statewide. The simulator was seen as a significant contribution to FACS courses.

According to Marna Farris, public school program advisor for ACE, the state is committed to getting the right tools in the hands of all of its educators. Farris also knows how valuable hands-on experience can be for students. She says the SBS Simulator is a good fit for FACS teachers who are already covering child abuse prevention in their curriculum. Her attachment to a local children’s hospital convinced her that child abuse prevention is a critical need.

This is a case of highly skilled teachers with a passion for making a difference and state leadership that supports their efforts – what a powerful combination!

 “I truly feel that having the simulators will have an impact on students as they become future parents and caregivers,” Ward said.

You can view coverage of students in the Nettleton FACS Child Development class as they first experienced the simulator here. Congratulations, Arkansas, on providing innovative learning opportunities that could save lives!

Now! Save $$ when you purchase the Infant Health Trio with Storage Case!

You can deliver this lifesaving curriculum and save money, too. Talk to your Product Consultant about bundling these powerful demonstration tools with the portable, lightweight case. Stow away the infants, curriculum and other supplies in one convenient place. The case has wheels and a telescoping handle—ideal for teachers who are on the go or short on space!

Baby Bucks are coming!
Earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars to use on your order

Now is an excellent time to order! Have year-end funds to spend? We’re giving away Baby Bucks!

Baby Bucks is money you can use immediately. With a qualifying purchase, use your Baby Bucks to buy extra products. Need supplies? Pay for them with your FREE Baby Bucks!

Talk to your Product Consultant today to learn more about the Baby Bucks program. The more you spend, the more bucks you earn. But hurry, this promotion won’t last long!

Realityworks products adopted/approved by several states

You can find Realityworks products on the state list of adopted or approved curricula for the following states:

Alabama
Alabama Department of Education
Adopted: Various products for use in Career and Technical Education
Time frame: Beginning June 2010 until May 2016

• RealCare® Program and infant simulator and Basic Infant Care Curriculum may be used in grades 9-12 for early childhood, family and consumer sciences, parenting, and child development classes.
• Curricula and products for Shaken Baby Syndrome, Prenatal Drug Exposure, Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, and pregnancy simulation with the Pregnancy Profile® vest may be used in those subjects, as well as in Foundations of Health Sciences courses for grades 9-12.
• ySTART® tobacco prevention program and Prevent Pak addiction simulators are adopted for use in the Foundations of Health Sciences area only.

Idaho
Idaho Department of Education
Adopted: TimeMAPS financial literacy software and curriculum for use in Professional-Technical Education/Family Consumer Science for grades 9-12
Time frame: Through December 2015

• To meet graduation requirements and Idaho State Standards for a one-semester personal finance course to give students basic knowledge of economics and personal finance before entering college or the workforce.

Utah
State Recommended Instructional Materials Systems (RIMS) Book List
Adopted: Various products for Career and Technical Education areas of Family and Consumer Science and Health Sciences for grade levels 9-12
Time frame: Through June 30, 2014

• RealCare® Program has been approved for use in Child Care, Child Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, Introduction to Health Science, and Young Parents/Grads courses. 
• Curricula and products for Shaken Baby Syndrome, Prenatal Drug Exposure, Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, and pregnancy simulation program with the Pregnancy Profile® vest have been adopted for use in Family and Consumer Science classes and Health Sciences.

In these states, educators may use textbook funds and other state-specific sources of funding to purchase Realityworks products.

Approval in Texas
Texas State Board of Education
Approved: TimeMAPS financial literacy software and curriculum for use in any social studies course for grades 9-12

• To meet graduation requirements set by the State of Texas and to ensure students are meeting Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards.

Check out your state’s adoptions or approvals, and contact your Realityworks Product Consultant for more information.

New! Post-secondary lab packages with the Health Science Trio

Students preparing for careers in early childhood or health care can benefit greatly from hands-on lab experiences with Realityworks products.

In addition to convenient base packages, you can now get add-on packages to include the new infant models for teaching critical care skills: Infant Choking Manikin, Resusci® Baby CPR Manikin and Special Needs Infant.

Choose from the following packages and visit our web site for more information and product descriptions.

Early Childhood Simulations Lab Pack
Helps students prepare for careers such as Childcare Assistant, Nanny, Preschool Teacher, and Administrator of Childcare Program.

Infant Health Simulations Lab Pack
Helps students work on clinical skills for careers such as Home Health Aide, Pediatrician, Licensed Practical Nurse, and Public Health Nurse.

New! Business Education Simulations from Realityworks
For Business, Marketing, Career Exploration and Entrepreneurship

Give your students real, hands-on experience in making business decisions! The new Business Education Simulations consist of a suite of three online games that immerse students in running their own business. Business Education Simulations are a great way for students to apply the skills you’ve covered in class to real-life scenarios! Accompanied by helpful teacher guides and evaluations.

Business Education Simulations:

• are delivered via the Internet
• reinforce your existing curriculum
• help students practice critical business decisions
• provide unlimited simulation outcomes

Click here for details on The Business Game, The Entrepreneurship Game, and The Finance Game.

Realityworks may be coming to your area

Mark your calendars - our conference dates are below!

• Indiana Family and Consumer Sciences
  Indianapolis, IN
  April 21-22

• Maryland Business Education Association
  Ocean City, MD
  April 23-24

• Prevent Child Abuse Iowa
  Des Moines, IA
  May 3

• Wisconsin Correctional Education Association
  Elkhart, WI
  May 3

• Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention, and Parenting
  Brooklyn Center, MN
  May 6-7

• New Jersey Business Technology Education Association
  Jamesburg, NJ
  May 12

• Utah Family and Consumer Sciences
  Provo, UT
  June 16-17

• Mountain-Plaines Business Education Association
  Fort Collins, CO
  June 17-19

• South Carolina CTE Education and Business Summit
  Greenville, SC
  June 27-28