The Newsleaders
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • News Tips
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
The Newsleaders
No Result
View All Result

PineCone Pet Hospital MillerCarlin Serving all of central Minnesota locations!

Albany: 320-845-2035
Holdingford: 320-746-9994
St. Cloud: 320-252-7004
Upsala: 320-573-6234
Toll-free: 1-800-644-4058
Collegeville Stearns Bank
Home Featured News

Do you love kids? the foster grandparents program wants you

August 10, 2018
in Featured News, Sartell – St. Stephen
0
Council wrestles with CUP for Lanigan Way property
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

by Mike Knaak

editor@thenewsleaders.com

When Sartell students return to class in a few weeks, they’ll find foster grandparents welcoming them back along with their classroom teachers.

Foster grandparents assist teachers and help with instruction but most importantly they form relationships with students.

Foster grandparent Penny Lundblad joined students at Oak Ridge Elementary School last January.

“I love the kids,” Lundblad said. “They really fulfill a day for me. I’m a widow and I was running out of things to do. They run up to me in the hall and give me a big hug. It brightens my day and I know I am helping the kids with math and reading.”

Four people are in the foster grandparents program at Sartell schools. Organizers would like to see more join the program.

The foster grandparents program started in 1965 to get seniors into schools to mentor students. Applicants must be at least 55 years old and they need to commit to at least 15 hours per week.

Sara Heurung supervises the program in Sartell for Catholic Charities. In the 16 counties served by Catholic Charities, there are 180 foster grandparents and she’d like to see more people join.

“I would recommend the program to anybody,” Lundblad said.

This will be Judy Groth’s fifth year at Pine Meadow Elementary School where she works with kindergartners.

“Every year I enjoy it a little bit better,” Groth said. “It filled the gap in my life after my husband died. I thoroughly enjoy it.”

Teacher Cris Drais described the variety of Groth’s contributions to the classroom.

“During math she can take two or three students and do an activity page if we’re doing something with partners,” Drais said. “Kids will bring books to her to read. We had a group that really liked to color during choice time. She got some coloring books with the really detailed images. They would chat away with her while they colored. They know she really cares about them.”

Foster grandparent Judi Heinen works with kindergartners at Pine Meadow.

“I’ve always been interested in reading,” Heinen said. “It’s such a thrill to see where they start and where they are at the end of the year. Seeing how they thrive and grow throughout the year is unbelievable.”

People interested in applying for the program can contact Heurung at 320-229-4589.

Heurung meets with applicants to discuss their strengths, what they want to do to help and where they want to work. Following a background check, new foster grandparents are assigned a school and a teacher. Orientation includes meeting others in the program, touring the school and shadowing another foster grandparent.

“The only skill you need is to be able to listen and have an open mind,” Heurung said.

Lundblad found “the teachers, paras and other people – everybody made me feel like one of them and made me feel very welcome.”

Oak Ridge’s social worker, Connie Conner, wishes she could have a foster grandparent in every kindergarten classroom.

“I love to see what’s happening with the kids, the teachers and foster grandparents,” Conner said. “You don’t need to know how to teach. You just have to love kids.”

Previous Post

BankVista Rock ‘n’ Block concert attracts 1,500

Next Post

St. Stephen National Night Out goes wild

Next Post
St. Stephen National Night Out goes wild

St. Stephen National Night Out goes wild

Please login to join discussion

The Newsleaders Ad CMCU

Go Fund Me # 1 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Elizabeth Brunsvold
Cultural Connections
Jim Berg & Mary Kruger
Mary & John Davis
Sandy Denne
Bobbi & David Gouker
James & marry Graeve
Juliana Howard
Julia Joplin
Linda Kmitch
M. Molus
Sheila Nahan
Go Fund Me # 2 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!

Peggy & Michael Roske
Judy Scheuerell
Geraldine Schwab
James Stotko
James Towler
Anna Trobec
Kaye Wenker
Ellen Wahlstrom
Leona Wieland
Jeanie Wilkens
GAGEN & VASUGI RAMANATHAN
Go Fund Me # 3 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Nicole Borg
Erica Karger-Gatzow
Dane & Lori Listug-Lunde
Nadine Martin
Doris Minnerath
Merry Mund
Marilyn Peitso
Stephen Schwanke
Dianne Tuff
Dale Zacher
Private Donors

Search

No Result
View All Result

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Wood sentenced for killing two children
  • A list of school superintendent finalists expected March 1
  • Sartell man injured in snowmobile crash
  • Sales-tax revenue for Sartell on the up and up
  • Counting on sheep to get through COVID

City Links

Sartell
St. Joseph
St. Stephen

School District Links

Sartell-St. Stephen school district
St. Cloud school district

Chamber Links

Sartell Chamber
St. Joseph Chamber

Community

Calendar

Citizen Spotlight

Criers

People

Notices

Funerals/Visitions

Obituary

Police Blotter

Public Notices

Support Groups

About Us

Contact Us

News Tips

Submissions

Advertise With Us

Print Advertising

Digital Advertising

Local Advertising Rates

National Advertising Rates

© 2021 Newleaders

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • News Tips
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising

© 2021 Newleaders

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In