November 20, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 15 Babysitting course beats out the mall for teens’ time Thirty Waldwick teens spent an afternoon during their teachers’ convention vacation not at the mall, but at the public library participating in a workshop on babysitting. The two-hour interactive session was part of Public Health Nurse Carol Shepard’s outreach effort to partner with other community groups, reach all levels of the popu- lation and do her job “outside the box.” “The evaluations we received back from the young people gave very thoughtful answers, which showed they were interested and paid attention. All the students but one thought the program had been worth their time,” Shepard said. “We, the presenters, thought it went terrific and was very worthwhile,” she added. Each participant received a certificate of completion upon turning in the anonymous evaluation form. Shepard, along with Det. Sgt. Douglas Moore, WALVAC Capt. Tammi Moses and Library Director Lori- Ann Quinn shared information and personal experiences, offered tips and advice, and asked the teens questions to elicit their concerns and the pitfalls they themselves had encountered so as to make the information more mean- ingful. The format also allowed for individual interaction with the presenters during a break halfway through the session. The emphasis was on safety, for the sitters and for their charges. Staying focused on the children, getting proper Det. Sgt. Douglas Moore speaks to the group Traphagen School hosts fundraiser On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Barnes and Noble Bookstore at 765 Route 17 South in Paramus will sponsor a fundraiser to benefit Traphagen Elementary School. The store will donate a percentage of all books, CDs, DVDs, Starbucks, games, and gift items purchased by shoppers who mention the Traphagen School fundraiser. There will be a special story time at 3:30 p.m. that will feature Traphagen teachers reading their favorite books. At 7 p.m., there will be a musi- cal performance by Mr. Sileo and the fifth grade band. For details, e-mail traphagenpso@yahoo.com. instructions from the parents, having emergency contact list, not letting callers know they are alone, know about medications, have basic knowledge of first aid. “Pay attention to the children… Cell phones are a dis- traction. Use only in an emergency,” cautioned Moore, who also handed out a safety tips sheet. “Always think ahead to what they might do while you are watching them,” said Moses, who also gave tips on how to handle children with special needs and how to keep them occupied. Librarian Quinn addressed the parents of the sitters as well as those who hire sitters, cautioning them to provide very defined direction. Shepard also spoke about the task of actually getting a babysitting job: compiling a resume, seeking references on prospective employers, interviewing strategies, etc. She prepared a folder with practical information gathered from the internet and locally and told participants to read it carefully, keep it handy and add to it as appropriate. Shepard said she is looking for other partnering oppor- tunities within the community to offer programs for any age group. She said her one requirement is that the pro- gram be serious in nature. Contact her at (201) 444-3914.