COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch Intermediate School District this fall has begun the fourth year of its early childhood sleep education workshops for parents which stress the importance of sleep for a child’s good health and behavior and academic performance.
Jill Knaack is the Education and Professional Development Manager for the BISD’s Early Childhood program. Knaack spoke at yesterday’s meeting of the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Club. She said the BISD uses the Sweet Dreamzzz Parent Sleep Education Workshop, founded nearly 20 years ago in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Knaack told the Rotarians that nearly 400 children in Branch County are enrolled in BISD Early Childhood programs with 230 in Head Start, 50 in the GSRP pre-school programs and 65 in Early Head Start. Knaack said she’s excited to get out the word that if they can have everybody get a better night’s sleep, the world would be a much happier place.
According to Knaack, up to a dozen total workshops are held during the school year in Coldwater, Bronson, and Quincy with each workshop language specific for English, Spanish, and Arabic speaking parents.
Sweet Dreamzzz research includes a recommended 11-13 total nightly hours of sleep for 3-to-5 year old preschoolers.
