With a young child at your side, you can talk about colors and shapes, explore the depths of the deep blue sea, or learn more about familiar places and things—all when sharing a book. When you as a parent, teacher, or just another caring adult read to children, you help them make connections between what they know and the world beyond, encouraging their creative and cognitive skills.
Did you know you can find free books for children in just about every community in Alaska? Take advantage of your public library! The library is a place where you can find quality books to read with your children—and at no cost. Besides checking out old favorites, borrowing from the library is a cost-effective way to try out new topics or authors with your children. And if you can't get to a library, click here, to learn more about borrowing kits by mail from the new Anchorage Public Library Ready to Read Resource Center.
I encourage you to visit your library during National Library Week, click here, April 13 - 19, 2008.
This year's honorary chair is Julie Andrews. Click here for a video in which she shares her thoughts about libraries.
Libraries across the country will be hosting events during this week. Why not check out what your local library has in store? Here are some activities planned for one Alaska community, Ketchikan, by the local library:
"Ketchikan Public Library has a 15-year tradition of inviting the 'people in your neighborhood' to read at the library and talk about their jobs for National Library Week during Storyhour at 10:30am. This year, on April 16th, we have police officer Natalie White (a young woman who grew up in our library!); on April 17th, veterinarian Nicole Deal (ditto for Nicole...back to town after getting her vet degree); and on April 18th, dentist Elmo Guerrero. All the readers wear their work outfit, bring props, and read books about their jobs. The kids love crawling through a squad car, playing with fire fighters' helmets, touching gardening tools, or having their blood pressure checked...really, whatever our 'neighbor' brings to show them is all good fun. Call 907.225.0370 with questions."
Visit a library during April, and happy reading!
Abbe Hensley
Executive Director
Governor Receives Early Learning Recommendations
A public engagement campaign, a standards-based rating and improvement system for child care and early learning programs, and increased funding are among the key recommendations issued to Gov. Sarah Palin in the wake of a statewide conference she convened on early learning.
The recommendations emerged from the two-day Governor's Summit on Early Learning, held in December 2007. The summit brought together business, civic, philanthropic, government and education leaders from all over Alaska to develop recommendations for Gov. Palin's early learning policy. The summit was funded in part by a grant from the National Governors Association.
"Alaska's children deserve to start school with the best possible opportunities for success," Gov. Palin said. "But this issue isn't only about doing right by children, better educated Alaskans will result in a stronger state and a stronger economy."
Research shows increasing evidence for three related tenets: (1) brain growth and development occurs at an astonishing pace in very young children; (2) nurturing and brain stimulation during those years has a profound impact on how children fare in school; and (3) a child's readiness for school is a powerful determinant of how he or she will fare in life. The goal of early learning and literacy programs is to ensure children enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
Economists and business leaders nationwide have been rallying support for more investments by government and the private sector into early learning. According to a large and growing body of research, investments in early learning produce tangible returns: a more productive and competitive workforce and a stronger economy. Children exposed to quality early learning opportunities are more likely to develop critical thinking skills, pay higher taxes and raise healthy families. They are less likely to go on welfare or be incarcerated.
The five top recommendations from the summit are:
Implement a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System, an organized method to assess, improve, and communicate the quality of early care and education programs;
Conduct a comprehensive public engagement campaign to raise public understanding and awareness of the critical role that early learning plays, not just in the life of the individual child, but in the state's economy, too;
Increase funding for Head Start to enable more low-income children to participate;
Raise the reimbursement rates for child care assistance; and
Extend the eligibility guidelines for child care assistance so more families can participate in the workforce.
The recommendations were presented to the Governor by Abbe Hensley, executive director of Best Beginnings, which coordinated the summit.
To see the rest of the recommendations, click here.
Are You Family Friendly?
Do you offer employees flexible hours in response to family needs? Are your policies and services conducive for balancing work and family? Do you offer child care, education plans or other innovative programs that assist families? If the answer is yes, get recognized! You are the perfect candidate for the United Way of Anchorage's Success By 6 Work Family Awards, which will be presented at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on May 12, 2008.
Deadline for nominations is March 28th.
Best Beginnings Goes to Juneau
At the invitation of Senator Bettye Davis, D-Anchorage, Best Beginnings made a presentation to the Senate Health, Education, and Social Services Committee on March 7, 2008. Best Beginnings staff Melinda Myers and Abbe Hensley updated the members on progress made since meeting with the committee during the 2007 legislative session. Best Beginnings received $150,000 in FY08 through the Department of Education and Early Development's Early Learning Programs as the State's contribution to this public-private partnership.
Committee members were briefed on the recently completed plan for Alaska's voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), an organized method of assessing, improving, and communicating the quality of early care and education programs. A two-year field test was discussed as the next step to getting this framework in place in the state.
Best Beginnings invited other partners with special expertise to participate in the presentation on other issues of concern. Sue Hull, a member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board and a Best Beginnings Early Learning Council member, spoke on the need to raise child care assistance rates for families. Mark Lackey, executive director of CCS Early Learning (Head Start), provided information about his program and Head Start programs around the state and the funding needed to ensure their viability. Finally, Carol Prentice, program manager of the System for Early Education Development (SEED), highlighted how investments in professional development have resulted in increased education levels of Head Start teachers in Alaska.
Senator Davis continues to be an enthusiastic advocate for young children in Alaska. Her support for the Best Beginnings public-private partnership and its goals demonstrates her strong commitment to the future economic vitality of Alaska.
Early Learning Program Benefits Children and Parents
CCS Early Learning is a community-based, nonprofit organization that has been delivering high quality early child development programs in Southcentral Alaska since 1971. The program initially served children in Chugiak/Eagle River, later expanding to the Mat-Su Valley. Using the Head Start model of early childhood education, CCS strives to provide young children and their families with a superior learning environment that is staffed by quality early childhood educators. Today, CCS Head Start program serves 240 children ages 3 - 5 years in Chugiak, Meadow Lakes, Wasilla and Palmer. The program is free to children from families who meet low-income criteria, to foster children, and to children with a diagnosed special need.
"We offer a comprehensive program that addresses the children, as well as their parents," says Mark Lackey, CCS Early Learning's executive director. "Roughly two-thirds of our time and financial resources are spent on the child. The remaining one-third is spent working with parents—helping them establish family goals, identify strengths and necessary services and supports."
Through family partnerships, parents have the opportunity to enhance their parenting skills, knowledge and understanding of the developmental needs of their children, to participate in medical, dental, nutrition, and mental health education programs, and to access family literacy services.
"The parent investment is critical," says Lackey. "We may see the child for one or two years, whereas the parents are there for the long-haul—at least another 15 years."
Head Start's primary goals are social competence and school readiness. The curriculum and activities cover eight key areas: language development, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, and physical health and development. Program hours are from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, and for the most part, holidays and breaks mirror the local school district's calendar.
Parents are encouraged to become involved in all aspects of Head Start program. They can observe their children in the classroom and help plan their learning experiences. Staff and parents, together with an on-site mental health consultant, identify and design interventions that promote children's mental wellness, provide assistance for children with atypical behaviors, and support parents' participation in any interventions.
For more on CCS Early Learning, visit www.ccsalaska.org or call 907-745-4040.
With a young child at your side, you can talk about colors and shapes, explore the depths of the deep blue sea, or learn more about familiar places and things—all when sharing a book. When you as a parent, teacher, or just another caring adult read to children, you help them make connections between what they know and the world beyond, encouraging their creative and cognitive skills.
A public engagement campaign, a standards-based rating and improvement system for child care and early learning programs, and increased funding are among the key recommendations issued to Gov. Sarah Palin in the wake of a statewide conference she convened on early learning.
At the invitation of Senator Bettye Davis, D-Anchorage, Best Beginnings made a presentation to the Senate Health, Education, and Social Services Committee on March 7, 2008. Best Beginnings staff Melinda Myers and Abbe Hensley updated the members on progress made since meeting with the committee during the 2007 legislative session. Best Beginnings received $150,000 in FY08 through the Department of Education and Early Development's Early Learning Programs as the State's contribution to this public-private partnership.
CCS Early Learning is a community-based, nonprofit organization that has been delivering high quality early child development programs in Southcentral Alaska since 1971. The program initially served children in Chugiak/Eagle River, later expanding to the Mat-Su Valley. Using the Head Start model of early childhood education, CCS strives to provide young children and their families with a superior learning environment that is staffed by quality early childhood educators. Today, CCS Head Start program serves 240 children ages 3 - 5 years in Chugiak, Meadow Lakes, Wasilla and Palmer. The program is free to children from families who meet low-income criteria, to foster children, and to children with a diagnosed special need.