Families in Southcentral Alaska are receiving baby board books, thanks to a collaboration between The CIRI Foundation, Title Wave Books, and Best Beginnings. The CIRI Foundation (TCF) provided a grant for the approximately 1,500 books and Title Wave discounted the cost. The books are distributed to families through Southcentral Foundation’s Nutaqsiivik home visiting program. “Lots Read More
Blog
More than just the right thing to do
Most everybody agrees we should invest more resources in early learning because it’s the right thing to do for children. But, in this day and age, it’s difficult to change social, cultural, and political priorities simply on that principle alone. It’s not just right to make early learning a much higher and important priority in Read More
Yuut Elitnaurviat (Yuut)
A public-private nonprofit partnership in Bethel is raising capital funds for a project that would offer training toward certification in early childhood teaching and provide needed child care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Yuut Elitnaurviat (Yuut) is a nonprofit corporation that provides training and educational opportunities for the people of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region. Programs Read More
Preschool Pilot Grants
Six school districts in urban and rural communities will start pilot preschool programs with grants announced recently by the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED). Earlier this year, the state legislature appropriated $2 million to fund the Alaska Pilot Pre-Kindergarten Project. Alaska is one of only 12 states that don’t have state-sponsored preschool. Read More
Happy birthday to us!
September marks the third birthday for Best Beginnings. What a ride it’s been so far! The movement for early childhood is growing – nationally and locally. Here in Alaska, momentum is building, and Best Beginnings is proud to be both a leader and supporter. Social movements don’t happen overnight. At risk of overstatement, what we’re Read More
Activities and Advocacy
Legislators heard from Alaskans across the state through e-mails, phone calls, personal visits, and testimony at committee hearings, advocating for programs, services, and initiatives that support young children and their families. Why does it matter? Because they all contribute to achieving the Best Beginnings vision: All Alaska children begin school ready to succeed. There is Read More
Is your child ready?
In the fall, thousands of young Alaska children will begin kindergarten. What can parents do over the summer to help their children be ready for the new challenges of kindergarten? Will teaching children letters and numbers guarantee their success? You may be surprised at a kindergarten teacher’s five recommendations to parents. All Alaska children begin Read More
The time to speak up is now
With fewer than 30 days left in the first session of the 26th Legislature, we at Best Beginnings, along with our early childhood partners and supporters, are doing all we can to ensure programs, services, and initiatives that support young children and their families get a critical infusion of resources. “Early childhood development programs are Read More
A Promise of Things to Come
What a thrill we had at Best Beginnings recently. Representatives from 22 Alaska communities connected in Anchorage around the shared goal of making their communities better for young children and their families. This is a harbinger of what we hope to build long term: a connected, coordinated, statewide network of engaged early childhood advocates. What Read More
Early Learning gets Positive Attention
If anyone doubted that early learning is rising in the public and political consciousness, consider recent developments: President Obama’s choice for secretary of education; Governor Palin’s proposed budget for FY 2010; and recent grants for early literacy opportunities. Find out how Best Beginnings will capitalize on these opportunities and step up the pace in 2009. Read More
