Anson County Partnership For Children

HELPING MAKE ANSON COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO BE A CHILD AND TO RAISE A CHILD.

THE NC PRE-K PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO ENHANCE SCHOOL READINESS FOR ELIGIBLE FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. THE NC PRE-K PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ARE BUILT ON THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL'S PREMISE THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL ACADEMICALLY IN SCHOOL, CHILDREN NEED TO BE PREPARED IN ALL FIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO CHILDREN'S OVERALL WELL-BEING AND SUCCESS IN READING AND MATH AS THEY ENTER SCHOOL: APPROACHES TO PLAY AND LEARNING, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATION, AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. THE NC PRE-K PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT A HIGH-QUALITY PRE-KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE IS PROVIDED FOR ELIGIBLE FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN IN EACH LOCAL NC PRE-K PROGRAM AND THAT, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, UNIFORMITY EXISTS ACROSS THE STATE. PROGRAMS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO MEET THE NC CHILD CARE RULES. NC'S PRE-K PROGRAM MEETS A NUMBER OF NATIONALLY ACCEPTED BENCHMARKS FOR MEASURING QUALITY EARLY LEARNING. THESE INCLUDE COMPREHENSIVE EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS; STAFF WHO ARE REQUIRED TO MEET EDUCATION/LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS; PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; 1:9 STAFF/CHILD RATIO; DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENS AND REFERRAL; EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM AND FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS; MONITORING AND NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS. ANSON COUNTY SERVED 118 CHILDREN. 100% OF THE PRE-K CLASSROOMS WERE 5 STARS.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM INVOLVED THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTED THE SAFE KIDS-ANSON COUNTY COALITION WORK. 139 CHILDREN'S FAMILY RECEIVED CAR SEATS AT ADISCOUNTED RATE AND WERE INSTALLED BY A NATIONALLY CERTIFIED CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN

CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION QUALITY IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF CHILD CARE CENTERS AND/OR HOMES IN ANSON COUNTY. SERVICES THAT PROVIDE USING SMART START DOLLARS IN THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE: (1) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF COACHING AND MODELING PROVIDED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS WORKING IN LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITIES SERVING CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OLD. THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITY WILL BE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING PARTICIPATING FACILITIES STAR LEVELS; PARTICIPATING FACILITIES STAR RATING EDUCATION AND PROGRAM STANDARD POINTS; ITERS/ECERS/FCCERS SCORES; (2) TRAINING FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS: TRAINING FOR DCDEE CREDIT HOURS PROVIDED ON CHILD CARE RELATED TOPICS AND COORDINATION OF CEU OPPORTUNITIES. MATERIALS, BASED ON NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN THE PRE ASSESSMENT USED FOR THIS ACTIVITY, MAY BE PROVIDED TO ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCALLY APPROVED POLICIES & PROCEDURES. THIS ACTIVITY MAY INCLUDE AN ANNUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRECIATION EVENT, ANNUAL WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD EVENTS, AND CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN EVENT. PROVIDERS MAY BE OFFERED TRAINING MATERIALS FOR COMPLETING TRAININGS AND RATING SCALES WHICH WILL BE DEMONSTRATED DURING THE TRAININGS AND INCENTIVES FOR COMPLETING INTENSIVE TRAININGS WHICH MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO TEACHEREAD AND THE SELF HELP BUSINESS COURSE. 107 PROVIDERS AT 17 CHILD CARE FACILITIES RECEIVED TA. 100% OF THE TRAINING PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER ACCORDING TO PRE-POST ASSESSMENTS.THEEARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCE CENTER OFFERS A VARITY OF MATERIALS TO SUPPORT CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN'S LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS ACTIVITY WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES AND MATERIALS SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, BOOKS, MANIPULATIVES, REFERENCE MATERIALS, CURRICULUM KITS, ETC. ITEMS FOR CHECKOUT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, EARLY INTERVENTIONISTS, ETC. GUIDANCE ON THE APPROPRIATE USE OF THE MATERIALS MAY BE PROVIDED. THIS ACTIVITY WILL ALSO SERVE AS A RESOURCE ROOM WITH ACCESS TO DIE CUTS, LAMINATING MACHINES, ETC. 1,247 PEOPLE UTILIZED THE ECRC.

FAMILY SUPPORT INCLUDES RAISING A READER AND DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY. A RAISING A READER (RAR) COMMUNITY COORDINATOR WILL IMPLEMENT RAISING A READER, A PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES IMPROVED LITERACY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DAILY SHARED READING BETWEEN CAREGIVERS AND THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN. THE RAR COORDINATOR WILL HOLD A BACHELORS DEGREE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OR RELATED HUMAN SERIVCE FIELD AND IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE RAR NATIONAL COORDINATOR TRAINING PRIOR TO INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION. COORDINATORS WILL HOST TWO TRAININGS FOR THE SITE IMPLEMENTERS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT. IDENTIFIED FAMILIES WILL BE LOANED A BOOK BAG CONTAINING HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CHILDREN'S BOOKS. THE BOOKS WILL BE EXCHANGE EACH WEEK. PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROJECT WILL BE INVITED TO PARTICPATE IN AT LEAST TWO PARENT WORKSHOPS WHERE THEY WILL BOOK SHARING SKILLS. AT LEAST ONE LIBRARY EVENT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR RAR PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL BE PROVIDED WITH LIBRARY INFORMATION, LIBRARY CARD APPLICATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY LITERCY RESOURCES. THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH MODEL FIDELITY AS DESCRIBLED ABOVE. CHILD CARE CENTERS, CHILD CARE HOMES, OR OTHER COMMUNITY SITES WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WILL BE TARGETED. 233 CHILDREN PARTICITPATED IN RAR AT 5 CHILD CARE SITES, WITH AN INCREASE OF 37% OF PARENTS REPORTING AN INCREASE OF READING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK. DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY IS A BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO BOOKS AND ENCOURAGE EARLY LITERACY EXPERIENCES IN HOUSEHOLDS. AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS ARE DELIVERD MONTHLY TO THE CHILD'S HOME WITH THEIR NAME ON THE MAILING LABEL, AT NO COST TO THE FAMILY. AN AVERAGE OF 800 CHILDREN EVERY MONTH RECEIVED BOOKS.