Smart Start Of Pender County

THE ORGANIZATIONS PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE AND MISSION IS TO SUPPORT SERVICES THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY CHILD TO GROW INTO HIS OR HER POTENTIAL AS A PERSON.

CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL (3104):CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL (CCR&R) IS AN ACTIVITY ALIGNED WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA CCR&R SYSTEM AND WILL PARTICIPATE WITH, AND REPORT DATA TO, THE DESIGNATED CCR&R REGION. SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED 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 START-UP, LICENSED AND/OR G.S. 110 CHILD CARE FACILITIES SERVING CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OLD. THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITY WILL BE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING ON PARTICIPATING FACILITIES STAR LEVELS; PARTICIPATING FACILITIES STAR RATING EDUCATION AND PROGRAM STANDARDS POINTS; POEMS, AND ITERS/ECERS/FCCERS SCORES. CHILD CARE CENTERS MAY RECEIVE INCENTIVES BASED ON MEETING THEIR REQUIREMENTS AS PART OF THEIR TA. THE INCENTIVE OPPORTUNITIES ARE DESCRIBED BELOW: THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANT: REQUIREMENTS FOR 0-3 STAR FACILITIES INCLUDE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS INVOLVING MATERIALS, TEACHER-CHILD INTERACTIONS, CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT, AND TRAINING NEEDS. THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL FOCUS ON SHORT-TERM GOALS IN FIVE CATEGORIES: TEACHER TRAINING/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS, CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION, SANITATION/HEALTH/SAFETY AND PRE-EMERGENT LITERACY. THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANT WILL PROVIDE UP TO $2000 PER CHILD CARE HOME AND $4000 PER CHILD CARE CENTER. THE QUALITY MAINTENANCE GRANT: FACILITIES WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UP TO A MAXIMUM: $750 FOR FOUR STAR HOMES, AND $1500 FOR FIVE STAR HOMES; $1500 FOR FOUR STAR CENTERS AND $2750 FOR FIVE STAR CENTERS. REQUIREMENTS FOR 4 AND 5 STAR FACILITIES INCLUDE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS TO INCREASE LOW SCORES AND MAINTAIN HIGH SCORES ON THE ENVIRONMENT RATINGS SCALES. GRANT CRITERIA IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING: FACILITIES THAT SERVE CHILDREN 0-5 IN PENDER COUNTY, PROGRAM DIRECTOR MUST ATTEND AN SSPC GRANT INFORMATION SESSION, COMPLETION OF GRANT APPLICATION, VERIFICATION OF WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT SUBSIDIZED CHILDREN, AND CURRENTLY HOLDS A 4 OR 5-STAR RATED LICENSE. THE SMART START LITERACY GRANT: CHILD CARE FACILITIES PARTICIPATING IN QUALITY MAINTENANCE MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN INCREASE IN INCENTIVES AND BONUSES FOR MEETING ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC LITERACY GOALS, SUCH AS READ FOR THE RECORD, READ ACROSS AMERICA, PARTICIPATION OF AT LEAST THREE ITEM RENEWALS IN T RESOURCE LIBRARY, AT LEAST THREE CHECKOUTS FROM THE PENDER COUNTY LIBRARY ELO PROGRAM (EARLY LITERACY OUTREACH) PROGRAM, AND PROGRAM YEAR-END CELEBRATIONS, AS OUTLINED IN THEIR PLAN. QUALITY MAINTENANCE GRANTS DO NOT EXCEED $2,000 FOR HOMES AND $5,000 FOR CENTERS.(2) TRAINING FOR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS: TRAINING FOR DCDEE CREDIT HOURS PROVIDED ON CHILD CARE RELATED TOPICS AND COORDINATION OF CEU OPPORTUNITIES.(3) CONSUMER EDUCATION: INFORMATION AND/OR EDUCATION TO FAMILIES ABOUT QUALITY CHILD CARE. SMART START FUNDS MAY BE USED TO COVER EXPENSES FOR CHILD CARE-RELATED TRAININGS, MEETINGS, AND CHILD CARE RECOGNITION EVENTS.

EARLY CHILDHOOD LENDING LIBRARY (3115): THE PENDER COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD LENDING LIBRARY (PCECLL) OFFERS A VARIETY OF MATERIALS TO SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS CAREGIVERS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS OF CHILDREN 0-5. THE PCECLL PROVIDES ACCESS TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES AND MATERIALS SUCH AS, BOOKS, MANIPULATIVES, REFERENCE MATERIALS, CURRICULUM KITS, ETC. THE PCECLL SERVES AS A RESOURCE ROOM WITH ACCESS TO DIE CUTS, LAMINATING MACHINES, ETC. USE OF MATERIALS FROM THE PCECLL WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PCECLL. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES VARY DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF MEMBERSHIP AND THE FEE SCALE IS REVIEWED ANNUALLY. GUIDANCE ON THE APPROPRIATE USE OF THE MATERIALS MAY BE PROVIDED BY SMART START OF PENDER COUNTY STAFF. THE PCECLL IS TYPICALLY OPEN MONDAY-THURSDAY, 8:00 AM. TO 5:00 PM., FRIDAYS, 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM, THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 12:00 P.M., AND OTHER TIMES, BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION (5517): THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND SYSTEMS BUILDING ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE AWARENESS AND IMPROVE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN PENDER COUNTY. THIS ACTIVITY WILL SERVE TO ESTABLISH, BUILD, AND STRENGTHEN STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS, IMPROVE COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVING CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND INTEGRATE RESILIENCE STRATEGIES AND BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THE WORK IN THIS ACTIVITY MAY INCLUDE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TA AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES; EARLY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE MEETINGS; RESILIENCY TRAININGS AND COLLABORATIVE RESILIENCE EFFORTS; THE WORK OF PENDER COUNTY RESILIENCE TASK FORCE, AND PLANNING, HOSTING, OR ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE WORK WILL ALSO INVOLVE IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS THROUGH INTENSIVE OUTREACH AND PARTNERING WITH EDUCATIONAL, BUSINESS, FAITH, CIVIC, SOCIAL, AND HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS. PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, INCLUDING THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER; THE E-NEWSLETTER; READY FOR K; THE ANNUAL REPORT; SSPC SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS; MANAGEMENT OF THE SSPC WEBSITE, ALL RELEVANT BROCHURES, FLYERS, AND POSTERS, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF EARLY EDUCATION BOOKS AND MATERIALS.