Bladen Smart Start-A Partnership For Children Inc

TO ENSURE THAT EVERY BLADEN COUNTY CHILD, BIRTH TO AGE FIVE YEARS OLD, HAS AN EQUAL AND FAIR OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS.

BE ACTIVE BE HEALTHY BE ACTIVE KIDS THIS ACTIVITY WILL PROVIDE BE ACTIVE KIDS (BAK) TRAINING TO CHILD CARE PROVIDERS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING POSITIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION HABITS OF CHILDREN 0-5 YEARS OF AGE. THE BE ACTIVE KIDS PROGRAM IS AN EVIDENCED INFORMED TRAIN -THE-TRAINER APPROACH CONSISTING OF A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM KIT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, INTERACTIVE GAMES, AND HANDS-ON LESSON PLANS TO HELP ENGAGE CHILDREN IN LEARNING ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. AT LEAST ONE STAFF PERSON WILL COMPLETE THE TRAINING TO BECOME A BE ACTIVE KIDS TRAINER. TRAINING FOR NEW PARTICIPANTS WILL BE OFFERED FOR FACILITIES IN BLADEN THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE BE ACTIVE KIDS TRAINING. ONCE TRAINED, PARTICIPANTS WILL INCORPORATE LESSONS PLANS AND OTHER MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE DAILY INSTRUCTION TO INTEGRATE LEARNING AND MOVEMENT IN CHILDCARE AND/OR PRESCHOOL SETTINGS. THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH MODEL FIDELITY. SMART START FUNDS MAY BE USED TO COVER TRAININGS, MATERIALS, STAFF TRAVEL, AND OTHER EXPENSES OF THE ACTIVITY. THIS ACTIVITY DOES NOT INCLUDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BUT UP TO TWO SITE VISITS PER CHILD CARE FACILITY MAY BE COMPLETED FOR RECRUITMENT AND CHECK-IN PURPOSES. CURRICULUM KITS AND PUPPET KITS MAY BE PROVIDED AS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETE THE TRAINING. LIGHT MEALS MAY BE SERVED DURING THESE TRAININGS. IN ADDITION, NON-CASH INCENTIVES MAY BE OFFERED TO TRAINED PARTICIPANTS FOR USING BAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BAK REWARDS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, PLAYDAZE EVENTS MAY BE OFFERED AT CHILD CARE FACILITIES TO ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT: BLADEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH &DEVELOPMENT WILL BUILD AWARENESS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. AS AN AIM TO BUILD AWARENESS, THIS ACTIVITY WILL DISSEMINATE AND COORDINATE INFORMATION, ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES THROUGHOUT BLADEN COUNTY THROUGH THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR. THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND OTHER KEY PLAYERS IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING BLADEN'S EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS BUILDING INITIATIVE. THIS SYTEMS BUILDING INITIATIVE WILL ADDRESS NEEDED CONNECTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BLADEN'S EARLY CHILDHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL ALSO ADDRESS THE SCALE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD IMPLEMENTATION AND PRACTICES SO THAT QUALITY ACCESS IS EQUITABLE AND BROADLY IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT BLADEN COUNTY. THESE SERVICES MAY INCLUDE COMMUNITY PLANNING FOR WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD, HOSTING OF MEETINGS FOR BLADEN EARLY CHILDHOOD AMBASSADORS (BECA) AND OTHER SERVICES TO ENHANCE BLADEN'S EARLY CHILDHOOD LEADERSHIP CAPACITY. LIGHT MEALS MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH THIS ACTIVITY.

RAISING A READER: A RAISING A READER (RAR) COMMUNITY COORDINATOR WILL IMPLEMENT RAISING A READER, A PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES IMPROVED LITERACY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DAILY BOOK SHARING BETWEEN CAREGIVERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THE RAR COORDINATOR WILL HOLD A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OR RELATED HUMAN SERVICE 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 IDENTIFIED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT. CHILD CARE CENTERS, CHILD CARE HOMES, OR OTHER COMMUNITY SITES WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WILL BE TARGETED AND WILL LOAN IDENTIFIED FAMILIES A BOOK BAG CONTAINING HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CHILDRENS BOOKS. THE BOOKS WILL BE EXCHANGED EACH WEEK. WEEKLY SHARED READING SESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AT EACH RAR SITE. PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROJECT WILL BE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN AT LEAST TWO PARENT WORKSHOPS WHERE THEY WILL LEARN BOOK SHARING STRATEGIES. 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 LITERACY RESOURCES. THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH MODEL FIDELITY AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. SMART START FUNDS MAY ALSO BE USED FOR BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, CHILD CARE FOR PARTICIPANTS, NOMINAL NON-CASH GRANTS, INCENTIVES FOR ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS, LIGHT MEALS AND OTHER CONTRACTED SERVICES.