This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and today is National Teacher Day.  Thousands of communities nationwide are taking the time to honor our educators who commit themselves wholeheartedly to making sure students receive a quality education.  It is important to take a moment to thank those teachers who have made a difference in the life of a child. 

At the Partnership, our mission is that every child in Durham County receives a high-quality early education so that they enter school healthy and ready to succeed.  We believe that children and families should have access to the highest quality early childhood programs based on what research has demonstrated as best practice.  The Partnership’s investment in birth to five ensures that young children are receiving support from highly-trained early educators.

We know the impact that an early educator makes on the first 2,000 days of a child’s life.  These professionals are dedicated to shaping the lives of young children, providing healthy and nurturing environments for our youngest learners, and contributing to school readiness.  For that and so much more, we thank them.

What better way to show our gratitude than by celebrating the accomplishments of Dorian, a former student of the 5-star Brown’s Day Care Center in Durham.

Dorian is 6 years old and is currently a kindergarten student at Oakview Elementary School in High Point.  Last year, Dorian was enrolled in the NC Pre-K program at Brown’s Day Care.  His teachers were Ms. Brittany, Mrs. DeShondra, Ms. Rosie, and Ms. Cheryl Brown (the owner and director).  Dorian has two younger brothers, he loves to read books about dinosaurs, and his favorite school subject is art.  When he grows up, Dorian wants to be an FBI agent, artist, or serve in the military.  Dorian was very excited about his first day of kindergarten.

Dorian knows that his time in pre-k at Brown’s made a big impact in his life.  As he tells us, Dorian’s teachers were great because they understood him and always had work for him to do. He loved the “do it yourself breakfast” because it gave him a feeling of responsibility to prepare his own plate. His teachers kept him engaged at all times, providing him challenging activities each day.
 
“Dorian has accomplished many wonderful achievements since he started kindergarten,” said Dorian’s mom, Mushianah. “He has received a total of six awards to date. The awards were for leadership, art, PE, math, and AR reading. I would just like to thank [the teachers at Brown’s] for laying down that foundation for my baby boy. He has excelled past the expectations of his teachers! God bless you and your school for all the effort and hard work you put into helping our children start on their journey to success! While at Brown’s Day Care, I think the journal entry and sight word activities were very important; they helped set the foundation for his reading. The teachers at Brown’s care so much for our kids’ well-being and their future success – they put their all into teaching them everything and more.”

Dorian offers some Tips for Success to rising kindergartners:

• Listen to your teachers
• Be a great leader
• Read a book for 20 minutes daily
• Always do your homework on time
• Treat people the way you want to be treated
• Make lots of friends
• Have fun!

Does your child qualify for NC Pre-K?
Your child might qualify to participate in 2013-2014 Durham County NC Pre-K if:

• Your child is not currently enrolled in a preschool program
• Your child turns 4 years by Aug. 31, 2013
• Your child has health concerns or special needs
• Your family qualifies for financial assistance
• English is your child's second language

How to Apply
Beginning January 28, 2013, you may call 919-314-6820 to set an appointment time between February 4 and April 11, 2013.  You may also visit one of the following Durham County Head Start offices beginning February 4, 2013, where a family counselor will assist parents in filling out the application.

• 215 Seminary St. (across from McDonald’s and the YMCA)
• 1313 Halley St. (Lyon Park)
• 908 Liberty St.  (Leathers Meacham)

» Click here to download the NC Pre-K flyer for more information. En Español

For more information about financial assistance for child care, contact Child Care Services Association at (919) 403-6950 or contact Durham County Social Services at (919) 560-8360.

Durham County’s NC Pre-K program is working to provide high-quality early educational experiences for 4-year-olds who are not attending preschool for various reasons. The program is community-based, voluntary, and designed to prepare 4-year-olds for kindergarten. The NC Pre-K program operates in private class rooms, Durham Public Schools, and Head Start.

Wednesday morning was an exciting time for Partnership staff as we had the rare opportunity of facilitating a focus group with 4-year-old children (and some of their parents) at Brown’s Day Care Center. A unique audience for this approach to research, a classroom full of pre-kindergarten children just happens to be the most important target in our Transition to Kindergarten work.

Entering kindergarten is one of the biggest changes a young child will encounter.  The Transition to Kindergarten Initiative is a collaborative effort between Durham Public Schools (DPS) and Durham’s Partnership for Children to help prepare families for the move to kindergarten.  Currently, the Partnership and our Transition to Kindergarten Advisory Committee is brainstorming ways to rebrand “Transition to Kindergarten” so that both DPS and Partnership efforts better align.  We want future Durham kindergartners and their families to receive a singular, more clearly integrated message about transitioning their child to kindergarten. 

As part of the rebranding process, we are bringing to life a Transition to Kindergarten mascot; this character will be the new face of transition to kindergarten and will help children feel more comfortable with this major step in their lives.  Throughout the planning process we have been strategic and thoughtful.  But many questions remain – questions best answered by the engaged and willing 4-year-old children at Brown’s.

During our half-hour focus group, the children were asked their thoughts on starting school and their opinions on our mock-up transition mascot, a baby bull. 

“How do you think the bull feels?  What items might he take with him to kindergarten?  What might he wear to kindergarten?  What should his name be?”

These brilliant young minds offered plenty of valuable insight.  He’s a soft, brown, excited and happy bull and he could wear pajamas or Sketchers.  Or perhaps his finest dress suit or boots.  Some children shared that he could carry his blanket, stuffed bear, homework, or a snack.  Then the children offered up their favorite names for the Transition to Kindergarten bull – Ricky, Otis, Freddy, Hoperoo, Manchita, and Rock Star, just to name a few.

Partnership staff walked away from the experience eager to put the preschoolers’ thoughts into action.  We are hopeful that our bull has found a comfortable new home in the Transition to Kindergarten Initiative, and that rising kindergartners across Durham will welcome him with open arms.

Stay tuned as the process unfolds!


The Transition to Kindergarten Initiative is supported through funding from the Morgan Creek Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Children were already busy and engaged in their classrooms when Governor Bev Perdue arrived at Primary Colors Early Learning Center early this morning. Primary Colors is one of 12 private child care sites in Durham County that serves 4-year-olds through the North Carolina Pre-kindergarten program. 

NC Pre-K is funded by the State of North Carolina and is designed to provide 4-year-old children, who may not otherwise be served in high-quality settings, with a valuable educational experience.  Each year families apply for the program in spring for August enrollment; last year, a total of 1,278 families applied for the program in Durham, and Durham County serves 420 children.

Governor Perdue acknowledges NC Pre-K to be one of the finest and most successful pre-kindergarten programs in America and has long been a supporter of early education.

Her visit to Primary Colors reflects her passion for investment in early childhood. In Executive Order 128 (issued in October), Governor Perdue elected to increase pre-k funding across the state, directing enrollment of up to 6,300 eligible at-risk four-year-olds in NC Pre-K beginning in October 2012.  This increase in Durham County allows us to serve an additional 97 children. 

Today, as we spoke to Governor Perdue about the number of families who apply to NC Pre-K, the number of children still on the waiting list, and the extensive education that is required of NC Pre-K teaching staff, she saw exactly what expansion means for school readiness in Durham County. 

» For more photos from Governor Perdue's visit to Primary Colors, check out the Partnership on Facebook.

With the season of giving thanks and giving gifts upon us, we see much enthusiasm and excitement around sharing resources with those in need.  As we at the Partnership cultivate and expand our mission of “serving the needs of children birth to 5 years of age and their families,” we think about some of the best ways to model giving for young children.  Children hungrily absorb what is going on in the world around them; if you are creating a culture of giving and helping to make the world (or Durham County) a better place, children will learn from those actions.

It is rewarding to see that child care providers locally are modeling giving for young children as well.  Some are even incorporating giving into their early learning curriculums.

This week we had the opportunity to visit Primrose School at Hope Valley Farms to take part in their Giving Thanks Celebration in which preschoolers and pre-kindergartners conducted “Chores for Change,” an activity designed to teach the children about giving back to their families by helping out around the house.

According to Candice Jones, Business Manager at Primrose, “In exchange for doing small chores around the house, the children [collected] change from their parents. The change is brought to school and then used to “give back” to the community during our November community service event.”

With the change earned during “Chores for Change,” the school’s pre-kindergartners took a field trip to a local grocery store and purchased food to donate to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The younger students simulated an actual grocery store in the classroom in which they purchased food from the shelves and donated to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle as well.

Collected food items for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle at Primrose School at Hope Valley Farms

Through the project, the children were able to learn about good behavior in the home, good spending habits, purchasing nutritious foods, doing good in the community and giving back to those in need. Many thanks to Primrose for hosting us!

What imaginative ways do you use to teach a child about giving?

On March 24, 2012, Partnership staff and volunteers participated in the 17th Annual Great Human Race. The race is an annual 5K walk/run held by the Volunteer Center of Durham that allows nonprofits to fundraise for their cause.

We asked our supporters to donate to the Partnership team to support children birth to age 5.  With the donations we received, the Partnership purchased resources that foster healthy and active learning environments for young children. At the beginning of August, we began distributing these resources – including athletic balls, hula hoops, jump ropes, rain barrels, soil and gardening equipment – to child care centers across Durham, promoting physical health and nutrition as part of healthy development.

These donations would not have been possible without the kindness of our generous supporters. We thank all those who championed for young children in Durham!

VIEW OUR VIDEO! 
See what the children thought of their new health & wellness equipment in this short video. (Click below)

View more photos on Facebook.

We know that early care and education is responsible for laying the groundwork for Durham County’s future economic success by building a ready workforce.  Research shows that high-quality programs prepare young children to succeed in school and become part of tomorrow’s leaders.

But what impact does the early care and education industry have on families’ economic viability?  It is an interesting perspective to view early childhood through the lens of working parents who rely on these programs in order to contribute to the workforce and the economy.

According to the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, the early care and education industry statewide generates $1.7 billion annually in gross receipts — more than computer programming, outpatient care, textile mills and more. It also employs nearly 50,000 people — more than the chemical manufacturing industry, nursing care facilities and superstores. Investments in the early care and education industry ripple through communities and are essential to economic development.

The most recent data – from 2011 – shows us the impact of early care and education in Durham County:

• 17,998 children under six live in families where their sole parent or both parents are working.
• Generates more than $63,400,925 in revenue annually.
• Includes 384 licensed child care programs that directly employ 1,952 people.
• Provides safe learning environments for 7,472 young children.
• Provides high-quality child care to 61% of all young children enrolled in child care, increasing their chances of succeeding in kindergarten.
  

» Read the statewide report from the Insight Center for Community Economic Development. 
» View the widget to find out how early childhood education impacts other NC counties.

Tuesday’s Herald-Sun featured a column by DPS superintendent Dr. Eric J. Becoats that outlined the impact of bullying in the public schools and what Durham administrators are doing to prevent this problem, one that causes nearly 160,000 children nationwide to miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students.
 
The problem exists long before children enter kindergarten.  Child care professionals quite commonly see early forms of aggressive and isolating behavior in young children.  What does it look like?  Children make mean faces, hit, grab, falsely accuse other children, or refuse to play with specific children. Recognizing these signs is imperative to maintaining a safe, bully-free environment and is the caregivers’ responsibility. Child care professionals employ a variety of strategies that help young children develop social skills that prevent aggressive or isolating behaviors.
 

• Impulse control and self-calming:  Teach children to use simple relaxation and self-calming techniques.  Children need an age appropriate way of redirecting focus, such as “blowing up a balloon” to teach deep breathing or “pretend your hands are faucets and open and release the water” to teach how to relax one’s muscles.
  
  
• Labeling emotions in oneself and others: When young children can correctly identify what they’re feeling and accurately interpret the emotions of others, they become better able to control their impulses and regulate their emotions in a healthy way.  Early educators teach units on feelings: reading books, sharing feeling faces, role play, use puppets and have children draw and talk about their emotions.  Throughout the day, children can “check in” by selecting a feeling face that best represents their mood.  Identifying and validating children’s emotions is the first step in learning to productively express one's feelings.
  

  

• Encourage and model problem solving skills:  For example, child care providers teach children the phrase/action, “You take a turn, I take a turn.”  For this to be effective, the child care setting must be an environment that is rich in cooperative use toys like balls, swings, puppets, and dress-up clothes.  Essentially, this is a form of early problem solving.

"For young children social skills are much more than saying "please" and "thank you,” said Aviva Starr, Program Manager of the Early Childhood Outreach Project (EChO).  “Young children can learn self-care skills, how to appropriately express difficult emotions and ways to problem solve with peers.  For instance, by teaching a 2 year old who grabs from others to say, "May I please have it when you are done?" a childcare provider teaches --in one phrase--politeness, patience, and respect for others. When children are taught these skills they have increased self-control, are less aggressive and are more persistent when faced with difficult tasks.  We want to teach children preventative skills early instead of waiting to react to negative behaviors later." (EChO, a program of the Exchange Clubs’ Family Center, provides consultation, support and referral services to Durham child care providers and families when a child’s behavior presents a challenge in their childcare setting.)

Children with a strong foundation in emotional literacy engage in less destructive behavior, are healthier, more focused, and have greater academic achievement.
 
» Read the HS column, Superintendent’s Corner: Bull City no place for bullies.

» For more information on EChO, contact Aviva Starr at (919) 403-8249 x 233 or avivas@exchangefamilycenter.org. 
 
» More information on emotional literacy can be found on the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) Web site.

Leaders from across the Durham community recently attended the Partnership’s latest Early Childhood Bus Tour, a hands-on event that helps illustrate examples of best practices for young children and families here in Durham while explaining the work of the Partnership.  The tour included visits to a variety of partnering sites within the community to best showcase how our youngest children and families are being served within the early childhood system.

Destination A:  The Partnership offices & Child Care Services Association (CCSA)

Tour attendees enjoyed breads baked on-site in the CCSA kitchen, which provides nutritious food options for child care centers throughout Durham as part of its Meal Service Program.  Discussion was lead by Linda Chappel, Sr. Vice President of CCSA, where she highlighted:

• What defines quality child care
• What services are available for families looking for child care
• What programs exist to help improve the quality of child care.  The Meal Service Program is a great example of such a program, as it allows site directors to focus more attention on quality child care instead of menu planning and food preparation.

Destination B:  Early Start Academy

Early Start Academy is a partnering center with the Durham Early Head Start program, which provides child development and family services to families with children birth to 3 years of age.  Site Director Kim Adkins and DEHS Director Melissa Mishoe guided tour participants through the 5-star center and outdoor learning environment while explaining:

• Why birth to age 3 is such an important time for the developing brain
• Approaches to learning for infants and toddlers

Destination C:  Primary Colors Early Learning Center

Primary Colors Early Learning Center is a 5-star site that accepts children 6 weeks to 5 years of age, including two NC Pre-K classrooms for preschoolers.  During the tour, site director Kara Turner explained:

• The challenges and successes of running a high-quality child care center
• The benefits of taking advantage of multiple funding streams and support programs to create a unique and exemplary business model
• The rewards of seeing children graduate from preschool ready to enter kindergarten with a love of learning.

Tour participants also heard from Aviva Starr, Program Manager of the Early Childhood Outreach Project (EChO), which provides consultation, support and referral services to Durham child care providers and families when a child’s behavior presents a challenge.  She highlighted:

• Why reducing expulsion of young children from child care centers is critical
• What are effective classroom strategies to address challenging behaviors
• Why, with limited funding and children on waitlists, it is so important to coach teachers in understanding children’s behavior

Destination D:  Healthy Families Durham (at Yates Baptist Church)

Our final stop on the bus tour highlighted the Healthy Families Durham Program, which is an intensive home visiting program designed to reduce child abuse, improve parent/child interaction, and increase parenting skills.  Tour participants were able to meet Program Director Jan Williams as well as a participating parent and a home visitor.  Jan highlighted the evidence-based “Parents as Teachers” curriculum.

The Partnership would like to thank all of the agencies involved and their staff for welcoming our group and for supporting this opportunity to showcase the work being done on behalf of young children in Durham County. We look forward to continuing to educate our community with future tours!

Friday was the first in a 4-day professional development institute for early childhood professionals hosted by Durham’s Partnership for Children.  Facilitating the training on language development in dual language learners is Dr. Dina Castro, Director of the Center for Early Care and Education Research – Dual Language Learners at the University of North Carolina.

Needs of young English-language learners are at an all-time high.  A new report from the Center for American Progress recognizes as one of the top 10 ways to improve outcomes for children that early childhood programs should receive support “to meet the increasing demand for culturally and linguistically appropriate services for children who are dual-language learners.”

The content of the professional development institute is based on two models developed by Dr. Castro: the New Voices Program and the Nuestros Niños Program.

Teachers in attendance will learn valuable information, including:

-    How to foster children’s cultural/ethnic identity
-    Principles for teaching dual language learners
-    Bilingual oral development in young children
-    Components of early literacy
-    Early reading for young dual language learners
-    Culturally and linguistically responsive early education

We thank Dr. Castro for sharing her expertise with our early childhood professionals!