As Week of the Young Child comes to an end, we’d like to say thank you to our local government and community leaders! We have extraordinary support at both the City and County government levels. Our collaborations and mutual accountability run deep – from distribution of public dollars, to partnerships and initiatives, to Board and Committee membership. Our local government’s work in addressing the needs of Durham’s residents has guided our work for 20 years and makes a difference in the lives of children.
Both the Durham City Council and the Durham County Board of County Commissioners recognized the annual Week of the Young Child celebration with a Proclamation, both of which recognized the following:
-Making sure children are ready to learn is a community endeavor that involves parents, child care providers, policy makers, businesses, congregations and community agencies.
-Transition to kindergarten must be a smooth, coordinated process for children, parents, and schools that greatly minimizes the achievement gap.
To honor these important principles, we designated this year’s Week of the Young Child as Kindergarten Registration Week, a collaborative, community-wide effort in partnership with Durham Public Schools. It’s our hope that Kindergarten Registration Week will become an annual event to support children and families as they prepare to enter school, and thanks to your help this year, we are well on our way!
One of our goals for Kindergarten Registration Week was to bring together groups from all sectors of the community, because school readiness is everybody’s business. Registration information has been spread far and wide across Durham – at grocery stores and local businesses, hospitals, child care centers, public agencies – by our community partners and more than 100 volunteers. Our volunteers have been a diverse group, ranging from corporate teams, to high school and college students, to civic groups, and even members of the Board of Education. We called on the whole community to get involved and make a commitment to Durham’s future, and we are thrilled at how much the Durham community has rallied behind this cause.
Thank you for your support, and thank you for celebrating Week of the Young Child and Kindergarten Registration Week with us!
