ECFE: strengthening & supporting

story by | early childhood family education

Being a parent is a gift, but it can also be very challenging. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a place focused on strengthening our families through the education and support of all parents by providing the best possible environment for the healthy growth and development of our children? Well, there is and it’s called Early Childhood Family Education [ECFE] in Moorhead.

For All Parents

Since 1973, ECFE has been available in the state of Minnesota. Initially the Moorhead program was strictly for teen parents, but during the 1984-85 school year the Moorhead School District took ownership of the program and classes were made available to all parents. At ECFE the word parents includes all individuals who function in a primary parenting role.

Today classes are offered to parents and their children ages birth to kindergarten entry with approximately 600 families participating each year. All instructors are licensed teachers in the state of Minnesota and classes are available to parents in our area even if they live outside the Moorhead School District. Most people claim they attend their first ECFE class for their child[ren], but they return again and again for themselves; for the support, education and friendships they experience.

What To Expect

ECFE classes have three components:

1. parent & child time Parents and children initially meet in an early childhood classroom equipped with toys, messy art, activities, stories, music and a short circle time all appropriate for the children's age and stage of development.

2. parents’ time Parents engage in conversation around a topic of interest to the group with a licensed parent educator.

3. children's time While the parents spend time together, the children share a light snack and play in the early childhood room and gym with the ECFE teacher.

Classes run during the school year with the Fall semester’s registration starting August 26th at 9:00am. You can register online, by phone or in person. With over thirty classes offered each semester, the goals remain the same:

• Support children’s optimal physical, intellectual, social and emotional development during the important early years of life.

• Encourage parents to be involved in their children’s learning, development and education.

• Help parents develop informed, realistic attitudes and expectations about raising children.

• Promote effective communication between parents and children.

• Help parents develop and strengthen support networks that enhance families.

• Encourage families to develop and effectively use community resources.

• Help prevent child abuse, family violence and other negative family outcomes.

• Encourage healthy relationships between parents and children.

There is a nominal fee required to attend classes, but families who live in the Moorhead School District and qualify for free and reduced lunch can take classes at a reduced fee or free depending on income and family size. The application form for this can be found online.

Mn Services

While ECFE classes are available to all parents in our area, Minnesota residents are able to take advantage of special ECFE services:

• infant massage home visits Share the calming power of touch with your infant. Moorhead parents are able to receive instruction in infant massage from our licensed, experienced instructor and a gift certificate toward an ECFE class.

• preschool on wheels With funding provided from the United Way, this program allows a preschool teacher to go to a home childcare site in Moorhead and provide preschool activities to children ages three years to kindergarten entry.

• school readiness preschools Serving four and 5-year-old children who will enter school the following Fall, ECFE partners with Early Intervention Services to provide inclusive opportunities for Moorhead children.

• early childhood screening A required component for Minnesota children ages three years to kindergarten entry and done in conjunction with Clay County Public Health, children complete a 90-minute screening which includes hearing, vision, development, social-emotional and health/immunization review. ECFE also provides transition classes, a newsletter and open houses for children who are entering kindergarten the following Fall.

• regular home visits Families who are unable to attend regular ECFE classes, but desire help with parenting skills, may also request a home visit. give it

A Try

At ECFE you can expect a warm atmosphere of caring, friendly teachers, exciting toys and rooms, quality materials and a feeling that other people understand how you feel when your child is behaving as they are. Dads, moms, grandparents, other relatives and nannies are regular participants. ECFE is all about making families stronger by looking at the strengths already present and providing the resources to build on those attributes.

Caring for young kiddos is a tough job and everyone can use a little help along the way. ECFE is here for you!

I like going on adventures to different places during different times with the Magic Tree House Series [by Mary Pope Osborne]. You learn things that you never knew before. I like them so much I am on book #32!

BRYNN A. AGE 8

Sioux Falls, SD

I like everything about The Hunger Games book series [by Suzanne Collins] and after reading the first two it was hard waiting for the third one to come out!

CAMRYN H. AGE 12

Moorhead, MN

Ramona and Her Mother [by Beverly Cleary] is a nice and funny story that I get [relate to].

ABBY F. AGE 9

Casselton, ND