Anderson County First Steps Annual Report 2020-2021 by scfirststeps1

To work collaboratively to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential with engaged support from their parents, caregivers, and communities

More children arrive at kindergarten ready for success.

From prenatal development through age five, our focus and priority are young children and their families and caregivers. We ensure all people have the opportunity and resources to be successful and that all voices are solicited and heard.

Objective 1: Parents have the support and resources they need to be their child’s first and best teacher. .

Objective 2: All children have access to high-quality early education programs and services. Objective 3: Community partners understand the developmental needs of children and the importance of school readiness.

Street, City SC 00000 | 000-000-0000 | website OR scfirststeps.org/county

605 N. Main, Anderson SC 29621 | 864-222-0410 | andersonfirststeps.org

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR This year, SC First Steps and Anderson County First Steps celebrated 21 years of providing school readiness support and resources to children ages 0-5 and their families. During the past 21 years, the Anderson County First Steps Partnership has distributed over $13,000,000 to area providers for parenting, health, and school transition programs and services and early education classes for atrisk children. During 2020-2021, the Partnership provided:

• 227 children and 217 adults with family strengthening

skills through Positive Parenting Programs and Family Literacy programs, Early Education Half-day 4-K classes, and Nurse-Family Partnership program assistance; • 29 children and 29 parents with school transition support to 5-K kindergarten assisted by 9 teacher/home visitors through the Countdown to Kindergarten program; • 999 books for children through Family Literacy and Positive Parenting, Early Education, and Countdown to Kindergarten programs; and. • 307 children and 204 families with 7,136 child development and school readiness materials through our community education and outreach events and activities. In total, 1371 children, adults and families participated in high-quality programs, received referrals and resources, and attended community education and outreach events. Anderson County First Steps Partnership is proud of achieving these important milestones. Our mission could not have been accomplished without the passion, dedication, and support of our community partners.

Paige Wall

Executive Director

We will be successful when all children reach their highest potential. .

137

153

Number of families served

My nurse is one of a kind. No one has ever cared about me and supported me the way that she does. I graduate in a few months, and I feel better about being a mom knowing everything she has taught me. I wouldn't be where I am today without her. Anderson County Nurse-Family Partnership Mother

ENHANCED RAISING A READER

The mis s ion of Ra is ing a Rea der (RAR) is to enga ge fa milies in a routine of da ily “bookcuddlin g” with their children to fos ter hea lthy bra in development, pa rent-c hild bonding, a nd ea rly litera cy s kills critica l for s chool s ucces s . Its centra l orga nizi n g components a re informa l profes s iona l development for ea rly childhood educa tors , a weekly book rota tion, pa rent enga gemen t , child-drive n litera cy experiences , a nd libra ry connecti o ns . Enha nced Ra is ing a Rea der progra ms a re implemented in AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT ON E a t Spea rma n Elementa ry a nd AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT TW O a t H onea -P a t h Elementa ry .

ENHANCED RAISING A READER PROGRAMS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021

families served

providers served

This program is awesome! It has really helped my son have a deeper love for books! Before starting, he wasn’t interested in books and now he is always wanting to read or look at them, Red Riding Hood-priceless! Parent Post-Survey

174

The Home Visitor was great with my child. She was super informative and concerned with his progress and development. My child is super excited for kindergarten. Parent Post-Survey

POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM The P os itive P a renting P rogra m is na rrow focus pa rentin g s kills tra ining for pa rents of a child with mild beha viora l cha llen ges . Its purpos e is to tea ch pa rents to ma na ge dis creet child problem beha vior. Triple P is linked to Fa mily Litera cy which offers a n intergene ra t io na l a pproa ch, helping both pa rents a nd children 0-5 to improve their litera cy s kills . AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT TW O, AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT TH REE, AN D AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT FOU R opera te three progra ms throug ho u t Anders on County in Belton-H onea P a th; Sta rr-Iva ; a nd P endleton- To w nvil le.

TRIPLE P BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021

families served

134

total parent trainings

This program gives me someone to talk to that understands what I’m going through. Parent Satisfaction Survey

EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM

AN DERSON SCH OOL DISTRICT ON E provides eligible children with high-q ua li ty ea rly educa tion opportunities throug h two 4-y ea r-old K inderga r te n ha lf -da y cla sses. The goa ls of the 4 -K progra m a re to increa s e the number of a t-ris k children s erved a nd prepa re them for s chool rea dines s . The cla s s es a re loca ted a t Spea rma n Elementa ry School.

ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE 4k CLASSES BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021

children served

providers served

I am so grateful that these families were afforded the opportunity to attend 4K and that we could be a part of assisting them. I trust that it will have a positive impact on their education for years to come. Lisa Spence, 4K Teacher

FIRST STEPS 4K IN ANDERSON COUNTY 2020-2021

PREPARING FOR STATEWIDE EXPANSION

With First Steps 4K, families are in the driver’s seat. They choose the program that best meets their needs. Families can enroll their child in any of the 244 private, nonprofit, or faith-based childcare centers or schools participating in the program. The majority of First Steps 4K providers offer 8-hour day and year-round instruction, including summers, which is at no cost to parents.

PUBLIC AWARENESS Our p a rtners hip ra is es a wa renes s of wha t it ta kes to be “school -rea dy ” throug h community educa tion a nd outrea ch a ctivities in colla bora tion with Anders on School Dis trict One, Anders on School Dis trict Two, Anders on School Dis trict Three, a nd Anders on School Dis trict Four. Activities include Ra is ing a Rea der community meetings , Ca rolina Fa mily Enga geme n t School Tra ns ition Drive-thro u g h a nd Story book Drivethroug h events ; Room on a Broom a nd Touch a Truck. The pa rtners hip a ls o pa rticipa ted in the Firs t Step/Select Ins ura n ce Shower for N ew Fa milies . Other pla nned events a nd a ctivities were ca ncelled beca us e of COVID res trictions .

ANDERSON COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021

7136 materials distributed

events held

511 total event attendance

Local service agencies participated in the Carolina Family Engagement School Transition Event on March 22 in collaboration with Anderson School District Two and Anderson County First Steps. (photo by William S. Gilmer)

Anderson County First Step s Partnership collab o r ates with the five Anderson County school districts, DHEC/Anderson County Nurse-Family Partnership , and local p hilanthrop i c org aniz ati o ns to imp lement its p rog rams. Referrals for our client p op ulation are made to local education and service org anizat i ons throug hout the year. T his year, the Partnership collab o r ate d with Carolina Family Eng ag ement Center and ANDERSON SCHOOL DI ST RI CT T W O to hold a school transition event and p rovided a sp eaker and g ift b ag s for new families at the First Step /Select I nsurance “Sp ring Shower.”

443 Referrals made to community organizations

503 Children served directly

I am very thankful for all that they do for my child and me. Gift cards, books, and the development tracker have been most helpful. Parents’ Satisfaction Surveys 14

T hroug h p artnership s and collab or a ti ons , as well as financial sup p ort from g rants and contrib uti ons , Anderson County First Step s Partnership leverag es state dollars to enhance and exp and services to children and families.

FUNDING SUPPORT South Ca rolina Firs t Steps : $ 4 3 4 ,4 4 9 For P a rentin g , Ea rly Educa tion , a nd School Tra ns ition P rogra ms Stevens on Cha rita ble Trus ts : $ 6 ,7 2 0 for N urs e-Fa mily P a rtners hip All in One Founda tio n : $ 4 ,0 0 0 For N urs e-Fa mily P a rtners hi p Ca rolina Fa mily Enga geme n t Center: $ 2 ,0 0 0 For School Tra ns ition U S Depa rtment of Educa tion P res chool Development G ra nt: $ 1 ,0 0 0 for Countdow n to Kinderga r te n

IN-KIND SUPPORT Anders on School Dis trict One: $ 3 6 ,7 1 0 Anders on School Dis trict Two: $ 1 0 ,9 1 6 Anders on School Dis trict Three: $ 2 4 ,9 3 6 Anders on School Dis trict Four: $ 1 2 ,4 4 5 P eople’s Ba nk of Iva : $ 5 ,0 0 0

JOIN US

For more information on partnership opportunities, visit our website at andersonfirststeps.org

Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type 4%

Since inception, Anderson County First Steps has leveraged $5,112,400 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.48 for every state dollar.

96%

State Funding

Federal Funding

Private Funding

In-Kind Contributions

Total

Triple P Positive Parenting

$248,740

$49,451

$298,191

Enhanced Raising a Reader

$33,131

Nurse Family Partnership

$13,945

$10,720

$24,665

Half Day 4K

$66,924

$36,710

$103,634

Countdown to Kindergarten

$15,025

$7,307

$22,332

Core Functions

$27,462

$2,594

$30,056

Administrative Support

$29,222

$641

$29,863

$434,449

$2,594

$18,668

$86,161

$541,872

Total Expenses

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sherry Adger, Kiddie U nivers ity Ja ckie Bla kley , Tri-County Tech April Brown, W elfa re Ba ptis t Church W endy Burges s , ASD One School Boa rd Betty Ca rs on, H ea d Sta rt-retired Rhonda G regory , ASD Two Elis e Ja mes , N FP Kenneth McBride, Director, Regiona l DSS Ja ckie McCa ll, Sa fe K ids Shery l McCollum, Ba nk of Iva Dia nne Mizzell, ASD Five-retired Ma rlee P epper, P a rent

N icole Schmidt, Anders on Interfa ith Minis tries Dia ne Smiley , Anders on County Libra ry , Boa rd Cha ir Kimberly Sha rp, Tri-County Tech Audrey Sha w. Anders on P regna n cy Center Allis on Strickla nd , ASD Two Ma ria Torres -G reen , Community W or ks Sha nno n Va ughn , SH ARE H ea d Sta rt, Ta mmy Va ugh n , ASD Three Cha rity W a lker, ASD Four Liz W ittebort, ASD One G reta Young, The P a rentin g P la ce

STAFF P a ige W a ll, Executive Director Debora h Sa nders , P rogra m Coordina tor/Eva l ua to r .