2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT
Collaborating with other entities, First Steps helps South Carolina families and caregivers prepare their children for school success by maximizing public and private community resources to deliver, enhance and expand highquality early childhood services
• Families are supported as their child’s first and most important teachers
• Families with young children will be aware of and able to access programs, services, and resources for which they are eligible
• Children and families will experience a smooth transition from early childhood into kindergarten
Increase the reach of First Steps services.
The years of early childhood are a critical window of development during which much of human potential is shaped Families are the single most important influence on the development of their young children The work of supporting families and caregivers is a collaborative effort between state and local stakeholders within the public, private and faith sectors School readiness is the result of a child’s development in many areas, with each contributing to the child’s success Services must be individualized and adaptable to meet the unique needs of children and families We value, and demonstrate in our collaborative work and advocacy, diverse perspectives in the development of public policy and programs To achieve desired results, services must be high-quality and grounded in strong evidence First Steps operates within a culture of accountability
PO Box 23, Gaffney, SC 29342 | 864.487.9466 | www.cherokeecountyfirststeps.org
FIRST
STEPS
Last year, because of Cherokee County First Steps: 74% more likely to score at the highest level on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment 34% less likely to be chronically absent in kindergarten PROVEN RESULTS A 2019 study found that children who received First Steps local partnership services were: $1 = $2.91 Cherokee County First Steps leveraged $377,549 from sources outside of state government, providing a match of $1.91for every state dollar invested 21 educators participated in First Steps training and professional development, benefitting 500+ children 2,199 parents & caregivers received services and support to be their child’s first and most important teacher 2,582 children directly served in Cherokee County
IS HERE
Dorothy M. Priester Executive Director Cherokee County First Steps
This year has been unusually active for Cherokee County First Steps as we have relocated, started a new parenting program, and expanded outreach across the county The primary goal this fiscal year has been to increase community engagement; and as a result, outreach expanded, and partnerships flourished. We received an Early Childhood Innovation Grant (ECI) through SC First Steps, which recognizes creative ideas that demonstrate an impact on healthy development and school readiness of young children Snack N’ Chat sessions were one component of the outreach plan They were conducted to provide families with knowledge of local organizations and their services. A second aspect, allowed us to attend community events to meet with families and individuals to discuss programs, recruit families, and provide referrals A portion of the ECI funds were allocated to purchase a billboard and yard signs advertising the services provided. The billboard is conveniently located just a few yards from the new office building. We are currently in the Cherokee County Nonprofit Partnership Center located at 1612 N Limestone Street in Gaffney, SC The final component was the long-awaited creation of an informational video including previous participants sharing testimonials of their experiences in the organization’s programs.
Additionally, we received federal funding through an ESSER Grant from SC First Steps to include a new parenting program, Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) This program provides parents with strategies and tools needed to raise confident and resilient children Cherokee County Department of Social Services is the main partner for implementation of this new strategy. Parents who participated received guidelines to deal with difficult family situations, and best approaches for adapting the tools to fit their individual family needs
Finally, our list of actively engaged partners has grown The partnership with Cherokee County Public Library has progressed and that strengthening has enabled CCFS to host meetings in a more socially distant environment.
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
Dr. Joette C. Johnson Chair
Cherokee County First Steps Board of Directors
Cherokee County First Steps strives to meet the educational needs of young children During FY22, the organization was able to impact families and children throughout the county in the following areas
▪ 2,428 children served through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library receiving 23,090 books ▪ 22.5 hours of quality training was provided to child care teachers from local centers ▪ 209 home visits with children in the Talk to Me Cherokee Initiative ▪ 34 trainings sessions were conducted for the new Triple P program ▪ 39 outreach events including education fairs and presentations ▪ 5,702 total families and individuals informed of the importance of early literacy at events
I wish to convey my gratitude to our partners that support us with contributions, collaboration, outreach, and donations These partners include: SC First Steps, United Way of Piedmont, SC Endeavors, Piedmont Community Action Head Start/Early Head Start, SC Child Care Resource & Referral Network, Kiser Development Company, Allegra Marketing Print Mail, The Gaffney Ledger, Cherokee County Department of Social Services, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Cherokee County School District, Spartanburg Community College - Cherokee Campus, Midway Baptist Church, Cherokee County Public Library, Innov8tion Point, Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Gaffney including council members.
Further, I would like to express heartfelt appreciation for my fellow board members. Cherokee County First Steps Board of Directors are applauded statewide for their ongoing active engagement in all aspects of the organization I also wish to highlight the commitment that the Executive & Finance Committee has demonstrated with their time and participation in the strategic planning sessions with staff.
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Every South Carolina child will be prepared for success in school.
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I am relatively new to being a childcare director; however, I feel very blessed to have Ms. Dorothy Priester and her staff as mentors. They have brought in such trainers as Carletta Isreal, Darlene Faucette, Sherry King, and Teresa Phillips to share their years of knowledge and experience to help all the childcare directors in Cherokee County become top quality business professionals, care givers and educators. Any industry or business that wants to succeed will invest in professional development for its staff. That is exactly what the training that Cherokee County First Steps does for our facilities. During the national COVID pandemic, it became evident that the childcare industry is an essential part of keeping our communities and country moving forward and producing a thriving economy. School closing were putting enormous pressure on families or nurses, doctors, first responders, telephone companies, power companies, and many other essential workers that were needed to keep our community going. Childcare centers stepped up to fill the gap as schools were closing. The teachers and staff of Cherokee County childcare centers felt the enormous task of providing, safe and health, learning environments. However, we were not alone. State government and local organizations such as the Cherokee County First Steps provided not only important professional development during a time of crisis but also provided necessary PPE equipment, cleaning supplies,and funding resources. Cherokee County First Steps did not just begin training and equipping the teachers and caregivers of Cherokee County in the past two years but have worked tirelessly to produce top quality childcare centers through education and training for many years. If you want to produce a generation of lifelong learners, you must first be a lifelong learner. My sincerest gratitude goes to Cherokee County First Steps.
JOYCE STACEY, DIRECTOR, EAGLE ACADEMY 7
2,428 23,090
Children participating in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program reading books with their family.
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TALK TO ME CHEROKEE INITIATIVE
Talk to Me Cherokee Initiative's mission includes preparing Cherokee County children for success through language and literacy skill development The program addresses the problem of children falling behind in vocabulary skills by increasing parent-talk and faceto-face interactions Increasing interactive talk and conversational turns are primary goals of the program The program combines parent sessions, utilizing quality early learning experiences through the LENA curriculum, with innovative technology using The LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis) System (device) The device is used to measure language exchanges between the parent and child, track progress, and provide feedback An additional component of the initiative is providing parents with the information needed to further their own education and assist them with enrolling in college Talk to Me Cherokee Initiative is a collaboration between Cherokee County First Steps and other agencies including: United Way of the Piedmont, Cherokee County School District, Piedmont Community Action Head Start/Early Head Start Program, Spartanburg Community College - Cherokee Campus, and Cherokee County Public Library
AMBER GAVIN, PARENT, TALK TO ME PARTICIPANT
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TALK TO ME CHEROKEE INITATIVE BY THE NUMBERS 2021-2022 22 families served 209 total home visits 23 children served ✓ 69% of parents increased words spoken to their child per hour. ✓ 56% of parents increased conversational turns with their child each day. ✓ 81% of parents increased the amount of time they spent talking with their child.
receiving new books and
books.
too. My daughter loved
the pictures in the
Everything that was done was what I needed. It equipped me with getting my baby ready for kindergarten.
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Kathy Miller, the Triple P Home Visitor, had a parent craft a representative of her child from playdough. This was part of an icebreaker from their initial session Below is a QR code that links a testimonial from a Triple P parent.
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Shanee Parker and her son reading and providing testimonial regarding their participation in the Countdown to Kindergarten program.
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PUBLIC AWARENESS
Public awareness was increased regarding the importance of early education by conducting presentations at meetings, events in the community, and during virtual sessions such as our Facebook Live “Snack N’ Chat”. There were 39 outreach events, which included Spartanburg Regional Health System Maternity Fair, Black History Events, Cherokee rock N’ Ride Race Spring Festival, Plygem Wellness and Safety Event, Jolly Park Community Easter Event, Cherokee County Christmas Parade, and WFGN Radio Shows. A total of 2,756 children and families were served by these events. Additional adults, partners, and community members were also provided with information about the individual programs.
As part of the Reach Out grant , a video was created to provide information about programs offered by Cherokee County First Steps with testimonials from past participants.. To the right is a QR Code that links the video.
Aleigha
health screening event (left). Information was provided to families that attended to promote the programs as part of our outreach plan. A family at the Big E as part of their graduation (right.)
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total
PUBLIC AWARENESS BY THE NUMBERS 2021-2022 567 materials distributed 39 events held 5,702
event attendance
Butler and Kathy Miller at a
Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. In addition to providing services to families and support for child care providers, Cherokee County First Steps mobilizes partners and community members to ensure all children in Cherokee County begin school ready to succeed. In providing services we serve as a:
Talk to Me Initiative Partner
Meetings
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Cherokee County Child Care Directors’ Association Meetings
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Focus Groups and Surveys
We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with you all. The parenting classes have had a positive impact on families by helping to change negative behaviors and creating bonds between the parents and children. As a result, the hands-on interaction has reduced the number of children coming into foster care and the number of repeated reports of child abuse and/or neglect with the same families. Ms. Miller has made the process seamless for our case managers to make referrals. She has provided progress reports to the case managers in a timely manner to enable us to determine our next steps. We look forward to continuing working with Cherokee County First Steps and the Triple P parenting classes. Thank you, for all that you do to help us to promote safety, permanency, and well-being for our children while helping individuals achieve stability and strengthening families.
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MONITA DAWKINS, DIRECTOR, CHEROKEE
DSS
COUNTY
State of South Carolina $210,793 (through South Carolina First Steps)
Early Childhood Innovation Grant $8,459 (through South Carolina First Steps)
ESSER Grant $49,519 (through South Carolina First Steps)
City of Gaffney (ARPA Grant) $25,000 Kathy Dukes $1,088
Limestone Presbyterian Church $264 SC Endeavors $2,000 United Way of the Piedmont $10,000 General & Unsolicited Contributions $276 Board Member Contributions $660 Staff Contributions $540
IN-KIND SUPPORT Dollywood Foundation Allegra Marketing Print Mail Cherokee County Public Library Kiser Development Company Midway Baptist Church SC Child Care Resource & Referral Network
US
more information on partnership opportunities, contact our office at
email us at cc1ststeps@yahoo.com, or visit our website at
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partnerships and collaboration, as well as financial support from grants and contributions, Cherokee County First Steps leverages state dollars to enhance and expand services to children and families.
JOIN
For
864.487.9466,
www.cherokeecountyfirststeps.com.
Through
State Funding Federal Funding Private Funding In-Kind Contributions Total Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library $33,833 $7,513 $6,000 $271,947 $319,293 Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Level 4 $0 $49,519 $0 $0 $49,519 LENA-Talk to Me Cherokee Initiative $68,193 $3,290 $3,205 $0 $74,688 Countdown to Kindergarten $2,530 $2,445 $0 $0 $4,975 Child Care Training & Professional Dev. $64,166 $747 $2,047 $0 $66,960 Partnerships & Community Education $23,078 $1,245 $8,459 $0 $32,782 Administrative Support $18,993 $187 $1,029 $0 $20,209 Total Expenses $210,793 $64,946 $20,740 $271,947 $568,426 1% 99% All evidence-informed programs All evidence-based programs Since inception, Cherokee County First Steps has leveraged $3,682,592 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.72 for every state dollar. 15 Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Joette Johnson, Chair
Dr. Audrey McClary, Vice-Chair
Dr. Arthur Brewton, Treasurer
Cliffietta Cochran, Secretary
Monita Dawkins, Member-at-Large
Lisa Blanton Lyman Dawkins Verlene Eaker Deborah Hamrick
STAFF
Jennifer Humphries
Dr. Sharon Jefferies Ben Loftis
LaShanda Mayes
Dr. J. W. Sanders, Jr. M. Renee Smith
Dr. Teresa White Linda Wilson
Dorothy M. Priester, Executive Director
Tammy Hutcherson, Program & Grants Coordinator Michele Wright, Program Assistant
Timena Sarratt, Talk to Me Coordinator, Consultant
Aleigha Butler, Talk to Me Home Visitor, Consultant
Kathy Miller, Positive Parenting Program Coordinator, Consultant
Ramona Floyd, Positive Parenting Program Admin/Finance, Consultant
Betty Parker, Positive Parenting Program Planning, Consultant
CONTACT US
PO Box 23, Gaffney, SC 29342 | 864.487.9466 | www.cherokeecountyfirststeps.org
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