Collaborating with other entities, First Steps helps Marion families and caregivers prepare their children for school success by maximizing public and private community resources to deliver, enhance and expand high-quality early childhood services.
By FY 23, the percentage of children in need who are directly served by Florence County First Steps will increase from 25% to 30%.
By FY 23, the percentage of children enrolled in high intensity programs will increase from 6% to 11%.
The years of early childhood are critical window of development during which much human potential is shaped. Families are the single most important influence on the development of their young children. School readiness is the result of a child’s development in many areas, with each contributing to the child’s success.
By FY 23, the percentage of children under age 6 who benefit from Florence County First Steps quality enhancement and training efforts will increase from 14% to 19%.
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Increase the number of children served by Florence County First Steps.
2.
Families will have access to high intensity programs funded by Florence County First Steps.
3.
Children will have access to high quality childcare facilities.
Street, City SC 00000 | 000-000-0000 | website OR scfirststeps.org/county
415 South Coit St. Florence SC 29501 | 843-629-0202 | marionfirststeps.org
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Spencer R. Scott
Executive Director Marion County First Steps
The 2021 fiscal year saw challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and delta variant. However, the bad times do not last forever, and things are coming back to normal. Marion County First Steps (MCFS) is taking every precaution to ensure safety for staff and providers Despite the pandemic, the vision of MCFS carried on. Changes were made for safety precautions, such as virtual quality enhancement meetings and DSS trainings; however, MCFS quickly adjusted. A grand total of 2,539 people—parents and children—were served by MCFS for the 2021 fiscal year. Our Child Care Scholarship program gave a grand total of 53 families and 8 providers funds that would alleviate the costs of daycare and to encourage parents to keep moving towards their career and educational goals. Marion County First Steps partnered with Florence County First Steps from April through June to provide 7 training sessions. Although these were virtual, we had a total of 91 attendants. The literacy program continued to shine in spite of the pandemic, with 1,526 books given and 328 families served. 6 providers with a total of 135 children enrolled in their centers were served through our Quality Enhancement program, with 30 technical assistance visits conducted. We also introduced families of Marion County to HIPPY, a home visiting parent that enriches parents to become their child’s best teacher. We served 23 families and made a total of 338 home visits. Two parent educators were hired through an AmeriCorps grant. Along with stipends, they received the Segal Education Award which totaled $6,195. Through this, parent educators have 7 years to use it, and it can be used towards any 2-year or 4-year school so that they can pursue the degree of their choice. In good times or bad times, MCFS is deeply committed to ensuring that the smallest citizens of Marion County are ready for school and for life. Thanks to the board and staff of MCFS, as well as providers, community members, and partners, we can make this vision into a reality. In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
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Every child in Marion County will be prepared for success in school.
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HIPPY IN MARION COUNTY 2020-2021
23 338
families served
total home visits
HIPPY GOES VIRTUAL During COVID-19 HIPPY/AmeriCorps Parent Educators were able to consistently meet with families each week through virtual visits. The HIPPY curriculum was delivered using a variety of virtual platforms. For 26 weeks, Parent Educators used creative ideas to coach parents on lessons about literacy, mathematics, science, motor, and language skills while communicating on screen.
[HIPPY] makes me participate and interact more with my child. She loves doing the experiments each week! AMBER LOGAN, HIPPY PARENT PARTICIPANT
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2
Marion County AmeriCorps Members HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps members
Hours served in the community
1124.25
hours served by HIPPY Parent Educator AmeriCorps member(s)
Segal Education Award
$6,195
total in Segal Education Awards received by all members serving at the Local Partnership
8
6
30
135
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“The Great E ight”: A n E arly Childhood Leaders’ Top 8 D omains for a Highly E ffectiv e Child D ev elopment Center
“A m I Really Ready ?”: How to A ssure You A re Up to D ate on A ll Things Health and Safety
“The Checklist”: How to Keep E mploy ees Happy and Fulfilled
“W hat are we D oing Today ?”: Refining Lesson Plans, Schedules, and Co-teachi ng Curriculum A ctiv ities
“W hy A m I Here”: Recalling Your Purpose and Reclaiming Your Sanity as an E arly Childhood Professional “A Place Called There”: How to Make Your School a Place W here E v ery one W ants to B e
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Lit Lesson Plans”: How to Create Flexible Lesson Plans that Meet Your Students’ Needs
91
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For many families in Marion County, the cost of quality child care is out of reach. Our scholarship p rog ram m akes p ayments to child care p roviders to care for children from low-income families so their p arents can return to school or work.
Marion County First Step s offers scholarship s to child care facilities that p articip ate in our Quality Enhancement p rog ram, as well as income-elig ib le children whose p arent attends school or works at least 2 0 hours p er week.
SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
53
number of children served
8
number of providers served
52
number of developmental screenings provided
100% of money paid to childcare providers goes back into our local economy to benefit the citizens of Marion County. (on left: sc holar ship p ar ent Asia Davis and daug hter Chassidy )
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LITERACY PROGRAM Marion County First Step s L iteracy Prog ram offers an integ rated and family friendly ap p roa ch , help ing b oth p arents and children to imp rove their literacy skills. Ag e ap p rop ria te b ooks are distrib uted to each child and each classro om g ets a cop y of the b ook to use in a center or as a shared reading . T raining s in storytelling techniques are integ rated in the read aloud sessions for 3 and 4-year olds. T he p rog ram also p rovides activities for p arents to reinforce reading at home and activity handouts.
MARION COUNTY LITERACY PROGRAM BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
328 families served
1526 books given
115
training hours
30
classes participated
The fire of literacy is created by the sparks between a child, a book, and the person reading. MEM FOX
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RAISING A READER
Raising A Reader (RAR) is a proven and research-based family engagement and early literacy program for children ages 0-8 that helps families develop, practice, and maintain the home-based literacy routines necessary for success. The aims of Raising A Reader are four-fold: • to foster healthy brain development; • develop and enhance early literacy and language skills; • promote and strengthen parent-child bonding; and • develop, promote, and foster intrinsic reading motivation
Due to COVID-19. the RAR program was not implemented at the Academy of Early Learning. However, the staff has continued to encourage parents to read to their children and talk about the books.
When I say to a parent, “read to a child,” I don’t want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate. JORGE LUIS BORGES
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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 , Marion County First Step s leverag es state dollars to enhance and exp and services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT State of South Carolina: $ 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 (throug h South Carolina First Step s) SC Dep artment of Social Services $ 1 0 0 ,3 7 5 SC Center for Childcare Career Develop ment: $ 2 ,0 0 0
IN-KIND SUPPORT Pleasant G rove Academy McG ill’ s Bundle of Joy Academy of Early L earning L ittle Promise L earning Academy T roy Johnson L earning Korner Sug ar Bears Daycare Center Florence County First Step s Marion County First Step s Board of Directors
JOIN US For more informati on on p artnership op p ortunities, visit our web site at ma rionfirs ts teps .or g
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Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type 8%
Since inception, Marion County First Steps has leveraged $927,981.05 from sources outside of state government. That’s $0.18 for every state dollar.
92%
State Funding
Federal Funding
Private Funding
In-Kind Contributions
Total
Scholarships
$149,612.66
$0.00
$0.00
$56,000.00
$205,612.66
Child Care Quality Enhancement
$14,614.87
$0.00
$0.00
$10,243.62
$24,858.49
Child Care Training
$7,460.17
$0.00
$0.00
$10,243.62
$17,703.79
$0.00
$18,962.04
$0.00
$7,680.09
$26,642.13
Raising A Reader
$20,525.15
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$20,525.15
Family Literacy/Learning
$16,189.64
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$16,189.64
Core Functions
$13,057.41
$0.00
$0.00
$8,970.12
$22,027.53
Administrative Support
$6.410.84
$0.00
$0.00
$1,419.48
$7,830.32
$227,870.74
$18,962.04
$0.00
$94,556.93
$341,389.71
HIPPY
Total Expenses
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Annette G erald, Chairp erson
T racey Hag an
Donald Fling , Vice-Chairma n
G eorg ette W ashing ton
T anya Hodg e, Asst. T reasurer
Farrah Owens
Victoria Belin, T reasurer
Holly Evans Cockfield
L ula Coleman, Secretary
Myeshia Hug hes-Rog ers
Donna Stackh ouse
Evelyn G rant
STAFF Sp encer R. Scott, Executive Director Beryl Colling ton, L iteracy Coordina t or L ana Hop kins, G rant Coordin at o r Anastasia Sp ann, Prog ram Coordinat o r
CONTACT US 4 1 5 South Coit St. Florence SC 2 9 5 0 1 | 8 4 3 -6 2 9 -0 2 0 2 | ma rionfirs ts teps .or g
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