Annual Report 2012
Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley
Executive Summary Our mission to help all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed.
We are building partnerships in the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro, and the counties of Augusta, Page, Rockingham and Shenandoah.
Why is school readiness so important?
Is Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley successful in meeting this charge? Through funding and technical assistance from the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) and building collaboration with community partners, our Smart Beginnings coalition is able to build our core capacities to effectively address school readiness.
Being ready to learn saves money. Increased reading readiness in Shenandoah Valley saved taxpayers over $154,000 compared to reading intervention costs in 2006. Savings is the lowered cost of providing reading intervention based on fewer children needing intervention in 2009 compared to 2006, at a cost of $643 per child (average cost of additional instruction required for students who do not meet PALS benchmark). PALS data provided by the Virginia Department of Education.
A child’s experiences during the earliest years impact the trajectory of his or her entire life. Children born into supportive families who have access to health care and responsive caregivers are better prepared for kindergarten. Children who are better prepared for kindergarten are able to make the most of school once they arrive and remain motivated to be successful throughout their lives.
School readiness produces economic and social benefits for our children and our community.
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
2
Overcoming Challenges Families, together with a strong web of schools and services, best provide for children’s optimal development.
Has Smart Beginnings made a difference for children, schools and our communities? A growing number of children are arriving at kindergarten healthy and ready to learn, on a path to third grade reading proficiency and school, workforce and life success.
In the central Shenandoah Valley: Children from families and communities where multiple risk factors threaten children’s success for good health and school success travel a challenging road. Risk factors may include poverty, low maternal education, single parenthood, and low birth weight. Although families want high quality early childhood experiences, many cannot afford the high costs of regular health care and quality child care for their children. Additionally, in many communities families face a patchwork of services that essentially form a non-system: families find staunch barriers accessing resources, which are themselves scattered, inefficient, and ineffective. Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley believes that private partner leadership, business acumen, seed funding, and innovative approaches can drive strategic solutions to develop a stronger “system” in the central Shenandoah Valley. The early childhood development system that we envision is driven by partnership and investment from all sectors and all service areas. We are the catalyst to bring together a diverse set of partners to invest in our communities’ children.
Births to mothers with less than a 12th grade education have declined.
More than 2,000 Kindergarten Readiness booklets are being used by families to help children prepare for school.
Common kindergarten registration dates across 7 school divisions help families and teachers better prepare to support incoming kindergarten children.
Children in Shenandoah Valley have more access to quality early care and education: public preschool enrollment increased 50% since 2007.
Fifteen child care centers and classrooms serving 274 children participate in the Virginia Star Quality Initiative, across every locality.
Yet, nearly 1 in 6 children still enter kindergarten needing additional reading intervention services.
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
3
Financial Data
Our Goal is to encourage early childhood investment from all sectors. As our coalition matures, we will be able to cultivate broad financial support through sustainable, diversified sources, including grant and foundation funding, individual and corporate donations, fundraising, local government and public funding sources, and more.
Funding from the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will account for 70% of coalition funding in 2012-2013. The bulk of these funds provide for personnel and management expenses.
Additional Grant Funds in 2012: Shenandoah Community Foundation—$4,500 Target—$2,000 Augusta Health Gift—$1,000
2013 Projected Expenses paid from non-VECF unrestricted and restricted funds Management & General
Public Awareness
Program & Systems-Building Services
Fundraising
5%
Investing in early learning is one of the smartest ways to reduce the deficit and grow economic productivity. Studies confirm that every $1 invested in early childhood can return yields up to $16.
22%
8%
65%
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
4
Smart Beginnings by the Numbers in 2012
Leveraged more than $20,000 in grants and private contributions
Co-sponsored early literacy program with kids completing 3,500 activities
Hosted 2 successful fundraising events: Pre-K for a Day and the Charity Tot Trot
Gave 7 invited presentations on 4 different topics
Exhibited at 8 community fairs
Hosted 3 family outreach events
Coordinated regional kindergarten registration with 7 school systems
Taped 3 public awareness segments with local media
Offered 2 parenting class series in English
Hosted 7th annual Early Childhood Leadership Summit with 180 attendees
Offered transition to kindergarten training to 150 early childhood educators
Coordinated 160 VSQI mentoring hours in childcare centers
Hosted a VSQI mentor training for 10 new mentors
Trained 10 new instructors in the Positive Solutions for Families Curriculum
Also…
Selected the first Early Educator Excellence Award winner
Co-sponsored an All About Baby Class
Offered a parenting class series in Spanish
Produced an amazing promotional video
Coordinated Virginia Star Quality Initiative program in our region ANNUAL REPORT 2012
5
Partners (contribute cash or in-kind matches in order secure funding from VECF) Augusta County Public Schools • Augusta Health • Chick-fil-A of Harrisonburg • Family Resource and Referral Center • Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services at JMU • James Madison University • Office on Children and Youth • Office on Youth of the Central Shenandoah Valley • Page Alliance on Community Action (PACA) • Project GROWS • RMH Family Connection • United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County • VDOE Region 5 T/TAC
Sponsors/Affiliates (provide financial or in-kind support for specific coalition initiatives, or designate personnel for coalition membership) Aroma Buffet • Augusta County Government Center • Augusta County Public Schools • Augusta Health • Bears and Blankets Academy of Early Learning • Bob Evans • Buffalo Wild Wings • Chanello’s • Chick-fil-A of Harrisonburg • Clear Channel • Crafty Toys • DuPont Community Credit Union • Exceptional Education Department at JMU • Family Resource and Referral Center • Franco’s • Generations Crossing • Greenberry’s • Hand-in-Hand Resource Mothers • Harrisonburg City Public Schools • Harrisonburg-Rockingham Child Day Care Center • Health Bites • Healthy Families of the Blue Ridge • Healthy Families Shenandoah County • Heritage Oaks Golf Course • Infant and Toddler Connection of Augusta-Highland • Infant and Toddler Connection of Harrisonburg-Rockingham • Infant and Toddler Connection of Shenandoah Valley • Infant and Toddler Connection of Staunton-Waynesboro • Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Sciences at JMU • Jaime Scott Photography • JMU Department of Communication Studies • JMU Department of Health Sciences • JMU Inclusive Early Childhood Education program • JMU Nursing Student Association • JMU Office of Alumni Relations • Kim Betts for Thirty-One • Larry Arntz, Inc. • Lil’ Bloomers Day Care • Literacy Volunteers-Shenandoah County • Massanutten Regional Library—Harrisonburg • McDonald’s • Neal Menefee, The Rockingham Group • Migrant Education • Mt. Calvary Day Care • Office on Children and Youth • Office on Youth of the Central Shenandoah Valley • Page Alliance on Community Action (PACA) • Page County Public Schools • The Reading Road Show—Gus Bus • Regional Partners in Prevention Services • RMH Family Connection • Roberta Webb Child Care Center • Rockingham County Public Schools • Rockingham-Harrisonburg WIC — Central Shenandoah Health District • Rockingham Memorial Hospital • Salad Creations • Shenandoah Community Foundation • Shenandoah County Department of Social Services • Shenandoah County Library • Shenandoah County Public Schools • Shenandoah Valley Head Start and the Regional School-Based Preschool Network • Shentel • Skyline CAP Head Start • The Speech and Language Center PLLC • Staunton City Library • Staunton City Public Schools • Timeless Toys • Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Preschool • Tutti Gusti • United Way of Greater Augusta • United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County • Valley Community Services Board • Valley Baptist Church • VBS Mortgage • VDOE Region 5 T/TAC • Waynesboro City Public Schools • WHSV • Woodstock Presbyterian Preschool • Woodstock United Methodist Child Care Center • You Made It If we have overlooked your name or made an error of any kind, please accept our apologies and email us at davis4am@jmu.edu ANNUAL REPORT 2012
6
Grow Success! Special thanks to the following businesses and individuals for their financial donations at the following giving levels in 2012: Bright Minds Society
Benefactors Circle
($100-$999 annually) Sharon Armentrout Ken Alger Lisa Crofton
(Continued financial support from past Leadership Council members) Pat Coffield
Stephanie Dysart
Hopeful Horizons Society
Michael Eppard ($1,000-$4,999 annually) James McHone Shenandoah Valley Family Childcare Association Lizzy Hogue Kroger Massanutten WaterPark Nicholas Martino Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative The Rockingham Group The Speech and Language Center Tim Taylor Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (VAEYC) Valley Eye Clinic If we have overlooked your name or made an error of any kind, please accept our apologies and email us at davis4am@jmu.edu
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
7
Leadership Council Chair: Lauren Kibler—Marketing Director, Chick-fil-A of Harrisonburg Vice-Chair: Karen Whetzel—Shenandoah County School Board Ken Alger Commonwealth’s Attorney Page County
Melissa Leisen Pediatric Clinical Case Coordinator James Madison University
Alan Shelton Senior Food Scientist Cargill—Timberville
Dr. Robin Crowder Superintendent Waynesboro City Schools
Nicholas Martino Retail Branch Manager DuPont Community Credit Union
Tim Taylor Mayor Town of Strasburg
Kai Degner Realtor Kline-May Realty
Jeremy McCleary Mayor Town of Woodstock
Evan Vass Town Manager New Market
Missie Deibert Owner Valley Eye Clinic
Nancy Reed Attorney Reed & Reed
Dr. Jelisa Wolfe Director of Student Services Staunton City Schools
Betsy Hay Executive Director United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
Cynthia Pritchard Executive Director United Way of Greater Augusta
Dr. Rhonda Zingraff Associate Dean College of Health and Behavioral Studies at James Madison University
Floyd Heater President Shenandoah Memorial Hospital
Dr. Sarah Pumphrey Pediatrician Augusta Pediatrics ANNUAL REPORT 2012
8
Stay Connected For more information about Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley, contact: Like Smart Beginnings Shenandoah Valley
Follow
Alysia Davis, Coordinator 601 University Blvd., MSC 9008 Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Smart Beginnings
Follow Smart Beginnings
Download our mobile site/app
davis4am@jmu.edu Phone: 540-568-8968 Fax: 540-568-6409 www.valleysmartbeginnings.org
on your smartphone
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
9