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Dear Thrive Supporter,
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Wisdom
If a child is to keep alive his
inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least
one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy,
excitement and mystery of the world we live
in.
~Rachel
Carson |
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Greetings,
What an exciting and productive month it has
been, starting with Thrive by Five’s first-ever Board of
Directors retreat held in conjunction with our quarterly
meeting. This was an important opportunity for board members to
share their perspectives on Thrive’s broader role and
scope of activities and was a great step in continuing to
develop the cohesion of our organization. We were delighted to
gather in Yakima, one of our Thrive
Demonstration Communities, and had the benefit of touring the
site of the proposed community early learning hub as well as a
local elementary school. Thanks in no small part to the
exemplary accommodations of Superintendent Jane Gutting and her
ESD 105 staff and of course to Thrive’s board for their
invaluable input.
Just this week I had the pleasure
of presenting a keynote address to participants at the Conference on Early Learning at the
University of Washington. This conference aligns with Governor
Gregoire’s emphasis on early learning, and complements
other efforts and programs that are aiming to strengthen early
learning in Washington State. It was such a
pleasure to speak in front of parents, educators and legislators
on our vision of getting all children ready to succeed in school
and thrive in life. When speaking to such audiences I am
invigorated by the remarkable gains this state is making in
bringing quality early learning to the
forefront.
Our Choices, Our Children, Our
Future...
Graciela |
| 2 Thrive Highlights |
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Early Learning Event
Thurston Early Childhood Coalition's
2nd Annual Early Learning Leadership
Luncheon
October 26, 2007
11:30a –
1:00p
Red Lion Hotel in
Olympia
Keynote Speaker:
Bill Gates Sr.
Tickets are $35.00
through the Child Care Action Council at (360)
786-8907.
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White Center and East
Yakima –
In other thrilling news, we are pleased to announce that our
demonstration communities’ proposals have been received
and funding will commence within the next few months! This
highly-anticipated step forward for Thrive’s early
learning initiative validates the work of these two communities
as dedicated collaborators in addition to being advantageous
places to invest. We look forward to keeping you updated on
their progress.
OSPI Full-Day Kindergarten
Orientation –
Washington State’s Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction recently hosted an
orientation for their Full-Day K funding recipients.
Beginning with the 2007-08
school year, funding will be provided to phase-in a voluntary
full day kindergarten program, prioritizing the state's highest poverty schools. Representatives from nearly 200 schools
approved to implement Full-Day K were in attendance as
Thrive’s Natalie Vega O’Neil addressed the group on
our support and commitment to the program.
University of Washington’s new BA in Early
Childhood – Applause
and recognition to the University of Washington College of
Education’s new BA degree in Early Childhood and Family
Studies. This is the first degree related to early childhood
education at any institute of higher education in the state of
Washington. Check it out at:
http://depts.washington.edu/coe/students/ecfs/.
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| 3 Early Learning
Spotlight |
Visit us
at:
www.thrivebyfivewa.org
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1) The Benefits of Early-Childhood
Program Flow into Adulthood
A new study shows that preschool
participants in Chicago Child-Parent Center program have higher
rates of school completion and attendance at 4 year colleges
according to a follow-up study of participants at age 24. The
Child-Parent Centers program began in 1967 at sites located
either in or close to elementary schools. These Centers provide
comprehensive education, health, and family-support services to
children from 3 through 9.
View
the complete article
2) New Research Review on
Quality Rating Systems and the Impact on Quality in Early Care
and Education Settings
This report from the National
Child Care Information Center (NCCIC) summarizes evaluation
research on the impact of pilot QRS and includes general
resources that provide an overview on this topic and information
about environment rating scales. Quality Rating Systems (QRS)
are a method to assess, improve, and communicate the level of
quality in early care and education settings throughout a State.
As of November 2006, 14 States (Colorado, District of Columbia,
Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and
Vermont) have a QRS with multiple levels available throughout
their State.
View the complete
article |
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