Vision
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All children in Kenosha County enter kindergarten ready to learn on the first day of school |
The Need
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Making sure children have the opportunity to reach their potential starts long before they get to school. The experiences they have in their first five years set the stage for their future success. Screenings are an easy way for parents to check if their child's development is on track." |
Kindergarten Readiness in Kenosha County
SHARED LANGUAGE
Using the shared kindergarten readiness measures developed in 2019-2020, Smart Beginnings members have come together around shared messaging and language to support parent and caregiver understanding of kindergarten and school readiness. Using this language, Network members developed marketing materials, including English and Spanish brochures and videos, for community partners to use to increase knowledge of child development and the importance of supporting the whole child, which you can see below.
Using the shared kindergarten readiness measures developed in 2019-2020, Smart Beginnings members have come together around shared messaging and language to support parent and caregiver understanding of kindergarten and school readiness. Using this language, Network members developed marketing materials, including English and Spanish brochures and videos, for community partners to use to increase knowledge of child development and the importance of supporting the whole child, which you can see below.
BRIGHT SPOTS
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EARLY LEARNING NATION
Since 2019, the Smart Beginnings Network has implemented its Early Learning Nation plan, an ambitious, comprehensive 3-year plan using the Council for the Study of Social Policy’s Early Learning Nation framework. This plan lays out the work needed for Kenosha County to become a true early learning community, supporting families in their role as a child’s first teacher. Guided by a Core Team, the Network shares ownership of actions and accountability across member organizations. As part of this plan, partners are focusing on aligning language and measures, making their services more accessible, implementing continuous improvement practices, and exploring data sharing and family navigation models, all which fall within the first two Building Blocks: Building Block 1: Community leadership, commitment, & public will Building Block 2: Quality services that work for all young children and their families |
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HELP ME GROW
Since July 2021, BOF convened partners around early childhood systems change and the question, How can we ensure that all children are developmentally on track, and when they're not - they receive support early, so that every child reaches their full potential? Together, partners--including Kenosha County, KUSD, Advocate Aurora Health, United Way of Kenosha County, KAC, 4C for Children, PSN, and others--explored the Help Me Grow model for Kenosha County. Help Me Grow is a national, evidence-based model that builds a comprehensive system of supports for pregnant women, caregivers with new babies, and families with young children. It uses data and a community navigator approach to integrate developmental screenings, services, and referrals across agencies. Help Me Grow has had great success in the Fox Valley, and with support from a $500K grant from the State of Wisconsin's Equitable Recovery Program, we are excited to bring this model to Kenosha. Housed within KAC, Help Me Grow will work in partnership with other community organizations and embed navigators across the community to best support families.
BRIGHT BY TEXT IN KENOSHA COUNTY
Bright by Text is a national program that sends texts to families about developmental milestones and community resources. Building Our Future is supporting the local launch and integration of Bright by Text into existing partner processes in order to connect more parents to community resources via text. Since Building Our Future became the state lead for Bright by Text for Wisconsin in 2021, over 16,000 community messages have been sent to almost 300 subscribers in Kenosha County and to subscribers statewide. Local messages are targeted to a subscriber's zip code and/or age of child. This program is available to anyone. To sign up, just text the word "Badger" to 274-448.
ASQ-3 SCREENING AND DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE AWARENESS
Since 2017, the Smart Beginnings Network has focused on integrating data from developmental screenings to ensure that all children in Kenosha County are screened regularly throughout their first five years. As part of this work, the Network has set year-over-year goals to increase implementation of the ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE. As a result of this work, it's the hope of the Network that more children will receive the services they need to be developmentally on track. In 2018, the data indicates that happened. After experience steady referrals to its Birth to 3 program from 2013 to 2017, Birth to 3 saw a 23% increase in 2018 referrals over 2017 referrals, serving an additional 100 families that year. When families receive needed services earlier, the likelihood that children will return to being developmentally on track with their peers increases.
Since July 2021, BOF convened partners around early childhood systems change and the question, How can we ensure that all children are developmentally on track, and when they're not - they receive support early, so that every child reaches their full potential? Together, partners--including Kenosha County, KUSD, Advocate Aurora Health, United Way of Kenosha County, KAC, 4C for Children, PSN, and others--explored the Help Me Grow model for Kenosha County. Help Me Grow is a national, evidence-based model that builds a comprehensive system of supports for pregnant women, caregivers with new babies, and families with young children. It uses data and a community navigator approach to integrate developmental screenings, services, and referrals across agencies. Help Me Grow has had great success in the Fox Valley, and with support from a $500K grant from the State of Wisconsin's Equitable Recovery Program, we are excited to bring this model to Kenosha. Housed within KAC, Help Me Grow will work in partnership with other community organizations and embed navigators across the community to best support families.
BRIGHT BY TEXT IN KENOSHA COUNTY
Bright by Text is a national program that sends texts to families about developmental milestones and community resources. Building Our Future is supporting the local launch and integration of Bright by Text into existing partner processes in order to connect more parents to community resources via text. Since Building Our Future became the state lead for Bright by Text for Wisconsin in 2021, over 16,000 community messages have been sent to almost 300 subscribers in Kenosha County and to subscribers statewide. Local messages are targeted to a subscriber's zip code and/or age of child. This program is available to anyone. To sign up, just text the word "Badger" to 274-448.
ASQ-3 SCREENING AND DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE AWARENESS
Since 2017, the Smart Beginnings Network has focused on integrating data from developmental screenings to ensure that all children in Kenosha County are screened regularly throughout their first five years. As part of this work, the Network has set year-over-year goals to increase implementation of the ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE. As a result of this work, it's the hope of the Network that more children will receive the services they need to be developmentally on track. In 2018, the data indicates that happened. After experience steady referrals to its Birth to 3 program from 2013 to 2017, Birth to 3 saw a 23% increase in 2018 referrals over 2017 referrals, serving an additional 100 families that year. When families receive needed services earlier, the likelihood that children will return to being developmentally on track with their peers increases.
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Kindergarten Readiness Videos
Let's Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten! You might be surprised to learn that being ready for kindergarten doesn't mean teaching your child math and reading. Rather, your child is ready for kindergarten when they have developed a love of learning and are curious to learn new things. Helping your child prepare for kindergarten will help them have a more positive and successful experience in school. In this video, explore how you can help your child succeed in kindergarten - and beyond! ¡Preparemos a Su Hijo(a) para el Jardín de Niños!
Quizás le sorprenda saber que estar preparado(a) para el jardín de niños no significa enseñar a su hijo(a) matemáticas y lectura. Más bien, su hijo(a) estará listo(a) para el jardín de niños cuando haya desarrollado un amor por el aprendizaje y muestre curiosidad por aprender cosas nuevas. Ayudar a su niño(a) a prepararse para el jardín de niños le ayudará a tener una experiencia más positiva y exitosa en la escuela. |
Order Smart Beginnings brochures here!
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