Ready for School. Ready for Life. EARLY CHILDHOOD ON THE PENINSULA

Ready for School. Ready for Life. What is “school readiness”? Physical Social Emotional Intellectual Nationally, 49% of children who do not know their alphabet as they enter kindergarten come from middle- and upper -class families!

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Start behind, stay behind It’s often a snowball effect as they move up toward high school.

Ready for School. Ready for Life. The cost to YOU Children who start school behind due to a lack of quality early childhood care and education are shown to have: More repeated grades More special education needs Higher teen pregnancy rates Lower graduation rates Higher incarceration rates Lower employment rates More use of public assistance

Ready for School. Ready for Life. It’s happening right here One out of every five children on the Peninsula starts kindergarten unprepared.

Ready for School. Ready for Life. THE SOLUTION: Invest in early childhood Decades of research show that the first five years are a critical time in brain development. All children are born ready to learn, but the achievement gap begins to show before kindergarten. Studies have found a 95% correlation between children’s language interaction in the first 2-3 years of life and their reading level in 4th grade.

Ready for School. Ready for Life. “An ounce of prevention…” At the time when brain development is at its highest, our investment is at its lowest.

Ready for School. Ready for Life. What’s in it for you High-quality early care and education programs can yield as much as a… 16% return annually for every $1 invested

Ready for School. Ready for Life. What’s in it for you Children who receive a quality early education are more likely to become: Dependable workers Citizens who give back to their community Problem-solvers Mentally and emotionally stable adults Responsible spouses & parents

Ready for School. Ready for Life. See who else is involved Hampton Health Department Hampton Healthy Families Partnership Hampton Public Schools Hampton Economic Development Department Hampton University Head Start H.E.L.P. Clinic Infant Toddler Connection Joint Military Command Parent Support Kaufman and Canoles Kids Priority One Kristen Fowler Langley Child Care Center Liz Moore Realty Navy Parent Support Newport News Healthy Families Partnership Newport News Libraries Newport News Parks and Recreation Newport News Public Schools Newport News Shipyard Obaid Jafri, MD Office of Human Affairs Alternatives ARC Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Found. Bob Shwayder, MD Bon Secours Center for Child and Family Services Cheri Coyle, MD Children’s Clinic CHKD City of Hampton City of Newport News Coliseum Central BID Community Services Board Community Free Clinic East End NN CNU Dixon, Hughes, Goodman LLP Downtown Hampton Child Development Center Dominion Virginia Power Family Focus Ferguson Enterprises First Book HR/ Mayor’s Book Club First Team Auto Group Old Point National Bank Peninsula Community Foundation Peninsula Health Department Peninsula United Way Peninsula YMCA PICH Project Single Moms Preschool Partners Riverside Medical Group Resource Mothers Sentara Health Group TNCC Towne Bank Tidewater Physicians Multi Specialty Group Union First Market Bank Virginia Company Bank Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Zel Technologies

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Make a difference! Volunteer Donate Serve on boards Provide scholarships Contact elected officials Write the media Help faith community Ways to get involved and help our children today

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Initiatives 1.Implementing Virginia Star Quality Rating 2.Emphasizing Social-Emotional Development a)Screenings b)New focus/curriculum for centers 3.Bringing together mental health community 4.Creating TNCC partnership for teacher continuing education 5.Developing resource guide for parents/centers in English, Spanish Early Care and Education

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Initiatives 1.Created website: smartbeginningsvp.org 2.Developed two brochures: one for parents, one for advocates 3.Started Speaker’s Bureau, created material 4.Developed posters for retail locations, urging parents to prepare/educate children under 5 Public Engagement and Awareness

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Initiatives 1.Developed universal screen for pregnant moms 2.Offering of free parenting classes 3.Discussing way children with delays can be identified earlier Health

Ready for School. Ready for Life. Initiatives 1.Disseminated new-parent information magnets 2.Disseminated magnets promoting parent resource website: peninsulafamilies.org 3.Discussing reintroducing new-baby welcome package 4.Discussing partnership with CHKD to bring in speakers on parent issues Parent Support and Education

Ready for School. Ready for Life. We want to hear from you! For more information on early childhood and how to help, visit You can also call the Program Coordinator at (757) or send mail to: Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula P.O. Box 325 Hampton, VA 23669