1. Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant
Museums and Libraries Partnership for Parent, Family and Community Engagement
Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant
June 12, 2012

2. Background : Museums and Libraries
Early Learning Challenge Grant, From Birth to School Readiness: Massachusetts Early Learning Plan, , EEC articulated its vision for strengthening the basic foundation of our early learning system by increasing capacity and support from other agencies and private sector partners in the community.
Over the next four years, EEC will invest up to $600,000 to implement a statewide strategy that provides a shared framework and set of resources that will bolster the capacity of museums and libraries, in partnership with EEC’s CFCE grantees, to support the optimal development of all children, especially those with high needs, and support families in their essential work as their child’s first teacher.
EEC is partnering with Boston Children’s Museum to implement a statewide strategy to increase the
capacity of museums and libraries to support the optimal development of all children through intentional
family engagement activities and early learning opportunities. With funding from the Race to the Top –
Early Learning Challenge grant (RTT-ELC), the partnership supports the development of a shared
framework and set of resources focused on four areas: early literacy; school readiness, including
preparation for Kindergarten; interest and awareness of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math), and public awareness of the importance of early education and care through the state’s Brain
Building in Progress communications initiative.

3. Background : Museums and Libraries
In alignment with all of EEC’s work with families, this initiative will incorporate the Strengthening Families framework and approach, which has widespread support from social science researchers, early childhood practitioners and policy experts.
Through this collaboration, EEC will strengthen existing relationships and further integrate an evidence-based framework for early childhood programming and family engagement into Massachusetts children’s museums and libraries.
These collaborations will extend the reach of EEC initiatives, such as the Brain Building in Progress public awareness campaign.
Our panel today will highlight some of the local level plans for the partnership and provide a brief update on the overall progress to date of the initiative.

4. School Readiness (preparation for Kindergarten) STEM
Four Areas of Focus
Early Literacy
School Readiness (preparation for Kindergarten)
STEM
Brain Building in Progress
As you know, we’ll focus these initatives in four areas – we heard from lots of our new partners that PLAY is also an important aspect of early learning that they continue to educate parents and others about - that play is learning.

5. Early literacy where the libraries will be our new partner…..

6. Countdown to Kindergarten 2011
School readiness where local early educators are poised to do more. And we can share our model with Boston Public schools, both the celebration AND the exhibit and we expect to be focused on both.
Countdown to Kindergarten 2011

7. On STEM where we have created this kit and trained almost 500 providers in the past 6 months…….

8. Brain Building in Progress!
And with our old friends, United Way…we are already actively broadcasting brain building in progress which has been a powerful message at BCM. Our experience during the Week of the Young Child showed us how dragging “Brainy” around all day really did spread our messages…..you have in front of your some tip sheets that he carried in his courier bag……in English, Spanish and Chinese.

9. Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Launched on May 4, 2012
Commissioner Killins
EEC Staff
Children’s Museums
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Coordinated Community & Family Engagement Specialists
Early Childhood Resource Centers
Early childhood consultants
Boston Public Schools
BCM staff
There are now 17 officially listed children’s museums.

10. We had everyone put themselves on the map…
We had everyone put themselves on the map….this now hangs in our office at BCM and includes Museums in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut as they serve MA families.

11. And we had them get to know each other as well…
And we had them get to know each other as well…..lots of new connections happened …

12. And of course, our fearless leader showed us the way…..

13. Tell us: …about your family engagement programs and
Getting to Know You!
Tell us: …about your family engagement programs and
how you think this project could change the world…
We asked our participants to tell us about their current family engagement programs and also how they thought that this project could change the world….

14. “Young children have incredible intelligence. We just need to watch
“Young children have incredible intelligence. We just need to watch!” Eric Carle Museum, Northampton, MA
“Holyoke is one of the poorest cities in the state and has the highest drop out rate. We are working to engage children in early years – for gang prevention and an educational space to play.”
Holyoke Children’s Museum, Holyoke MA
“Do not be an island.” Fred Rogers: Play is the work of young children. “Training our staff on fundamentals of play might help change the world.” Amelia Park Children’s Center, Amherst, MA
They were more than eloquent……museums and libraries have really never been asked to participate at this level. They are ready to partner with EEC to strengthen their existing relationships and further integrate the evidence-based frameworks for early childhood programming and family engagement.

15. Shelly Quezada, Consultant for the Underserved
MA Board of Library Commissioners
“Libraries in our Commonwealth are re-changing way books are being read. STEM programs in libraries.” Masslibraries.gov has video. We’ll show them the video.

16. Falmouth Public Library
Kim Dewall,
ECRC Coordinator
Falmouth Public Library
talk about how she has been keeping her ECRS library vibrant for providers and what she wants to do now!

17. Karin Rubin, Director Amelia Park Children’s Museum Westfield, MA
Karen Rubin- Amherst Amelia Parks Children’s Museum. Making collaborations is key. “Do not be an island.” Fred Rogers: ”Play is the work of young children.” Importance of training staff on fundamentals of play.

18. Next Steps
June/July – FAQs, formal survey, meet with reps, create directory
August – Countdown to Kindergarten celebrations and train-the-trainers for Kindergarten readiness, library strategy developed
September – Road trip to assess community involvement by Museums, library strategy launched, STEM training
October/December – Connect!
June/July – Learn about our partners. Send out the FAQs, survey museums, meet with library representatives, meet with CFCE specialists, ECRS representatives and others. Create a directory of museums, libraries, CFCEs and others that will provide contact and program information to support connections.
August – Plan/execute any Countdown to Kindergarten celebrations. Invite museums to attend and observe BCM’s Countdown to Kindergarten celebration on August 28. Provide training and hands-on opportunities to replicate this in other communities.
September – Take a road trip to visit museums all over the Commonwealth to support and influence programming in the four key areas. We will continue to gather information and make connections to local CFCE grantees to enhance activities and programming in the community.
October-December – Work across the Commonwealth to connect museums, libraries and CFCE grantees to engage families in programming in the four key areas. Provide on-going consultation, hands-on activities, training and event planning.

19. Issue and Proposed Resolution.