GREENE COUNTY EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
Child Care Information Services, Department of Human Services Amy Switalski, CCIS Director
Allison Blaker, Community Engagement Coordinator
Ben Franklin Building, 2nd Floor, 22 W. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: 724-852-5277 or toll-free at 888-355-CCIS (2247) Fax: 724-852-5297
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m., Monday—Friday
PURPOSE AND MISSION:
The Early Care and Education Community Team promote high quality early care and education for all families in Greene County to ensure readiness to learn through partnerships with parents and community collaborations.
Who we are and what we do: The Greene County Early Care and Education Community Team of MAGIC (Making A Great Impact Collectively) Early Care and Education LEARN Team (ECE LEARN Team) has been actively working in the county focusing on our mission to promote high quality early care and education for all families in Greene County to ensure readiness to learn through partnerships with parents and community collaborations since 1994. The team has undergone many name changes to meet the goals at hand, and has received funds from OCDEL in the past under the name Community Engagement Team, but is presently known as the ECE LEARN Team.
Being in a rural area, engaging families and supporting transition activities is vital to have children be prepared with the skills need to be successful in school. The ECE LEARN Team has made great head way and has earned trust in the community, including parents, schools, and other early learning programs. The ECE LEARN Team is known as being the hub for early childhood. The ECE Team has been instrumental in improving Early Childhood Education in Greene County and is still dedicated and committed to improve in this upcoming fiscal year.
We have created programs such as Paving the Path to Kindergarten, a transition to early learning and school settings activity for parents and children, Transition Tuesday’s with Head Start, PA Promise One Book Every Child Readings in Greene County, Kindergarten Club, Play Groups, Story Hours, Child Fest, and a page on the MAGIC(Making A Great Impact Collectively) website. Also the team has stressed to parents the importance of program such as Family Center Home Visits, Head Start, Early Head Start, Early Intervention and the Parent Child Home Program when applicable. These are also some of the vehicles that we use to promote Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children, Keystone STARS and PA Pre-K Counts.
OUR VISION STATEMENT:
Greene County will have access to affordable high quality early childhood education that promotes school and life success.
Why Quality Early Learning Is Important: Pennsylvania’s early education programs, keep parents working; build early language, math and social skills to prepare children for success in school and in life; and support today’s economy and build a better workforce tomorrow.
A young child’s brain forms 700 neural synapses a second. Quality early education impacts how young brains develop.
40 years of research shows that children receiving high quality early education are more likely to be prepared for and do better in school; graduate high school; attend college or job training; and have higher earnings.
Every $1 invested in quality early education saves $7 in special education, public assistance, corrections, and lost taxes.
Children in 76% of Pennsylvania’s counties are at moderate-high to high risk of failing in school.
About 35% of Pennsylvania’s young children participate in publicly-funded quality early education programs.
Between 60% - 75% of children in PA Pre-K Counts, Preschool Early Intervention and Head Start Supplemental in 2008-2009 finished the year with age-appropriate skills.
COMMUNITY RECOGNITION:
The County Commissioners, the Department of Human Services, and our office, Child Care Information Services, would like to recognize First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene and Community Foundation of Greene County for such dedication to Early Childhood Education. Click here for Scholarship fund news release of December 2011.
EARLY LEARNING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES:
Early Learning Events:
Kindergarten Registration — is your child five or turning five prior to September 1, 2012? If so, it's time to register them for kindergarten. Click here for times and locations. Please contact your local school district for more information.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 — 1st Annual Greene County Celebration of Babies Event. A day of learning ... because babies don't come with instructions. Held at the First Baptist Church in Waynesburg from 11:15 AM to 1:15 PM (registration is from 10:00-11:00 AM). Click here for information flyer or call 1-877-814-0788 ext. 440.
Saturday, April 21, 2012 — 18th Annual Greene County Child Fest. This years theme is "Mother Goose on the Loose", held at the Greene County Fairgrounds from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. An annual FREE event to support education and care of the young children. With food, lots of entertainment, and prizes. Check out all of the following informational flyers about this years Child Fest:
For more information call 724-852-5277 or toll free at 1-888-355-2247.
February 14, 2012 — Pizza & Wii Night. The Greene County Family Center ish osting a FREE Family Fun NIght on Valentine's Day. To be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at West Sides, 595 West High Street in Waynesburg, PA. Pre-registration is required, call 724-852-2893 ext. 532. Click here for Pizza Flyer.
Early Learning Activities: Contact your local LEARN Team to get these great Activities! 724-852-5277. You may also access more information at The PA Promise for Children’s Website www.papromiseforchildren.com.
Learning is Everywhere Calendars: The activities within the Learning is Everywhere Calendar and on the website are aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards (ELS). These guidelines can be used to determine what infants, toddlers, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten children may know or be able to do within specific age ranges. The Learning is Everywhere e-Newsletter is a project of the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children campaign.
Ages: three and four year olds.
Includes activities to help preschoolers get ready for kindergarten. Each month focuses on a different area of development, such as sparking creativity and celebrating your child's difference!
Ages: Kindergartners/ five year olds.
Includes activities based on authors of popular children's books, such as Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss!
GETTING INVOLVED:
How to get involved:
Contact your Local LEARN Team 724-852-5277
Attend one of our monthly meeting Every fourth Tuesday of the month, third floor of the Fort Jackson Building, large conference room.
Be a guest reader at one of our Early Learning Facilities, call 724-852-5277.
LEARN/CCIS-LEARN MEETING INFORMATION:
Next LEARN Meeting: Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 1:30
Apr. 24, 2012 — Greene County Early Care and Education, Transition Meeting Minutes
Feb. 28, 2012 — Greene County Early Care and Education, Transition Meeting Minutes
Jan. 24, 2012 — Greene County Early Care and Education, Family Engagement Meeting Minutes
PENNSYLVANIA's PROMISE FOR CHILDREN:Because every child is Pennsylvania's future — find out how to help young children learn, choose early learning programs (such as child care, Head Start, and preschool), and ways that everyone can help young children reach their promise through quality early education.
Did you know that what children learn before kindergarten affects their success in school and in life? The first five years are absolutely essential to brain development and shaping literacy, their mathematical skills, and their social skills – we cannot recreate this opportunity later in life. When it comes to early learning, there are no "do-overs."
Click here for more information of Pennsylvania's Promise for Children.
For general information, please contact the Information Services at 724-852-5399 / Toll Free: 1-888-852-5399. County Office Building, 93 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Learning is Everywhere Calendars: The activities within the Learning is Everywhere Calendar and on the website are aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards (ELS). These guidelines can be used to determine what infants, toddlers, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten children may know or be able to do within specific age ranges. The Learning is Everywhere e-Newsletter is a project of the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children campaign.
Ages: three and four year olds.
Ages: Kindergartners/ five year olds.
