From Annemarie Harris, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives

My son, Tommy, is 5 and in kindergarten at Monteith School in the Grosse Pointe School District. This week, I learned that the School Board approved all day kindergarten for all students, beginning in 2010-2011. That's a good thing - studies show that all day kindergarten improves academic outcomes for students beyond kindergarten. Grosse Pointe Schools isn't perfect, but it does provide a quality learning experience for children. Tommy is in a class with 22 other children. His teacher, Mrs. DiVirgil has an aide, Mrs. Farnsworth, who supports the classroom throughout most of the day. The children follow high curriculum standards (Tommy can count to 100 by 2!), time for play, specials (library, art, gym, music) and access to high quality learning materials.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Shareable.net
http://shareable.net/blog/building-we-space-in-michigan

We've highlighted many examples of open office plans that try to encourage collaboration and democracy in the workplace, from an innovative office design in Utah to the open plan of Menlo Communications in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shareabe.net reader Annemarie Harris writes to tell us about yet another exciting open source office in Michigan:

I work for United Way for Southeastern Michigan. As you may be aware, United Ways throughout the country are in a phase of transformation, changing their business model from one that primarily advances workplace campaigns and one that fosters social change in a collaborative way. We don't necessarily control how social change occurs, but rather, we serve as the platform for the community to foster and achieve social change, on behalf of all.

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Labels: 660Woodward, Annemarie_Harris, InTheNews

Investments in school readiness over the past 25 years helped Michigan realize cost savings and revenue of $1.15 billion, according to the Wilder Research Study, "Cost savings analysis of school readiness in Michigan," commissioned by Early Childhood Investment Corporation.

Where did we see those savings? In K-12 Education ($221 million), Reduced Govt Spending and Increased Tax Revenues ($594 million), and Reduced Social Costs to Public ($347 million).

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Panera Bread is supporting United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Early Learning Communities program by hosting FREE Family Fun Days on the second Saturday of each month during the school year.

From 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on select dates, children will participate in educational crafts and reading activities. While the children play, parents will have the opportunity to learn about the Early Learning Communities program and how to best prepare children for school. The events are open to all ages.

The Early Learning Communities is a network of neighborhood-based hubs providing free training and resources to parents and caregivers of children aged birth to five. Research shows that the first three years of life are critical to a child's ultimate success in school and in life, making it an important time to intervene to guarantee long-term achievement. The Early Learning Communities was started to ensure that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is Panera Bread's Operation Dough-Nation® partner in metro Detroit. For all donations made to Panera's Community Breadbox, located near the registers, Panera matches a portion back to UWSEM.

Panera Family Fun Day dates and locations:

Feb. 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Rochester Hills, 2508 S. Adams Rd.
[Download a flyer: PaneraFeb.pdf]

March 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Southgate, 13665 Eureka Rd.

April 10 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Dearborn Heights, 26580 Ford Rd.
Sterling Heights, 36808 Van Dyke Ave.
Livonia, 37091 Six Mile Rd.
Farmington Hills, 37611 Twelve Mile Rd.
Allen Park, 3112 Fairlane Dr.

May 8 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Roseville, 31960 Gratiot Ave.

June 12 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Southfield, 23719 Greenfield Rd. (between 9½ Mile and Greenfield, located in a shopping plaza)

Sept. 11 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Woodhaven, 23061 Allen Rd.
Troy, 823 East Big Beaver Rd. (located in the Troy Commons Plaza)

Oct. 9 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Livonia, 28551 Schoolcraft Rd.

Nov. 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Farmington Hills - KT Plaza, 34635 Grand River Ave.

Dec. 11 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Orion, 4804 S. Baldwin Rd.
Canton, 41950 Ford Rd.

Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

In Michigan, 65,000 children in poverty are supported by the child care subsidy program. 65% of these children are being cared for by family, friends and neighbors. In Metro Detroit, we have about 15,000 FFN subsidy providers.

They (FFNs) have an important job - providing high quality early learning development opportunities for the children in their care, setting the foundation for success in both school and life. The problem is, most of them aren't aware of this most important role. They see themselves as helping out their daughter, friend or neighbor who's looking for or is working. In addition, they are at a significant disadvantage - in poverty, undereducated, in crisis - to focus on being a quality caregiver.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

By Sherri Begin Welch

The Early Childhood Investment Corp. has awarded a $2.8 million grant to United Way for Southeastern Michigan as part of $10 million in federal pass-through funding to improve the quality of early childhood care providers in the state.

ECIC is a public entity created in 2005 by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to coordinate an early childhood system for the state that would provide better access to professional development for providers of early childhood care.

With the grant, United Way plans to expand the early childhood provider professional development programs it launched in July, 2008.

“This is allowing us to fully cover Metro Detroit and increase the number of caregivers served, and ultimately, the number of children in their care,” said

Annemarie Harris, director, early childhood initiatives at United Way.

United Way will serve as one of 10 resource centers for early childcare providers in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, providing them with ongoing training in first aid, CPR, early childhood development and other relevant topics through subcontract with a number of community agencies.

The centers will host training to help early child care providers meet state requirements, along with further professional development goals, Harrison said.

United Way currently is subcontracting professional development for providers from five community agencies: Starfish Family Services Inc., Southwest Solutions in Detroit, Detroit-based Development Centers Inc., Leaps & Bounds Family Services in Warren and Oakland County Childcare Council.

United Way plans to subcontract five additional community agencies to expand its training across the region.

The new state grant builds on $1 million United Way has secured for early childhood provider training this year from a number of foundations: Ford Fund, General Motors Foundation, High Scope Educational Research Foundation, PNC Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Skillman Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, InTheNews

From the blog of Annemarie Harris:

I just emailed Senators Stabenow and Levin asking them to improve the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which provides young children with access to nutritious meals. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation that would improve young children's access to nutritious meals in child care centers, family child care homes, and Head Start and Early Head Start programs. With your help, we can gain support for the Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 (S. 2749). Please take action yourself and spread the word! For more information, check out National Women's Law Center.

Labels: advocate, Annemarie_Harris, basic needs, food

There's a great study that was released this week by the University of California, Berkley and covered by the New York Times, Hispanic Immigrants' Children Fall Behind Peer Early, Study Finds.

What researchers discovered is that while Hispanic children are born healthy and on par with other American children, by age 2 they fall behind - and stay behind academically. What makes this so? Poverty is, of course, a factor. Another is that Hispanic mothers tend to have less formal schooling.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Michigan is facing one of the most difficult budget crises our state has ever seen. There have been several proposals on how our state can solve this $2.8 billion shortfall, but no matter what, difficult cuts must be made. While Senate Democrats realize this, we also understand that with these devastating cuts, Michigan would not be able to successfully compete with other states in the region and our already-struggling families would continue to suffer. A budget that is only focused on slashing valuable programs will do more harm than good, and the Legislature should also be considering serious reforms.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Dear Editor: Kudos to the Free Press editorial board for finally saying what a lot of Michigan’s working parents already knew: That the state Senate’s budget plan “would have cut too deeply in core state services such as Medicaid and early childhood learning.”

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

I was waiting in the checkout line at Meijer's on Sunday with my daughter, Abby. There was a woman in front of us busy buying her items. Her infant daughter was with her, hanging out in her car seat in the grocery cart.

Staring right at me, I couldn't help but start talking to her. I commented on all the groceries her mom had to buy, asked her whether she had any brothers or sisters, if she was enjoying the nice weather, and so on. She began waving her hands a little bit and I could see the corners of her mouth trying to move. She had so much she wanted to say!

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

PBS Between the Lions will be filming in Detroit on September 16 and 17. They are looking for children, ages three to seven, to be part of their program. Please share with teachers and parents -- we want to show off our region's literacy stars!

Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Who knew that singing silly songs, marching in a circle and playing with musical instruments was developing [my daughter's] reading and math skills?

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Janet, grandmother of Jordyn, age 5, and Evan, age 3, is an early childhood educator. No, she doesn't have a degree in it or teach in a classroom, but she's an educator just the same.

Janet is caring and educating her two grandchildren while her daughter is at work. Janet is the first to tell you she’s a fabulous caregiver – having successfully raised her daughter as well as a host of nieces and nephews. But when she began caring for her grandchildren a generation later, she thought maybe – just maybe – she could use a refresher. That’s when she found United Way’s Early Learning Community in Brightmoor. These communities provide free training and resources for individuals like relatives, neighbors, and childcare aides caring for young children.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices

Today, the Detroit Free Press published an article on the importance of play for young children. What I've found is that parents and other adults have one of two reactions: 1) "But of course, let children be children!" or 2) "What? Children need to study, have structure, rules, etc." I submit that play falls in between these two beliefs. What might generally not be known is that play fosters learning. It also promotes confidence and social skills. All of these characteristics are required for children to be successful in school and in life.

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Labels: Annemarie_Harris, Educational_Preparedness, Employee Voices