Smart Start Georgia Spotlight
Smart Start
Smart Start, the early learning division of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta has joined forces with a coalition of early childhood advocates and professionals to implement four Early Reading First (ERF) grants throughout metropolitan Atlanta: DREAM, READERS, LIGHT and APPLE. The programs focus on low-income, preschool children with risks for reading difficulties, transforming our existing, good programs into programs of excellence. Over 80% of youth in our program areas qualify for free or reduced lunch, far exceeding the state average of 50%. To date, more than 1700 children in Dekalb, Fulton, and Cobb counties have been served.
The key indicator of a child's later success in school is their ability to read. The goal of ERF is to enhance the early language, literacy, and pre-reading development of young children, particularly those from low income families, through strategies and professional development that are grounded in Scientifically-Based Reading Research (SBRR) and family literacy.
The goal of our ERF programs is to increase teachers, assistants, administrators, and coaches knowledge and use of SBRR. A professional development plan was developed to systematically address early literacy skills essential to future reading success. To date, ERF professionals have received more than 2,500 hours of professional development delivered through seminars, field trips to model classrooms, study groups, in classroom- coaching, summer institute and local and national conferences.
The success of ERF programs can be measured by the quality of the classroom environment, child outcomes that assess the main skills predictive of reading success, and the professional development opportunities provided to classroom teachers, as well as the classroom environment and child outcomes. The use of valid assessment instruments is also a key component of ERF programs. This data allows us to gauge the progress of ERF children in obtaining the necessary skills to become successful readers and to show gains during program implementation.
Aspects of the projects include:
• Implementing Opening the World of Learning (OWL), which is a
comprehensive, integrated curriculum.
• Enhancing classroom learning environments.
• Providing teachers with new ways to help children improve their language.
• Providing coaching and early literacy training for teachers to help them
fully integrate literacy throughout their classrooms.
• Engaging families in their child's early reading experiences to reinforce these
skills at home.
UWMA_SmartStart_ERF READERS Grant_2006-2010_ Publication:
This publication documents and highlights the lessons learned during the implementation of the READERS grant. It is presented in the format of case studies and practical applications with many examples and experiences that are linked to working with teachers, students, and families.
UWMA_SmartStart_ERF LIGHT Grant_2007-2011_Publication:
This publication documents and highlights the success of Literacy Generates Hope for Tomorrow (LIGHT), a project developed from an Early Reading First grant awarded to the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta by the U.S. Department of Education.
Smart Start / Education Transition
For the past 10 years, United Way has developed and implemented a set of early learning strategies based on community input. These strategies have proven to be the necessary set of strategies to promote positive outcomes for young children and families and ensure that children have the necessary set of skills and tools to be successful in Kindergarten.
United Way is building on the foundational work of Smart Start, developing a comprehensive plan for education to include strategies that support our goals; children enter school ready to learn, avoid risky behaviors and graduate prepared for careers.
The focus of our work in education is to support all children:
ages 0–21 for success in school, work and life.
Exciting new EEC Highlights:
Early Education Commission Final Recommendations
Atlanta Leaders Announce New Early Education Initiative
• Dennis Lockhart, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and co-chair of the Early Education Commission, recently presented a speech on February 16th, 2010 to the Atlanta Kiwanas Club stating, "One early sign of success of the Early Education Commission will be when people start saying 'Pre-K through 12' rather than 'K through 12'..." Please click on link below to view write up of this speech by Maria Saporta from the Atlanta Business Chronicle entitled: "Civic Leaders Working to Improve Early Ed"
• Dennis Lockhart also presented a speech at the Telluride Economic Summit on early childhood investment. Please click on the following link to view this speech entitled: "Early Childhood Education, Economic Development, and the Business Community"
• Additionally, from AJC.com, "Recent opinion pieces in The Atlanta Journal Constitution have focused on how educational improvements can lead to a highly skilled workforce, which has significant implications for the long-term viability of the Atlanta metro region." Please click on the following link to view the most recent EEC op-ed piece in the AJC by Dennis Lockhart & Beverly Tatum entitled: "Atlanta Poised to Lead Early Learning"
Additional SMART START Highlights:
Parent Services Project Turns 30!
2010 marks our 30th anniversary—30 years of promoting family engagement and leadership in early childhood, schools and communities across the country.
We began in 1980 with a simple belief: families are the constant for their child in an ever-changing world. And so, we asked, how can we create strong networks of support for all families? We knew it was critical to reach families in places they naturally congregate early childhood programs and schools. That notion was the spark that got us started, and thus began our journey. Thirty years later, amazing things have happened, and our work is more relevant than ever!
Read more
Parent Services Project Winter 2012 E-Newsletter
Upcoming Events:
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Speaker Series:
As part of its Better Beginnings program, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Speaker Series will host a program on February 28, 2012, featuring new research on brain development. The Speaker Series program, “Breakthrough Research on Building Better Brains,” will feature Dr. Jack Shonkoff, director of Harvard's Center on the Developing Child. Dr. Shonkoff’s revolutionary research reveals that persistent highly adverse experiences – known as “toxic stress” – damage a child’s brain circuits. Children may experience toxic stress when living with physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, severe maternal depression and prolonged economic hardship. These children not only become poor learners; they suffer lifelong negative consequences, such as higher rates of heart disease and substance abuse.
In partnership with Child Trends, national, nonprofit research center, dedicated to improving outcomes for children through research to inform policy and practice, the Blank Family Foundation will produce a live webcast of the Speaker Series event beginning at 6 p.m. ET. During the webcast, Child Trends President Carol Emig will use Twitter to highlight key points and resources related to the webcast. Webcast viewers may participate via Twitter using #B25. For information on the webcast, go to http://blankfoundation.org/brain. No registration is needed to view the webcast.
Strong Foundations "How-to-Guide" for the #B25 Social Media Campaign 2012
EARLY LITERACY SYMPOSIUM 2012:
Advance registration is now open for the Early Literacy Symposium of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, March 24, 2012 in Atlanta, GA. Co-sponsored with Sheltering Arms Georgia Training Institute (GTI), this annual event is one of the premier early literacy conferences in the southeast.
In addition to choices of workshops in language and literacy for educators working with children ages birth to grade 3, these nationally-recognized speakers have been confirmed:
Earl Martin Phalen, Chief Executive Officer of Reach Out and Read & Founder of Summer Advantage USA
Laura Justice, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University
Phyllis C. Hunter, President, Phyllis C. Hunter Consulting, Inc. and creator of the Phyllis C. Hunter Classroom Libraries
Jeanne Davidson Adair, Ed. D., Research Manager, Focus On Successful Solutions, LLC.
PLEASE USE THE LINK BELOW TO ACCESS THE REGISTRATION FORM FOR ADVANCE RESERVATIONS:
http://www.caresolutions.com/docs/RegistrationForm_EarlyLiteracySymposium2012.pdf
Substitute Teacher Program (STP) Upcoming Classes:
McDONOUGH CLASS: March 26-30, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: McDonough
Counties: Butts, Clayton, Fayette, Henry & open to
all Metro Atlanta counties
Application DEADLINE: March 12, 2012
SUWANEE CLASS: April 16-20, 2012 (SPANISH ONLY)
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Suwanee
Counties: Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, & (all Metro Atlanta)
Application DEADLINE: April 6, 2012
DOUGLASVILLE CLASS: April 23-27, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Douglasville
Counties: Cobb, Cherokee, Douglas, Paulding &
nearby counties
Application DEADLINE: April 9, 2012
AUGUSTA CLASS: May 7-11, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Augusta
Counties: Burke, Columbia, McDuffie, Richmond, &
nearby counties
Application DEADLINE: April 23, 2012
DECATUR CLASS: May 21-25, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Decatur
Counties: DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale
Application DEADLINE: May 11, 2012
MORROW CLASS: June 4-8, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Morrow
Counties: Butts, Clayton, Fayette
Application DEADLINE: May 21, 2012
ATLANTA CLASS: June 11-15, 2012
Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
City: Atlanta
Counties: Clayton, DeKalb, Fayette, Fulton
Application DEADLINE: May 28, 2012
Thank you so much for your interest in our Substitute Teacher Program!
For more information about the Early Education Substitute Teacher program, please visit our website @ http://www.ecegasubs.org
Additional Resources:
U. S. Department of Education
President Obama has established a goal that, by 2020, the United States will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. Meeting this goal is vital to our long-term economic security and to preparing young people and adults to be active citizens. Reaching the President's goal will require comprehensive education reforms from cradle to career, beginning with children at birth, supporting them through high school and postsecondary education, and helping them to succeed as lifelong learners who can adapt to the constant changes in the demands of the global economy. To monitor the Country's progress towards reaching our goal, the U.S. Department of Education presents the United States Education Dashboard. The Dashboard is intended to spur and inform conversations about how to improve educational results.
United States Education Dashboard
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - Winter 2011
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - August 2010
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - June / July 2010
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - May 2010
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - April 2010
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - March 2010
Early Learning and Literacy Newsletter - February 2010