This year’s story is not one of an event or person.  ECE’s story is about the many little things that have happened this year. Like the person on our advisory committee that complimented our newsletters saying she always looks forward to reading them. She told us the newsletter is so well done and full of great information that she models her newsletter after ours.

And, the child care provider who said thank you, after watching us model developmentally appropriate math activities with children. She commented that after watching us play with the children using the math materials, she really got how to teach math to young children.  She said you made it fun and they were still learning.

When I recall this past year, I think of all of the amazing people that heard we had a need and came forward. The Partnership’s ECE department received donations of books, blocks, cot sheets, art supplies, math materials, food for our group meetings, scholarships and financial contributions all on behalf of young children and their caregivers.

Finally, the Parents as Teachers home visitor that made it a point to tell us she hears wonderful things about our program. She said, parents are mentioning our visits to child care programs to their PAT educators. In the most recent discussion a parent told her PAT educator that Educare visits are making a noticeable difference in the quality of care her child is receiving. The PAT educator told us that this was not the only time a parent has said positive things about our visits. The little things that happen all year keep us encouraged because we know they make a big difference in the lives of young children and families.

In our 2009 Fiscal Year are best summed up in our Kindergarten Readiness Test Scores.