WKKF Releases Tangible Steps Toward Tomorrow
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation teamed up with the design firm IDEO to take a new look at the school readiness challenge. Together, they produced Tangible Steps Toward Tomorrow; New Designs for Early Education, Ages 0-8, a report that offers new solutions that focus on the three major influences on a child's education: parents, teachers and schools.
To develop these solutions the IDEO team conducted observations in both classrooms and homes of parents and children, connected with experts within and outside the WKKF network, and drew from the ideas and extensive expertise of the directors involved in WKKF's SPARK initiative.
If you would like to receive a free, printed version of the publication, click here.
The report also is available on the SPARK Web site. Click here for to download and print the report or to view online.
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Changes in the SPARK Team Line-up
Gregory Taylor, who headed up Kellogg's SPARK initiative for several years, assumed the role of Vice President for Programs for the foundation in 2007. Greg is responsible for leadership, capacity building and fostering collaboration and teamwork in the development and implementation of programming, organizational policy and philosophies, human and financial resource allocation management and internal and external communications. He also serves on the executive team that provides overall direction and leadership for the Foundation. Greg has been with the Foundation since 2003.
Anthony (Tony) Berkley has taken over leadership of the SPARK initiative as part of his new role as Program Director for Youth and Education Programs. Tony is responsible for the design, planning and management of programs related to the Foundation's efforts to align community systems to increase learning outcomes for vulnerable young people. Tony joined the foundation in 2003 in the evaluation unit.
Paula R. Sammons, a program associate for Youth and Education Programs, is expanding her role in the Foundation's early education work and has joined the SPARK team. In addition to her SPARK role, Paula reviews incoming proposals, monitors funded projects, conducts site visits, and serves as a key contact for inquiries.
Paula joined the Foundation in 1992.
Jody Glover, program assistant for the SPARK Initiative, recently earned an MBA with a Project Management specialty from Jones International University in Denver, CO. Congratulations Jody! Jody joined the Foundation in 1994.
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SPARK Spokespeople Speak Out
W.K. Kellogg Foundation staff and grantees celebrated the New Year by raising the importance and awareness of school readiness by placing op-eds throughout the country. Gregory Taylor, vice president for programs, at WKKF, penned an op-ed titled "A New Year Brings New Hope for Early Education" that was published in more than 40 newspapers across the United States. Read the op-ed online.
In addition, SPARK NC and SPARK NM have just this week distributed op-eds on key issues in their states. Click here to read them. Other SPARK grantees interested in authoring and distributing op-eds should contact Laura Rogers at the Communications Consortium Media Center.
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SPARK Ohio Surveys Parent Opinions
SPARK Ohio regularly produces a newsletter for parents. The new Spring 2008 edition of the newsletter features the following article on the results of a recent survey conducted among SPARK Ohio parents.
Results of SPARK Surveys with Parents
Parents and their children aged 3 to 5 are the main focus of the SPARK program,
thus SPARK is very interested in parents' opinions about both the program
and their parent partner. Each summer SPARK parents are surveyed for
this information. The survey results from summer 2007 indicate very positive
opinions by SPARK parents of both the program and the parent partners. The
vast majority of SPARK parents indicate the thing they like most about the
SPARK program is the developmental preparation and assessments their child
receives. In regard to their parent partners, SPARK parents overwhelmingly
report that their parent partner truly understands what their child needs in
order to be ready for school. Parents also report receiving high levels of trust,
understanding, and respect from their parent partners. The data show that they
value their relationship with their parent partner very highly.
Click here to read to the full article.
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SPARK North Carolina Emphasizes Parent Involvement
in New Workshops
Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC), a SPARK North Carolina program, recently published an article on the importance of parent involvement. The article introduces DEPC's new workshop series, "Champions for Children."
What does being involved in your child's education mean?
Parent involvement is similar to eggs in a cake. You can make a cake without it, but it wouldn't be as good. Parent involvement is a key ingredient to not only the success of children, but the school and the entire community. When parents are welcome in the school and are consulted about decisions affecting their children, an atmosphere of trust and collaboration develops between school and home.
The Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC) believes that the quality of education shapes not only our children's future, but the future of communities in Nash and Edgecombe counties. To ensure that children from birth to age 8 are launched as life-long learners, DEPC works to create a strong foundation for children and families by advocating and supporting both high quality early care and a coordinated system of community resources. This foundation includes empowering parents to be active participants in school-based and system-wide decision making for their children, school or district.
Click here to read to the full article.
For more information on the DEPC and its programs and services, call 252.985.4300 or visit their Web site at www.depc.org.
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Great Success with the Pre-K for All DC
Introduction to Legislation
SPARK DC and National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) have been advocates promoting a measure that would extend pre-kindergarten programs in DC to an additional 2,000 three- and four- year olds in the city. The measure was introduced last month by DC Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D). Pre-K for All DC, a collaborative initiative of NBCDI, helped Gray craft the Pre-K for All DC Amendment Act.
The District of Columbia is a pioneering leader in early childhood. In 1972, the District became one of the first jurisdictions to offer pre-K in public school settings. Since the 1970s, early childhood leaders have been successfully working to expand access to programs. Pre-K for All DC is striving to ensure all children have access to high-quality programs.
Read the article from The Washington Post about the legislation.
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SPARK DC Achieves NAEYC Accreditation
for Community Partner
SPARK DC's community partner, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation's Benning Park Early Care and Education Center, has achieved the newly revised NAEYC Accreditation, mark of quality. The center had been NAEYC Accredited under the former requirements, but took on the challenge of meeting the standards of the revised system designed to nationally increase the quality of services being provided to children, their families, and communities.
SPARK DC has provided professional development, parent education trainings, sensory and developmental screenings, literacy materials, scholarships, and partnered with other agencies to bring school readiness resources to the center since the partnership began in 2003.
This year, SPARK DC partnered with the NAEYC agency that awarded scholarships to SPARK partner centers that were seeking to achieve NAEYC Accreditation. The DC DPR/Benning Park ECEC was one of the many DPR centers and other SPARK DC partners who received such a scholarship.
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