The Need...

Study after study shows that a child who comes to school with the social, emotional and cognitive skills needed for success is more likely to do well in school, graduate and go on to college.  That same child is more likely to become the productive kind of worker that helps our

community compete for the world-class jobs of tomorrow.

Children who obtain the right skills early are going to do better later.  What we do to help disadvantaged children in their formative years can be a game-changer.  An investment in quality

experiences pays big dividends.  It's like the miracle of compound interest:  the more you invest early, the bigger the payoff later.

Bridging the Gap...

The role of School Readiness is to assist

schools, caregivers, parents and children create

a smooth and seamless transition from home to

school and beyond.  It also serves as a facilitator

building linkages between stakeholders through

grants, events, materials and higher quality

standards for all providers.  Solutions include:

- Transition Teams established in all 17

  Westmoreland County school districts as well

  as one team in Greene County and one team

  in Fayette County;

- Providing funds to help support quality transition

  activities so all children enter kindergarten ready

  to learn and succeed;

- Encouraging participation by providers in

  recognized quality improvement systems such

  as PA Keystone STARS and NAEYC (National

  Association for the Education of Young

  Children; and

- Providing funds for registered early care and

  education providers to improve the quality of

  their programs and for professional

  development.

Resources:

   Did You Know:

   90% of brain development occurs before the

   age of five.

   Every $1 spent on high quality early education

   saves $7 in reduced future expenditures for

   special education, deliquency, crime control,

   welfare and local taxes

   What's Happening:

   April is Month of the Young Child.

   4th Annual Early Childhood Leadership Breakfast

   for legislators, business and community leaders will

   be April 1st.

    Barnes & Noble in Greensburg will have a special

   reading of the PA One Book "Whose Shoes? A

   Shoe for Every Job." on Saturday, April 9th at

   11:00 a.m.

   Building Block X - Early Learning Blocks "Thinking

   Outside the Box" Conference - April 29th beginning

   at 7:30 a.m. at WCCC

   Our Work:

   Over 175 representatives from 19 school

   districts and early education centers attend the

   annual transition team retreat held at the Fred

   Rogers Center in June 2010.

   The 2011 Transition Conference is scheduled for

   June 17th at Westmoreland County Community

   College.  Check back for further details.

   In 2010, School Readiness was able to award

   more than $24,000 to 14 registered child

   care centers participating in Keystone STARS or

   NAEYC to improve the quality of their

   programming.

   School Readiness, through its dedicated

   volunteers, provided over 1,000 preschool

   children attending early care and education

   programs throughout Westmoreland County

   with a preliminary vision screening in Fall 2010. 

   School Readiness Vision Screening Volunteers

   provided preschool (ages 3-5) vision screenings

   at the Westmoreland Mall during the "Lions in

   Sight" Event in January 2011.