Farewell to our colleagues

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. ~Garrison Keillor

This quote is fitting today as we say thank you and bid farewell to several of our colleagues – Chuck, Brad, Erik, Mai, Sara and Tim – who, through their work at Ready 4 K, improved the futures of thousands of our youngest Minnesotans. We will miss each of them and wish them luck on their next endeavors.

Parenting Q & A

With the Summer solstice occurring today, summer has officially begun. This means you're probably planning or packing for a summer getaway. As we all know, family trips are a great way to make lasting memories. Whether you're taking an 8 hour flight to another continent, or simply driving an hour north to visit your cabin, the last thing you want to listen to is your children chant "are we there yet?". This episode in Vicki's Parentin Q & A podcast series will give you strategies and suggestions for making the most of traveling with your children.


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MP3:> Parents as Teachers: Getting rid of the "Are we there yets?"

Early Childhood gaining momentum in Congress

While we here in Minnesota have been working hard to promote policies in our state legislature, early childhood issues are getting attention on the federal level. Sen. Clinton (NY) announced a pre-kindergarten proposal last month as part of her presidential campaign. This proposal would give $10 billion to give every 4-year old access to a pre-kindergarten experience. Currently, Sen. Clinton is drafting a bill to introduce later this year based on her proposal.

Also, Sen. Casey (PA) has introduced a bill, S. 1374, known as the "Prepare All Kids Act of 2007". From the bill summary, this act will assist states in making voluntary high quality full-day pre-kindergarten programs available and economically affordable for the families of all children for at least 1 year preceding kindergarten. The bill includes funds for infant and toddler programs, extended day and extended year programs, as well as eligibility for community-based programs such as Head Start and child care. Read Sen. Casey's remarks for more detail.

After you'd had a chance to read the bill, I'd love to read your comments. What do you think about the idea? How could it work in Minnesota?

At the water cooler...

Getting Minnesota's youngest citizens fully prepared for kindergarten doesn't just make logical sense, it makes a whole lot of business cents too. According to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, an investment in early education for at-risk kids can yield up to an 18% annual rate of return. Now you can help spread word of the importance and value of early childhood education in your place of business with these free posters. Or if nothing else, they'll give you something to talk about at the water cooler!

PDF:> View larger poster - boy
PDF:> View larger poster - girl
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Show states the money

Looks like Minnesota isn’t alone in the struggle to put dollars behind statewide early childhood initiatives. According to the June 6 Education Week article, “States Press Ahead on Preschool Programs,” across the nation Governors and policymakers have good intentions, but when it comes down to deciding how much to spend, where the money will come from or how it will be distributed delays abound.

MN State Fair unveils 2007 poster

The Minnesota State Fair released its official 2007 poster illustrated by St. Paul artist Michael Birawer last Friday. It’s an amazing collage of all the best from the fair and has got me seriously craving a bucket of Martha’s cookies. Only three months to wait. Don't forget Ready 4 K will join in the fun at the fair again this year. Bring your little ones to Carousel Park on Kids Day, Monday Sept. 3 (Labor Day) for our dress-up photo activity, “When I Grow Up…” That day we’ll also be hosting a Teddy Bear Picnic with the mega popular Teddy Bear Band from Noon to 1 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Say Yes, Now! video released

Say Yes, Now! is a new 10-minute video that encourages increased investment in high quality early care and education. The video does more than just give viewers a window into the styles and haircuts of years past...it shows how quality programs and highly trained teachers and staff can work to help young children develop the foundation for academic skills and the social and emotional skills they need to succeed in school, and beyond. Watch video below.



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Parenting podcast series launched

We are really excited to launch our very own podcast. The Vicki's Parenting Q & A series is designed to make day-to-day experiences learning opportunities for parent and child. This episode focuses on the absence of nature in children's lives and what we as parents can do to re-engage our children with the great outdoors. Stream audio or download MP3 below.


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MP3:> Parents as Teachers: Nature Deficit Disorder