Community Action News
April 2022
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DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN OUR WORK - ESPECIALLY TODAY’S CONTENT?
PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH THEM!
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KIDS CAN'T WAIT
We're proud to spotlight our early education & care programs in this month's newsletter and invite you to join us in recognizing the invaluable role our early educators play and in championing the changes needed to better support and sustain the field. Families run on childcare, so too do our businesses. Without childcare, families cannot work. Without childcare, businesses cannot grow. As a childcare provider to more than 200 children in southern Worcester County, WCAC recognizes the importance of providing working parents a safe place for their children to grow and learn. We likewise recognize the importance of providing children with a dynamic curriculum and nurturing environment.
Last month we hosted our first of four planned Community Conversations, with a focus on the early education and care industry -Early Education and Care: An Economic Imperative for Success. Our dynamic panel discussed the current state of early education and care and crucial pathways to increase support for childhood development, professional development and necessary shifts in policy required to sustain and bolster the early education and care sector. It was an important conversation and one we will continue to champion. You can view the webinar here.
WCAC Board Member Eve Gilmore and I also recently co-wrote an OpEd regarding this matter which ran in the Telegram & Gazette. You can read the article here. Accessible, affordable high-quality early education and care means stability for families and economic vitality for our community. Now is the time to stabilize the system, compensate the workforce, and ensure working families can afford safe, nurturing childcare programs for their children.
In the video below you'll hear directly from some of our parents, our staff and even our children why WCAC's early education and care program was the right choice for their families. We are accepting applications now for Fall 2022 enrollment and have several employment opportunities for those interested in making a difference in the life of a young child. Join us!
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NOW ENROLLING
Are you or someone you know looking for a safe, nurturing environment for your little one? WCAC is currently accepting applications for Fall 2022 enrollment for both our Early Head Start and Head Start programs.
Early Head Start is a home based program serving expectant mothers and children from birth through age 3. The program provides comprehensive services within the home, weekly home visits, group socializations and developmentally appropriate activities to ensure your baby is reaching milestones.
Head Start is a center-based preschool for ages 3-5. WCAC operates two centers -one located at 25 Cole Avenue in Southbridge, the other at 116 School Street in Webster. With a focus on language, literacy, and social/emotional development, the program provides a dynamic curriculum to get your child ready for kindergarten and beyond! Full day, half day, school-year and year-round classrooms are available. Breakfast and lunch are served daily.
WCAC’s Early Head Start and Head Start programs serve eligible families from the communities of Brookfield, Charlton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford, Spencer, Southbridge, Sturbridge, Warren and Webster. Learn more or apply online today.
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HELPING ACHIEVE HEALTHY FAMILIES
Becoming a parent for the first time is a life-changing experience at any age. All parents experience challenges raising young children and can benefit from help and guidance throughout the process. We know that you are up to for the challenge!
WCAC’s Healthy Families of Southern Worcester County home visiting program serves first time parents expecting or with a child under the age of 1, residing in seventeen communities throughout southern Worcester County: Brimfield, Brookfield, E. Brookfield, W. Brookfield , N. Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, Holland, Monson, Oxford, Palmer, Southbridge, Sturbridge, Spencer, Webster, Warren, Wales. Services are provided free of charge from pregnancy through a child’s third birthday.
Healthy Families partners with first-time, young moms and dads to provide coaching and support in navigating the ups and downs of parenting. A home visitor from the program will get to know you and your baby in your home. They will help you build parenting skills and answer your questions. They can help you set and achieve personal goals like staying in school or finding the right job. Learn more or apply today.
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MAKING THE GRADE
Research shows a direct correlation between high-quality early learning and children's positive long-term outcomes in life, including increased educational attainment, healthier lifestyles, and more successful careers. WCAC's Head Start and Early Head Start programs are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and undergo regular rigorous evaluation. NAEYC Accreditation helps teachers and other staff at early learning programs develop a shared understanding and commitment to quality. Directors, teachers, and families all participate in the process. Programs are required to meet standards grouped into ten areas: relationships with children, curriculum, teaching approaches, child assessment, nutrition and healthy, staff qualifications, relationship with children's families, relationship with the community, physical environment, and program leadership and management. NAEYC Accreditation helps families recognize quality early learning programs and feel comfortable knowing that their children are receiving a high-quality, research-based education that will prepare them for future success.
WCAC's Healthy Families of Southern Worcester County program likewise adheres to strict regulations and protocols. Staff has to maintain ongoing training in the areas of substance abuse, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, child abuse and neglect, Early Intervention and ABA services, mental health/depression, and cultural awareness, humility, inequalities and diversity. Staff are considered health care workers by the Department of Public Health and as such must follow CDC guidelines and be trained in telehealth home visiting, family centered medical home, social connectedness, strengthening families approach, early childhood systems, protective factors, cultural tenants, and much more.
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Check out what some of our parents, teachers and children have to say about the quality of our programs here. |
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ADVOCACY IN ACTION
A long-awaited and welcome report from the Massachusetts Legislature was released last month, and it charts a policy course for early education and care. The Early Education and Care Economic Review Commission, created through the state budget process, met from April 2021 to February 2022 and was composed of stakeholders including legislators, providers, professional organizations, business leaders and employers, advocates, and state agency leaders.
“Building a sustainable and well-functioning system for early education and care is critical and urgent, especially for Massachusetts’s most vulnerable families,” the report says. The Commission's report highlights key findings and recommendations across four focal areas:
- program stabilization
- family affordability and access
- workforce compensation, pipeline, and advancement
- system infrastructure and local partnerships
Join us in our efforts to advocate for these critical changes in funding and policy. Now is the time to advocate with your state elected officials as they undertake budget deliberations for the coming fiscal year. Your voice matters! Click here to Find Your Legislator
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OUR COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER IS BACK!
After a two-year hiatus, WCAC's Healthy Families of Southern Worcester County Community Baby Shower is back! The event will be held on Wednesday, May 11th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the LaSalle Reception Center of Notre Dame Church, 444 Main Street, Southbridge. Admission is free and open to the public. The focus is on parents who are expecting a child or that have children under 3 years old.
Meet and mingle with a variety of community providers with information, activities and giveaways. Fantastic and fun raffles with a chance to win an assortment of baby-friendly gifts! And WCAC's Baby Boutique will have the opportunity to take home an outfit for your child while supplies last. Vendors/community organizations interested in participating are encouraged to contact Camille Diaz before April 30th. |
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June 16, 3-6 pm
WCAC Head Start
116 School Street, Webster
June 23, 3-6 pm
WCAC Head Start
25 Cole Avenue, Southbridge
Center tours, raffles, ice cream, family fun, games & outdoor activities!
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The Main South CDC is now accepting applications for the Grand Street Commons Affordable Housing Project located at 92 Grand Street until June 3rd, 2022. Please note the first units are expected to be complete by August 1st. Applications will be available to pick up at the Main South CDC office, located at 875 Main Street, or can be emailed or mailed upon request.
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www.WCAC.net Info@WCAC.net |
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