| Smart Start
On-Line | |
Spread the word and help us get 100 fans on Facebook. Fan number 100 will get a special prize! |
| JOIN OUR LIST |  |
| Smart Start Is ... | | Smart Start-Centre County is a network of early care and education professionals, parents, and community leaders committed to giving children in Centre County the best possible start in life through education, information, activities, and outreach.
Staff and Interns
Eileen Wise, Executive Director
Kelly Johnson, Project Manager
Emily Woodard, Intern
Megan Hosband, Intern
Action Committees
Communications & Outreach
Early Care & Education
Early Childhood Mental Health
Parenting & Literacy
Board of Directors
Charlene Friedman, Chair
Rebecca Ardoline, Secretary
Patricia Best, Ph.D.
Tony D'Augelli, Ph.D.
Doug Erickson, Treasurer
Roxie Nestlerode
Robin Oliver, M.D.
Jack Raykovitz, Ph.D.
Mark Righter
Robert Sunday
Joseph Webber | |
|
|
Volunteer Profile | 
Susan Benedict was selected as Smart Start's Volunteer of the Year and and was honored at the Centre County Council for Human Services Annual Rose Cologne Volunteer Dinner last month. Name: Susan Shoemaker - Benedict
Professional position: CPA/Controller
Educational background: BS Accounting, Penn State
What you do for Smart Start: Accounting Support, Grant Financial Analysis
Why you volunteer for Smart Start: I want to support the effort of the Smart Start staff to serve the youngest members of our community.
What you would like to see Smart Start accomplish: Continue and expand all of the great programs they currently have. Children at all Pre-K levels are benefitting from the effort of the Smart Start Staff and Volunteers. Additionally as a Tree Farmer and conservationist, I would like to see Smart Start help area pre-K education facilities implement Project Learning Tree environmental education curricula to help our young children connect with nature and the outdoors.
Where you live: Patton Township, Centre County
Your family: Husband Leroy, married 29 years, Sons Lewis, Jake and Zach, daughter-in-law Jess and granddaughter Riley, age 3 mo., dog Zoe, black lab and cat Butkis. |
| Resources | |
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) www.whatworks.ed.gov is a website maintained by the federal government offering research-based information about what works in education. They recently added resources on early childhood education for children with disabilities.
******
Seniors4Kids is a civic engagement initiative helps adults age 50+ work to increase access to and improve the quality of pre-K programs. Find out more about Pennsylvania Seniors4Kids at www.seniors4kids.org.
****** Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child website features excellent information and articles on topics including Child and Family Mental Health, Science of Early Early Childhood, and Global Child Development. | |
|
| State Legislators | |
State Representatives
Kerry Benninghoff
Boroughs and Townships served: Bellefonte, Centre Hall, College, Gregg, Harris, Millheim, Penn, Potter, Spring, State College, Walker kbenning@pahousegop.com, 355-1300
H. Scott Conklin:
Boroughs and Townships served: Ferguson, Halfmoon, Huston, Patton, Philipsburg, Port Matilda, Rush, South Philipsburg, State College, Taylor, Worth
238-5477/ 342-4872
Michael Hanna:
Boroughs and Townships served: Benner, Boggs, Burnside, Curtin, Haines, Howard, Liberty, Marion, Miles, Milesburg, Snow Shoe, Union, Unionville
353-8780
State Senators
John Wozniak:
Boroughs and Townships served: Philipsburg, Rush, South Philipsburg
266-2277
Jake Corman:
Boroughs and Townships served: all other than Philipsburg, Rush, South Philipsburg
355-0477 | |
|
| Disclaimer |
|
Acceptance of advertising, announcements, and postings does not represent Smart Start's endorsement of any product, program, or service, nor is Smart Start responsible for representations made by others. |
|
| |
|
Dear Smart Start Supporter,
At the May 25 regional event "State of the Child," the panel of State Government officials and representatives from many education advocacy groups came together with an audience of about 80 people to
-celebrate Pennsylvania's successes in crafting a well-developed system of services meeting a variety of needs for children of all ages and families of diverse economic means and cultural backgrounds
-analyze gaps in current services and needs that remain
-forge a unified message and plan for the future of our children Read all about it in the CDT article. Also, check out letters to the editor from Smart Start supporters:
As the Community Engagement Group, we are always working to build connections with partners and sponsors in the community. Here are a few:
--Calling all Baseball Fans - Get your tickets now for the Wednesday, game in support of Smart Start! As one of the Centre County United Way partner agencies, the Spikes provide us with tickets to sell at $7 apiece and we get to keep $2 from each ticket we sell. Purchase tickets from us for a chance to throw out the first pitch of the game or to lead the crowd in singing the 7th inning stretch! We also wil have a silent auction at our promotional table at the game, so bring your checkbook and stop by for some great deals. To buy tickets, email eileen@smartstartcc.org. To donate an item for the silent auction, email kelly@smartstartcc.org.
--"Thank you" to Friedman Real Estate Group (and Charlene Friedman, Chair of Smart Start's Board of Directors) for the Smart Start feature on pages 66-67 of this month's Town and Gown magazine.
--Smart Start will be volunteering for WPSU's upcoming pledge drive by answering phones at the station, June 10th from 6:30 - 9:00. Check it out on Channel 3!
---We are pleased to announce that on May 26, Smart Start was notified that we were awarded a United Way grant of $26,000 for 2010-11 for our School Readiness Outreach Projects. Show your support for United Way, and get some great deals, this Saturday at the Trash to Treasure Stadium Sale benefitting United Way Member Agencies, including Smart Start. June 5, 7:30 - 2:00 ($5 admission until 9:00 a.m.) Beaver Stadium.
Smart Start Staff
|
|
| Public Events and Meetings |
Smart Start Committee and Board meetings are listed under the 'Committee Activities" section below. To submit an item for this calendar, email kelly@smartstartcc.org.
Saturday, June 5: Bellefonte Children's Fair, 10:00 - 4:00. The proceeds raised at Children's Fair go to build or renovate playgrounds in the Bellefonte Community.
Monday, June 7: Public Policy Forum. DEVELOP and HONE your abilities to be a strong public voice for children. Location: Crowne Plaza, Harrisburg, 11:00 - 8:00. $75 - scholarships available. Click here for details.
Tuesday, June 8: Early Childhood Action Day, Harrisburg. Contact Donita Hord at 941-0606 or donitahord@yahoo.com for transportation information.
Thursday, June 10: Centre County Citizens' Dialogue on Education Issues, Schlow Library, 6:30 - 9:00 (see Advocacy section below for details)
Friday, June 11: Coffee and Conversation on Education Issues, Cool Beans Cafe, 9:00 a.m. (see Advocacy section below for details) |
| Member Article: PNC's "One World, One Sky" |
by Emily Woodard, Smart-Start Intern
On May 28, PNC Bank sponsored and staffed the presentation "One World, One Sky" at Park Forest Elementary School. Created with nonprofit partner Sesame Workshop, "One World, One Sky" featured an inflatable planetarium show narrated by Sesame Street favorites Big Bird and Elmo along with Hu Hu Zhu, a character from Sesame Street's Chinese partner, Zhima Jie. Principal Donnan Stoicovy hosted 70 preschoolers and 5 kindergarten classrooms. PNC staff James Rodgers, Tour Manager Wendy Rockett, and intern Megan Tichonevicz organized and executed the presentation.
I attended "One World, One Sky" to take pictures and learn more about the impact of multimedia on early education. As a college sophomore used to classrooms of dull eyes and blank faces, I was taken with the excitement these students felt about exploring their world. With spinning stars, catchy melodies, and colorful characters, there was no reason not to engage with Sesame's lessons on astronomy and science. Furthermore, Hu Hu Zhu and the show's scenes in China emphasize a common humanity shared across cultures, a hallmark of PNC's commitment to diversity education. Expanding this commitment, PNC offers Spanish editions of "One World, One Sky" and all other materials made with Sesame Workshop.
Wendy Rockett, "One Sky, One World" Tour Manager for PNC
 | "One World, One Sky" was created through Grow Up Great, PNC's unprecedented $100 million, 10-year investment in early childhood education. Sesame Workshop, along with Head Start (the national nonprofit child development program), and Family Communications, Inc. (creator of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood), create educational materials with PNC to be distributed to parents, teachers, and communities across the country. Furthermore, PNC employees who spend 40 hours volunteering with an early education agency earn a $1,000 grant to present to that agency under PNC's Grants for Great Hours Program. Smart Start benefits significantly from PNC's generosity in both human and monetary capital, and we became official partners in March. With a $3,000 grant for Babies Rock with Books and an annual grant through United Way, we are grateful that PNC recognizes early education's power in shaping community welfare, economic productivity, and a highly competent workforce. In this light, Grow Up Great speaks not only for the PNC's social conscience, but also for education's significant impact on the well-being of businesses across the country. |
| Advocacy this Month: Invest in Education |
"Investing in Human Capital" is a phrase that I am hearing a lot lately from business leaders in our community. In order to create a work force with up-to-date skills and the flexibility to adapt to rapid changes in a global economy, it makes sense to give workers of the future a strong foundation.
Parents and teachers agree--they want our young children to start off right with a love of learning and an ability to become life-long learners.
Remember, this is not an issue for one political party or another. There simply is no downside to investments in early childhood. It's all going to pay off big dividends down the road.
Let your legislators know that you believe in strong supports for the early years. Our state senators and representatives must know what our priorities are as citizens so that they can accurately represent our views. Decisions are being made in Harrisburg on budget priorities right now. Please send an email, write a letter, call their offices, or better yet--schedule a face-to-face visit.
--Eileen Wise
Executive Director
*****
Education Voters PA
Centre County Citizens' Dialogue on Education Issues: Please join us for a productive community conversation about public education issues and solutions. Education Voters PA hosts this community discussion, where we will ask participants which education issues the next governor should make a priority for our communities and state. Thursday, June 10, 6:30 - 9:00, Schlow Regional Library, 211 S. Allen St, State College
Coffee and Conversation on Education Issues: Education Voters would like to invite you to coffee and conversation on education issues on Friday June 11, 9:00am, at Cool Beans Cafe, 141 W. High Street, Bellefonte.
Please forward this invitation to family, friends, and colleagues who want to share ideas about how our leaders should tackle education issues in 2010. Bring your experience, voice and friends to make this an even more productive effort.
|
| One Book Community Reading Project | |
Sudha Babu reading at Lana Davies' family daycare home in Bellefonte. |
Smart Start-Centre County was pleased to organize a successful fifth annual Community Reading Project during April 2010 for promotion of early literacy and the PA Library Association's "One Book, Every Young Child" program.
16 returning and 6 new community volunteers visited 25 child care, preschool, and family daycare sites to read the One Book selection What a Treasure! to a total of 756 children in Centre County. All 25 sites were provided with a free copy of the book, stickers, bookmarks, a study guide, and instructions for a 'treasure box' activity. Smaller programs also received one book for each child and a treasure box to go with the activity instructions. Many of the readers also implemented activities from the study guide, such as singing songs, digging for treasure, and using props.
Some of the volunteer readers participated in a Readers' Tea where Anita Ditz, Children's Librarian at Schlow Centre Region Library, demonstrated reading the story and led a great discussion about engaging children in books. Anita also did a public reading of the story, which was introduced by Mayor Elizabeth Goreham and Borough Manager Thomas J. Fountaine, at the State College Municipal Building.
Of 20 participants who completed a survey about the project, 16 considered it "very successful." The most common suggestion for next year was that all children receive a book to take home, which would require additional fund donations to cover the cost.
When asked what they liked best about this year's project, responses included:
"the children"
"the interactive 'dirt' activity. The children loved it!"
"The list of activities and resources. Plus I love the book!"
"The presenter - what fun!"
"Great book. I enjoyed telling the story."
"The total program was well organized and coordinated for the readers and the educators."
" The children loved the story and the stickers."
"The program was wonderful this year."
"They were so excited to take the book home to their parents!"
A big "Thank You" goes to Rachael Maras and Caitlin Cox, our two (10-hour-a-week) Spring 2010 interns from the Penn State College of Communications, who coordinated the visits, organized the Tea, and prepared and distributed the materials for the project. |
| Local News | | To submit items for "local new" email kelly@smartstartcc.org.
A message from the YMCA....
Do you have a son or daughter with special needs? We are interested in hearing what you think about our NEW program for children with special needs! Please click HERE and take a few minutes to answer the survey questions. Your feedback is extremely important and we look forward to hearing back from you.
Thanks and Have a Great Day!
* * * * *
Congratulations for Easter Seals for attaining STAR 3 in the Keystone Stars Quality Rating System!
* * * * * Easter Seals has applied for a grant through Pepsi to start a resource center in State College for families of children with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities. Please vote for this idea! You can vote e time every day, and this grant is awarded to the project with the most votes. Also, please pass this along to anyone you know. Receiving this grant would be a huge opportunity for ESCPA to reach more families in our region. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
* * * * *
Salvation Army Back to School Program provides a shopping trip for new school clothes for eligible Centre County children from Kindergarten - Twelfth Grade, a celebration picnic on August 21, and a backpack filled with school supplies to each child selected for the program. Parents can call 861-1785 for application appointments starting June 1. Donations are also being accepted for the backpack supplies.
* * * * *
Baby Goin' Home provides parents of preemies with free basic clothing needs for bring baby home. New and used preemie-size donations are accepted and packaged for any parent of a preemie. Monetary donations are also accepted for purchasing preemie items. For more information, email info@babygoinhome.com or call 404-6354.
* * * * * Boalsburg/Panorama Elementary school welcomes new principal Deb Lata, replacing Jean Vadella, who is retiring. Principal Vadella has been active in Smart Start's Early Care and Education Committee and transition to Kindergarten projects, and we wish her all good things in her retirement. We look forward to working with Principal Latta soon. |
| Committee Activities | | **committee members, please remember to complete our online reporting forms for all your volunteer hours, advocacy efforts, and transition activities
Early Childhood Mental Health Committee
--Committee Co-Chair Shirl Smith presented the committe's progress and plans to the Smart Start Annual Board Meeting.
--The committee is helping to secure funds for Mental Health Consultation for child care programs.
--To get involved in this committee, email Wendy Whitesell at wjw8@psu.edu. The next regular committee meeting is June 17, 9:00 - 10:00 at the Center for Child and Adult Development, 1315 W. College, Ste. 303, State College.
Parenting & Literacy Action Committee
--Smart Start publications Pre-K Calendar, Family Resource Directory and Babies Rock with Books will soon be ready for reprinting and distribution.
--To get involved in this committee, email Connie at ces11@scasd.org. The next regular committe meeting is June 14, noon to 2:00, at Schlow Library.
Early Care & Education Action Committee
--Our transition dinner meeting had 40 attendees inclduing parents, teachers, staff, and administrators from 14 local schools and several early care and education programs. Kindergarten Booklets are still being developed for Bald Eagle and Penns Valley Area School Districts.
The next regular committee meeting is June 22, 8:30 - 10:00 at Child Development and Family Council, 2565 Park Centre Blvd, Ste 100, State College.
Communications & Outreach Action Committee
--Follow-up is in the works for the very successful "State of the Child" panel event held May 25 at the Penn Stater. .
Professional Coordinating Committee
conference call June 21, 9 - 10 a.m.
Other Information
--Watch for Smart Start's new monthly CDT column called "For the Children." Our first column explores the annual question "How do I know when my child is ready for Kindergarten?" To submit a question to be considered for the column, email Eileen at eileen@smartstartcc.org.
|
|
|
|
|
Smart Start-Centre County