|
Welcome to Fairfax Futures
Where Smart Businesses Invest in School Readiness
Greetings!
In the current economy, we all
face the challenge of doing more with less. At times like this, it is
especially great to see creative local partnerships that support early
childhood education programs.
As examples, Marriott
employees came with rolled-up shirtsleeves and shovels in hand to landscape Laurel Learning
Center's playground in Reston. Local Long & Foster employees volunteered
their time to clean and paint at Main Street Development
Center in Fairfax.
These are just two ways that businesses,
large and small, can make a difference in supporting early childhood education
programs in the community. We appreciate their efforts and the continued support of all of Fairfax Futures' business partners for their sustained commitment to quality early
childhood education and school readiness in our region.
Vera Steiner Blore
Executive Director |
|
Fairfax Futures in the News
As
reported in the Washington Business Journal, Fairfax Futures received a
grant from the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative for a pilot project that brings together neighborhood child care, preschool, and
elementary school educators and administrators to ensure that children start
kindergarten ready to succeed. |
Kaine Spares the Knife
Virginia's youngest students benefited from Gov. Tim Kaine's decision to maintain funding in the state budget for pre-kindergarten.
According to Kaine, "I had to go through and cut $3 billion out of
the budget. I cut dollars out of virtually everything in the state budget, but
I didn't cut anything out of Pre-K." |
2009 Best Companies Revealed
Fortune
magazine considered family-friendly policies such as on-site child care,
telecommuting and encouragement to balance work and personal life in selecting its
100 Best Companies to Work For. See which Northern Virginia companies
made this year's cut.
|
U.S. Chamber: Seize the Opportunity
"Improving early learning programs" is one of the most promising
opportunities for reform in the current economic crisis, according to the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber outlines its vision in its 2009 "The State of American Business"
report.
|
Early
Education Linked to Military Readiness
Two top military leaders say U.S. national security is
compromised by the number of young people who lack a high school
diploma, are in poor physical shape or have a criminal record. Army Gen. Hugh Shelton, chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001, and John H. Dalton, secretary
of the Navy from 1993 to 1998, argue that early childhood education for at-risk children is needed to protect the U.S. in the
long run.
|
State Costs Escalate When Kids
Aren't Ready
Children
who are not ready for kindergarten cost Minnesota's
K-12 education system $113 million per year. That's the conclusion from a
new study that calculated the increased costs for teachers, special
education and school safety, plus the revenue lost when kids drop out before
graduation. |
Watch Me Grow
From birth to five years, children reach milestones in how they play,
learn, speak and act. Positive Parenting Tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention helps parents and caregivers monitor children's progress and offers important safety information for each age. |
|
|
|
|
Save the Date
March 26, 2009
7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Fairfax Futures' Business Partners' Roundtable Breakfast
"Building
Critical Thinkers
for a Globally Competitive
Workforce"
This event is made possible by a grant from the Washington Area Women's Foundation.
|
|
