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Welcome to Fairfax Futures
Where Smart Businesses Invest in School Readiness
Greetings!
Retired Army Gen. H. Hugh Shelton may seem like an unlikely
spokesman for early childhood education - he's a veteran of the Vietnam and Persian
Gulf Wars and served two terms as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But Shelton is convinced that
quality preschool is an important part of our national security equation.
To hear Gen. Shelton explain why, mark your calendar for
Fairfax Futures' third annual School Readiness Leadership Forum on Sept. 22. Details will
follow.
In this issue: a recent Washington Post article on the pre-K
push shows that increasing eligibility for public pre-K resulted in a higher
percentage of kindergartners in Maryland who were fully school-ready. If universal
pre-K seems unattainable here in the U.S.,
consider Finland,
where every child from the age of
eight months is guaranteed free child care and kindergarten.
Also in this issue, you'll discover one more reason to turn off
the television set - it hampers communication. And for employees with small
children - we've gathered up a bucketful of tips on summer safety.
Have wonderful summer,
Sincerely,
Vera Steiner Blore
Executive Director |
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Pre-K Helps Close the
'Readiness Gap'
The national push for preschool has demonstrated success
locally according to a recent article in the Washington Post. In Maryland, a higher percentage of kindergartners who attended pre-K
were considered fully ready for kindergarten compared to those who stayed at home or were informally
schooled. Gaps in the proportion of ready white, black and Hispanic
kindergartners also narrowed. In Virginia, 13
percent of 4-year-olds are enrolled in the state's pre-K program, compared to
24 percent nationally, and 37 percent in Maryland.
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Preschool for All or
Some? Debate Continues
Many have joined the debate over universal preschool
following publication of a book that argues public programs should target only
the neediest children. W. Stephen Barnett, co-director of the National
Institute for Early Education Research, published his own 14-point critique,
pointing out that most children of young families are not rich and many middle
class children experience school difficulties that can be mitigated by early
education. The Early Ed Watch Blog contains links to Barnett's and
other commentaries. |
Another Reason to
Turn Off the TV
Television seems to be a conversation-stopper, at least
where children and their caregivers are concerned. Conversation between adults
and children decreased significantly when an audible television was nearby,
even if no one was watching it, according to a report in The New York Times. As a result, children heard fewer
words and spoke less themselves.
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Giving Children a Healthy
Start
Promoting the health of children before five years of age could
save society up to $65 billion in future health care costs according to
researchers at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Of the four health problems studied, the evidence for effectiveness
of interventions among young children was strongest for preventing tobacco
exposure and controlling unintentional injuries. |
Looking to Finland on
Early Education
As leaders in Canada seek
to overhaul their early childhood education system, the deputy education
minister sees Finland
as a source of inspiration. Why? The Globe and Mail explains that Finland's
primary education system "has been the envy of the western world ever since the
country's 15-year-olds began acing international literacy, mathematics and
science assessment tests several years ago. Finnish children do not begin
primary school until they are seven years old. But from the age of eight
months, all children have access to free, full-day daycare and kindergarten."
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 Safe Outdoor Summer
Fun
Employees with young children will appreciate these tips on
keeping young children safe outdoors during summer time. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers advice in English and Spanish on managing sun
exposure, pool safety and insects, among other topics. |
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Leadership Forum to Focus on Future Workforce Readiness
Retired Army Gen. H. Hugh
Shelton will speak at Fairfax Futures' third annual School Readiness
Leadership Forum. A highly decorated veteran of the Vietnam
and Persian Gulf Wars, Shelton
capped a 38-year military career by serving two terms as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents
Clinton and Bush. 
Ret. General H. Hugh Shelton
Earlier this year, Shelton
and former Secretary of the Navy John Dalton wrote an editorial in Politico.com arguing that the U.S.
needs to invest in early childhood education for at-risk children to protect national
security. Currently, they wrote, "over 72 percent of 17- to 24-year-olds do not
meet the basic educational, physical and moral standards required for service."
Dr. Derek Cabrera will return by popular demand to discuss
critical thinking skills required by business in the 21st century. Cabrera, president
and founded of ThinkWorks, is both a researcher and consultant.
The annual School Readiness Leadership Forum brings together leaders
from business, government and education to focus on issues related to school readiness. This year's forum will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 22,
at the Capital One
Conference Center
in McLean, Va.
Invitations will be
mailed later this summer. |
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