http://buildingbrightfutures.org/bennington/about/
May 18, 2015
Bennington Building Bright Futures
Bennington's Early Childhood Council
Greetings,

It is hard to believe that it is May already. 
During the last several months we have worked to understand the Theory of Change and the way that TOC intersects with Result Based Accountability.  I may not have the intersection completely defined, but the Theory of Change is a planning process that develops pathways that allow us to best address our regional priorities.  
Results Based Accountability is a way to evaluate both population and program indicators. RBA can present logical results for very small numbers. The last question is always is anyone better off?

Robin


Robin Stromgren
Bennington Building Bright Futures
802.447.2887
Bennington BBF in Action

THE BCCCA Family Fair - 27 Years and Counting

 

On April 4, 2015, the Bennington County Child Care Association hosted the 27th Annual Family Fair.  It is a great way for this region to kick off the Month of the Young Child. 

The fair happens annually on the first Saturday in  April come rain or shine.  This year the fair was an opportunity to get out of the rain.  There were 430 people who showed up to have fun.  There were conversations with Pete the Cat and a large game of Chutes and Ladders


 


 


 

Act 166 Rulemaking

Educators, school employees, school board members, community members and parents:  Join other Bennington County community members to learn more about the finalization of Act 166 rules, and voice your concerns or questions in real time, through Vermont Interactive Television, on May 20, from 5-7:30 pm at the Bennington Senior Center, 124 Pleasant Street in Bennington.

 Can't make it?  Simply contact me to ensure your voice is heard by emailing me at r[email protected] 

 .

Draft rules can be found here:

 

http://education.vermont.gov/documents/EDU-Rules_2600_Act166_Proposed_Text.pdf

 


  
Bennington BBF
Regional Council News
Next Meeting:  June 10, 2015

The next scheduled monthly meeting for the BBF Council is Wednesday June 10, 2015 in the UCS Children's Conference Room.  The agenda for this meeting has not been finalized yet.  The agenda and minutes from the last meeting on May 13th will be sent out closer to that date.

 

 How Would You Spend Your Money?


 

 

At the Smart Start Conference in Greensboro North Carolina, I was asked to do the following task with a partner. Looking at the spending grid, you have a budget of 15 pennies.  You are a family of 4, mother, father, 2 children, a  boy 13 and a girl 4.  You must spend money in all categories.  Part way into the exercise the mother becomes a single mother now only has 12 pennies to budget, then gets a raise and now has an additional penny to budget.

The conversation as the pairs attempted to spend thier money wisely was very interesting.  Some were hoping for the best and we all realized that each choice was difficult.
 

 

New Playgroup Announcement

 

 Mondays from 10:30 to noon 

 Bennington Free Library; Silver Street

 Sponsored by CIS- Early Intervention

How Are Vermont Young Children and Families

 

How Are Vermont's Young Children and Families

 

is the third report prepared by Building Bright Futures. The purpose of the annual report is to provide a factual depiction of the state of young child and family well-being at a point in time, as well as progress on selected indicators and outcomes for the early care, health, and education system.

New in this year's report is a section that highlights key indicators for each of the 12 Building Bright Futures' regions in 

 

Vermont's Early Learning Challenge - Race to the Top grant (ELC)

 

Vermont received four-year federal grant of $36.9 million to build and support a high-quality and accessible early childhood system.  This initiative focuses on preparing young children for kindergarten while improving infrastructure to support early childhood professionals and communities to meet their needs.


 

The How are Vermont's Young Children and Families and the Early Learning Challenge newsletters can be accessed by going to the BBF Website. click here 

 

Contact Information:
Robin Stromgren
802-447-2887

200 Veterans Memorial Drive, Suite 7
Bennington, Vermont 05201

In This Issue
BBF State Council
To find out more about the BBF State Council, visit the BBF website. The next meeting is February 23, 2015.

Quick Links

5/20/2015 Act 166 Rules
  5 to 7:30
  VIT Senior Center, Pleasant St      Bennington
5/27/15  Teen Pregnancy
  8:10 to 9:10
  Sunrise, Bennington
5/27/15  Maternal Child Health
  1-2
  SVMC Women's & Children's 3rd floor 
6/3/15  Quality Task Force
  9 to 11
  Head Start, North Bennington
6/6/15  Duck Derby
  Happy Days, Arlington
6/8/15  ACES Team Meeting
  9 to 10
  UCS Children's Conference Room
6/8/15  LIT 
  10-12
  UCS Children's Conference Room
6/9/15  VT Early Childhood Alliance
   1st Annual Meeting
   Randolf
6/10/15
   BBF Council Meeting
   UCS Children's Conference Room

  
Please Contact  Robin to add future event dates or for additional information

Early Childhood Data System is now 

Vermont Insights

 

www.vermontinsights.org

 

Let's Grow Kids Update


 

Blue Ribbon Commission & May Changemakers Trainings

 

 Blue Ribbon Commission for details on the proposed Blue Ribbon Commission proposal that takes a deep look at how we can improve our child care system in VT.

Join Let's Grow Kids, the VT Early Childhood Alliance and Building Bright futures for the May Changemakers trainings. The trainings will focus on statewide organizing and advocacy for early childhood priorities. 
For more details on the Changemakers Trainings, including the May 19th training at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, NH. Agenda


Vermont Early Childhood Alliance

 

Save the Date for the Alliance's First Annual Membership Meeting -- Tuesday, June 9 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm

 

Join the Alliance at the Three Stallion Inn in Randolph for an afternoon of reflection on accomplishments from the previous year including the 2015 legislative session, as well as a look at our work together in the year ahead. The gathering will also include Steering Committee elections and a social hour.

 

 

The Alliance launched a membership

drive last fall to ensure that those who care about Vermont's children are part of the statewide conversation about Vermont's early childhood system. With this first annual membership meeting, we invite Alliance members and strategic partners to discuss how the Alliance can best inform and engage Vermonters on early childhood issues being deliberated at the State House. 

 

For more information go to the Alliance website at  www.vermontalliance.org 

 

 

 

Seeking Child Development Specialist (CDS)


 

This position will support the Early Learning Challenge grant -Help Me Grow Initiative 


 

The Child Development Specialist assists consumers and providers to understand the services available through the
Help Me Grow
Vermont 2-1-1 Program. Interested persons should provide a cover letter, r�sum� to Sarah Lee,

 

 


A last note:
Please send me any information that you would like shared or issues and questions that you would like to have us explore together.
 
Is this an issue - safe and reliable transportation?
Robin