http://buildingbrightfutures.org/chittenden/about/
September 27, 2016

We believe all children should have the best start in life.

There is no avoiding coverage of both local and national gun violence. Honestly, that's what is on my mind. And I while witness from a distance and don't feel daily threat as a white woman, I think often about the children and adults that feel direct impact of violence in their lives. I think about the children in Winooski who witnessed an incident between Police and a young man. Also of Tulsa, Charlotte and the other communities across the country bewildered by black men killed by Police.

What do we do for adults and children regularly impacted by violence, either in the community or at home? This post on the Teaching Tolerance  blog, "Living with the Bear" by Lauryn Mascare�az came across my screen. It's about trauma experienced by children who witness violence at home and in the community and the needs for adult to support their healing. I want to share this resource as we seek healing, equity and justice.

-Beth Truzansky, Building Bright Futures Chittenden Regional Coordinator, [email protected]
Agency of Education Releases the 
Ready for Kindergarten! Survey Report
 
The 2015-2016 school year 
Ready for Kindergarten! Survey Report is now available. [Link]

The 2015-2016 improved R4K!S marked the deployment of the new survey instrument, changes in scoring methods, and criteria used for identification of students as "ready." The new survey also included new and revised questions, including six in the Physical Development and Health domain. 

Along with its scoring and readiness identification methods, the R4K!S is based on recommendations made as a result of an independent validity review conducted by American Institutes for Research (AIR). These changes in readiness criteria resulted in a substantially greater percentage of students identified as ready in SY2016 than in previous years. 

The difference in the number and percent of students identified as ready is solely attributable to the new method used to determine and define readiness, not to changes in the population of kindergarten students.  Therefore, any comparisons made between this years' R4K!S data and all previous years of KRS Survey data are not recommended or valid.

The report includes that for the 2015-16 school year 82% of all students statewide were identified as kindergarten ready, with 57%  being within category 4-"ready and performing independently" group; 25% of students were within category 3- "ready and practicing."

Changing Practice to Improve Language Access
Providing competent language access is a hallmark for organizations to appropriately serve clients who have limited English proficiency. Organizations serving diverse populations strive to provide accessible services. To meet this need, Chittenden Building Bright Futures Regional Coordinator, through its role with Project LAUNCH, pulled together a learning community among seven partners to make a concerted effort to improve language access policies and practices. 

The group included staff from the Community Health Center, VT Dept of Health, Burlington Children's Space, Champlain Valley Head Start, Childcare Resource, Lund and Winooski Family Center. We met between February and May to share resources to create policies and improve practices. One participant reflected, "Before I joined this group, I didn't know where to start. There were so many needs. Now I know where there are resources and where to focus to improve language access." Each organization reported changes as a result of the work together such as,
  • The Community Health Center of Burlington shared their extensive use of phone interpreters with Childcare Resource to improve use of the service with limited English proficient (LEP) clients
  • The Burlington District Office of the Vermont Department of Health surveyed staff to improve use of interpreters 
  • Burlington Children's Space revised their parent handbook and translated key information and
  • Winooski Family Center revised their registration packet, changing language and making it more accessible and culturally relevant to LEP families.
Learn more about the Language Access group with a full summary here. Contact Chittenden BBF Regional Coordinator Beth Truzansky for more information of if you would like to participate in a future cohort.

Charting a Course to Equity & Wellbeing for VT's Kids
Voices for Vermont's Children, in partnership with Public Assets Institute, will host a community forum at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Vermont on October 4th from 5-6:30pm. Come help us build a children's policy agenda focused on equity and wellbeing for Vermont kids.

We will share our outlook on the "state of Vermont kids and families," consider the effects of growing inequality, learn why aligning government spending and revenue with the needs of people matters, and ask you to help us understand the biggest strengths and challenges in your communities. You'll be helping us set priorities so together we can advance public policies that put the needs of kids first.

We need more Vermonters working with us to build an agenda focused on achieving long-term sustainable outcomes for everyone - will you join us? Together we can ensure that Vermont's kids have every opportunity to thrive!

When: October 4th, 5:00 pm-6:30 pm
Where: Fletcher Free Library, 235 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401
RSVP: Amy Brady, 802-229-6377 / [email protected]
For your Calendar: 
Chittenden BBF Regional Council meets the first Thursday of the month. The next Council meeting will be Thursday, October 6 from 5-7pm at the Howard Center 1138 Pine Street, Burlington. Special guests, Cathy Aikman and Sam Francis-Fath from the Chittenden County Opioid Alliance

Notes from the September 1 meeting about the Parent Child Centers and Regional Action Plan work session are here
Regional Networks and Building Bright Futures (BBF)

Chittenden BBF Council is one of 12 Councils State-wide
working to improve access, quality, and affordability of early care, health, and education 
for families and young children 0-8Link
Project LAUNCH
Quick Links

Let's Grow Kids

VT Early Childhood Alliance

Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant

U.S. Office of Early Childhood Development

Diversitydatakids.org

CLASP

ZERO TO THREE

BUILD Initiative

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

American Academy of Pediatrics

U.S. Office of Head Start

SAMHSA's LAUNCH Website

 Alliance For Early Success   

Childtrends