It's Back to School
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PUBLIC SEES PRE-K AS KEY TO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS
A new national survey on education finds that 60 percent of Americans support publicly- funded pre-K for low-income and middle-class children. The study was conducted by Education Next, a group that is not a typical early education advocacy group. Support for pre-K was second only to the Common Core standards (supported by 65 percent of respondents). Less support was expressed for increased school spending, raising teacher salaries, paying teachers based on performance and school vouchers. Interestingly, teachers were the most supportive of more funding for pre-K (73 percent agreed).
-Dana Friedman, president, The Early Years Institute
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Public Policy in Early Childhood
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"New HHS Child Care Rules Proposed" - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces revisions to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). These new regulations are good news that help better protect the health and safety of children in child care. Read more
Mayoral candidate de Blasio's pre-K proposal for NYC - One of the democratic candidates for mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, has made the cornerstone of his campaign a proposal to expand preschool and after-school programs and tax those earning over $500,000 a year to pay for it. He believes this is the best investment we can make for the city's future. He happens to be ahead in the polls. Read more
"New Data Demonstrate Poverty Trends, Outcomes of Early Childhood Education"- The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) surveyed 21 regionally, politically and financially diverse states to learn that funding for early childhood education increased in 2013 compared to 2012. It also found out of the 21 states investigated, 12 increased funding for child care in 2013; 10 increased funding for pre-K; and 14 increased funding for home visiting programs. Read more
"House Bill Would End Tax Deduction for Companies Marketing Unhealthy Food to Kids" - Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., introduced a bill last week (H.R.2831) that would prevent companies that market unhealthy foods to children from receiving a tax deduction for the advertisements. The bill would define unhealthy foods as those being inconsistent with the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In a statement, Rep. Delauro said that "taxpayers should not continue to subsidize a tax loophole that allows companies to deduct expenses for marketing unhealthy foods to kids." Read more
"Watching and Waiting -- Pre-K Extension Apprehension"
While not every district will apply for funding to expand their pre-kindergarten program, many school district superintendents are waiting for the RFP to come out in order to gain better insight on what the funding will include. Read more
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Hot Topics in the News
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EYI In the News - "Preschool preparation - Library, group help kids get ready for school" - Newsday and The Westbury Times report on EYI's efforts to improve school readiness in Westbury through the introduction of an unique school readiness assessment tool, completed by teachers, called the Early Development Instrument (EDI). This tool focuses on five areas of early childhood development known to affect a child's well-being and school performance. Read more in Newsday and Westbury Times.
"Raising Our Voices: How We Can Collaborate to Expand Quality Education" Shakira, (singer, activist and founder of the Barefoot Foundation) has spent 11 years devoting her time to primary and second education and grew in wonder about challenges (what works and what doesn't work) in providing universal education to vulnerable children who live in conflict. She has come to learn that providing education is not just a charity, but a human investment. Read more
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EYI's Improving School Readiness in Westbury
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WESTBURY READY, SET, ACHIEVE! FUND
After three years of work in Westbury to improve school readiness, The Early Years  Institute (EYI) has raised funds to support the many innovative organizations that help young children and their families get ready for school success.
The Westbury Ready, Set, Achieve! Fund, is being created to help improve early learning opportunities for all children ages 0-5 years in Westbury. A grant from the Rauch Foundation made this Fund possible.
I Love Reading!
Applicants must be:
* Willing to submit a proposal for a project that will improve school readiness
* Serving children ages 0-5 and/or their families in Westbury
* In operation for at least 2 years and in good financial standing
* In one of these categories:
o Nonprofit groups
o Licensed/registered child care providers
o Religious organizations
o Health organizations
o Schools serving preschoolers
Meeting Date: Monday, September 16 @ 4:30 p.m.
Location: "Yes We Can" Community Center, Westbury
Register your attendance by emailing jrotta@eyi.org or by calling (516) 304-5480
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EYI in Brentwood
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Improving Literacy for Children at The Consulate of El Salvador
The Early Years Institute (EYI) is creating a Children's Reading Center at The Consulate of El Salvador in Brentwood, NY.
This Children's Reading Center will be used by the over 100 families per week who visit
The Consulate, who currently wait for four hours on average to process their paperwork. It is during this idle time that children and families will be able to access and enjoy the various picture and children's books made available to them through the reading center.
Donations of books and funding are being accepted by The Early Years Institute to help instill a love of reading, literature and storytelling while stressing the importance of literacy to ensure success in school and life. For information, email: jrotta@eyi.org or call (516) 304-5480. |
Funders Corner
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EYI Awarded $50,000 from JP Morgan Chase Foundation
Continuing to Improve the Quality of Pre-K on Long Island
The Early Years Institute (EYI) has received a second year of funding from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation to continue working with local school districts to improve the quality of pre-K programs in schools and community-based agencies. We are accomplishing this goal by creating learning communities of pre-K administrators, principals and teachers and offering on-site coaching to principals and teachers in individual school districts. According to Dr. Dana E. Friedman, president of EYI, "Substantial changes will be recommended through the trainings, coaching and workshops which will lead to more developmentally-appropriate practice and a higher-quality learning experience for the children."
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The Early Years Institute Receives Grant from LIUUF
Supporting Social Justice Starts with Our Children
The Early Years Institute (EYI) has received a $20,000 grant from the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund at Long Island Community Foundation to address educational inequities for young children. Based on research, when underserved children are not given equal opportunities to learn and grow, they start behind their peers in Kindergarten and they often stay behind. Some of the root causes of the inequities stem from a lack of literacy and language access, representation in the decision-making process and affordable housing. This grant will enable EYI to continue its work in Westbury by facilitating systemic social change that reflects the full composition of the community so the children have the support they need to succeed in school.
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The Early Years Institute Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation
Innovation Generation Grant
The Early Years Institute (EYI) is pleased to announce it has received $20,000 as part of the Innovation Generation grant program from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, EYI will be able to continue the implementation of The STEM Nature Project: A Curriculum on Birds of Prey for Children Age 3 to Grade 3 in Westbury.
"The Innovation Generation grant funding will enable The Early Years Institute to equip students from age 3 to grade 3 with the problem-solving and critical thinking skills they need to excel in school and be successful in life", said Dr. Dana E. Friedman, president of The Early Years Institute. "This is a critical time, as the supply of STEM workers isn't meeting businesses' needs. Yet, we can change that by exposing our youngest students to STEM concepts and processes early in life."
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TD Charitable Foundation Awards EYI a $5,000 Grant
Enhancing physical health in Westbury
Thanks to a second-year grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, in the amount of $5,000, The Early Years Institute (EYI) can continue phase two planning of the Westbury Healthy Children project at Bunky Reid Park. EYI's primary goal is to develop an outdoor nature explore classroom that will stimulate learning and reconnect children with nature. This new play space at Bunky Reid Park will improve school readiness by improving children's health, a critical part of school success and an area that EYI's research found needs improvement among many children in Westbury.
EYI has been working in Westbury for the past three years on a project to identify areas where children are vulnerable and to implement strategies that can improve school readiness. Westbury was one of the original 14 pilot sites in a national study of the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a Kindergarten school readiness tool that measures the whole child across five domains and is currently used in 60 communities throughout the United States as well as mandated in ten countries around the world. The EDI data is a valid indicator of school readiness and can predict basic skills performance through fifth grade.
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EYI Welcomes New Board Members
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EYI welcomes Jonathan Knox to our Board of Directors. Jonathan is an experienced financial advisor with the Life Planning Group, in Uniondale, NY which specializes in value-based financial planning to help accomplish family and business objectives.
Since 2010, Jonathan has been an advocate for Vison2020 and Worth for Women. Vision 2020 is a decade long national initiative to promote gender equality while Worth for Women is a women's financial empowerment program designed by Penn Mutual - the presenting sponsor of Vision 2020. Jonathan's work as an advocate lays the foundation and understanding of the challenges diverse populations face in today's economy.
Also, new to the board is Baldwin, NY resident Silvana Diaz, Publisher and Co-owner of Noticia, a Long Island Media Press Corp. publication headquartered in Freeport, NY, to serve on its board. Ms. Diaz is highly recognized throughout the region for her work in advocating on behalf of minorities and the Latino population on Long Island.
Starting at the age of nine, her involvement with the family newspaper gave her the opportunity to understand the issues affecting immigrants within the community and how to run a business. Silvana along with her parents founded Fundacion Hispanoamericana, a scholarship foundation for Hispanic students of Long Island, NY and co-founded the Long Island Young Latino Professional Social Network whose purpose is to empower young professionals and to give back to the community through fundraising.
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Learning in Nature - Explore and reconnect!
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PickaPark.org is a child-friendly online resource of over 700 Long Island parks.
An online resource where you can pick your park by zip code or amenities such
as bathrooms, wide pathways for strollers, refreshments, playgrounds and benches
in the shade.
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Favorite Quote
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"Today, we have 46.2 million poor Americans, rather than the 35 million we had
then, and there are 16.1 million poor children today, rather than the 11 million when
he died. Marian Wright Edelman, August, 2013 comparing today with "then"- when Martin Luther King spoke at the National Freedom March.
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Through your generosity, EYI improves early learning opportunities for all children in our region to help them achieve success in school and life.
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EYI on the Web
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EYI on Long Island
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Children are born learning!
By age five, a child's brain is 85 percent developed. Our vision is to close the achievement gap so all children are ready to succeed in school and life.
EYI is working in over 30
communities throughout the region
to transform early childhood education and promote school readiness.
Ready, Set, Achieve!
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EYI's Board of Directors
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Jane Ashdown, Ph.D.,
Chair, Adelphi University
Warren Rosenfeld, M.D.
Vice Chair
Winthrop-University Hospital
John Sepe, Treasurer
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Lorraine Aycock
Bank of America
Dr. Constance R. Clark-Snead
Educational Consultant
Jaci Clement
Fair Media Council
Erika A. Craven
PHH Arval
Silvana Diaz
NoticiaNY
Jonathan Knox
Life Planning Group
Erica Lee-Benedetto
Worldwide Who's Who
Benjamin Malerba
Rivkin Radler LLP
Michael Rainone
ProActive Technology Group, LLC
Sandy Feinberg
Middle Country Public Library
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EYI's Media Partners
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Contact Us
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The Early Years Institute
One Dupont Street
Suite 101
Plainview, NY 11803
516.304.5480
516.304.5484 (fax)
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