SmartBabies
                                                  July 2012
Greetings! 
  
Welcome to the SmartBabies Early Childhood Initiative Bulletin 
As an early childhood stakeholder, this bulletin will serve to keep you regularly updated on the ongoing progress of the SmartBabies Initiative as well as the amazing local investments  in our children.
 
Ashley Weaver 
Director of the SmartBabies Initiative
   
 

Updates

 

-Convening Home Visit Subcommittee

-Photoshooot

-New Website

-Healthy Babies Coalition  

 

News

 

-Talitha Koum New Staff

-Hip Hop 2 Health

-Nobody's Fool 

 
  

 

 Talitha Koum's New Staff: 

 

Welcome to the early childhood community! 

 

Jan Wengler, Executive Director  

Lauren Serafy, Development Director

  

Hip Hop 2 Health:

August 11

Waco Convention Center

 

Nobody's Fool:

July 17 - Parent Night 

July 18 - 8am-12 pm 

Waco Convention Center 

 

 

SmartBabies Steering

Committee Members

SmartBabies Steering Committee
 L to R:  Betty Bauer, Debra Jones, Sherry Williams, Roland Goertz, Ashley Weaver, Jim Bush, Carole Hanks, Stewart Kelly, Pam Briggs, Terri Patterson   

 

Mayor Jim Bush, City of Waco, SmartBabies Steering Committee Chairman

Betty Bauer, Community Volunteer, Waco Foundation Trustee

Pam Briggs, McLennan Community College Child Development Instructor

Dr. Roland Goertz, MD, MBA Waco Family Health Center Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Carole Hanks, RN, Psychiatric/Mental Health

Debra Jones, Head Start/Early Head Start Program Director

Stewart Kelly, Kelly Realtors, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce Board President

Dr. Terri Patterson, WISD Executive Director of Elementary Education & Professional Development

Sherry Williams, RNC, WHNP Waco-McLennan County Public Health District Director

 

Click here for information on the committee charge and goals. 
 
Visit Wacofoundation.org to learn more about the SmartBabies Initiative. 
 

 

    

Convening of the Home Visit Subcommittee
In May the Smartbabies Steering Committee decided upon three action steps:

*       Community Information Campaign  
*       Creation of Subcommittees 
*       Cost Benefit Analysis: A look at the impact on the community by reducing the number of Medicaid births 

 

We have begun the subcommittee convening. There will be three subcommittees around the focus area of  home visits, prenatal care, and teen pregnancy. The first subcommittee - home visitation was the first to be convened in May. 

 

SmartBabies Home Visitation Subcommittee  

L to R: Dr. Carole Hanks, Ashley Weaver, Laurel Churchman, Beverley Davis, Eileen Walker, Regina Cotton, David Hanlin

 

Laurel Churchman, Public Health District
Regina Cotton, Parent Educator WISD Parents As Teachers
Beverley Davis, Early Head Start/Home Base Manager
Dr. Carole Hanks, RN, Psychiatric/Mental Health
David Hanlin, LPC, Supervisor Klara's Children Center ECI
Eileen Walker, Department of State Health Services

  

Thank you to this first subcommittee that has given of thier time. The next committee convened will be the SmartBabies Prenatal Care Subcommittee

 

   New Website - COMING SOON 
One of the three goals of the SmartBabies Initiative is to create a website that will house the early childhood resources of the community. A one stop shop for mothers, families and service agencies to access local information. At the end of July we will be hosting a photo shoot to capture the beautiful faces of our own local children, which will be highlighted on the website. Additional details regarding the photo shoot are below. 

 

SmartBabies Website Photo shoot 

 

SmartBabies along with the Texas Workforce will be hosting a photos shoot. The shoot will be held on Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st.

 

 We have teamed up to bring in two influential and sought after photographers, Michael Larsen and Tracy Talbert from Larsen&Talbert photography.

 

What are we looking for:

  -       Between the ages of 0-3 years old (July 20th)

  -       Male and Female 

  -       And of course Adorable!

 For reservations or more information call Melissa Briske or

e-mail [email protected]. Reservation deadlines are July 12, 2012.

 

 

Healthy Babies Coalition   

 

  

The Healthy Babies Coalition has been very busy. With the end goal of reducing preterm births the coalition work is fully under way. 

  • The public campaign has begun. Look for the banners all over the community promoting "The Finish Line is 39," as well as radio spots on our local stations.
  • Becoming a Mom classes are being held all over the community. For more details about the class please call (254)-750-5473 
  • The Healthy Babies Coalition as been premiered on the Mom's Everyday Show. Click here Mom's Everyday to see the video of Andrea Dossey, Hillcrest NICU and Coalition Member sharing more about the coalition and why it is important to wait 39 weeks.

Becoming A Mom Graduation at Estella Maxie May 2012

Becoming a Mom Classes are being held at:

  • Great Ebenezer Baptist Church
  • 919 Dutton Ave. on Wednesday's at 6:30pm
  •  For more details call (254)-750-5473. 

 

 

 

  
Waco Foundation
1105 Wooded Acres, Ste 701
Waco, Texas 76710