strategic plan 2021-24

STRATEGIC PLAN2021-24

Smart Beginnings Strategic Plan.indd 1Smart Beginnings Strategic Plan.indd 1 8/16/21 12:21 PM8/16/21 12:21 PM

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY


WHO WE ARE

SBGPW is the only area organization exclusively dedicated to advocating for quality early childhood health and educational programs for children ages birth through five years. Since our inception in 2008, SBGPW has worked tirelessly in creating a supportive volunteer network of educators, working parents, health providers, and businesses to increase awareness of the importance of early childhood education and to raise and deliver resources to ensure that every child and family in the greater Prince William region has access to the best possible early childhood experiences.

Smart Beginnings is a trusted resource for consistent, reliable information pertaining to the growth and development of young children. Every day, we see the benefits of our work in the eyes of the children we help and the families who love them.

WHAT WE DO• Advocate for the expansion of high-quality childcare and preschool programs for children from birth to age five with legislators, policy makers, business leaders, and the local community • Provide every family with a newborn in Prince William County with a literacy kit containing a children’s book, developmental milestone guide, bookmarks outlining why reading every day and interactive ideas, and early learning resources • Assist in the implementation of a quality rating system for child care centers and family day care homes to promote their continuous improvement • Deliver educational workshops for child care directors and staff to enhance their knowledge and skills surrounding early learning • Promote initiatives that ensure children learn and grow in safe and healthy environments • Provide parents with information and resources through interactive social media and in person programming focused on child development


VISION Every child in Greater Prince William (GPW) will enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and life.

MISSION To advocate, engage, and partner with the Greater Prince William community to increase and ensure access and equity for all children birth through five with high-quality early learning experiences and resources to support their health and well-being.

WHY WE MATTER Early childhood’s impact on our community’s economic and social future is at stake.

The evidence is conclusive that the early years are critical for the brain development of children – where the foundation for learning is set. The quality of the care and environment that children experience in the first five years of life greatly influence the strength of that foundation. Much of thebrain’s structure and function are developed by the time a child reaches the age of three. Sadly, there are too many children right here in our community who live in challenging circumstances and do not receive the start they deserve.

“Early childhood development is perhaps the strongest investment we could make on a raw return-on-investment basis.”

James HeckmanNobel Laureate in Economics


PRIORITIES

1. Increase access, equity, and quality – Increase the number of children in Greater Prince William enrolled in high-quality child care and child development programs, with a focus on underserved populations. a) Identify funding sources to address the needs of underserved populations. b) Collaborate with agencies, schools, and organizations to increase access, equity, and quality programs. c) Empower educators by supporting high-quality professional learning.

2. Engage families - Expand opportunities for all Greater Prince William families to participate in experiences that promote the physical health, emotional well-being, and readiness skills for a successful start in kindergarten, with a focus on meeting the needs of the birth through five populations.

a) Facilitate community conversations to identify the needs and interests of Greater Prince William’s communities and families.b) Support partner agencies, schools, and organizations in providing experiences and eliminating barriers to participation.c) Provide families with information and resources regarding children’s physical health, emotional well-being, and readiness skills. d) Connect Greater Prince William families to a Smart Beginnings Greater Prince William digital hub (database/ app/website/ social media) which will assist families in accessing educational experiences and resources within our community

DEFINITIONS

Access – sufficient opportunities for enrollment in childcare programs Equity – elimination of disparities in opportunities and outcomes based on group membership Quality – childcare programs that meet established state standards

DID YOU KNOW?

Some populations in Greater Prince William have historically been at greater risk of not meeting state standards for kindergarten.

These populations include children living in low-income households, children of racial/ethnic minorities, those with special needs, and/or children from homes where English is not the primary language.


3. Build collaborative partnerships and systems - Enhance relationships between public and private organizations to address the needs of the early childhood population. a) Convene stakeholders in Greater Prince William to determine how to best assist them and to discuss early childhood development needs. b) Support partner agencies, schools, organizations, and programs to build, connect, and communicate services and resources.

4. Increase public and private investment in early childhood development - Leverage local, regional, state, and national resources and build the public’s willingness to sustain and expand the region’s early childhood services. a) Build an advocacy agenda to influence community leaders and public policy to improve quality of, and access to, services for children birth through five and their families. b) Secure resources and grant opportunities to sustain, enhance, or expand programs for children birth through five. c) Collect and share data which identifies needs and demonstrates the achievement of goals in order to reinforce the public’s willingness to invest in a unified system for early childhood in Greater Prince William.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS Radhika BajajBookworm Central, Founder/CEO

Wavery BrownKeller Williams Realty, Realtor

Heather BurkeSandy Spring Bank, VP Commercial Relationship Manager

Dawn Davis SPARK PWCS Education Foundation, Director

Gina DavisImagiNation Learning Center, Director of Operations

Rita GossPWCS Student and Professional Learning, Associate Superintendent

Ann GwynnManassas Park Public Schools, Principal

Randi KnightsDepartment of Social Services Manassas Park, Director

Kathleen Ludlow, PhDNorthern Virginia Community College,Early Childhood Program Head

Molly Lynch, PhDNorthern Virginia Community College, Provost

Andrea MoneyLeadership Prince William, Executive Director

Pam Moody, EdDCASA Children’s Intervention,Executive Director

Dr. Kevin Newman Manassas City Public Schools Superintendent

Alison Nourse-MillerPWCS Associate Superintendent, Retired

Donna PattonPWC Department of Social Services,Retired

Olaun Simmons, EsquireVenderpool, Frostick, Nishanian PC

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORTawnya S. SoltisPWCS Principal, [email protected]

CHAIRMANKathy ChannellPWCS Early Childhood Programs Supervisor, Retired

VICE CHAIRMANDebi StepienPWCS Administrative Coordinator, Office of Special Education, Retired

SECRETARY Gina ParrPWCS Teacher, Retired

TREASURERLucy S. BeauchampFormer PWCS School Board Chair

@SmartBeginningsGreaterPrinceWilliam

@smartbegin_gpw

@smartbeginnings_gpw

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS


strategic plan 2021-24

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