One of Community Impact Network's priorities is supporting services that help children have a great start in life. And one key part of that work is supporting quality childcare and early childhood education for nearly 700 children under 13 in the Normandy Schools Collaborative area.
Some of the Network’s coalition members who serve children in the NSC area, including Belle Children’s Services of the St. Louis Arc, Normandy Early Learning Center, S.T.A.R. Coaching for Early Educators, United 4 Children, and YWCA Head Start, recently discussed their important work and some of the challenges they face.
“People think that kindergarten readiness is about learning the 1, 2, 3s and shapes and colors, but that is not the most important thing for a child,” explained Deanna Finch, Executive Director of United 4 Children. “The most important thing is for the child to learn how to be in a group setting, how to get along with others, and how to regulate their emotions so that they are ready to learn. Childcare, and the role of the childcare provider in the village of support for children, is so important in becoming kindergarten-ready.”
In those early years, the social-emotional opportunities that quality childcare centers provide are vital. “An adult can tell a child what to do, but it means so much more coming from a student that’s the same age and size as them,” explained Dr. Crystal Hunter, Director and Principal of the Normandy Early Learning Center. “And so that’s the piece that you can’t replicate at home as easily as you can in a school setting with different personalities, different experiences to back it up.”
The Network’s coalition members also assist in building relationships between childcare providers and teachers. “When we come into a classroom, we are really working on our relationships with those teachers because they know those kids best,” stated Dana Walker, Director of Children’s Services for Belle Children’s Services of St. Louis Arc. “We are partnering with them, we’re trying new concepts with them, and it’s a journey. We make sure they know that we are right there with them.”
Tina Mosley, CEO of S.T.A.R., added that childcare needs don’t end once a child starts school. Parents also need childcare they can trust before school, after school, and during school breaks.
The Network’s grants fund teacher training, supplies, screenings, therapy, parent education, referrals, and the means to purchase new materials and upgrade facilities. This support directly impacts not only young children and their parents but the entire community. The Network is proud to support these organizations and the transformative service they provide to the people in the NSC area.