• Allied/Dunn's Marsh Community School Project



• Gillett Area Community School Readiness Project



• Juneau County School Readiness Projects:
• Necedah Community School Readiness Project
• Mauston Community School Readiness Project


• Menominee Community School Readiness Project



• Merrill Community School Readiness Project



• Platteville Community School Readiness Project



• Sparta Community School Readiness Project



• Watertown Community School Readiness Project



• West Allis/West Milwaukee Early Childhood Community Task Force



• Westosha Community School Readiness Project

Allied/Dunn's Marsh Community School Project

Project Description:

The Allied/Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood is a multi-ethnic (primarily African-American, Hmong, and Hispanic), very low-income neighborhood, located in the city of Madison, but governed by four municipalities (two cities and two towns).

The focus of the Allied/Dunn's Marsh Community School Project is to develop a) an awareness of the need for early childhood learning experiences and b) coordination of services among the city and county service providers and schools to families with children from birth through kindergarten. Currently, 30 individuals are on the School Readiness Project mailing list. Those involved with the program include parents and representatives from various community and early childhood programs including Head Start, Even Start, Dane County Human Services, child care, and the Madison Metropolitan School District. Leadership is provided by the UW-Extension family living educator. .

Because many residents feel marginalized as poor residents living in an area of high mobility on the edge of a middle-income city, the School Readiness Project in this neighborhood made a special effort to ensure that parents' voices were heard. The project revised the School Readiness Project Parent Survey into an interview format and hired neighborhood residents to interview parents in their first languages.

Outcomes:

One hundred twenty-eight parents of children between birth and 6 were interviewed about their concerns and wishes for their children regarding health and safety, parenting, the community, early childhood care and education. Parents described their children positively and reported high educational expectations for their children. But when asked to name the best things about their neighborhood as a place to raise children, almost all named serious concerns and fears, many about the safety of the community. Parents were also concerned with their children's literacy and expressed a wish for a library closer to the neighborhood.

In response, the School Readiness Project worked with several other local agencies to provide several new literacy programs in the neighborhood. In one program, volunteers read to children in Head Start and 4-year old kindergarten programs. In Snack Attack (a joint project of the Madison Metropolitan School District Allied Community Learning Center, the Wisconsin Nutrition Education program at the Dane County Office of UW-Extension, and the Allied Community Center Safe Haven After-School Program), preschool-aged children experience nutrition-related stories and activities and receive books of their own to take home. Backpack kits of books and related activity ideas that encourage home reading activities were developed with Head Start. Finally, in the Boogie Books program, kindergartners and first graders listen to books read by fifth-grade neighborhood volunteers (who have been trained in leadership skills by the program). Citing these literacy programs, in June 2001 the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison recognized this community School Readiness Project as an example of an outstanding University-Community Partnership.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Peg Thomas
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Dane County)
(608) 224-3720
peg.thomas@ces.uwex.edu

Gillett Area Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

In Gillett, a small city of approximately 1300 in rural northeastern Wisconsin, many children live in families with limited financial resources. There has been a great deal of concern by the Early Childhood, Kindergarten, and first grade teachers in the Gillett schools over the past few years that the academic and social skill levels of children are dropping. The Gillett area has no accessible Head Start and no local nursery school programs. Local center-based childcare is limited in availability and family-based care is limited in the quality of educational programming.

The Gillett School Readiness Project established a coalition of 15 individuals representing parents, the health/medical field, childcare providers, the Gillett school district, and the mayor's office. The project was initiated and has been facilitated by the Oconto County UW-Extension Family Living Educator. The Gillett Area Community School Readiness Project conducted kindergarten teacher and principal surveys and a community-adapted version of a parent survey. From these data a report was completed and used for strategic action planning.

The Gillette School Readiness Project has accomplished the following tasks:

• A community Resource Directory was written and distributed to over 1000 families with young children. The Directory was also placed on the city of Gillett Website where it will be updated and maintained by the city police department.
  
• The project has provided financial support so that play groups run by the Oconto County Parenting Resource Centers are now held in Gillett.
  
• Play activity totes for parents and children have been prepared containing educational materials around 20 different themes. These totes are being loaned to parents through the play groups and through a local child care center.
  
• Positive Parenting classes are being held on a regular basis. The Positive Parenting facilitator team includes a Gillett Schools Family Consumer Education Teacher, Parenting Resource Center Coordinator, Oconto Schools Parent Involvement Coordinator, UWEX Home Visitor, and UWEX Family Living Agent.
  
• A Parenting the Preschooler Newsletter has been developed in a color-printed, 4 page edition. This project applied for and received almost $5,000 from the Department of Workforce Development to include information about child care in the newsletter. These funds will provide for 30% of the cost of the newsletter.

Outcomes:

This project has greatly increased the number of parenting resources (print and Web resource directory, developmental newsletters, educational totes) and educational programming opportunities (Positive Parenting programs, parent-child playgroups) on behalf of young children and their families in the Gillett area. Among parents of young children who received a printed copy of the Gillett Resource Directory, 66% returned cards saying the guide was useful. Requests to be placed on the mailing list for the Parenting the Preschooler newsletter has grown steadily from 21 requests for Issue 1 to 282 for Issue 5.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Donna Doll-Yogerst
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Oconto County)
(920) 834-6845
donna.doll-yogerst@ces.uwex.edu

Juneau County School Readiness Projects: Necedah and Mauston

Project Description:

Juneau County, located in south-central Wisconsin, is the home of two School Readiness Project sites: the Necedah project began in 1997 and the Mauston project in February 1999. Juneau county has limited resources: the unemployment rate for Juneau County is about 10% (almost triple the state rate). Over 55% of children in both the Necedah and Mauston School Districts are eligible to receive free or reduced price lunches.

Necedah, a rural community in northern Juneau County, has a population of 830 residents and an outlaying township of another 2000. The purpose of the Necedah School Readiness Project is to reduce risks and focus on positive conditions in the lives of young children, their families and the community. It promotes the development and education of young children to ensure they are ready for school by identifying existing resources and filling in the gaps.

A local task force including nine parents, eight teachers, and three other school personnel and led by the elementary school principal and the UW-Extension family living educator comprised the original task force for this project. This group adapted survey instruments to meet local concerns, conducted a comprehensive assessment of community assets and needs, did strategic planning and initiated several programs. VISTA has more recently become an important collaborating agency in this project.

The Necedah School Readiness Project increased awareness of the educational needs of preschoolers resulting in the establishment of a 4 year old kindergarten in this community. The School Readiness Project works in concert with VISTA to provide books and educational supplies for preschool children to use at home. It also provided a program to promote science learning for elementary children. It also collaborates in a project that provides volunteer support, quilts, and children's books to mothers of newborns at the hospital. Parents receive general parent education through the Positive Parenting program and information about early literacy through monthly programs for parents of children in the 4-year old kindergarten program.

Mauston is the county seat for Juneau County with a population of about 3500. The purpose of the Mauston School Readiness Project is to ensure that all children enter school ready to succeed. The project's goals include identifying existing resources and reducing risks facing young children and their families in the community.

The initial task force for this project included a school psychologist, a community member, twelve teachers, a school nurse, and the elementary school principal with the UWEX Family Living Educator as facilitator. The task force adapted survey instruments to meet local concerns, conducted a comprehensive assessment of community assets and needs resulting in a preliminary report, and did strategic planning.

This committee identified two specific needs in the community:

1. the lack of basic educational and health materials (e.g., scissors, paper, toothbrushes) and books in the homes of many preschool children
   
   
2. the need for a comprehensive Family Center in the community to provide services such as after-school programs, parenting education, health services, and a gardening project .

In response, the Mauston School Readiness Project prepared over 100 bags of basic educational and health supplies and books for preschoolers. Many children received these bags of supplies at an annual community Child Development Day; children who did not attend the Child Development Day are receiving bags during home visits by Birth to Three or Early Childhood Teachers. An active First Book program in this community provides additional books (and volunteer readers) to preschoolers. The committee is seeking resources for a comprehensive family center.

Outcomes:

As a result of School Readiness Project activities, preschool children and their families have much improved access to educational supplies and books in both Necedah and Mauston. These projects have also greatly increased the educational programs available to young children and their families in these communities. Necedah now has a four-year old kindergarten with a parent education program. The four-year old kindergarten increased from 27 children to 45 with three sections of classes. The parents and school board are supporting this effort. Necedah also provides several other new types of parent education and support programming. Mauston has an active First Book volunteer reading program.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Kathleen Metzenbauer
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Juneau County)
(608) 847-9329
kathleen.metzenbauer@ces.uwex.edu

Menominee Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

The Menominee Community School Readiness Project is located in Menominee County/Reservation, which has almost 5000 people, all living in rural areas or small towns. Menominee County and the Menominee Indian Reservation cover the same geographic area, but have different political leadership. About ninety percent of the county population is Menominee Indian. Population is growing rapidly, especially among children aged 0-5 years. Economic resources and opportunities are limited in the county. Menominee County is the home of the Menominee Nation. The Menominee Indians are noted for the care with which they have husbanded their forests and for the high value they place on family relationships, including extended family. The tribe has placed importance on passing Menominee language and culture on to their children.

The Menominee Community School Readiness Project began with a diverse task force including representatives from the Birth to Three program, UW-Extension Family Nutrition, Adolescent Health, Family Preservation and Support, and the WIC program. There also was representation from the Menominee Indian School District Elementary School and the Menominee Tribal School, Menominee Tribal Day Care, and Head Start. The task force was initiated and has been facilitated by a UW-Extension Family Living Educator.

The School Readiness Project has been a partner in a number of important efforts within the Menominee Community:

• The School Readiness Project supported the Family Preservation and Support Program's development of a Menominee Parenting Curriculum for Birth to Three. Community members have been trained as course facilitators and over 150 parents attended the first series of courses. Additional curricula for parents of older children are being prepared.
  
• The School Readiness Project coordinator, along with county UW-Extension nutrition faculty, began a 4-H program in the South Branch community. This family-oriented program has had active gardening and nutrition programs.
  
• The School Readiness Project helped Menominee College host the Badger Better Baby Bus Tour, which provided information on early brain development.
  
• School Readiness and Head Start have worked together to develop and support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren as an active support group.
  
• SRP committee members aided the Youth at Risk tribal program in the preparation of a community resource manual as well as resource maps for each community on the reservation
  
• The School Readiness Project provided financial support for speakers for the youth Culture Camp. These educational speakers discussed the history of the Menominee Reservation
  
• Menominee School Readiness partners developed Learning Circles, a new program that helps families learn how to build school readiness skills while remaining faithful to Menominee culture and values. Community volunteers create activities that help parents and children learn while having fun. The original programs were held for 3-6 year olds and their parents, but a group of volunteers has expanded the program to hold monthly events for different age groups.

Outcomes:

The School Readiness Project raised awareness of the need for a UW-Extension Family Living educator in the community and, by combining funds from the State Strengthening grant, UW-Extension, the county, and the tribe, established this as a full-time position in the community. Awareness of the need for 4-H personnel in the community was also raised and 4-H staff hired as well.

In the earlier stages of assessment and strategic planning, the School Readiness collaborative included members from diverse community agencies. In carrying out its current projects, task force membership has shifted to better reflect the entire community: a balance of professionals and parents/grandparents and a much higher percentage representation of native Menominee. School Readiness Project programs have moved beyond the town of Keshena to other areas of the county such as South Branch and Neopit. Eight volunteer leaders have decided to continue and expand the program in Neopit on their own.

The direct and partnering efforts of the Menominee School Readiness Community Project have greatly increased the resources and programs available to families and children in this community. A Menominee-specific curriculum for parents of children from birth to three has been completed, a resource directory and resource maps have been developed and updated, a summer culture camp was held, a new 4-H program has been established, a grandparents raising grandchildren support group has been developed, and monthly learning events for parents and children are being held. Participation in these monthly events has grown from eight to 40 people.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Jeanne Connors
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Menominee County)
(715) 799-4654
connors@ezwebtech.com

Merrill Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

The Merrill Community School Readiness Project encompasses the school district of Merrill where about 8,000 people reside. The goal of the Merrill Community School Readiness Project was to improve the extent to which the community promotes the development and education of its young children and to ensure that every child enters school fully prepared to make the most of their formal education experiences. The Merrill Community School Readiness Project established a coalition of 42 parents and others, representing 17 community agencies and organizations including the Merrill public and parochial schools, the Lincoln County Health Department, and UW-Extension Lincoln County. This collaborative group conducted surveys of kindergarten teachers and parents of children entering kindergarten and used the survey results to identify community strengths and to prioritize needs. They wrote and distributed a summary report to create awareness of the local issues affecting school readiness.

The current steering committee includes four major partners, the Merrill School District, Lincoln County Health Department, Head Start, and UW-Extension. Other major collaborators include the Good Samaritan Health Center and Children's Service Society.

The Merrill School Readiness Project's work was guided by several objectives identified during the strategic planning process:

1. To achieve a higher rate of early physical and developmental assessment
   
2. To strengthen the quality of childcare programming
   
3. To explore options for a family resource center
   
4. To inform citizens of local community supports for family development

Each of the specific objectives has been achieved by the Merrill School Readiness Project:

To achieve a higher rate of physical and developmental assessment between the ages of 1 and 3 years

• Child Development Days, where the developmental needs of preschoolers are assessed, has been institutionalized as an annual community event.
  
• A child health screening tool that is used at all points of service to identify children in need of referrals was developed by the maternal and child health subcommittee of the School Readiness Project.

To strengthen the quality of childcare programming through continuing education and training of existing and new child care providers and through increasing the availability of quality infant childcare in Lincoln County

• A childcare mentoring program was developed to link experienced providers with new providers and/or provisional providers in an effort to improve availability and quality of care.
  
• Funds for constructing an integrated child care facility, including children with disabilities, were approved. The center, located in Merrill, serves infants and preschoolers.
  
• Funding was obtained to retain 412 existing childcare slots as well as funding for eight new infant slots through cooperation with the local child care resource and referral agency.

To explore options for a family resource center

• A collaborative effort by many of the School Readiness partners led to the establishment of Family Resource Centers in Merrill and in Tomahawk (northern Lincoln County). The Centers, run by the Children's Service Society, provide Lincoln County families with a wide variety of parenting classes, telephone warm lines, and resource lending libraries. The Centers also provide a number of interactive parent-child programs, including one to promote physical and social development (Gymbertot), directly sponsored by the School Readiness Project.

To develop strategies to inform citizens of what the local community has to offer to support family development.

• Semi-annual issues of Families Forward Together were distributed to over 17,000 households in Lincoln County. This publication, authored cooperatively by various family service agencies and printed in newspaper format, informed families of community resources and events, explored current issues in family life, and increased communication links between families and community agencies.
  
• The Lincoln County Family and Youth Resource Directory was established as an Internet Web Site (www.linc-on.com)

A number of other projects on behalf of young children and their families have also been accomplished through Merrill School Readiness Project activities or partnerships:

• A "Building Blocks for Successful Parenting" educational display was designed by the Merrill School Readiness Project and made available for use at parenting programs and community events. This display was used as a prototype for displays used by other counties and for loan by the state Extension program where it was viewed by over 10,000 people at child development days and county fairs in 2000-2001.
  
• Community-wide immunization clinics continue to be held.
  
• The Lincoln County Health Department, Merrill Area Public Schools, and UW-Extension partner in providing regular parenting newsletters (Parenting the First Year and Parenting the Second and Third Years) to Lincoln County Families with young children.
  
• Programs to educate parents about expectations for kindergarten readiness and to promote awareness of similar and differing expectations of preschool and kindergarten teachers for Merrill children entering kindergarten have been conducted.
  
• Public forums to increase awareness among employers and employees of child-care issues have been held.
  
• The Merrill First Book Program, which provides reading mentors from Home & Community Education Association clubs to children in Head Start, expanded to a second program in Tomahawk.

In 2000, the Merrill School Readiness Project commissioned an independent "Key Interview Survey" to determine effects of the project as perceived by professionals in the community. Most of the ten professionals interviewed who had participated on the committee during its existence "felt the opportunity to communicate and network with those who had similar ideas and goals was beneficial in developing or expanding services".

Among the total sample (42) of survey participants, most "were aware of several widely recognized programs serving children with direct support through the SRP committee and its members. The most recognized programs were the Family Resource Center and Child Development Day." "Overall comments about the committee's goals and programs attributed to the subcommittees were positive and supportive."

"Across professions, a majority of service providers noted that networking and collaboration within and outside of agencies allows efficient partnerships for allocation of services. Referrals between agencies/individuals interviewed seemed to work well and provide an avenue for continued communication. Many noted that collaborative efforts have been successful in accomplishing goals of their programs by establishing complimentary services."

"Most individuals, across professions, felt there was no duplication in services." "As an indicator, a Community Service Provider commented that duplication was not a problem as there is a good professional network for collaboration which helped prevent duplicated services." Most respondents noted a continuing need for more parent education opportunities, though several noted that the new Family Resource Center was providing more programming in this area. Although this report also documents a number of remaining or new needs of young children and their families that the committee can use for a new round of strategic planning, this report clearly documents the ways in which all of the original objectives of the Merrill School Readiness Project have been met (as above).

Over the past several years, the School Readiness Project has greatly increased the number of young children in the Merrill area who receive developmental assessments and immunizations. New materials and programs have been developed: A new developmental screening tool developed by this community project is being used by several local agencies on behalf of children throughout this community; the Building Blocks display and preschool questionnaire developed by this School Readiness task force are being used by Extension programs and School Readiness Programs throughout Wisconsin to provide parenting and school readiness information to parents. The informational and educational materials and options available to young children and their families in Lincoln have greatly increased: a community resource directory was written and put on the Web, newspaper articles and newsletters are widely distributed, the First Book program has expanded to a second site. New Family Resource Centers in Merrill and Tomahawk provide educational programming for young children and their parents.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Jan Lewis
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Lincoln County)
(715) 536-0304
jan.lewis@ces.uwex.edu

Platteville Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

Platteville, Wisconsin is a small city with a school district population of about 13,000 in a rural area in the southwest part of the state. The Platteville School Readiness Project is a community collaborative originally established to carry out five goals:

1. To raise awareness and understanding of the broader term of readiness
   
2. To motivate the community to change in ways that will enhance the physical, social and intellectual development of young children
   
3. To create linkages between people and organizations across the community through joint involvement and action
   
4. To assess community strengths and needs that support young children and families
   
5. To promote outcomes that benefit the lives of young children

To initiate the project, a steering committee gathered information from kindergarten teachers and a community informational meeting was held to increase awareness of school readiness and to recruit task force members. In spring 1998, a diverse community task force of over 70 individuals representing parents and 22 agencies was recruited. Task force members included school administration, faculty, staff, and school board, public officials, parents, media, health and nutrition professionals, child care and Head Start personnel, local and county agency and organization representatives, and university faculty and administration. Major collaborators included the Platteville School District, Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project, UW-Platteville School of Education, Head Start, Grant County Health Department, UW-Platteville Children's Center, and the Family Center. The collaborative was initiated and facilitated by a community project director who receives space and support from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education where the project is co-located with the Even Start family literacy project and the campus Child Care Center.

Three subcommittees of the task force completed a comprehensive community strengths and needs assessment in the areas of maternal and child health, parenting and parent supports, and early education and care. Results were used to develop comprehensive strategic action plans.

During this process, the Platteville School Readiness Project identified two basic priorities:

1. assuring that all children receive health and nutrition services
   
2. supporting parents and making services available and accessible to all families.

Actions toward meeting these objectives included the following:

• Hosting an information booth at a community resource faire where 300 informational items were distributed
  
• Helping plan an informational brochure for the Platteville Parent Network, addressing parent support issues
  
• Coordinating a group to redesign the city web site and post on it the Community Resource Directory that had been compiled and published by the project
  
• Obtaining a $250 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to do planning for parent support in collaboration with the Platteville Parent Network. Working with a local pediatrician to write a successful $5000 grant proposal from the American Academy of Pediatrics CATCH (Community Access to Children's Health). Using these grant funds to facilitate community planning regarding health services for families.

Community members and agencies within the Platteville Community School Readiness Project including Southwest CAP, Grant County Health Department, Southwest Health Center, Even Start, Grant County Extension, Head Start, The Family Center and UW-Platteville School of Education, with the assistance of the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, also wrote a successful grant proposal for a Rural Health Outreach grant from the federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Health Resources and Services Administration. In May 2000 the project received a $600,000 grant for a three-year project called "Connect for Healthy Kids." This project is now working to co-locate a variety of health, parenting, nutrition, education and social services to meet the needs of children and families throughout Grant County. Centralized coordination will maximize limited resources and will reduce duplication and gaps in services. A comprehensive referral system will also enable staff to refer participants to other health and related services on local and state levels. Sue Noble, the former School Readiness Project Community Coordinator, is now the Coordinator of the Connect for Healthy Kids Project.

Outcomes:

This School Readiness project has succeeded in developing awareness of the needs of young children and using effective assessment and strategic planning techniques to obtain comprehensive health services for the children and families in the Platteville area. It used small amounts of funds from the School Readiness Project and $5250 from small grants it obtained to do this planning and to leverage $600,000 in additional funds for the Connect for Healthy Kids Project.

Through the School Readiness Project, Sue Noble, the Community Coordinator, received UW-Extension Strategic Planning and Leadership training that enabled her to guide not only the School Readiness Project, but now to take leadership of this new, major community effort. The Connect for Healthy Kids Project, through its partnership with the UW-Platteville School of Education, will provide opportunities for pre-service early childhood and health education teachers to have service learning experiences and practicum experiences with families.

The Connect for Healthy Kids Project is working to improve the health of many young children and families in Grant County is working to make health services (such as developmental and physical screenings, immunizations, and prenatal/childhood health and nutrition education programs) more accessible to families with young children. The Connect for Healthy Kids Project is also planning a variety of new and more easily accessible parenting education, parent-child activity, and child-centered cognitive and social development activity programs.

For more information, please contact the former community coordinator:

Sue Noble
Project Director, Connect for Healthy Kids
(608) 342-1062

or

Nancy Stoutenborough
University of Wisconsin-Extension Program Specialist
nancy.stoutenborough@ces.uwex.edu

Sparta Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

Sparta, Wisconsin, a city of 8,000 people, is located in west central rural Wisconsin. The Sparta School Readiness Project is a community collaborative whose goal is to improve the extent to which families and community promote the development and education of its young children, and to ensure that every child enters school fully prepared to make the most of formal education experiences.

A diverse community task force was recruited in the Fall of 1997. The task force included 25 members representing parents, human services, County Board and city council, health department and other health professionals, child care, Head Start, and Sparta Public Schools, public library, parks/recreation board, and the Community Action Program. The county UW-Extension family living educator was the initiator of and has facilitated the task force.

The task force completed a comprehensive community strengths and needs assessment and identified five major priorities during their strategic planning process:

a)	increasing communication and collaboration among health practitioners and citizens
b)	increasing health education in Sparta
c)	enhancing community outreach to increase awareness of community programs and to connect families to the services they may need
d)	increasing communication with employers and helping employers understand the importance of a "family friendly" workplace
e)	using the local media to disseminate information on child development and parenting to families throughout the Sparta area

The Sparta School Readiness Project has carried out two major initiatives, an annual community-wide family resource fair and a parent-child activity kit program.

• A Celebrate Young Children Expo was held in April 2000 and a Celebrate Youth and Family Expo in April 2001. Each yearly event includes a variety of activities for parents and children, and provides health and safety information and opportunities for parents to talk with agency personnel. The program grew from 26 to 31 different participating family agencies between 2000 and 2001.
  
• The Sparta School Readiness Project developed a home-based educational activities program for preschool children who are on the waiting list for Title I Preschool. Backpack kits loaned to families with young children included books, materials, and suggested activities around different themes.

The Sparta School Readiness Project continued to partner in other on-going projects as well:

• A recognition program for family-friendly businesses with the Sparta Chamber of Commerce.
  
• A Tiny Tot parent-child program by the Sparta Parks and Recreation Department that provides organized gym time, finger plays, songs, stories, and art activities.
  
• The First Book literacy project, in which Home & Community Education Association members read with preschool children.

Outcomes:

The community resource expo grew in both numbers of sponsors and attendees in its second year. Accessibility was increased by adjusting the hours and expanding to include youth.

Close ties have been developed between the Sparta School Readiness Project and the Sparta Chamber of Commerce. The UW-Extension Family Living Educator who facilitates the School Readiness Project has been named chair pro tem of the Chamber's Education Committee.

The Sparta Parks and Recreation Department continues to sponsor a Tiny Tot program for parents and their preschool age children. This initiative came about as a result of assessment data gathered by the Sparta School Readiness task force. This program has a waiting list almost every session. .

All parents (of children on a waiting list for Title I preschool) completing an evaluative survey of the backpack activities program said they found the parent information included to be worthwhile and all said helping their child learn was made easier and/or more fun by the kits. Parents also mentioned specific ways they and their children had been changed by these materials: "We try to make everyday things into learning games." "It makes me make time to do things with her." "It's motivated [my child] to learn." "It seems to make them look forward to going to school."

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Karen Joos
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Monroe County)
(608) 269-8722
karen.joos@ces.uwex.edu

Watertown Community School Readiness Project

Project Description:

Watertown is a small city of 21,000 on the borders of Jefferson and Dodge counties in the south-central part of Wisconsin. The Watertown Unified School District area is rural with approximately 29,000 residents, including 2000 children five years and younger.

The original goal of the Watertown Community School Readiness Project was that, by the year 2000, all Watertown community children would start school ready to learn. The overall objectives were

• to develop collaborative, comprehensive, preventive family-oriented programs and services
  
• to enhance outreach efforts to help families participate in such services (by making them accessible and affordable and by raising awareness of them).

A diverse group of thirty individuals representing health professionals, school personnel, clergy, service providers, and parents was recruited to form the Watertown Community School Readiness task force. The collaborative was originally initiated and facilitated by the Jefferson County UW-Extension Family Living Educator; other partners have taken leadership in the many programs and new collaboratives that have resulted from this project. Major collaborators include the Watertown Public Health Department, Watertown Memorial Hospital, Watertown Unified School District, and the Watertown Family Center.

The task force completed a comprehensive community needs analysis, then developed and carried out strategic action plans aimed at increasing and improving comprehensive developmental screening programs, increasing parent education options, and seeking full funding for the Watertown Family Center. It continues to serve as a catalyst for the development and support of a number of other community initiatives, programs, and collaboratives.

Outcomes:

The following are results related to the specific goals and action plans of this collaborative:

• An area Informed Referral Network was created as a direct result of data obtained from the School Readiness Project to better coordinate local developmental and health screening efforts. A Child Find brochure, including a listing of all local early childhood resource numbers, was planned, produced, and distributed with a pooling of time and money from eleven agencies. Network agencies continue to meet quarterly.
  
• During the past year, the Watertown Family Center continued to secure needed funding for operating expenses. Over the past year, the Family Center continued to adapt its programming to the needs of the community, offering new programs, programs over a wider geographical area, and new services to Spanish-speaking families. For example, this year an open gym program for parents and toddlers was begun, an afternoon shift playgroup was started, an additional day was added to a parenting curriculum based on parent evaluations, a bilingual staff person was added, and plans were made to start a bilingual play group in November 2000. The Family Center continued to collaborate with other community agencies to develop a wider range of programming and to secure additional resources. For example, this year family fun activity programs were organized in collaboration with Jefferson Birth-3, Dodge and Jefferson Head Start Early Childhood, the Community Action Coalition, the Wrap-around program and JOIN.
  
• The Watertown Family Center moved into the Health and Wellness Center on June 1, 2000. This move has allowed the Family Center to increase its programs, to schedule meetings and classes more freely and have childcare in the room next to the meeting/classroom. Parents are able to view their children in classrooms. Other collaborators located in the building are Head Start, the Watertown Women's Center, Dodge/Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Rainbow Hospice. In addition, the Watertown Memorial Hospital and the Watertown Unified School District have a presence in this building. Referrals between these agencies are now made easily by simply walking a client to a nearby room.

The Watertown Community School Readiness Project has succeeded in its purpose of serving as a catalyst, creating many new linkages between people and organizations that have led to the development of a variety of new programs and services that are preventive, comprehensive, and integrated. As the following examples illustrate, many community agencies that first collaborated through the School Readiness project have integrated their services, approaches, planning, facilities, and goals.

• The Watertown Unified School District Board of Education used data obtained from the School Readiness Project and the Dodge-Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership to form a Blue Ribbon committee that challenged the schools to establish a model of continuum of services available for young children and families and to incorporate the board as a community collaboration partner. In 1999 and 2000, the Blue Ribbon Committee sponsored multiple-session early education course for area childcare providers. Due to their success, a grant was received from the Department of Public Instruction for the workshops offered in 2001.
  
• In 1998, several agencies, including the Watertown Family Center, formed the Watertown Cultural Diversity Coalition. The coalition's subcommittees address a variety of issues, including health care, education, housing, translation needs and legal policies affecting the Hispanic community. The coalition sponsored a Cultural Awareness Sensitivity Training in 2000 attended by over 120 health care, law enforcement, and school personnel. In 2001, a Latino fair was held. The Watertown Family Center has begun a Hispanic playgroup and hired a bilingual parent educator. The Watertown Health Department of Public Health has also hired a Spanish-speaking nurse for the Bright Futures for Families home-visitation program.
  
• Both the health department and the hospital address the needs of families prenatally with case management and home visiting.
  
• A Young Parents group for education and support is sponsored by the school district, health department, teen home for unwed mothers, hospital, and Family Center.
  
• Bright Futures for Families, a prenatal identification and intensive home-visiting program geared to the level of support each family needs, is offered as a child abuse prevention program by the city health department, hospital, and Family Center.
  
• As a result of the success of the School Readiness strategic planning process, the Dodge-Jefferson Healthier Community partnership (DJHCP) formed and conducted a comprehensive strategic plan. It identified six priority issues that are being addressed for families in both counties. DJHCP has become a nonprofit corporation.
  
• In one location, families can now easily access a myriad of agencies, including the Watertown Family Center, Head Start, Early Childhood, the Watertown Women's Center, Dodge/Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Rainbow Hospice, and Health Connections. Agencies share meeting space and computer, art, and theater classes are offered in the same location. Most importantly, referrals between agencies can be made by simply walking a client to a nearby room.

For more information, please contact the community project coordinator:

Mary Gruenewald
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Jefferson County)
(920) 674 7295
mary.gruenewald@ces.uwex.edu

West Allis/West Milwaukee Early Childhood Task Force

Project Description:

West Allis, located in Milwaukee County, is an older urban community of 63,000 citizens, with 3,000 young children under 5 years old. The city depended on heavy manufacturing until the mid 70's. The city survived the transition and today is a relatively homogenous community. Its neighbor, West Milwaukee (population 4,000) enjoys fewer resources and has joined the West Allis school district for educational services. An assessment of both public and private schools shows that 16% of the children enter kindergarten with behavioral problems and 21% of the children are unprepared for school.

The West Allis/West Milwaukee School Readiness Project is a community-wide effort with a goal of ensuring that all children enter school with the physical, emotional, social, intellectual and imaginative skills necessary for academic achievement. The emphasis is on collaborative, preventive services for preschoolers and their families. The original objectives included:

• Develop community coordination to support collaboration among health care, school, business and community groups for investing in the needs of young children.
  
• Strengthen community-wide support for the needs of young children.
  
• Encourage resource development through the expansion of and access to community-wide resources to support early childhood growth and development.

A coalition called the West Allis/West Milwaukee Early Childhood Community Task Force was formed by the Superintendent of the WA/WM School District under the direction of the WA/WM School Board. Individuals on the task force represent a variety of organizations including public and private school administration, teachers, staff, and school board, the health department, the police department, the mayor's office, the Chamber of Commerce, community agencies, recreation department, child care, the local hospital, Head Start, YMCA, parents and volunteers, and the Milwaukee County University Extension office.

The University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator has provided technical assistance (including the School Readiness Project model and community needs assessment instruments), training opportunities, and has served in an advisory capacity to the task force. This collaborative group conducted a comprehensive community needs assessment including surveys of kindergarten teachers and parents of children entering kindergarten. The task force identified strengths and established two goals:

• to develop a community assessment process to identify children who needed special services long before they came to the attention of schools when they entered kindergarten
  
• to establish a place for parents of young children to find support and activities for their children.

Both of these objectives have been accomplished through the establishment of a yearly Three to Get Ready community early childhood assessment day and a community Family Resource Center at two sites.

A critical piece of the success of this collaboration has been the development of leadership in two parent members who now facilitate and document action group activities, make reports to the task force and provide updates to the superintendent of schools.

The Community Screening and Family Data Base action committee developed a Three to Get Ready Community Assessment Day Project that has been held yearly since March 1998. Principals of twelve public elementary schools identify three year old children and their families. A group of teachers and agency representatives developed an assessment tool, choosing a special screening process to be educational and very family friendly. Parents of the three year olds are an integral part of the assessment, working with and rating their children at activity stations focused on gross motor skills, fine motor skills and language activities. Consultation with trained volunteers and with specialists in psychology, speech, and language are available to parents. Over 75 volunteers composed of parents, school district personnel, and agency representatives assist and over a dozen community agencies provide information at each yearly event.

The Family Resource Center action committee established a school-based Family Resource Center in 1998. The committee includes representatives from the public and parochial schools, the health department, YWCA, Chamber of Commerce, mayor's office and police department. The committee conducted research to identify "best practices" by visiting successful centers in other communities, obtained funding from several different sources, obtained a site for the Center in a neighborhood school where 49% of the children are eligible for free or reduced price lunches, and hired a coordinator who is a district parent, parent volunteer, and former child care operator. After recruiting a battery of volunteers, including a neighborhood Extension Home and Community Education club, holding a twelve-school drive for toys, books, videos and equipment for the center, and obtaining other support from local businesses, the center opened in March 1998. Due to demand, a second site for playgroups opened in a community park building in October 1999. The centers regularly offer playgroups for families with preschool and school-age children, including evening playgroups, a toy lending library, information and referral services, a computer and Internet access, and written and video resources for parents. Parent education and health and safety classes, Internet training for parents, and "Calling All Dads" activities for fathers and children have also been held. Other programs have included a Teen Parent play group and parent support group program (a collaboration between the West Allis Memorial Hospital, two local high schools, and the Family Resource Center), evening and weekend family activity workshops (sponsored by the West Allis Health Department, West Allis Memorial Hospital, UW-Extension, WA/WM Recreation Department, and the YMCA), and the New Parent Contact Program, a program to involve new parents in Family Center programming (jointly coordinated by the Center staff, the West Allis Health Department, and the West Allis Memorial Hospital)and a special needs Parents Plus program. The WA/WM Family Resource Center has ten major collaborators (including the city of West Allis, the Southwest YMCA, Aurora Health Care, the Health Department, Memorial Hospital, police and fire departments and public library of West Allis, and the School District and Recreation Departments of West Allis/West Milwaukee). Teen volunteers assist with Family Center weekend activities and Calling All Dads programs.

Funding continues to be obtained from the local and regional Kiwanis club for printing and from the West Allis Memorial Hospital for postage so that the age-paced newsletter series, Parenting the First Year and Parenting the Second and Third Years are mailed monthly to all new parents (about 3500) in the West Allis/West Milwaukee communities.

Outcomes:

Both the Three to Get Ready project (which receives leadership from the school district) and the Family Center (which has established a board and now has non-profit status) have taken major steps toward sustainability. The Family Resource Center has expanded to two sites and increased hours in response to demand for services.

The two parent facilitators of this collaborative continue to provide leadership to it and to increase awareness of the needs of young children in the community to a wide variety of outside groups.

The West Allis/West Milwaukee Family Resource Center has greatly increased the educational opportunities (i.e., playgroups, classes, toy lending library, special events) and information and referral services available to young children and their families in these two communities. Special programs are held for fathers, families with children who have special needs, and new parents. The main Center has a core group of 75 families that attend at least twice a week and a larger number of families that attend about three times a month.

Most three year olds in the community now receive developmental screenings at annual Child Development Days. Developmental screenings actively involve and educate parents so that future problems are more likely to be attended to by parents. At the screening held in April 2001, every one of the 188 parents who attended and completed an evaluation reported feeling welcomed and informed. Most (85%) reported having asked and received useful information about their own child's development.

For more information, please contact the community coordinator:

Cathy Nelson
University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Educator (Milwaukee County)
(414) 290-2420
cathy.nelson@ces.uwex.edu

Westosha School Readiness Project

Project Description:

The Westosha School Readiness Project is a community collaborative whose basic goals are to motivate the community to change in ways that will enhance the physical, social, and intellectual development of its young children; to create linkages among people and organizations; to assess community strengths and needs; and to help the community discover and focus its efforts on the most strategic areas and methods of intervention. When the project began, it focused primarily on the Trevor Grade School District. As the program evolved, steering committee members recognized a broader need and desired a wider resource base for families so they decided to enlarge the project to include the entire Westosha (Western Kenosha county) area (which includes eleven different school districts).

In the fall of 1997, a diverse community task force of over 40 individuals representing parents, school faculty, staff, and school board, public officials, health and nutrition professionals, child care and Head Start personnel, and agency and organization representatives was recruited and began meeting. The collaborative was initiated and facilitated by a UWEX community project director who receives space and support from the special education office of a regional Cooperative Educational Service Agency. This project was originally sponsored by the Kenosha County Early Childhood Consortium; the two projects are now collaborating partners.

During 1997-98, task force subcommittees completed comprehensive community strengths and needs analyses covering three dimensions related to later school success: maternal and child health, family environments, and early childhood education. The group identified and prioritized the following six objectives before developing strategic action plans:

• To increase networking, improve communication, and make more efficient the coordination of programs by community agencies
  
• To identify the strengths, needs and practical responses unique to local conditions
  
• To raise parental awareness of family experiences and community services that help prepare children for school
  
• To provide a larger number, wider variety, and higher quality of community services for young children and families that are developed, implemented, and supported by community coalitions
  
• To increase the participation in community programs (e.g., nutrition, early intervention, family literacy) by families of children who are at risk of school failure
  
• To positively impact young children's health, social development, and learning

To accomplish many of these objectives, the project developed an early childhood family resource room and began offering a variety of programs there. This initiative, called SPROUTS (Sharing Parenting Resources and Outreach - United Together for Support), is centrally located in the western part of Kenosha County; its co-location with the Westosha Head Start and Early Childhood Special Needs Program is inviting to families at risk (i.e., those with low income or children's special needs) while integrating some services for all community children, creating an inclusive environment. The program regularly provides professionally facilitated playgroups, parent-child field trips, a music enrichment program, community library story hours, Birth to Three and preschool developmental screenings with the Birth to Three program, and parent discussions and special events. A lending library of themed parent-child resource kits (including toys, puzzles, books, puppets and instructions for parents) has been developed and set up. At the end of 2000, the Wisconsin Children's Service Society agreed to take over the administration and funding of the SPROUTS Center and to sponsor the establishment of another similar center. The former community School Readiness Project coordinator is now the director of both centers.

As a result of the Westosha School Readiness Project, a parenting newsletter is mailed every month to 180 families with children ages birth to five. In addition, project members collaborate with the County Library System's children services division to establish a "storymobile" that makes regular visits to the SPROUTS center and benefits all of the programs housed therein. Members also have assisted in the promotion and planning of a lead screening canvassing conducted by the Division of Health.

Outcomes:

The SPROUTS program described above has greatly increased the number of educational and networking opportunities available to families with young children in all of the western part of Kenosha county. The new program brings similar services to the city of Kenosha. Parents attending programs have noted specific, positive impacts. For example, one mother whose 15 month old had had little previous experience with other children stated that the program allowed her daughter "to develop her interpersonal skills and ... confidence to assert herself in a positive manner." She also commented on the many things her daughter was learning: "sharing toys, reading books with me, and playing with other children." Another mother drives a half-hour for this program because it offers "companionship, educational opportunity, fun, and information regarding other programs in the area." As a third mother explained, "Our community has a lot of farm land, homes are spread far apart and neighborhood children are not around for play. The SPROUTS program addresses this, and encourages play and learning in a safe secure atmosphere." This mother of a three year old daughter concluded that "This preschool like setting is definitely helping to prepare her for her school years."

For more information, please contact the former community coordinator:

Corie Davis
(262) 652-5522

or

Tedi Winnett
University of Wisconsin-Extension, Kenosha County Director
(262) 857-1945
tedi.winnett@ces.uwex.edu

Comments to: geastman@facstaff.wisc.edu

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