Images from the Partnership
Programs
Our funding comes from state, federal, and corporate grants as well as from your donations. We are very careful neither to duplicate nor supplant existing services but rather to cover some of the gaps which currently exist as we build on the strengths of our communities, our families and our children. Our regional programs include SPARK, More at Four, and Transition to Kindergarten.
SPARK is a national initiative launched by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to help communities prepare vulnerable children to be ready for school and schools to be ready for children. Standing for "Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids," SPARK involves collaborations of communities, state agencies, and schools.
Governor Easley's More at Four program is an initiative to provide high quality pre-Kindergarten educational programs for at-risk four year olds in North Carolina to prepare them for success in school. The risk factors, determined by the state, that will be used as criteria for participation in the program are: family income, child's health status, developmental delays or disabilities, parent education levels, parent employment status, housing stability, English proficiency, and minority status. Priority for the program will be given to children who are not currently served in a childcare program.
In Region A, less than 40% of young children are in formal childcare settings. Frequently, children who are not in childcare settings are not as well prepared for the kindergarten classroom because they have not been exposed to the structured learning environment where they interact with peers and adults and may not have the opportunity to be introduced to the school setting before kindergarten. The Transition to Kindergarten program will help us identify gaps in service to children not in childcare and direct us in developing projects to serve them earlier as well as strengthen communication among childcare providers, families, and school systems about their respective needs in being able to accomplish their goals for children as well as the individual needs of the children they serve.
We publish a Resource Guide for each county and the Qualla Boundary. The Guide includes the basic resources for children and families within each county. Click on your county to access your Guide. The Qualla Boundary Guide is under Swain County.
Programs in Your Area
Click on your county to find programs available in your area.
Copyright (©) Renato Maguire, 2006. | Site hosted by Metrostat Communications.
