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.
Click your county to find programs in your area.
Cherokee | Clay | Graham |
Haywood | Jackson | Macon |
Swain
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