As a leader in the Evanston early childhood community and an Evanston Cradle to Career partner, CNE has played a major role in the development and implementation of a variety of programs (described below) all focused on ensuring that all children in our community have a Strong Start to Kindergarten.
1. New Baby Visits
(in Development)
Through our partners—District 65, Family Focus, and EC2C—we are collaborating with the Perinatal Family Support Center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child’s birth. This initiative aims to support families and connect them to necessary services, including ongoing housing support, basic needs, and home family visiting services where appropriate.
- Screen for baby and maternal health
- Connect to needed services
- Introduce Talk, Read, Sing
Through our partners, District 65, Family Focus, and CNE, and EC2C is working to partner with the perinatal family support center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child's birth to support families and connect them to needed services, including ongoing housing support and basic needs and home family visiting where appropriate.
2. Coordinated Home Family Visiting
Our community’s home family visiting providers are coordinating their services through shared training, partnering for new baby visits, and leveraging the unique strengths of each program. This ensures that parents are connected to the best program to meet their needs.
- Maximizing use of visiting resources
- Streamlining access to services
3. Library-Based Screening
(in Development)
The Evanston Public Library is working to provide developmental screenings for children not enrolled in a center-based program. This effort helps to identify developmental delays early and ensures that children receive the appropriate support as needed.
- Easy access to developmental screening
- Early identification of special needs
Through our partners, District 65, Family Focus, and CNE, and EC2C is working to partner with the perinatal family support center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child's birth to support families and connect them to needed services, including ongoing housing support and basic needs and home family visiting where appropriate.
4. Talk, Read, Sing Texting Initiative
The Evanston Public Library offers periodic texts in both English and Spanish, providing suggestions for parents on how to support early childhood development. This initiative is in partnership with healthcare providers who share "Talk, Read, Sing" materials with parents during well-child visits.
- Healthcare providers share “Talk, Read, Sing”
- Parents receive activity ideas via text
5. Trauma-Informed Early Childhood Programs
EC2C has provided funding for training early childhood staff on the prevalence and impact of trauma on children and families. Additionally, funding is available to support crisis counseling for families experiencing trauma.
- Teachers in early childhood programs are trained to identify trauma
- Counseling is available for families experiencing trauma
Through our partners, District 65, Family Focus, and CNE, and EC2C is working to partner with the perinatal family support center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child's birth to support families and connect them to needed services, including ongoing housing support and basic needs and home family visiting where appropriate.
6. Teacher Guide for Strong Start to Kindergarten
District 65 and EC2C engaged pre-K and kindergarten providers to reach a consensus on the skills needed for a strong start to kindergarten. District 65 then developed a guide for teachers outlining these essential skills for pre-K providers.
- All pre-K tachers understand expectations for a strong start to kindergarten
7. Parent/Caregiver Activity Guide
EC2C’s Action Team developed a guide for parents (English • Español) that outlines the skills needed for a strong start to kindergarten. The guide also offers activities to support the development of those skills. EC2C advocates and student advocates assist in distributing these guides and sharing the activities.
- Parents understand how to build skills for a strong start to kindergarten
Through our partners, District 65, Family Focus, and CNE, and EC2C is working to partner with the perinatal family support center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child's birth to support families and connect them to needed services, including ongoing housing support and basic needs and home family visiting where appropriate.
8. Teacher Coaching Initiative
Four nonprofit EC2C early childhood partners, selected based on relevant data, are receiving coaching for their teachers. The coaching ensures a positive, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed learning environment for all children.
- Coaches help pre-K teachers develop skills to support all students
- Develop curriculum for teachers
9. Pre-K/Kindergarten Teacher Summits
EC2C hosts summits for pre-K and kindergarten teachers to share best practices and develop shared early learning strategies. These summits foster a cohesive learning experience for children in the community.
- Sharing expectations
- Shared learning experiences
Through our partners, District 65, Family Focus, and CNE, and EC2C is working to partner with the perinatal family support center at Evanston Hospital to offer all families involved with the center a new baby home visit within the first month of their child's birth to support families and connect them to needed services, including ongoing housing support and basic needs and home family visiting where appropriate.
10. Smooth Transition to Kindergarten
EC2C is fostering stronger partnerships between pre-K and kindergarten teachers. This includes classroom observations and a structured process for sharing effective strategies to ensure a smooth transition for children entering kindergarten.
- Observation across pre-K and kindergarten classrooms
- Sharing child-specific effective strategies
Welcome to Kindergarten!
Once children have completed these developmental stages, they are ready for kindergarten. A "Welcome to Kindergarten" meeting helps ensure a warm and supportive transition for both children and families.
