Museums and Libraries Partnership for Parent, Family and Community Engagement

1. Museums and Libraries Partnership for Parent, Family and Community Engagement Race to the TopEarly Learning Challenge Grant June 12, 2012

2. Background : Museums and Libraries • Early Learning Challenge Grant, From Birth to School Readiness: Massachusetts Early Learning Plan, 2012-2015, EEC articulated its vision for strengthening the basic foundation of our early learning system by increasing capacity and support from other agencies and private sector partners in the community. • Over the next four years, EEC will invest up to $600,000 to implement a statewide strategy that provides a shared framework and set of resources that will bolster the capacity of museums and libraries, in partnership with EEC’s CFCE grantees, to support the optimal development of all children, especially those with high needs, and support families in their essential work as their child’s first teacher.

3. Background : Museums and Libraries • In alignment with all of EEC’s work with families, this initiative will incorporate the Strengthening Families framework and approach, which has widespread support from social science researchers, early childhood practitioners and policy experts. • Through this collaboration, EEC will strengthen existing relationships and further integrate an evidence-based framework for early childhood programming and family engagement into Massachusetts children’s museums and libraries. • These collaborations will extend the reach of EEC initiatives, such as the Brain Building in Progress public awareness campaign.

4. Four Areas of Focus • Early Literacy • School Readiness (preparation for Kindergarten) • STEM • Brain Building in Progress

6. Countdown to Kindergarten 2011

8. Brain Building in Progress!

9. Launched on May 4, 2012 Commissioner Killins EEC Staff Children’s Museums Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Coordinated Community & Family Engagement Specialists Early Childhood Resource Centers Early childhood consultants Boston Public Schools BCM staff

13. Getting to Know You! Tell us: …about your family engagement programs and how you think this project could change the world…

14. “Young children have incredible intelligence. We just need to watch!” Eric Carle Museum, Northampton, MA “Holyoke is one of the poorest cities in the state and has the highest drop out rate. We are working to engage children in early years – for gang prevention and an educational space to play.” Holyoke Children’s Museum, Holyoke MA “Do not be an island.” Fred Rogers: Play is the work of young children. “Training our staff on fundamentals of play might help change the world.” Amelia Park Children’s Center, Amherst, MA

15. Shelly Quezada, Consultant for the Underserved MA Board of Library Commissioners

16. Kim Dewall, ECRC Coordinator Falmouth Public Library

17. Karin Rubin, Director Amelia Park Children’s Museum Westfield, MA

18. Next Steps June/July – FAQs, formal survey, meet with reps, create directory August – Countdown to Kindergarten celebrations and train-the-trainers for Kindergarten readiness, library strategy developed September – Road trip to assess community involvement by Museums, library strategy launched, STEM training October/December – Connect!

19. Issue and Proposed Resolution .