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Dear Friends of Ready Ready,
It’s August, and the countdown has begun. Back to school season. Some parents lament the return of schedules and school supplies, while others react like the father in this commercial about the “most wonderful time of the year.”
It’s bittersweet.
For some families in Guilford County, back to school means consistent meals for their children. Closing the learning gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic will almost certainly be a big focus for school staff, parents, and students this academic year.
Before the pandemic, in 2018-19, just 50.7 percent of all students met or exceeded benchmarks on the Guilford County Kindergarten beginning of year Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment. This test measures their ability to use language and communicate and is used across North Carolina.
That number plummeted to 27 percent for the 2021-22 DIBELS beginning of year benchmark in Guilford County.
Learning loss is real, and we must remember how much the pandemic disrupted families, preschools, and more. The systems we’ve been using to help families and children took a big hit during COVID-19.
To get the outcomes we need for Guilford County, we need population-level change. Ready Ready’s vision is that every child born in Guilford County in 2021 and beyond will enter kindergarten developmentally on track. The system of care we are building will support families and children at every stage, starting with prenatal care and continuing through school entry. School success by third grade is the best predictor of high school graduation and success in life.
 Working with a community-based design team of 39 Guilford County stakeholders, we developed recommendations for strategies that intend to improve outcomes for children entering kindergarten. We are excited to pilot three Ages 3-5 strategies this year, built on the foundation of our prenatal navigation system work that supports families on their parenting journey.
We’re glad you’re walking the pathway to population-level change with us. Thank you for your support and encouragement.
Sincerely,
Charrise Hart
CEO
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The Guilford Parent Leader Network (GPLN) has elected new Steering Committee members. Congratulations to Katina Allen, Eugene Penn, Nicole Peoples, Airreia Pierce, and Erika Tart, who will help guide the group in 2022-23.
The new Steering Committee members joined about 30 members of the GPLN, their families, and Ready Ready staff members for a Mix N’ Mingle event at Keeley Park on July 17, 2022. We talked with many of them about the importance of the GPLN and how parents and the community can benefit.
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Guilford Parent Leader Network families share the value they find in the group.
Watch the video!
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Ready Ready and the GPLN have also launched a father’s only group: Fathers Ready to Grow. If you’d like more information, please contact yuria@getreadyguilford.org.
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Would you like to join the Guilford Parent Leader Network? We gather on the third Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, August 15, 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hold these meetings via Zoom. When meetings resume in person, we provide child care to alleviate barriers to participation.
For more information, please contact Yuri Alston, Family Engagement Manager, at (336) 579-2977 ext. 2008 or yuria@getreadyguilford.org.
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National Night Out: Sharing The Basics Guilford
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Ready Ready Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre shared information about The Basics Guilford at the National Night Out event at the High Point Housing Authority on August 2, 2022. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood relationships. Ready Ready offered parents and caregivers tips and materials on how to use the Basics in their daily interaction with babies and toddlers to maximize their brain development.
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The Basics Guilford: Read and Discuss Stories
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The more we read with young children, the more prepared they become to enjoy reading and to do well in school. It is never too early to begin reading! Stories expose children to words and ideas that they would not otherwise experience. Books teach children to use their imaginations. What they learn about people, places, and things can be important building blocks to later life success.
Tips for infants:
- Speak with Expression: Use an exaggerated voice to make it more interesting!
- Actively Involve Them: As your baby develops coordination, involve them more in the reading experience. Let them hold the book or turn the pages.
- Follow Their Lead: Let your child guide the reading experience. When they start to lose interest, try another book or stop. Not being forced to keep going will keep them excited about reading!
Tips for toddlers:
- Make a Card: Help your child make cards for your loved ones. Fold the paper and give them some crayons or markers to decorate. Deliver the card or help them put it in the mailbox.
- Look for Letters: Look for letters when you’re with your child. Try to find the first letter of their first name. See how many places you can find it while reading or on packaging or signs.
- Re-Read: Toddlers learn through repetition, so it is normal when they want to read the same book over and over again. Notice how proud they feel when they master the story. But try variety too, because new books offer different things to see, hear and learn.
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You can learn some great information about this Basic in 30 seconds by watching this video!
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The Basics are five fun, science-based parenting and caregiving concepts that anyone can do. Learn more about them at www.guilfordbasics.org.
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Would you like to be trained in The Basics Guilford?
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As we share information about the Basics across Guilford County, we need your help. We’re offering virtual training on the Basics for teams of three or more at organizations that interact with young children. Each session lasts 30-45 minutes. To schedule a training session or learn more about Ready Ready and the Basics Guilford, please contact Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre at meganl@getreadyguilford.org.
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Kelli Crawford has joined the team as Manager: Continuous Quality Improvement. She has spent her career in the nonprofit sector with a focus on educational experiences through volunteerism. Before joining Ready Ready, Crawford served as the Director of Impact at Junior Achievement of the Triad. Learn more about Kelli Crawford on our website.
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Staff profile: Michelle Chapin
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The Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) staff has grown exponentially during the pandemic. But while you’re meeting many new staff members in our newsletter, many of you may already know Project Manager: Ages Prenatal-3 Michelle Chapin.
“I started working with Ready Ready in 2017 as a contract staff member to support early literacy and our Continuous Quality Improvement work,” Chapin said. “Now I help advance our collaborative work with expansion program partners, families, and medical homes.”
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Partner Spotlight: March of Dimes
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The March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. The organization supports research, leads programs, and provides education and advocacy so every family can have the best possible start.
Nationally, the organization partners with similar nonprofits on advocacy issues such as Medicaid expansion and other programs that support maternal and infant health. In North Carolina, the partnerships hit even closer to home.
“We are proud to partner with Every Baby Guilford as part of the Guilford County Health Department and the effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality,” said Michaela Penix, director of maternal infant health for the March of Dimes in North Carolina. “We want everyone to understand that becoming pregnant does not magically make you healthy.”
Another March of Dimes project, in conjunction with the local American Heart Association, Every Baby Guilford, and Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready), aims to raise awareness about how health impacts moms and babies. In response to the high rates of infant mortality in Guilford County, Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies is a collaboration between these four organizations to form an innovative approach that aims to address the drivers of infant mortality while empowering mothers of Color in trusted community spaces. Programs such as Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies support mothers and contribute to raising healthy, smart babies.
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Our mission
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) is a collaborative effort to build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families.
Equity Statement
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) promotes equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion, which are woven through our mission, values, and principles. We stand against racism in all of its forms. Ready Ready will work with our community to address the structural inequities that drive disparate child and family outcomes and work towards an environment where equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion are core values. When we are working to address these structural inequities, Ready Ready will be bold in our actions.
When Guilford County Black and Indigenous children and families of color (BIPOC) feel welcomed, heard, respected, safe, supported, and valued, all of our community and our society benefit.
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