April 2015 - Alabama Partnership for Children

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Zero to Five Matters - - - April 2015
~ A newsletter focused on our most valuable investment ~
Initiative Focus:
Joining Hands for Week of the Young Child
The Alabama Partnership for Children is coordinating the annual Joining Hands for
Week of the Young Child event, designed to bring attention to the needs of young
children, ages birth to five, to local and state decision makers. In keeping with
previous years, we ask that child advocates across the state coordinate with anyone
that works with young children to collect handprints that children have traced and
decorated. These handprints will be delivered to the State House in
Montgomery, AL, and posted in Alabama Legislative offices on Tuesday, April
14th.
We are asking all child advocates to join us in delivering the handprints and the
Week of the Young Child message, early years are learning years, to State
Legislators on April 14th. Please let us know you plan to attend by completing and
returning the attendance confirmation form by April 13th. Logistics for the day are as
follows:
Joining Hands for Week of the Young Child
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Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Time: 10:00
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Location: Alabama Department of Children's Affairs
Alabama Center for Postsecondary Education Building
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135 South Union Street
2nd Floor Conference Room
Montgomery, AL
Agenda:
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
legislators
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 noon
General information and prepare information to deliver to
Deliver handprints
Feel free to contact the APC with any questions or comments regarding Joining
Hands for Week of the Young Child by calling toll-free (866) 711-4025 or emailing
mpiggott@SmartStartAlabama.org.
Register Today!!!
Alabama Project LAUNCH Summit
Early Brain Development and Social/Emotional Health
And Professional Development Institute
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May 20-21, 2015
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Bryant Conference Center
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Featuring Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
Register online at www.training.ua.edu/launch
Registration Form
Professional Development Institute & Summit Information
Vendor Registration Form
Partner Focus:
VOICES for Alabama's Children, Child
Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Remain
Committed to Improving Alabama's Child
Well-Being
VOICES for Alabama's Children and more than 100 child advocates including
business leaders, educators, parents and children rallied in Montgomery on March
31st for the second annual Child Advocacy Day. Participants heard key legislative
priorities from the following, VOICES bill sponsor, Sen. Greg Reed (R - Jasper), Sen.
Jack D. Williams (R - Birmingham), Rep. Dario Melton (D - Selma) and
Commissioners Nancy Buckner (Department of Human Resources) and Jeana Ross
(Department of Children's Affairs).
Following lunch, 150 pre-k supporters including 75 adorable pre-k students from
Anniston, Montgomery, and Wetumpka assembled on the State House steps for the
Parent VOICES for Pre-K Rally. Parent advocate, Jeanna Bulman of Orange Beach
and lawmakers including Sen. Quinton Ross (D- Montgomery), Rep. Bill Poole (R -
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Tuscaloosa) and Rep. Terry Collins (R - Decatur), energized the crowd gathered to
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support a 0$13.2 million
increase
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Program.
Parent VOICES for Pre-K, a statewide parent grassroots campaign organized by
VOICES for Alabama's Children, rallied in support of the increased funding for
Alabama's First Class Pre-K Program.
"Children only have once chance to be a preschooler and benefit from early learning
opportunities - they don't get a do-over," said Parent VOICES for Pre-K advocate,
Jeanna Bulman. "We must take advantage of this time and equip them with the tools
they need to be successful in school and in life."
Bulman, a mother of two from Baldwin County, understands the benefits of the
state's voluntary pre-k program. Her oldest son was one of the 13 percent selected
last year to attend a local First Class Pre-K class. Bulman's youngest son will be
eligible for the program in the 2015-2016 school year, but with limited availability,
slots are filled through a lottery-style drawing at local boards of education.
During the rally, several legislative champions of children's issues expressed their
commitment to expand funding for the First Class Pre-K Program so that all the
state's four-year-olds have access.
"We are at a pivotal time in our state for child well-being," said VOICES for
Alabama's Children's executive director, Melanie R. Bridgeforth. "We have made
progress, but we still have miles to go. In order to keep Alabama's child well-being
on the right trajectory, we must invest in proven programs like high-quality pre-k such
as the state's First Class Pre-K Program."
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Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg
Reed (R - Jasper) addresses the
audience at the 2nd Annual Child
Advocacy Day
April is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
Month!
Prevent Child Abuse America's national signature campaign, Pinwheels for
Prevention, is based on the belief that every day is an opportunity for you to
recognize that we all play a role in the lives of children.
As our nation recognizes April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, let's take this time
to recognize the various roles we can play:
Educate: Learn more and educate others about healthy child development and
child abuse prevention; become a messenger for prevention.
Advocate: Lend your voice to bring about change for children in the U.S. and
affect the policies that impact children and the communities in which they live.
Participate: Volunteer your time and talent to organizations that focus on
children, their families and the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Donate: Make financial gifts to support these efforts.
To learn more please visit http://ctf.alabama.gov/.
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Mark Your Calendars:
April FOCUS:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Prevention Month
April 2015
Check out this month's Smart
Start FOCUS packet on Week of the
Young Child and Child Abuse
Prevention Month. Each month a
packet of resources and materials is
compiled surrounding the
month's FOCUS (Focus On Children
Under Six) and distributed to all
Wear Blue Day
for Child Abuse Prevention Month
Friday, April 10, 2015
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Week of the Young Child
2015 0
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Joining Hands
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April 14, 2015
Alabama Head Start Association
Spring Conference
attention to birth-to-five statewide. For
more information please
contact Michele Smith Piggott
April 21-23, 2015
Birmingham, AL
The National Smart Start Conference
May 4-7, 2015
Greensboro, NC
Provider Appreciation Day
May 8, 2015
Project LAUNCH Early Childhood
Summit on Early Brain Development
and Social/Emotional Health and
Professional Development Institute
May 20-21, 2015
Tuscaloosa, AL
Copyright © 2015 Alabama Partnership for Children, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Alabama Partnership for Children
2529 Bell Road
Montgomery, AL 36117
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