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Yoncalla Early Works: Website Edition is HERE!
Head to our website today to learn more about the journey of Yoncalla, contributions of key partners, strategies that have driven change over time, research and data on student support, podcasts from the community and more. You won’t want to miss this special collection of resources and inspiring stories from Yoncalla 💚 Link in bio.
👇Join our team👇
We’re looking for a Director of People and Culture 💫This role will work closely with the CEO of Children’s Institute to lead the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives which will support CI’s 3-year strategic plan.
The Director of People and Culture will also lead in building a welcoming and inclusive culture at CI while developing and maintaining equity-focused human resources functions.
The DPC is a vital member of the leadership team who will drive and shape a culture of belonging by embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy internally.
If this sounds like a great fit for you, apply today! ✍️Applications open until 10/11.
👇Help Oregon Reimagine Spaces for Children👇
It’s time to rethink and redesign the places where young children, grow, play, learn, and explore their world. The passage of HB 3005 in June 2023 created the Child Care Infrastructure Fund, a new, $50 million investment designed to expand child care and preschool facilities across Oregon.
This is a KEY moment for Oregon: a great child care and preschool system needs high-quality facilities for children, families, and early educators. This investment sets the state on the right path, and yet we have more to do.
Today, nearly 75 percent of communities in Oregon are child care deserts. Demand for preschool and child care far exceeds the supply. And Oregon is still recovering from the loss of child care supply from the Covid-19 pandemic.
As we work to strengthen and expand child care and preschool across the state, and create new, vibrant learning spaces for your youngest learners, we invite you to join us. Learn more on the new infrastructure resource on our website. Link in bio!
“The LIFT program is a really good introduction to kindergarten. It gives students a chance to come in and get a feel for the school and meet some of the other classmates. They can come in and play more and share with their peers and see how it is to be with other kids.” - Crista Adovnik, kindergarten teacher at Oceanlake Elementary and teacher with the LIFT summer program for five years.🌟 LIFT paves the way for a smoother transition into the classroom, instilling confidence, familiarity, and a readiness to embrace the exciting journey of kindergarten for the young learners at Oceanlake Elementary. Learn more at the story in our bio!
Happy Back to School, everyone! 🎒Whether today is the first official day or you`ve been finding your groove for a week or two now, we wanted to share a special list of curated resources for both inspiration and professional development as the week gets going. Looking for stories of teachers who nurtured community through early learning? We got you! Encouraging social emotional learning with your kids one day at a time? We got you, too. 🍎Check out these stories, podcasts, and educational guides at our bio or on our website to learn more. You got this!
It takes a village! The Kalapuya Early Learning Center welcomed kids, families, community members, and elected officials to an open house yesterday evening. 🙌The center, part of the Tigard-Tualatin School District, has two Preschool Promise classrooms and two Head Start classrooms, offering free, high-quality early learning to 3-4 year-olds. The center is designed with play in mind, where young learners are encouraged to be creative and have fun🎈Karen Twain, retired TTSD superintendent and former director of school-based initiatives at Children’s Institute, was a critical force behind bringing this center to life (and the playground even shares her namesake!). It’s amazing to see this idea become reality! Congrats to everyone who made it possible🧡and most importantly, to all the kiddos who will enjoy it for years to come.
The Latest
Yoncalla Early Works: An Ecosystem of Care and Community
Written by guest contributor Adriane Blackman. On any given day in a preschool classroom at Yoncalla Elementary...
LIFTing Kids to Success: How One Oregon School is Preparing Kids for Kindergarten
The school season is upon us once more, carrying with it the usual back-to-school hustle and bustle of drop-offs and...
A Decade of Togetherness
The sun dips lower in the sky on a hazy evening in late August, casting a warm golden hue across the football field at Yoncalla High School. The hum of excited chatter sets the scene, and children laugh and play. As the night unfolds, the sounds of music from a live band dance through the air as families mingle and children savor the remaining sunlight, on the cusp of a new school year. Framed by a stunning view of the Umpqua Valley, Yoncalla’s annual community barbecue has become a symbol of togetherness, woven into the fabric of the town.
Early Works and Early School Success
Since 2010, we’ve helped build community-centered early learning programs that have transformed schools and created opportunities for young children and their families. That work continues to shape state policy and strengthen early learning, preschool through grade 5.
Health and Learning Initiative
The Health and Learning Initiative is a partnership between Children’s Institute, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Pediatric Improvement Partnership to transform the relationship between Oregon’s health care and early learning systems.
Our recent work developing an incentive metric for Coordinated Care Organizations focused on social and emotional health is the first of its kind in the nation.
Tune In
The Early Link Podcast highlights national, regional, and local voices working in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. The podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Rafael Otto, Children’s Institute’s director of communications.
Subscribe
Subscribe to The Early Link Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Tune In, and Amazon.
