For our 23rd segment, we interviewed Dr. Marina Merrill from Children’s Institute (CI) and Dr. Beth Green from Portland State University (PSU). Dr. Merrill is the senior research and policy advisor for CI and leads the organization’s research on prenatal through...
According to Eric Gustafson, “schools are the heart of rural communities,” providing a place for all members of the town to come together. Eric should know. He lives in Yoncalla, a town of just over a thousand people in Douglas County and serves on the school...
Over the past few weeks, we have examined on our blog and podcast the challenges and opportunities of educating dual language and English language learners and highlighted the dual language Preschool Promise classes offered at Echo Shaw Elementary...
This week’s visit by the Children’s Book Bank to the Early Works preschool program at Earl Boyles is a good reminder of how important early reading is to young children. Consider that: Eighty percent of child’s brain develops by age 3. Reading to young children can...
In a school community where over thirty different home languages are spoken, the faculty and staff at Earl Boyles Elementary in Southeast Portland work to make sure all members of the community feel welcome. Whereas one primary role of schools has been to...
The Ready, Set, Go! Play and Learn program at Earl Boyles Elementary School gives children from birth to age 3 and their caregivers opportunities to learn in a child-centered and culturally responsive environment. The program, in its second year at Earl Boyles,...
Governor Brown meets with parents from Yoncalla Early Works. “After that, I couldn’t wait to do more.” --- During the 2017 session of the Oregon legislature, Sara Ruiz-Weight traveled to Salem three times to testify about the value of preschool and early...
Sharon Nelson, principal of Lincoln School of Early Learning, and Tim Sweeney, superintendent of Coquille School District, chat with preschoolers during lunch. Five years ago, Coquille School District leaders agonized over closing their fifth and last elementary...
Yoncalla Early Works takes a comprehensive approach to preparing kids for success in school and life. For the last two years, the project has combined early learning, health, and family engagement strategies to set young children on a path to third grade readiness....
Oregon's Early Learning Opportunity, featured at our 2017 Make It Your Business luncheon, is packed with data and underscores the impact of early environments on early abilities, the importance of third grade literacy, and the opportunity Oregon has by...
