The Healthcare Foundation is attempting to improve the school readiness of children in the region.
Starting in Healdsburg, where recent data shows the most serious issues in north county, the Healthcare Foundation is convening others and providing backbone support to create an Early Childhood Council. The council brings together organizations and community leaders who understand the value of increasing readiness to learn in young children.
Participating organizations joining the Healthcare Foundation on the council to date include AAUW, Children’s Museum Sonoma County, First 5 Sonoma County, Healdsburg Library, Health Action Healdsburg, HCNS, Healdsburg Education Foundation, Healdsburg Elementary School PTO, the PSST program and Rotary Healdsburg.
The group plans a series of film and panel discussions to engage the Healdsburg community in understanding how early childhood learning success leads to better careers and healthier, happier lives. An early summer charrette will bring together community members to create a collective impact action response plan to increase the number of children who are ready to learn upon arriving at school enrollment in Healdsburg.
The Healthcare Foundation is launching this initiative first in Healdsburg and plans to replicate these efforts in Windsor and Cloverdale in the coming year.
The goal is to ensure that all children in northern Sonoma County are “kinder ready” by 2025.
Kindergarten readiness is an early indicator along a path of success in life. It is strongly correlated with the ability to secure employment, with higher levels of education and healthier lifestyles.
For more information about the Early Childhood Council of Healdsburg, contact Debbie Mason at dm****@he******************.net or 707-473-0583.
— Submitted by Rudy Campos
