EDUCARE DC
640 ANACOSTIA AVE NE, WASHINGTON, DC 20019 www.educaredc.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: EDUCARE DC'S MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP FOR YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY, AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. WE LEVERAGE PRACTICE, POLICY, AND RESEARCH TO IMPROVE OPTIONS FOR ALL CHILDREN.

TO ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP WITH HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING FOR CHILDREN PRENATAL TO AGE 5.

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

WRAP AROUND SERVICESFAMILY ENGAGEMENT: IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF EDUCARE DC'S PROGRAMMING. EDUCARE DC'S FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM WORKS WITH FAMILIES TO BUILD MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL, GOAL-ORIENTED RELATIONSHIPS THAT SUPPORT FAMILY WELLBEING. THIS APPROACH IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT OUR SCHOOL CAN ONLY ADDRESS A CHILD'S NEEDS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE FAMILY. THIS TWO-GENERATION APPROACH ENABLES PARENTS TO SEE AND BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AS COMMUNITY LEADERS, SKILLED ADVOCATES, AND THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AT EDUCARE DC AND BEYOND. (CONTINUED ON SCH O)TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF BUILD SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH INTENSIVE, FREQUENT, AND INTENTIONAL INTERACTIONS WITH PARENTS/FAMILIES. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH PARENTS AS PARTNERS IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN AND SUPPORT THEM IN DEVELOPING STRONG, NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THIS SUPPORT INCLUDES INCREASING PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTHY PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS, CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AND EXPECTATIONS FOR SCHOOL READINESS. EDUCARE DC ALSO SHARES DATA ON CHILDREN'S PROGRESS TO SUPPORT FURTHER LEARNING BOTH AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME. TO FURTHER SUPPORT PARENTS AS THEY NURTURE THEIR CHILDREN'S POTENTIAL AND STRIVE TOWARD THEIR OWN PERSONAL GOALS, THE SCHOOL OFFERS ACCESS TO COMPUTERS, RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND COUNSELING AND SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL OR DOMESTIC CRISES. THESE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES ARE VITAL TO ENSURING THAT PARENTS HAVE THE HELP THEY NEED TO CREATE A SAFE AND STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEMSELVES.OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY ALSO INVOLVES THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF EDUCARE DC. PARENTS PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE BOTH THROUGH PARENT MEMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OUR PARENT POLICY COUNCIL, WHICH PLAYS A LARGE ROLE IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE. THE PARENT POLICY COUNCIL APPROVES THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET, PROGRAM/CALENDAR CHANGES, AND STAFF HIRING DECISIONS. BY BUILDING PARENT/FAMILY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES, EDUCARE DC NOT ONLY PROMOTES LEARNING AT HOME, BUT HELPS PARENTS BECOME EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AT EDUCARE DC AND STRENGTHENS THEIR SKILLS TO BE CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS AND WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY.COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES: COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES ARE A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR WORK. CHILDREN MUST BE HEALTHY TO LEARN AND DEVELOP WELL AND, IN TURN, A QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCE RESULTS IN BETTER LONG-TERM HEALTH. EDUCARE DC OFFERS VITAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORT TO OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INCLUDING: DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS, ASSISTANCE ENROLLING IN MEDICAID AND WIC, MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS, ON-SITE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, ON-SITE HEARING, VISION, AND DENTAL SCREENINGS, COORDINATION WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS AND WELL-BABY CHECKS, AND REFERRALS TO SPECIALISTS WHEN NEEDED. THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH PHILOSOPHY IS INFUSED THROUGH EDUCARE'S PROGRAM WITH DAILY HEALTH CHECKS OF EACH CHILD CONDUCTED BY CLASSROOM TEACHERS, THREE HEALTHY MEALS EACH DAY DESIGNED IN CONSULTATION WITH A NUTRITION SPECIALIST, AND A SCHOOL GARDEN AS A SOURCE OF FOOD AND LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.IN ADDITION, OUR COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TEAM USES FORMAL EVALUATIONS AND ONGOING TEACHER AND PARENT OBSERVATIONS TO IDENTIFY CHILDREN WHO MAY HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY OR WOULD BENEFIT FROM INDIVIDUALIZED HEALTH OR MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT. IF A CHILD APPEARS TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, OUR TEAM CONDUCTS ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS AND MAY REFER THE CHILD TO DC HEALTHY START OR STRONG START EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. ANY PLANS, SUPPORTS, OR INTERVENTIONS PUT IN PLACE ARE HIGHLY TAILORED TO THAT CHILD'S SPECIFIC NEEDS. GIVEN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF OUR PROGRAM, NEEDS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED FOR EACH CHILD ARE HOLISTICALLY SUPPORTED THROUGH OUR TEACHING PRACTICES AND WORK BY OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, INCLUDING THROUGH THE ANNUAL FAMILY GOAL-SETTING PROCESS.

EDUCARE DC'S CCP PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (ACF) WITHIN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, EDUCARE DC PARTNERS WITH OTHER CHILD CARE PROGRAMS IN D.C.'S WARDS 7 AND 8 TO SERVE 144 INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE PROGRAM ENABLES EDUCARE TO PARTNER WITH CHILD CARE PROVIDERS TO IMPLEMENT EARLY HEAD START'S HIGH-QUALITY STANDARDS IN CLASSROOMS AND TO ADD NEW SERVICES INCLUDING HEALTH, ORAL HEALTH, NUTRITION, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SUPPORTS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SERVICES, DESIGNED TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AS WELL AS FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS.

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