This Labor Day, Pre-K for PA supports the great teachers who form the core of our high-quality pre-k programs.
Low wages for preschool staff are all too common in the industry, often resulting in high turnover rates and missed opportunities for professional development. If Pennsylvania is to provide access to high-quality pre-k for all children, then our early education professionals must be well-supported and adequately compensated for their work.
Thank a teacher for their hard work in preparing our youngest learners for success. And share the below graphic on Facebook and Twitter.
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Today, Delaware County Leaders hosted Pre-K for PA at a local preschool, stressing the need for expanded access to high-quality pre-k in preparing children for kindergarten.
Drexel Hill, PA— Tuesday, August 19, Pre-K for PA joined Upper Darby School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Dunlap and other Delaware County leaders and early childhood educators at the Sonshine Christian Academy, a STAR 4 pre-k program, to highlight the importance of high-quality pre-k in preparing children for kindergarten and beyond.
As parents and educators prepare for the first day of kindergarten, Pre-K for PA is holding a series of “Back to School” events at preschools across Pennsylvania to underscore the need for every 3- and 4-year-old in the commonwealth to be ready for kindergarten through access to high-quality pre-k.
WHO:
Superintendent Dr. Richard Dunlap, Upper Darby School District
Patrice Scanlon, Upper Darby Kindergarten Center
Margie Sebastiani, Co-owner, Sonshine Christian Academy
Representatives from Pre-K for PA
WHEN:
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE:
Sonshine Christian Academy
3601 Garrett Road
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Our vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities.
Part of our #100days100stories countdown to Election Day. Share your story at prekforpa.org/join.
SONJA CLAXTON, PHILADELPHIA, PA
“I graduated in 2008, during the Great Recession, and was expecting my first child two months later. Each night, I put my baby, Lailah, to bed and stayed up for hours looking for work. I had no job prospects and decided instead to focus on caring for my newborn. We spent most of our days between the park and the library. She got her first library card at 6 months old, and almost every day we stopped in for new books.
“The economic strains were too much to bear for my husband, so we split and my daughter and I would soon find ourselves homeless and penniless. Despite the circumstances, we were always able to locate our closest library. But there were only so many trips to the library one could take. After spending a year at home with me, I recognized my daughter needed something more – to socialize with other children. I enrolled her in daycare, only to hear teachers screaming at children to go to the potty and watch children propped in front of the TV.
“I stumbled upon the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Early Head Start program, a home visitation program for low-income parents of children ages 0-3. During our time at the Early Head Start program, Lailah and I participated in socialization activities for families and children – including messy activities with paper and glue, sing-alongs and story time.
“I was soon employed but didn’t make enough to cover the cost of full-time pre-k. My counselors at Early Head Start encouraged me to apply for the federal Head Start program as well as Bright Futures and Pre-K Counts. Through Early Head Start, I learned about Keystone STARS and attended the region’s early childcare conference, hosted by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC). I received an email in the summer of 2011 that Lailah had been accepted into the Pre-K Counts classroom at Parent Infant Center – an email I still have to this day.
“She was quiet and timid at the time, but I would soon find pictures of her in the PIC newsletter engaged in activities. She became a voracious reader. On weekends, she would gather our family together for circle time to share and explain the pages of her favorite books. She learned about countries around the world, how to manage her emotions and even how to count in Mandarin. More than anything else, she and I were relieved. She was free to explore, examine and question the world around her, and I was able to go back to work with ease knowing that she was getting the education and care she needed.
“When she graduated kindergarten, she was comfortable with the course work, passionate about being in the classroom and open to learning more. In just a few weeks, Lailah will enter the first grade – I could not be more proud or excited to see my daughter blossom – thanks in large part to high-quality pre-k and the power of reading.” |
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Too many families face the painful choice between paying their bills and providing their child an early education.
This week, Pre-K for PA introduces a new report laying out options for our elected leaders to solve this problem.
Kevin is a dad from Chester County who could not manage the cost of sending his son to a good-quality pre-k. Now, his 6-year-old has had trouble socializing and getting used to the kindergarten classroom environment. He firmly believes that his son missed out on valuable learning and growing opportunities that could have better prepared him for school.
In Pittsburgh, Walter struggled but made it work for his daughter. “There are very few high-quality, public preschools available in Pittsburgh,” he described to Pre-K for PA. “We had to put her in a private preschool, which costs us $500 per month. Although we did get financial aid, it has been a struggle to pay this amount every month. Fortunately, it is a NAEYC-accredited school and we all love it. My daughter loves going to school.”
High-quality pre-k is out of reach for too many of Pennsylvania’s families.
New Pre-K for PA Report: Financing Access to High-Quality Pre-k
In a single year, nearly a quarter-million Pennsylvania children are left without the opportunity to benefit from high-quality, publicly funded pre-k. To learn how Pennsylvania can close its early learning gap, read “Financing Access to High-Quality Pre-k,” our third and final issue brief in a recent series.
Kevin’s second child is now 1-year-old. Let’s make sure that as she approaches kindergarten, a stronger system is in place for our families, schools and communities to thrive.
Let’s make high-quality pre-k a priority during these final days leading to Election Day. Ask your friends to sign our petition at www.prekforpa.org/join. To go further, download our new “Take Action from Home” toolkit.
Thanks for everything you do for Pennsylvania’s children.
– The Pre-K for PA team
Share the “Out of Reach” graphic on Facebook or Twitter.
YourErie: Pre-K for PA Day in City of Erie
Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott has proclaimed August 8th as Pre-K for PA Day in the City of Erie.
The proclamation took place at the Seawolves game at Jerry Uht Park.
The goal of the bipartisan campaign is to raise support for universal pre-k for three and four year old children in the commonwealth.
Full story here.
