Weekly Digest: April 9, 2009

Resources from the Community Federal Stimulus Briefing Available on the Discovery Website

The presentation and handout materials from yesterday's community briefing call on the Federal Stimulus funding, along with some of the online resources listed last week in the listserv digest are available on the Federal Stimulus Resources page of the Discovery website.

To access this page directly, visit the Discovery website at http://www.discovery.wcgmf.org/category_310.html

The Memorial Fund Releases Early Literacy and Your Community: Helping Young Children with Language and Reading

This document brings together information on early literacy for communities that are working to improve how young children learn to use words and read.

The information has been organized into a sensible and usable framework that you can use in your early childhood work. Three sections provide:

• Broad categories of research literature related to early literacy
• Four arenas, sometimes overlapping, within which early literacy programs are offered for children and families
• A list of example programs that address early literacy development, as well as contact information for further exploration.

Considering a variety of approaches, along with what the research says about each one, will lead to stronger strategies that serve to build the literacy worlds of young children.

This document is available on the Discovery website at http://www.discovery.wcgmf.org/resources/sps_resource_1200.pdf

Nearly 400 Parents, Children and Providers at the Capitol for Advocacy Day

Nearly 400 parents, children and providers from 16 cities descended on the Capitol Wednesday, March 18, 2009, in response to news that preschool and early education may be slashed in the state budget. Parents and providers came to the Capitol for an Early Childhood Advocacy Day, organized by CT Parent Power and the Early Childhood Alliance, to urge legislative leaders not to cut essential early care programs.

To read more about this event, visit the CT Parent Power website at http://ctparentpower.org/