Projects/Goals

Child playing a game.

Smart Start-Centre County has several action committees, all of which are working on projects and programs.

Please see our Committee and Program list below and if you have any interest in participating, please do not hesitate to contact us. The more resources we can share, the better our demonstration programs can be.

Parenting and Literacy

Co-Chairs: Connie Schulz and Anita Ditz

  • Continue to develop the systems of planning and delivery around the pre-K calendar to allow for more thorough funding and tracking of volunteer data
  • Assist in planning for multiple uses of the pre-K calendar as reference for educational resources cited within it
  • Assist Smart Start PCC and Mental Health Committees in assessing the feasibility of coordination of the Tuning in to Kids parent education program
  • Consider revision of Babies Rock with Books (will require additional funds)

Early Care and Education Transition Team

Co-Chairs: Amy Wible and Sue Seely

  • Child to School group: To improve the transition to kindergarten by offering our second annual "Kickoff to Kindergarten" (to be renamed "Countdown to Kindergarten") event for children and their families.
  • Family to School group: To gain knowledge from parents who have just had a child transition to kindergarten by distributing and collecting a Transition to Kindergarten Survey. This information will be utilized to develop further goals within the committee to continuously improve our transition process.
  • School to School group: To improve the transition to kindergarten process by offering a transition process and tools that sites can utilize when formal transition processes have not been developed.
  • Community to All group: To develop a transition plan that includes activities open to the community, and to develop a printed piece to advertise and communicate these events.
  • In addition: Three overall goals that fit into every category include:
    • To continue to be culturally sensitive when planning activities and designing Transition to Kindergarten procedures
    • To attend school board meetings and PTO/PTA meetings to share information on Smart Start's goals and mission in relation to the Transition to Kindergarten
    • To continue to recruit parents and kindergarten teachers to be involved on the Transition to Kindergarten committee

Early Childhood Mental Health Committee

Co-Chairs: Shirl Smith and Wendy Whitesell

  • Support and facilitate sponsoring speakers at both the Early Years Are Learning Years provider conference (January) and Focus on Strong Families parent conference (February) to discuss areas concerning early childhood mental health
  • To reconnect with current membership and to recruit new members for this subcommittee
  • To develop a long-term strategic plan for Early Childhood Mental Health committee based on current changes in the state and local systems

Communications and Advocacy Committee

Chair: Nichol Sheridan and Ann Walker

  • Continue to interact with legislators during the spring, before budget passage, and also expand our interaction to make our presence felt throughout the entire year
  • Update and print the new 2007-2008 Report Card to the Community
  • Seek input and submissions for fall and spring newsletter
  • Support and assist the other committees’ communications and advocacy needs as requested