Promise Communities

February 1, 2019 |Blog

The Family Place in St. Johnsbury

by Julie Cadwallader Staub Early Learning Challenge, Race to the Top Director Elissa couldn’t believe it when she saw the phone number come up on her phone. Could it be? This mom whom Elissa had been reaching out to since October, when her son’s chronic absences from kindergarten first landed in Elissa’s in-box?  There are […]

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February 1, 2019 |Blog

Catamount Connections of Bennington

by Julie Cadwallader Staub Early Learning Challenge, Race to the Top Director How does a new mom, overwhelmed and isolated in rural Vermont with two older children and newborn, find her way to consistent support and assistance for herself and her family? How about a community café, open to all, focused on mothering support?  Or […]

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August 5, 2021 |Blog

July SAC Recap: Vermont Early Childhood Action Plan Summit

The Vermont Early Childhood Action Plan (VECAP) is designed to build collective accountability to achieve measurable 2026 goals: 1. All children have a healthy start 2. Families and communities play a leading role in children’s well-being 3. All children and families have access to high-quality opportunities that meet their needs 4. The early childhood system […]

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December 7, 2020 |Blog

BBF Releases Vermont Early Childhood Action Plan and Needs Assessment

Drum roll please… We are so excited to announce the publication of TWO big projects to help Vermont be a better place for our children and families. Over 300 stakeholders helped inform these documents; creating an equitable and inclusive system for each and every child takes all of us. Together, we are the engineers of […]

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February 1, 2019 |Blog

Lack of Child Care Capacity in Orleans & Essex Counties

By Dawn Powers Are you a parent or do you know a parent who struggles with finding quality, affordable, and accessible childcare? You are not alone. The Challenge According to the 2018 Lets Grow Kids’ Stalled at the Start report, childcare in Vermont remains at a critical shortage across the state and in each county. […]

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February 1, 2019 |Blog

What’s Right? Southeast Vermont’s Month of the Young Child

By Dora Levinson Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophy that looks at systems and asks the question, ‘What’s right?’ rather than ‘What’s wrong?’. There is no doubt that early childhood systems in Vermont face significant challenges. Families struggle to have their basic needs met. There are not enough accessible child care and early learning opportunities. Service […]

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January 2, 2019 |Blog

Getting on the Same Page in Springfield

Recently, a Springfield Area Building Bright Futures Council had a member transition from a family home care provider to a position within a school district.  After taking this position she learned just how much she was unaware about her students’ readiness for kindergarten from the kindergarten teacher’s perspective.  If information is not communicated from elementary […]

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