The Springfield Area Council has continued to support families by hosting a make and take craft event, light tour and cookie swap, a tame your inner shark music class and more. The council noted the importance of using a variety of activities for families and caregivers to increase options for the right fit to learn about child development. The council has also supported an Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3 training, training providers on how to use this developmental screening tool. In addition to hosting these opportunities for caregivers and providers we also participated in the statewide Universal Pre-K information gathering forums, hosting a session at our November council meeting.
The council also spent some time learning about the impact cannabis has on pregnancy and breast feeding mothers and their children. We then learned about how local prevention coallitions are working to prevent drug misuse in our communities. The council has been continuing to look at ways to support transitions, especially between pre-K and kindergarten. The Same Page Initiative has continued its work on pre-K and kindergarten teacher pairs, creating a calendar of regular parent workshops and events, as well as professional development opportunities for those in the early childhood field.