June-July 2006
"Children are egocentric — all of you know that. They do not have to be told they are wonderful because they are born knowing they are. They are born with an inherent self that is intellectual, complete, an inherent self that can dance, sing, write poetry, and tell stories, and has a sense of delight and joy in all things. Inherently, children are born to take risks and grow to their optimum. Inherently, children have a sense of joy about learning, growing, and doing.
"The word joy will probably not show up in a curriculum guide. And I don't hear many politicians using that word when they talk about schools and money and accountability. But those of us working hard to ensure a childhood for so many children know that if we did not hear laughter, giggling, hoopla, shouting, and cheering in our centers we couldn't go on. It is the joy of each child that keeps us doing what we do," Bev Bos, Child Development.
- FY 07 Conference Committee Budget Includes Funding for Hampden County Preschool Oral Health Project
- “No Tooth Left Behind” Dental Center Opens at German Gerena Elementary School
- MassMutual Endorses the Early Education for All Campaign and Executive Ron Copes Joins the EEA Advisory Committee
- Intern from UMASS Center for Public Policy and Administration Joins Cherish Every Child
- FY 07 Conference Committee Budget Includes Funding for Hampden County Preschool Oral Health Project
FY 07 Conference Committee Budget Includes Funding for Hampden County Preschool Oral Health Project
The Hampden County Preschool Oral Health Project has jumped the next hurdle to be included in the FY07 State Budget. The Conference Committee released it budget recommendations on June 30 and included $500,000 in the Department of Early Education and Care for the project. The funding would enable Partners for a Healthier Community (PHC) to expand the scope of the Springfield Open Wide Pilot Oral Health Project, a child-focused program aimed at reducing dental decay by educating young children and their families on good oral health practices.
The Open-Wide Pilot Project, which reached approximately 120 children in five early childhood programs and their families in its pilot phase, is a multi-pronged approach aimed at providing oral health screenings, preventive measures (fluoride varnishes), and referrals for additional oral health care to children from birth through 5 years old; providing education and training to parents and caregivers; and implementing oral health curriculum and brushing times into existing early education and care settings.
According to Frank Robinson, Executive Director of PHC, “Children with untreated tooth decay have trouble with life’s most basic activities, such as speaking, eating, learning and interacting with their peers. By reaching children early through prevention and education in community-based health settings, we provide better chances for our children to be successful at school and later in life.”
“No Tooth Left Behind” Dental Center Opens at Gerena School
On June 6 City and State officials cut the ribbon on the “No Tooth Left Behind” dental clinic at German Gerena Elementary School in Springfield. The brightly painted and well-equipped two-chair clinic is the result of collaboration by the Springfield Public Schools, the City of Springfield Department of Health & Human Services and the Oral Health Foundation. The Davis Foundation was an early supporter of the project with a grant to help renovate the space for use as a dental clinic.
The clinic is open daily, with three dental hygienists on staff and a pediatric dentist. In its initial phase, priority will be given to the children of Gerena, Brightwood, and Lincoln Elementary Schools and Chestnut Accelerated Middle School.
According to Helen Caulton-Harris, head of the City of Springfield Department of Health & Human Services, ‘This is the model that we’d like to replicate all over the city, to make sure that all our children and their families have access to quality dental care.”
MassMutual Endorses the Early Education for All Campaign and Executive Ron Copes Joins the EEA Advisory Committee
MassMutual Financial Group recently endorsed the Early Education for All Campaign, joining the growing coalition of leaders from the business community supporting the initiative. Commenting on the endorsement, Ron Copes, Vice President, Community Relations, said “MassMutual believes that expanding educational opportunities for young children is one of the most effective ways to improve our community and we are pleased to endorse this initiative and look forward to making its goals a reality in Massachusetts.” Copes further commented that universal, high-quality early education makes good sense for children and businesses. “There is a clear economic motive for investment in early childhood education.”
In addition, Copes has agreed to serve on the EEA Campaign Advisory Committee, joining other business leaders from across the state on the coalition, which also includes leaders of the early childhood, labor, religious, health care, education and philanthropic communities.
Intern from UMASS Center for Public Policy and Administration Joins Cherish Every Child
Maura Geary, graduate student from the UMASS Center for Public Policy and Administration, has joined Cherish Every Child for the summer, to work on the initiative’s home visiting focus area as well as universal PreK for both Springfield and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.
In addition to her graduate work, Maura’s experience includes work as a case a manager and GED instructor for young parents for the Corporation for Public Management in Springfield and as a case manager for the teen parent program for the YWCA of Western Massachusetts.
Maura also has works full-time keeping up with Beatrice, her very bright 4-year-old!
