B.E.S.T Kindergarten Readiness Program Awarded a Grant from the Women's Leadership Council of United Way
Congratulations! The Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way of Lake County has awarded a one-time grant of $22,000 for scholarships so children ages 3 – 5 in the Round Lake community can attend preschool as outlined in your recent B.E.S.T Kindergarten Readiness grant proposal.
The competition for this year’s grants was quite competitive which means that our philanthropy committee reviewed each proposal carefully and made very difficult decisions. You should be proud that your program received this stamp of approval from our members. United Way of Lake County is proud to consider you a community partner.
The Kindergarten Readiness committee members of are as follows:
Joan Ellis, Round Lake Area Park District,
Jeanne Kearby, Avon Township Clerk,
Dr. Phyllis Lubel, Round Lake Area School District 116,
Mr. Jim DiDonato, Round Lake Area Public Library,
Jennifer Little, United Way of Lake County,
Laura Rodriguez, Mano A Mano Family Resource Center,
Aleece Michalak, Round Lake Area Public Library,
Debbie Allen, Round Lake Area Public Library
Judy Armstrong,Chair
Congratulations! The Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way of Lake County has awarded a one-time grant of $22,000 for scholarships so children ages 3 – 5 in the Round Lake community can attend preschool as outlined in your recent B.E.S.T Kindergarten Readiness grant proposal.
The competition for this year’s grants was quite competitive which means that our philanthropy committee reviewed each proposal carefully and made very difficult decisions. You should be proud that your program received this stamp of approval from our members. United Way of Lake County is proud to consider you a community partner.
The Kindergarten Readiness committee members of are as follows:
Joan Ellis, Round Lake Area Park District,
Jeanne Kearby, Avon Township Clerk,
Dr. Phyllis Lubel, Round Lake Area School District 116,
Mr. Jim DiDonato, Round Lake Area Public Library,
Jennifer Little, United Way of Lake County,
Laura Rodriguez, Mano A Mano Family Resource Center,
Aleece Michalak, Round Lake Area Public Library,
Debbie Allen, Round Lake Area Public Library
Judy Armstrong,Chair
KINDERGARTEN READINESS - Judy Armstrong, Lead
Past Event - Another Sip
The 3rd community forum was held on Thursday June 26th at Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center at 8:00 am to continue the discussion about the needs of our youngest and most vulnerable.
The Kindergarten Readiness Committee was formed in response to a presentation by EEC
Principal Jack Melfi, who did a presentation on the lack of preparation in preschoolers headed for kindergarten.
Committee members: Joan Ellis, Round Lake Area Park District, Jeanne Kearby, Avon Township Clerk, Meredith Egan, Dr. Phyllis Lubel, Round Lake Area School District 116, Mr. Jim DiDonato, Round Lake Area Public Library, Meredith Egan, United Way of Lake County, Laura Rodriguez, Mano A Mano Family Resource Center, Aleece Michalak, Round Lake Area Public Library, Debbie Allen, Round Lake Area Public Library and lead Judy
Armstrong have planned events to empower parents and preschoolers, inform the community, and engage child care providers so prepare our youngest students for success.
If you would like to join this committee, contact Judy Armstrong, lead, at RLBJudy@aol.com
or by calling 847-691-6988.
Past Event:
On Tuesday, Feb. 11th, 2014, 8:00 am at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center the Kindergarten Readiness
Committee invited all of our partners and the public to a Second Cup Café
to review progress and plan next steps.
See the powerpoint presentation atttached
Past Event - Wake Up and Smell the Coffee - August 29, 2013
Round Lake Area B.E.S.T. (Bringing Everyone’s Strengths
Together), a community coalition of individuals, organization, businesses
and local government hosted their first Kindergarten Readiness Committee
Event, “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee”. The event included community
members, elected officials, and local community leaders at a
Round-Table discussion including a coffee tasting by Intelligensia Coffee
and continental breakfast.
The committee chaired by B.E.S.T. Vice President Judy Armstrong,
organized the event that featured a panel of eight
local experts including District 116 Supt Dr. Connie Collins and Avon
Township Clerk Jeanne Kearby, who presented the educational
challenges in the Round Lake Area and then opened the format to an
interactive conversation and brainstorming event. \
The challenge is that our community has a resounding
majority of kindergarten students starting school already behind the learning
curve. Nick Heckel, Principal at the Round Lake Area Early
Education Center and panel participant shared that is this not unique to the
Round Lake Area, the issues of children showing up for kindergarten already
behind the learning curve is widespread nationally and globally.
In addition, Heckel shared an estimate that out of
470 students enrolling at the Early Education Center for
kindergarten 350 of them have not attended Pre-School.
The speculation is that the family economics has a lot to do
with the lack of pre-school attendance. There are not public (free)
pre-schools in the Round Lake Area.
Panel member Meredith Egan, United Way Lake County talked
about their “Success By Six” program has been implemented in the Round
Lake Area with growing success and then shared that they now have training
and stipends available for “Early Learning
Clubs" which will teach parents how reading to their toddles and
encouraging conversations about life’s moments actually form the building
blocks for learning in more formal ways. This program in addition to “Success By Six” will help address the challenge of kindergarten readiness.
During the breakout session, State Senator Melinda Bush,
Hainesville Mayor Linda Soto, Trustees Georgeann Duberstein (Hainesville), Larry
Mount (Round Lake Beach) Cathy DeGroh and Chris Larson (Avon Township), Paula
Rohrs (GRLFPD), Jim DiDinato (Round Lake Library) and Carolina Duque (Mano a
Mano) joined community members in brainstorming solutions,
" This organic partnership is a perfect example of the answers
that can be found when we bring everyone's strengths together" said
Kindergarten Readiness Chair Judy Armstrong. "It's what B.E.S.T. is all
about."
Committee members will be visiting local pediatrician
offices in the coming weeks to educate these providers about
community resources and to encourage them to help identify toddlers and
parents who can us some extra support in developing the fundamentals for
life-long learning.
Armstrong declared that the thirty-nine participants was more than
expected for a first event, and she was encouraged by the
breakout session, which produced great ideas and identified the many
existing programs and partnerships in our community. "We have a
foundation to build upon in the Round Lake Area that will lead to the success of
our community and children. ", said Armstrong.
The committee and sub-committee work will continue during the next six
months, engaging local pediatricians, building public awareness, recruiting
community partners and establishing Early Learning Clubs.
PAST EVENT: National Night Out - August 6, 2013
At Round Lake Beach National Night Out on August 6, 2013, and Village of
Round Lake National Night Out, volunteers of B.E.S.T worked with parents
and their children for hours with creative and innovative activities that the
parents can use at home with their children.
Jeanne Kearby organized the Round Lake Beach event, with tremendous support from
Round Lake Area School District 116, Round Lake Area Library, Round Lake Area
Park District, United Way of Lake County. and the following volunteers:
Sue Lomo, Jim DiDonato, Jennifer Gibbs, Amy Pruitt, Ashley Owen, Linda
Bowser, Laura Schmidt, Brittany Chesonis, Philip Hama, Reed Kearby, Fatima
Chacon, Maria Chaeon, Sara Grabcam, Marinel Gomez, Yamel Azcoita, Mario Gomez,
Laura Rosales, Lucy, Kim Kearby, and Judy Armstrong.
Elena Lara organized the Round Lake event, with tremendous support from Round
Lake Area School District 116, Round Lake Area Library, Round Lake Area Park
District, United Way of Lake Count, and the following volunteers: Lisa Rusch, Edith Basir, and Pete Molidor.
Hundreds of calendars, workbooks, registration, physical forms, and ages and stages
info were distributed to parents who seemed eager for the information, and of
kids enjoyed fun learning activities at each of the sites.
Past Event - Another Sip
The 3rd community forum was held on Thursday June 26th at Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center at 8:00 am to continue the discussion about the needs of our youngest and most vulnerable.
The Kindergarten Readiness Committee was formed in response to a presentation by EEC
Principal Jack Melfi, who did a presentation on the lack of preparation in preschoolers headed for kindergarten.
Committee members: Joan Ellis, Round Lake Area Park District, Jeanne Kearby, Avon Township Clerk, Meredith Egan, Dr. Phyllis Lubel, Round Lake Area School District 116, Mr. Jim DiDonato, Round Lake Area Public Library, Meredith Egan, United Way of Lake County, Laura Rodriguez, Mano A Mano Family Resource Center, Aleece Michalak, Round Lake Area Public Library, Debbie Allen, Round Lake Area Public Library and lead Judy
Armstrong have planned events to empower parents and preschoolers, inform the community, and engage child care providers so prepare our youngest students for success.
If you would like to join this committee, contact Judy Armstrong, lead, at RLBJudy@aol.com
or by calling 847-691-6988.
Past Event:
On Tuesday, Feb. 11th, 2014, 8:00 am at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center the Kindergarten Readiness
Committee invited all of our partners and the public to a Second Cup Café
to review progress and plan next steps.
See the powerpoint presentation atttached
Past Event - Wake Up and Smell the Coffee - August 29, 2013
Round Lake Area B.E.S.T. (Bringing Everyone’s Strengths
Together), a community coalition of individuals, organization, businesses
and local government hosted their first Kindergarten Readiness Committee
Event, “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee”. The event included community
members, elected officials, and local community leaders at a
Round-Table discussion including a coffee tasting by Intelligensia Coffee
and continental breakfast.
The committee chaired by B.E.S.T. Vice President Judy Armstrong,
organized the event that featured a panel of eight
local experts including District 116 Supt Dr. Connie Collins and Avon
Township Clerk Jeanne Kearby, who presented the educational
challenges in the Round Lake Area and then opened the format to an
interactive conversation and brainstorming event. \
The challenge is that our community has a resounding
majority of kindergarten students starting school already behind the learning
curve. Nick Heckel, Principal at the Round Lake Area Early
Education Center and panel participant shared that is this not unique to the
Round Lake Area, the issues of children showing up for kindergarten already
behind the learning curve is widespread nationally and globally.
In addition, Heckel shared an estimate that out of
470 students enrolling at the Early Education Center for
kindergarten 350 of them have not attended Pre-School.
The speculation is that the family economics has a lot to do
with the lack of pre-school attendance. There are not public (free)
pre-schools in the Round Lake Area.
Panel member Meredith Egan, United Way Lake County talked
about their “Success By Six” program has been implemented in the Round
Lake Area with growing success and then shared that they now have training
and stipends available for “Early Learning
Clubs" which will teach parents how reading to their toddles and
encouraging conversations about life’s moments actually form the building
blocks for learning in more formal ways. This program in addition to “Success By Six” will help address the challenge of kindergarten readiness.
During the breakout session, State Senator Melinda Bush,
Hainesville Mayor Linda Soto, Trustees Georgeann Duberstein (Hainesville), Larry
Mount (Round Lake Beach) Cathy DeGroh and Chris Larson (Avon Township), Paula
Rohrs (GRLFPD), Jim DiDinato (Round Lake Library) and Carolina Duque (Mano a
Mano) joined community members in brainstorming solutions,
" This organic partnership is a perfect example of the answers
that can be found when we bring everyone's strengths together" said
Kindergarten Readiness Chair Judy Armstrong. "It's what B.E.S.T. is all
about."
Committee members will be visiting local pediatrician
offices in the coming weeks to educate these providers about
community resources and to encourage them to help identify toddlers and
parents who can us some extra support in developing the fundamentals for
life-long learning.
Armstrong declared that the thirty-nine participants was more than
expected for a first event, and she was encouraged by the
breakout session, which produced great ideas and identified the many
existing programs and partnerships in our community. "We have a
foundation to build upon in the Round Lake Area that will lead to the success of
our community and children. ", said Armstrong.
The committee and sub-committee work will continue during the next six
months, engaging local pediatricians, building public awareness, recruiting
community partners and establishing Early Learning Clubs.
PAST EVENT: National Night Out - August 6, 2013
At Round Lake Beach National Night Out on August 6, 2013, and Village of
Round Lake National Night Out, volunteers of B.E.S.T worked with parents
and their children for hours with creative and innovative activities that the
parents can use at home with their children.
Jeanne Kearby organized the Round Lake Beach event, with tremendous support from
Round Lake Area School District 116, Round Lake Area Library, Round Lake Area
Park District, United Way of Lake County. and the following volunteers:
Sue Lomo, Jim DiDonato, Jennifer Gibbs, Amy Pruitt, Ashley Owen, Linda
Bowser, Laura Schmidt, Brittany Chesonis, Philip Hama, Reed Kearby, Fatima
Chacon, Maria Chaeon, Sara Grabcam, Marinel Gomez, Yamel Azcoita, Mario Gomez,
Laura Rosales, Lucy, Kim Kearby, and Judy Armstrong.
Elena Lara organized the Round Lake event, with tremendous support from Round
Lake Area School District 116, Round Lake Area Library, Round Lake Area Park
District, United Way of Lake Count, and the following volunteers: Lisa Rusch, Edith Basir, and Pete Molidor.
Hundreds of calendars, workbooks, registration, physical forms, and ages and stages
info were distributed to parents who seemed eager for the information, and of
kids enjoyed fun learning activities at each of the sites.