Strategic Priority - EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS

students in front of school building

United Way of Charlotte County has always had a passion for the educational success of our youth. Through our 2022 planning meetings, these gaps were highlighted:

  • parent engagement of all ages
  • trauma-informed programs
  • school-readiness
  • successful transitions

Kids Thrive

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to Diane Ramsayer

Kids Thrive promotes early literacy for young children and helps families navigate resources and develop healthy peer-support. The goal is for children to be ready to succeed in school.

This program addresses school readiness and family engagement through a unique program of Navigator-Advocate and peer support for early literacy development. It acknowledges the importance of early learning and the critical factor of families understanding the importance of their role in their child's learning, along with effective ways to be their child's first teacher and supporting healthy development.

Childcare Provider Capacity Building

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to Anne Bouhebent

The Early Learning Coalition of Florida's Heartland strives to support child care capacity in Charlotte County through the Pyramid Model proven to reduce challenging child behaviors which in turn lessens the likelihood of teacher turnover.

The most important skills young children need in preparation for school entry are the ability to get along with others and regulate emotions. Social emotional development can easily be overlooked, yet when a child is overcome by big emotions with no readily available strategies to support self regulation, the situation can quickly become very upsetting for all and routinely results in child suspension or expulsion from the program.

The ELCFH provides in-field coaching and support to build child care provider capacity to assure teachers have fidelity in implementation of Pyramid Model strategies to support child social and emotional development. A team of specialists provide the coaching at the provider site; training on all elements of the Pyramid Model kit.

Individual Counseling

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to Melissa Lovejoy

Valerie's House provides free-of-charge individual counseling to bereaved children and families. They retain the services of a mental health counselor to provide otherwise unavailable counseling to children and families.

Free counseling sessions serve the significant mental health needs of grieving children and families in Charlotte County. Quality counseling services are often difficult to obtain due to a shortage of providers and long wait times/wait lists. Valerie's House serves grieving children and their families. Due to the trauma of loss of a parent, caregiver, or sibling/child, our participants are in crucial need of timely counseling services. Moreover, one-third of their families live in poverty and more than 50% live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Many do not have health insurance.

Community Navigation for Literacy Volunteers

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to YMCA for volunteer coordination program

The YMCA's Volunteer Coordinator will manage volunteer navigation and data collection for the Charlotte County Reads initiative and support Charlotte County's vision of 75% of students reading on grade level.

The YMCA of Southwest Florida currently operates three YREADS sites in Charlotte County that focus on improving on-grade reading for children K-3. Recently they have partnered with Charlotte County Public Schools, United Way of Charlotte County, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Charlotte County to work collaboratively to spend the next 5 years increasing on-grade reading levels from 50% to 75% for all students in Charlotte County.

The volunteer coordinator is instrumental to achieving this goal. They will lead the recruitment, training, placement, onboarding, and touchpoints to ensure that volunteers feel engaged and fulfilled as they change the lives of children in our community. They will also manage the data between the Charlotte County Public School district and each of the sites.

Community Navigation for Literacy Volunteers

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to Lynn Dorler

The Boys & Girls Clubs' Volunteer Coordinator will manage volunteer navigation and data collection for the Charlotte County Reads initiative and support Charlotte County's vision of 75% of students reading on grade level.

Additionally, the Boys & Girls Clubs' program will recruit and manage volunteers to support operation of Lizzy the Literacy Bus to various locations across Charlotte County.

Between COVID-19 and Hurricane Ian learning has been disrupted for Charlotte County students over the last 3+ years. Our children have fallen further behind in reading, social skill development, and overall learning. Providing volunteer mentors and reading buddies will allow students to get back on track on their path to educational success.

 

Imagination Library

Image
Angie Matthiessen presenting check to Chris Zimmer

Charlotte County Imagination Library is the local affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program that mails a free book monthly to children ages birth to 5.

This program will be expanding registration outreach through doctor's offices, daycare facilities, and other community locations to increase the number of families impacted. Additionally, a revamped website will provide families with information on other relevant local resources.

Charlotte County Imagination Library has demonstrated that the children who participate in the program are better prepared to enter kindergarten than their peers. In its 12 years of operation, CCIL has demonstrated capacity by delivering more than 65,500 free books to Charlotte County children ages birth to 5.