Washtenaw Success by 6

Action Outcome

Coordinate community resources and support that can serve all Washtenaw County families and children as they grow through the first years of life, and enter school ready to succeed, regardless of income, geographic community, language or culture.

Status

Created a new three year strategic plan.
Published the “Status of Young Children in Washtenaw County Report” – a data-based report on the community context for children birth to six.
Established an active parent coalition with a newsletter and outreach to over 720 families.
Launched a 14-month program of child care provider training.
Through Washtenaw First Steps, served over 2,520 families in the county including 3,000 home visits, 29,000 play group attendances, 1,600 attending parent education events and 1,300 screenings for developmental delays.
Head Start and Great Start Readiness Program Entry System starts in January 2010, increasing coordination and outreach for all publicly funded pre-school programs in the county.
Continued to convene the Washtenaw Birth to Six ICC, five Early Childhood Task Groups and act as the United Way lead agency.
Published “Partners for the Future of Washtenaw County: Early Childhood and Workforce Development” – data and information on the role early childhood plays in workforce development.

Action Champions

Washtenaw United Way
Washtenaw County Government
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Washtenaw Intermediate School District

Action Manager

Siân Owen-Cruise, Washtenaw Success by 6 Director

For information contact Siân Owen-Cruise at sowencruise@uwwashtenaw.org, or visit washtenawsuccessby6.org.

Action Description

A system created to coordinate community resources and support that can serve all Washtenaw County families and children as they grow through the first years of life, and enter school ready to succeed, regardless of income, geographic community, language or culture. This work includes fostering collaboration and coordination of services; promoting advocacy and awareness of the needs of young children. Washtenaw Success by 6 provides services for parents, training and support for childcare providers, and system help for the agencies and programs working to serve families and young children.

Action Team

Anya Abramzon, Jewish Family Services
Chris Aris, EMU Children’s Institute
Jesse Bernstein, AATA Board
Elaine Brady, Parent Member
Pam Byrnes, State Representative
Robert Chapman, United Bank and Trust
Ellen Clement, Washtenaw Public Health Department
Constance Colthorp, Parent Member
Mindy Costello, Parent Member
Martha Darling, Community Volunteer
April Davis, Parent Member
Julie DuChateau, Parent Member
Joseph Dulin, Roberto Clemente School
Linda Edwards-Brown, Juvenile Court of Washtenaw County
Cheryl Elliott, Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Mark Foster, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor
Bryan Girbach, Milan Area Schools
Robert Guenzel, Washtenaw County Government
Holly Heaviland, Junior League of Ann Arbor
Norman Herbert, Community Volunteer
Sandra Hilton, Perry Nursery School
Pat Horne-McGee, Washtenaw Head Start
Marj Hyde, First Steps Ann Arbor
Angie Juarez, Parent Member
Diane Keller, Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce
Donna Lasinski, Parent Coalition Chair
Shannon Luhrs, Parent Member
Jennie McAlpine, UM Work/Life Program
Susan Miller, Community Volunteer
William Miller, Washtenaw Intermediate School District
Mark Ouimet, Washtenaw County Commissioner
Josie Parker, Ann Arbor District Library
Katie Prall, Parent Member
Todd Roberts, Ann Arbor Public Schools
Sandra Rupp, United Way of Washtenaw County
David Rutledge, Washtenaw Community College Board Member
Donna Sabourin, Community Support and Treatment
Clay Shouse, High/Scope Foundation
Steven Sheldon, Community Health Organization
Pam Smith, Child Care Network
Nancy Thelen, MSU Extension
Cynthia Travis, Washtenaw Department of Human Services
Larry Voight, Catholic Social Services
Patricia Warner, UM Mott Hospital
Althea Wilson, Parent Member

Executive Committee

Martha Darling, Community Volunteer
Cheryl Elliott, Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Pat Horne-McGee, Washtenaw Head Start
Robert Guenzel, Washtenaw County Government
Marj Hyde, First Steps Ann Arbor
Susan Miller, Community Volunteer
William Miller, Washtenaw Intermediate School District
Mark Ouimet, Washtenaw County Commissioner
Sandra Rupp, United Way of Washtenaw County
David Rutledge, Washtenaw Community College Board Member
Siân Owen-Cruise, Staff – Director
Melissa Pinsky, Staff – Co-Director of Washtenaw Great Start Coll.

Action Timeline

Washtenaw Success by 6 is working with a long term strategic plan to strengthen the Washtenaw County community, especially in the area of young children and their families.

	Action Steps	Timelines
1.	Raise the awareness of parents, caregivers and all citizens about the importance of positive early childhood development to later success in school and in life, conduct a public education campaign with ongoing, long-term focus on promoting supportive and safe parenting and quality child care / early education.	Ongoing
2.	Ensure that young children (age 5 and under) receive preventive and ongoing health care, launch a county-wide campaign to increase and maintain enrollment of eligible children in publicly-funded children’s health insurance programs as early as possible in their lives.	Ongoing
3.	Improve the quality of child care and early education in Washtenaw County, make training and skill building in best practices increasingly available and accessible to child care and early education workers.	Ongoing
4.	Help parents and caregivers gain the knowledge and skills for supportive and safe parenting, increase the quantity and coordination of home visiting services and parenting support services.	Ongoing
5.	Help parents and caregivers connect with services for advancing supportive and safe parenting and ensuring quality child care/early education, develop an easily accessible and coordinated approach to providing contact information, assistance and referral about available services.	Ongoing
6.	Implement the recommendations of Great Start. Formalize a planning and policy support entity that parallels the state’s Early Childhood Investment Corporation approach to implement the recommendations of Great Start.	Ongoing

Download the Success by 6 Strategic Plan here.

Metrics and Reporting

Data and records are currently being kept on all actions underway through Washtenaw Success by 6. A database is in the final stages of programming that will allow children to be easily tracked through early childhood programs and involvement and into school. This will facilitate direct outcome comparisons and evaluations.

Sections

Personal tools