The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Head Start/Early Head Start Program will take part in a community-wide professional development session from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 to help educators and home visitors better educate children in Greater East St. Louis.
The Greater East St. Louis Innovation Zone will host the first community-wide professional development session at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd, Building D in East St. Louis. Attending will be more than 140 early childhood education teachers, home visitors, and administrators, including representatives from SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start, East St. Louis School District 189 Vivian Adams School, Miles Davis Elementary School and More at Four Preschool Expansion Grant.
“The opportunity to advance our vision and build collegiality is deserving of our time and attention, and ultimately supports better outcomes for children and families.” said Janice Moenster, Innovation Zone coordinator. “It is very exciting to bring early learning partners together across our diverse community.”
SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start is committed to the Greater East St. Louis Innovation Zone’s mission of “Preparing Children for Success.”
“The most significant factor in determining a child’s perception of the school environment and his or her attitude toward learning is not the latest textbooks or colorful bulletin boards or even tasty treats from the school cafeteria, but rather it is the teacher,” said G. Lynnie Bailey, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start program director. “If we are to truly promote our children’s ‘school readiness’ and future academic success, it is a logical next step to bring the teaching staff behind that academic success together and to begin the conversation.”
The Greater East St. Louis Innovation Zone is comprised of five zip codes of concentrated high need, and includes the following communities: East St. Louis, Alorton, Centreville and Washington Park, all located in St. Clair County.
According to statistics gathered by the Greater East St. Louis Innovation Zone:
- As of 2012, 94 percent of the 4,115 children under the age of five in Greater East St. Louis live in low-income families
- Poverty is prevalent among children ages birth to five
- 77 percent of the children live in poverty and 52 percent live in deep poverty
- 2013 childcare assistance program data indicates that 75 percent of the Greater East St. Louis families utilize license exempt family, friend and neighbor care
- Less than one percent of children ages birth to five receive services from Early Intervention or Special Education
The Greater East St. Louis Innovation Zone was designed to increase enrollment of high needs children into high quality early learning and development programs and to improve the quality of those programs.
The Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development selected Greater East St. Louis as one of seven Early Childhood Innovation Zones in 2013. Innovation Zone communities bring together strong leadership and collaborative relationships along with an interest in serving the highest need children. As an Innovation Zone, community partners from a variety of social, health, and education sectors work together toward a common goal and purpose.
For more information, contact Janice Moenster at 800-467-9200, ext.335 or visit Early Childhood Innovation Zones.
With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.