Monthly Update: 3 steps forward

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THREE STEPS FORWARD

Elevate PreK

Up to now, the effort to expand equitable access to full-day, year-round, high-quality, free preschool to Flagstaff 4-year-olds living in families between 101%-250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) has been know simply as the "Flagstaff Preschool Expansion Program."

This week the LAUNCH Flagstaff Steering Committee approved a recommendation to name the pilot program Elevate PreK after information gathered from families of preschool aged children participating in focus groups identified this name as the one that resonated with them the best.

Branding the new name is currently underway. To learn more about the current progress of Elevate PreK, click the button below.

Learn More

Preschool Directors Gather

On February 18th, about twenty early childhood educators gathered to learn more about the progress of Elevate PreK and to ask questions. The group learned about the curriculum chosen for the program along with an explanation of our theory of change by Dr. Caroline Black of Northern Arizona University's College of Education, the lead researcher for the pilot.

The community goals and key strategies for Elevate PreK were reviewed along with the data that has been driving this collaborative effort since September 2018.

Click the button below to see answers to the questions that the group raised and more details about Elevate PreK.

Read the FAQs

Early Learning Family Partner

The Early Learning Family Partner is a new role in the Flagstaff community that will be central to a streamlined system of family and child supports that increases access to high quality early learning.

We want to make sure that every family has access to high quality early learning experiences. With the Early Learning Family Partner, we will create a system to steer all families to the right place to care for their child and meet their family's needs. This system will use local data to create a rubric to ensure we connect families to the appropriate resources.

In considering access to early education, we know that there are existing sites in Flagstaff providing quality services. Our hope is to partner with them to blend and braid existing resources, connect families to their services, and drive up the demand for high-quality early education in settings that may not currently meet this benchmark. We will do this by inviting all early education providers to the table and be a partner in the family intake process.

Our long term goal is to be a model for community change. To do this, we must measure and evaluate the outcomes families desire for their children. We have partners well poised to fill this role and provide expertise on the research and models already out there. From what we learn through this pilot, the model can be shared for implementation in other communities beyond Flagstaff.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Up With People Performance Tonight

The international cast of Up with People arrived in Flagstaff on Monday. It has been an impactful week of volunteer service, expected to ring in at over 900 hours of donated service cumulatively by the conclusion of their visit.

Tonight is the opening performance of Up with People on "Live on Tour" at NAU's Prochnow Auditorium, with shows taking place March 6th & & 7th at 7:00 PM.

This is your last chance to purchase tickets to benefit LAUNCH Flagstaff and AzCASE.

The show features:

Original & Popular Music, celebrating UWP's 55-year history, inspiring the community through energetic choreography and a message to "Keep Hope Alive".
80 Participants, 17 Countries, 1 International Show
$47 VIP Patron includes access to reception prior to the performance
InAdvance $17 adults; $12 students & children

Click here to get your tickets now.

Buy Tickets

WHAT WE'RE READING

This is a comprehensive, detailed account of the complex state of Universal Preschool (UPK) in the United States. As discussions regarding access, equity, and the societal value of early childhood education enter into the public forum, this book offers critical perspectives for next steps.

1515 East Cedar Avenue, Suite D-1 Flagstaff, Arizona 86004 928.773.9813 <<Email Address>>

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