A group of Branford residents has been working behind the scenes to determine the best methods for assuring the well being of the town’s children. They are focused on four basic tenets: health, safety, early education and happiness (HSEH).
Now a two-year community-wide program designed to meet the needs of children from birth to age 8 is in progress under the direction of the Branford Early Childhood Cooperative (BECC), which has operated with funding from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund since 2001.
Branford was one of 20 towns to receive funding through a competitive process. BECC responded to a request for proposals issued by Graustein in an effort to bump up its activity. The grant funds a two-year process that will produce a plan on how the Branford community can meet the needs of children from birth to age 8 and facilitate improvements.
By the end of next year, BECC will be expected to submit a plan that will enable them to receive up to $50,000, which requires $25,000 in local matching funds.
BECC has focused on helping communities build community among its providers, according to Kate Marsland, co-chair of the Branford collaborative. (Judy Doyle, owner of Blend on Main Street is co-chair of the collaborative with Marsland.) Over the next few months, core work groups in each of the four areas will collect information to determine how Branford’s children are doing and where improvement is needed.
Marsland says that this plan will be designed to meet the specific needs identified by Branford for its own children from birth through age 8. Just today USA Today published a story showing that girls, some as young as 6 or 7 or 8, are maturing faster than ever and doctors don’t understand why.
They will bring community awareness to their work during the Week of the Young Child, which runs this week — April 10 to 17 — by holding a Community Early Childhood Art Show at various shops in town.
Previous efforts were directed toward preparing preschoolers for kindergarten, workshops on emergent literacy, which Marsland described as “early seed” reading skills and early engagement. “The act of holding a book and looking at the images,” she said. They focused on strengthening a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, discussing for instance, a typical kindergarten day and how to prepare kids for the transition into kindergarten. During that time they worked with the Kindergarten Advisory Committee, which ended up merging with BECC.
Marsland, who is also chair of the planning initiative, said the plan will address the needs of all Branford children; it will not be limited to certain groups. “When we applied for the grant, we were very aware that Branford is an economically diverse town and that our demographics have been changing, particularly since the onset of the great recession,” she added.
The number of students identified in Branford was low-income/poverty level increased from 12.9 percent in 2004 – 2005 to 19 percent in 2009 – 2010. There has been a big influx of English-as-a-second-language students as well as children affected by the economy. Mary Murphy and John B. Sliney Elementary Schools and the Walsh Intermediate School are now Title 1 schools and eligible for financial assistance through state education agencies.
In this first year, BNECC members have been trained and have hired a consultant. They’ve also established a core organizational structure and are inviting people to become part of the steering committee. Subcommittees will be established in each HSEH area. Over the coming months, those groups will identify specific outcome indicators (data) in each area to help them get a good sense of how the children are doing and where the community needs to focus its energies. They want to determine the town’s strengths and its needs in relation to each HSEH area.
Sue Wharfe, a member of the Branford Board of Education, was quick to express her enthusiasm for the project.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for Branford,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to think outside the boxes about how things happen.”
She says the plan is about making everything better for kids beyond education and the usual players. “It’s about identifying strengths and weaknesses within the community … moving toward measurable outcomes and finding a solution to the problem.
Wharf explained that the Graustein fund’s background is in helping disadvantaged children, but that it has broadened in recent years.
Wharfe is involved with the safety aspect of the plan. As an example, she cited the use of bike helmets and looking at a neighborhood to see what is happening and how many kids are wearing helmets. If the data show that a lot of kids are not wearing helmets, a program can be developed to encourage helmet use.
Marsland emphasized that their work is a partnership between the BECC, the Branford Public Schools, the East Shore Health Department and the Branford Recreation Department. Although the BECC is the funded entity, they have formal partnerships with each of these groups and are eager to partner with other organizations as well. She said it’s important to engage a broader cross-section of the community in the identification of both community assets and needs.
Marsland is well qualified to lead such a program. She is associate professor of Psychology at Southern Connecticut State University and affiliate faculty at the Yale Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy.
The Week of the Young Child celebration will serve as an invitation for the community to join BECC’s effort. In the past, the art show was confined to a venue such as the library. This year, they are partnering with Branford merchants, who will feature the children’s work in their windows.
Wharfe says she would like to see retailers feel that they’re more connected to kids in the community rather than always being asked for donations. They can be asked how they can see making Branford a better place. She cited the success of involving the retailers and the community in Branford High School’s recent production of “Phantom of the Opera.”
On April 14, a community art walk will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Residents will be able to stroll through the stores displaying the artwork. At 5 p.m. there will be the formal announcement of the Early Childhood Planning Process, including endorsements from the community. In preparation for the event, BECC members have been meeting with the Rotary, BOE, town merchants, the Community Dining Room, the Branford Clergy Association, the PTA, the Branford Police Department, the health department and First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos. They’re also hoping for involvement from the Soundview Y.
Looking ahead to May or June, they’re planning a community meeting to share what they’ve learned over the past year, and launch the second phase of their efforts – actual development of the plan.
Although it may be a bit clichéd, the BECC effort will set out to prove that it takes a village to raise a child.
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