This morning, I joined City of Southside Mayor Dana Snyder for Monday Morning Coffee & Conversation; Dr. Barbara Cooper Secretary of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education discussed the importance of Pre-K programs for Alabama children and the initiatives of 2021.

Alabama’s First Class Pre-K program promotes school readiness in our children by providing a social learning environment that nurtures a child’s enthusiasm for discovery and success, while implementing learning activities which develop the communication and problem solving skills necessary for success throughout their educational journey.

Secretary Cooper stressed a strong focus on a continued effort to increase exposure of the programs available for our children, highlighting the importance of “mitigating poverty” and its effects on children. She also emphasized that “Early Childhood workforce is a priority.” As well as being stage one of Governor Kay Ivey’s “Strong Start, Strong Finish” initiative, the “Pre Through 3” plan prioritizes policies and procedures which support education from pre-K through the third grade level, with an emphasis on literacy skills.

Classes highlighting the importance of Early Childhood Education, and featuring the documentary, “Starting at Zero: Reimagining Education in America” will be available for city mayors beginning March 30th.

Secretary Cooper also briefly discussed the advantages of having a centralized data base for parents where they can utilize services that aid their children.

What We Do

Help Me Grow, “…provides a free, confidential, centralized telephone access point that links every family in Alabama to a care coordinator that will answer questions and concerns about their child’s development, connect them with services in their community, and follow-up to ensure a connection is made.”

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