Programs
In January 2009, the Collaboration for Early Childhood Care & Education adopted a strategic plan that provides the road map for developing a comprehensive early childhood care and education system in Oak Park that supports all families and promotes kindergarten readiness. The plan identified four program areas for the Collaboration’s focus to advance its mission.
Parent Information and Support
The Collaboration publishes the Early Childhood Resource Directory, provides ideas for activities for parents of very young children through the "Be Involved Campaign," Co-sponsors "Tune Out TV and Tune Into Your Community!" in April each year, offers informational sessions to parents of soon-to-be kindergarteners that involves early childhood educators and faculty from District 97 and private schools, and offers story telling, children’s concerts, and other educational programs for children and their families.
Professional Development
The Collaboration supports providers and educators through training, professional development advising, an annual symposium for parents and providers on key issues in early childhood, and the Directors Round Table.
Developmental Screening
The Collaboration supports the Physicians Network to host area physicians at breakfast seminars to learn about important issues related to early childhood development and how physicians can address them in their practice, and is creating a Developmental Referral Resource Directory and cohesive developmental referral process to assure that all children birth to five receive periodic developmental screening and those children needing further assessment and services receive them.
Public Preschool in Oak Park
The Collaboration works with four agencies that receive public funds to provide preschool for at-risk children to ensure that the hardest to reach families are engaged in the preschool programs. It also facilitates collaborative curriculum planning and a shared learning community focused on instructional improvement to ensure high-quality early learning experiences.
