PITTSBURG — Communities in southeast Kansas and Wyandotte County are home to a new early childhood home visitation program — Early Steps to School Success (ESSS). Developed by Save the Children, the literacy oriented program helps ensure children are ready for success in school.
The program is broken up into two age groups, before birth to three years old and three to five year olds.
The program works with parents who have not given birth yet to get the parents ready for when the baby arrives.
“We help them set up a portfolio for the baby, help them plan for the baby, help set up what their hopes are for the baby and if they need additional resources we provide a list for them,” ESS coordinator Leslie Hillbrant said.
Another focus Hillbrant said the coordinators focus on with parents is getting them comfortable with a school setting.
Children from birth to three years of age receive a visit twice a month where the coordinators conduct constructive play with them.
“We help them work on skills they will need in kindergarten,” Hillbrant said.
The older children will be part of a book bag exchange program where each week the kids get a new book bag with four books in them.
“The idea is for the younger kids to transition to the book bag exchange program and for the three through five year olds to transition into kindergarten,” Hillbrant said.
Three of the nine new programs sites in Kansas — Arma, Iola and Parsons — were selected to be part of a national study conducted by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the University of Maryland and George Mason University. The research, which will last approximately six years will evaluate the effectiveness of the Early Steps to Schools Success program in 20 communities around the United States.
“The best way to ensure all children have a fair chance at a brighter future is to give each child the opportunity to learn and grow early on,” Judith Jerald, Save the Children’s Early Childhood adviser, said. “Our Early Steps to School Success program lays a critical foundation of language and literacy skills for children from birth to age five, so they can enter school ready to succeed.”
All programs are now enrolling. Interested families must live in one of these program areas: Altamont (Labette County), Arma, Coffeyville, Fort Scott, Iola, Parsons, Pittsburg or Wyandotte County.
For more information on ESSS program contact Leslie at (620) 363-2793 or at her office (620) 365-4781.
