Heart of Illinois United Way
Success by Six
Success by 6® Committee | Take our Getting Ready for School Calendar Survey ...
What is Success by 6®?
The Heart of Illinois United Way's early childhood initiative, Success by 6®, is a community-based committee of business leaders, educators and early childhood advocates brought together to develop solutions for children of central Illinois.
Why do we need Success by 6® in central Illinois?
- The primary goal of Success by 6® is to ensure that all children, from birth to age six, are healthy, safe, nurtured and ready to succeed. Success by 6® objectives include:
- Create public awareness of early development opportunities
- Improve quality and access to services for young children
- Support and create public policy for the well-being of children
What is the Success by 6® Be a Page Turner Reading Program?
In 2008, the Heart of Illinois United Way launched the Success by 6® Page Turner Reading Program targeted to children ages three to six in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties.
- In cooperation with local social service organizations, area children and their families will:
- receive a new, age-appropriate book each month to help grow their home library
- have access to early learning and literacy information
- have opportunities to attend child-parent literacy activities
Why is early learning and literacy so important to a child’s success?
Children are constantly learning, right from birth, and their early years are the foundation for growth and development.
Quick facts about the importance of early childhood learning and literacy include:
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, almost 40 percent of children entering kindergarten are behind in their developmental goals and are not ready to succeed in school.
90 percent of a person's brain development occurs before age six according to the National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families.
Early learning reduces crime rates, teenage pregnancy, welfare dependency, job training costs and grade repetition.
Early learning increases success in school, graduation rates, workforce readiness and job productivity.
- 2008 Success by 6® Be a Page Turner Reading Program partners include:
- Bright Futures, Peoria County
- Bright Beginnings, Woodford County
- Child Care Connection, Peoria
- Head Start, Peoria County
- Head Start, Tazewell-Woodford County
- Neighborhood House, Peoria
- STAR Program, Peoria
- During the pilot year, the Success by 6® Be a Page Turner Reading Program is:
- reaching 78 childcare sites
- providing more than 2,900 preschool children with a new book per month. Titles include favorites like Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, Who Needs that Nose? by Karen Clemens Warrick and School Bus by Salina Yoon.
- distributing more than 45,000 books
Why do we need the Success by 6® Be a Page Turner Reading Program?
Results from the Pilot Year of the Be a Page Turner Reading Program
In its first year, the Be a Page Turner Reading Program has provided the students involved in the program with valuable learning opportunities that have helped in their literacy development. Results including improvement in...
Behavioral skills
75% listening
59% language
74% self-regulation
Pre-literacy skills
77% recognize at least 10 letters
56% can read independently
50% recognize some printed words
49% can recite a favorite nursery rhyme
Bradley University conducted a School Readiness Study for the Heart of Illinois United Way in 2007. Kindergarten and preschool teachers from District 150 and Tazewell County, each with an average of 17 years of experience, participated in one-on-one interviews.
- Findings from the study include:
- Lower income families do not have time to read with their children because they often work two or more jobs
- Improving parental involvement is vital to improving a child's behavior, development and reading/writing skills
- Parents who participate in educational activities with their children become more motivated to see their child succeed
Success by 6® Getting Ready for School Calendar
The Heart of Illinois United Way offers a creative resource for parents and young children - the Success by 6® “Getting Ready for School” Calendar.
From monthly learning themes to daily activities, the 12-month calendar offered activity ideas, suggested books to read and a variety of resources.
The calendars are available free of charge to preschools, child care centers, social service agencies, schools, libraries, pediatrician offices, and more throughout Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford counties.
School Readiness Calendar
|
June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 |
December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 |
PDF, all less than 500kb | |
Parent Resources
Getting Ready for School Guidebook
School readiness is more than knowing letters, numbers, and identifying colors and shapes. Children who are ready for school have good social, self-help, and physical skills and are developing a love of learning. School Readiness Checklist, School Registration Information, List of Area School Districts, and more... PDF 1.5mb
Parent Resources - Where to Go
Helpful information from Success by 6®
Websites, Health and Social Service Agencies, Public Health Departments...
List of Public Libraries - Public libraries in our area...
How I Learn
Your child will develop and grow in his or her abilities as they age. Here are benchmarks you can look for in your own child's development.
How I Learn Benchmarks... PDF 443kb
Good Morning Check Off List
Good Morning Check Off List... PDF 552kb
More Information
For more information on Success by 6® Initiative:
Maggie Heppner, Program Coordinator
phone 309-674-5181, ext. 229
email maggie.heppner@unitedway.org
www.hoiunitedway.org