Developing Two-way Communication and Family Leadership
Two-way communication and developing family leadership skills are two powerful strategies to engage families. In September, our First 10 Network Meeting focused on starting the year off right with families by offering strategies on effective communication and family leadership development. First 10 facilitators, Maria Katradis and Jenny Portillo-Nacu, led the meeting and shared…
First 10 Across Maine
During the Maine First 10 Summer Institute, Partnership teams had the opportunity to share brief video highlights of the First 10 activities in their communities. Each video showed the ways in which communities have adapted and implemented First 10 activities. In this blog post, we highlight two videos that offer examples of building partnerships with…
A Summer of Community Learning: First 10 Summer Institute Highlights
Throughout the summer, the First 10 team has been visiting communities for annual Summer Institutes. These Summer Institutes provide opportunities for First 10 Partnerships to come together for professional learning and intentional planning for the next school year. Supporting Family Math and Engagement in York, Pennsylvania Early childhood educators from across York came together for…
Summer Matters: First 10 Activities for Children and Families
The last First 10 Network Meeting of the 2024-2025 school was held in May. This session focused on sharing fresh ideas and practical materials to help First 10 Partnerships engage with families and support young children in their communities this summer. During the session, participants learned about the exciting initiatives being implemented by a First…
Early Math Learning Through Games
Our March First 10 Network Meeting showcased the early math work being done through the York First 10 Partnership and EDC’s Young Mathematicians (YM). YM has more than 55 games that are a fun, developmentally appropriate way to advance math learning for young children both at school and at home. The games are being aligned to district…
Bringing Care and Connection to Early Childhood Education
At our February First 10 Network meeting we were joined by Isabelle Hau, executive director of the Stanford Accelerator of Learning and Lisa Luceno, senior director of Early Childhood Strategy at Briya Public Charter School. A nationally recognized early childhood leader, Isabelle discussed her important new book, Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care…
Campaign for Grade-level Reading Webinar: Maine’s Distinctive Approach to Community Schools from the First 10 Network
State and district leaders from Maine shared the state’s innovative approach to First 10 at a recent Campaign for Grade-Level Reading webinar, First 10 School-Community Partnerships in Action. This webinar was the second in a three-part series of webinars focused on First 10. We learned how state leaders crafted their approach to First 10 and…
Maine’s Distinctive Approach to First 10
Maine began working with First 10 Director David Jacobson in 2018, implementing First 10 practices in 13 schools across the state. This early work led to the creation of a state-level, cross-agency team that promotes connections between early education initiatives. Currently, the Maine Department of Education provides a state level support position and fading funding…
Developing Strong Family-School Partnerships: Begin by Learning From and About Families
Improved levels of academic achievement and healthy social-emotional development for students are among the many benefits of strong family-school partnerships. At the October First 10 Network Meeting, EDC’s Jenny Portillo-Nacu, Senior Team Facilitator for First 10, and Kristen Reed, Managing Director for Young Mathematicians, led a presentation on building strong family-school partnerships. Through strong partnerships…
Building Sturdy Bridges: Prioritizing the Transitions to Kindergarten and First Grade
Each month, First 10 communities from across the U.S. come together to share best practices at First 10 Network Meetings. In September, we were joined by two special guests: Swati Adarkar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy and Early Learning at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and Ralph Smith, Managing Director at the Campaign for…