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Free family program offers development screenings for children
By COLLIN BREAUX November 2, 2023
Parents of young and growing children may wonder if their child is on the autistic spectrum or if they are developing in a healthy way–and looking for assistance resources.
Help Me Grow Northwest Florida is able to provide such screening and referral services. The free and confidential program is available to families in Washington and Holmes counties–as well as Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, and Jackson counties.
Developmental screenings are available for children under nine years old. Parents can complete an online screening and learn more information at ScreeningsHelpMeGrow.org.
“We help families monitor their child’s development,” Help Me Grow Northwest Florida Early Childhood Care Coordination Manager Alyssa Gray said. “If there is a need, we make a referral.”
Screenings allow parents to see where their kids are on the developmental path and monitoring children can help parents see how their young ones are growing, Gray said.
Addressing developmental challenges early is important since much of an individual’s physical and mental formation takes place early, she said. A recent survey of registered voters in Northwest Florida found that 8 in 10 residents agree that developmental screenings are critical to making sure children are on the right developmental path, according to a news release.
A lot of concern is had regarding children being on the autistic spectrum, according to Gray. One of their screenings checks for autism in toddlers.
Several families who have used Help Me Grow have “walked through that journey,” Gray said. One mother in particular has learned to embrace “new parenting models” after learning her child was autistic.
“Some of our greatest success are giving mom and dad peace of mind that their child is developing well,” Gray said.
Help Me Grow is “parent-driven” and does not tell parents what they’re doing is wrong or how to handle their child’s unique needs, she said.
“Working with these families early on can change the trajectory of their child’s development,” Gray said.
The Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida wraps up Operation Kaleidoscope
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – When Hurricane Michael devastated the panhandle in 2018, most buildings in its path were damaged or destroyed. Childcare facilities and classrooms were not spared.
Like many places, The Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida knows what it was like to rebuild after Hurricane Michael.
So, in 2019, when the nonprofit received a $7.4 million federal childcare development grant, they created “Operation Kaleidoscope”.
“When we applied for the funds, we decided that we wanted to use those that several million dollars for a broad range of services to help child care centers you know, get back get back up and running,” said The Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida Administrative Director Matt Bonner.
They spread the money out to more than three dozen damaged daycare centers and hundreds of classrooms across the coalition’s seven-county service area.
$1.3 million buys books, furniture, and other learning tools in 339 different classrooms.
“We were able to use that to replace all of those materials again as well as reimburse providers for either they didn’t have insurance or what insurance wouldn’t cover we were able to reimburse them for their repairs and renovations,” Bonner said.
The rebuilding process from Hurricane Michael was a high-stress time for people of all ages.
The Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida spent $2.8 million rebuilding playgrounds at 42 different childcare centers.
Nearly every childcare center that got damaged or was forced to close is back up and running.
Now, that Operation Kaleidoscope is coming to a close, the coalition is planning a new venture called Help-Me-Grow.
“It’s a little bit of everything. It starts with a child screening. So, we have specialists that can go and walk it, walk through with a family. What we use is called the ages and stages questionnaire tool and we just gauge the development of the children,” Bonner said.
The program will measure a child’s development process to make sure they get the help they need as early as possible.
Any childcare facility in need of assistance can contact the coalition.
The hotline number is (850) 747-5400
Bay County officials work to fix childcare shortage
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — The nationwide childcare shortage is affecting Bay County families, but the Bay County Chamber of Commerce is stepping in to help.
“There’s waitlists. I mean, honestly, they’re having trouble finding a space for their child to go every single day,” Education Services Director for the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida Lindsey Holmes said.
Holmes said despite 8 new daycares opening since Hurricane Michael, Some families are still left without a place to send their kids.
“Parents are seeking alternative forms of child care that could be a family member,” Holmes said. “They might be hiring a nanny. I don’t know. But we know that those children don’t have a place to go right now. “
In anticipation of thousands of airmen and their families expected to move to Tyndall in the coming years, the airforce has built a childcare center that can hold up to 300 little ones.
It’s not open yet, but there’s already a waiting list.
“Both military bases leaders said, ‘Hey, we have a problem,” Bay County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Kyle Shoots said. “We need help and we’re there.’ They came to the chamber today. Is this something you guys can help us with?
Shoots said they’re working with both the public and private sectors to help make childcare more available.
“Think when you start dealing with childcare, you start dealing with a lot of different regulations,” Shoots said. “You start dealing with different organizations that monitor and set standards for that. And I think right now our focus is getting the right people to the table to figure out how do we cut that red tape.”
While it’ll take time for these changes to take effect Holmes said there are things parents can do in the meantime.
“Get on all of the wait lists. If they want to go to a childcare center every single day,” Holmes said. “They, they need to get on that list as soon as possible.”
Libraries receives $12,000 for early literacy
July 12, 2023
Featured in:
Help Me Grow gets $60K grant for ‘Parent Cafes’
As featured in:
Special to the Floridian
Updated: September 9, 2022
Help Me Grow of Northwest Florida has been awarded a $60,000 grant it will use to establish and support new “Parent Cafés,” in-person gatherings of parents in Jackson and other counties served by the organization.
The parents will be there to share with each other their challenges, their solutions to them, and generate ideas among themselves as they meet each time. There’s also a virtual-attendance option.
In a press release, the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida describes this as an opportunity for Help Me Grow “advance family engagement,” with the parent-led and staff supported café sessions organized along some set themes that help keep the focus trained on furthering family resilience, social connections, support, knowledge and competence.
The grant was bestowed by the Help Me Grow National Center. The intent of the grant is to expand support to local parents and caregivers and to assist in outreach to families and local communities in: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties, the release advised.
An Op-Ed by Suzan Gage, Guest columnist
We’re facing a severe shortage of childcare teachers. Here’s how you can help.
August 14, 2022
What were some of the first early learning experiences you remember? Maybe it was singing a nursery rhyme, counting building blocks, or showing your budding artistic flair with finger paint. Whatever it was, it was special — your introduction to education, lifelong learning, and relationships beyond your family.
About 17,000 children under the age of 5 live in Northwest Florida, and all of them deserve bright early learning experiences of their own. Unfortunately, many of them may face difficulties accessing early learning opportunities because our area faces a severe shortage of child care teachers.
How severe? Among parents with kids under the age of 5 in the seven-county region of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties, nearly 3 in 4 say they’ve had difficulties arranging adequate early learning education opportunities for their child, due to a lack of available educators.
What is Kickstart Success?
To help address this shortage of child care teachers in the area, the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida (ELCNWF) recently launched a campaign — called Kickstart Success — centered on encouraging individuals to become child care teachers. By becoming a child care teacher, they can kickstart the future success of Northwest Florida’s children, as well as their own success in a gratifying and fulfilling career in early education.
Early education helps both children and the dedicated adults who teach them. Early learning is proven to help children lead successful lives — research has shown an annual 13% return on investment per child through better education, economic, health, and social outcomes for children who are enrolled in high-quality early childhood education programs.
Career is early education is attainable
Additionally, a career in early education is highly attainable through training and certifications. Child care teaching is a career like no other because of the clear and meaningful impact it has on children’s lives. It’s a child care teacher’s job to introduce kids to learning, set them up for educational and lifelong success, and be a positive influence in their lives. Nearly 9 in 10 parents in Northwest Florida say their child’s child care teacher made a positive impact on their future.
Having worked in early education for years now, I’ve seen firsthand the many benefits that early learning has had on kids and their teachers, as well as the harm this shortage has caused to children’s education, well-being, and development. I encourage anyone with a heart for children and an interest in a rewarding career to consider becoming a child care teacher.
You have the special opportunity to create awe and wonder for a child by introducing them to the magic of education. Don’t let a child in your area miss out on their first learning experiences, and don’t miss out on a meaningful career opportunity for yourself.
Suzan Gage is executive director at Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida, Inc. If you have an interest in becoming a child care teacher in Northwest Florida, visit kickstartsuccessfl.org.
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The News Herald – Pineapple Willy’s beach cleanups raise $12,300 for charities so far this year. Who’s next?
by Nathan Cobb
Published: Aug 5 2022 at 7:01 PM ET EST
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Melissa Traxler, CEO of Pineapple Willy’s Restaurant, says she believes it is important for businesses to give back to their communities.
That’s why the restaurant on Saturdays hosts its Summer Beach Cleanup program, which raises money for a different charity or nonprofit organization each week. During the cleanup, participants gather at the restaurant located off South Thomas Drive to collect trash along the coast.
For everyone who attends, Pineapple Willey’s donates $10 to that weekend’s group.
“It’s wonderful, and it’s what we do at Pineapple Willy’s,” Traxler said of giving back. “We want to set an example, hoping other businesses will step in and do the same thing.”
Traxler, who has worked at Pineapple Willy’s for more than two decades, said the Summer Beach Cleanup was created in 2018, one year before she became CEO. The event was not held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More participants means more money for nonprofits
This year’s Summer Beach Cleanup began June 4 and will run through Sept. 10. Last weekend’s cleanup benefited the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, and this weekend will benefit the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida.
Traxler noted that the 381 participants in the July 30 event set a record for the biggest turnout ever in a Pineapple Willy’s cleanup. The restaurant donated $3,810 to the Children’s Advocacy Center.
So far this year, the restaurant has donated more than $12,300 between nine organizations. Restaurant employees also have personally donated about $2,500 between the nine groups.
Suzan Gage, executive director of the Early Learning Coalition, said Saturday will mark the third time her group was selected as a beneficiary of the Summer Beach Cleanup.
Focused on helping grow healthy children, parents and the relationships between them, the ELC operates in Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties. It has offices in Panama City, Marianna and Chipley.
The group offers early morning programs for children, child care options and other programs to promote healthy development in children, primarily those who are 5 years old and younger.
“We are so honored that (Pineapple Willy’s has) allowed us to be one of their chosen organizations,” Gage said. “There’s so many great organizations in Bay County that it could support. The fact that (Pineapple Willy’s) recognized the importance of early learning and what that (means) for our community just speaks the world of the kind of business it is.”
Gage also said she enjoys that she and her staff are able to perform a service project for the Panama City Beach area in exchange for the donation.
“It’s not like we’re just taking or accepting,” Gage said. “We’re doing some service and receiving something in return. … It’s always nice to have some sweat equity in a program that you’re doing.”
When are the beach cleanups?
According to Traxler, participants clean the beach surrounding Pineapple Willy’s each Saturday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. All who participate get a raffle ticket which gives them a chance to win prizes, including gift cards to local restaurants, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Grand Theatre at Pier Park.
She noted that while Pineapple Willy’s does not weigh the collected trash after each event, “a lot” was picked up last weekend.
“One of our main goals is to always give back to the community,” Traxler said. “We have the world’s most beautiful beaches, and we want to keep it that way.”
For more information on the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida, visit elcnwf.org.
ELC Visits WJHG Morning News July 28, 2022 – Sweet Summertime Series
Sensory Activities for Young Children
So What Is Sensory Play?
Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates a young child’s senses such as: touch, smell, taste, movement, balance, sight and hearing. Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Providing opportunities for children to actively use their senses as they explore their world through “sensory play” is crucial to brain development, as it helps to build nerve connections in the brain’s pathways.
Blowing Bubbles
Bubbles are always fun, and you may think that it is just a simple activity. But did you know that blowing bubbles actually helps with language development in young children? When properly blowing a bubble, it helps to strengthen the muscles in the mouth that are used for speech.
Moon Sand
Sand play of all types can be calming for a lot of children and can help them develop a sense of texture. We like this moon sand here because of the way you can mold and sculpt it. Playing with moon sand can strengthen the small muscles in the hand, which can help with pre-writing skills for a young child.
Recipe:
- 8 cups flour
- 1 cup baby oil
- (or essentially 1/4 cup baby oil for every 2 cups of flour)
- Pro Tip: Make this mixture outside on the grass, your carpet or flooring will thank us later!
Washing Station
Bring out any wash basin or small tub and let your children wash–baby dolls, toy trucks, cars, dishes, almost anything will work. Bring out the soap, sponges, and washcloths.
Water play boosts the senses by providing the opportunity for the children to feel the wetness, hear the splashing, taste the droplets, and see bubbles. It develops eye-hand coordination, math and science, concentration, social/communication, and physical skills, and can also help calm overwhelmed children.
Music Shakers
Gather little items around the house that make different noises (dried beans, dried noodles, coins, small pieces of toys) and put them into a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll. Glue/tape/staple the end together and shake, shake, shake! Sound is often forgotten as a sensory mode, but is very important and can have a huge impact on future learning.
Shredded Paper
While it sounds like this may be messy, hear us out! Let your children tear up magazine pages or newspapers, cereal boxes, unwanted junk mail, etc. Tearing and being able to tear is the first step to being able to hold and use scissors correctly.
ELC Featured on ‘How Ya Doing Bay County?’ Podcast
Kynia and Blair from Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida Mental Health Services share all the ways their organization supports families and teachers of young children in our surrounding area. From “Help Me Grow” to “Conscious Discipline,” we cover a lot of topics in this episode, so settle in and hear what amazing work ELCNWF is doing in our community!