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School
Readiness Council
Actions
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May 14, 2003
Click
here for Minutes from meeting on November 13, 2002
| ATTENDANCE: | Betsy Bain, Chair; Lynn Sadlon Moritz; Mary Peniston; Linda Wilock; Victoria Schilling; E laine Liberto; Marlene Reilly; Kendra Mitchell; Margaret Dana-Conway; Rovitta Paul; Chris Dudek-Ratushnuk; Lisa Alhabal; Marilyn Lewis |
| OTHERS: | Mary Windt; Joyce Abate |
| STAFF: | Mary Budrawich; Barbara Smart |
AGENDA ITEMS
MEETING CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m. by the Chairman.
REVIEW/APPROVAL OF March, 2003 MINUTES
** MS. PENISTON MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. SECOND BY MS. SCHILLING.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
UPDATES
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A.
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School Readiness. Linda Wilock reported that the School Readiness Grant has been prepared for the same amount as the 2002-2003 award after the cuts that were made in November. Because of the withdrawal of Norwalk Community College, it is expected to be possible to maintain all current providers with no cuts. We will not have final budget figures for several weeks. |
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B.
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Quality Enhancement. Ms. Wilock reported that we have been
advised to submit the grant for the same amount as the current year after
the mid year cuts ($64,392). Because of the uncertainty of the final amount,
the grant was prepared with projects similar to this year with the exception
that transition to kindergarten packets are included in place of scholarships.
When notification of the final amount is received, the projects will be
reviewed and revisions will be considered. ** MS. SADLON MOVED TO APPROVE SUBMISSION OF BOTH GRANTS. SECOND BY MS. PAUL. ** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. |
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C.
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Graustein Discovery Grant. The community report will be presented
at a breakfast on June 2 at 8AM. All SRC members will receive invitations. The findings of the report will mesh with those of the SRC not set up a separate structure. The findings will be fully discussed at the June SRC meeting. |
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D.
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Advocacy. No report. |
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
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A.
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Policy and Procedures. Proposed revisions in the By-laws were presented for a first reading. Several issues were discussed including number of members, what constitutes a quorum, and the role of various committees. Filling membership slots will be postponed pending resolution of By-laws issues. Anyone with edits or comments on proposed changes can get them to Barbara Smart. The proposed revisions to the By-laws will be presented for review and approval at the June meeting. |
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B.
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Communications. Barbara Smart presented the proposed brochure.
Mary Peniston offered to have a graphic artist work on it. Call Barbara
Smart with any edits. ** MS. PAUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE INCORPORATING SUGGESTIONS OF THE GRAPHIC ARTIST AND AUTHORIZE MS. SMART TO PROCEED WITH PRODUCTION.** ** THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. |
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C.
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Provider Network. The providers are still preparing for the
monitoring visit. The Creative Curriculum training funded by the grant from the Fairfield County Community Foundation will take place in August. |
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D.
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Review and Selection. See Policy and Procedures. |
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E.
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Program. Next year the committee will seek a national speaker
for the Early Care and Education Conference. Non-Norwalk providers will be included in the recognition portion of the event. |
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F.
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Transition. A transition packet is being prepared for distribution
to families of all children going into kindergarten in September. It will include a calendar of activities for preschool children and a book. Some Quality Enhancement funds were used for this project. |
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G.
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Informal Care. There are 118 on the mailing list. Activities
include: distribution of "goodie bags", library story times and a toddler nature walk at Calf Pasture Beach. |
IV. CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF SRC ACTION PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. The meeting was turned over to Mary Budrawich who presented a draft.
V. OTHER.
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A.
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There will be a health fair at the Community Health Center on May 16. |
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B.
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The Healthy Families Collaborative will meet on June 25 at 9:30 AM. |
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C.
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Ms. Paul raised the issue of summer payments to providers.
Information will be obtained from other communities. |
****ADDENDUM****
Ms. Paul and Ms. Abate stated their concerns regarding the summer
schedule to SR providers, as the payments from the City of Norwalk are held
by the City and not distributed during the months of July and August of each
year. The City holds payments to the Providers because the State
Of Connecticut does not award the SR funds to the City until sometime in the
summer of each year. Because the City holds SR payments to its providers, Ms.
Paul and Ms. Abate have found it extremely difficult to operate under these
financial constraints through the summer of each year. Ms. Paul has a total
enrollment of 35 children in her program - of these 35, 31 are SR slots. Ms.
Abate has 23 SR children - total of 54 between the 2 programs. Both Ms. Paul
and Ms. Abate stated their concerns regarding this issue and asked the Council
what could be done to resolve this problem through the summer of each year.
It was concluded that Mary Peniston and Betsy Bain would look into this problem
and report information at the Next SR Council meeting in June.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:32 AM on a motion by Ms. Lewis
and Ms. Mitchell.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Wilock
NEXT MEETING JUNE 11 9:30-11:30.
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