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Where are our children

The following is a press release from the Child Care Services Association


DURHAM, N.C.—Publicly supported preschool services for 4-year-olds are a huge need in Durham County, yet NC Pre-K does not have all its seats filled for this school year, which starts in only a few weeks. Durham’s Partnership for Children is still accepting applications for enrollment for this school year. Families can apply for NC Pre-K by contacting Durham’s Partnership for Children at 919-403-6960 or by visiting dpfc.net/our-work/ncpk. Child Care Services Association (CCSA) works with Durham’s Partnership for Children to enroll children in the Durham PreK program once they are in NC Pre-K.

What: Publicly supported preschool services for 4-year-olds are a huge need in Durham County, yet NC Pre-K does not have all its seats filled for this school year, which starts in only a few weeks.

Who: With funding from the Durham County Government, the Durham PreK umbrella offers the opportunity for universal services for all 4-year-olds in Durham County through programs such as NC Pre-K, Durham Public Schools and Head Start.

When: Durham Public Schools 2019-2020 first day of school is August 26, 2019; all Durham County children are eligible for Durham PreK if they are four years of age before August 31, 2019.

Where: Any 4-year-old classroom with Durham PreK, NC Pre-K, Durham Public Schools and Head Start in Durham County, N.C.

Why: Every child deserves affordable, accessible, high-quality child care, and Durham PreK works to ensure just that. We hope to be able to fill every seat for Durham PreK, Durham County’s commitment to high-quality publicly-funded preschool for all 4-year-olds.

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Durham PreK:

Durham PreK is committed to improving the quality of preschool programs by providing financial support, training opportunities for teachers and increasing eligibility for families to enroll their child. Beginning in 2018, Durham County Government has committed to equitable access to high-quality preschool for all children in Durham. Investments will not only increase the number of publicly funded pre-K slots but also broaden eligibility and work with teachers and private centers to build their quality through teacher and director education, mentoring and coaching. For more information, visit www.durhamprek.org.

Child Care Services Association:

Founded in 1974, Child Care Services Association’s mission is to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality child care for all young children and their families. Using a holistic approach, CCSA supports children and families find child care in the Triangle, helps child care professionals improve the quality of early education children receive and provides scholarship resources so all families can afford and access high-quality early care and education. CCSA also provides healthy meals for children at child care centers throughout the Triangle with our Meal Services program. Our T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood®, Child Care WAGE$® and Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ programs give child care educators the means to obtain an education and supplement their salary based on that education, increasing teacher education, retention and compensation. CCSA also licenses T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ across the U.S. and conducts early childhood systems research and policy development statewide and nationally. For more information, visit www.childcareservices.org.

Durham’s Partnership for Children:

Founded in 1994 and first funded in 1995 to administer the Smart Start grant in Durham County, the Partnership works as an independent, local nonprofit that serves young children birth to age 5 and their families to ensure that all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. For more than 20 years, the Partnership has helped parents pay for child care, improved the quality of child care and provided health and family support services to thousands of Durham County families with young children. The Partnership leverages the public and private sectors to achieve its mission: To ensure every child in Durham enters school ready to succeed, we lead community strategies for children birth to 5 and their families that promote healthy development and learning and enhance access to high quality care. The Partnership administers Smart Start, NC Pre-K and Early Head Start in Durham County. For more information about the Partnership, visit www.dpfc.net or call 919-403-6960, ext. 221.

For more information, contact:

Linda Chappel

(919) 403-6950 – Office

lindac@childcareservices.org

Kara Shultz

(919) 810-4618 – Cell phone

karas@childcareservices.org

www.childcareservices.org    

Staff

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