Building a Stronger Early Childhood Workforce for Forsyth County | | | |
As President and Chief Executive Officer of Smart Start of Forsyth County, I am proud of the meaningful and measurable work our Workforce and Innovation Department is leading to strengthen the early childhood education workforce.
This work is not a single program—it is a comprehensive workforce strategy. Through Shaping Pathways for Advancing Resourceful Kinder-professionals (SPARK), we are recruiting and preparing future educators. Through the Child Care Workforce Compensation Program, we are helping retain experienced teachers. Through Child Development Associate (CDA) credential support and International Association for Continuing Education and Training-accredited training, we are helping educators build credentials, strengthen skills, and advance professionally. Through Tri-Share and family childcare home supports, we are addressing affordability, provider stability, and access for working families.
This matters because childcare is essential infrastructure. When educators are supported, children experience more stable classrooms.
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When providers are strengthened, families can work. When families can work, Forsyth County’s economy grows.
Our International Association for Continuing Education and Training accreditation allows Smart Start of Forsyth County to offer recognized Continuing Education Units, giving educators professional development that carries value beyond basic training requirements.
For funders and community partners, this is an opportunity to invest in a proven, high-impact strategy that supports children, families, educators, providers, and the local economy.
For more information, contact Daniel Ferguson, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Innovations, at Danielf@smartstart-fc.org.
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With Purpose and Gratitude,
Dr. Louis A. Finney Jr.
President/Chief Executive Officer
Smart Start of Forsyth County
| | SMART START NEWS & UPDATES | | Leadership Skills in Action | | Omega Wilcox, Training Facilitator | | |
Family Childcare Home Educators met on April 18, 2026, at Smart Start of Forsyth County for their quarterly professional development meeting. The meeting offered an opportunity to apply leadership skills gained through the City ARPA-funded small-business training. The family childcare home educators focused on topics such as management, budgeting, hiring practices, tuition billing, and sustainable business practices.
Crystal Pearson, owner of the 5‑star Great Thinkers Learning Academy, served as the featured presenter. She shared insights from her book Drop Everything and Breathe, encouraging educators to recognize their inner strength, resilience, and untapped potential. Crystal’s message was entitled "P.O.W.E.R, Providers of Wisdom Engaging Regularly," centered on the belief that each family childcare educator has an untapped well of power and strength within themselves.
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The meeting was facilitated by Omega
Wilcox, owner of the 5‑star Omega Wilcox Childcare Home. Omega guided the training with warmth and clarity, offering updates, sharing resources, and highlighting upcoming opportunities for continued professional growth, such as attending the upcoming Family Childcare & Center Enrichment Foundation Conference. Her leadership helped create a space where educators could openly discuss challenges, exchange strategies, and celebrate successes.
The quarterly meeting provided a supportive space for family childcare home educators to exchange ideas and discuss needs. Educators engaged in meaningful conversations and explored solutions together that would strengthen their work. The meeting highlighted the value of peer collaboration and the continued dedication these educators bring to children and families across Forsyth County.
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By Vanessa Sawyer-Wilson
Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives Manager
| | The M.A.L.E. Initiative Is Embedding Change One Childcare Site at a Time | | |
The Males Aspiring Long-Term Excellence (M.A.L.E.) Initiative proudly presents its Fatherhood Ambassadors a transformative force strategically embedded across two childcare sites throughout the community. These distinguished leaders transcend the role of mere advocates; they are architects of change, embodying the standard of intentional, present, and engaged fatherhood at its highest expression.
Elevated beyond their former designation as "Fatherhood Representatives," the Fatherhood Ambassador role carries a broadened mandate and a profound sense of purpose, serving as the definitive face of father engagement at each site. Through consistent presence, meaningful relationship-building, and a commitment to excellence, they cultivate environments where fathers are not only welcomed, but recognized, valued, and inspired to assume their rightful place at the forefront of their children's lives. Their work reaches far beyond early childhood learning and development it is actively reshaping the very legacy of fatherhood within our community.
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By Juwon Crowell
Director of Development and Community Engagement
| | Forsyth Families Starting Strong: New Grant Expands Family Support Services | | |
The North Carolina Division of Social Services (NCDSS) awarded Smart Start of Forsyth County $150,000 in annual funding for the grant cycle SFY 2027-2030 to deliver Family Support Program Services. Forsyth Families Starting Strong will support NCDSS in assuring safety, permanency, and well-being for children, youth, and families.
Family Engagement Leadership Fatherhood Advocates show up with purpose building genuine relationships, delivering structured programming, and maintaining a consistent presence where families need it most. Their work goes beyond fathers alone, actively reaching and empowering fathers, mothers, grandparents, guardians, and extended family members to become more deeply involved in their children's early learning and growth.
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By Juwon Crowell
Director of Development and Community Engagement
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You Teach, We Support
Free Classroom Materials Event!
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Tuesday, May 19, 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Smart Start of Forsyth County (7820 North Point Blvd, Suite 200, Winston-Salem, NC 27106)
Early childhood educators, this one is for you. Smart Start of Forsyth County is opening its resource room and giving away free, fully stocked activity bins and books to support your classroom. Activity bins are theme-based and developmentally appropriate by age group. Free giant book bags are also available while supplies last.
This is a first come, first served event. You must be present to take bins. Smart Start cannot hold or deliver materials to centers.
Space and supplies are limited, so plan to arrive early.
| | Tuesday Training Series for Early Educators | Every Tuesday | 6:00-8:00 PM | Smart Start of Forsyth County | | |
May 19: CPR /First Aid ($78 pp)
May 26: ITS SIDS ($10 pp)
June 2: Infant CLASS Overview (FREE)
June 9: Stay Healthy, Stay Clean (FREE)
June 16: We’re Moving We’re Learning (FREE)
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Boost your teaching toolkit with our weekly professional development sessions designed specifically for early childhood educators.
Each workshop features:
- Practical classroom management strategies
- Hands-on STEM activities you can use tomorrow
- Essential safety certifications to keep your credentials current
- Networking with fellow local educators
| | These expert-led sessions provide immediately applicable skills to enhance your classroom environment and support our community's youngest learners. | | | |
Rooted in Community:
The Hispanic League
of Winston-Salem
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For more than three decades, the Hispanic League has been one of the most consistent and committed voices for the Hispanic and Latino community in the Piedmont Triad. Founded in the early 1990s as local leaders came together to share their culture with Winston-Salem, the organization has grown into a full-service nonprofit touching nearly every dimension of community life, from education and scholarships to health, economic mobility, and cultural celebration.
Since awarding its first two scholarships in 2000, the Hispanic League has distributed close to two million dollars in scholarship support to students across the region. Their annual Fiesta Festival, now in its 33rd year, draws tens of thousands of attendees to Downtown Winston-Salem and stands as the largest single-day Hispanic festival in the Piedmont Triad. It is not just a celebration. It is a declaration that this community is here, it is thriving, and it belongs.
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The Hispanic League's work extends well beyond the festival grounds. Their Middle School Achievers program has served students in Forsyth County schools for nearly 30 years. Their community service programs connect families with critical resources. And through partnerships with local government, health systems, faith communities, and schools, the Hispanic League serves as a trusted bridge between the Hispanic and Latino community and the broader systems meant to support them.
For Smart Start of Forsyth County, this partnership reflects something we believe deeply: that children thrive when their whole family is supported, and that families thrive when their community sees and values them.
To learn more about the Hispanic League, visit hispanicleague.org or call (336) 560-1881.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
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By Lesa King Bullins
Director of Research and Early Learning
| INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) CORNER | |
Stay Secure, Stay Updated,
and Take Care of Yourself This May
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Happy May, SSFC team! As we head into the warmer months, here are a few IT reminders and updates to keep things running smoothly.
Stay Sharp: Phishing Awareness
Phishing attempts continue to be one of the most common cybersecurity threats targeting nonprofits. If you receive an unexpected email with a link, attachment, or QR code — especially one that creates urgency or asks you to verify credentials — pause before you click. When in doubt, reach out to IT before taking action. No message is too small to flag. It’s always better to ask than to accidentally hand over access.
Quick reminder: SSFC staff and leadership will never ask you to provide your password via email or text.
Keep Your Device Updated
If you’ve been clicking “Remind Me Later” on Windows updates, now is a great time to let those run. Updates patch security vulnerabilities and keep your device performing its best. Please allow updates to complete outside of peak work hours — closing out for the day is a perfect opportunity to let your machine do its thing overnight.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — Including Your Digital Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and here at SSFC, we know that
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the work we do every day is rooted in the well-being of our community. That includes our own well-being, too.
From an IT perspective, it’s worth thinking about your digital wellness — how the tools and screens we interact with all day affect how we feel. A few simple habits can make a real difference:
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Take screen breaks. The 20-20-20 rule is a good one: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Your eyes (and your focus) will thank you.
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Manage notifications intentionally. Constant pings can increase stress and fragment your attention. Consider silencing non-essential notifications during focused work blocks.
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Organize your digital workspace. A cluttered desktop or overflowing inbox can quietly add to your mental load. Taking 10 minutes to tidy up your files or clear out old emails can give you a surprising sense of calm and control.
We’re grateful to be part of a mission-driven team that puts people first. Take care of yourselves this month (and every month).
As always, if you have any IT questions, issues, or requests, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help!
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By Oliver Michels
Finance and IT Specialist
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DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY
BOOK OF THE MONTH:
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Gaga Mistake Day
by Emma Straub & Susan Straub
Some of the very best days are the ones where everything goes a little sideways, on purpose. In this warm and wildly funny picture book, Gaga arrives for a babysitting visit and brings her own special brand of creative mischief along with her. Swapped eyeglasses, backward walks to the park, marshmallow goblins that simply must be eaten for everyone's safety, a bathtub overflowing with bubbles, and a bedtime story read completely upside down, Gaga's "mistakes" are really acts of pure, unbridled love.
Written by bestselling novelist Emma Straub and her mother Susan Straub, and brought to life by award-winning illustrator Jessica Love, Gaga Mistake Day captures something parents and grandparents will immediately recognize: that the silliest, most unplanned moments are often the ones children hold onto forever. With echoes of Amelia Bedelia and the spirit of Eloise, this book is a joyful reminder that play and presence are the greatest gifts we can give our little ones.
With Mother's Day just around the corner, this book makes the perfect read-aloud for any family celebration. Snuggle up and let the giggles begin.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
| | Celebrating the Love That Shows Up | | |
Mother's Day looks different in every family, and that is something worth celebrating rather than explaining away. For children being raised by grandparents, fathers, foster caregivers, or other loving adults, this day is an opportunity to name the people who show up every single day with consistency, warmth, and care.
You do not have to have a traditional mother figure to have a Mother's Day worth honoring. Talk with your child about the people in their lives who nurture them. Maybe it is a grandmother who braids their hair and makes their favorite meal. Maybe it is a father doing it all. Maybe it is you, in whatever form your family takes.
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Those relationships deserve to be celebrated loudly and without apology.
Try this: ask your child to name one person who makes them feel safe and loved. Then do something intentional to honor that person together, a card, a phone call, a meal, or simply saying the words out loud. Teaching children to recognize and express gratitude for the people who show up is one of the most powerful early lessons you can give them.
Love is not a title. It is presence. And presence is everything.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
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