Early Learning & Literacy Initiative Fall Newsletter

Post Election Message

Dear Partners,

As we navigate this time of national change, we’re reminded of the resilience and strength of our Partnership. Community trust and coordinated services are essential now for local government and nonprofit agencies to support our most vulnerable students and families. Marin Promise Partnership, with its collaborative network, is built to support this type of cross-sector coordination and address local needs.

Now more than ever, partners need to work together on strategies that protect, support, and uplift our communities and residents. Our strong network of city, county, and community agencies is well-prepared to assist residents in Marin City, Novato, San Rafael, and West Marin as they face uncertain times to build collective strength and a vision for our future.

**If you would like to see MPP's entire statement, please view here

Welcome to Our Fall Newsletter & Updates

The Early Learning and Literacy Initiative was born from the recognition that factors like rural location and unequal access to vital services can hinder school readiness. Together, partners are overcoming these challenges to create inclusive environments where every child can thrive.

**Previously, these Action Teams were called Kindergarten Readiness Teams and moving forward they will be called Early Learning Collaborative Action Networks or ELCAN's.

Launched Canal EL CAN

Parent Services Project has convened the Canal EL CAN. At the kickoff meeting, partners came together to strengthen collaboration and support community well-being. The meeting started with a data walk in which participants explored information at three stations: a map of the 94901 zip code area with the boundaries of the Canal highlighted, a population egg chart showing about 2,000 children 0-5 living in the Canal area, and an opportunity to describe what “thriving” means. The session wrapped up with future planning and a reflection on the strengths that each partner brings to the collaborative process.

Canal EL CAN participants dive into an activity, discovering and sharing insights on local resources, sparking a meaningful conversation about support available in Canal. Example question shown above.

West Marin EL CAN: Updates & Current Work

Since 2017, the West Marin EL CAN has been dedicated to ensuring that children are ready for school, families are ready to support their children’s learning, and schools are ready for children.

Current Focus: The West Marin EL CAN is hard at work, focusing on two key strategies to better support families and children.

ASQ Parent Engagement Strategies: Partners are working together to reach out to families and provide more information and support around completing and sharing ASQ data.

Car Seat Initiative: Three bilingual/ bicultural car seat technicians have been trained and certified, and a car seat check event has given away 14 car seats and ensured that infants, toddlers and children are being safely transported.

We're grateful for the ongoing support and collaboration of our dedicated partners, including Marin County Free Library (MCFL), Parent Services Project (PSP), West Marin Fund (WMF), Shoreline Unified School District(SUSD), Bolinas-Stinson School District (BSD), Papermill Creek Children’s Corner (PCCC), San Geronimo Valley Community Center(SGVCC), Help Me Grow (HMG), College of Marin (COM), and San Geronimo Child Care Center (SGCCC).

Marin City EL CAN: Updates & Current Work

Current Focus: Currently, the Marin City EL CAN is focused on understanding the social emotional landscape impacting children, families and teachers. The group has identified trauma, developmental delays and lack of experiences as the most significant factors and are identifying what assessment and resources are available for the community.

We're deeply grateful for the support and collaboration of our valued partners, including Horizon Community School (HCS), Community Action Marin (CAM), Marin County Free Library (MCFL), Sausalito Marin City School District (SMCSD), Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM), Bridge The Gap (BTG), Help Me Grow (HMG), and Jewish Family Children’s Services (JFCS).