February Newsletter

Black History Month is a time for recognizing the central role African Americans have in the history of the United States. It originated in 1915 when Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an organization that researched and promoted achievements by Black Americans and people of African descent. This organization inspired nationwide celebrations and the month-long recognition we have today.

Below, we highlight two notable women in our community. Both District Court Judge, Denise Hartsfield and County Commissioner, Tonya McDaniel, serve on the SSFC Board to provide their Law and Community engagement and we appreciate their volunteer work on the Board!

District Court Judge,

Denise Hartsfield

Winston-Salem native, Denise Hartsfield earned her bachelors degree from Spellman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She then obtained a Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest School of Law. Since being elected in 2002, Judge Hartsfield has remained active through various organizations. As a member of the Joseph Branch Inn of Court at the Wake Forest School of Law, she has also been an adjunct faculty member for 20 years. Judge Hartsfield has an undeniable passion for the youth in our community.

County Commissioner,

Tonya McDaniel

Winston-Salem native, Tonya D. McDaniel was elected county commissioner in 2018. She earned her bachelors degree from Winston-Salem State University, then in 2016 she graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Masters in Public Administration. In her role, she has worked to ensure that her district has equality in the evaluations of the property tax rates, equity in county funding for the school systems, and would be accountable for the funding for the safety of all.

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Join us on Thursday, February 24th, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. as we host Conversations with SSFC with our partners WonderSchool and Partners Behavioral Health Management. Our special guests Rena Broadnax and Megan Kelley from WonderSchool will be discussing what WonderSchool is and the uniqueness of the application, as Latasha Scott from Partners Behavioral Health Management will be going in-depth about the innovations waiver waiting list. We will have 3 raffle prizes for the attendees!

Motherhood can be difficult and you do not have to navigate it alone. Join us on February 26th from 11 am to 3 pm for our drive-thru Community Baby Shower! We will be sharing information about the services provided by SFFC and our community partners.

The NC Pre-K program is designed to provide high-quality early childhood education that enhances school readiness for eligible 4-year-old children. The Pre-K Enrollment Team has begun Pre-K recruitment for 2022-2023. Applications are located online and at the locations listed above. We are still accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year. As of now, 681 children are enrolled, 3 are pending placement. and 594 are on the waitlist.

Family Engagement Leadership Program:

The new Family Engagement Leadership Program kicked off its first Community Partners coalition meeting on January 14, 2022. This week, the coalition was introduced to the program, was asked to aide in recruiting Parent Leaders, as the focus of this program is to make our parents advocates for their children and the community. We look forward to providing them with the necessary tools for success as advocates and leaders of the community.

Staff Onboarding:

Orientation and training of new department staff are currently underway. Ms. Tekeshia Duncan serves as our new Family Engagement Specialist & Ms. Alisha Holt will serve as our new NC Pre-K Coordinator. We look forward to Tekeshia and Alisha bringing their ideas, experience, and passion for serving families through our NC Pre-K and Family Engagement Leadership Programs. Welcome aboard ladies!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and Smart Start have been working together to get books into the hands of North Carolina's youngest children through funding by the North Carolina General Assembly. Our goal for 2022 is to have 13,000 registered children in Forsyth County. To register another child or to share registration information with another guardian/ parent click here!

Book of the Month

Luke goes to bat by Rachel Isadora is a story about a young boy discovering the importance of perseverance and learning how to believe in yourself. Encourage a child to believe in themselves by sharing this book!

Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Including Immunizations (VIRTUAL)

February 22, 2022, 6:30pm

ITS SIDS (VIRTUAL)

March 1, 2022, 6:30pm

Playground Safety Part 1 (VIRTUAL)

March 8, 2022, 3:30 pm

Playground Safety Part 2 (VIRTUAL)

March 15, 2022, 3:30 pm