Pastor Tembila Covington Appointed to North Carolina Partnership for Children Board of Directors

Smart Start of Forsyth County celebrates a significant milestone as Pastor Tembila Covington, Chair of our Board of Directors, joins the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) Board of Directors. Senator Phil Berger appointed Pastor Covington to represent Local Partnership Advisory Committee interests across the state.



This appointment elevates a proven advocate for early childhood education to the state's highest early childhood policymaking body. Pastor Covington's decade of public service and spiritual leadership in Forsyth County has consistently focused on improving outcomes for children and families in underserved communities.

"Her unwavering commitment to our mission and the well-being of children has made a lasting impact in Forsyth County," noted Dr. Louis A. Finney, Jr., President and CEO of Smart Start of Forsyth County. "We know she will bring that same passion and vision to the NCPC Board."

The NCPC manages Smart Start, one of the nation's most innovative early childhood systems, through 75 Local Smart Start Partnerships. As a board member, Pastor Covington will help shape strategic planning for early childhood services statewide, working alongside policymakers, educators, nonprofits, and business leaders to expand access to quality early education and strengthen family support systems.

"Our children are our greatest investment," Pastor Covington shared. "I look forward to working with fellow board members to strengthen the systems that support our families, especially those often overlooked."

This appointment represents both a proud achievement for Forsyth County and a valuable opportunity to ensure local community needs inform state-level early childhood policy decisions.

Smart Start Celebrates Community at

Pride and Juneteenth

Connecting with Families at Winston-Salem Pride

Smart Start proudly participated in Winston-Salem Pride, a vibrant family-friendly festival featuring a dedicated kid zone. Our dedicated staff volunteered their Saturday to help at our booth, where we distributed free children's books and shared information about our early childhood programs with families, community partners, and community members.

Many festival-goers were discovering Smart Start for the first time, creating valuable opportunities to connect with families seeking fun, free weekend activities while learning about our comprehensive early childhood services. The event reinforced our commitment to reaching all families in Forsyth County, reflecting the vibrant diversity celebrated in our new organizational logo.

Strengthening Community Bonds at Juneteenth

Smart Start of Forsyth County's participation in Winston-Salem's Juneteenth celebration reflects our deep commitment to serving all families in our community. This culturally significant event provides a meaningful opportunity to connect with organizations, businesses, and families to share early childhood resources in a festive, welcoming environment.

We demonstrated our dedication to educational equity and building trust through cultural respect by engaging directly with the African American community during Juneteenth. Our presence reinforced that quality early childhood education is a fundamental right for every child in Forsyth County. Just as Juneteenth celebrates freedom, we celebrate the freedom that comes through education and opportunity.

Meeting families where they gather allows us to ensure that all children, regardless of background, can access the programs and support they need to thrive.

Looking Forward

These community connections exemplify Smart Start's commitment to building relationships where families are already gathering. As we expand our reach through community engagement, we invite all families to explore how Smart Start can support their child's early learning journey.

Learn more about our programs and services at smartstart-fc.org or contact us at 336-725-6011.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday Training Series for Early Educators

Every Tuesday | 6:00-8:00 PM | Smart Start of Forsyth County

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.

7/22 Playground Safety

7/29 Children with Special Health Care Needs

8/5 Positive Interaction

8/12 Room Arrangement

SSFC Achievements and Expansion

Celebrating Our TLSS Team's Outstanding

Professional Achievements!

We're thrilled to recognize the incredible dedication and professional growth of our amazing Teaching and Learning Services Team members. Their commitment to excellence in early childhood education continues to strengthen our program and benefit the children and families we serve.

Wendy Dickens has completed her recertification for Toddler CLASS, reaffirming her skills in supporting positive learning experiences for our youngest learners.

Rashida Mitchell has received her recertification for Infant CLASS, showcasing her continued commitment to providing nurturing, developmentally appropriate care for infants.

Susan Smith has completed the CLASS PreK–3 training overview and earned TRC Embedding Champions Certification, expanding her expertise across multiple age groups and implementation strategies.

What This Means for Our Program

These achievements reflect our team's unwavering commitment to professional development and evidence-based practices. Each certification represents hours of dedicated learning and a deeper understanding of how to create meaningful, impactful experiences for children.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding professionals who continue to raise the bar for excellence in early childhood education!

Smart Start Forsyth County's Pre-K Initiative Department Launches Strategic Transition Plan for Enhanced Early Childhood Impact

Smart Start of Forsyth County's Pre-K Initiative Department is implementing an exciting strategic transition plan designed to maximize impact during the final phase of our ARPA grant funding. Rather than simply maintaining current services, we're taking a bold "strategic intensification" approach to ensure lasting change where it matters most for our early childhood programs.

Our comprehensive program evaluation revealed significant achievements, with 90% of students showing measurable growth in ARPA-supported classrooms. However, we've identified targeted opportunities for improvement, particularly in language development and classroom quality enhancement.

Our transition strategy focuses resources on two key areas: enhanced assessment and professional development through cutting-edge Teaching Strategies Gold subscriptions and intensive training, plus evidence-based classroom enhancement with targeted materials and resources.

The implementation timeline runs from June through December 2025, with intensive professional development beginning in July, full program -



implementation in August-September, and continued support for private childcare partners operating beyond the traditional school year. Participation in this additional support phase is completely optional for all partner programs.

Early childhood programs interested in learning more about this strategic transition plan or deciding on participation should contact Smart Start of Forsyth County's Pre-K Initiative Department directly. For questions about participation, email PKI@smartstart-fc.org.

FROM THE DESK OF ADMINISTRATION

Fully Staffed & Thriving!

We’re excited to share that Smart Start of Forsyth County is currently operating at full staffing capacity. While we are not actively recruiting at this time, we remain committed to cultivating a strong, engaged, and supportive workplace for all team members.

Spotlight on Cybersecurity: Phishing Awareness

Phishing remains one of the most common and dangerous forms of cyberattack, and it's getting more sophisticated every day. These attacks typically arrive as emails, text messages, or even phone calls that appear to be from trusted sources—like banks, coworkers, or popular companies. Their goal is to trick you into clicking malicious links, downloading harmful attachments, or sharing sensitive information like passwords or financial details. Even one click can compromise an entire network, making vigilance critical.



To protect yourself and our organization, always double-check unexpected messages—especially those asking for urgent action, payment details, or login credentials. Look for red flags like generic greetings, spelling errors, or suspicious links (hover over links before clicking). When in doubt, report the message to IT@smartstart-fc.org and never respond directly. Staying alert and informed is the first line of defense in keeping our digital environment secure.

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Services for Families

CCRC maintains the largest database of child care programs in our region. They offer both free and fee-based services to meet all families' needs. Their qualified staff connects parents, businesses, and community members with trained child care professionals. All services are available in both English and Spanish.

A Strong Foundation

Founded in 1991 through a joint effort between the Junior League of Winston Salem, Northwest Child Development Council, The Winston Salem Foundation, and United Way of Forsyth County, CCRC has been serving our community for over 30 years.

Looking for quality child care or professional development opportunities? Contact Child Care Resource Center to learn how they can help connect you with the resources you need.

SMART PARENT SHORTCUTS