Reflecting on Independence, Community, and Our Children’s Future | |
As we move through the month of July, Smart Start of Forsyth County joins families across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in reflecting on this year’s Independence Day and the beginning of America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
This moment is especially meaningful in Winston-Salem, a city with a deep connection to July 4th and a long history of community, resilience, faith, innovation, and service. As fireworks fade and families return to the rhythm of summer, we are reminded that the promise of our nation is not only found in historic milestones, but in the daily work of strengthening families and preparing the next generation.
At Smart Start of Forsyth County, that work begins with our youngest children. Every investment in early childhood, family support, child care, health, and school readiness helps build the future we want for our community. Our children represent the next chapter of Winston-Salem’s story and the next generation of American possibility.
As we reflect on Independence Day and look ahead to the nation’s 250th year, let us recommit ourselves to building a community where every child is healthy, supported, loved, and ready to thrive.
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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 | |
Teaching and Learning Support Services:
A New Year of Growth, Quality, and Partnership
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Early Educators, we are excited about the opportunity to work with you this year! As NC Paths to Quality continues to evolve and expand its QRIS pathway options, our team is ready to walk alongside you — wherever you are on your quality journey. Whether you are working toward your star-rated license, pursuing accreditation, or exploring a new pathway, the Teaching & Learning Support Services (TLSS) team at Smart Start of Forsyth County is here to provide the coaching, resources, and professional development you need to deliver exceptional early care and education to our youngest learners.
Personalized Coaching & Technical Assistance
Our TLSS Specialists provide hands-on, relationship-based technical assistance directly inside your classrooms and programs. Using validated tools such as the CLASS™, ITERS/ECERS 3, POEMS, and PAS, our team works collaboratively with teachers and directors to develop customized Technical Assistance (TA) Plans with measurable goals and clear timelines. Coaching focuses on:
- Strengthening positive teacher-child interactions
- Creating high-quality, developmentally appropriate classroom environments
- Implementing trauma-informed practices
- Supporting NAEYC and NAFCC accreditation processes
- Improving NC Paths to Quality star levels
- Transitioning outdoor spaces to natural outdoor learning environments (family child care homes)
Professional Development & Continuing Education
We are thrilled to offer a robust 2026–2027 training calendar filled with opportunities for early educators to grow their skills and earn DCDEE credit hours. Visit our website for the full schedule and registration information. Trainings are held at Smart Start of Forsyth County and are designed to meet educators where they are — from infants and toddlers to preschool-age classrooms.
STEM in the Classroom — Four-Part CEU Series
This year TLSS is launching a special STEM in the Classroom continuing education series covering Math, Engineering, Science, and Art — all four sessions required for DCDEE credit. Participants who complete the full series will earn their continuing education units (CEUs) and come away with practical, hands-on strategies for integrating STEM concepts with children from infants through preschoolers. Registration information is available on our website.
ECE/Child Care Providers Conference & Events
Mark your calendars! Smart Start of Forsyth County will again host the Early Childhood Education & Child Care Providers Conference — a highlight of our program year. This signature event brings together early educators, directors, and child care professionals from across Forsyth County for a day of learning, networking, and inspiration. Details on date, location, and registration will be shared on our website and distributed to all centers. Watch your inbox!
Throughout the year, TLSS also facilitates the Directors Forum and Community of Practice meetings — intimate, peer-learning spaces for directors and educators to share challenges, celebrate wins, and stay connected to the latest in early childhood education research and practice.
Lending Library & Resource Room
Don’t forget about one of our most-loved resources — the TLSS Lending Library & Resource Room! Located at Smart Start of Forsyth County, the resource room provides educators and apprenticeship participants access to books, manipulatives, curriculum kits, reference materials, laminating machines, die cuts and age-appropriate classroom activity kits. Contact our TLSS Specialist to learn more.
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By Tabitha McAllister
Chief Program Officer
| | Ready to Partner with TLSS? | | | |
NC Pre-K:
Kindergarten Starts Here
Is your child turning 4 on or before August 31, 2026? NC Pre-K offers free, high-quality preschool for income-eligible Forsyth County families, and spots for the new program year are available now. Phase Two applications are open July 8 through July 31. Enrollment fills quickly, so do not wait. To apply or learn more, contact us at ncprek@smartstart-fc.org.
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By Saquana Terry
Director of Children and Family Services
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Family Childcare Scholarship:
Help Paying for Childcare
The Family Childcare Scholarship program helps income-eligible families who are working or in school pay for quality childcare. As we head into the new program year, we are here to help you find and fund care that fits your family. Contact our Family Intake team at childcarescholarship@smartstart-fc.org to find out more.
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By Saquana Terry
Director of Children and Family Services
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Family Resource Center:
We Want to Hear From You
The Family Resource Center is always looking for new ways to support and connect with families in our community, and we need your help. We would love to hear your ideas for free, fun, and exciting family activities that you and your children would enjoy. Your feedback helps us create programs and events that are meaningful, engaging, and tailored to your family's interests. Share your ideas or get connected by contacting Alisha Holt at alishah@smartstart-fc.org or 336-714-4354.
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By Saquana Terry
Director of Children and Family Services
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Diaper Bank:
In Partnership with the NC Diaper Bank
Diapers are a basic need, and no family should go without. Smart Start of Forsyth County, in partnership with the NC Diaper Bank, distributes diapers to families in need. The Diaper Bank is open Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, and Friday from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The Diaper Bank is closed for lunch daily from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. First-time visitors should bring their child's birth certificate. For more information, contact Smart Start of Forsyth County at 336-725-6011.
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By Saquana Terry
Director of Children and Family Services
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Family Engagement in
Family Childcare Homes
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Family engagement in a family childcare home is about building collaborative partnerships between families and family childcare educators. Family childcare homes provide individualized family engagement through building trust and communication, partnering for consistency of care, and respecting the culture, values, and diversity of their families.
Among family childcare educators and families is a communication process that includes sharing information and exchanging feedback. Sharing brief daily conversations about the child keeps families engaged in real time with what is happening with their child. Information shared by texts, newsletters, and apps such as ClassDojo, which allow educators to share pictures and videos with families of their child's work, serves to keep families connected to their child's daily experiences and build trust. Families are welcomed into a warm, homely environment where they can feel valued and welcomed.
A key part of family engagement is partnering for consistency of care between the home and the family childcare home. Aligning naptimes and potty-training routines supports the child's development and well-being. Educators and families can work together on specific behavior strategies for the child by using the same language and approach. Asking families for their ideas and thoughts shows respect and builds stronger partnerships when challenges arise.
Family engagement builds upon the culture and diversity each family brings to childcare homes, presenting the opportunity to honor each child's family. Family childcare homes are small and more personal settings where family engagement can be more individual and inclusive. Educators can incorporate culturally responsive practices in everyday interactions with children, such as greeting children in their home language or incorporating an activity or a song from the child's culture. Families can also be invited to share their cultural traditions, creating an environment that celebrates each child's background.
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By Vanessa Sawyer-Wilson
Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives Manager
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FCCH Educators Head to Lakeshore Learning for Hands-On Shopping Trip
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This Saturday, July 11, a group of Forsyth County family childcare home (FCCH) educators will travel to Matthews, NC for a special tour and shopping experience at Lakeshore Learning Store — made possible through a partnership with Lakeshore Learning.
These educators are participants in the City of Winston-Salem's ARPA Transformational Childcare COVID-19 Relief Initiative grant, administered by Smart Start of Forsyth County’s Early Childhood Strategic Initiatives department. The program offers training, coaching, and resources to help licensed home-based providers serving children birth through age five strengthen program quality and advance their professional development.
Jay Lathome, Lakeshore Learning's regional store representative, organized the visit to give providers in-person access to curated classroom materials, STEAM kits, and developmentally appropriate furniture — the kind of hands-on shopping experience that helps educators bring new ideas straight back to their programs.
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By Debora Garrison
Family Childcare Success Coach
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Fatherhood Ambassadors: Leading with Purpose Across Our Community
The Males Aspiring Long-Term Excellence (M.A.L.E.) program continues to introduce its Fatherhood Ambassadors, a distinguished cohort of leaders now positioned across two childcare sites throughout the community. These individuals do more than champion change — they help shape it, modeling intentional, present, and engaged fatherhood at the highest standard.
Building on their previous role as Fatherhood Representatives, the Ambassador position carries an expanded mandate and a deeper sense of purpose, with each Ambassador serving as the principal voice of father engagement at their site. Through consistent presence, deliberate relationship-building, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, they cultivate environments where fathers are not simply welcomed, but recognized, affirmed, and called toward their essential role in their children's lives. Their work extends well beyond early childhood development. It is helping redefine the legacy of fatherhood and shape the generational identity of this community for years to come.
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By Juwon Crowell
Director of Development and Community Engagement
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Family Engagement Leadership: Showing Up Where Families Need It Most
Family Engagement advocates arrive not merely with presence, but with unwavering purpose — building authentic relationships, delivering structured and impactful programming, and maintaining steadfast commitment exactly where families need it most. Their impact extends across the entire family unit. With intentionality and compassion, they engage and empower parents, grandparents, guardians, and extended family members alike, inspiring deeper investment in the early learning, development, and lifelong trajectory of our children. Through this work, families are connected to one another, creating a network where resources, knowledge, and support are shared freely, strengthening not just individual households, but the community as a whole.
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By Juwon Crowell
Director of Development and Community Engagement
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Lunch with a Purpose:
Investing in Forsyth County's Youngest Minds
| | | | Forsyth's best investment is not a building or a business. It is a child's brain before age five. Join Smart Start of Forsyth County for Investing in Forsyth, a luncheon for community leaders, on Monday, August 17, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Winston-Salem Foundation, located at 751 W. 4th Street, Suite 200 in Winston-Salem. For more information or to register, contact Juwon Crowell at 336-926-2029 or juwonc@smartstart-fc.org. | | Tuesday Training Series for Early Educators | | Every Tuesday | 6:00-7:30 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.
| | Smart Start Out in the Community | | |
Smart Start Joins Neighborhood's Hands for Annual Community Day
Smart Start of Forsyth County will be on the ground at the Annual Community Day event, hosted by Neighborhood's Hands, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Liberty Street Urban Farmer's Market, located at 1551 N. Liberty Street in Winston-Salem. The event is free, open to all ages, and will feature food, music, health screenings, free clothing, and more. Stop by our table and connect with our team. All are welcome.
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Annual Bond Love Day Back to School Giveaway
Smart Start of Forsyth County will be joining the Annual Bond Love Day Back to School event on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at St. Peter's World Outreach Center, located at 3683 Old Lexington Road in Winston-Salem. This free event, hosted by Bond Events Basketball, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Peter's World Outreach Center, and BOND Cares, brings together resources and support to help youth and families prepare for a successful school year. Registration is required for school supplies. Stop by our table and connect with our team. To register, visit this link.
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2nd Annual Triad Health Fest
Smart Start of Forsyth County will also be on the ground at the 2nd Annual Triad Health Fest on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at St. Peter's World Outreach Center, located at 3683 Old Lexington Road in Winston-Salem. Sponsored by Novant Health, this free health screening event offers blood pressure checks, childhood vaccinations, and child health assessments. To schedule an appointment, call 844-644-3578 and press 2. Stop by and see us while you are there.
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Mentorship That Moves the Needle:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triad
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For nearly five decades, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triad has been one of Winston-Salem's most steadfast champions for young people. Founded in 1977 with a single staff member and a mission to connect children from single-parent families with caring mentors, the organization has grown into a regional force serving youth across Forsyth, Davie, and the Yadkin Valley area.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triad offers several pathways for young people to access mentorship. Through their community-based mentoring program, volunteer mentors meet with their mentees weekly in the community over the course of about 12 months, with each match carefully made by staff to ensure compatibility and lasting connection. Their site-based mentoring program brings that same thoughtful matching process into local schools and after-school sites throughout the school year. For youth who are not yet matched, the Littles-in-Waiting program provides ongoing social and emotional learning activities and enrichment events to keep them engaged and supported while they wait.
Big Brothers Big Sisters staff also lead weekly group mentoring sessions inside schools, following a professionally developed curriculum focused on social and emotional learning, confidence building, and life skills. All programs enroll youth through parent or guardian referral and consent, ensuring families are partners in the process from the start.
The organization now operates out of the Kate B. Reynolds Mentoring Center at 200 Marshall Street Southwest in Winston-Salem, a facility made possible by a $2 million community campaign completed in 2019. Their work is a reminder that one consistent relationship can change the entire direction of a child's life.
Smart Start of Forsyth County is proud to stand alongside Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triad as we both show up for Forsyth County families. You can connect with them at the 2nd Annual Triad Health Fest and Back to School Bond Love Day event on August 1, 2026, at St. Peter's World Outreach Center.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
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By Lesa King Bullins
Director of Research and Evaluation
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DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY
BOOK OF THE MONTH:
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"The Outside"
by Gianna Marino
Earl the prairie dog loves the inside. It is safe, familiar, and free of the many dangers he is certain lurk just beyond his burrow. His friends, on the other hand, are determined to explore the world outside and want Earl to join them. No matter how hard they try, Earl will not budge. A flood changes everything and forces him to face the very thing he has been avoiding all along.
Written and illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator Gianna Marino, "The Outside" is a beautifully told story about friendship, courage, and what it means to push past what feels comfortable. With stunning gouache and ink illustrations and a cast of endearing prairie dog characters, this book gives young readers a gentle, reassuring way to talk about their own fears and the friends who help them through. It even includes fun facts about prairie dogs and their burrows in the back, making it a wonderful conversation starter for curious little minds.
This month, snuggle up with your little one and let Earl remind you both that the outside is not so scary after all.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
| | Keeping Your Little One Safe in the Summer Heat | |
Summer in North Carolina can get dangerously hot, and young children feel the heat faster than adults do. Children under 5 have smaller bodies that heat up quickly and are not yet able to tell you when something feels wrong. That makes it especially important for caregivers to stay ahead of the heat rather than react to it.
The most important rule is simple: never leave a child alone in a parked car, even for a minute. On a day that feels warm but manageable outside, the temperature inside a parked car can rise more than 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. Cracking a window does not make it safe. If you see a child alone in a hot car, call 911 immediately.
On hot days, dress your child in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and make sure they are drinking water throughout the day, even if they do not ask for it. Young children do not always recognize thirst as a signal, so offer fluids often. If you are spending time outdoors, plan activities for early morning or after 5:00 PM when the heat is less intense, and always seek shade.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion in young children: heavy sweating, cool or pale skin, fussiness, weakness, or vomiting. If your child stops sweating but feels hot to the touch and seems confused or unresponsive, that is a heat stroke emergency. Move them to a cool place immediately and call 911.
When in doubt, keep it cool, keep it shaded, and keep the water coming. Your child is counting on you to read the temperature so they do not have to.
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By Cindia Gonzalez
Community Outreach Coordinator
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