This October, our educators are embracing the season to inspire curiosity and creativity among our young learners. Children are exploring the wonders of science through hands-on experiments, discovering the science of leaves and engaging in beautiful seasonal art projects.

October is also National Book Month, and we have activities lined up to nurture a love for reading and early literacy. We believe that reading opens the door to imagination and knowledge, and we’re excited to introduce our little ones to the joy of books!

We’re also celebrating the season with our costume parades and pumpkin decorating! These festive events are fun and educational, allowing children to express their creativity while enjoying the spirit of autumn.

School readiness is always a major focus for Fun Time Early Childhood Academy. We work hard to develop the skills children need for kindergarten, including social-emotional, language, literacy, and cognitive skills. In addition, we support school readiness through interactive activities and a structured curriculum that fosters a love for learning.

Children who are school-ready enter kindergarten prepared for success. This foundation helps them thrive academically, build positive relationships and grow in confidence. By fostering a strong start, we set children on the path to lifelong learning.

Thank you to our incredible staff, our supportive families and our generous donors for your support. Together, we’re creating a nurturing environment where children can thrive!

With warm regards,

Jessica

We are delighted to have been honored with one of the first Top-Rated Awards of 2024 from GreatNonprofits!

We thank all who participated for your contributions to and support for Fun Time Academy.

Mark your calendars!

Once Upon a Time: A Storybook Gala

will be held on

February 20, 2025

at Grey Oaks Country Club

Remember to secure your sponsorship for our upcoming gala. Come join us for a magical evening supporting Fun Time Early Childhood Academy.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Welcome Our New Director of Development & Communications, Kellie Pedersen!

We're thrilled to announce our new Director of Development and Communications, Kellie Pedersen, as noted in both Gulfshore Business and Southwest Florida Business Today.

Kellie brings a wealth of experience as a senior philanthropic advisor with a proven track record of building and cultivating relationships to secure funding for nonprofit organizations. We are thrilled to have her join our Fun Time Academy team!

The Naples Press Feature

We were delighted to be featured in The Naples Press article "Cmon In!" and to share our thoughts on the importance of early learning.

Jessica Campbell, our executive director, provided insight and context to the big picture. "The closure of 25 centers in the past year due to rent increases, staff retirements, lack of funding and damages from Hurricane Ian highlights the fragility of the childcare industry," she told The Naples Press.

"Fees alone cannot cover the costs of providing high-quality care and fair compensation for teachers," she explained. "This is why initiatives like state tax credits and the support from the Naples Children &Education Foundation and other philanthropy in our community are so crucial to ensure non-profit centers such as Fun Time Early Childhood Academy and Guadalupe Center can continue to operate and serve low-income working families."

Campbell also singled out elevating early learning as a professional career. "Supporting early learning teachers in obtaining degrees and advancing their careers is vital for teacher retention and the overall stability of child-care centers," she said, while doubling down on "a long-term investment in quality early learning programs."

Still with so much at stake, she is optimistic.

"Together, we can build a more stable and accessible child-care system that benefits our children, families and the broader community."

Fun Time Academy's growth has created space for nearly 400 children, offering a nurturing environment that promotes early literacy, cognitive development and social-emotional growth. We appreciate your continuous support of our mission to provide safe, quality, affordable education and care for children and parents from underserved working families and to prepare the children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!

$5,000 Grant from Collier Community Foundation

Thank you to Collier Community Foundation for their generous grant of $5,000 and their ongoing support of our mission to provide affordable quality care for low-income working families!

This grant supports the Fun Time Early Childhood Academy's Healthy Start Program to provide healthy snacks for children at our Santa Barbara location.

Teacher Professional Development Day & CPR Training

Our Professional Development Day is all about growth, collaboration and igniting creativity in the classroom.

Thank you to Amanda Thompson and Michelle Fonte, our academic coaches, for providing our teachers with the best tools to continue giving our little learners the highest quality education!

We are also equipping our educators with life-saving skills! CPR training ensures that every child stays safe and every educator is ready to respond. Together, we’re building a brighter, safer future.

CarMax Volunteers Transform Our Downtown Library in Just One Day!

First Parent Cafe of the School Year

Our first Parent Cafe of the school year was a huge success! This was a great opportunity for parents to meet teachers and connect with other families. Together, we can support our little ones’ learning journeys.

We did an activity in which everyone shared a memory of their childhood with the group. By describing their own experiences growing up, we also recognized how different generations parent.

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for this fun meeting filled with learning and collaborating. We truly enjoyed connecting with you.

We can't wait for the next one!

Stay up to date on what's happening at Fun Time Academy! Daily updates include:

• Photos/videos of students learning
• Resources
• Events
• "No school" updates

Follow us now and share what our academy has been doing. We want everyone to know about Fun Time Academy and to showcase the growth of our students!

Check us out!

More Ways to Volunteer at Fun Time Academy

Additionally, we can always use help with constructing or repairing classroom equipment, photographing an event, etc. If you love children as much as we do, let's see if we can put your talents to work. We will work together to find a way to match your skills and interests with our many volunteer needs.

If you would like to volunteer with us, please click the link below or call our volunteer coordinator, Melissa Oien, at 239-228-7363. We look forward to having you join our team in preparing children for kindergarten, ready to read and ready to learn!

Parent Cafe:

November 13 – Downtown location from 4:30-5:30 pm

Parent Classes:

November 7 – Suncoast Credit Union Parent Night

at 4:30-5:30 pm at our Downtown location

Volunteer Program:

Start Date – Monday, November 4, 2024

Volunteer Orientation Brunch:

If you recently moved or changed your email address or phone number, please update your information by clicking the button below.

Collier CARES is a mobile app that connects people in need with vital resources and services in Collier County, Florida. Created by the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) in partnership with the Collier Community Foundation and the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, the app serves the most vulnerable populations in the county.

This free bilingual application provides users with information about critical resources and services available in Collier County. NCEF is dedicated to partnering with community leaders, stakeholders and service providers across the county to ensure that every family has access to the help they need in times of need.