September 16, 2021| Issue 8 |
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State of Our Children Updates |
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State of Our Children Returns to a One-Day event |
This year marks ROC the Future’s 10th anniversary, and we are excited to celebrate with you in-person at the Memorial Art Gallery. Mark your calendar for the 9th Annual State of Our Children Address and Report Card Release happening Wednesday, November 17, 2021. This year’s theme is the Road to Educational Renewal. What’s new is an abbreviated format to keep in line with all COVID protocols enacted by the venue. When registration opens, we invite you to join us for a Gallery Walk featuring top moments in ROC the Future’s history. We will have timed entry by groups to ensure physical distancing can be maintained.
To celebrate the great work of our partners and parents, we are honoring our cradle to career champions for a third year in a row. Please submit nominations for the following awards:
- Jacque Cady Annual Advocacy for Children Award
- Parent Leader Award
- Organizational Partner Award
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Sponsor the 9th Annual State of Our Children Address |
Over the past year, we’ve experienced an inordinate amount of uncertainty. The phrase “learning loss” was used widely to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning. Despite a disrupted school year, there are countless stories of student learning, progress, and strength. While academic learning maybe unfinished, it is not lost.
Together, we remain committed to explore best practices for transforming systems within the Rochester community for the betterment of all students. Sponsor this year’s State of Our Children Address to show your commitment to collective action for every child, cradle to career.
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Engagement and Grant Opportunties |
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Children’s Institute officially launched the Let Their Greatness Grow community awareness campaign.
The campaign aims to:
· Raise awareness of the GROW comprehensive screening model
· Educate parents and providers to better understand the model and benefits it has
· Encourage parents and families to have their children screened
Here are some ways you can add your voice and amplify the message:
1. Share the message with your networks. Here are some communications tools you can use, including the press release: https://bit.ly/GetReadyToGROW
2. If you know a parent with a child between the ages of 1 and 5 encourage them to reach out and sign up for a free developmental check.
3. If you serve children and families in some way, consider becoming a screening partner and bring Get Ready to GROW to the youth you serve.
If you have other ideas for helping spread the word please reach out to the GROW team by email at support@getreadytogrow.org or by phone at (585) 295-1008.
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Teacher Pipeline Innovation Projects: Request for Proposals |
The Farash Foundation believes improving education requires innovative approaches, collaboration between partners and the communities they serve, and a sustained commitment over time. They support like-minded institutions committed to elevating the educational experience of Rochester’s students, leading to prosperity across our entire community. The Farash Foundation made a commitment to support Teacher Quality, Pipeline, and Diversity efforts in the Greater Rochester area beginning in 2018. Initial awards supported the funding of Education First, a national mission-driven strategy and policy organization with expertise in education improvement.
In 2020, the foundation supported Education First in a) the development and release of the Diverse Perspectives report which highlighted the experiences and insights on improving Rochester’s teacher pipeline from teachers and teacher candidates of color, and parents of children of color, b) the gathering of 70+ people for a diverse virtual convening focused on teacher pipeline strategy development, and c) the creation and implementation of the Teach Rochester website, an online portal that provides current and potential teachers with access to information on becoming a teacher and teaching opportunities in ROC.
They are currently accepting proposals for innovative teacher pipeline projects. Applications close September 28, 2021.
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A guide to race and ethnic equity systems indicators |
This new resource is designed to support you in identifying, collecting and reporting data related to systems that contribute to or disrupt racial disparities. StriveTogether has identified key cradle-to-career and adjacent sector systems indicators to track, along with guidance on finding this data. When we pair individual and systems-level indicators, we hold organizations and institutions accountable to create the conditions where every child and family can thrive. |
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PECAN leaders presenting at the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Convening |
Register now for the 2021 Cradle to Career Network Convening happening October 4-8, 2021, virtually. Parent leaders from the Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network will be presenting, Parents ARE the solution: Creating CoPOWERment. You can see the agenda here and full list of speakers here.
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ROC the Future featured in StriveTogether's Learning News |
StriveTogether is committed to accelerating the momentum of peer-to-peer learning. Each month, they publish learning newsletters to share what's happening across the cradle to career network. They believe that building together by continuing to learn from each other can help us bridge the gaps more efficiently than ever before.
Check out this feature in, stories from the field, on what ROC the Future is doing to support racial equity by centering community voice and moving the needle on student outcomes to ensure success.
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Grand Opening of the Adventure Course
Join us on Saturday, September 25th from 12pm - 3pm to celebrate the new Adventure Course at Grand Ave. Park! This project was a great example of collective impact in action. A huge thank you to the many partners who came together to bring this adventure course to fruition – KABOOM!, StriveTogether, Connected Communities, Healthi Kids, Community Place of Greater Rochester, and the City of Rochester. We thank the many volunteers and neighborhood residents who came out during build week to help pour concrete, install play fixtures, and ensure the safety of all who took part.
The Adventure Course design had youth input, and has elements to strengthen your physical agility, learn sign language and experience the arts through the musical instruments.
We invite you to see the Adventure Course in-person at the Fall Extravaganza. There will be free food trucks, pumpkin painting, line dancing (and of course, music), crafts and activities for kids, and COVID vaccines!
Register online in advance for your free food ticket or on-site.
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Violence Hurts Children's Mental Health March
Exposure to violence is among the most detrimental experiences children can have. Children who experience violence are more likely to become ensnared in a cycle of violence that leads to future harmful behaviors including aggression, delinquency, violent crime, and child abuse.
Parent leaders working with The Children’s Agenda would like to raise awareness of how violence is affecting our children and families in a march to the Rochester City School District Central Office at 141 West Broad Street.
We invite you to their awareness march starting on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 5:30pm. We will meet at City Hall, 30 Church Street, Rochester NY 14614 then proceed to the RCSD Central Office.
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Watch the New PECAN video |
Want to learn more about the ways parents can get involved. Learn about the Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network with our new video. |
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ROC the Future in the News |
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