Month: September 2021

By Stephanie Skordas, Director of Marketing & Communications

Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) has outlined our equity statement. The creation of this statement was the work of our Equity Strategies Committee of the Board of Directors. They sought the input of many stakeholders, including our parent leaders, staff, equity consultants, and the Board. We have posted this statement as approved by our Board of Directors on our website. Please read our statement below and join us in this important system-building work.

Equity statement
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) promotes equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion, which are woven through our mission, values, and principles. We stand against racism in all of its forms. Ready Ready will work with our community to address the structural inequities that drive disparate child and family outcomes and work towards an environment where equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion are core values. When we are working to address these structural inequities, Ready Ready will be bold in our actions.

When Guilford County Black and Indigenous children and families of color (BIPOC) feel welcomed, heard, respected, safe, supported, and valued, all of our community and our society benefit.

By Stephanie Skordas, Director of Marketing and Communications

It’s never too early to start making the brain connections children need for their healthy development. In the first three years of life, more than one million neural connections are formed every second. That makes early childhood a critical time for learning.

To help families prepare their preschoolers for school and for life, Guilford Parent Academy (GPA) and Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) have teamed up for three virtual literacy workshops. Ready Ready’s Family Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre will guide attendees through The Basics Guilford — five science-based, easy and powerful strategies to help ensure every child has a great start to life.

This early learning is experienced in a give and take or “serve and return” relationship between a child and their parents or caregivers. You can use The Basics at home, while running errands, or on a walk — wherever you happen to be.

The three-part series will be held online.

• The Basics Guilford: Attendees will take a tour through the Guilford Basics tools and learn how to support brain development growth from birth.
  • September 8, 2021 — noon to 1 p.m.
• Living the Basics: This session provides different ways families can use the Basics, such as in the grocery store, at the laundromat, and even just walking down the street.
  • September 15, 2021 — 6 – 7 p.m.
• The ABCs of Active Reading: Active Reading is a simple tool to make reading fun and interactive for children. The shared reading experience of Active Reading helps children’s minds expand beyond the pages of the books and help them in all academic areas.
  • September 22 — 6 – 7 p.m.

To register for any or all sessions, visit https://bit.ly/3gwp0Nx. A link to join the virtual sessions will be sent via email after registration. To learn more about this series or other GPA offerings, visit www.gcsnc.com, email parentacademy@gcsnc.com or call 336.279.4924.

To learn more about The Basics Guilford, please contact Ready Ready Family Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre at meganl@getreadyguilford.org.