News

SSFC in the Media

Giving Kids a Better Start...

A part of the $22.7 million in federal COVID relief funds that commissioners awarded last month, the grant marks the first time the county has given public money in support of the Pre-K Priority, a coalition of more than 80 pre-K leaders and advocates working to improve school readiness among local 4-year-olds for the last several years.

Forsyth Commissioners Approved First Public Investment for Pre-K Priority

The grant funding will go to Smart Start of Forsyth County, which will partner with many organizations in the Pre-K Priority for various efforts.

Forsyth Woman & Forsyth Family Features

Research shows that high-quality, early learning through Pre-K better prepares children for kindergarten, increases test scores, and results in higher graduation rates and college attendance. So, why is access to affordable, quality Pre-K not a priority in Forsyth County? Well, now IT IS, thanks to the efforts of The Pre-K Priority, a collaborative of over 80 local early childhood education leaders and advocates.

Have you heard about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and its impact in Forsyth County? Over 13,000 kids in Forsyth County receive its FREE books every month in the mail! That is 60% of the kids that are eligible for this program!

Each month, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) provides an age-appropriate book (in Spanish or English) for each registered child in Forsyth County, absolutely free to the family. This program is locally managed by Smart Start of Forsyth County (SSFC).

The importance of early childhood education cannot be overstated. Early childhood education sets the foundation for a child’s future development, providing a strong base for lifelong learning, and also helps the child with cognitive and social development that is crucial to a strong future. As a community, we have to understand the importance of this crucial education to our children in our community. Early education is often overlooked and the early learning educators are frequently treated like babysitters at a daycare facility.