CT has the widest achievement gap in the U.S. between children from low-income households and their more affluent peers.
For years, educators have recognized that the achievement gap between elementary school students from low-income families and their peers from more affluent families starts years before kids even enter kindergarten. CT is the state with an unenviable ranking as the state with the largest achievement gap in the U.S.
By investing in children, their families and their communities, UWWC believes that we can close the achievement gap before it starts. To achieve this goal, we launched our Strong Start Neighborhood Initiative at Park Avenue School in Danbury and KT Murphy School in Stamford. The mission of these initiatives is to prepare all children in these neighborhoods for success in school, and to engage parents and caregivers in the life of the school communities.
Modeled after the successful Thrive in Five in Boston and Harlem Children’s Zone programs, UWWC’s programs connect families in these at-risk, under resourced neighborhoods to a variety of agencies and support programs with the goal to increase their children’s school readiness skills. One such family shares her experience below in our neighborhood playgroups in Danbury:
Elise decided to stay at home for a while after her son, Quentin, was born. Soon after he started walking, she knew it was important for him to get out of the house, be around other children, and, as she put it “listen to someone other than mom.” Her mother told her about the playgroups conducted by Family Learning Center that are part of UWWC’s Park Avenue Neighborhood Initiative. The playgroups are held on Monday and Thursday mornings in the school cafeteria and on Wednesday mornings at the Danbury Library. She and Quentin started attending when he was 15 months old.
“Whoever designed these playgroups knew their audience,” she says. “The early morning was perfect for our schedule, before naptime. And you can’t beat the price — it’s free.” The group usually starts with open play. Then they work together to clean up, have guided circle time, a small art project, and end with a snack. Elise says this is the perfect way to introduce her toddler to the social interactions and classroom environment that Quentin will encounter in a more formal preschool setting when he gets a little older. “The best thing about it is the structure and the interaction with other children. The group play is a good transition from home to school.” Her experience reinforces the idea that playgroups are about so much more than play. They help children build crucial social skills, teach them how to follow instructions, and expose them to language and literacy activities that are the foundation for learning.
Elise has also benefitted from attending the playgroups. She has brought friends and neighbors with young children to the group, and she learned about other activities in the community for young children. “It opens your eyes to what’s out there for children under five that’s low cost,” she says.
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