COLUMBIA CITY – Whitley County Consolidated Schools (WCCS) was awarded a grant from Early Learning Indiana (ELI) through the Early Years Initiative to help strengthen community efforts to support the learning and development of infants and toddlers in Indiana. WCCS was one of 26 organizations receiving a grant.
WCCS was awarded a grant for $500,000 to maximize the critical period of growth and brain development in very young children through the first years of life. The awarded projects totaled $31 million. The award is designed to help Whitley County families support the cognitive, social and physical well-being of infants and toddlers.
In response to the lack of available childcare seats in their community, Whitley County Consolidated Schools received $500,000 to expand from their current school-based employee child care to a community child care program, helping to provide 45 new seats of a mixed-age classroom to help foster relationships, brain development, language, and independence. Funding will be used to secure a facility to meet Indiana’s licensing requirements for childcare facilities.
“The advantage of our local school system fulfilling this need is the partnerships and resources available for training, curriculum development, early detection and intervention, and parent engagement and education. These resources will maximize the critical growth and brain development period in very young children during their first three years of life,” said Rachel Alexander, Whitley County Launchpad Director.
WCCS values students’ growth and knows the first three years are busy creating foundations students will have for the rest of their lives.
“The environment and experiences of a child’s first three years of life substantially influence cognitive, social, emotional and physical development and often affect long-term academic success and quality of life,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are enthusiastic about the potential impact these funded efforts will have on very young children and their families in our state.”
The Early Years Initiative is a three-year effort. WCCS will share more details about the early childcare opportunities as they arise.
“As we look strategically at what our community needs, we know childcare continues to be a topic. WCCS wants to be part of the solution by partnering with our local employers and community by offering daycare needs. We are grateful for the support of Early Learning Indiana as we continue to make strides in the right direction,” said Dr. Laura McDermott, Superintendent of WCCS.
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About Early Learning Indiana
Early Learning Indiana is an expert and trusted voice on early childhood education that works statewide to provide leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services that continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana. Early Learning Indiana operates 11 nationally accredited, high-quality Day Early Learning centers, a network of premier community-based centers used to advance the science of early learning, train the next generation of teachers and leaders, and instill knowledge and skills in the children we serve. Through regional and statewide programs, the organization works to ensure young children are empowered with essential skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more at EarlyLearningIN.org.