|
Why was the Collaborative Created?
What is Yale's School of the 21st Century Model?
What is the Collaborative's Name?
What is Rockland 21C?
What sectors are actively engaged in the Collaborative?
What age child does Rockland 21C focus on?
Does Rockland 21C run programs?
Does Rockland 21C have established priorities?
What are the results of the Collaborative's efforts so far?
How can people or organizations get involved in Rockland 21C?
How can someone contact Rockland 21C with questions, program or funding ideas, donations, etc.?
Why was the Collaborative Created?
Upon hearing Dr. Edward Zigler of Yale’s Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy describe his “School of the 21st Century” at a Unified Services Conference in 1995, Harriet Cornell invited several community leaders to join her in exploring the model further. They agreed that this approach could be extremely beneficial to the children of Rockland County because it took into consideration the needs of two-parent working families and single families as well as the developmental needs of children from birth through age 14 and their extraordinary potential for early brain development; responded to the need for collaboration among community resources; and recognized the challenges schools had in reaching new state standards and the need for parents to increase their involvement in their child’s education   .
What is Yale’s School of the 21st Century Model?
The School of the 21st Century (21C) is a type of community school where the needs of young children are emphasized. A Family Resource Center coordinates school-based and school-linked preschool programs, after-school programs and family support services that are designed to promote the optimal growth and development of children beginning at birth. 21C transforms the traditional school into a year-round, multi-service center providing high quality, accessible services from early morning to early evening. Core services are: guidance and support for new parents and parents of school-age children, preschool programs, before and after school programs for school-age children, health education and related services, and information and referral services. Yale provided technical assistance to many Rockland elementary schools committed to the “School of the 21st Century” model.
What is the Collaborative’s name?
Rockland 21st Century Collaborative for Children and Youth.
Rockland 21C for short.
Top
What is Rockland 21C?
We are a pioneering Countywide partnership with children as our priority. Our mission is to ensure the best possible future for every child by building a comprehensive support system that links family, school and community. The bulk of our resources are utilized in supporting and sustaining the growing network of community schools in Rockland that are guided by the “School of the 21st Century” model.
Top
What sectors are actively engaged in the Collaborative?
All Rockland School Districts, Municipal and County Government, Early Education and Care Programs, Out-of-School Time Programs, Youth Development and Recreation Programs, Higher Education, Social Service Organizations, Health and Mental Health Organizations, Youth, Parents, Business, Faith Communities, Libraries, Law Enforcement, and programs serving children with special needs. We are eager to include all interested sectors.
Top
What age child does Rockland 21C focus on?
Rockland 21C is committed to children from birth to age 21 and we have Action Plans which address all those years. However, most of our current efforts are related to children from birth through age 12.
Top
Does Rockland 21C run programs?
No. Rockland 21C acts as a facilitator, convener, broker, catalyst, communicator, educator, resource development expert, and technical assistance provider to its Partners and Teams.
Top
Does Rockland 21C have established priorities?
Rockland 21C has focused the bulk of its resources on developing and sustaining over 20 school-based Family Resource Centers. Many school districts have asked us to help their FRCs reach young children and their families to ensure school readiness. We are currently helping many of these schools establish Home Visiting programs using the evidence-based early literacy model, Parent Child Home. We are also actively engaged in bringing partners together to achieve outcomes they could not achieve alone. For example, the Higher Education-School Age Care Task Force links college students with school age care programs and has helped secure staffing for two new school-based school age care programs at 21C schools.
Top
What are the results of the Collaborative’s efforts so far?
21C Schools
Eight Rockland School Districts have established 21C Schools with Family Resource Centers based on the Yale model: BOCES-BERC Campus serving all BOCES students; Clarkstown — The Clarkstown Family Resource Center Partnership administers Family Resource Centers at Bardonia Elementary, Congers Elementary, Lakewood Elementary, Link Elementary, Little Tor Elementary, New City Elementary, Strawtown Elementary, West Nyack Elementary; East Ramapo — Colton Elementary, Elmwood Elementary, Eldorado Elementary, Fleetwood Elementary, Grandview Elementary, Hempstead Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Lime Kiln Elementary,Margetts Elementary, Summit Park Elementary; Nanuet — George Miller School, Highview Elementary, McArthur Barr Middle School; North Rockland — Gerald Neary Elementary, West Haverstraw Elementary; Nyack — Liberty Elementary, Upper Nyack Elementary, Valley Cottage Elementary; Ramapo Central — R.P. Connor Elementary, Sloatsburg Elementary; South Orangetown — Old Palisades School serving all district preschoolers.
Plans to establish Family Resource Centers are underway in other locations as well.
Top
Strategic Plan
During 1998 and 1999 over 150 volunteers worked on a strategic planning process under the leadership of the Cambridge Group. That process led to 50 Action Plans in six strategic categories approved by a 33 member Strategic Planning Group representing most sectors and communities. Those plans are being implemented by 21C Teams and other community groups.
Top
Comprehensive Information and Referral System
Representatives from many sectors came together to plan a comprehensive information and referral system. The group determined the technology and software for the system, the components, the expertise available to engineer start-up, the budget, and the scope. Like many 21C efforts, this initiative benefited from the strong interest of a key partner or group of partners. Integrated County Planning (Rockland CARES) played a key role in advancing this effort and is now moving the initiative forward with the help of advisors from all sectors of the community.
Top
Early Education and Care
This team embarked upon several research and needs assessment projects which will enable Rockland 21C and its partners to better address the needs of families with young children. Under the leadership of Child Care Resources of Rockland, the team studied the various models of Home Visiting and the model’s proven track record in helping all families maximize the cognitive, emotional and social development of their children. The results of this study were used to advise partners in establishing and expanding Home Visiting programs, in accessing grants for funding Home Visiting, and in developing mechanisms to ensure that all Home Visiting programs in Rockland are part of a common network.
This Team also studied the extent of parent support programs available for families with children age five and under in Rockland County. The Team sought to prepare a list of community resources and phone numbers for new parents; and search out companies/organizations to fund production of booklets and materials. That information was important to the 21C FRCs as they sought to fill existing gaps in service and establish a broad information and referral network. Child Care Resources of Rockland and several other partners played a key role in advancing this effort, establishing a grass roots initiative program called the Better Baby Care Campaign of Rockland County, which provides support to new parents/caregivers through a variety of mechanisms.
Top
Family Resource Centers
In addition to accessing start-up funds so Family Resource Centers could hire staff and purchase vital equipment and resources, this team met regularly to share best practices, link with community programs eager to provide their services through school and community based Family Resource Centers, visit model programs, and seek mechanisms to increase the sustainability of their programs. It evolved into the FRC Peer Network, key to peer support for Family Resource Center Coordinators as they build FRCs in their respective locations.
Top
Out of School Time
Intent upon increasing the quality of school age care, this Team is working collaboratively with the Rockland Institute for School Age Care to achieve accreditation in specific programs. Also, this Team piloted an Artist-in-Residence program in the out-of-school time in an effort to provide children in school age care with an extensive and challenging arts immersion. They also recommended that the Higher Education School Age Care Task Force be created to address critical staffing shortages in school age care programs.
Top
Children in Trouble
Recognizing that despite a concerted effort to achieve the optimal development of all children some children and youth will face serious barriers to success, this Team worked on reducing gaps in service and support for youth at risk of academic and social problems. They piloted mentoring programs and helped to establish a shelter for homeless and runaway youth. Members of this team have taken on key roles in other 21C initiatives addressing the needs of older at-risk youth.
Top
Professional Development
Recognizing that it is staff quality and commitment that has the largest impact on outcomes for children and youth, this Team surveyed the ways child-centered staff in all sectors can benefit from existing professional development resources. They are also determining what professional development needs are not easily available and how they may be delivered to several sectors simultaneously. While child/youth centered professionals must address specialized areas in the field in specific ways, there is great value in their learning together and from each other when they have common needs and experience. As a result of this networking effort, institutions which typically conduct professional development opportunities for a specific target audience are working together to bring audiences together, or to expose one audience to the complementary needs of colleagues outside their specific professional silo.
Top
Symposia
Six Annual Symposia have been held: Transition from Pre-school to Kindergarten, School-Age Child Care, Family Resource Centers, Resiliency, Celebrating Five Years, and Collaboration. The goal of each Symposium was to convene a cross section of child-centered professionals in a learning experience that would build a comprehensive support system to ensure the best possible future for every child.
Top
How can people or organizations become involved in Rockland 21C?
If you are an individual, or a public, non-profit or for-profit organization, interested in issues related to children and youth in Rockland, and are not yet involved in Rockland 21C in an active way, Contact Us. We are dedicated to maximizing the rich array of assets our community offers by linking potential collaborators together in school, community and County initiatives as well as in our growing 21C Board Committee structure, Task Forces and Teams.
Top
If you are an individual who wants to play a volunteer role in Rockland 21C, there are a variety of interesting and important opportunities. If you have experience in technology, communications, program development, resource development, database management, or professional development, and are able to work independently, we may have a project for you that you will find rewarding. You could also work with one of the school-based Family Resource Centers in a clerical or programming capacity. Contact Us for further information.
Top
How can someone contact Rockland 21C with questions, program or funding ideas, donations, etc.?
Contact Us to communicate your questions or ideas.
Top
|
