Savannah Promise Neighborhood (SPN)

Recognizing the critical importance of children (ages 0-5) receiving early childhood development opportunities, the Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority (YFA) made this a fourth priority area for our community. Research has shown that children who receive quality early childhood development are better equipped for school and acquire the necessary social and cognitive developmental skills to increase their success when they begin school. YFA held an Early Childhood Development symposium in April 2009 that featured the founder of the very successful Harlem Children’s Zone, Geoffrey Canada, as the keynote speaker. This symposium represented the first of its kind held in the Chatham-Savannah community.

One of the representatives on the planning oversight committee is the Rotary Club, who also recognized the significance of early childhood education in our community. They had previously created a white paper outlining their research and proposed plan of action to address this need locally. Rotary-Kiwanis Clubs have expressed their full support of YFA assuming the lead and embarking on this initiative.

The initial Rotary-Kiwanis Clubs' Early Childhood Education white paper coompleted in 2010 contains information that will assist the YFA as they continue to craft its white paper to outline a proposal for the entire initiative that will cover ages 0-24. The entire initiative's white paper will be available at a later date.  In 2011, the Savannah Early Childhood Foundation (SECF) was created and received its 510.c.3 designation.  The SECF seeks to implement a plan that: 1) assures all children in the Savannah Promise Neighborhood target area are school ready at school age; 2) ensures that parents of these children will learn about care, nurturing, and the education of their child(ren) starting at birth; and 3) these parents will be better prepared to collaborate with teachers for the furtherance of their child(ren)'s education when they enter school.  In May of 2012, the SECF completed its All Children Ready At School Age Strategic Plan that outlines proposed solutions, a timeline, and a financial plan. In June 2012, a graduation ceremony was held for the parents enrolled in the pilot Early Learning College parent training program.  A second session of this program is planned for this fall.  Refer to the Parent Learning Pilot Report completed in July 2012 for more specific information on this program. 

Having determined that our community needs this type of initiative, the YFA convened a planning oversight committee immediately following the symposium to craft an Early Childhood Development initiative for Savannah, Georgia. We are now referring to this initiative as the Savannah Promise Neighborhood (SPN). This planning oversight committee is comprised of individuals representing key agencies and institutions, human and social service providers, city government, and civic groups that are vested in seeing this initiative become a reality. A target area for the initiative has been determined, as well as the development of a vision and mission statement. The target area will consist of the revised 2010 census tracts: 11, 12, 15, 20, 23, 112 (BG1) and 113.  Preliminary asset mapping work has started to determine the existing resources within the target area.  We propose to start this initiative in Phase-1, which includes census tracts 11 and 20, and gradually expand the work to encompass the entire seven census tracts over years.

Since 2010, two Promise Neighborhood planning grant applications were submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.  Although we have not been awarded a planning grant,  we are relying on the local commitment of our partners to help us launch the SPN initiative in the identified Phase-1 area.  Under the broader SPN, there are key components that are associated with this initiative.  These components consist of the work to establish a school-based health clinic at an elementary school in the Phase-1 area; the Grade Level Reading campaign; the program to increase the number of licensed child care providers through the Child Development Associate program; the Savannah System of Care program; and the IBM Kids Smart grant that awarded Little Tykes computer units for children ages 3-7.

The SPN serves as an over-arching initiative that encompasses other components.  These complementary components include:

 

• Emory University School-Based Health Clinic (planning grant)                                                         

          Access the Focus Groups Final Report #1
          Access the Focus Groups Final Report #2

                 Business Plan                                                                                                                        

• Grade Level Reading Campaign

• Annie E. Casey Foundation Innovation Grant ~ Child Development Associate (CDA) credential

•  Caring Communities ~ Savannah System of Care (SOC)

          Access the SOC Executive Summary
  
          Access the SOC Year-1 Program Evaluation Report

• IBM KidsSmart program & Young Explorer Little Tikes computer units for children ages 3-7

===========================================

A video produced by The Ounce of Prevention Fund does an excellent job of portraying what we are seeking to accomplish at the preventative stage across the Pipeline for the Savannah Promise Neighborhood.  Below is the video entitled

"Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything"

==============================================

Child Development Associate (CDA) program

CDA Graduation Held in November 2011

===============================================

Savannah Early Childhood Foundation Strategic Plan  (May 2012)		Savannah Early Childhood Foundation Parent Learning Pilot Report (July 2012)

Additional information:

• SPN Complementary Components Overview
• Pipeline & Identified Stages
• IBM Young Explorer Little Tikes
• Savannah  Early Childhood Foundation Strategic Plan