Blog Archives

You Are Not Alone: Dawson County’s Early Childhood Professional Learning Series Provides Reassurance and Resolve for Motivated Staff

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Many professionals, especially those who work in early childhood education and care, but also teachers of every age tend to shoulder a tremendous amount of responsibility. You walk into a classroom, make decisions, then hope that you did the right things. The truth is, no matter how skilled, every talented professional will occasionally feel alone or overwhelmed. These are the moments when the Early Childhood Professional Learning Series can help. Read more about early care providers Arlie Herrick and Dee Coble’s experiences in participating in the Series.

Rachel Pierce Attends Rooted in Relationships’ Training to Support the Next Generation of Thriving Children

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Nebraska childcare providers are making headlines. Today, we bring you a success story from Buffalo County’s Rooted in Relationships initiative and a provider named Rachel Pierce, the owner of Creative Kids Child Care. Today, Rachel will share the benefits and perks of being part of Rooted in Relationships (Rooted), which is one of the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Early Childhood initiatives. 

Ripple Effect: Sixpence, Alliance Families, and Public Schools Create Positive Change

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Alliance, Nebraska’s Sixpence is glad to share a story of a young family’s success. The family started off dealing with some struggles. The father had grappled with a drug addiction, had been incarcerated, and had a child from a previous marriage with whom he’d not had a relationship during her early years. How did his strength, resiliency, resolve, and a little help from Sixpence support him in his positive transformation? Read more.

Graduation: A Young Parent Shares How Her Efforts and Sixpence Helped Her Enter the Next Phase

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

From the recipient of Sixpence home visits to becoming a young mom, then a home visitor, read Yesenia’s uplifting story.

Ready, Set, Rosie: Lexington’s Early Learning Academy is Off to the Races Building Family-School Partnerships

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

“I love it because I understand that Mateo will integrate quickly and his academic level will progress much more quickly,” one Spanish-speaking parent comments on Ready Rosie’s educational videos for families.

The former retail space that houses the Early Learning Academy (ELA) in Lexington, Nebraska, may seem like an unusual setting for innovation in early childhood education, but this preschool program that serves children 3 to 5 years old houses such proactive initiatives as an early intervention program for special needs students and a migrant community classroom to serve English language learners.

A Young Mother, Fremont Public Schools, and Sixpence Make the Impossible POSSIBLE

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

our years ago, a frightened, pregnant 16-year-old walked through Fremont Sixpence’s doors. In addition to being scared, the young woman was disconnected from her relatives. Read about how this young mother's resolve and Fremont Sixpence helped her to push through difficulties and into her own triumphant light.

Four years ago, a frightened, pregnant 16-year-old walked through Fremont Sixpence’s doors. Lauren said that in addition to being scared, the young woman was disconnected from her relatives.

Read about how this young mother’s resolve and Fremont Sixpence helped her to push through difficulties and into her own triumphant light.

Sixpence Home Visits: A Columbus, Nebraska Family Shares Their Takeaways

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Most of us have probably sung the Song of Sixpence. It’s a strange little nursery rhyme, one with strikingly original opening lyrics we loved as children. Blackbirds fly out of a pie that is set before the king.

For a child to be heard and create his or her own melody in the world, we need to begin to support them early in life. From the ages of birth through three, a child’s brain is a fertile ground that establishes neural connections at a dizzying rate. Therefore, parents and caregivers can help set their children’s foundation up for the formation of these valuable connections. There are a few ways that Sixpence can help.

Read more to learn about Jamie Leach’s Sixpence takeaways.

Out with Time-Out; In with Time-Ins: How the Grand Island YWCA Develops Healthy Social-Emotional Relationships

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Any well-meaning parent or caregiver may think that when they put a child in time out, the child’s negative reaction and acknowledgment of her misbehavior means she is well-aware of what she did wrong, has accepted her punishment, and has taken back her behavior. When lacking an alternative, we generally enact disciplinary measures that we have been raised with and know best, but Time-Outs aren’t always effective. As part of the Rooted, Jana and her team have attended trainings that teach them evidence-based, Pyramid Model strategies that help build relationships between the children and their caregivers while at the same time decreasing challenging behavior.

Something Old, Something New, and a Sixpence for Her Shoe: Sixpence Comes to Families’ Homes

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Established in 2006, the Sixpence Early Learning Fund supports infants and toddlers to ensure that they’re developmentally ready for kindergarten. Sixpence administers three types of grants: Center-based care, family engagement home-based services, and a combination of family engagement and center-based care. Today, Rebecca and Troy Swindell share their Sixpence home visitation takeaways!

Shooting for Success: Sixpence and Broken Bow Hit the Bull’s Eye 

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Sixpence Early Learning Fund, one of our Early Childhood initiatives, is dedicated to helping our state’s most vulnerable infants and toddlers during these precious early years. Today, a Broken Bow family shared their takeaways from going more than eight years strong with Sixpence home visits!