Blog Archives

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

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

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

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Posted in Cradle to career, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, News and Events

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

“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.

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Posted in Cradle to career, Early Childhood, News and Events

Early and New Beginnings: Boone County and C4K Break Ground for Boone Beginnings Early Childhood and Family Development Center

In 2015, when Boone County, Nebraska was considering plans to address their childcare shortage, Jay Wolf, and other Boone County Foundation Fund (BCFF) core team members, said, “We know we have a childcare shortage; we need solutions, but we’re not interested in building a center.” Five years later, the team broke ground for Boone Beginnings, their early care center. So, how did this happen? Read on.

In 2015, when Boone County, Nebraska was considering plans to address their childcare shortage, Jay Wolf, and other Boone County Foundation Fund (BCFF) core team members, said, “We know we have a childcare shortage; we need solutions, but we’re not interested in building a center.”

Five years later, the team broke ground for Boone Beginnings, their early care center.

So, how did this happen? Read on.

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

Coming into Full Bloom: Cherry Park Creative Corner LLC’s Director, Shannon Crosby, Shares Sixpence CCP Takeaways

Although life and the weather are ever-changing, quality childcare and education are a constant need. To do this, we need Early Childhood initiatives like Sixpence Child Care Partnerships (Sixpence CCP). Early care and education professionals have a short but crucial time to help young lives bloom. We and Sixpence CCP can help.  Read more about Shannon Crosby, the director of Cherry Park Creative Corner, LL, and her Sixpence Child Care Partnership.

Although life and the weather are ever-changing, quality childcare and education is a constant need. To do this, we need Early Childhood initiatives like Sixpence Child Care Partnerships (Sixpence CCP). Early care and education professionals have a short but crucial time to help young lives bloom. We and Sixpence CCP can help.  Read more about Shannon Crosby, the director of Cherry Park Creative Corner, LL, and her Sixpence Child Care Partnership.

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

The Teaching Tree: Sixpence CCP and Stephanie Allen Grow the Good Life for Toddlers

For a sapling to thrive and to grow into one of the majestic oaks we see today, first it must be rooted deeply within the ground. The same applies to children's early years. Sixpence, one of our early childhood initiatives, focuses on setting infants and toddlers up for success during those first three years of their life. Read our latest blog, which features an interview with Stephanie Allen, who tells us all about her takeaways from collaborating with Sixpence CCP.

For a sapling to thrive and to grow into one of the majestic oaks we see today, first it must be rooted deeply within the ground. The same applies to children’s early years. Sixpence, one of our early childhood initiatives, focuses on setting infants and toddlers up for success during those first three years of their life.

Read our latest blog, which features an interview with Stephanie Allen, who tells us all about her takeaways from collaborating with Sixpence CCP.

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

Quality Childcare Near You: Sixpence CCP Teams Up with Hastings Public Schools and Stoney’s Childcare Center

Stoney Straatmann (above middle), a licensed childcare provider, talks about how Sixpence CCP has benefited her.

Today, we asked Stoney Straatmann, a licensed childcare provider and one of Sixpence Child Care Partnership Programs (Sixpence CCP) from Hastings, Nebraska to talk about her experiences and benefits of the partnership. Before we speak with Stoney, we’d like to explain how Sixpence and its Child Care Partnerships work together.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Brainchildren: McCook Communities for Kids’ Meeting-of-the-Minds Increases Childcare and Community

When childcare’s future looks cloudy, McCook’s Communities for Kids brainstorms and creates a silver lining by collecting families’ responses through an in-depth survey and creating a childcare incentives program! Read about how the team forged quality care incentives to improve the presence of their community’s childcare programs and providers.

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

Nebraska Children Teams Up with Matt Talbot Kitchen and Partners to Provide Housing for Homeless

We are excited to be part of some incredible community-based efforts, particularly when we teamed up with Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach and partners' efforts to provide housing for the homeless.

We are excited to be part of some incredible community-based efforts, particularly Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach’s recent ones to provide housing for the homeless. Throughout these last few months, we can’t deny the pandemic’s gravity or community accomplishments to help families thrive. As the saying goes, if it

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Posted in News and Events

Childcare Provider Spotlight: Roxann Bihlmaier, Director of Kinder Haus Child Center, Talks about COVID-19’s Impact

Roxann Bihlmaier, the Director of Kinder Haus Child Center in Eustis, shares how the pandemic has impacted her program.

Although many professions, from retail to bartending to hospitality, have felt COVID-19’s impact, there is one, essential part of our workforce whose efforts occasionally remain unsung: our early care and education providers.

We realize, who better then, to speak to the struggles and hopes childcare providers face than a provider herself? Today, Roxann Bihlmaier, the Director of Kinder Haus Child Center in Eustis, Nebraska, is that person. Although every childcare provider’s story is unique, their hardships, hopes, and fears are all very real. Let us allow Roxann to tell us her story.

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

Nebraska Reopens…Along with Early Care and Education Programs: Chantel Tonkinson Shares Her New Beginning

Children at Chantel Tonkinson's early care facility, Ladybug Crossing, create Easter projects.

Our early care providers are strategizing, struggling, and helping – even amid this potentially fatal illness. We are glad to hear and share their stories. It is undeniable that early care workers have been duly impacted by COVID-19. It is, however, equally undeniable that this demographic has proven itself to be hard-working, resilient, and resourceful.

As we spoke with Chantel Tonkinson, the director of Ladybug Crossing Early Learning Program in North Platte, Nebraska, our vision of a brighter future and eventual new beginning sharpened into focus. She is reopening Ladybug Crossing on May 11!

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Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events
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