Edward Street

Happy National Celebrate Babies Week! This week, let’s honor the joy, wonder, and potential that every little one brings to our lives. Join us in celebrating the magic of babies and all the love they inspire! 💖 Check out how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/dZTt_bs9

Check out this innovation to learn from! Friends Center for the Children in New Haven, CT, has developed the first in the nation Teacher Housing Initiative to attract and retain early educators and spur generational wealth building. Watch a recent webinar on Investing in the Infrastructure of Early Care and Education with Executive Director, Allyx Schiavone. What could be possible in Worcester? Visit https://lnkd.in/epm9ZEVq to listen to the full recording or https://lnkd.in/euQZDepy for a summary.

On November 5, exercise your constitutional right to vote to show your support for Worcester early education and care programs and initiatives. Read on to learn more about the upcoming election, how to put children front and center as you evaluate candidates, and how to register to vote: https://lnkd.in/eN_WUKzS #massachusettselection #electionday #everyvotecounts #voting #election #massachusetts #mass #education #earlyeducation

Last month, Edward Street hosted our 13th Annual Day of Play Family Festival at Worcester's Elm Park. Featuring more than 60 activities and main stage performances, our Day of Play focused on teaching children essential life skills, Read on to learn more about our Day of Play: https://lnkd.in/ddYNK8sY

Congratulations to Leslie Baker and the Family Services of Central MA team for leading central and western MA in early childhood apprenticeship programming. Supporting early educators entering the field is critical.

Thank you to everyone who advocated for the inclusion of Early Childhood. Your voice matters! The City of Worcester released the final version Strategic Plan for FY 25-29, including a new plan including specific support for early child childhood. The new plan includes (under Public Health and Safety, Objective 1 #8) Supporting the development, prioritization and implementation of a city-wide Early Childhood Plan. Read the Municipal Strategic Plan here: https://lnkd.in/enu8CjEN

Childcare is getting attention in Congress. The bills —the Child Care Infrastructure Act and the Child Care Workforce Development Act — promise to improve child care access and affordability. Read more below. 

Do you have questions about ballot question #2 regarding MCAS as a graduation requirement? The Worcester Education Collaborative has shared a helpful review of both perspectives on Youtube. Grab the link below and be informed before heading to the polls on November 5th. 

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated the power of play with us at the 2024 Day of Play Family Festival! Please enjoy some of the wonderful photos captured of our play adventures at Elm Park. From our entertaining performers to dedicated volunteers to playful participants, we are so grateful that we got the chance to see and make memories with you all! #dayofplay #dayofplayworcester #edwardstreet #worcesterevents #worcesterkids #worcesterfamilies #worcesterchildren #playoutside #outsideactivities #massachusetts

Your vote matters! Together, we can elevate the importance of early childhood education and educators throughout the election season by educating ourselves on candidates' positions on the issues impacting child care and early learning, engaging with candidates at all levels to lift up the needs of educators, young children and families, and making a plan to vote on or before Election Day, November 5. Register to vote, check your voter registration status and discover what's on your ballot by visiting https://lnkd.in/gXudB-Wv.