Do you have news or an event that promotes early learning in King County? Tell us about it.
Kindergarten enrollment happening now
Do you have a young child about to enter kindergarten? Now is the time to visit your district's Web site to find out about kindergarten open houses and open enrollment for Fall 2008. King County includes 19 school districts: Auburn, Bellevue, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Highline, Issaquah, Kent, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Northshore, Renton, Riverview, Seattle, Shoreline, Snoqualmie Valley, Skykomish, Tahoma, Tukwila, Vashon Island.
January 14 kicks off new legislative session
Last year, the Washington State Legislature made new policies and unprecedented investments in early learning. This year, the legislators will meet for a "short" 60-day session, which means there won't be any major new initiatives as there are during "long" 105-day sessions. We will continue to promote quality early learning opportunities for young children and support for families. You can help by staying informed and voicing your opinions. Consider joining the Children's Alliance for their Have a Heart for Kids Day on January 31.
Honor MLK Day January 21
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday observed each year in the United States on the third Monday, which is a day that falls around King's Jan. 15th birthday. Seattle has one of the largest annual MLK Day celebrations in the U.S. to honor his fight for freedom. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination (April 4, 1968). The holiday presents a great opportunity to educate young children about freedom, racism and injustice. For information about an annual march and rally, visit http://mlkseattle.org/. For volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer Solutions Web site.
Help working families during tax season
Help working families keep more of what they earn and save for the future with United Way's Free Tax Campaign. We provide free tax preparation services to help low income families take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits.
New report from NAEYC released
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has released a report entitled "
Elevating the Field: Using NAEYC Early Childhood Program Accreditation to Support and Reach Higher Quality in Early Childhood Programs." The report highlights strategies that states are using to improve the quality of early childhood programs and, in turn, their early care and education systems. Read a press release about United Way of King County's accreditation project.
Fun activities to share with a kid
ParentMap is a great resource to connect you to happenings around our community—everything from parenting lectures, to holiday festivities, to recommended events, and what you need to know about getting your child ready for school.
Access to health care services for children
Want to know more about the new health care program that covers "all kids," as stated in Senate Bill 5093? Call 1-877-kids-now or visit parenthelp123.org.
Read to kids and make a difference
Do you love to read? Can you make silly sounds and faces? Are you looking for a way to make a difference? One of the best ways to have an impact on our community and children's success in school and life is to be a United Way Volunteer Reader. Find out more about our current volunteer opportunities.
Find the right child care for your child
Child Care Resources helps families find answers to child care questions, such as how to help kids with special needs, where to find affordable child care that is also high quality, and what the difference is between accredited, licensed and other types of child care centers. Learn more at www.childcare.org.
Become an advocate for kids
Learn about the issues that affect Washington's children from The Children's Alliance, a statewide child advocacy organization. United Way of King County also advocates on behalf of children to ensure that our public policy supports families and children so they can thrive. To find out more about what we're doing and how you can get involved, send email to earlylearning@uwkc.org.
To learn about other United Way of King County events, visit our Upcoming Events Web page. For more news related to United Way of King County, Visit our Pressroom.
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