First Steps Business Alliance
School Readiness is everyone’s business
The First Steps Business Alliance, an initiative of the Rochester Area Foundation, is our business leaders’ commitment to economic growth through community-wide action and investment in early childhood. As a partner and co-founder of the alliance, the Chamber Foundation is dedicated to First Steps and its mission to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth by investing in children and families today.
Growing tomorrow’s Workforce Today
Our workforce is getting older. Who is going to replace them as the largest percentage of American workers in the history of our country prepares to retire in the next decade? Studies show that children who lack the skills to succeed in school are more likely to drop out, which results in a poorly skilled workforce, unemployment, and dependence on public resources. With nearly 50% of Minnesota kids arriving at kindergarten unprepared to succeed in school, business leaders must get to work and start investing in tomorrow’s workforce by supporting early childhood development today.
For more information about the First Steps initiative and the Rochester Area Foundation, including how your business can invest and become a member, visit www.rochesterarea.org and www.firststeps.us, respectively.
Website helps parents prepare children for Kindergarten
A group of business leaders developed a website to help parents gauge whether their children are on track for kindergarten - www.isyourchildready.com
The site has a 10-minute quiz designed for parents with questions about their child's development. If the child needs more attention in an area, the website provides links to helpful resources.
Many parents wonder if their child is ready for kindergarten. School readiness is complex. It is more than chronological age or the ability to recite numbers, letters and colors. Here are some questions to think about as you decide if your child is school-ready.
-- Is your child socially ready? Does she trust other adults and children? Can she play in a group?
-- Is your child emotionally ready? Does she have some degree of independence and self-direction? Does she have self-control; is she able to wait when there is a delay?
-- Does your child have the language skills she'll need? Can she understand directions? Is she able to express her needs to adults and other children?
-- Is your child physically ready? Can she dress, eat, and toilet herself? Can she manipulate small objects? Can she copy simple line drawings and hold a pencil properly?
-- Is your child intellectually ready? Is she able to focus and concentrate on an activity for 10 to 15 minutes? Does she understand that letters stand for something? Can she remember simple routines?
Source: University of Minnesota Extension Services
© 2010 Rochester Chamber of Commerce Foundation
