It is late January and there is snow on the ground here in Southington. The days are starting to get warmer, and we are planning for spring events, summer camps and starting kindergarten/preK in the fall.
As of Wednesday, 1/22, the Southington Recreation Department announced that ice skating/ice hockey at Memorial Park and ice fishing at Crescent Lake are now permitted! Parks are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Signs are posted at each location to indicate whether the ice is SAFE or UNSAFE for use. The Highway/Parks Department will be monitoring ice conditions daily and will change the sign(s) as necessary.
The fourth RAPID-CT survey is now open to Connecticut families with children under the age of 6 and focuses on early literacy and your relationship with your child(ren) under age 6.
You can take this survey even if you've already taken any of the first three.
Survey respondents will receive a $10 gift card for completing each survey, which should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.
The survey, which is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, and Urdu, is open through Friday, February 14h at https://tinyurl.com/rapid-eccs1
You are welcome to invite family and friends across Connecticut with children under the age of 6 to also take this survey, but please do not post the link on social media to cut down on the spammers.
If you successfully completed any of the first three surveys, we thank you and you will also be receiving messages directly from the RAPID Survey Project at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood about future surveys. We will be sharing the results of these surveys as we get them.
Registration for preschool and kindergarten for fall of 2025 is underway or starting soon. If you have a child born in 2021 or 2022 who will be attending a part-day, school year-based pre-k program this fall, then don't wait to start looking for a program. These children are part of the Covid baby-boom and so spots will be in short supply.
These two events are for parents/guardians of children heading to kindergarten this fall.
The Kindergarten Registration Information presentation will be held on March 11, 2025, at DePaolo Middle School. with enrollment opening the following day. Check-in starts at 5:30 pm, and the presentation will begin at 6 pm. There is no pre-registration required. The snow date is March 18th.
The Kindergarten Readiness Workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 25th, 2025, at 6:30 pm, check-in starts at 6:15. Pre-registration is required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southington-kindergarten-readiness-workshop-2025-registration-1207900566109
The page: Kindergarten Registration - Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington | ECCS has these details and also has information about registering for parochial schools in town, the Open Choice and Magnet School programs, extended preschools and homeschooling.
It may be winter, but it is time to think about summer camp. There are several State licensed all-day summer camp programs in Southington:
- Camp Korp - pre-k through middle school
- Club SciKidz - pre-k through grade 7
- FAST Camp - grades 1-8. FAST Camp Jr. - not entering 1st grade yet.
- Leadership Martial Arts - ages 5-12
- YMCA Camp Sloper Outdoor Center - pre-k through grade 9
- YMCA Naciwonki Summer Adventures - grades K-6 and Preschool Summer Adventures for age 3-5
Registration is underway or opening soon. Some camps offer early bird discounts. Specialty programs will fill up quickly. All preK campers must be fully potty-trained.
There are also school-based, Recreation Department, and part-time programs and options at some childcare centers.
Learn more in the ECCS Town Resources guide. http://www.southingtonearlychildhood.org/resourcecat/summer-programs-for-kids/
We are hearing from more families who are looking for assistance with a wide variety of issues.
Southington has several agencies that provide Food and Financial Assistance. Some require proof of residency and income levels, but other programs do not.
Available Mental Health services range from urgent/crisis response to in- and out-patient services, to support groups. As Southington's Sr. Community Health Outreach Coordinator, Holly Hansen, LMSW can help answer your questions and refer you to services. She can be reached at 860-604-7448 or hrhansen@wheelerclinic.org.
Our Children's Mental Health in Southington webinar gives a great overview of what is mental health in children, local treatment options, and finding help.
Are you a CT resident over 18 years old who is less than 23 weeks pregnant and has an annual household income of less than $44,000 per year? Apply for The Bridge Project which seeks to eradicate childhood poverty. If you are selected by lottery to join the program, you will be in The Bridge Project for 36 months and will receive up to $750 a month to be used however you see fit with no strings attached.
We hope you will stop by and see us at the ECCS Office Hours at the Southington Public Library in the Children's Department. We picked times that coordinated with these library events.
- Saturday, February 1 from 9 am to 12 pm. This is Take Your Child to the Library Day. Children ages 0-12 and their favorite adults can attend this library extravaganza with Princesses, Superheroes, and a few other surprise special guests. Register for one of two time slots.
- Mid- February TBD
- Tuesday, March 4 from 9 am to 12 pm. Tiny Tots storytime, intended for children 0 to 2 years old with their favorite adult and siblings is at 9:30 and Little Listeners storytime for children ages 3-5 is at 10:30.
Learn more about the library programs and register at https://southington-ct.whofi.com/calendar. You can just stop by the ECCS table during these times.
NEW DATES! The ECCS, Southington Public Library and Southington Public School district are partnering on a 3-night The Anxious Generation Book Discussion on 2/25, 3/12, and 3/24, all at 6:30 pm.
Register for One Book, One Community: The Anxious Generation via the Southington Public Library. You can borrow a copy of The Anxious Generation from the Southington Public Library.
The ECCS will be celebrating our Youth Development Award at the YMCA’s 96th Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration on February 19th, 2025 – 5:30pm at the Aqua Turf. Tickets are available for purchase prior to 2/12 at SCCYMCA.org/RecognitionDinner.
Looking for an evening activity to do with your child? Join LiveWell for Milk, Cookies & Bedtime Tales: an Intergenerational Event. Come dressed in your favorite PJs, bring a stuffy, and enjoy a heartwarming together. This free event is perfect for children ages 6 and under, though older siblings are welcome. Parental supervision is required. This event is Wednesday, January 29th, 6:00 pm -6:45 pm at LiveWell Resilient Living Center | Performance Studio, 1261 South Main St, Plantsville. Registration is required - https://livewell.org/special-events/
The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington has information about How to Advocate on our website, including how to contact elected officials and presentations about how to advocate. This spring we expect the CT Early Childhood Alliance will host their annual Early Childhood Advocacy Day at the State Capital and Childcare for Connecticut’s Future will host a series of “A Morning Without Childcare” rallies.
The CT Early Childhood Alliance is hosting a Storytelling for Advocacy workshop on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at HRA in New Britain. This is a full-day workshop - breakfast and lunch is included, and there will be free childcare available for all registered participants. The ECCS has at least one free pass and can offer a 1/2 off discount to any parents or providers who are interested and then willing to tell their story to legislators. Details are at cteca.org/storytelling. Contact Joanne by 1/30 if you want to take advantage of the ECCS discount.
Applications to participate in the 2025 Parent Leadership Training Institute program are open at locations across the State. This 20-week program covers a civics-based curriculum that aims to empower and educate families in positive community leadership. Learn more at Parent Leadership Training Institute – CT Commission on Women, Children, Seniors and Equitable Access for All.
Parents, grandparents and caregivers can apply for this innovative and life changing journey, which could be a combination of in-person or remote, depending on the host, see application links below:
- Greater Bridgeport area: https://bit.ly/BridgeportPLTI2025
- Greater Danbury area: https://bit.ly/DanburyPLTI2025
- Middlesex County: https://bit.ly/middletownplti2025
- Naugatuck Valley: https://bit.ly/NaugatuckPLTI2025
- Waterbury: bit.ly/3Vzv5gt
- West Hartford and Hartford: https://tinyurl.com/WestHartfordPLTI
- Stamford: https://bit.ly/StamfordPLTI2025
Both of the ECCS Parent Ambassadors graduated from the PLTI program in Naugatuck.
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Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington
PO Box 210
Southington, CT 06489-0210