NYC DOE Early Childhood Education Volunteers needed

From a friend:

 

The NYC DOE's Office of Early Childhood Education is working with several other city agencies to do an intensive outreach to educate parents and caregivers in high needs neighborhoods about NYC's free pre-kindergarten for four year olds. Each year, thousands of free seats go unfilled, particularly in these high needs communities.

 

More info is below - it's just a three hour time commitment plus a short training in advance. Many of your readers likely know just how critical quality early childhood ed is if we hope to prevent the achievement gap so many thanks for any help in spreading the word. 

 

**********************************

Overview

Participation in a high quality early care and education program stimulates academic, social and emotional learning and helps prepare kids for kindergarten. NYC offers free Pre-Kindergarten for all four year olds, yet many families in high needs communities do not take advantage of this service.

 

Volunteers are needed to assist with outreach efforts to families and community organizations in key neighborhoods across the city Sat Oct 1, Sun Oct 2, and Sun Oct 16.  The Early Childhood Education Steering Committee (ECE), a collaboration between the Mayor's Office, the Department of Education, the Administration for Children's Services, NYC Housing Authority and other city agencies, is coordinating these activities. For the 2011-2012 School Year, the ECE is working to ramp up participation in Early Childhood programs in Brownsville, East Harlem, and Hunts Point (volunteers are still needed this weekend, in particular, on Sunday in East Harlem).

 

3 Hour Volunteer Opportunity

Each day will target a particular community:

* Sat, Oct 1^st  9am - 12 pm Brownsville, Brooklyn        

* Sun, Oct 2^nd  9am - 12pm East Harlem, Manhattan

* Sun, Oct 16^th 9am to 12 pm Hunts Point and surrounding areas, Bronx

 

Volunteers can sign up for one of the following roles - please rank your top choice when responding.

 

Door to Door:  You will be assigned a specific set of addresses to canvas - informing residents directly about Early Childhood programs as well as leaving information for residents who do not answer. Included will also be community organizations in that neighborhood to ensure that they inform their client base.

 

Hub Site:  You will be assigned to a public area (park, playground, subway stop) to distribute information to the general public about Early Childhood programs.

 

Training

All volunteers must attend a training session.

Volunteers can come 30 minutes early (at 8:30am) to their volunteer location OR participate in a 45 minute teleconference at the times listed below :

 

Thursday 9/29 from 10:45 - 11:30 am
Thursday 9/29 from 2:00 - 2:45 pm

Friday 9/30 from 9:30 - 10:15 am

 

If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please email Ojeda Hall by email at ohall3@schools.nyc.gov or call 212-374-3435. Please specify your preference for training and for volunteer role and community.

 

And if you can't attend, please forward this email to any interested friends, family, and colleagues. Thanks!