Early Literacy Events & Programs

We Connect Parents and Children with the Foundations and Love of Reading

ELC literacy outreach volunteers proudly displaying the artwork the children created during the Meet the Masters Arts Program at Presbyterian Day School in St. Augustine.

You are your child’s first teacher, but it doesn’t have to be difficult and we are here to help!

As a parent juggling a job, house work and child raising it can be hard to find the time to work on your child’s development. Remember that even 10 or 15 minutes of quality time each day has a long and lasting impact on the development of your child. You are their first teacher, after all!

Our goal is to help children get ready to read through storytelling, events and sharing early learning tips with caregivers. The Coalition offers the following resources for North Florida (Baker, Bradford, Clay, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns Counties) which includes:

Literacy Events

ELC Volunteer  Sandi Dunnavant, Mother Goose and ELC volunteer Bonnie Nachino.

Literacy Programs & Volunteer Opportunities

  • Reading Pals – Links child care providers with community volunteers who read to children for Clay County only.
  • Read for the Record – Participate in the national JumpStart reading campaign every October to beat the world record of having kids being read the same book at the same time.
  • Themed Story-Time Programs – Quality themed literacy programs are put on throughout the year in pre-school classrooms.  The programs include an interactive story time followed by a time of activities that go along with the theme. Each child receives a free book relating to the theme and the teacher receives a resource packet for their classroom. Themes include:  Space, Mother Goose and Rhyming, Meet the Masters of the Arts, Insects, Eric Carle’s World of Colors and more.
  • Children’s Movement Simultaneous Reading Event – Participate every January in a state-wide simultaneous reading event sponsored by the Children’s Movement of Florida.
  • Dr. Seuss Week – During the first week in March in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday programs are put on in at least 8-10 pre-schools.  There is a story time with a special visit by the “Cat in the Hat” and an activity time centered on several popular Dr. Seuss books.  Each child receives a FREE Dr. Seuss book and the classroom receives a whole set of his books for their classroom.

Reading Resources

For more literacy or volunteer info, call 904-342-2267 or email [email protected].

 

Sponsorship by the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida and the state of Florida, Division of Early Learning.

Early Learning Coalition of North Florida

Any donations received that are not designated or restricted will be handled as unrestricted funds.

Thank you for visiting.

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Mission & Vision

Vision: Coordinate services that allow children to enter kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.

Mission: To serve parents, caregivers and educators of children ages birth to pre-kindergarten by managing and evaluating early child care and early education programs through a quality school readiness delivery system in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Nassau, Putnam & St. Johns Counties.

United Way Division of Early Learning

Providers

The Early Learning Coalition of North Florida supports potential and current providers through Episcopal Children’s Services, the ELC’s contracted primary service provider. Episcopal Children’s Services is available to offer information about starting a new child care business (including directing to DCF for licensing) and enhancing your program. Episcopal Children’s Services is eager to assist providers with Contracting with the Coalition and with questions about the VPK and School Readiness programs. Please contact Episcopal Children’s Services’ “Provider Contract Services Department” located at 8443 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville by calling 904-726-1500, extension 7054.