Please join us in celebration at our annual fundraiser Raising Forsyth!

Register using the button below.

SSFC Hosted a Town Hall on March 27

Smart Start of Forsyth County (SSFC) hosted a Town Hall event to discuss the early childcare landscape with our community. Thank you so much to our panelists for their vivid discussion and care for our community (from left to right):

• Dr. Louis Finney, Jr., SSFC CEO
• Pastor Tembila Covington, SSFC Board Chair
• Sherita Sutton, Public Health Assistant Director
• Alloyia Sims, EnrichKids Academy Executive Director
• Tricia McManus, WS/FCS Schools Superintendent
• Shantele Williams, Social Services Division Director
• Traci Ross, Family Services CEO
• Dr. Paula Wilkins, Forsyth County School District
• Dr. Herbert Miller II, Reverend of Emmanuel Baptist Church



A special thank you to the team at Emmanuel Baptist Church for being such lovely hosts!

 Together, we can Build Bright Futures!

We at Smart Start of Forsyth County (SSFC) are on a mission to make a positive impact throughout our city. From registering children for scholarships to implementing vital County and City initiatives, and even selecting sites for next year's NC-PreK program, our team is hard at work. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Over the past few years, SSFC has undergone significant internal transformation. Since 2020, our team has grown from 17 to 36 talented professionals. But it's not just about numbers; we've expanded and refined our programming, introducing initiatives like Parent and Family Engagement, ROOT’s, M.A.L.E. initiatives, Childcare Health Services, and many more. We've also navigated challenges such as COVID-19 and childcare workforce issues, adapting our strategies to meet the evolving needs of our communities.

As we continue to evolve, one of our key goals this year is to focus on internal consistency and stability. It's essential for us to build a highly functional and capable team in an environment that is both consistent and stable, yet adaptive and agile. By investing in our people and infrastructure, promoting ongoing professional development, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and actively seeking feedback from our team, we aim to strengthen our organization and lead the way in our community's early childhood landscape.

We're thrilled to sustain and deepen our partnerships with you as we adapt and improve our services for children and families across Forsyth County. Your ongoing support for SSFC not only helps us achieve our mission but also underscores the invaluable contributions of every individual and team within our organization. Together, we're making a real difference. Thank you for being part of our journey!

Sincerely,

Dr. Louis Finney

The Week of the Young Child is an annual event that takes place in April and is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. This event celebrates early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. This year, the Week of the Young Child is scheduled for April 6th to April 12th, 2024.

Tuesday 4/16/24 | 6:30-8:00

Tuesday 4/23/24 | 6:30-8:00

Tuesday 4/30/24 | 6:30-8:00

Tuesday 5/7/24 | 4:00-8:00

Tuesday 5/14/24 | 6:30-8:00

Tuesday 5/21/24 | 6:00-8:00

Creating Exciting Outdoor Environments

Stress Management and Burnout

Room Arrangement

Playground Safety

Self-Care

ITS-SID

Please note the SSFC registration system is temporarily offline due to a system issue we are working to correct. To register for the above sessions please email: Susan Smith, our TLS Manager (susans@smartstart-fc.org). When sending the email indicate the name of the training in the subject line. If registering more than one person include each individual's name and email address in your message. 

“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams.”

-Dolly Parton

Through Smart Start of Forsyth County, the Imagination Library has served over 28,000 children in Forsyth County alone, but we are at capacity and need your help. Please advocate for this program so more of Forsyth County’s children can enjoy the free gift of literacy.

This program is free for children from birth to Kindergarten and supplies participants with age-appropriate books. From a young age, exposure to literacy is vital for later understanding of language and other studies.

To assist, please drop off or mail a signed copy of the letter linked below at:



Smart Start of Forsyth County

7820 North Point Boulevard

Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library:

Story Spotlight

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children around the world. Imagination Library books are specially selected age-appropriate, high-quality titles. These books are delivered to registered children each month from birth to age five. Each one is personalized with the child’s name and mailed directly to the child’s home. This effort creates a gifting experience making books exciting and shows the child someone is thinking of them. The Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee selects several bilingual English/Spanish titles each year.

The first book a child receives is “The Little Engine That Could™” (customized version). The month a child turns five years old, they will receive “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” (customized version).

Choosing a childcare program is one of the most important early decisions you’ll make for your child. This Childcare Guide can help you with that decision. The ongoing Family Childcare Scholarship Program provides childcare scholarships to qualifying families residing in Forsyth County. Eligibility is based on income guidelines identical to the Forsyth County Dept. of Social Services. Childcare scholarships are available for children from birth through the start of kindergarten. All families that apply in February, March, and April will be placed on a waitlist due to funding. 

The application for the Family Childcare Scholarship Program is on the SchoolMint platform. Parents will need to choose the 2023-24 application through April 30th. If you have not created an account for SchoolMint you must first create your account and follow the guided steps. 

Parent requirements are as follows:

• Working 25 hours per week,

• Attending school full-time, Or

• A combination of working and attending school for a total of 25 hours per week.

We will not be taking any applications from May 1st-May 17th. On May 20th, the application for the 2024-25 fiscal year which starts July 1, 2024 will be available on SchoolMint. 

Family engagement is also promoted through the Family Childcare Scholarship Program. Our team is prepared to promote healthy relationships between childcare providers, families, and their children by establishing positive and goal-oriented relationships to ensure family well-being.

If our subsidy program can be of service to you or your family, please contact us via email, and we would love to work with you.

Sherri Jones

Family Intake Manager

Programs Department

sherrij@smartstart-fc.org

Story Time

For 2024, Smart Start of Forsyth County resolves to help get more children excited about books. Child care centers and family child care homes in Forsyth County can receive visits from Tim Campbell, local actor and early childhood professional, to come out to their classrooms with an age-appropriate book and a related activity. Watch Tim model effective strategies for reading to young children while he delights the children in your classroom with his larger-than-life storytelling.

Books and activities related to a variety of themes and topic areas are available. For more information, contact Tim at timothyc@smartstart-fc.org, or by calling 336-725-6011 and asking to speak with Tim. We look forward to sharing Story Time with you!

Content from: https://www.safekids.org/other-resource/pool-safety-poster

www.SmartStart-FC.org