Resources

The following links to informational resources are provided for the convenience of parents, family members, childcare providers, caregivers and others interested in learning more about how to enhance the early learning experience for children ages 0-5.

This is categorized by reference topic for convenience. Click on the categories below for more information.

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Parents & Family

Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive!

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! is a coordinated federal effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them.

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! will help families and providers:

Celebrate milestones. Every family looks forward to seeing a child’s first smile, first step, and first words. Regular screenings help raise awareness of a child’s development, making it easier to expect and celebrate developmental milestones.
Promote universal screening. Just like hearing and vision screenings assure that children can hear and see clearly, developmental and behavioral screenings track a child’s progress in areas such as language, social, or motor development.
Identify possible delays and concerns early. With regular screenings, families, teachers, and other professionals can assure that young children get the services and supports they need, as early as possible to help them thrive alongside their peers.
Enhance developmental supports. Combining the love and knowledge families have of their children with tools, guidance, and tips recommended by experts can make the most of the developmental support children receive.

Born Learning

The BORN LEARNING CAMPAIGN helps parents, caregivers and communities create quality early learning opportunities for young children by providing important information about how young children learn, easy, fun activities that parents, grandparents and caregivers can use every day, and tools and templates for education and outreach into communities.

Disaster Safety for Expecting and New Parents

Disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, can be unpredictable and devastating. Learn general tips to get prepared before a disaster and what to do in case of a disaster to help keep you and your family safe and healthy.

Everything Preschool

The EVERYTHINGPRESCHOOL website contains over 30,000 early childhood education ideas separated into over 100 themes, 26 Alphabet Idea Sections, & Lesson Plans.

Family Communications, Inc.

Resources for Parents and Professionals. Founded in 1971 by Fred Rogers as the production company for Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE)

The FAMILIES AND ADVOCATES PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION (FAPE) project is a partnership that links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Helping Your Child

The HELPING YOUR CHILD publication series from the US Department of Education gives parents tools and information to help their children succeed in school and life. These booklets feature lessons and activities to help school aged and preschool children develop the skills and values necessary to achieve and grow. They are available for download in English and Spanish.

LiteracyCenter.NET

LITERACYCENTER.NET provides free online learning activities for parents and teachers to share with young children. Lessons on letters, numbers, colors, shapes and more are available in English, French, German, and Spanish.

MCCB – Early Childhood Academies

The Early Childhood Academy collaborates with participating community and junior colleges, the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and child care providers to ensure that Mississippi’s family-based unified and integrated early childhood system connects and integrates resources and services for both parents/caregivers and their children. The Office is also responsible for establishing an Early Childhood Academy with a Resource and Referral Center at participating community colleges to deliver professional development for all centers, delivering and managing technical assistance and coaching, and providing leadership to the Resource and Referral offices.

Mississippi Early Childhood Association

The Mississippi Early Childhood Association is a chartered, non-profit, educational organization with affiliates in many local areas. It is an association for all persons concerned about the care and education of young children.

Mississippi State Early Childhood Advisory Council

The State Early Childhood Advisory Council provides counsel to the governor on issues related to young children and their families. SECAC is comprised of experts in education, health care, child welfare, and mental health and serves as the central meeting place for all stakeholders in Mississippi’s early childhood system, including the early care and education workforce, parents, and the general public.

Mississippi Department of Human Services

The Mississippi Department of Human Services is dedicated to serving others while providing a wide range of public assistance programs, social services and support for children, low-income individuals and families. The agency seeks to empower families so they can become self-sufficient and responsible for their future success.

Education and Early Learning Resources

Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive!
A coordinated effort to encourage developmental and behavioral screening and support for children, families, and the providers who care for them. It involved a partnership of several Federal offices including HHS’ Administration for Children and Families and Office of Special Education Programs at the Department of Education. Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! seeks to: Celebrate milestones; Promote universal screening. Identify possible delays and challenges early; and Enhance developmental supports. To do so, Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! includes: 1. A compendium of research-based screening tools. 2. “User’s Guides” for multiple audiences. 3. An electronic package of resources for follow-up and support. Click here to read more.

Mississippi Community College Board – Early Childhood Academy
The Early Childhood Academy collaborates with participating community and junior colleges, the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and child care providers to ensure that Mississippi’s family-based unified and integrated early childhood system connects and integrates resources and services for both parents/caregivers and their children. The Office is also responsible for establishing an Early Childhood Academy with a Resource and Referral Center at participating community colleges to deliver professional development for all centers, delivering and managing technical assistance and coaching, and providing leadership to the Resource and Referral offices.

MPB
Parents are on the front lines in educating children. That’s why MPB provides resources to help parents teach their children.

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
Website for parents and teachers. The information in this area can help you better understand the childhood themes in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and the philosophy behind them. You’ll also find discussion ideas and suggestions for follow-up activities for children at home, school, or child care.

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) Quality Child Care
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHILD CARE RESOURCE & REFERRAL AGENCIES has a checklist for families to use to identify high quality child care centers in their free booklet Is This the Right Place for My Child?

Parent Central
Hosted by NACCRRA, PARENT CENTRAL connects families to information and resources and a growing network of other concerned parents. Over 67,000 parents have already joined! Families with children under 8 don’t want to miss this opportunity to sign up and receive Parent Central Express, a monthly e-newsletter full of tips for parents, activities, and ways to get connected in your community.

PBS Kids
Public Broadcasting link for children.

PBS Parents
Public Broadcasting link containing information on child development, education, fun and games, health and issues and advice.

Ready to Learn
Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Sesame Workshop
The Sesame Workshop website contains information on health and wellness and other topics related to children.

Zero to Three
ZERO TO THREE is a multidisciplinary organization that supports the healthy development and well-being of infants, toddlers, and their families by informing, educating, and supporting adults who influence the lives of infants and toddlers.

Early Care & Education Providers

A Place of Our Own
A PLACE OF OUR OWN, a daily television series on PBS, is devoted to the unique needs of people who care for children. The series has a website with extensive resources that shares ways to help children develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical, language, and literacy skills. The series also responds to the needs and workplace realities of people who spend their days caring for children by including topics such as building partnerships with families, reducing stress, and completing paperwork.

Division For Early Childhood (DEC)
The DIVISION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD (DEC), a division of the Council for Exceptional Children, is for people who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families.

Early Childhood Focus
EARLY CHILDHOOD FOCUS provides links to current news articles about early childhood issues from around the country.

Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers
How teachers can help children from birth to 3 years to learn and grow in language, social-emotional and physical development and to practice and master basic concepts and skills in mathematics, science, and self-help.

Everything Preschool
The EVERYTHINGPRESCHOOL website contains over 30,000 early childhood education ideas separated into over 100 themes, 26 Alphabet Idea Sections, & Lesson Plans.

LiteracyCenter.NET
LITERACYCENTER.NET provides free online learning activities for parents and teachers to share with young children. Lessons on letters, numbers, colors, shapes and more are available in English, French, German, and Spanish.

Move To Learn
Move to Learn is based on a simple concept:
When kids get to move at school, schools get better.
Not only does student health improve, but academic performance improves, too. In fact, numerous scientific studies have confirmed that the more exercise a student gets, the better his or her grades are likely to be. And that’s not all. In several studies of Mississippi students, more fitness was associated with better behavior and less absenteeism.
Move to Learn is designed to help teachers raise student fitness levels and, in turn, raise student achievement.

NAEYC
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) works to improve the well-being of all young children, with a particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for all children from birth through age 8.

SECA
The SOUTHERN EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION (SECA) is a regional organization bringing together educators, administrators, caregivers, and individuals working with/for families who are committed to promoting quality care and education for young children.

Technical Assistance Alliance
The TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ALLIANCE FOR PARENT CENTERS offers a variety of resources to assist Parent Centers’ in their efforts to effectively serve families in their communities whose children have disabilities.

Health

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
The AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS (AAP) is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE)
The FAMILIES AND ADVOCATES PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION (FAPE) project is a partnership that links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Mississippi SIDS Alliance
The Mississippi SIDS Alliance, Inc. provides support services to families who are or may be touched by the tragedy of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The Alliance also provides training and education on SIDS and Safe Sleep environment to professionals, low socioeconomic communities/individuals and to the disadvantaged high risk populations. The Mississippi SIDS Alliance also supports research to help find a cure for this devasting syndrome. For additional Information contact Cathy Files, Executive Director at cathyfiles@gmail.com, or Leslie Threadgill, Director of Programs at lesliethreadgill@bellsouth.net.

Sesame Workshop
The Sesame Workshop website contains information on health and wellness and other topics related to children.

State Resources & Support Organizations
This document contains a listing of State Resources, Support Organizations and Advocacy Groups.

Special Needs

Mississippi Families As Allies
Established in 1990, Families as Allies is the only family-run statewide organization
for parents and caregivers of children with mental health challenges in Mississippi.

Other

Early Childhood Focus
Early Childhood Focus provides links to current news articles about early childhood issues from around the country.

Shared Documents

The Documents listed below represent event and activity flyers, brochures, presentations and other documents used during the certification process. These documents may be used as models for the Excel By 5 communities in Mississippi. If documented in each item, please give appropriate credit. After tailoring these documents for your community please ask you Excel By 5 sites coordinator to review and approve modifications. Excel By 5 does not guarantee the content, currency or accuracy of the information provided.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Town Hall Flyer – McComb (Word Format)
Town Hall Presentation – McComb (Powerpoint Format)
Town Hall Invitation – Oktibbeha County (Publisher Format)
Town Hall Presentation – Lee County (PDF Format)

FAMILY & PARENT SUPPORT

Parent Guide 2014 – Lafayette County (PDF Format)
Christmas Family Event 2012 – Oktibbeha County (Word Format)
New Born Packet Items – Oktibbeha County (Word Format)
Christmas Flyer 2014 – Moss Point (Publisher Format)
Bird Reading Night – Moss Point (Word Format)
Pictures in the Pumpkin Patch – Moss Point (Word Format)
Parents Day Out Flyer – Hancock County (Word Format)
Did You Know Fact Sheets – Petal
The following publisher files include one page “Did You Know” facts about Brain Development, The Early Years, Early Care & Education, Learning to Talk, Healthy Tips for Pickey Eaters, Health, Teaching Self Control and Young Children & Screen Media.
Did You Know Pgs. 1-5 – Petal (Publisher Format)
Did You Know Pgs. 6-10 – Petal (Publisher Format)
Did You Know Pgs. 11-15 – Petal (Publisher Format)

EARLY CARE & EDUCATION

School Readiness-Common Core – Hernando (JPEG Format)
School Readiness Handout – Biloxi (12MB Publisher File)
School Bus Safety Handout – Biloxi (3MB Publisher File)
Back to School Bash 2010 – Oktibbeha County (PDF Format)

HEALTH

Health Fair Flyer – Hernando (JPEG Format)
Health Fair Booklet – Biloxi (5MB Publisher FIle)

MISCELLANEOUS
Newsletter 2014 – Lafayette County (PDF Format)
Family Friendly Business Brochure – Oktibbeha County (PDF Format)
Activity Calendar- Days before & after Christmas – Oktibbeha County (4MB Publisher Format)
Excelebration Flyer – Biloxi (Publisher Format)
Excelebration Invitation – Biloxi (Publisher Format)