• Introduction
• How is RUW Involved?
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Success by 6 ®
• Volunteer
• Information and Referral
• Member Agencies

Success By 6 is a community partnership created in 2001 to help parents and child care providers prepare children ages 0-6 for school so that they are ready to learn and achieve success in the years that follow. Success By 6 is organized and led by Rappahannock United Way, a neutral convener that brings community representatives to the table to talk about improving the lives of children. Rappahannock United Way has taken a leadership role in forming community partnerships to raise the school readiness level of children entering kindergarten.

• What is Success By 6 ®?
• Succes By 6 Procjects
• Early Literacy & Social Development Curriculum for Parents
• Early Literacy Education Program for Childcare Providers
• Born Learning
• Born Learning™ Tool Kit
• Why are the early years of a Child's life important?
• What does it mean to be prepared for school?
• Tips for a healthy, successful child
• Tip of the Month
• Websites of Interest
• Resources

Success By 6 is a community partnership created in 2001 to help parents and child care providers prepare children ages 0-6 for school so that they are ready to learn and achieve success in the years that follow. Success By 6 is organized and led by Rappahannock United Way, a neutral convener that brings community representatives to the table to talk about improving the lives of children. Rappahannock United Way has taken a leadership role in forming community partnerships to raise the school readiness level of children entering kindergarten.

Success By 6 helps prepare children for school by:

• Raising the awareness of the importance of early literacy
• Educating parents, caregivers, and child care providers of ways to develop early of literacy skills in children so they are prepared to learn when entering kindergarten.

This curriculum was developed by local parent education experts with a generous grant from Bank of America Foundation. It teaches parents the importance of early literacy skills to a child’s success in school and ways to develop these skills in their children. The curriculum has been implemented in parent education and home visiting programs, i.e. Spotsylvania County Family Educator Project, Stafford County Parent Education Program, Programs for Teen Parents, and Healthy Families.

Through its early literacy materials, Success By 6 achieves several important objectives:

• teach parents the importance of reading to a child starting from birth
• inform parents of relevant brain research
• convince them of the important role of parents as the first teacher since children start learning from birth
• promote normal reading interactions for children at different ages
• distribute the types of books children enjoy at each age.

After completing a parent education class that contains the Success By 6 early literacy curriculum, parents receive Parent & Child Activity bags. Each bag has books and activities for parents and children to do together to develop early literacy and social development skills as well as pertinent community information.

So far the curriculum and activity bags have been well received. Parents have said:

“I enjoyed the bag. It opened up a whole new relationship between my daughter and I.”

“My daughter has been more attentive and is saying new words. Thanks.”

“I think this bag is a very helpful resource. It’s wonderful.”

“My daughter is only 19 months, but loves books and loved receiving the ones you provided! Thank you and keep up the good work.”

“This activity bag offers a lot for me to teach my son. Thank you.”

30 of the 60 parents who completed an evaluation reported that they increased the number of times they read to their child per week after attending the class and receiving the activity bag. And many of the increases were dramatic!

Thanks to generous grants from the Verizon Foundation and the Rappahannock Literacy Coordinating Council (RLCC) this program has been offered to childcare providers through The Childcare Network and the Caroline County Cooperative Extension. Childcare providers learn about the importance of reading to a child and how that helps to prepare a child to learn more in school. Each provider receives three books to take to their site and use with the children in their care. Although many childcare providers have heard this message before, it never hurts to be reminded about the benefits of reading. Plus, turnover in the childcare field is high, so its an important message for new staff to hear. The books and the program itself have been very well received.

In the future, Success By 6 hopes to make the training available to more individuals in small home childcare settings.

Children are born ready to learn. Every interaction and experience a child has beginning at birth will prepare a child for success in school and in life.

Rappahannock United Way is glad to introduce Born Learning™, an innovative and fun public engagement campaign designed to help parents, caregivers, and the community use everyday moments to provide quality early learning opportunities for children. Everyday routines like cooking dinner, doing the laundry, grocery shopping, and reading books provide numerous opportunities to develop skills and knowledge that will help a child succeed when entering kindergarten.

Through television and radio public service announcements, print materials, web tools at www.bornlearning.org, and educational materials, you will learn easy and fun ways to help prepare your child for school.

For Parents & Caregivers
Click here to find everyday tips and educational materials aimed at helping you make the best of every moment with your child. Use the Born Learning™ Tool Kit for quick access to educational materials.

For Service Providers
To gain useful information and materials to share with the families you serve, visit www.bornlearning.org and use the Born Learning™ Tool Kit.

The Basics
• 5 Key Ideas for New Parents (English)
• 5 Key Ideas for New Parents (Spanish)

Your Child's Development
English

• Your Child @ Birth
• Your Child @ 2 months
• Your Child @ 4 to 6 months
• Your Child @ 6 to 12 months
• Your Child @ 12 to 18 months
• Your Child @ 18 to 24 months
• Your Child @ 24 to 36 months
• Your Child @ 3 years
• Your Child @ 4 years
• Your Child @ 5 years

Spanish
• Your Child @ Birth
• Your Child @ 2 months
• Your Child @ 4 to 6 months
• Your Child @ 6 to 12 months
• Your Child @ 12 to 18 months
• Your Child @ 18 to 24 months
• Your Child @ 24 to 36 months
• Your Child @ 3 years
• Your Child @ 4 years
• Your Child @ 5 years

Play and Learn

• The Playbook
• How Does Play Encourage Literacy?
• How Does My Child Learn?
• What is Intelligence?
• Fun and Games with Songs (English)
• Fun and Games with Songs (Spanish)

Sleeping, Eating, and Health

• How Do I Help my Child Develop Good Sleep Habits?
• What are the Stages of Sleep?
• Sleep Diary (English)
• Sleep Diary (Spanish)
• Meal Ideas for Young Children (English)
• Meal Ideas for Young Children (Spanish)
• How Can I Recognize my Child’s Illness?

Child Care

• What Type of Child Care is Best for My Situation?
• Child Care Checklist (English)
• Child Care Checklist (Spanish)

For Dads

• How Fathers and Mothers Differ
• Everyday Activities for Dad (English)
• Everyday Activities for Dad (Spanish)

For Grandparents

• What Roles Might My Parents Play in my Child’s Life?
• Family History Projects (English)
• Family History Projects (Spanish)

Because it is the most critical period of brain development! The experiences a child has during his early years builds a foundation for future learning. A good foundation, formed by a variety of positive learning opportunities, leads to success in school and in life. Research shows early learning can provide adults with greater success in life, fewer involvements in crime, higher income and higher education levels. You can help prepare your child for success in life. Browse through the Success By 6® sections of this website to find ideas.

• 90% of the brain's growth occurs from 0 to 5 years old.
• Scientists once thought that the development of a child’s brain depended on genes. But now scientists have changed their views and they believe that genes as well as early experiences affect the development of the brain.
• The brain is different than the body in that at birth, unlike the rest of the body, the brain is not complete. Its immature and not fully developed.
• Each experience an infant has makes a connection between nerve cells in the brain. These connections influence such things as the ability to recognize letters of the alphabet, communicate with language, and form positive relationships. These connections will help a child to be ready to learn when entering kindergarten.
• Touching, rocking, talking, smiling, and singing affect the way a child's brain is wired (connected) and helps to shape later learning and behavior.
• The brains of children who lack a stimulating environment and who don't play much or are rarely touched are 20-30% smaller than normal for their age.

Kindergarten teachers expect children to demonstrate certain skills when entering their classroom. Teachers understand that all children develop at different rates and have different experiences before coming to school. Therefore, they do not expect that children will demonstrate all skills perfectly. The list below is not meant to determine whether a child should or should not enter kindergarten. It was made to give parents an idea of what children need to know to experience success in school when entering kindergarten.

Early skills: Mathematics –

1. Recognizes basic shapes and colors
2. Recognizes number 1-10

1. Can recite many nursery rhymes without help
2. Recognizes rhyming words orally
3. Recognizes rhyming sounds orally
4. Can sit and listen to a story with appropriate interactions
5. Uses pictures to sequence familiar stories, indicating beginning, middle and end
6. Retell familiar stories using a beginning middle and end
7. Can sort and classify by picture
8. Begins to ask and answer simple questions
9. Talks in complete sentences of 5 to 6 words
10. Communicates in clearly understood speech
11. Follows simple one and two step directions
12. Speaks clearly when necessary

1. Recognizes letters of the alphabet
2. Demonstrates comprehension of stories by responding orally
3. Understands how print is organized and read (Read left to right, top to bottom, match voice with print)

1. Can write first name with age appropriate print
2. Knows that writing involves making marks that convey meaning on paper
3. Knows writing goes left to right, top to bottom, on page

1. Can sit still and pay attention for 15 minutes
2. Shares and takes turns
3. Has respect for authority
4. Is responsible for their actions and realizes actions have consequences
5. Enjoys being and talking with others
6. Works in groups
7. Persistent-able to finish a task
8. Knows right from wrong
9. Has respect for other people and their property
10. Takes care of their own property

Mommy and Daddy, please help make me a success.

I begin to learn the day that I am born. The things that you do with me now will help me to become a happy, healthy, capable, eager-to-learn child by the time I enter school.

1. Give me lots of hugs and kisses.
2. Talk, read, and sing to me every day.
3. Look and listen for my signals. Even before I talk I show you how I feel and what I want.
4. Bring me to my well baby check ups even if I am not sick. These checkups will help find problems early and help prevent disease.
5. Make sure I get my shots. These shots can help prevent diseases that can be very harmful to me.
6. Let me explore in safe places.
7. Let’s play games instead of watching TV. When I do watch TV, monitor the quality of the programs I see.
8. I need a daily routine, especially one that ensures enough rest.
9. Use discipline as an opportunity to teach me. Be consistent.
10. Look for quality childcare and visit me often.
11. I am one of a kind. Love me just the way I am.
12. Take care of yourself; I need you! Please pay attention to your diet, your mental health, and your physical health.

October 2007

Promoting Learning
From Born Learning, www.bornlearning.org

Most of a child’s experiences involve relationships with caregivers. Newborns come into the world eager for this interaction. They want to connect with you right from the beginning. It is this emotional connection that helps give them the confidence that they need to learn. Science has demonstrated that children who receive lots of love and attention actually learn better. From the very first moments of life with a baby, the love and attention that you share will lay the groundwork for later learning.