Many early childhood educators across the island are now equipped to manage the learning environment of young children, observing the best practices established internationally to promote literacy. Early-Childhood Educators Complete Training Programme Early-childhood educators who participated in a recent literacy intervention project, dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’, geared at delivering improved outcomes for children at early-childhood institutions, are pictured with officials, at the recent graduation ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew. Many early childhood educators across the island are now equipped to manage the learning environment of young children, observing the best practices established internationally to promote literacy. Participants in a recent literacy intervention project dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’, geared at delivering improved outcomes for children at early-childhood institutions, display their certificates at the recent graduation ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew. The teachers successfully completed a recent literacy intervention programme, dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’, geared at delivering improved outcomes for children in the sector. Participants in a recent literacy intervention project dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’, geared at delivering improved outcomes for children at early-childhood institutions, display their certificates at the recent graduation ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew. The project resulted from a partnership involving United Way of Jamaica, the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), and the United States (US)-based Rollins Center for Language and Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School. “This programme is a testament to our collective commitment to improving the quality of education in Jamaica, by empowering our teachers with the skills and knowledge, foster solid language, literacy skills, and we are creating a strong foundation for our children’s future success,” said Project Manager at United Way, Kerry-Lee Lynch, during the recent graduation ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew. The project was geared at increasing the capacity of teachers within the early childhood sector to deliver effective learning programmes and providing conducive and inclusive classroom spaces for all children. “It has helped us as teachers to broaden our knowledge, and we are super excited, and we will go back to our schools, build on the weak areas, and keep strengthening strong areas,” Michelle Hanson, a teacher on the project, told the graduation ceremony. For another teacher, Gloria Pennant, “This amazing training has changed my life, and it will far transcend the classroom. Going on so many platforms, learning and navigating the various platforms enriched the cohort for better outcomes.” Sasha-Ann Robinson said she got great results from the training and returning to the classroom, “I will be using it, and impact the children with good knowledge.” Carrol Blake Bailey said as early-childhood practitioners, completing the course has empowered the educators to build a “strong foundation for the future of the education system in Jamaica”. “We are blessed with the privilege to continue pursuing at our leisure, and we are truly thankful for the partnership. Your guidance has empowered us as teachers to continue reaching out to every child entrusted in our care, holistically,” she told the audience. Project Manager at United Way, Kerry-Lee Lynch (right), presents early-childhood educator, Carrol Blake Bailey, with a special certificate for exemplary participation in a literacy intervention project dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’, geared at delivering improved outcomes for children at early-childhood institutions, at a recent graduation ceremony, held at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in St. Andrew. The Manchester-based Mandeville Infant School was awarded the top participating school, and a teacher at the institution, Britney Harshart, told JIS News that they learned “so many new things from the programme”, and children entering the school will be the beneficiaries. Participants in the programme were selected by the ECC, and they had to complete three courses – Transforming Story Time, Meaningful Conversations, and the Power of Language, two of which were required for the teachers to graduate. The trained teachers are now expected to implement the ‘Read Right from the Start’ methodology in their classrooms to bridge the literacy gap, with increased access to practical tools and resources to utilise in their day-to-day interaction with their students. Three schools – Alley Infant, in Clarendon; St. Michael’s, Kingston, and Martin’s Infant, St. Mary – got special attention under the project. “To date, a one-to-one sensory room with a Dutch door for individual therapy has been established within each classroom and will be outfitted with the necessary sensory and learning resources and furniture,” Ms. Lynch told JIS News. Public Relations and Administrative Manager at the CHASE Fund, which provided some of the funds for the course, Hilary Coulton, said the programme was a “real return on our investment”. She said the involvement of the agency in the early childhood sector is “deliberate”, and during the last financial year, $50 million was donated to early-childhood institutions across the island. “We long determined that beyond the facilities, success of the early childhood education sector rests on the quality of educators. We are creating a brighter future for all children, by bridging the literacy gap,” Ms. Coulton said. For Chief Executive Officer of United Way Jamaica, Taneshia Stoney Dryden, early-childhood education is a mission. “You are change-makers, and now armed with enhanced skills and as guardians of the children, protect them, advocate for them, and be that safe haven where dreams take root,” she told the graduates. The United Way was established in 1985 to fulfil the need for a sustained system for mobilising resources for the private voluntary sector. It is an autonomous non-profit private voluntary organisation (PVO) and registered as a charitable organisation under Section 2 and Section 17 of the Charities Act and is also an affiliate of United Way Worldwide. The mission of the Early Childhood Commission is to build an integrated and coordinated delivery of high-quality early-childhood programmes and services, which provide equity and

Done in partnership with the Digicel Foundation, the facility forms part of the ECC’s Inclusive Legacy Project. The classroom, which includes an adjoining sensory room, can accommodate some 20 students and is equipped with all the necessary resources and teaching materials to cater to the unique needs of the children. During the handover ceremony held on September 18, Executive Director of the ECC, Dr Karlene DeGrasse-Deslandes, lauded the contribution of Digicel Foundation, which created the infrastructure of the classroom and the sensory room, while the ECC provided the furniture and learning resources. She said that the Legacy classroom initiative is having a profound impact on the development of all students. She noted that the project, which commenced in 2022, was created to advance early-childhood development through the establishment of inclusive learning environments, where students with special needs can learn in the same setting as their peers. “To date, the ECC’s Legacy classrooms have transformed the lives of children with special needs, providing them with the foundation to thrive, to dream and to succeed,” she said.  Dr DeGrasse-Deslandes further posited that through the initiative, the ECC has demonstrated that when children with special needs are given the same opportunities as their peers, they can exceed expectations, redefining what success looks like. “Our classrooms have become more than spaces for learning; they are environments of empowerment where diversity is celebrated and each child’s unique potential is unlocked,” she said. “What we are witnessing is the legacy of inclusive education, children with special needs who are no longer sidelined but integrated, supported and encouraged to shine.”  She further underscored that inclusive education is a powerful approach that enriches the learning environment for all students. “By fostering an atmosphere of empathy, collaboration and diversity, we are teaching our children valuable lessons in understanding and acceptance from an early age,” she outlined.   Board chair at the Digicel Foundation, Joy Clark, said the project represented the collaboration of like-minded persons who are committed to the future of the island’s children. “This initiative is a testament to the Digicel Foundation’s mission of creating a world where no one gets left behind. We believe that every child, regardless of their abilities, deserves the best possible start, and that it is what today is about,” she said. “This is our third inclusive classroom project with the ECC. Early-childhood education has always been and will always be close to our hearts,” Clark said. Chairman of the school board, Major Jonathan Kellman, thanked both entities for choosing the school as a beneficiary of the project, noting that the initiative was another opportunity to reach out to those children who are at times not included.

Community Relations Officer, ECC, Region 7, Shaunette Grant, said a return to the school routine can be difficult for both parents and students. She explained that many students across Jamaica enjoyed a care-free summer holiday with endless hours on their devices and very little sleep. “Start practising now. Start doing the simulation exercises where we set the alarms, where we communicate with each other about breakfast time, and where we have different conversations about where bags, shoes and uniforms should be,” Ms. Grant said. She was addressing the ECC’s virtual Back-to-School Readiness forum, hosted in collaboration with Serenity Resource Connector, on Thursday (August 15). Ms. Grant outlined that parents must implement a bedtime routine, a wake-up routine, have their children sit down for breakfast and explore breakfast meal ideas. “You are preparing them mentally as well as physically for when September morning hits us, which is in a few weeks,” she said. Meanwhile, Ms. Grant said parents must also begin to mentally prepare for the changes in the back-to-school routine of their children – a child’s first time at school or transition to another level of education. “One of the things that can assist the parents with the smaller ones going out is the community. You have neighbours who have children going out to the same institutions and what you can do is to actually have conversations with those parents and let the children interact with those children as well. When they get to school, it’s not going to be so new for them, because at least they have that one friend from home,” she explained. Ms. Grant added that now is the time for parents to introduce their children to the people who will take them to or pick them up from school. “What are the plans you have in place? Is it a taxi? Do they know the taxi driver? Are they familiar with the persons who will pick them up and drop them off?” she asked. Ms. Grant further encouraged parents to involve their family members in the process, as it takes a village to raise a child.