First 5 Shasta School Readiness Initiative
How It Works


The purpose of the School Readiness Initiative is to connect families, schools and the community in preparing young children to enter kindergarten ready to succeed. Families with children under age five and pregnant women residing in the neighborhoods of participating schools are eligible to take part in School Readiness activities and services - free of charge.

First 5 Shasta employs a School Readiness Coordinator housed at First 5 Shasta to oversee implementation of the Initiative at participating schools in Shasta County. The coordinator provides oversight and technical assistance to Family Advocates at each school site. The Family Advocates coordinate the individual services offered at each school.

The School Readiness Initiative aims to empower families and schools to build the skills children need to succeed in kindergarten, school, and life. Prevention and early intervention strategies address child health, healthy child development, and family strengthening and support. Efforts also address enhancing the school environment to include consideration of young children in policies and practices adopted by the schools.

School Sites
In 2002, First 5 Shasta received funding from First 5 California to implement the School Readiness Initiative with two schools. Today, the Initiative has expanded to include four schools in three school districts: Juniper Academy and Cypress Elementary School (Redding School District), Rother Elementary School (Enterprise Elementary School District), and Happy Valley Primary School (Happy Valley Union School District). Each school district financially contributes at least 25% of total program operating costs. Services and activities at each school site are offered free of charge to families with children in the prenatal stage to age five living in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Family Advocates
School based services are provided by School Readiness Family Advocates. They are paraprofessionals trained in child development, early childhood practices, and community resources. Located on each school campus, Family Advocates provide outreach and assistance to families with young children. Advocate activities include:

• Child health and development
• Health screenings
• Topic-specific parenting support
• Child recreational activities
• Strengths-based case management
• Referrals to community resources
• Home visiting (Parents as Teachers curriculum)

Schools and Families
Outreach to families with young children builds connections between the family, neighborhood and school. Families who participate in 0-to-5 activities on school campuses build a relationship with the school before their child formally attends kindergarten.

To ease the child's (and parents') transition to an academic learning environment, participating schools have adopted events like "Kindergarten Round Up". Families have the opportunity to talk with school staff, visit classrooms, take a tour of the campus, and learn about school rules before the first day of school.

Campus-based preschools have adopted practices as a result of the School Readiness Initiative that further strengthen their kindergarten readiness efforts. For example, preschool classrooms are using modified, age-appropriate versions of the elementary school's kindergarten curricula. Preschool children also regularly visit kindergarten classrooms in the spring. These practices help children feel more comfortable and ready to learn when the first day of kindergarten arrives.

Parents as Teachers
All babies are born learning. Parents are a child's first and most important teacher. They begin teaching life's most basic lessons early - at home. To support parents in making the most of daily teachable moments, each school site offers the nationally recognized Parents as Teachers Home Visiting service. Using the Parents as Teachers (PAT) curriculum, the Family Advocates help parents understand their role in encouraging their child's development starting from birth. Through this encouragement children are prepared for school and life success.