Collaborating with other entities, Lee County First Steps helps South Carolina families and caregivers prepare their children for school success by maximizing public and private resources to ensure that children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn.
Every child will thrive and reach his/her greatest potential…
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ENSURE CHILDREN ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN By 2025, the percentage of children who score at the highest level on KRA will increase from to 39% to 47%. REDUCE THE RACIAL/ETHNIC GAP IN KINDERGARTEN READINESS By 2025, the gap in the percentage of children who score at the highest level on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment between White Kindergartners and Black/Hispanic Kindergartners will reduce by 1% each year to 15%.
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Parents will be engaged in their child (ren) educational activities.
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To ensure children arrive at school ready to learn.
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Ensuring children arrives at school healthy and ready to learn.
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To build communication and bonding skills for families.
Street, City SC 00000 | 000-000-0000 | website OR scfirststeps.org/county
722 West Church, Bishopville SC 29010 | 803-484-5110 |https://leefirststeps.wixsite.com/lcfs
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Children make progress LCFS is committed to ensuring that all children make progress towards achieving their potential, developing positive social-emotional, and enter school ready to succeed. Individualized services and supports LCFS provides individualized services and supports to children and their families. LCFS respects the individuality of each child and family unique and benefits from choices and flexibility. Accessible services LCFS communicates with the various distinct school attendance zone communities and make services available to all children in Lane County free of charge and as early as possible. Community-based services LCFS provides educational services which provide children to achieve the greatest level most successful. LCFS utilizes existing community resources and serves children with typical peers in natural environments if feasible or possible. Exemplary leadership LCFS serves as leaders in the educational field and models effective collaboration and effective competency for implementing research based and promising practices programs. LCFS is a progressive and innovative state-funded, non-profit which implements innovative programs, and activities for children and families LCFS continuously seeks to encourage staff learning, growth, develop, and improvement. Relationships LCFS builds positive relationships with families by using a strengths-based approach that includes concrete support in times of need, knowing where to turn for help, building resiliency amongst families. LCFS is committed to creating optimism and hope for families. LCFS seeks to listen to collaborating partners, and acknowledge their ideas, wishes, plans, and value-add to the community. Respect for diversity of families LCFS treats all families with dignity, honor and respect. LCFS is committed to and values diversity of cultures, languages, customs, religion, family type, social and economic status, education, and thought. Responsible and accountable use of resources LCFS is responsible and resourceful in how the agency effectively manages and coordinates fiscal, technical, material, and human resources. Community collaboration LCFS develops relationships with community partners who play an integral role within the local community. LCFS works collaboratively with countless local, regional, state, and national partners in order to make Lee County, SC, the USA, and the world a better place for children and families to thrive, live, work, and grow. Community resource LCFS is a valuable resource to the local community by providing high-quality trainings, on-site support, materials and supplies locally and regionally for the children and families that are served. LCFS provides opportunities for volunteers, and for the staff to volunteer. Partners with parents LCFS supports parents in their role as parent, and respects families as partners in all aspects of the process. LCFS values working together with parents as a team and facilitating a community of learning from all stakeholders. LCFS acknowledges that parents are their child’s first and most influential “teachers” LCFS acknowledges that parents are their child’s life-long advocates for their child. from: https://earlychildhoodcares.uoregon.edu/about/values/ Street, City SCAdapted 00000 | 000-000-0000 | website OR scfirststeps.org/county
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Elder Alexis D. Pipkins, Sr., Ed.S. Executive Director Lee County First Steps
Fiscal Year 2021 was a highly successful and impactful year for Lee County First Steps (LCFS) even though we experienced unprecedented and new experiences as a result of COVID-19. LCFS as with other agencies, locally, state-wide, and nationally had to quickly adapt, adjust, and realign our operational delivery to children, families, and our local community to ensure that our agency would continue to be effective and relevant in our service area during this worldwide pandemic. Virtual Reality was LCFS’ response to the pandemic for the delivery of all programs and services as we limited our office access, and diminished home visits and travel of our staff to only pandemic relief and assistance by providing high quality services via the virtual platform- ZOOM, Facebook Messenger, YouTube, Microsoft Messenger Conference Calls, Google Duo. In addition, the partnership has managed to sustain effective collaborations and partnerships to ensure that children, parents, and families received high quality, research-based programs and quality services. Although, LCFS receives limited funding from SC First Steps, the partnership board has innovatively and aggressively partnered with state, and national agencies to expand the scope and quality of funding and staff: home visiting programs, child care scholarships and center staff training and professional development to both early care professionals and parents, Kindergarten Readiness, Strengthening Families Program (6-11), and early literacy with the Vroom Curriculum. LCFSin reinstated andbox, launched new localthe website: Click this text andareplace sample text with a https://leefirststeps.wixsite.com/lcfs quotation from a board member, partner or supporter. No need
to importance use quotation marks since they’re included in the graphic. Recognizing the of ensuring that our young children would be counted in the 2020 Census, LCFS collaborated with the Lee Countyfont Interagency Council to implement the Complete Count Adjust size and layout as needed. Committee and received several Get Out the Census Grants, which LCFS served as the fiscal agent. For such unprecedented times, and newNAME, challenges, LCFS steady the course of the uncharted worldwide TITLE ORhas DESCRIPTION pandemic with hope and perseverance.
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VISION Every child will thrive and reach his/her greatest potential…
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PAT GOES VIRTUAL Due to COVID-19, Parents as Teachers (PAT) National provided guidance for affiliates to deliver virtual services via interactive video conferencing and phone calls. South Carolina PAT affiliates rose to the occasion by engaging families in creative and meaningful ways while continuing to
PAT IN LEE COUNTY 2020-2021
10 270
families served
total home visits
meet the Essential Requirements of implementing a quality PAT program during the pandemic.
PAT in Lee County is a collaboration between Lee County First Steps and Kershaw County First Steps.
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Lee County AmeriCorps Members
2
Community Education and Outreach AmeriCorps member(s)
Hours served in the community
794
hours served by Community Education and Outreach AmeriCorps member(s)
Segal Education Award
$3,999
total in Segal Education Awards received by all members serving at the Local Partnership
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STRENGTHENING FAMILIES T he Streng thening Families Prog ram (SFP) is an internation all y recog nized , evidenceb ased family skills training p rog ram for hig h-risk and g eneral p op ulation families. Parents and children attend 1 4 virtual g roup sessions, learning p arenting and life skills b oth sep arately and tog ether. A weekly meal p rovides families with the op p ortunity for skills p ractice, p eer-to-p eer sup p ort, and coaching .
STRENGTHENING FAMILIES BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
108 families served
128
total group meetings
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EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS Save the Children's Early Step s to School Success (ESSS) Prog ram is desig ned to p rovide hig h-quality early childhood develop ment services to young children and families living in under-resourced and underserved communities. Key comp onents include home visits that focus on healthy p reg nancy and early childhood develop ment; a b ook b ag exchang e; fostering p ositive connectio ns b etween families and schools; sup p orting school transitions; and connecting families to services and resources.
EARLY STEPS TO SCHOOL SUCCESS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
79
2,899
families served
total home visits
11
2
20
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Virtual Reality for 2020 CTK was a reality for home visitors, but we made it work with surfaces and tablets to serve our children and to help bridge the gap with our parents as we prepared our children for 5-Kindergarten entry, Danielle Boyd, CTK Summer 2020 Teacher
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Feeding Toddlers & Young Children Using Effective Assessment Strategies to Transform Teaching into Learn The Characteristics of Play & Creativity in an Early Childhood Classroom The Characteristics of Play & Creativity in an Early Childhood Classroom Developing and Strengthening Early Childhood Administration Mis for Meaningful Mealtimes Motor Skills Development
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Designing Appropriate Environments Inside and Outs Effective Early Childhood Leaders Using Effective Assessment Strategies to Transform Teaching into Learn. Creating a Climate of health Using Effective Assessment Strategies to Transform Teaching into Learning Creating a Climate of Health & Wellness Promoting Healthful Eating Habits in Young Children Supporting Young Children De elopement al Needs Physical Development
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We like the collaboration with people coming from both the child care centers and family homes being able to share and learn from each other. Jerlene Atkinson, Family Child Care Provider
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Lee County Firs t Steps child care scholarship p rog ram imp acts many families in L ee County, the cost of quality child care is out of reach for many families. Our scholarship p rog ram makes p ayments to child care p roviders to care for children from low-inco me families so their p arents can return to school or work.
Scholarship elig ib ility is b ased up on the family b eing at 1 8 5 % of the US Poverty I ndex Rate. Our p artnership integ rates scholarship s with PAT , and Early Step s to School Success Parenting Prog rams. Bishop ville L ee and Kiddie L and Family Day Care are the p rimary child care p roviders that p arents use their scholarship s in the count
SCHOLARSHIPS BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
23
number of children served
3
number of providers served
23
number of developmental screenings provided
100% the money paid to child care providers goes back into our local economy to benefit the citizens of Lee County.
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FIRST STEPS 4K IN LEE COUNTY 2020-2021
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PREPARING FOR STATEWIDE EXPANSION With First Steps 4K, families are in the driver’s seat. They choose the program that best meets their needs. Families can enroll their child in any of the 244 private, nonprofit, or faith-based child care centers or schools participating in the program. The majority of First Steps 4K providers offer 8-hour day and year-round instruction, including summers, which is at no cost to parents.
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PUBLIC AWARENESS Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. I n addition to p roviding services to families and sup p ort for child care p roviders, L ee County First Step s mob ilizes p artners and community memb ers to ensure all children in L ee County b eg in school ready to succeed
Save the Children Community and Gift In-Kinds 2020-2021
200,000 materials distributed
38
2400
events held
total event attendance
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CENSUS 2020 L ee County First Step s in collab o r ati o n with Rural L eadership I nitiative (RL I )-L ee and L ee County I nterag ency secured 2 g rants to targ et the most rural area of the county to sp ecificall y targ et L ynchb urg and families with young children to ensure that this p op ulation would not b e undercounted in the 2 0 2 0 Census. Many activities to include television commercials , radio community advertisement, and internet streaming . Also, community snack p acks, and Census Awareness Packets. A door-to-d o or camp aig n was done in collab or a ti on with the L ynchb urg Mayor Andre L aws, L ynchb urg T own Council and the L ee County Councilwom a n Jaqueline Josey, and Reg ional DHEC Rep resentative Reg ina Nesmith-Dimery in which snack p acks and other Census materials were distrib uted. T arg eted efforts were to the faith-b ased and local community were consistently and ag g ressively done throug hout the US 2 0 2 0 Census numeration to increase L ee County’ s p articip a ti on rate and ensure that small children and the elderly were not missed.
Lee County BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
1000 materials distributed
5
events held
120 total event attendance
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COVID-19 RESPONSE Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. I n addition to p roviding services to families and sup p ort for child care p roviders, L ee County First Step s mob ilizes p artners and community memb ers to ensure all children in L ee County b eg in school ready to succeed. W e serve as a local p ortal to sup p ort community with food, hot meals, materials and sup p lies in collab o r at i on with Save the Children, and well over 1 0 0 countless non-p rofits, community-b ased , faith b ased and churches throug hout L ee, Sumter, Kershaw, Darling ton , Florence, and W illiamsb urg Counties.
LEE COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS 2020-2021
89,124 materials distributed
800 events held
4500 total event attendance
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Addressing the needs of young children is a shared endeavor. I n addition to p roviding services to families and sup p ort for child care p roviders, L ee County First Step s mob ilizes p artners and community memb ers to ensure all children in L ee County b eg in school ready to succeed. W e serve as a:
78 Faith based partners
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Convening of local portals
Lee County First Steps is committed to working with local partners and addressing the needs of our community. Lee County First Steps is an asset to the families and children of Lee County and other surrounding communities. Bettye Scott, Executive Director, Lee County Transit
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T hroug h p artnership s and collab or a ti ons , as well as financial sup p ort from g rants and contrib uti ons , L ee County First Step s leverag es state dollars to enhance and exp and services to children and families.
FUNDING SUPPORT State of South Carolina: $200,994 (through South Carolina First Steps) Children’s Trust of South Carolina: $405,889 Save The Children (ESSS): $162,352 Census 2020 Grants: $19,542 Preschool Development Grant Funds $19,908 City of Bishopville $1000.00 Lee County $1000.00 .
IN-KIND SUPPORT Save the Children SC Dep artment of Social Services
JOIN US For more informati on on p artnership op p ortunities, visit our web site at https ://lee fi rs ts teps . wi xs ite. c om /l cfs 20
Expenditures of State Funds by Program Type 0%
Since inception, Lee County First Steps has leveraged $7,562,015 from sources outside of state government. That’s $1.50 for every state dollar.
100%
State Funding
Federal Funding
Private Funding
In-Kind Contributions
Total
Administrative Support
$10,805
$0
$3362
$0
$14,167
Core Functions
$17,470
$165
$2648
$4884
$25,167
$0
$0
$19542
$0
$19,542
Child Care Scholarships
$63,744
$0
$713
$10,500
$74,957
Child Care Training
$16,323
$0
$2,917
$0
$19,240
Raising A Reader E.B.
$2,365
$0
$0
$0
$2,365
$12,738.76
$0
$140
$0
$12,879
$77,549
$0
$162,352
$2,403,842
$2,643,743
$0
$0
$405,889
$
$405,889
$10,805
0$0
$3362
$
$14,167
$197,376
$165
$601,091
$2,419,226
$3,217,858
Parenting Training
Countdown To Kindergarten (CTK) Early Steps to School Success Strengthening Families Program (6-11) Administrative Support Total Expenses
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Member
Place of Employment
Board Category
Andrew Moses, Chair
Lee County School District
Legislative Appointee
Belinda Butler Bertha Scott
Select Health Retired, Lee County School District
Betty D. Addison
Retired, Lee County School District
Business Community Family Ed. Training & Support Provider Non-profit Organization
Crystal Buffkin
H&R Block
Parent of Preschool Children
Danielle Boyd, Secretary
Wateree Head Start – Bishopville Site
Head Start
David “Keel” Addison
Addison Barber Shop
Parent of Preschool Children
Deanna Rollins
Lee County Library
County Library
Diana C. Williams, Assist. Secretary
Retired, Lee County School District
Early Childhood Education
Dr. Harold Conyers
New Zion AME Church
Faith Community
Jacqueline Josey
Lee County Council
Lee County Council
Jarrell Rogers
Lee County DSS
Lee County DSS
Jeanette Isaac
Lee County School District
Preschool through Primary Education
Jerlene Atkinson
Kiddie Land Daycare Center
Early Childhood Education
Julia Young
Colonial Neurology
HealthCare Provide
Katetcia Simmons
Parent of Preschool
Lee County School District
LaToya Hopkins
Wateree Head Start
Parent of Preschool Children
Lillie M. Patterson
Bishopville Lee Child Development Center
Childcare & Early Childhood Dev. Ed. Provider
M. DeLoris LeGrant
Retired, Sumter County School District
Early Childhood Education
Mary Lee Arthur
Lee County School District
Lee County School District
Maverick Wilson, Treasurer
Wateree Correctional Inst./ Retired
Legislative Appointee
Mr. Grady Brown
Mayor of City of Bishopville/ Barber
Philanthropic Community
Patricia Toney
Retired, Lee County School District
Faith Community
Regina Nesmith-Dimery
DHEC
DHEC
Rev. Adeira Black
Mt. Herman Missionary Baptist Church
Faith Community
Sandra Holmes Sandy Jenkins
Lee County School District Wateree Regional Trans. Authority
Health Care Provider Transportation
Sheila Moses, Vice-Chair
Fresenius
Health Care Provider
Victoria McCray
Bishopville Lee Child Dev. Center
Legislative Appointee
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STAFF Full-Time Sta ff: Elder Alexis D. Pip kins, Sr., Ed.S., Executive Director Mrs. G loria M. Burris, Early Childhood Coordinat o r , ESSS Ms. Felicia Evans, MA, Early Childhood Coordinat o r , ESSS Ms. Anderia W ilson, Early Childhood Coordinat o r , ESSS P rogra m Cons ulta nts : Ms. Mam ie C. Bostic, MBA, Senior Prog ram Manag er SFP (6 -1 1 ) Mrs. Bessie Sanders-G ord on , MSW , MA, Prog ram Manag er , SFP (6-1 1 ) Ms. Danielle Boyd, Site Coordina t o r , SFP (6-1 1 ) Florence County and AmeriCorp s Memb er Ms. Diana C. W illiams, Site Coordina t o r , SFP (6 -1 1 ) L ee County Ms. Sharon Hunter-G raham , Site Coordinat o r , SFP (6-1 1 ) Sumter County Ms. M. DeL oris L eG rant, Site Coordina t o r , SFP (6-1 1 ) Prog ram Sup p ort Ms. Rudine McL eod, Data and Prog ram Sup p ort Mrs. Rosa Bowman, Fiscal Sup p ort Mrs. Mattie Mack, AmeriCorp s Memb er
CONTACT US 7 2 2 W es t Churc h Street; Bis hopville, SC 2 9 0 1 0 | 8 0 3 -4 8 4 -5 1 1 0 |
https://leefirststeps.wixsite.com/lcfs
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