Duneland School Corporation will kickoff their new Birth to School initiative in January.
The Birth to School initiative, now coined ‘Duneland Early Learning HUB’, is a hub of resources for Duneland’s zero to five year old children and their caregivers. The term ‘HUB’ refers to the program’s vision to Help, Understand and Build connections and relationships between families, educators and the community.
Duneland School Corporation recognizes that learning begins at birth and early learning is critical to the future success for children. Based on research and findings during the district’s strategic planning process, a Birth-to-School initiative was developed and an action team was created.
Two dedicated individuals will oversee this new initiative. The Duneland Early Learning HUB is led by co-coordinators Amy Curtis and Tonia Kitchel, and DSC Director of Grants, Assessments and Special Programs, Christy Jarka. This past August, Amy Curtis and Tonia Kitchel came on board to serve as Duneland’s Early Learning HUB Co-Coordinators. Amy is currently completing her masters’ degree in educational policy and leadership, and has eight years of experience as a classroom teacher. Tonia has over 20 years of experience as a school psychologist, behavioral specialist and intake coordinator in Northwest Indiana. So far this school year, they have been busy collaborating, researching, analyzing and developing opportunities for children and their families.
"I couldn't be more proud of Duneland Schools for taking this initiative and being a part of its development. The Early Learning HUB will be the first of its kind in Porter County,” said Kitchel.
The mission of Duneland’s Early Learning HUB is to empower caregivers with knowledge, resources, and opportunities for early childhood development. The goal is to create outreach opportunities that will help children and their families build relationships, access information, foster school readiness, and increase awareness of available resources. The program will assist families in preparing their children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
“Amy and I are very excited about the vision, the learning opportunities and the resources we have been preparing for our Duneland families,” Kitchel added. “We cannot wait to connect with the families to learn more about their needs and to offer another social and learning opportunity for the infant to preschool population."
For the 2021-2022 school year, the Early Learning Department office and activities are located in The Trojan Learning Center at CMS in room G151. Two kick off events are scheduled in January 2022. These events will allow the community, families, and school personnel to see the Early Learning spaces and learn more about what opportunities will be available. The Early Learning HUB is not a preschool where families drop their children off for childcare. Instead, it will be a place for caregivers and their children to learn while playing together. Ultimately, the HUB will be the place for Helping, Understanding and Building positive relationships with children 0 to 5 and their families.
For more information, please visit the Duneland Early Learning HUB website at https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/earlylearningHUB and follow the HUB on Facebook and Instagram.