CentroNia
CentroNia (formerly Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center) serves over 400 families with comprehensive services in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. CentroNia will serve as the anchor site for Ward 1 and brings its experience working with the Latino community to the SPARK Leadership Team. Executive Director, BB Otero (202) 332-4200
Child Trends, Inc.
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan children's research organization. Child Trends collects and analyzes data; conducts, synthesizes, and disseminates research; design and evaluates programs; and develops and tests promising approaches to research in the field. Founded in 1979, Child Trends is supported by foundations, government agencies, private organizations, and individual donors. Child Trends has achieved a reputation as one of the nation's leading sources of credible data and high-quality research on children. Child Trends will be the program evaluator. Vice President for Research, Marty Zaslow (202) 362-5580
The District of Columbia Office of Early Childhood Development, Department of Human Services
(OECD) provides child care financial assistance to more than 20,000 children; and professional development in addition to other services that promote quality early childhood development. OECD has committed to provide the developmental assessment of children in SPARK DC; coordinate professional development with SPARK DC sites; target funds from the Early Learning Opportunities grant to SPARK DC sites; and serve as the principal agency for quality improvement for SPARK related programs. Executive Director, Barbara Ferguson Kamara (202) 727-5220
The District of Columbia Department of Health, Maternal and Family Health Administration
(DOH) is responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of a system of comprehensive health services for all women, children and youth. DOH will provide a Health Passport for all SPARK DC participants; training for parents, educators and health workers on the correct use of the Passport; and ensure that every participant has a medical home and receives screening available through the DOH. Director, Marilyn Seabrooks Myrdal (202) 444-5925
The District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Education Services
(Parks and Recreation) is responsible for 21 child care and Head Start centers, each with NAEYC (National Association for the Accreditation of Young Children) accreditation. Parks and Recreation in addition to providing an anchor site for SPARK DC in ward 7, has committed its resources and expertise to provide mentors to SPARK DC-related programs and schools seeking NAEYC accreditation. Interim Associate Director of Agency Management, Brenda Galloway (202) 282-0710
Washington Child Development Council
is the resource and referral agency for the District of Columbia. Director of Program Development, Sara Fritel (202) 387-0002
Early Readers Now |
The District of Columbia Public Schools
(DCPS) serves more than 51,000 children in grades K-8 and more than 4,800 in pre-kindergarten. The student population overall is 85.9% Black; 8.3% Latino, 4.3% White and 1.6% Asian/Pacific Islander. (Department of Education 1999) DCPS will be the principal agency focusing on the readiness of schools and will provide testing data on the children enrolled in SPARK DC. Toward that end, DCPS elementary schools have committed to collaborate with anchor sites on promoting seamless transition practices, and improving school readiness outcomes for study sample children during the implementation phase. Chief of Citywide Early Childhood Initiatives, Mary Gill (202) 442-5116
The Early Childhood Leadership Institute @ the University of the District of Columbia
(ECLI) serves as the “state” system for professional development and training for the District of Columbia. ECLI develops and supports early care and education providers in the District of Columbia. ECLI’s vision is to build bridges towards quality programs for young children by engaging all early care practitioners in a continuing process of professional and leadership development, personal advancement, pedagogical excellence, and advocacy. Executive Director, Maurice Sykes (202) 986-3504
Georgetown Children's House Endowment to Promote Quality Early Childhood Education
was established in 2002 specifically to raise public awareness and support for early childhood services especially for those families most in need. The Endowment believes that to ensure quality there needs to be a coordinated effort to highlight the need for businesses, families, early childhood providers, the community as a whole and the government to recognize their role in supporting a comprehensive child care delivery system. Advocacy and education are critical tools that the Endowment employs to outreach to these broad based interests. Chief Executive Officer, Bobbi Blok (202) 234-2273
New Family Child Care Providers Association of Washington, DC
is a community-based organization representing the providers of family child care. The association will facilitate the inclusion of family child care providers into SPARK DC. President, Annie L. Frazier (202) 574-3633 |
