Education

Knox County Early Education Initiative

Knox County Public School systems offer Kindergarten Jump Start Programs prior to the beginning of the school year through a United Way grant effort.  In addition, United Way sponsors K-3 tutoring at all three school corporations targeting children at risk of not passing the I-Read test which is administered at the end of third grade.  Research indicates that children LEARN to READ from K-3 and READ to LEARN from 4th grade on.  The goal of the Early Education Initiative is to raise the county I-read scores from 80% to 100%.

United Way of Knox County impact programs in education are:

            -       Bedtime in a Box - a sleep hygiene program that teaches parents how to prepare their children for school by preparing a good night time routine that includes, bath, brushing teeth, and reading a book before bedtime.  The bedtime in               a box kit includes instructional materials for parents, a stuffed animal, bath towel and bath toys, age appropriate size pajamas, tooth paste, tooth brush, and 5 hard back age appropriate books.  Youth attending the kindergarten jumpstart                 program recieve a box upon graduatiing from the program as well as targeted youth in area preschools.  To view a video of Bedtime in a Box click https://youtu.be/m472ASu61vg

·      Kindergarten Jumpstart – a program to better prepare children for kindergarten by allowing them to spend two weeks prior to the start of school in classrooms and school environment, where teachers can introduce them to daily routines and activities, allowing them to gain experience and become more comfortable, and in this way prepare them for future academic success,

·      Tutoring program, where teachers offer additional after school assistance to those children who need it,

·      NFL Character Playbook (in partnership with NFL) a new digital course for next year for children in grades 7-9, in the form of a graphic novel that teaches how to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships, how to manage emotions, resolve conflicts and make informed decisions,

·      Pre-K Roundtable, which connects pre-school age daycare providers with elementary teachers, so they can exchange valuable information about how to improve their services.

In addition to these school-based programs there are others that also fit into this category and not all of them are necessarily based at school:

·      KCARC’s Project 1972, because it intends to offer educational and employment opportunities for disabled people,

·      Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts programs build courage, confidence, and character in boys and girls,

·      SuperMENtors program by PACE, which brings positive male role models to 3-5 year olds at Head Start,

·      Boys and Beyond program also by PACE, working with boys in 4^th and 5^th grade, bringing experiential learning to gain basic life skills.

United Way Crawford County Works to Provide Support to our Partner Agencies