Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Family Connects Chicago program is designed to supply teaching and help providers for first-time moms throughout the crucial weeks round childbirth.
However, a program restricted to 4 hospitals, with counseling of brief period and no pre-natal providers, doesn’t go far sufficient.
Instead, why not embrace a complete early childhood program that has demonstrated the flexibility not solely to scale back toddler mortality but in addition shut the achievement hole for college kids, dramatically enhance commencement charges for teen moms, and considerably scale back repeat pregnancies?
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The Cradle to the Classroom program, began on the Chicago Public Schools in 1997 and inexplicably deserted in 2004, did all that and ought to be restored. The program related expectant teenagers with a “parent coach” — who made positive they obtained correct pre-natal care via weekly dwelling visits with ongoing well being care. Children obtained early literacy, numeracy and vocabulary programming till they entered kindergarten.
The program additionally decreased prices related to supply, long-term well being care and particular schooling providers. By 2002 within the Chicago Public Schools, it was serving 2,500 teen dad and mom, together with some fathers, together with 2,235 infants — roughly a 3rd of all youngsters born to teenagers in Chicago that yr.
A significant element of this system was to coach the mom, and presumably the daddy, if recognized and concerned, to be a dad or mum outfitted with the talents and helps for the kid’s early vitamin, well being care and early schooling wants. Trained dad or mum coaches, from the neighborhood and supervised by early childhood directors, supplied the majority of the service.
The Cradle to Classroom program additionally was extremely efficient in offering employment for hard-working inner-city moms, who had been skilled to function dad or mum coaches. At its peak, it employed 550 individuals, principally dad and mom, who served 2,500 pregnant teenagers yearly. While Mayor Lightfoot’s Family Connect program is a step in the precise route, Cradle to Classroom would give Chicago the capability to deal with the necessity on a a lot better scale.
Paul Vallas, CEO of the Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001
Tradition of fellowship nonetheless exists in CPS
How good to see an optimistic article a couple of Chicago public faculty, “Students give thanks for America and Sullivan High” by Neil Steinberg.
I taught at Sullivan for 25 years, via 2005. Back then, the enrollment different from 800 to over 1200 college students who represented dozens of nations from all over the world.
It was stated that there have been over 80 completely different languages spoken on the time. We all the time celebrated International Day, that includes conventional clothes, meals and music with colourful flags hanging in every single place.
I bear in mind one yr particularly, once I had college students from Afghanistan and Tibet in my vocal music class, together with new arrivals from the Soviet Union, Haiti, Belize, Jamaica, the Philippines, Bosnia, Nigeria, India and Pakistan and the Middle and Far East.
It was one of many nicest courses ever. It is nice to know that the custom of fellowship and welcome continues to be going robust.
Rosagitta Podrovsky, Skokie