CMV Risks – Cytomegalovirus Is a Greater Threat to Infants Than Zika, but Far Less Often Discussed

Posted on October 31st, 2016

Cytomegalovirus or CMV, is a common virus that infects people of all ages. In the United States, nearly one in three children are already infected with CMV by age 5 years. Over half of adults by age 40 have been infected with CMV. Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life […]

Learn How to Be Chill – Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome

Posted on September 22nd, 2016

There is no safe way to make a baby stop crying. All babies cry. Stop. Think. Put the baby in a safe place. And Walk Away. Call or Text someone. Don’t lose your cool. Take the time to chill. If you think the baby might be crying for a reason, you can try these techniques, […]

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Posted on September 21st, 2016

Fall 2016 Childhood Obesity Prevention e-Bulletin Published by the Connecticut Department of Public Health – September 2016 Obesity prevention begins early in life when children are still forming healthy behaviors. Implementing policies that support a healthy child care environment is a crucial step in ensuring the health of Connecticut’s youngest residents.  The Department of Public […]

Math Conceptual Development Kits for Southington Childcare Providers

Posted on September 13th, 2016

Thanks to support by the Southington Education Foundation, Math Conceptual Development kits have been purchased for every family day care provider, nursery school and child care center in Southington. These math kits were conceptualized and created as a partnership between the Southington Public Schools (SPS) Math Coordinator’s Office and the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington […]

Kindergarten Readiness Workshop series

Posted on September 7th, 2016

The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington will present their annual Kindergarten Readiness Workshop series in October. This three-part series is for parents and caregivers of children entering Kindergarten in September 2017 and each night focuses on a different topic. Attendees can register for one, two or all three of the workshops. There is no charge […]

Updated Data on the State of Southington’s Youth

Posted on August 19th, 2016

The Results Scorecard on the state of Southington’s youth has been updated by the ECCS with the latest data! Check it out to see main indicators related to the success and wellbeing of Southington’s children. Data is collected in the categories of Community, Health and Education. Click on the plus signs to look at the […]

Care 4 Kids Closing to New Applicants on August 1

Posted on July 19th, 2016

Major changes are coming to the Care 4 Kids program which helps low to moderate income families in Connecticut pay for child care costs. The Care 4 Kids program, which is sponsored by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, will CLOSE to NEW APPLICANTS on August 1. Currently, working families who are under 30% of […]

Chair of ECCS Wins 2016 CACFP Mini-Grant for Breastfeeding Support

Posted on July 15th, 2016

The Chair of the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington (ECCS), Michelle Slimak, was recently awarded a mini-grant by the T&L Foundation for Child Care Information. The grant allows her to offer Family Child Care families a relaxing place to breastfeed their infants in her program. Michelle was the only Connecticut recipient and was selected out of […]

ECCS Hires Joanne C. Kelleher as New Director

Posted on July 7th, 2016

The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington (ECCS) has named long-time Southington resident Joanne C. Kelleher as its new director following the recent resignation of Dr. Mary Yuskis. “In hiring Joanne, the Collaborative believes that we have found the ideal successor to Mary Yuskis,” said Michelle Slimak, Chair of the Collaborative. “Joanne’s knowledge of and commitment to the Southington […]

ECCS Searches for New Executive Director

Posted on April 26th, 2016

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE OF SOUTHINGTON   ECCS DIRECTOR POSITION   Reports to:                 Early Childhood Collaborative Chairperson Status:                        Part-time (20 hours/week, 12-months, flexible hours), position does not offer benefits Salary:                        $35,000–$40,000, depending on experience This is a one-year, grant-funded position that may be extended beyond one year depending on funding.   Position Summary:  […]