November is a time for coming together, and we are thankful to have you as part of our community!
Don't miss out on RAPID Survey #7 to receive an incentive like the previous surveys; more details below.
As you plan your year-end giving, please consider making a donation to the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington.
Did you know that the ECCS does not receive funding from the Town of Southington or the Board of Education? Our work to support the parents and caregivers of Southington’s youngest citizens is funded primarily through grants we have applied for.
Receiving contributions from individuals like you helps support our operations and allows us to show our larger funders that there is strong community backing for this work.
There are many ways that you can support our work -
- Volunteer or serve on the Board of Directors
- Get us something from our wishlist
- Advocate
- Donate online
- Follow, Like, and Share our social media
Facebook @ECCSouthington
Instagram @ECCSouthington
Threads @ECCSouthington
X/Twitter @ecc_southington
Bluesky @eccsouthington.bsky.social
Epi is South Central Health District’s newest and youngest team member! She’s ready to learn and explore the world of Public Health with her community. She's a curious “Disease Detective” who’s ready to learn, explore, and share what she discovers about staying happy and healthy!
Epi’s World offers youngsters, parents, caregivers, and educators fun and accessible tools on key public-health topics. The site will feature short videos, each focused on a specific theme, plus interactive games, printable coloring pages, and a parent resource hub with links to topics like lead poisoning prevention and vaccine schedules. Learn more at www.episworld.org.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Preschool Showcase on Saturday, November 8th, we talked to lots of parents about their options.
Was your child born in the fall? As of 2024, the cut-off date to start kindergarten was changed so the child must be five years old by September 1st (previously it was January 1st). The State Legislature mandated that school districts allow parents to request an exception if they want their child, who will turn five years of age between September 2 and January 1, to enter Kindergarten. In January, the Southington Public Schools will host screening sessions for families seeking a waiver using an age-based evaluation (so it doesn't matter if you wait until your child is older to be screened). This exception process may be eliminated if the State Legislature changes the law in a future legislative session.
Preschool and nursery school programs are still allowed to follow the January 1st cut-off date, although this may vary by program. This means that children with fall birthdays who start in a PreK-3 program before they are three will not be able to move up to kindergarten after two years of preschool without applying for an exception. Families in this situation will need to decide if they will look at the January 1st cut-off (and potentially attend 3 years of preK) or the September 1st cut-off (starting a year later) when making the decision about when their child will start preK.
If your child will attend a school-year based nursery school or preschool in the fall of 2026 don't wait until the spring to register. Some programs are giving tours and taking registrations now, others will start in January or February. Now is the time to research preschool options.
The ECCS website has a summary of the kindergarten registration process. The Southington Public School district has announced the dates for the kindergarten waiver screenings in January, see below and sign up for a session online. The parent information night and registration will happen in February or March. The ECCS will share those details on our website, in our newsletter and on social media once they are available.
The seventh RAPID-CT survey is now open to Connecticut families with children under the age of 6. You can take this survey even if you've already taken any of the first six.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese, is open through Monday, December 8th.
You are welcome to invite family and friends across Connecticut with children under the age of 6 to also take this survey, but please do not post the link on social media to cut down on the spammers.
If you successfully completed any of the first six surveys, we thank you and you will also be receiving messages directly from the RAPID Survey Project at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood about future surveys. We will be sharing the results of these surveys as we get them.
Peak of crying – Your baby may cry more each week; the most at two months, then less at three to four months.
Unexpected – Crying can come and go and you don’t know why.
Resists soothing – Your baby may not stop crying no matter what you try to do.
Pain-like face – A crying baby may look like they are in pain, even when they are not.
Long-lasting – Crying can last as much as five hours a day, or more.
Evening – Your baby may cry more in the late afternoon and/or evening.
Learn more about the Period of PURPLE Crying at https://dontshake.org/purple-crying.
November 30th - Santa's Jolly Holiday - 2 pm to 4 pm at Southington Calendar House Senior Center. The ECCS will be located in the lobby. This is a free event.
December 2nd - ECCS Office Hours - 10 am to 12 pm at 35 North Main Street, Suite 3A-8
December 5th - Bright Lights Christmas Festival - 5:30 pm to 8 pm in Downtown Southington. The ECCS will be located at the American Legion with Santa! This is a free event.
December 14th - Christmas in the Village - 4:30 to 7:30 pm in Plantsville Center. The ECCS will be located in the firehouse of SFD Engine Company 2. This is a free event.
For more details, visit www.southingtonearlychildhood.org/events/ or follow us on our social media.
There are lots of holiday events coming up through the end of the year. We have a list of including visits with Santa, holiday lights, Hannukkah events, and more as a pinned post on our Facebook page.
Copyright © 2025 Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington, all rights reserved.
Mailing address:
Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington
PO Box 210
Southington, CT 06489-0210
Office address:
35 North Main Street, Suite 3A-8
Southington, CT 06489