Registration is open for our 4th Annual Statewide Regional Council Summit on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon, via Zoom or in person at Counseling Services of Addison County, 109 Catamount Park, Middlebury, VT. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Joshua Sparrow (pictured), child, adolescent, and general psychiatrist, and Executive Director of […]
On Oct. 23, the State Advisory Council (SAC) formally endorsed the Policy Recommendations of the Vermont Early Childhood State Advisory Council Network for 2024! These recommendations represent the most pressing and actionable priorities for early childhood stakeholders throughout the Building Bright Futures Network. We also released a new Policy Playbook explaining what the recommendations mean, […]
The Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) supports creative solutions that will improve the well-being of children from the prenatal period to age 8, their families, and the Vermont communities where they live. In late 2022, Vermont was awarded a $23 million federal grant to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, support the early childhood workforce, and […]
BBF is excited to introduce two new team members: Jenn Schollmeyer and Kitty Foster. These new hires come as we ramp up our activities under “Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s B-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5),” the three-year, $23 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) awarded to Vermont at the start of this […]
News from the Network is a series from Building Bright Futures that spotlights the work of Regional Councils, updates related to early childhood data, emerging priorities from VECAP Committees, and more. This update gives a closer look at BBF’s work across the state of Vermont to improve the well-being of young children and families. VECAP […]
On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, during a veto override session, Vermont’s legislature passed H.217, a historic act related to investing in the state’s early childhood system. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2023, with portions of the law being phased in over time through 2026. In this legislative recap, we look at the roles […]
We’re excited to introduce four new BBF team members: Michelle Kersey, Kate Bailey, Tanya LaChapelle, and Valerie Wood. These new hires come as we ramp up our activities under “Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s B-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5),” the three-year, $23 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) awarded to Vermont at […]
Flor Diaz Smith’s passion for education and supporting children and communities clearly shines through from the first minute you talk with her. She is an interior designer, a parent of two, and a school board member serving the Montpelier area for the past 14 years. Diaz Smith wears a lot of hats: She serves as […]
Last year, more than 600 people across Vermont took the Vermont Early Childhood Family Needs Assessment. Next week, Building Bright Futures’Families & Communities Committee is offering a virtual briefing where you can learn more about the recently released report on the results. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, May 17, from noon to […]
On March 27, Vermont’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC) gathered in person for the first time since 2019 to build relationships among members and deepen our understanding of the SAC’s charge and SAC members’ roles. At the meeting, we also marked several transitions in membership. Ilisa Stalberg of the Vermont Department of Health took […]
Building Bright Futures’ Families and Communities Committee has released the results of the 2022 Vermont Early Childhood Family Needs Assessment, providing valuable insights into Vermont’s early childhood system. The survey asked about services and supports for families with children from the prenatal period to age 8, with a focus on better understanding the barriers families […]
On January 9, Building Bright Futures presented a virtual briefing on The State of Vermont’s Children: 2022 Year in Review. This short video clip from the briefing focuses on Vermont’s mixed-delivery early care and education system (including child care, preschool, and afterschool care). In the video, we discuss the gap between demand for and availability […]