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About Us

Coalition Programs

School Readiness

In 1999, the Florida Legislature enacted the School Readiness Act to bring early care and education services together under one program. At the state level these services are directed by the Office of Early Learning managed by the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The Early Learning Coalition of Clay, Nassau, Baker and Bradford Counties administers school readiness services for these counties. These programs are funded with both state and federal money. These dollars are used to help families locate and pay for quality early care and education for young children.

CNBB believes that school readiness and success in life is based largely on forming strong early literacy skills. Experts in early literacy determined that children at greatest risk for reading difficulties in primary grades are those entering school with sub-average verbal skills, a lack of experiences with books, low levels of phonological awareness, limited exposure to the mechanics of print and poor alphabet recognition.

To ensure school readiness, CNBB provides an integrated system of services to prepare at-risk children for success in kindergarten, emphasizing early literacy skills. The Coalition has adopted an appropriate curriculum to use in selected public, faith-based, private, school-based, and Head Start programs. Additionally, we use a teacher training and modeling approach in classrooms to provide preschool teachers with the opportunity to acquire knowledge and develop skills necessary in teaching essential elements of early literacy.

CNBB provides a training model that is inclusive and collaborative. The model responds to the persistent challenge of improving the quality of early care and learning programs in ways that enable all children to enter school with the skills and knowledge they need to become successful readers and students.

Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK)

In January 2005, Florida enacted the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (VPK). VPK provides that each child residing in the state who will have attained 4 years of age before September 1 of the school year is eligible for a free early childhood development and education program. This program is designed to enhance each child's ability to make age appropriate progress in the development of language and cognitive abilities through education in basic skills. VPK services began in August 2005.

Vision

The Early Learning Coalition of Clay, Nassau, Baker and Bradford Counties will ensure the children in our community are healthy and enter school ready to learn and become successful.

Mission

The Early Learning Coalition of Clay, Nassau, Baker and Bradford Counties will provide access to high quality early childhood programs and family and child services through collaboration and utilization of an integrated service system.

Coalition Members

The Coalition consists of community business leaders, early childhood educators, and other community leaders to set effective policy and oversee programs at the local level. Our current members are:

  • Donald C. Neal - Chair
  • Jack Baker, Jr. - Vice Chair
  • Vina Delcomyn - Treasurer
  • David Philips - Secretary
  • Paula Barton
  • Pam Buckham
  • Adam Chalker
  • Ronald Coleman
  • Renee Crane
  • Bruce Furgeson
  • Jeri Kolke
  • Daniel Kurmaskie
  • Lynn Meares
  • Sue Murphy
  • Deborah Springs
  • Connie Stophel
  • Dana Thomas, Ed.D.
  • Andrea Trzcinski

We want to work with the families, early childhood educators, business leaders, policy makers and other stakeholders to enhance and improve the quality, affordability, and availability of child care and early education in our communities. We invite you to call our Coalition's Executive Director, Steve Mountain, at (904) 213-3999, with your feedback on our website, or to discuss any other issues related to early learning.

Support

CNBB has been a leader in delivering quality early learning programs to some of the children most at risk of school failure. We recognized early the value in collaborating with others in our community who share our goals. Our children are served through the providers working in our communities - public schools, private and faith-based providers, and family child care homes.

We work to be a resource throughout our communities. Our Child Care Resource and Referral services provide unbiased information to all parents about child care and early learning opportunities in their local areas. We also provide parents information on what quality indicators to look for when choosing services for their children. And we work with the providers, helping them with professional development and other quality supports.

If you share our goals and value the work CNBB provides your community, we welcome your support. The Coalition is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. You may send your contribution, payable to Early Learning Coalition of CNBB, to our office located at 1845 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 150, Orange Park, FL 32003. A written acknowledgment of your gift on our letterhead will support your income tax deduction.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH12557.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about CNBB and the services we provide families and children in your community.

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