2012 grad launches Facebook page for parent leaders

Congratulations to 2012 PLTI graduate Kelly Nealy of West Haven on the launch of her Facebook page, The Parent Leader. Kelly hopes to encourage parental involvement by sharing information on "education, healthcare, government, communities, volunteer opportunities, and events related to children and communities in the New Haven County area" as well as on the state level. Be sure to "like" her!

Kelly has also written a poem inspired by her PLTI experience:

To all who think your voice won't be heard
I will tell you it won't if you don't say a word
There's no mountain too small or too big you can't climb
Nothing is ever a waste of your time
Our children are our future and we need to fight
For anything and everything we feel is right
With each little step you are willing to take
You help make the world a better place
Every voice makes a difference so let others hear
Your concerns, your worries, your story, your fears
Reach for the stars even the ones you can't see
Be The Parent Leader you know you can be. 

Our response to Gov. Malloy's plan to consolidate commissions

In the proposed budget he submitted to the legislature on February 6, Governor Dannel Malloy called for consolidating five legislative commissions—including the Commission on Children—into one. Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman responded by pointing out that the Commission has brought $1.45 into various community programs for every dollar invested in it. Read the rest of her statement here

What We're Reading

This week's issue is dominated by the legislature's public hearings on the Newtown school shootings.

As President Obama releases gun violence plan, petition drive begins for a national Commission on Children

Before wading into the oceans of commentary, pro and con, on President Obama's plan to curb gun violence, it might be a good idea to read the plan itself (PDF). Yes, it's 15 pages, but it's a fast 15.

Also today, Save the Children and several other organizations launched an online petition that asks President Obama to create a national Commission on Children. "We cannot stand by and let violence, poverty and other threats become pervasive parts of childhood in America," the petition says. "We need everyone at the table for a national conversation to find bold, new ideas."

Meanwhile, we've finally fixed the search engine of our website! If you come across anything else on the site that needs attention, please alert webmaster Kevin Flood at kevin.flood@cga.ct.gov.  

National survey finds child poverty on the rise, in CT and nationally

The good news: The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 22nd-annual Kids Count data book ranks Connecticut sixth in the nation for overall child well-being. The bad news: We're heading in the wrong direction on several indicators, particularly child poverty, which rose 9 percent between 2000 and 2009. In Hartford, 39 percent of children are in poverty; in New Haven, 31 percent.

Bristol Press reports on the arrival of PLTI in Plymouth

The Bristol Press has interviewed Commission Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman on the arrival in Plymouth of the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), the Commission's popular 20-week civics course.

"It’s a democracy school for families," Zimmerman said of PLTI. "It teaches parents how change occurs for children, so parents can use a kind of civic tool kit and participate in a very deep way to improve the health, safety and learning opportunities for children."

Donna Koser, outreach coordinator for the Plymouth Early Childhood Council, told the newspaper she's excited that her town is participating. "This is something we’ve been wanting to bring into Plymouth for a while, but funding wasn’t available," she said. The funding comes in the form of a $20,000 grant arranged through the Commission. Learn more about PLTI | Other PLTI sites

"Reading Readiness Begins Long Before Kindergarten"

Here are the PowerPoint slides that Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman used last week for a Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) webinar on early reading success. It's got advice for parents, educators, librarians, pediatricians, and the rest of us.

The Commission website has lots more on reading.

Our latest newsletter

http://www.cga.ct.gov/coc/newsletters/2010-11-29.htm

Our 2011 meeting schedule

You'll find it here.

Two new board members

The Commission on Children has two new members: Robert Francis, executive director of the Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP), and Jordan E. Grossman, Ed.D., principal of the Canton Intermediate School in Canton. Their photos have been added to the Members page.

New TBI brochure

To the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) page of our site (under Connecticut Resources) we've added a PDF version of the new brochure from the Connecticut Family Support Council, "Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Children with Disabilities and Children with Special Health Care Needs."

There's also a version in Spanish, "Lesión Cerebral Traumática (TBI por sus siglas en inglés) en los Niños con Discapacidad y Niños con Necesidades Especiales de Salud."

Pardon our appearance

You'll notice that the Commission on Children website has a new look. We hope you like it and find it makes getting around easier. Unfortunately, some of the pages need to be adjusted to the new template -- hence they look slightly screwed up, though still readable. Please bear with us for the next few days while we clean things up. If you see any problems, especially broken links, drop a line to Kevin Flood.

SDE bullying report on our website

We've posted on our website a 62-page state Department of Education report on anti-bullying efforts in Connecticut. SDE submitted the report in February to comply with Public Act 08-160.

'Emerging Issues for Children' roundtable on Tuesday, April 13

The next meeting of the Commission on Children will feature a roundtable discussion by lawmakers and others on emerging issues like cyberbullying, the achievement gap, and health care reform. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13, in Room 1-C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Download an agenda (PDF) | Directions

Add seven more towns to those seeking SNAP E&T dollars

We've added seven central Connecticut towns to our map of communities that have applied for federal funding under the SNAP E&T program, which reimburses 50 cents for every dollar spent on services that provide food stamp recipients with the skills and support services they need to find regular employment. The towns are Chester, Deep River, Durham, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, and Middlefield. Here's the map