Programs
Fauqiuer Preschool Coalition
The Fauquier Preschool Coalition is a group of community members, educators, and parents dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young children in our Fauquier County. The Coalition is committed to working together to improve the quality of early childhood education in the county. Quality preschool education addresses the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of each child.
The Coalition, of which Learning Starts Early is a member, has participated with Fauquier County Public Schools in implementing two grants funded by the Virginia Commonwealth designed to improve preschool quality. In 2017, Fauquier County Public Schools received the Mixed Delivery Grant, a public-private partnership created to provide additional high-quality preschool slots in private settings, targeting high-needs areas of the county. An important component of the grant was the development of professional development modules to be made available to all preschool providers in the county. LSE in partnership with St. James’ Episcopal Church and School hosted the professional development workshops and provided video recording services to allow for remote viewing of the sessions.
The efforts of LSE and the Fauquier Preschool Coalition were recognized by Virginia’s First Lady, Pam Northam, in a visit to Warrenton on May 8, 2019. Mrs. Northam lauded the work done by the Coalition and other community partners, “What amazing work you all have done,” she began. “You all are the perfect example, and we have been seeing this in other communities too, that together we are a powerful force for good. You all are living and walking this purpose." https://www.fauquier.com/news/pam-northam-visits-warrenton-to-laud-preschool-initiatives/article_e3fab150-7717-11e9-b076-53b76f9ad609.html
During the 2019-2020 school year, the Coalition participated in Virginia’s Preschool Development Grant (PDG) which funds professional development for preschool directors and teachers in meeting the requirements of the CLASS assessment. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System, or CLASS, is an observation tool that assesses the interactions between teachers and children that affect learning and development. This measure of quality is one significant part of our success.