STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-THIRD MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
JOINT HOUSE AND SENATE EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Senator Bonoff, Chair of Early Childhood and Learning Readiness, and Representative Nora Slawik, Chair of the Early Childhood Learning Finance Division, called the meeting to order at 11:20 AM, on December 11, 2007, at the First Presbyterian Church, 706 Third Avenue South, St. James, Minnesota.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
House Members Present:
Slawik (Chair)
Laine
S. Peterson
House Members Excused:
Bly (Vice-Chair)
Eastlund
Fritz
Garofalo
Gottwalt
Kranz
E. Murphy
Nornes
Ward
Wardlow
Winkler
Senate Members Present:
Bonoff (Chair)
G. Olson
Saltzman
Senate Members Excused:
Michel (Vice-Chair)
Robling
Torres Ray
Wiger
A quorum was not present.
Introduction of members.
Chair Bonoff invited testimony as follows:
Anni O'Neill, Early Childhood Program Director, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), provided testimony on the SMIF and the importance of kindergarten transitions and partnerships with all of the SMIF stakeholders.
Three members of the Watonwan County Early Childhood Initiative provided testimony about efforts being done in Watonwan County in regards to kindergarten transitions; including curriculum alignment, literacy, and home visiting programs, as well as what could be the state's role. Those members were: Sue Harris, Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) Coordinator and Watonwan County Community Education Director; Jennie Firchau, Early Childhood Family Education Advisory Board Chair, school board member, family childcare provider, and ECI member; Kara Anderson, nurse practitioner, parent of a child that just entered kindergarten and ECFE Advisory Board member and Welcome Baby Advisory Board member.
Four members of the Olmsted County School Readiness Collaborators provided testimony about Olmsted County, including all the Early Childhood stakeholders partnering to provide uniform services. Those members were: Sandra Simar, Childcare Resource and Referral Head Start Director; Patrick Gannon, Executive Director, Southern District Childcare Resource and Referral; Peggy O'Toole-Martin, Program Manager, Early Childhood Family Services, Community Education, Rochester Public Schools; Sheila Kiscaden, First Steps Interim Director, Rochester Area Foundation.
Nancy Penn, Director, Saint Peter Community and Family Education, Saint Peter Public Schools provided testimony about a new program offering services to childcare providers to help the children under their care become prepared for Kindergarten, including training on kindergarten curriculum.
Sarah Caruso, President, Minnesota Children's Museum (MCM) provided testimony about how groups and organizations providing informal learning to children, i.e. libraries and the MCM, need to work more with formal learning programs, i.e. ECFE and Head Start, to provide services to children.
The meeting adjourned at 1:20 PM.
Representative Nora Slawik, CHAIR
Matthew M. Collie
Committee Legislative Assistant