HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014-2015

  • 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
  • 25th Anniversary Party. On November 13, 2014 over 120 guests gathered to celebrate the Alliance’s 25th anniversary and to honor Blakely Bundy for her 25 years of service as Executive Director of The Alliance. The evening’s program featured Dr. Donald Monroe, former superintendent ofThe Winnetka Public Schools and a founder of The Alliance, as well as Joan Almon, founding director of the U.S. Alliance for Childhood.
  • The Blakely Bundy Tribute Fund. A new capital fund entitled, the “Blakely Bundy Tribute Fund” was created to honor Blakely Bundy’s 25 years as Executive Director and was unveiled at the 25th Anniversary Party. The Fund will support the Alliance’s continued sustenance and growth and Blakely Bundy will serve as an advisor to help oversee how the Fund is used. An anonymous donor agreed to match any donations to the Fund given betweenDec. 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015 up to $20,000.
  • AMERICAN RED CROSSBABYSITTING COURSE. Board member, Stephanie Figlioli, taught three all-day sessions of the American Red Cross Babysitting Course for junior high studentsin October, January, and June. All classes were fully enrolled.
  • ANNUAL FUND AND TEACHER TRIBUTES: This is the 13th year of our very successful Teacher Tribute program as part of the Annual Fund campaign. For the fiscal year ending 9/30/14, 309 Teacher Tributes were made. In May 2015, 2,924 annual appeal letters were sent out, with every letter personalized by board members and staff.Letters were sent to Board, Advisory Board, Former Board, Presidents’ Council, Sustainer, and Emeritus Board members; every Member and Associate Member School and Organization;and the parents of every member school plus all recent donors to the Alliance. This year our letter outlined a choice of four different funds into which a donation can be made: Blakely Bundy, Steve Adams, Teacher Tribute and unrestricted.Libby continues to lead this vital effort, finding new ways to streamline and improve the process each year.The highlights of the Alliance’s financial results for the past year include:
  • The annual campaign took in $55,704 in the fiscal year ending 9/30/14.
  • We mailed 488 LYBUNT letters in the fall, and 17 donations were high enough to receive a copy of Joan Almon’s book.
  • For the year beginning 10/1/14, the Tribute and unrestricted funds have taken in $27,901, including 106Teacher Tributes (as of 5-10-15). This is lower than last year because of donations to the Steve Adams and Blakely Bund funds.
  • The Blakely Bundy fund is at $22,643 as of 5-10-15.
  • The Steve Adams fund has brought in $1475 as of5-10-15.
  • For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, the Alliance had a loss of $3826.43, down from the previous year’s loss of $9146.37. We had projected a loss of $8,000.
  • As of May 13, 2015, ScreenBreak income is $17,732, down from last fiscal year. Screen Break expenses were $12,254, for a net surplus of $5478. We eliminated the paid position of ScreenBreak Manager and made it a board position. The money saved was used to hire a Project Manager of Fundraising.
  • Screen Break fundraisers by Bake 425 and the Dailey Method brought in $526. We are continuing to look at our ScreenBreak fundraising.
  • Our Programs have brought in $11,296 so far this year, $3404 under budget. This is, in part, because we have decided not to “pass-the-hat” at our programs. Program expenses at $8649 were $901 under budget.
  • The Newsletter has revenues of $12,525 so far this fiscal year, up from $8029 at this point last year.
  • We received a $6,000 grant from the Kenilworth United Fund.
  • The Alliance has 11 Partners this year.
  • We had $17,970 in income from the 25th anniversary party. Our profit from the party was $6449.
  • COMMUNICATIONS. The Alliance uses the web to inform parents and educators about best practices in Early Childhood.
  • TheAllianceForEC.org, the official website, is filled with information and news for parents and educators. Archived are past issues of Early Childhood, a library of articles organized by topic, and videos of past lectures. Also included is current information on preschools, elementary schools, child-care programs, after-school programs, extracurricular activities, and summer camps. This year over 67,000 visits were made to The Alliance’s website.
  • Facebook. On The Alliance’s Facebook page are notifications of upcoming programs, documentation of previous events (photos, descriptions), and links to current articles on child development. The Alliance’s Facebook page currently has nearly 400 “likes” or followers.
  • Constant Contact. Regular email blasts to over 1,500 people build awareness of The Alliance’s programs and initiatives. We sent 21 Constant Contact emails between August 1 and May 1.
  • COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. Alliance staff members are regularly invited to participate in local initiatives that benefit children across Chicago and its neighborhoods. This year, Blakely Bundy and Liza Sullivan have been assisting in the design of a nature-based play area in New Trier Township, in collaboration with BackYard Nature Center, the Winnetka Park District, and New Trier High School. They also served as consultants for the Winnetka Community House’s Children’s Garden.
  • CURRENT COMMITTEES: 25th Anniversary, Executive, Fund, Let’s Play, Networking, Pat Wroclawski Collection, Program, ScreenBreak, Special Needs Roundtable, Transition to Kindergarten, and Twins and Multiples Roundtable.
  • CURRENT OFFICERS AND STAFF: President, Christie Baker; Vice-President of Programs, Gina Mathews; Vice-President of ScreenBreak, Carrie Kelly; Secretary, Beth Beeler; Treasurer, Deirdre Franklin; Fund Chair, Stephanie Graves; and Past Presidents, Cindy Brady, Tracey McDowell, and Robin VanderMolen. Executive Director, Liza Sullivan; Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Advisor, Blakely Bundy; Director of Operations, Elizabeth Joyce; and Project Manager of Fundraising, Amy Blesi.
  • FUND COMMITTEE: The balance in the Alliance Endowment Fund at 4-30-2015 was $109,505.46, down slightly from $109,744.96 at 4-30-2014. Investment income earned on the Fund remains minimal due to continuing historically low Interest rateson the risk-free CDs in which the Fund is invested.During the past twelve months, $375 was disbursed from the Fund to hire a consultant to provide strategic content for the fall/winter newsletter.
  • EDUCATIONAL LECTURE SERIES FOR PARENTS. Nationally respected researchers, authors and Early Childhood leaders are brought in annually to speak on a variety of important issues. Parents receive articles prior to the events. A discussion follows the speaker, and the parents have access to supplemental articles on TheAllianceForEC.org. Over 900 parents participated in our 2014-15 workshop series. The year’s programs included:
  • Beyond Time Out: Dealing with challenging behaviors, October 29, 2014. Angela SearcyM.S., DT,Simple Solutions Educational Services. (39 attendees)
  • Encouraging Adventure: Redefining success to include risk, November 13, 2014. Joan Almon, Co-Founder, Alliance for Childhood. (58 attendees)
  • Redshirting: The practice of holding children back from kindergarten so they begin school at age 6 or older, January 23, 2015. Samuel Meisels, Ed.D., Founding Executive Director, University of Nebraska’s Buffett Early Childhood Institute. (73 attendees)
  • Born for Love: Why empathy is essential, and endangered, February 12, 2015. Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Fellow, the ChildTrauma Academy, Houston (in partnership with the Family Action Network). (475 attendees)
  • Strategies for Using Technology at Home, March, 2015 (Part 1: Webinar) & March 18, 2015 (Part 2: In-person workshop). Amanda Armstrong, M.S., Program Coordinator, Technology in Early Childhood Center, Erikson Institute. (Part 1: 271 attendees, Part 2: 4 attendees)
  • Transition to Kindergarten Meeting, April 30, 2015. Parents of incoming kindergarten students and families who are new to District 36 learn about the District’s history and approaches, as well as what to expect during the kindergarten year. Alison Hawley, District 36 Curriculum Director and Daniel Ryan, Principal of Hubbard Woods Schoolintroduced the District's play-based kindergarten philosophy. (23 adults, 8 children)
  • FIRST DAYS OF SUMMER PARK-A-DAY CHALLENGE. Organized by the Let’s Play Committee, The Alliance’s annual Park-A-Day Challenge is scheduled from 9a.m.-12p.m. during the first days of summer vacation (Monday, June 8 through Friday, 12), serving as an inspiration for parents to make children’s play a priority over the summer months. Each day families are encouraged to visit a different park in the New Trier Township, including Vattmann Park, Wilmette; Hubbard Woods Park, Winnetka; Townley Field, Kenilworth; Clarkson Park, Northfield; and Kalk Park, Glencoe. From 9a.m.-11:30a.m., different community partners facilitated open-ended play activities based on a daily theme. At 11:30 a.m., the town’s library offered a storytime in the park. On these days, parks feel transformed with several families joining together for free, themed public celebrations of child-directed play, facilitated by adults ready to support free play.
  • FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT. One major organizational focus this year has been securing additional annual sponsors, program sponsors, donors, and advertisers. This August funds were used to hirea new consultant role, a Project Manager for Fundraising. This position has proved beneficial in both implementing the organization’s annual development plan, as well as securing operating funds. Additionally this year The Alliance worked with a consulting firm and graphic designer to develop a series of new sponsorship materials to support our development efforts.
  • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS. Because strong schools and successful community programs depend on commitment, knowledge, and innovation, The Alliance underwrites a series of professional development workshops for area teachers, administrators, and other local professionals. Leading these workshops are experts in Early Childhood. In the 2014-15 school year, The Alliance engaged over 450 educators through five professional development events. This year, the topics were:
  • Reflective Teachers are Effective Teachers: Create compassionate classrooms through validating feelings, problem solving, and avoiding consequences and punishment, Friday, September 19, 2014. Nancy Bruski, M.A., LCSW, Wise Choice Guidance. (26 attendees)
  • Why Won’t They Sit at Circle Time?! Ways to build and support the attention spans of young children, October 29, 2014. Angela SearcyM.S., DT,Simple Solutions Educational Services. (43 attendees)
  • Addressing Effects of Trauma in Mental Health and Education, February 13, 2015. Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Fellow, the ChildTrauma Academy, Houston (in partnership with the Family Action Network). (175 attendees)
  • Strategies for Using Technology in the Classroom and for Family Engagement, March 18, 2015. Amanda Armstrong, M.S., Program Coordinator, Technology in Early Childhood Center, Erikson Institute. (36 attendees)
  • 2nd Annual Inspiring Nature Play: Digging Deeper Conference, May 6, 2015 hosted by The Alliance for Early Childhood and the Chicago Botanic Garden. The event brought together formal and nonformal educators passionate about engaging young children in nature play and nature-based learning. Keynote speaker was Patti Bailie, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at University of Maine at Farmington. Participants participated in “playshops” and hands-on demonstrations, as well as exchanged program ideas andlessons learned with an engaged community of educators.(178 attendees)
  • MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. Our current membership has risen to 52 schools and organizations in Winnetka, Northfield, Kenilworth, and neighboring communities on the North Shore, reaching over 5,000 children and their families annually. Our membership levels include: 37 Standard Member schools and organizations, 2 Affiliate schools, and 13 Associate Member schools and organizations. During the 2014-15 school year, St. Francis Xavier (Wilmette) joined as a new Associate Member school.
  • NAEYC. In November,along with Joan Almon of the Alliance for Childhood, Blakely Bundy and Liza Sullivan presented the Alliance’s Let’s Play! initiative at the annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Dallas, Texas. The session was entitled, “Promoting Play in a Race to Nowhere World: The Alliance For Early Childhood’s Successful Initiative to Encourage Child-Directed Free Play in Affluent, Competitive, and Overscheduled Communities” and was attended by 300 national early childhood educators.
  • NETWORKING EVENTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS. The Alliance’s foundational commitment is to the young children in our community. For this reason, we bring together neighborhood early childhood educators to discuss Early Childhood issues among themselves. Nine networking events were scheduled during the school year, impacting over 300 educators.
  • Networking Breakfast (October 2, 2014). Leaders of The Alliance member schools and organizations meet in a small group setting to hear about The Alliance’s programs for the upcoming school year. This year’s event was hosted at Ronald Knox Montessori (Wilmette) and 26 people attended.
  • Preschool Directors Roundtables (6 sessions, October 2014 through June 2015. Note one meeting was cancelled due to weather). Local preschool directors convened in order to talk with one another about matters of common concern. Participants toured others’ schools, and discussed different Early Childhood philosophies. During the year, the group met at Glencoe Junior Kindergarten/Glencoe Park District, Harkess House for Children, Northfield CommunityNursery School, Winnetka Covenant Preschool, Winnetka Public School Nursery,

and for a Dutch treat lunch in June.

  • 25th Annual Networking Dinner (January 22, 2015). Administrators, teachers, and others dined and listened to a nationally recognized and respected educator in Early Childhood. Dr. Samuel Meisels, the Founding Executive Director of the University of Nebraska’s Buffett Early Childhood Institute, presented “Why the Early Years of Life Matter.” (181 attendees)
  • Preschool-Kindergarten Articulation Meeting (February 24, 2015). Preschool and kindergarten teachers and administrators convened to discuss the healthy transition from preschool to kindergarten (39 attendees).
  • NEWSLETTER. This October,The Alliance’s new graphic designer created an updated 4-color design ofEarly Childhood, our 16-page biannual newsletter. Over 4,300 copies were distributed through our member schools and organizations, to a small subscription base, and at local libraries, businesses, pediatricians’ offices, and other local venues.
  • PAT WROCLAWSKI COLLECTION: The collection continues to be a popular choice for families with young children at the Winnetka Public Library. This year5 books were purchased for the collection during the ScreenBreak Book and Toy Fair.
  • SCREENBREAK. ScreenBreak 2015, our 21st annual event, was held from March 1-7 with free events for area families and children of varying ages. The Screen-Break Committeeled the organization of thisbeloved community-wide event. Children in 31 schools in Winnetka, Northfield, Kenilworth, Wilmette, Glencoe, and Highland Park participated. This year's theme was "Color Your Adventure," and families were encouraged to participate by setting their own rules about limiting screen usage during the week, ranging from no screens (“cold turkey”) to a defined reduced use.
  • Drawing Contest. A record number of entries were collected this year. Workshops to encourage drawing entries were held at the Winnetka, Northfield, and Wilmette libraries. Framed drawings and ribbons were distributed as prizes. Framing was donated by Will Frame It.
  • Events. The Kick-Off Event featured CircEsteemand attracted nearly 300 attendees.A new participatory format was introduced this year, during which children participatedin interactive stations including scarf juggling, plate spinning, gym wheel, feather balancing, face painting, balloon artist, and a tightwire. Drawing contest winners were honored and attendees were eligible to win exciting prizes through a raffle.
  • Publicity. Kiosk signs and lamp post banners were hung in Winnetka, and banners were posted in Northfield and Kenilworth. Flyers and posters were displayed at businesses in all participating communities. There was extensive local press, as well as a Chicago Tribune article entitled, “North Shore Families Give Up Screen Time.”
  • ScreenBreak Guide. 5,240 copies of the 54-page Guide were produced. Activities and advertisements from 83 local businesses and organizations were featured in the Guide, as well as additional media info, “at home” activity ideas, and an article by Chip Donohue, Ph.D. and Amanda Armstrong, M.S. entitled “Building Healthy Media and Technology Habits Starts at Home.” The Alliance’s new graphic designer created an updated 4-color design for the Guide’s cover, as well as a new approach to 2-color interior.
  • Sponsors and Activity Hosts. We greatly thank the 83 sponsors and activity hosts who have made the 2015 ScreenBreak possible. Each year the ScreenBreak Week brings together families to enjoy tech-free time, as well as to patronize exceptional businesses and organizations within the community. We are grateful to all sponsors, donors, and hosts who create this special North Shore tradition. New fundraisers were added this year, including a partnership with Dailey Method-North Shore.
  • Wristbands and Buttons. Only wristbands were given to elementary and middle school kids, as well as preschoolers. A card on the back of the Guide could be used if a wristband was lost. Parents could order a “ScreenBreak Kit” for $10, which included a Guide and wristband. Libby Joyce handled this distribution. We made $60 on the sale of kits this year.
  • SPECIAL NEEDS ROUNDTABLE. During the 2014-15 school year, the Special Needs Roundtable started a new mentor program for parents who may have a child with a recent diagnosis and are looking for advice and someone to serve as a friend/sounding board. The main goal is to have mentors with knowledge in a certain area (e.g. ADHD, autism, sensory issues) “matched” with someone seeking advice in that area. Parents newer to the Special Needs arena would then have a go-to person, someone to talk to, or meet with face-to-face.
  • STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE. In the spring, a team of approximately 25 key stakeholders and supporters met twice to evaluate The Alliance’s past accomplishments and develop a strategic plan for the organization, based on shared visions of what The Alliance can and should do for parents, professionals, and children in our community. The planning process will continue into the fall and will reach out to a broader audience for input.

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