07/11/11 Avoiding Summer Learning Loss, Thanks to Providence Children's Initiative    Over 40 new 1st through 5th grade students at Mary E. Fogarty Elementary in South Providence will be avoiding summer learning loss—thanks to an enrichment program developed by the Providence Children’s Initiative and its partners. And their parents will have the opportunity to attend workshops on family budgeting, lead safe homes and other topics while the students are focusing on reading, math and test-taking skills. Twenty incoming kindergartners will spend nearly 70 hours over the course of four weeks working on early literacy and math skills, thanks to VIPS Inspiring Minds’ Kindergarten Transition program. And approximately 50 former Fogarty 5th graders will be brushing up their study skills, thanks to The College Crusade of Rhode Island’s “Ways to A’s” program which will take place at the Community College of Rhode Island’s south side campus in Providence. “This is truly a group effort made possible through the cooperation of so many people,” said the Providence Children’s Initiative director Michelle Cortés-Harkins. Classes for new first through fifth graders will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the weeks of July 11, 18 and 25 from 8 a.m. to noon.  Two hour parent workshops will take place on many of those days. Ms. Cortés-Harkins noted that the parent workshops will be bilingual. “Many of the parents at Fogarty speak Spanish as their first language, so we wanted to make sure we overcame language barriers.” The incoming kindergartners benefiting from the transition program provided by VIPS Inspiring Minds will meet on a separate schedule in July and August, as will the former Fogarty 5th graders attending The College Crusade of Rhode Island’s “Ways to A’s.” “The work of the Providence Children’s Initiative, and the support of the community partners backing these efforts, is invaluable to the children of Providence,” said Providence School Superintendent Thomas M. Brady.  “We know that the 6-hour school day alone is not always enough to enable our children’s success, so the rallying of resources and of dedicated people to extend and expand learning opportunities is a critical component in the urgent effort to better serve our students.” Funding is from a blending of dollars raised at a May fundraiser for the school, The Rhode Island Foundation, The College Crusade of Rhode Island, and the Providence Children’s Initiative, a program of Family Service of Rhode Island, a statewide non-profit based in South Providence.  The Providence Public School District is funding free breakfasts and lunches. “This is an important opportunity for the students and parents,” said Carolyn Johnston, the school’s principal.  “We’re fortunate to have the support of the Providence Children’s Initiative, our teachers, parents and students, the Providence Public School District and our many partners.” “A student who makes great academic strides during the school year can be significantly impacted by the summer ‘learning-gap.’ We are pleased to fund this collaboration that also aims to ‘educate’ parents with important information, making this a great opportunity for members of the Fogarty school community,” said Denise Jenkins, grant programs officer at The Rhode Island Foundation. Workshops include basic budgeting, provided by Family Service of RI; lead safe homes, from the Childhood Lead Action Project; healthy food, from the Environmental Justice League of RI; resources for families, from the Providence Community Library branch in South Providence; and learning to ask important questions, from the Rhode Island Parent Information Network. The Providence Children’s Initiative, a program of Family Service of RI, is a grassroots effort inspired by the work of Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Children’s Zone, to improve student and family education, economic, employment and social outcomes. On October 11, Family Service of RI is honoring Geoffrey Canada at the agency’s annual Brighter Futures luncheon.   (end)