A Message from leadership
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This month’s update from Director Alyssa Chatterjee
Happy fall! I can’t believe another month has come to a close. I hope you all have enjoyed the unusually warm October weather as we finally head into some rain. I know it made our pumpkin patch trip much easier to plan! There are a few things I wanted to highlight this month.
Head Start Awareness Month
This month, Governor Kotek proclaimed October as Head Start Awareness Month. In honor of Head Start’s legacy, DELC staff visited with Suey Linzmeier, who is the executive director of Head Start of Yamhill County. You can read the full press release and watch Suey’s incredible and heartfelt Head Start story by visiting the DELC Blog.
Early Childhood Priorities
Last month, Governor Kotek met with early childhood leaders and parents to discuss the need for expanded access to infant-toddler care and universal preschool. Our Policy and Strategy Director, Carey McCann, and I were invited to listen to the conversation and tour Harmony Montessori, an early childhood program that currently participates in Employment Related Day Care, Preschool Promise, and Multnomah County’s Preschool for All. This is exciting and ambitious work led by the Governor’s Office and the Early Childhood Care and Learning Systems Roundtable, and DELC will continue to inform the process through staffing and through Carey’s role as a Roundtable member.
Champions for Children
hold
Standing Together
I sent a message out about the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School – a situation that has left a lasting hurt for all of us. I wanted to remind you of how essential your work is to Oregon’s communities. I want to express my gratitude for the compassion and dedication each of you continues to bring forward, even during hard times. It is an honor to stand alongside you as we continue working to support children, families, and the communities they call home.