Ongoing Programs

The ECC is a catalyst for change in Windsor.  The ECC has created and supports numerous community programs that benefit Windsor’s children, families and care providers. 

Parent Training Leadership Institute (PLTI)
Parents Supporting Educational Excellence (Parents SEE) 
Early Childhood Services EXPO
Childhood Conversations Conference
Surveys
Public Information Initiative

Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI):  
PLTI seeks to enable parents to become leading advocates for children.  The PLTI teaches parents, who wish to improve the lifelong health, safety and learning of children, how to become practiced change agents for the next generation.  The Connecticut Commission on Children sponsors the Parent Leadership Training Institute.  A link to a document outlining the program can be found at: http://www.cga.ct.gov/COC/PDFs/plti/080306_PLTI_curriculum.pdf

The mission of PLTI is to enable parents to become effective advocates for children.  The program includes four training phases:  a daylong retreat; a 10 week course on parent leadership; a 10 week study of politics, policy and media; and a community project in which participants practice what they have learned.  A primary goal of PLTI is to help parents become the leaders they would like to be for children. 

Parents Supporting Educational Excellence (Parents SEE): 
PSEE is a leadership course for parents.  Participants will experience a strong community of parents interested in the details, the context and the strategies to promote school practices that increase achievement for all students.  They learn what to expect from schools, how to partner with them and how to be a successful civic leader on education issues.

Parents SEE fosters parent leadership in schools through a 12 session training program preceded by a full-day retreat.  The content of the 12 Parents SEE sessions is entirely focused on schools and includes discussion of topics such as how to promote change in schools, educational policies and practices and leadership.  A main goal of Parents SEE is to provide parents will skills and understanding necessary to become leaders, change agents and active participants in education at the school, district and state levels.  The Connecticut Center for School Change sponsors Parents Supporting Educational Excellence (PSEE) and their link is www.ctschoolchange.org/work_parentssee.htm. 

Early Childhood Services EXPO:
The EXPO is an informational fair where parents can connect with services in town that benefit young children and their families.   Parents can talk with program staff from nursery schools, home-based and center-based daycare providers as well as organizations such as Husky Healthcare, Northwest Park, Care 4 Kids, the Library, and more.  The event is timed to occur on one day in late Winter to facilitate nursery school registration for the following season.

Childhood Conversations Conference:
Each year, the ECC sponsors the Childhood Conversations Conference.  At this event, parents of young children and their care providers can spend the day with some of the nations leading experts on children and parenting issues that every caregiver faces.  Topics include parenting, nutrition, emotional intelligence, fatherhood, anger management for children, parental involvement, internet safety and more.

Surveys:
Periodically, we survey parents and childcare providers in town to assess current needs.  This data drives the programs that we support and offer in town as well as the direction of our advocacy to town leaders.  When doing a survey, include a link to surveymonkey or other tool.

Public Information Initiative:
Our Public Information Initiative focuses on raising awareness about policies and practices in Windsor that support quality early childhood experiences enabling Windsor children to grow, develop and learn to their fullest potential.