Our goal is for children in EXCEL BY 5 communities to be healthier and better prepared for kindergarten and beyond. Focus Groups of North Madison County EXCEL BY 5 Early Childhood Certified Community:
1. A key asset in the life of any child is his or her community. By forming a coalition of community leaders, educators, businesses, health care providers, parents, and other concerned citizens, we
work to promote parenting and children's services through health fairs, reading extravaganzas, workshops, and other events. EXCEL BY 5 community coalition members develop a resource guide of organizations to be distributed to families so parents know what's available to them and their children.
2. Family and Parent Support. We strive to support families of children 0-5 through family service agencies, available parenting resources, workshops, and community events. Helping parents know what is available to them is one of the strongest ways to support our community's children.
3. Early Care and Education. Outside of the home, early care and education centers and other caregivers can be the strongest resources for helping to grow healthy children who are ready for school success. We inform those centers and caregivers of opportunities for quality early childhood training and continuing education.
4. Health. We identify and address children's health issues in the community and assist in providing intervention services such as well-baby care and health screenings. We also conduct local health fairs to provide information to parents and compile a list of health resources in our community.
