Fox Valley leaders have launched the Community Early Learning Center (CELC) in Appleton, with a mission to “ensure that by age 5, all our children have the foundation to achieve their full potential.” The multi-agency center focuses on the families of young children and those serving them, with a unique range of organizations serving over 300 children daily in a shared space, including Head Start, Even Start Family Literacy, Project Bridges Day Care Center and Preschool, the Outagamie County Birth-to-3 Early Intervention program, and Appleton Area School District Birth-to-5 programs (incl. Community 4K offices, 3-5 year-old developmental screening staff, B-5 outreach programs, and the early childhood special education diagnostic center). In addition to the on-site services, the CELC is reaching out to children and families in the Fox Valley and surrounding communities.
Agencies who directly serve children in the CELC are also collaborating with local universities to plan and conduct research around early childhood. Learning and best practices will be shared with families and early childhood professionals in the local area and beyond.
The dream of a focal point for early learning was in discussion for many years, but in the last two years everything came together. With a catalyst of private funding, public and private agencies worked together, including public schools, county leaders, foundations, business leaders, university and technical college leaders, St. Mary’s Parish, United Way, etc. CELC has raised $1.8 million in a very short time frame. From my perspective, this is a glowing example of how communities can come together for early learning.
For more information, contact Jon Stellmacher at jstellmacher@new.rr.com

Dave Edie