WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

Letter from Executive Director

Hello Friends: The past year has been one long roller coaster ride! COVID continued to impact operations as staff worked to provide stability for children and families. Due to a teacher shortage, one classroom closed for four months. Operating costs and pay raises increased expenses. Office of Early Childhood COVID funding supplemented revenue. Advocacy at the state and federal level drew attention to the need for increased funding for early childhood programs.

The year was spent documenting how the high-quality early care and education Riverfront is known for reflects the standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). An assessment score of 97.5% validated the great work of teachers and administration.

2023 promises to be action packed. Riverfront celebrates its 40th anniversary with an ice cream social (Ocean Beach, May 20) and an evening event (Langley’s Restaurant, Sept. 16). A $444,045 award from the Edward and Mary Lord Foundation for building renovations will have staff and children working and learning in an environment that is warm and welcoming to all. Phase One will be completed in spring 2023.

It is with mixed emotions that I announce I will be retiring at the end of April. I am excited to see where Riverfront is headed under the capable hands of Jennifer Zubek, incoming Executive Director.

Dr. Sue

“Riverfront’s program has been a constant in our lives through a time of so much change and loss. Our family could have never faced all the challenges with work demands and supporting the boys’ needs without help from the amazing staff at Riverfront.” — ADOPTIVE MOTHER OF TWINS

NAEYC re-accreditation is a five-year, self-reflective process  confirm the on-going quality  an early childhood education program. The process ended this year with an observation visit consisting of center and classroom observations, and portfolio reviews. The Riverfront team completed evidence-based portfolios and referenced NAEYC best-practice documents to ensure learning spaces were ready for evaluation. Classroom portfolios captured best-practices and were assembled into age- specific portfolios representative of all classrooms. Riverfront met 319 of 327 assessed criteria, earning a score of 97.5%. The initiative taken by teachers and members of the leadership team to ask questions, research ideas, and work as a team to achieve this high level of quality was a testament to Riverfront’s commitment to provide exceptional services for families and the community.

All children at Riverfront thrived as they grew and developed under the guidance of educators surrounded by a rich learning environment that fostered creativity and embraced the spirit of adventure. Regular assessments using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire and the CT Documentation and Observation for Teaching System took place and, teachers and parents collaborated to develop individual learning plans that supported the continued development of each child. Of the 105 children, 15 children moved on to kindergarten with the skills needed to be successful learners and 18 children received individualized support services from Birth-3, Groton Public Schools, and the Early Childhood Partnership Program to assist them in making developmental gains.

“Community partners engaging with children in culturally- and age-appropriate ways provide hands-on learning that helps children learn about Riverfront’s neighborhood and community.”

By nurturing the unique needs of each child and respecting the dignity, worth and uniqueness of everyone, Riverfront families had access to affordable care and a stellar early learning program. While Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) children are underrepresented in early childhood learning settings, at Riverfront 60% of families (and 30% of staff) identify as BIPOC. In 2022, 31% of families lived below the federal poverty level. An additional 42% of the families fell into The United Way ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) category, meaning that they were living paycheck to paycheck, and in most instances, they did not qualify for programs such as SNAP or WIC. Based on CT data, a family of four earning less than $77,832 struggles to make ends meet.

To assist families Riverfront provided access to a food bank, clothing closet, diaper bank and hygiene supplies. Partnering with the Groton Public Schools Summer Meals program, Riverfront served 540 breakfasts and lunches per week for six weeks — a total of 6,480 meals: a huge cost (and time) savings for families. During the holidays 32 Thanksgiving food baskets serving 122 people were distributed and food baskets for 35 families, along with gifts for 67 children, were distributed in December. Assistance was possible through the generous donations of individuals and partnerships with community organizations and businesses.

Riverfront values the talents and diversity of children, their families, and the community. Surveys provided a voice for families, resulting in new ways to engage parents in child assessments and parent conferences. A Fall Festival gave families the opportunity to talk with representatives of community resources, learn more about the Parent Teacher Organization and meet the families of their child’s classmates. The PTO identified the desire for more opportunities to engage together in activities and worked with staff to create a Field Day of age-appropriate activities for children and families.

COIVD impacted the social-emotional learning of children. Working in partnership with New London School Readiness (NLSR) programs and Child and Family Agency (CFA), a New London ARPA grant was awarded for an early childhood mental health consultant. Riverfront benefited from weekly visits from Jewell Jones LMSW. Outreach began to identify a long-term partner to support the teachers in guiding children’s social-emotional development. CFA also provided a staff person to help school-age children learn and practice social skills needed to engage in group activities and develop positive peer interactions, skills that regressed during COVID.

Collaborations and partnerships expanded the breadth of services and experiences available to children and families. Ongoing collaborations and new partnerships supported the redesign of the outdoor classroom garden (Eagle Scout Alec Atkinson, Mystic Garden Club, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, and Chelsea Groton Bank). Grants supported continued work in making the facility energy efficient and environmentally friendly (Neighborhood Assistance Act, Groton Utilities). The Submarine Force Museum provided volunteers to lead STEM activities for preschool and school-age children. Activities with Bill Memorial Library and The CT Storytelling Center Little Listeners program and regular classroom readers supported literacy development.

Partners also assisted in increasing the visibility of Riverfront and their needs through fundraising events. With the need to raise over $300,000 a year, these partnerships and events are invaluable to the center’s sustainability and ability to achieve its mission of affordable, high-quality early care and education. Riverfront was the beneficiary of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce City of Groton 5K Brew Run, receiving a $6,000 donation. The Barn offered a fun environment for community members to better understand how children learn by engaging in a fun and competitive Loose Parts activity- taking a bag of “loose parts” and creating a structure that a little yellow duck could sit on.

Others recognized the importance of affordable, high-quality care and early education by making donations to the Scholar Dollars in-house scholarship fund that bridges the gap between what families can afford and the actual cost of childcare. This program is an essential part of making Riverfront affordable for all families. In the past six years, no eligible family has been turned away due to inability to pay tuition.

Facility improvements and upgrades, made possible by a 2022 award from The Edward and Mary Lord Foundation will transform classrooms, offices, and common spaces into modern, functional, and beautiful areas where students, families, and staff will carry on the important business of nurturing strong minds and bodies. Preparation for this work began in 2022 and will continue into 2023.

As Susan Radway, Executive Director prepared to retire, the Board of Directors enacted a transition plan that provided for the hiring of incoming director Jennifer Zubek, with a six month co-director plan to assure the smooth transitioning of leadership and the needed oversight for the renovation project. Jennifer brings a breadth of early childhood, center-based experience. Her enthusiasm and passion for children’s education and welfare make her a great fit for Riverfront.

FOLLOW US ON:  Facebook    Twitter   LinkedIn

PHONE: 860-445-8151