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Alignment Collaborative for Education - ACE

Education

Summer Reading in the Parks Expands in 2020

Expansion plans began early in January to expand the Summer Reading in the Parks program for Summer 2020. Generous sponsors included Elgin Township, Hoffer Foundation, Kiwanis and School District U-46.

By March with the impact of COVID-19, Alignment’s Early Education A-Team and the Elgin Partnership for Early Learning knew the program must be delivered differently to practice safe distancing. The program was quickly converted to a Summer Reading Grab and Go at Cornerstone and launched for the first time at Buena Vista and Channing parks in Elgin and Kiddie Corner Park in Streamwood.

Partnering with School District U-46, parents could drive by and receive food supplies along with an early education weekly curriculum. The program began in June and will conclude in early August serving over 250 children each week.

Alignment Hosts College Panels for U-46 Juniors and Seniors

Elgin Community College, Judson University, Northern University and Roosevelt University joined Alignment to provide a live introduction to the admissions and college search process.  Each institution’s admissions representative shared:

  • The admission requirements for their institution to include GPA requirements, standardized test scores, and placement testing.
  • Sources of financial aid and scholarship funding available to freshmen students.
  • The institution’s programs of study and how to access more specific information about individual programs.
  • Critical dates within the academic calendar for admissions, financial aid and scholarship applications.
  • Best advice to students participating in the college search and decision process.

Students were then given the opportunity to ask individual questions on an assortment of topics. Feedback from students, high school counselors and the admissions representatives was overwhelmingly positive with plans to implement virtual college panels in all U-46 high schools in the fall.

Dream Academy, Larkin and Streamwood graduating seniors also benefited from a Virtual, ZOOM experience of the ECC Admissions Office meeting multiple ECC representatives.  The step by step workshop covered all necessary requirements to enter ECC in August to include the application process, placement testing, advising, financial aid, apprenticeships, and college work study programs.  Students had the opportunity to ask multiple questions to help clarify the college admission process.  Thank you to ECC and our partner universities for sharing their time and expertise with our U-46 students!

Alignment Partners with EPEL and Gail Borden Public Library to Provide Trauma Informed Care Training to Early Education Professionals

Over 80 early education professionals and community advocates participated in Alignment’s first ZOOM broadcast of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Interface Training through a partnership with the Elgin Partnership for Early Learning and Gail Borden Public Library.  The goal was to attract as many early education providers currently in a stay at home status.  Through a generous grant provided by Grand Victoria Foundation, early education providers that were currently in a furloughed status from their centers received a $50 stipend for completing the 2.5 hour training. The training conducted on May 12th was scheduled to help promote Trauma Informed Care Day across the community celebrated on May 15th. 

 In preparation for the school year to begin in the fall,  Alignment is committed to training staff from community organizations that provide services to early learners, elementary, middle and high school students.  When asked why this is an important piece of Alignment’s mission, Nancy Coleman, executive director, responded “Given the trauma associated with COVID 19, our entire community will be better equipped to help our community’s children and youth by activating a trauma informed care culture.” 

Celebrate Trauma Informed Care Awareness Day

Trauma Informed Care Day 2020

May 15, 2020 is Illinois’ second annual Trauma-Informed Awareness Day. Established by Illinois House and Senate resolutions in 2019, Trauma-Informed Awareness Day recognizes the impact of childhood adversity and highlights the importance of prevention, community resilience, and trauma-informed care.

In addition to establishing Trauma-Informed Awareness Day, the resolutions promote two other important strategies:

1) that policy decisions enacted by the state legislature should take into account early childhood brain development and the concepts of toxic stress, early adversity, and buffering relationships, and

2) that officers, agencies, and employees of the State of Illinois whose responsibilities impact children and adults should learn about ACEs, toxic stress, and structural violence, as well as about trauma-informed care practices that promote healing and resiliency.

Trauma-Informed Awareness Day comes at a critical time for us as we experience the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this uncertain time, it is more important than ever to support each other and work together for a trauma-informed future.

Trauma-Informed Care Resources

How Childhood Trauma Effects Health Across A Lifetime TED Talk by Dr. Nadine Burke (16 mins)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Adverse Childhood Experiences

NEA Today, Trauma the effect on children and learning

Why Do We Lose Control of Our Emotions? – great for kids

SAMHSA Trauma-Informed Approaches

Resume Workshop Prepares STEM Academy Students for Summer Internships

Resume Workshop Prepares STEM Academy Students for Summer Internships
Junior Achievement and Alignment work with students one on one to build resumes for summer internship program

Alignment, working with Junior Achievement, provided all junior STEM Academy students with assistance in developing resumes and cover letters in preparation for summer internship opportunities. Over 60 students completed resumes and cover letters along with making decisions about possible internship placements with the following companies and municipalities:  Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin Sweeper, Harting, HLR, Nicor, and Village of Bartlett.

Work-Based Learning Initiated in all U-46 High Schools

Work-Based Learning Initiated in all U-46 High Schools
Streamwood Academy students participate in entrepreneurial and international business career panel

Alignment in partnership with School District U-46 is launching U-46’s system wide work based learning plan.  Working with each high school principal, Alignment is providing career panels in each of the five high schools and the Dream Academy partnering with industry professionals representing various industry clusters. Alignment will also provide industry and professional tours for specific student audiences to include such programs as automotive, early education, engineering, health care and manufacturing.  Career panels to date have served over 1,100 students. 

Thank you to our panelists representing the following companies and organizations:  Advocate Sherman Hospital, AVID CNA, City of Elgin Police Department, Elgin Community College, Elgin Sweeper, HLR, ITW Shakeproof, Junior Achievement, Nokia, PNC Bank, SGS, School District U-46, Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare System, Taylor Family YMCA, The Overture Group, and Village of Streamwood.