Updates from the Networks

Welcome back, and thank you for continuing to be a massive part of our work. We couldn't do it without you! As we start this fall by reopening our networks Transition to Kindergarten (T2K) and High School Graduation (HS) and convening our newest network, Prenatal to Age Three, we want to emphasize the crucial role you play in these initiatives. Your involvement is integral to our mission. We will continue to convene smaller workgroups, including those around childcare and social-emotional learning in T2K and student work and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in HS. We have several exciting initiatives underway and look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Furthermore, our networks were quite busy last year completing community co-design projects that have had a significant impact on our community. In our Transition to Kindergarten network, we explored the challenges families with young children encounter when navigating social-emotional learning. In our Prenatal to Age Three network, we learned more about some groups' difficulties when accessing adequate prenatal care.

We were excited to share more about each co-design project with you at the Annual Education Summit last Wednesday. Each session discussed the baseline data, the process used, our findings, and possible next steps. We also highlighted opportunities for stakeholders—including those most impacted—to pilot innovative interventions to advance equity in social-emotional learning and adequate prenatal care access.

These projects have already made a significant impact on our community. With your continued support, we can further improve the well-being of youth and families across the Rochester and Olmsted County communities to improve educational outcomes overall.