New Haven Independent

Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. joined the celebration, thanking teachers for their work on behalf of children and their families. Dr. Robert Windom, Co-Chair of the Council, spoke to the overflow crowd about the critical role each teacher plays in preparing children for school and to be lifelong learners.

Betty Baisden, Director of the United Community Nursery School, using the metaphor of nurturing children to help them to ‘grow’, talked about the important role of teachers in providing children with resources and learning opportunities. Ms. Baisden then presented forty early childhood programs with an innovative curriculum resource TREE BOX. Organized around the TREE theme, the box contained ten high-quality children’s picture books, science and art materials, wooden blocks and a giant Sequoia tree puppet, all for use in the early childhood classroom. In keeping with the TREE theme, an individual gift of appreciation was given to each early childhood educator - a live tree to plant, local maple syrup and a wooden tree spoon.

The New Haven Early Childhood Council’s mission is that “All children will enter Kindergarten with the skills, knowledge, love of learning and support necessary to succeed.” The annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators honors the hundreds of teachers who help to make this goal a reality for our youngest children.