ELC staff cut ribbon on new space for staff, families Thursday
Children will have a number of unique play opportunities at the Early Learning Coalition's new offices in Kissimmee. The ELC cut the ribbon on it Thursday. (Photo) Ken Jackson
Families and friends eagerly awaited for the tour of the Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County’s new space on East U.S. Highway 192 Thursday.
The space will support the area’s children, families, and early education providers in things like locating and promoting resources voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) programs, early literacy programs and professional development and coaching for teachers.
“When we lead with heart, we create lasting impact,” CEO Amanda Kelkenberg said. “Every family who walks through these doors deserves to feel supported, respected and empowered. Every child deserves a strong start, and every educator deserves a place for collaboration and excellence can thrive.”
Kelkenberg said the space represents the community families it serves and a future the community works together to build, one child, one family, and one caring attention at a time.
Patricia Frank, board member of ELC and CEO of Community Coordinator Cares for Children (4C), who spoke on behalf of Landon Stephard, ELC board member and the dean of learning support at Valencia College, said accessibility matters.
“Our location allows us to better serve as a true one-stop resource for families, bringing together voluntary pre-kindergarten, VPK, school readiness, and additional early learning supports in a one central family-focused space,” Frank said. “Families can come here to ask questions, access resources, receive guidance, and feel confident they are supported every step of the way.”
Frank said she wants every family who walks through these doors to be seen, supported, and valued.
“We’re proud to open these doors, and even prouder of the work that’s going to happen inside of here now,” Kelkenberg said.
With a snip of a ribbon, applause erupted from the room as tours of meeting space, play areas and racks and shelves of supplies began on the second floor of the Watson Realty building.
Three rooms that the ELC staff are excited about are their parent room, lending library, and parent engagement/therapy room. Kelkenberg said the parent room was funded by AdventHealth and allows parents a quiet place to feed their children.
“We wanted to create a room for nursing moms or moms who are breastfeeding,” Kelkenberg said. “That happens often when they’re here.”
Kapelewski said the lending library was funded through federal pandemic recovery (ARPA) funds and allows the staff to purchase materials to help classes become more adaptable to the needs of children with developmental delays.
“Our resource materials library is, without question, my favorite room,” Kelkenberg said.
“It has materials for children who may need additional physical supports, like communication devices for children who may have a language delay. We're even able to give grants to providers and to families that, again, may have a child with special needs that needs some adaptive toys. But even families that may be experienced homelessness or have children who have sensory needs and need different types of clay and toy materials to really learn and grow.”
Kelkenberg said the materials are free to lend via an application process, which can be found on the ELC website (https://www.elcosceola.org/lending-library).
Kapelewski said a parent engagement/therapy room and are part of a second phase slated to open later this year.
“That space is going to allow behavioral therapists to rent these two spaces to assist families who may not be able to drive long distances for appointments,” Kapelewski said. “In addition, these therapists will also have a desk to be able to fill out documents in real time, allowing families to have less wait time.”
State Rep. Erika Booth (R-St. Cloud), whose professional background is in education, marveled at how the space was well utilized.
“From the nursing room for parents to any family that needs support, the staff is fully stocked to help,” she said.
Kelkenberg said the ELC stayed ahead of over a million dollars in budget cuts in school readiness in the last year and made some internal changes.
“We did have to lay off some staff,” Kelkenberg said. “We have had to make some pivots in our program, but I'm really excited. We are gearing up to be able to open school readiness enrollment again in February.
“Sometimes we need less to provide more. Our team has not viewed the recent budget cuts as a limitation. Instead, they have risen to the challenge—working together in our collaborative office space to find new and impactful ways to bring early learning opportunities to our community.”
Kelkenberg said sometimes conservation really helps create a plan and a path forward.
“We stay optimistic, we stay growth focused, we take our work of building community and mission very seriously, and so we will continue to ensure that we have resources so that children can be in high-quality early learning,” she said. “Families can be at work, and our providers can be learning in early too.”
