Mattoon CUSD 2 staff describe free Birth to 3 home visits, literacy backpacks and car‑seat program

Mattoon CUSD 2 staff described a set of early‑childhood services intended to support families from the prenatal period through preschool, including free home visits, developmental screenings, targeted literacy resources and a car‑seat safety program.

A Birth to 3 staff member said, “Birth to 3 is a free program for families in Mattoon School District ages prenatal to age 3,” and explained that the program provides twice‑monthly home visits with developmental, social‑emotional, hearing and vision screenings. The staff member said the program also conducts family screenings every six months and sets written goals for parents to guide child‑development supports.

Tanya, a Birth to 3 staff member, described use of a family assessment (FRA) to identify needs and plan supports: “We write goals for our family to help them understand where they are in their parenting journey.” The presenters said the program’s approach includes both child developmental screening and efforts to build parents’ skills as their child’s first teacher.

The staff emphasized early literacy as a central initiative. “So we now have over 200 book toy backpacks,” one presenter said, adding that backpacks are curated for specific skill areas such as sharing and friendship and include books and play activities families can use at home.

Presenters also described Little Leaders (a program running Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., August through May) as an early‑childhood lab that gives high‑school students hands‑on experience with young children. Staff noted the program’s safety efforts: “We have 3 birth to 3, trained nationally certified car seat technicians,” and staff said an IDOT grant has allowed the program to provide free car seats and free inspections to ensure correct installation.

At Franklin Preschool, a staff member said the site serves children ages 3 to 5, offers blended classrooms that include children with disabilities alongside other children, and provides both half‑day and full‑day class options. A classroom teacher described the center’s curriculum: “We utilize a curriculum called Creative Curriculum, and it is a research‑based curriculum that focuses on developing the whole child,” emphasizing play‑based learning with teachers facilitating.

Franklin Preschool staff said the site has received a gold‑star report from Accelerate for multiple cycles and described itself as a ‘‘lighthouse preschool’’ in the Leader in Lead program, a designation staff said supports preschool leadership development. Staff reported a small, close team of about 35 employees and emphasized ongoing communication with families.

No formal motions, votes or policy decisions were recorded in the presentation. Staff encouraged families to contact the program online or by phone to access services, car‑seat checks and backpacks.