Dr. Jim Laughlin recognized as 2018 Indiana Early Learning Champion

Congratulations to Dr. Jim Laughlin, recipient of the 2018 Indiana Early Learning Champion Award! Dr. Laughlin was recognized on October 16 at the Indiana Early Learning Summit. An inspiration to colleagues, health care professionals, and families in Monroe County, Dr. Laughlin understands the importance of how early learning affects children, parents, employers and the community at…

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Btown: A day with Hoagy & Lemon Limestone

Meet Hoagy and Lemon Limestone! Together they the take us on a journey in “Btown: A Day with Hoagy & Lemon Limestone.” In dedication to Bloomington’s 200th Anniversary, the creative team at Authors Solutions has published this book to commemorate our great city using a celebration sestina poem to guide the adventure. Author Solutions has donated 300 of these…

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Community boosts Thrive by Five Campaign on Giving Day

Thanks to 26 local early learning heroes, 17 local businesses and more than 500 donors, Thrive by Five Giving Day raised more than $119,000 for early learning in Monroe County, exceeding the day’s goal! Our early learning heroes also lived up to their titles by raising more than $70,000 through the peer-to-peer fundraising blitz on…

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Pre-K Educators Honored at 5th Annual Early Childhood Excellence Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Monroe Smart Start recognized early childhood educators, providers and partners at its 5th annual Early Childhood Excellence Awards on Thursday, April 27 at WTIU. Awards are given to early childhood educators that demonstrate high-quality care, collaboration, and a commitment to both addressing school readiness and improving the quality of early childhood education in…

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Monroe County selected for On My Way Pre-K program

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Today, Governor Eric J. Holcomb released the list of 15 counties eligible to take part in the expanded On My Way Pre-K program and we’re pleased to share that Monroe County is among them. This program will make prekindergarten available to 4-year-olds in our community from low-income families. Local providers will enroll students for the…

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Bloomington to host Indiana’s 2017 Early Learning Economic Development Summit

Registration is $25 per person for the June 5 event at Monroe Convention Center BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Business leaders, educators, funders, civic leaders, lawmakers and early childhood experts will be in Bloomington on June 5th (9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.) for the 2017 Indiana Summit for Economic Development via Early Learning Coalitions at Monroe Convention Center. This…

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