The Roundhouse Foundation is proud to support NeighborImpact’s Partners in Practice (PiP) program, which recognizes current and rising early learning specialists by providing extensive support, including tuition, textbooks, technology, mentoring, and professional development.
“Since 2014, PIP has served our regional workforce through an equity lens, in which courses are delivered in various formats, including in-person and online in Spanish and English in Bend, Redmond, Madras, and Prineville, to offer degree and certificate pathways in early childhood education,” reported Amy Howell, Ph.D., who is the Program Director, as well as a Professor of Early Childhood Education at Central Oregon Community College.
The offerings, while required for degree and certificate completion, also meet requirements for statewide professional development measures, allowing early learning providers enrolled in the program to use their college coursework and their community training to increase their status as early learning professionals. As a result, college coursework is seen as part of the process, rather than a separate step, toward increased quality and care in early childhood education.
“In regards to my education, I am stress-free because of the benefits PIP has offered. In particular this term, my books are on loan from the lending library,” said Chantel Howard, a PiP participant. She continued that the PiP program “has provided me the opportunity to continue my education at COCC. I am working on pursuing my certifications and degree in Early Childhood Education, as I work with families and children in Central Oregon.”
According to Howell, “PiP and its partners have helped to raise the overall quality of care and professional presence throughout Central Oregon, and has been recognized at a regional and state level as a model program, which serves to increase care and responsiveness to our early learning community.”
Norma Cardenas, a Spanish-speaking PiP participant, reflected:
“Para mi, es un apoyo estupendo porque me ha hecho crecer como persona y como ser humano a ser más sensible, y a entender más y mejor la manera del desarrollo de los niños y las necesidades de las familias y la comunidad. Me ha enseñado a crecer como persona y así mismo poder actuar en la enseñanza de los niños de cualquier edad. Sin ese programa, no podría ser posible mi crecimiento como profesional en la rama de la educación temprana.”
Learn more and support the PiP program.
