School Readiness Committee

School Readiness Committee

In July 2017, the School Readiness Committee adopted an inaugural set of recommendations. The Committee’s 2017 report summarizes their work over the last year and details the recommendations approved by the Committee.

SRC 2017 Report 

History of the Committee

The School Readiness Committee was created by the 2016 General Assembly via HB 46. In recognition of the fact that one of the most important factors in learning outcomes for young children is the capabilities of the adults who support their growth and learning, the first goal of the Committee is to address the development and alignment of an effective professional development and credentialing system for the early childhood education workforce in the Commonwealth. VECF is pleased to provide for the facilitation of the committee and to serve as a member of the steering committee.

Committee Members

School Readiness Committee Members:

  • Maritsa Alger of Newport News, Principal, Norfolk Public Schools
  • Suja Amir, Healthcare Policy Consultant and Henrico Parent Representative
  • Laurel Aparicio, Director, Early Impact Virginia
  • Maryam Ben-Omran, Principal, Washington International Academy
  • Nora Bryant, Early Childhood Special Educator; Adjunct Faculty, University of Richmond; Owner, Little Nomad
  • Dr. Irene Carney of Richmond, Sabot at Stony Point
  • Dr. Christopher Chin of Moseley, VP, Operations and Organizational Development, Robins Foundation
  • Dr. Walter Clemons of Gloucester, Superintendent, Gloucester County Public Schools
  • Grace Creasey, Executive Director, Virginia Council for Private Education
  • Lisa Specter Dunnaway, President and CEO, Families Forward Virginia
  • Navine Fortune of Virginia Beach, Assistant Program Director and Instructor, Norfolk State University
  • Shikee Franklin, Director, Head Start at Hampton Roads Community Action Program; President, Virginia Head Start Association
  • Kathy Glazer of Richmond, President, Virginia Early Childhood Foundation
  • Dr. Bonnie Graham of Dublin, Professor and Program Head, Human Services and Early Childhood, New River Community College
  • Phillip Hawkins, Jr. of Norfolk, Teacher, Norfolk Public Schools
  • Lisa Howard of Norfolk, President and CEO, Elevate Early Education
  • Kim Hulcher, Executive Director, Virginia Child Care Association
  • Gail Johnson of Richmond, President and CEO, Rainbow Station
  • Aleta Lawson, Director, Head Start Collaboration Office, Virginia Department of Social Services
  • Henry Light of Norfolk, Member, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
  • Dr. Sara Miller of Moseley, Assistant Professor, Longwood University
  • Hunter Moore, Owner and Birth Doula, The Mindful Birth, LLC
  • Kim Scheeler of Richmond, CEO, ChamberRVA
  • Dr. Christine Schull of Fairfax, Professor, Northern Virginia Community College
  • Cecilia Suarez, Director, Owner and Teacher, Creative Learning School
  • Gary Thomson of Richmond, Regional Managing Partner, Mid-Atlantic, Dixon Hughes Goodman
  • Barry Weinstein of Fairfax, retired teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools
  • Maria Williams, Bright Stars Family Coordinator, Albemarle County Department of Social Services
  • Saadia Yasmin, Owner, Saadia’s Juicebox and Yoga Bar

Members of House of Delegates:

  • Delegate John Bell
  • Delegate Barry Knight
  • Delegate Brenda Pogge
  • Delegate Roxann Robinson

Members of Senate:

  • Senator Siobhan Dunnavant
  • Senator Adam Ebbin
  • Senator David Sutterlein

Ex Officio Members:

  • Dr. Daniel Carey, Secretary of Health and Human Resources
  • Dr. James Lane, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction
  • Atif Qarni, Secretary of Education
  • Duke Storen, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Social Services

Upcoming Meetings

Full Committee Meetings

All Full Committee meeting materials can be found online in the Dropbox via the link below:
Full Committee Meetings Materials

Full School Readiness Committee Meeting 

  • Thursday, October 10th from 9-12 (in the Patrick Henry Building)
  • Friday, December 6th from 9-12 (Richmond location TBD)

Governance Subcommittee Meetings

All Governance meeting materials can be found online in the Dropbox via the link below:
Governance Subcommittee Meetings

Compensation and Finance Subcommittee Meetings

All Compensation and Finance meeting materials can be found online in the Dropbox via the link below: Compensation and Finance Meeting Materials

Subcommittee meetings are held at the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation’s Office. Please contact Rose Minor, 804-786-1151, for details. 

Past Meetings and Documentation
All meeting materials can be found online in the SRC Dropbox via the link below:
Meeting Materials

Full Committee Meetings

  • Friday, June 7, 2019 from 10am - 3pm Williams Mullen 200 S 10th Street, Richmond VA 23219
    Retreat Agenda and Materials
  • April 22, 2019 from 10am - 12 noon Patrick Henry Building - West Reading Room, 1111 E. Broad Street, Richmond VA 23219
  • January 7, 2019 | 3-5 pm: Conference Room 1,  Patrick Henry Building, 1111 E. Broad St, Richmond VA 23219
  • June 18, 2018, 11 AM – 3 PM, Patrick Henry Building (Agenda)
  • May 15, 2018, 9 -12 PM, West Reading Room, Patrick Henry Building (Agenda)
  • March 22, 2018, 1-4 PM,  James Monroe Building, Conference Room (Agenda)

Governance Meetings

  • June 1, 2018 from 9 AM-12 PM
  • April 12, 2018 from 2-5 PM (Agenda)
  • March 2, 2018 from 1-4 PM(Agenda)
  • February 5, 2018 from 1-4pm (Agenda)

Compensation and Finance Subcommittee Meetings

  • June 1, 2018 from 1-4 PM
  • April 5, 2018 from 1-4 PM (Agenda)
  • February 23, 2018 from 1-4 PM (Agenda)

Resources

Committee Resources Dropbox (Note: this link takes you to an outside website)