Tranzed Apprenticeships, In Partnership With Prince George’s Community College, To Offer Healthcare Pre-Apprenticeship Program Leading To A Registered Apprenticeship

by The Children's Guild | Aug 3, 2022 | News

The Children’s Guild Schools of Prince George’s County and the Baltimore Campus Receive Generous Donation of New Computers

by Matt Hamilton | Jul 6, 2022 | News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For further information, contact:
Amy Riemer, Media Relations
978-475-4441 (office) 978-502-4895 (mobile)
[email protected]

Computers Donated by the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) Through DP Solutions

Baltimore, MD, July 6, 2022 – The Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) of Towson, MD donated twenty-five PC desktop and laptop computers to The Children’s Guild for use at the Prince George’s County and Baltimore Campuses, both non-public, special education day schools. The donation was made possible through DP Solutions, a managed IT services provider (MSP), which services both The Children’s Guild and the IDF.

“We are extremely grateful that DP Solutions connected us to the IDF for this incredibly generous donation. What a wonderful way for three local organizations to come together and support an underserved community,” said Agnes Kibirige, Chief Information Officer at The Children’s Guild. “The computers we were using in our computer labs were outdated and it will be amazing for our students to have access to the latest technology so we can teach them life skills. In the classroom, our faculty use technology to empower our students, increase their engagement in hands-on technology activities, improve independent skills, engineering identity, and self-confidence.”

Both The Children’s Guild School of Prince George’s County and The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus are non-public, special education day schools approved by the Maryland State Department of Education, for boys and girls 5-21 years old, who have emotional disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities. The Children’s Guild is a nonprofit organization serving children, families, and child-serving organizations since 1953. The Children’s Guild programs are guided by an organizational philosophy that fosters a culture of flexibility. This culture creates management and staff who are agile thinkers. This assures children are treated as individuals and taught the way they learn best.

“When we learned that IDF was planning to move their headquarters and had two dozen computers they were looking to donate, our first thought was The Children’s Guild and we are so happy to have made the connection,” said Karyn Schell, President of DP Solutions. “The saying one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is so true in this situation – it warms my heart to think of the students having access to these power machines and the learning opportunities they represent.”

DP Solutions is the premier provider of choice for IT support services to small and medium sized organizations. They deliver a superior customer experience, rising above their clients’ expectations, and building long-lasting relationships. In addition, they give back and serve their community by dedicating both their time and talent to develop and educate technology’s future workforce.

“As a non-profit we understand the expense of purchasing new computers and we are thrilled we have been able to make a difference in the lives of the students of The Children’s Guild by offering our computers which would have gone to waste,” said Brian C. Lloyd, Chief Technology Officer, Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF). “We know the importance of technology in education and are excited to follow the wonderful ways these computers will be put to good use.”

The Immune Deficiency Foundation improves the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of people affected by primary immunodeficiency through fostering a community empowered by advocacy, education, and research. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are approximately 500,000 individuals in the U.S. with a primary immunodeficiency. Every year, thousands go undiagnosed.

The computers were wiped clean by DP Solutions technical team, uploaded with the newest software, delivered and set up in the computer labs at The Children’s Guild School of Prince George’s County and The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 am at 410 East Jeffrey Street, Baltimore, MD.

Affiliates of The Children’s Guild include The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, The Children’s Guild – Prince George Campus, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Monarch Academy Global – Laurel, Monarch Academy Annapolis, The Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Treatment Foster Care, The Children’s Guild – Transformation Academy, Monarch Preschool College Park, TranZed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), and TranZed Apprenticeships. For more information, visit https://childrensguild.org/.

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The Children’s Guild Expand Preschool Opportunities as Studies Show Benefits to All Young Learners

by The Children's Guild | Jun 17, 2022 | News

Kids need a stronger start — let’s give them one by expanding access to Preschool and pre-K.

Extensive research supports that Preschool education can substantially increase a child’s chances of thriving in school and in life. Programs teach social skills, through interactions, mentoring and direct teaching—and often can shrink racial education gaps in children’s development. While early care and education can be an unmanageable expense for parents, widely available programs enhance equity to access and opportunity for all young learners. So, let’s take advantage of quality programs and give our kids the best possible start.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL?

Universal Preschool means high-quality Preschool that is publicly funded and available to all families. Programs promote learning and growth, and there are funding mechanisms on federal, state and local levels that are currently available to ensure universal Preschool becomes a reality.

Head Start is America’s first and largest pre-K program, a Federal initiative dating back to 1965 that promotes school readiness in children from birth to age five. Focused mainly on infants, toddlers, and Preschool-aged children of low-income families, Head Start delivers public Preschool and pre-K services to more than a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory through 1,600 agencies in local communities.

Head Start has been reauthorized and funding expanded over many years, and the current administration has provided additional funding for pre-K and early childhood education in its domestic agenda. This federal-state partnership offers states funds to expand public Preschool programs to reach nearly six million kids not currently enrolled in Preschool. That would be a great start.

“The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families.”
—James J. Heckman, Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH PRE-K IN MARYLAND?
Head Start manages more than 20 programs and partners with other non-profit organizations, schools, and community action agencies in Maryland. There are many other Preschool programs in the state, as well, including two provided by The Children’s Guild in College Park and Annapolis.

Currently, free pre-K is only available to 4-year-olds from low-income families, but it’s working. Three of the four counties that offer universal pre-K—Somerset, Garrett and Kent—ranked in the top 10 of children’s readiness for kindergarten yet are also some of the poorer counties in the state.

Increasing access to affordable, high-quality pre-K statewide was a key focus of the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, also known as the Kirwan Commission, which analyzed Maryland public schools and areas that need improvement. They recommend phasing in full-day pre-K for all 3 and 4-year-olds statewide.

PRE-K DONE “THE MONARCH WAY”
Monarch Preschool College Park is a high-quality, project‑based learning pre-K program of The Children’s Guild.

Preschool Director Krissie Taylor says Monarch Preschool plays an important role on the city of College Park’s economic revitalization. “We have a unique opportunity to support the city with programs that parents want and in which our children can be successful. We offer a warm and welcoming place where students learn how to make sense of their world. Delivering Preschool experiences is important for attracting parents to move and stay in our city and contribute to our community.”

Chief Education Officer Kathy Lane says high-quality programs are a key aspect of pre-K. “Increasing access to quality programs requires proven education curriculums and best practices. It’s a huge priority for us. We know all kids want to learn, so we implement project-based learning to feed their natural passion, offering learning experiences as expeditions into the unknown.

Over and over, we’ve seen our pre-K programs form strong relationships between students and teachers which draw on the power of small groups, create exploratory mindsets, and help kids understand their community.”

After success in College Park and recognized demand in other areas of Maryland, The Children’s Guild expanded pre-K services to their Monarch Academy Annapolis, targeting low-income families, English Language Learners, and children with special education needs/IEPs (Individualized Education Plan). The program is fully funded by MSDE. PreK Grants are funding the program at MAA.

DOES PRE-K WORK?
A recent comprehensive Brookings Institution study of Preschool programs found that not only do they provide an advantage for kids, they also offer encouraging long-term results and economic benefits. Researchers specifically asked whether publicly funded Preschool is worth the investment from taxpayers. Looking at Head Start programs they found:

• Preschool children ages 3 to 5 were significantly more likely to earn a four-year college degree later in life.
• After three years in a program, kids were 3% more likely to finish high school, 8.5% more likely to attend college, and 39% more likely to finish college.
• Attendees were more likely to work and have professional jobs later in life.
• Female students were 32% less likely to live in poverty as adults, and male students saw a 42% decrease in receiving public assistance.
• Later in adulthood, attendees were 5% more likely to be employed, work 8.7% more hours per week, and 27% less likely to receive public assistance.

As the study publication summarizes, “…even the nascent, underfunded Head Start programs of the 1960s delivered sizable benefits.”

Several other studies in Massachusetts, Tennessee and other areas saw outsized effects of providing a Preschool education, and provide a strong case for universal pre-K.

From a recent National Public Radio story: “…there’s growing evidence that Preschool can permanently improve kids’ lives — but it’s not necessarily because it makes them smarter. It seems more related to making them more disciplined and motivated, which is just as important (or perhaps even more important) for their future livelihoods as how well they perform on reading or math tests.”

LET’S GIVE ALL KIDS EVERY EARLY ADVANTAGE THAT WE CAN
A parent’s desire to give their child every opportunity available is universal. By offering high-quality and meaningful pre-K programs, The Children’s Guild and many other organizations provide proven benefits and touch children’s lives in highly impactful ways. Please support universal pre-K!

The Children’s Guild seeks partnerships and growth opportunities of all kinds. Should you want to learn more or see the work they do in area schools, please contact them anytime at 410.444.3800.

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Kim Jakovics, Principal at Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Recognized as Leader of the Year

by The Children's Guild | Jun 13, 2022 | News

The Children’s Guild Releases 2021 Annual Report

by The Children's Guild | May 18, 2022 | News

The firsts we achieved, the service we undertook, the recognition we earned, and the funds we raised to better serve communities made 2021 a year to remember for The Children’s Guild. Join us to reflect on an inspiring year by checking out our 2021 Annual Report.
 
The new look and feel of the Annual Report helps to better demonstrate the exciting things happening in The Children’s Guild. The successes we experienced in 2021 are celebrated by our participating families and communities, and our talented and highly trained staff across all our schools and programs. And they’re made possible by the generous support from our donors and board of directors.
 
This presentation shares some of the amazing stories from 2021, including the opening of Transformation Academy, the expanded services offered by many of our schools and programs, The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus’ success in statewide competition, and many other stories. Also included in this report is an overview of our 2021 financials.
 
During this past year, we have grown and expanded our influence and impact. The Children’s Guild will continue to provide individualized transformational experiences that help ensure children, families, and their communities thrive. 2021 put us a step closer to achieving our vision: generations of curious and courageous children, healthy families, and thriving communities. The impact that The Children’s Guild made in 2021 will continue to move us to do big things for those we serve in 2022.
 
Experience the 2021 Annual Report presentation today!

Mental Well-Being Starts Young

by The Children's Guild | Apr 14, 2022 | News

Contributed by Jillian Szczepaniak-Gillece, Director of Behavioral Health Services, The Children’s Guild

Young people in our country have real mental health issues today, and it was a serious problem before the pandemic, virtual school, and recent world conflicts.

“Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread,” said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. “Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide—and rates have increased over the past decade.”

NUMBERS TELL A STARK STORY:

• In 2019, mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. having a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.
• From 2009 to 2019, high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students.
• Suicidal behaviors among high school students increased during the last decade, with 19% seriously considering attempting suicide, a 36% increase from 2009 to 2019, and about 16% having made a suicide plan in the prior year, a 44% increase from 2009 to 2019.
• Between 2007 and 2018, suicide rates among ages 10-24 increased by 57%.

(Source: US Department of Health & Human Services)

It bears repeating—this was before recent events. In fall 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association joined to declare a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health.

But how do you go about meeting the problems and working toward solutions? The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health outlines a series of recommendations and they rely heavily on empowering youth and families, ensuring access to mental health care, supporting education, community and childcare settings, and expanding the early childhood and education workforce.

ON THE FRONT LINES WITH KIDS

“We are completely in support of the Surgeon General’s goals, as they align with our priorities, as well,” said The Children’s Guild President and CEO Jenny Livelli.

It’s critical to have services available to meet kids where they are, whether a clinic- or school-based program. The Children’s Guild operates seven schools in Maryland and the District of Columbia that all provide free mental health services to students. An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic serves more than 80 additional public schools across Maryland. Clinicians specialize in working with children and families and are trained in trauma-informed treatment.

“By being right in the school for kids, we are reducing barriers to access,” says Jillian Szczepaniak-Gillece, Children’s Guild Director of Behavioral Health Services. “We want to help each young person and their family learn skills to address interpersonal, social, emotional, and academic challenges. We work with caregivers, families, school staff, and other involved agencies to provide individualized treatment that is strength-based, trauma-informed, and evidence-based.”

MEETING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES

One key to improving mental health is making support accessible. So, The Children’s Guild services include psychiatric services, counseling, and school-based behavioral health. More than 1,400 children are positively impacted by their programs and services today.

Mental health conditions can be shaped by many factors. Genes and brain chemistry play a role. So does environment, such as life experiences and neighborhood conditions. Relationships with family and friends are important. There are also many social forces. Young people see messages daily through social media and popular culture that erode their feelings of self-worth. To face these challenges and others, The Children’s Guild offers a continuum of care founded in Transformation Education.

A PIONEERING FORCE IN EDUCATION

Transformation Education engages every student, fosters achievement, growth, and independence to the greatest extent possible, and gives experiences that meet the needs of every learner and help them thrive.

The 8 Pillars of The Children’s Guild Transformation Education philosophy include:

1. Value-Infused Culture – blending specific values throughout all aspects of our people, systems, environment, and curriculum.
2. Focus on Well-Being – mindfulness exercise, positive relationships with adults, and the development of self-regulation strategies.
3. Enriched Environments & Experiences – using physical environments to stimulate the intellect, excite the senses, and touch the emotions.
4. Brain Literacy – teaching students how the brain learns.
5. Behavioral Motivation Continuum – individualized, meaningful learning experiences before, during, and after behavioral incidents to help kids develop self-regulation.
6. Arts Enhancement – opportunities to experience performing arts, visual arts, and music.
7. Community Influence – introducing kids to community projects and advocacy so they can contribute their voice.
8. Ownership Mindset – skills to approach problems, recognize contributions, take responsibility, and implement solutions.

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CHILDREN’S GUILD ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

Emerging from April’s School Counseling Month—as well as the past two years of COVID—it’s apparent the national focus on mental health is even more critical. “We need to build the foundation for healthier, more fulfilled, and more resilient youth, and The Children’s Guild is making that happen in the greater metro area around the Nation’s Capital,” said Livelli.

“We touch families and lives in meaningful, often highly impactful ways. That commitment has become even more critical in our complex world.”

The Children’s Guild also seeks partnerships and growth opportunities of all kinds. Should you want to learn more or see the work they do in area schools, please contact them anytime at 410.444.3800.