1. N AUGATUCK D AY C ARE V ISION FOR E DUCATION 2017 Cara Rinaldi EDU 505: Future of Education February 26, 2013

2. N AUGATUCK D AY C ARE, I NC. Has been in successful existence since 1975 NAEYC accredited since 2001 The program is licensed by the state of Connecticut for 48 preschool children, ages 3 to 5, who are not yet attending kindergarten

3. T HE P URPOSE AND M ISSION S TATEMENT The Purpose of Naugatuck Day Care is to provide high quality childcare in an environment where children can grow emotionally, physically, intellectually, and socially; a place where children will learn through educational play, and will develop according to their own individual needs. The Mission Statement is N urturing the D evelopment of C hildren one child at a time.

4. F UTURING TECHNIQUES FOR N AUGATUCK D AY C ARE Environmental Scanning Socio-Economical Status Political Status Technological Environment These outside sources can and will affect the future of Naugatuck Day Care and without looking into each and every part can harm the futuring process of the organization.

5. S CENARIOS FOR G ESTURE -B ASED C OMPUTING o The use of gesture-based computing will help the younger students with real world situations both physically and mentally as they grow and learn each and every day. o Many children who are new to the school environment may not have the ability to read or verbalize exactly what it is they need or want. o The technology can help them walk through the difficulties of their first time away from home. “Scenarios can be used to obtain a number of different ends: Scenarios are internally coherent pictures of possible futures. They are among the most useful tools and have a wide range of uses.”(Mietzner and Reger, 2005, p 223).

6. T RENDS AND THE IMPACT ON NAUGATUCK DAY CARE Economics Reduction of State Funding “The worst economic decline since the Great Depression has sharply reduced the ability of parents to provide for their young children. As family incomes fall, more children become eligible for and in need of state preschool programs. Yet, at the same time, state pre-K budgets are being squeezed, making it nearly impossible for them to meet the need... The immediate future of pre-K seems much more perilous than past trends might suggest” [Shipp, 2010]. (Sensenig, 2012, p.1) Low-income families at disadvantage

7. T RENDS AND THE IMPACT ON N AUGATUCK D AY C ARE Placement of young children in an early learning environment “The Association believes all children deserve access to early learning opportunities that will increase their chances for success in school and in life” (An NEA policy brief, p. 1) Naugatuck Day Care is a full-time, all year round early learning program Care for Kids financial program to help low-income families with affordability Children will thrive from an early learning environment and become wiser students in the future All children need and deserve a good start. Attending high quality early childhood programs is an important part of starting early and starting right. —NEA President Dennis Van Roekel ( Grunewald, p. 2)

8. T RENDS AND THE I MPACT ON N AUGATUCK D AY C ARE Parental involvement “The trend towards strengthening links between parents or carers and the school through internet communication is an example where disadvantaged pupils may be left behind, and yet they are often the very learners most in need of continuity” (Grunewald, p. 19). Naugatuck Day has an open door policy Parents can use technology available at site Parent – teacher conferences available Ask questions and you shall receive answers Teachers and staff are here to help “Together we can help your child strive”

9. H ARD W ORK AND D EDICATION W ILL M AKE THE V ISION A R EALITY

10. R EFERENCES Grunewald, R. Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return. (2003) fedgazette. Retrieved from: http://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/p ub_display.cfm?id=3832 Mietzner, Dana and Reger, Guido. (2005). Advantages and disadvantages of scenario approaches for strategic foresight. Int. J. Technology Intelligence and Planning, Vol. 1, No. 2. Sensenig, V. Budget cuts and the future of early education: a conversation with Maryellen Schaub. 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.ajeforum.com/archives/30 http://www.ajeforum.com/archives/30