I received the picture shown below from retired Stepping Stone teacher, Mrs. Fran, who had attended a music program last Tuesday at Westwood Elementary School in Phoenix. The children shown are currently completing first grade and had just finished playing in a musical recital.   The picture to the right is of the whole preschool…Continued

I had the delightful pleasure of visiting our preschool classrooms this morning.  It is the last week of classes and each day is a new celebration. I watched as four-year-old children escorted their mothers into the classroom made-over to honor their moms.  Former Stepping Stone parent, Josie Gutierrez, addressed the parents briefly saying, “This is…Continued

The Phoenix Business Journal reported today that while Carlos Slim Helu,  one of the wealthiest men in the world, addressed Business Journal guests yesterday, he stated that education was a very important economic force in a healthy economy.  The Journal quoted Slim Helu as saying, “We need to learn to learn forever.”  See the full…Continued

Repost: Opportunity for free preschool in the Phoenix area; this opportunity expires 1/31/15 If you have a four-year-old child in need of preschool or know someone who does, and live in the Alhambra School District, please call the Westwood Elementary Office to ask for a Stepping Stone Foundation preschool application.  All services are free of…Continued

Because A Stepping Stone Foundation has been waiting to hire the best preschool assistant possible, we have been holding five more four-year-old slots at our Westwood Elementary teaching site.  We hired a lovely new assistant just before the holidays and now have room for five more children and their families. If you have a four-year-old…Continued

New Spin on Charitable Support   PHOENIX, AZ (December 18, 2014)   What does it take to think out of the box? Ask Sydney Gould from Arizona School Boards Association Insurance Trust (ASBAIT).   Sydney decided instead of purchasing expensive giveaways for the company’s booth at the Arizona School Boards Association annual conference at the Biltmore…Continued

Thanks to Susana Ibarra Johnson, Parent Awareness and Community Outreach Coordinator from First Things First Phoenix  North and Phoenix South Councils for the following post.   Holidays Offer Opportunities to Expand Young Kids’ Learning   It seems like everywhere we look, we’re bombarded with ads heralding the latest learning toys for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. These toys promise…Continued

Thank you to Exchange Everyday, a daily e-letter that often brings great new information. Check this great You-Tube presentation about saving brains–espeically in those all important early years.  CLICK HERE.  This information was from [email protected]: The World Forum National Representative from England, Laura Henry, shared a video, “Saving Brains: A Grand Challenge,” developed by Grand Challenges Canada…Continued

On August 25th, in cooperation with Miami Unified School District and First Things First-Gila Council, and funded by Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation, A Stepping Stone Foundation opened an expansion preschool and family literacy program in Miami, Arizona.  Please enjoy this excerpt from Superintendent of Miami Unified School District about our expansion written just yesterday:…Continued

Required, high-frequency parent involvement is one thing that sets us apart from other early childhood programs for disadvantaged children. Please read this post from Head Start’s daily e-letter. FROM EXCHANGE EVERYDAY Effective Parent Involvement September 18, 2014 I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. -Albert Einstein   “Around the world, parents have…Continued