Dep Secretary Visits Literacy Lab

Barbara Minzenberg, PhD, Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development & Early Learning PA Depts of Education and Public Welfare, visits CSC on Thursday, May 3, 2012. The purpose of her visit is to hear about a unique business partnership CSC has to provide an innovative approach to teaching literacy among preschoolers.

CSC’s Head Start program created the Literacy Lab in 2009 to test new methods for improving early literacy among preschoolers. The first Literacy Lab was started at the Head Start/Pre-K Counts Preschool at 12^th & Linden in Allentown. Having proven to be effective, a second Literacy Lab opened at the Donley Children’s Campus in 2011. Approximately 240 children have weekly access to the lab.

Outcomes among the Head Start children indicate that those using the Literacy Lab had higher literacy scores than those children without the Literacy Lab.

CSC’s Literacy Lab is a public-private partnership, supported entirely by local businesses, many of whom belong to Education 2020! The return on investment of this unique approach of incorporating technology in early learning has proven to be a compelling case to the business. The Literacy Lab qualifies as an Educational Innovation under PA’s Dept of Economic Development program “Educational Investment Tax Credit.” Many of the contributing businesses to the Literacy Lab have taken advantage of this EITC program, including Air Products and PPL.

Also attending the May 3^rd tour are Russ Mayo, Superintendent, Allentown School District, Peter Mayes, Principal, Mosser Elementary School, ASD, and Tony Salvaggio, CEO, Computer Aid, who has been a major supporter of the Literacy Lab.

Giving presentations are Paula Margraf, Executive Vice President and Director Head Start of the Lehigh Valley; Deidra Vachier, Director of Early Education; and Lora Lesak, Director of Developmental Health Services.

Tour includes Literacy Lab located on the Donley Children’s Campus as well as the new Infant, Toddler Center for the Early Head Start program called SafeStart. SafeStart features a unique therapeutic nursery approach to helping children born affected by prenatal alcohol and drug exposure.