HISTORY 

In 2004 Wethersfield was asked to participate in the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund Discovery Grant.  At this time 50 communities in Connecticut were participating in the Discovery Initiative.  This initiative is to help communities promote the importance of quality early childhood care and education.  The Discovery Initiative stresses collaboration and parent leadership and engagement in the community.

• A group of diverse community members were asked to participate in this initiative. They organized the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council.

• In 2005 a Kindergarten Parent Survey was mailed to 250 families to collect data from the Wethersfield Community about the early childhood experience of their children.

• May 2005 the Early Readiness Council conducted the first of two Community Conversations on Early Childhood Education.

• In 2005-2006, the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council used the information obtained from the Community Conservations and members to work on their organizational structure and the goals and objectives of the Council.

• November 2006 the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council was invited to apply for the 2007 Discovery grant and was awarded the grant for another year.  During this year, the Council developed materials for promoting this initiative. 

• September 2007 the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council applied for the 2008-2009 competitive Discovery Grant.  We will be notified in December regarding our acceptance.

It is the hope of the Wethersfield Early Readiness Council to receive the money we have requested for the 2008-2009 grant from the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund but feel that we have worked hard to structure our council to sustain itself in the absence of funding from the Memorial Fund.