Education: WOW!

Lindy Buch cares about the education of young children and the parents working to raise them. As supervisor for the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Lindy oversees many programs and services provided to Michigan’s children through the MDE.

Lindy was recently elected to serve as president of the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) for 2004-2006. Lindy served as the organization’s vice-president for the past two years. Her peers praised her exemplary early childhood knowledge and organizational skills.

“As Michigan’s lead representative to this national organization, Lindy continuously demonstrates the leadership skills needed to serve NAECS/SDE and young learners,” wrote Lucy E. Roberts, chief of the Early Childhood Section of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in a letter to Michigan’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins. “Our organization is very fortunate and pleased to have Lindy in this important leadership role,” Roberts wrote.

For more information, contact: Lindy Buch, Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 373-8483, BuchL@michigan.gov.

Literacy: WOW!

Faith Stevens, Michigan's Reading First coordinator, participated in a panel discussion hosted by President George W. Bush on Wednesday May 12, 2004 in Washington D.C. Stevens highlighted the great work Michigan's Reading First program has done and shared information about other Michigan initiatives designed to help children learn to read.

"This is an important program to help each child to be successful in school and then later in life," Stevens said. "Reading First is an ambitious initiative to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be successful."

"Faith has worked hard to get this program revved up in our schools. We all see the real benefits it will provide," says State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins.

How Do Communities Build Effective, Accountable Early Childhood Education Programs?

High-quality early education produces long-lasting benefits. Consequently, federal, state, and local decision makers are asking critical questions about young children's education. What should children be taught in the years from birth through age eight? How will communities evaluate their programs and services to ensure that children are developing and learning?

Answers to these questions—questions about early childhood curriculum, child assessment, and program evaluation—form the foundation of a joint position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Child-hood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE).

The position statement, approved November 2003, is available at http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions.asp.

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