An exciting opportunity for families with children ages 3 and under is coming to Saturday Morning Lights.
The Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet and the Poughkeepsie City School District is launching the Bright Roads to Success Playgroup. The free seven-week program will be held each Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. at Poughkeepsie Middle School, beginning Feb. 7.
The program is designed for parents and caregivers to grow their skills to grow skills alongside their children ages 0-3. Parents will be able to sing, read, dance and play with their little ones, while learning about childhood development.
“Saturday Morning Lights is all about creating meaningful opportunities for families to learn and grow together,” Community Schools Interim Administrator Jessica Ortiz said. “The Bright Roads program adds tremendous value by giving our youngest learners a joyful, play‑based foundation for success while strengthening connections between home, school and community."
The Poughkeepsie district has put an emphasis on bolstering the educational experience for our youngest learners in recent years through the expansion of its universal pre-K program, including the mindful mornings program designed to support students’ early literacy skills and social-emotional development. The Bright Roads program encourages an even earlier exploration of those literacy and numeracy skills to build a strong foundation for a student’s educational journey.
The playgroup will be taught by Shaniesha Strange, a former lead preschool teacher at Day ONE Early Learning Community in Poughkeepsie and a Bright Roads to Success Early Childhood Champion.
Jill Gomez, executive director of the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, said, "When life gets busy and stressful, it's so helpful to have time just for connecting with your baby. For babies and toddlers, play and learning are one in the same. This playgroup allows parents and caregivers to learn alongside their babies in a fun, loving environment."
Attendees can register here. While the program begins Feb. 7 it will be paused for one week Feb. 14 in observation of Presidents’ Day. For any questions, contact Strange at shanieshachildrenschampion@gmail.com. Poughkeepsie Middle School is located at 55 College Ave.