1. education
2. school

WHO WE ARE
Vision
Creating communities of readiness where all children
thrive and reach their full unique potential.
Mission
Preparing children for success by equipping parents
through integrated support of the Holland/Zeeland/
Hamilton communities.
In order to achieve
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
A thriving community relies on children
being ready for school
Entrepreneurial model must engage all sectors of
the community
Tactics must be data driven and employ evidence-based practices
Apply sound business principles and achieve measurable results
successful outcomes,
the community must
create an environment where
early childhood strategies thrive.
An integrated, community-wide,
holistic, whole-child approach to
early childhood is required.
IMPACT
Ready for School has helped:
• Raise awareness of the value of investing in
early childhood
OBJECTIVES
Engage and inform parents through their trusted institutions
Enhance early childhood experiences by working with
area schools and early childhood professionals in building
bridges that promote a seamless transition from pre-k to
kindergarten and beyond
Create opportunities and improve access through strategic
investment by expanding services for families where
obstacles have been identified, evaluating outcomes, and
disbursing funds
• Establish a common assessment and evaluation
partnership with all school districts and systems in
Holland, Zeeland and Hamilton
• Form public/private partnerships, integrating efforts
and engaging all sectors on early childhood
• Expand opportunities, improve access and enhance the
quality of programs and services for young children and
their families
More kids are ready for school.
In Michigan, the number of children living in
poverty continues to trend worse (Kids Count in
Michigan databook 2015). Education outcomes
in our community continue to hold initial gains
made in a declining environment.
If you could reimagine early childhood in our
community, what would you like to see?
“Communities are systems that are intricately
woven together that have amazing potential to
impact the common good or to do harm. Success
in early childhood requires the integrated
multiplying effect of private and public influence
and investments. I’d like to see our community
harness integrated efforts for optimal impact for
our children.”
Back, left to right:
Pat VerDuin | Executive Director
Amy Ziel
Bruce Los | Chair
Glenn Vos | Vice Chair
Priya Gurumurthy
Robert Ellis
Boyd Feltman
Front, left to right:
Janet DeYoung
Nancy Miller | Secretary
Calvin DeKuiper
Alma Valenzuela
Not pictured:
Barb Ferguson
David Macias
Patrick Moran
Jennifer Owens
Pat VerDuin, Executive Director of Ready for School
Leadership
We invite you to join us around the virtual boardroom table, for a candid and
casual conversation with our leadership. Representing backgrounds in criminal
justice, education, business and economic development, these individuals have
committed time, talent and treasure to further the mission of Ready for School and
support early childhood programs and services in our community. The spirit of this
conversation is to better understand the varying perspectives of our leadership.
“Every child starts school ready. All
organizations working with young children
should be working together to maximize results
and minimize duplication of effort in a purely
collaborative manner without concern for who
gets the credit. “
Cal DeKuiper, Superintendent of Zeeland Public
Schools
As a leader of this organization, what has been
Ready for School’s most significant impact?
“The magic of Ready for School has been in its
ability to engage all sectors. Through the work,
private/public collaborations have formed and been
fortified. I believe that will be the game changer.”
Bruce Los, softArchitecture
From your view, why are early childhood
investments important?
What is it about our community that inspired and
fostered an early childhood initiative like Ready
for School?
“Failure is not an option. When a group of our
“Early childhood education is the foundation community’s stakeholders learned that less than
half of the children in Holland and Zeeland were
of our economy. It is the beginning of
entering our schools prepared to succeed, there
creating strong leaders who will mold the
was no hesitation—we said we will fix this!”
future of our region.”
Jennifer Owens, President of Lakeshore
Advantage
“Early childhood investments are
important because they yield a higher
return to society than any other form of
investment by breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty.”
Alma Valenzuela, Assistant Director of
Probation & Community Corrections at 58th
District Court
Bruce Los, softArchitecture
What is your vision for Ready for School in 2015
and beyond?
“This program will help ensure we have more kids
on the right path early, less need for government
support or invention and a team of public and
private sector leaders all walking together.”
Jennifer Owens, President of Lakeshore Advantage
“Ready for School will greatly impact the positive
understanding of the value of a great education
for all students, and especially for those students
living in poverty or where English is not the primary
language.”
Cal DeKuiper, Superintendent of Zeeland Public
“We live in a community where we are first in
health and happiness, why can’t we also be the first
to achieve 100% readiness in the country!”
Pat VerDuin, Executive Director of Ready for School
WHAT WE DO
Community Outreach
Ready for School works within neighborhoods as well as with other
non-profit agencies and the faith community to meet parents where
they are. We have 4-6 Community Ambassadors at any given time working
alongside staff to connect with families through community events and
learning groups. Our outreach staff and Ambassadors are bilingual
and bicultural and are working in the neighborhoods most
in need of support as determined by data and
community demographics.
68
%
“As Ambassadors it’s imperative
of parents of incoming
kindergartners recognize the
Ready for School brand.
to interact and build relationships
with a diverse group of families.
We must be welcoming by greeting
55%
of parents said that family,
friends and neighbors
are their leading source
for information on child
development and parenting.
that we are open minded and able
families with a smile, sitting with
families and kids on the floor, listening
to a child’s story, or offering a cup of
coffee to parents. Trust is built when you
are a consistent presence who is genuinely
In 2014, Ready for School hosted or attended 61
community, neighborhood and church events.
interested in them and their children.”
Christina Kelley, Ambassador- Christina is a mother of
five and is fluent in Lao, Thai and English
Health Care Partnerships
There is a direct relationship between health
44%
outcomes and income and education. Those with
the lowest income and education generally have the
poorest health outcomes.
– Key Finding of the 2012 Ottawa County Health Department
Community Needs Assessment
Through Healthy Beginnings, Ready
for School has become a hub for
developmental screening and parent
resources. We partner with the Holland
Community Health Center and Intercare
Community Health Network and work
closely with the Maternal Infant Health
Program, Early On and other community
resources to both refer and accept
referrals. Additionally, we engaged 11
area health care practices, representing
of parents said they look
to their doctors as their
leading source for
information on child
development and
parenting.
participation of more than 50 health care
providers around the Reach Out and Read
program.
Reach Out and Read is internationally
operated and acclaimed and promotes
early literacy and school readiness by
partnering with health care providers to
“prescribe” books and encourages families
to read together.
Families participating in the Reach Out and Read model
were more likely to read to their children, and their
toddlers’ receptive and expressive vocabulary scores
were higher, even when adjusting for parental education,
foreign-born status, and language proficiency.
High P.C., LaGasse L., Becker S., Gardner A. “Literacy Promotion
in Primary Care Pediatrics: Can We Make a Difference?”
Pediatrics 2000.
Early Education and Care Partnerships
There are more than 150 licensed
in-home and center-based child
care and preschool providers in
Holland, Zeeland and Hamilton. The
entrepreneurs who run these small
businesses are so much more than
babysitters. They are the individuals
responsible for partnering with parents
and teaching our children at the most
critical time for brain development.
Monthly roundtables allow for
professional development, networking,
information and referral sharing
and help to establish an open
communication channel for sharing
best practices, needs and obstacles.
These meetings are hosted by Ready
for School and operate in partnership
with the Great Start Collaborative and
Western Resource Center.
175 providers attended Building Bridges in 2014, a
comprehensive training on kindergarten readiness expectations
developed by kindergarten teachers.
12
professional development trainings,
In addition to hosting
Ready for School assisted providers in finding trainings and
educational scholarships.
Neurological science supports that the architecture
2 out of 3 children live in
households where both
parents work, meaning they
need child care.
Kids Count in Michigan 2015
data book.
of a brain is established early in life and becomes the
foundation for language, social behavior, problem solving,
and emotional health.
Shonkoff, J. 2009. InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood
Development. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
Preschool Coordination & Tuition Assistance
Low-income youth suffer significantly from a loss of
Attending high-quality preschool programs can
academic skills over the summertime. And the losses
provide rewards that last a lifetime including:
pile up, contributing to an achievement gap that can
higher test scores throughout grades k-12; lower
make the difference between whether students set
rate of grade repetition and special education
out on a path for college or decide to drop out of
placements; greater rates of high school
high school.
graduates and college attendance; and increased
Anderson, Entwisle, & Olson, 2007, Summer Can Set Kids on the
Right—or Wrong—Course.
employment rates and higher earnings as adults.
Bartik, T. 2011. Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs
and Local Economic Development. W.E. Upjohn Institute for
Employment Research.
Ready for School addresses the leading obstacles that
families face in obtaining a high-quality preschool
experience for their children, including cost, trust,
transportation, and hours of operation. We partner with
the state and federally funded preschool programs to
refer families who qualify. In 2014, Ready for School
provided a total of 620 preschool scholarships, and
made 148 referrals to the Head Start and Great Start
Readiness Programs.
“Ready for School has been instrumental
in the Holland, Zeeland and Hamilton communities
providing scholarships in high-quality preschool
environments. The State of Michigan has invested $130
million dollars over the last two years into preschool for fouryear-old children. Through working together with the Ottawa
Area Intermediate School District, Ready for School has been
able to focus scholarship opportunities on the greatest area
of need within our communities, which is currently three-yearolds. This collaboration allows many children to attend two years
of high-quality preschool. This is an advantage for not only our
children and families, but also our community.”
Tami Mannes, PhD, Director of Early Childhood Services, OAISD
79%
of parents said cost was their
leading obstacle to finding childcare
and early childhood programs.
Summer of 2014, Ready for School piloted Start School Ready in
partnership with Holland Public Schools. Start School Ready is
an intensive pre-kindergarten project. 58 children participated
in the six week pilot that focused on the child’s learning, parent
engagement in his/her learning and the enhancement of the
quality of preschool instruction through teacher education.
In 2015 the program will be expanded to serve 90 children
in a partnership between Ready for School, the Great
Start Readiness Preschool program, Holland Public
Schools and West Ottawa Public Schools.
INVEST
THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY!
INDIVIDUAL & FAMILY SUPPORT
Anonymous
Jim and Donna Atman
John and Claudia Berry
Brian and Jane Borr
Daniel and Julie Bourbon
Jud and Kirby Bradford
Linda and Les Brand
The Brooks Family
James and Martie Bultman
Tom and Susan Bylsma
Richard and Julie Campbell
Jim and Deb Caserta
Tom and Sally Cassell
Mike and Linda Clark
Chad and Mary Creevy
Ruth Cronk
Brian Davis
Cal and Beth De Kuiper
DeKock Family Foundation
Thomas and Susan Den Herder Family
Robert and Colette DeNooyer
Dominique and Julie DeNooyer
Kris and Barb DePree
Chuck and Barb DePree
Mark and Roxanne deRoo
John and Ruth DeVries
Roger and Janet DeYoung
Fred J and Kathryn Dodds
Roger and Darla Elenbaas
Bob and Anne Ellis
Tom and Rosemary Ervine
David and Sally Farabee Fund for Youth & Diversity
Janet Feltman
Robert and Barb Ferguson
Douglas and Jane Finn
James and Sarah Forster
Jann Freed
Mike and Rachel Goorhouse
Ann Gray
Craig and Karen Hall
Sandra Ham
Hamilton Community Schools
Carol Hansen
Tim and Anne Hemingway
Judith Hemwall
Mike and Colleen Hill
Doug and Laurel Hill
Brian and Melissa Hill
Terry and Ruth Hofmeyer
Les and Viv Hoogland
Jeanette Hoyer
Lynette Hummel
David and Barbara Janssen
David and Karri Jasperse
John and Judy Spoelhof Foundation
Jeff and Beth Johnson
George and Terene Julius
Sarah Kim
William and Priscilla Klerekoper
Wayne and Rhonda Klomparens
Brian and Cathy Koop
Caleb Fisher and Megan
Koops-Fisher
M. Dean and Kathryn Kreps
Douglas and Terry Larkin
Ellen Leik
Evelyn Lenters
Rich and Marcia Lievense
Bruce and Deb Los
David and Donna Lowry
Sam and Jean Martin
Wayne and Diana Mavis
Wilma McAllister
Carole McLean
Jeffrey and Laurie McMartin
Hannes and Marj Meyers
Nidia Odalis Miedema
Daniel and Vicki Miller
Phil and Nancy Miller
Jack Miller
Mindy Miller
Buzz and Lisa Miller
Hedy Morse
Larry and Karen Mulder Foundation
P. Haans and Anita Mulder
Barry and Kathy Murchie
Dick and Susan Muzzy
David and Carol Myers Foundation
Dirk and Norma Noordijk
Alfie and Ella Mae Norman
Andrea O’Connor
Mike and Jennifer Owens
Doug and Nancy Padnos
David and Janet Pingel
Rob and Cindy Pocock
Jim and Kathleen Ponitz
John and Ann Query
Shane and Lisa Ramsdell
Carol Rickey
Jerry and Dana Root
Wilma Sanders
Tim Schipper
Jim and Janet Schoettle
Mark and Brenda Schout
Maria Serrano
Timothy and Eveline Sloan
Joe and Lisa Stefanovsky
Bob and Deb Sterken
Pat and Camy Thompson
Jason and Alma Valenzuela
Laurie Van Ark
Lowell and Mary Van De Riet
Scott and Lucinda Van Tasell
Douglas and Karen VanHekken
Michael and Lisa VanOmmen
Carrie VanTil
Ken and Pat VerDuin
Alan and Carla VerSchure
C. Lynn and Mary Vincent
Glenn and Marcia Vos
Ken and Jill Wagner
Brian and Colleen Walker
Roy and Janet Wennlund
Mary Westrate
Ellen Westveer
Willis and Ella Weymon
Cecil and Bette Williams
Boyd and Sara Wilson
David and Jan Zessin
CORPORATE AND
FOUNDATION SUPPORT
A.M. Holland Rotary Club
Acme Pallet, Inc.*
Advantage Benefits Group*
Agritek Industries, Inc.*
Allegan County United Way
BandA Tech Solutions
B & W Woodwork, Inc.
Back to Health Chiropractic
The Bank of Holland*
Bentheim Elementary School
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan *
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation
Blue Star Elementary - Teacher Pupil Fund
Bouma Construction*
Bradford Company*
Butch’s Dry Dock
CHi (Charter House Innovations)*
City Flats Hotel*
Classis Holland Christian
Reformed Church
Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area
Crown Motors *
Disher Design and Development*
Elzinga & Volkers
Enviro-Clean Services, Inc.*
Espec North America, Inc.
Fairly Painless Advertising*
Fifth Third Bank
Forerunner Freight Systems, Inc.
Frey Foundation
Gebben’s Concrete
GDK Construction*
Gentex Corporation*
Global Concepts Enterprise, Inc.*
GMB Architecture & Engineering *
Godwin Plumbing *
Greater Ottawa County United Way
Haworth, Inc. *
Herman Miller Cares *
H.L. Bolkema Decorating*
Holland Bar Stool *
Holland Christian Athletic Fund
Holland Hospital *
Holland Litho*
Howard Miller Company*
IFR, Inc.*
INONTIME, Inc.*
ITW Drawform *
Johnson Controls Inc. Care & Share *
Jubilee Ministries, Inc.
Kenowa Industries *
Knight Transfer Services, Inc.
Lakeshore Chapter MEA-R
Lakeshore Health Partners - Pediatric Internal Medicine
Lemonjello’s Coffee, LLC
Louis & Helen Padnos Foundation*
Magna Mirrors *
Metal Flow Corporation *
Michigan West Coast Chamber
of Commerce*
Northgate Appliance LLC
PADNOS *
Parkway Electric & Communications*
Peachwave of Holland*
Perrigo Company
Charitable Foundation *
Plascore, Inc.
PNC Foundation *
Primera Plastics *
Quality Air Heating & Cooling, Inc.*
Readers World
Repcolite Paints, Inc.
Robert DeNooyer Chevrolet, Inc.*
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Outstate Michigan
S.A. Mormon & Co.
Shoreline Container, Inc.*
Slikkers Foundation*
SoundOff Signal*
Spectrum Health*
Tandus
Techno-Coat, Inc.*
Tennant Company
The Bridge
The City Delicatessen
The Stow Company*
Tip Toes
Trans-Matic*
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
West Michigan Community Bank
Woodward FST*
Worksighted*
FINANCIALS
Worksquared*
Zeeland Lumber & Supply*
*Corporate Investors – represents
investment of $1,000 or more
The Ready for School 2014
Report to the Community is
generously provided through
the contributed printing
services of Holland Litho
and the sponsorship of the
Howard Miller Company.
Sources of funding
$1,469,480
63% foundations
14% individuals
23% corporations
Expenditures
$1,242,693
83% Programs & Services
14% Management & General
3% Fundraising
INVEST IN OUR FUTURE
Donations can be made online at
readyforschool.org or sent to
Ready for School
70 West 8th Street
Holland, MI 49423