GOVERNOR KAINE EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL READINESS FOR FAIRFAX COUNTY'S YOUNGEST CHILDREN

On Tuesday, September 25, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine met with more than 140 business, government, education and other community leaders to stress the importance of preparing children for success in school before they enter kindergarten. He described his plan to ask the General Assembly in Richmond to provide funding that would expand eligibility criteria for the Virginia Preschool Initiative. By changing eligibility criteria from “free lunch” to “free and reduced price lunch,” the number of at-risk children that could be served by the Virginia Preschool Initiative is projected to reach 30,000 four-year olds by Fiscal Year 2012.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly with Fairfax Futures' School Readiness Network Business Partners. From left to right (BACK ROW): Charlene Wheeless (Raytheon IIS and Fairfax Futures Chair); Mia Walton (Rolls-Royce North America); Elaine Cudney (Deloitte); Tim Sargeant (Dominion) and Janet Barnard (Cox Communications, Northern Virginia). (FRONT ROW): Amy MacKay (PNC); Carolyn Berkowitz (Capital One); Katherine Busser (Capital One); Governor Tim Kaine; Julia Huggins (CIGNA HealthCare Mid-Atlantic), Chairman Gerry Connolly and Cheryl Clarke (Freddie Mac Foundation).

Governor Kaine made his remarks at Fairfax Futures’ Community Leadership Forum on School Readiness, an event made possible through support from Fairfax Futures’ School Readiness Network business partner, Capital One. “Children’s quality education is the key to the continued success of our company and the region’s economy,” said Katherine Busser, executive vice president at Capital One, who also introduced Governor Kaine as keynote speaker.

In addition the hearing from Governor Kaine, Forum attendees had the opportunity to hear from several speakers including:

Ellen Galinsky, President and Co-Founder, Families and Work Institute whose opening presentation was titled “Building Systems that Promote Early Learning;”

Panel presentation “School Readiness at Work in Fairfax County”, moderated by Univision News Anchor, Norma Montenegro, with remarks by Dr. Jack Dale, Superintendent, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County Juvenile Court Judge Gayl Carr, J. Knox Singleton, President, Inova Health System and Verdia Haywood, Deputy County Executive, Fairfax County.

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