Santa Paula Early Childhood Education Retreat

by Lauren Graf

The Santa Paula Early Childhood Education Committee convened on February 3 and 4 to discuss the first steps of bringing free highest quality early childhood education to all young children in Santa Paula. The theme of this two-day retreat at the Museum of Agriculture in Santa Paula was “Adelante por los Niños de Santa Paula.” Attendees to this event gathered safely following Covid-19 precautions and testing negative to collaborate in person on subcommittee topics such as recruitment, facilities, case statement, philanthropic funding, and more. This committee is composed of passionate Ventura County residents from different sectors, from educators to nonprofit workers to religious leaders, who wish to eventually make the highest quality education available to every young child in Ventura County. The Ventura County Community Foundation is proud to support this herculean and vital effort.

Guest speakers included Ventura County Office of Education Deputy Superintendent Dr. Cesar Morales, early childhood education consultant and California State University, Channel Islands lecturer Dr. Mari Estrada, Santa Paula Unified School District Superintendent Jeffrey Weinstein, community leader and champion for education Dr. Gabino Aguirre, and other inspiring community leaders.

To learn more about VCCF’s Early Childhood Education, click here to read more, or contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.