Early learning coordinator begins work
An elementary school teacher has been selected as the early learning coordinator through the Fayette Community Foundation.
Billie Watkins has filled the position, which was developed as a result of the foundation’s effort to bring together people concerned with early childhood learning to study what resources exist and where improvements are needed. Watkins’ focus will be implementing the resulting community comprehensive strategic plan that focuses on families and children birth through age 5 in the Fayette County area.
After nearly 18 months of task forces meeting and reviewing data, the community-driven comprehensive strategic plan has been completed. This plan will help drive the focus and the work over the next few years that will ensure that Fayette County’s youngest residents and families have the resources and support to begin with the strongest foundation possible.
The Foundation’s executive director, Anna Dungan, said the Foundation funded creation of the Early Learning Coalition, a network of organizations and parents that value early education. In 2019, the Coalition developed a comprehensive plan that will help the group work towards goals and document the community’s success.
“One of the next steps for the Coalition was to hire a coordinator. Billie Watkins was hired in May and is the perfect fit for the program,” Dungan said. “I am excited to work with Billie and see the Coalition achieve their goals.”
The coordinator will help determine priorities for the strategies. Community members can join the task forces this fall by contacting Watkins at bjwatkins1989@gmail.com.
Watkins is interested in speaking with interested groups about the process and how people can become involved with it.
Dungan said, “In study after study, research has proven early education is vital to life long success. For the past several years the Community Foundation has awarded more than $50,000 every year to community projects to support early learning resources,” including the Jump Start program of Fayette County School Corporation.
Watkins has lived in Connersville since 1994. A graduate of George Washington High School in Indianapolis, she received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1994 from Ball State University and her M.Ed with a focus in early childhood in 2011. She taught kindergarten, first, and fourth grades at Maplewood Elementary from 2005-18, and is a first-grade teacher at Rushville Elementary West.
A member of St. Gabriel Church, she enjoys reading, walking, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. She has two children who live in Connersville.