Felton Institute

👧🏽👶🏼👦🏿👨🏾👩🏻👩🏽🦱🧒 We wrappep up the first week of the new school year across Felton Institute early care and education programs. We are filled with excitement and optimism for the journey ahead. This week, our teams had the pleasure of welcoming both our continuing children and the new faces joining our community. It was heartwarming to see the children and families exploring their new classrooms, adjusting to new routines, and beginning to make lasting connections. Our teachers and staff have worked diligently to create welcoming and supportive environments, and it’s been wonderful to see the children settling in so well. The relationships being formed now will be the foundation for a year of learning, growth, and discovery. As we look forward to the months ahead, we are thrilled to announce our annual open houses and back-to-school nights scheduled for early September. These events will be an opportunity for families to learn more about our programs, meet the educators, and see the wonderful work their children will be doing. We’re excited for what this year has in store and are committed to making it a memorable and enriching experience for EACH and EVERY one of our children and families. Thank you to our dedicated group of leaders, educators and staff! Dr. Olabisi Adesuyi-Fasuyi Sueli Nunes, M.A. Michelle Kaye, LCSW, ECMHS, RPM Plern Pratoommas, PhD Rebecca Pauly, M.A., BCBA Erika Malfavon Alvarez Gigi Munoz, M A #Equity #Excellence #Inclusion #ECE #SchoolReadiness #WeareFelton

As COO of Felton Institute, I am excited to highlight our AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program, a vital part of our commitment to a multigenerational approach in early childhood education. For nearly six decades, this program has empowered seniors to make a profound impact on our early childhood programs, enriching the lives of young children by sharing their wisdom, guidance, and care. Our senior volunteers play a crucial role in fostering early development, helping children build essential skills and confidence. The connections they form are invaluable, bridging generations and strengthening our community in meaningful ways. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Amy Yu, MHA, Director of Workforce Development, Tieu Ly and Catherine Spensley, Division Director, Senior Services who have led this effort with passion and dedication. Your work has made a lasting difference, and I am thrilled that we can now continue this important legacy post-pandemic. Let’s continue to build stronger, more connected generations. Check out our August newsletter describing the history of this program https://lnkd.in/gJGj7QJD #FGP #ECE #multigenerationalapproach #Seniors #Children #weareFeltonInstitute

Yesterday, we hosted a wonderful activity at Felton Institute’s early care and education programs where we welcomed Krystaelynne S. a BIPOC childrens book author to read aloud to our young children. This initiative is a key focus for us this school year, as we aim to ensure that our young learners see themselves represented in the stories they hear. By introducing these authors and their developmentally appropriate books, we not only foster representation but also open the door to important topics. Krystaelynne S. read “The Light Within” This book is uplifting and teaches children that everyone has something special inside of them. It helps children learn what it means to have confidence in their individuality (even if they don't yet know what that means) while encouraging them to look deeper within themselves for their light. I’ve been following Krystaelynne S. on TikTok since she started her journey from her garage, and I’ve admired her work for so long. Having her share one of her many books at Felton’s ECE programs was truly a gift! This experience is a significant step in enriching our children's understanding of diverse perspectives and narratives. Thanks to Dr. Olabisi Adesuyi-Fasuyi and Sueli Nunes, M.A. for leading this work in our ECE programs. #representationmatters #ECE #earlyliteracy #readaloud #books #BIPOCauthors

Tonight, we celebrated a significant milestone with the Felton Institute ECE REACH Symposium, a pilot event that brought together Latina educators from our pre-apprenticeship program. This transformative gathering, born from a vision shared by Gigi Munoz, M A, and myself, was designed to empower and uplift the incredible assets and expertise within our community. Seeing it come to life has been truly impressive, as the confidence and knowledge displayed by these emerging early childhood educators were nothing short of inspiring. Together, we’ve fostered collaboration, professional growth, and built a strong community of learners, all while celebrating the remarkable achievements of these educators. I had the privilege of connecting with them and hearing about their deep passion ("ganas") for teaching young children and their commitment to pursuing a BA degree through our ECE REACH apprenticeship program. Their dedication is a powerful reminder of why I am so passionate about this work. I encourage others to support and join us in this vital effort. Together, we can continue to empower the next generation of educators and create lasting change in our communities. Check out the event photos and learn more about our program at https://lnkd.in/gjd8rKWY #ECEREACH #LatinaEducators #EarlyChildhoodEducation #Symposium #Empowerment #ProfessionalGrowth #Teamwork #VisionRealized

We are dedicated to serving older adults with unwavering commitment. On this World Senior Citizen's Day, we’re honored to spotlight the empowering contributions of the AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers, especially through our Foster Grandparent Program. Explore our impactful senior programs and discover how this multi-generational program is making a difference! Read more by visiting felton.org/newsletter Direct Link to Article Here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g9qAKmH2 #WorldSeniorCitizensDay #AmeriCorpsSeniors #FosterGrandparentProgram #SeniorCareServices #SanFrancisco

🎬 Check out the trailer for our Just Free documentary—a powerful collaboration with Larkin Street Youth Services' Art Program, Felton Institute, Young Adult Court, and filmmaker Spencer Wilkinson! 📅 Save the date: Friday, September 13, from 8 AM to 3 PM 📍 Where: St. Mary's Cathedral Event Center Join us at the FREE Reentry Conference and Resource Fair! 🎟️ This event includes a job fair, a film screening, and a 1 PM panel discussion led by Krista DeNio, our Associate Director of Arts and Education. Don’t miss this chance to connect with employers, gain insights, and be part of the conversation. Register now: https://lnkd.in/gpv5bG_H #EndYouthHomelessness #YouthEmpowerment #JobFair

Last week, we hosted the East Bay Summer Jam BBQ for our dedicated Felton staff and their families. The event featured engaging games like Jenga and Bunco, with several participants winning gift cards. It was a wonderful opportunity to prioritize wellness and enjoy the outdoors together. We're excited to announce that we will be hosting another Summer Jam for our San Francisco staff soon — stay tuned for more details! #EmployeeGratitude #NationalWellnessMonth #EastBay #TeamFelton

Discover the impact of Felton’s Young Adult Court (YAC) and how it has evolved from VP Kamala Harris' Back on Track initiative into a transformative force in youth justice. Read more by visiting felton.org/newsletter Direct Link to Article Here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gPiXi_Gj

Felton Institute is thrilled to announce that renovations for our Early Childhood Education program—the Felton Learning Center in San Francisco’s Visitation Valley neighborhood—will officially begin next week! This project has been a labor of love and will continue our commitment to providing essential services to underserved communities, with a focus on children ages 0-5 and their families. We can’t wait to return to this location and welcome 60 children and families when our doors open in late Spring 2025. A huge thank you to all our funders and supporters— San Francisco Department of Early Childhood and Low Income Investment Fund—whose generous support has made this project possible. Your contributions are helping us create a permanent home for our ECE program and provide a high-quality infant, toddler, and preschool program for our youngest learners. Appreciation shout out to my team who has been supporting this project since the beginning Marvin D., Albert Gilbert, Erika Malfavon Alvarez, Armando Vasquez, the LEDDY MAYTUM STACY Architects team, Ryan Jang AIA, LEED AP and the Truebeck Construction team. Since 2018, I’ve had the privilege of leading tenant improvement and construction projects for co-located ECE programs within affordable housing communities. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, from writing proposals that outline the innovative programs we aim to offer, to designing and leading these projects, and ultimately bringing the vision of co-located ECE programs to life in our communities. Although this project is not co-located with affordable housing, it holds tremendous significance as it ensures a permanent home for our ECE program. After Felton was displaced and had to close the program in 2022, this project is our commitment to making sure we can continue offering free services to the community. By purchasing a permanent location, we’re not only securing the future of our ECE program but also establishing a sustainable model that allows non-profits like ours to thrive and serve those in need for years to come. #ECE #FamilySupport #two-gen #tranformingcommunities #equity #CommunityImpact #VisitationValley #EarlyLearning #FeltonInstitute #135yearsofimpact

We’ve just concluded an incredible full week of professional development for our early childhood educators and staff at Felton Institute, Children, Youth, Family and Transitional Age Youth Division. Our team delved into essential topics, including the Teaching Pyramid, CLASS, trauma-informed care, and school readiness. We emphasized the importance of consistent and predictable routines, organized environments, play-based activities with academic rigor, and STEAM and nature-based education. Additionally, we provided a comprehensive overview of the services offered to families under the CYFTAY division. Beyond these enriching sessions, our staff participated in team-building activities and fun games, all skillfully facilitated by our talented internal team leaders. It was truly a week of growth, connection, and learning. As COO, I reaffirmed my commitment to doubling down on our efforts toward equity, excellence, and continuous quality improvement. I also shared our commitment to “growing our own” by embedding culturally and linguistically responsive leadership development opportunities, mentorship, and coaching as part of a new initiative launching Spring 2025. Our strategic focus remains on resource allocation, workforce investment, program evaluation, and fostering a culture of excellence to deliver the highest quality, integrated, and holistic services to the children and families we serve. A huge shout out to my entire leadership team and program supervisors for a successful PD week! Michelle Kaye, LCSW, ECMHS, RPM , Plern Pratoommas, PhD, Dr. Olabisi Adesuyi-Fasuyi, Sueli Nunes, M.A., Dee Lee, Azul Muller, Rebecca Pauly, M.A., BCBA, Gigi Munoz, M A, Erika Malfavon Alvarez, Teresa Carias, and Rosaura Díaz. Here’s to a fantastic start to the 2024-2025 school year and the continued impact we’ll achieve together! #EarlyCareandEducation #FamilySupport #MentalHealth #ProfessionalDevelopment #FeltonInstitute #CYFTAY #EquityAndExcellence #TogetherWeAreFelton