First 5 Lex – READ, TALK and PLAY

As we opened the new school year, you have heard a lot from me about many of the exciting and important opportunities we are offering our students K-12.  This week, I reaffirmed that FCPS is committed to the children of our community from Cradle to Career!

With the launch of a new community initiative to focus on our children from birth to 5 —  First 5 Lex READ TALK and PLAY from Cradle to Kindergarten!

You may ask, why is early learning so important?  Because it forms the foundation for all future learning!  Research shows that 90% of a child’s brain develops before age five.  Healthy Brain Development is key to maximizing our children’s potential. The brain undergoes its most rapid development in the first three years of life.

Think about what this means for children as they enter school. Children enter school with varied skills and knowledge, based on their access to stimulating age-appropriate interactions in the earliest years of life.

Because we know that learning gaps are established before students enter kindergarten, it is imperative that we develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure children’s learning needs are met from birth to 5.  Kudos to Whitney, Alice, and our community/business partners for supporting this initiative!  Please find pictures from the press conference below: