Quality early learning experiences for all children is a key driver of school readiness, vital to improving high school graduation rates, and critical to a community’s economic success. A child’s early years, from birth until school age, are a unique period of growth and development. In fact, 85 percent of the brain’s development happens before kindergarten. Research in neuroscience shows the critical impact that relationships between children and caregivers have on the developing brain during the first months and years of life.  Positive early learning experiences, at home and in other settings, can make a significant difference for children from the moment they’re born.

Hickman County's school readiness score is much higher than the state's. However, we strive to continue supporting school readiness through quality parent engagement programming. The 2020 school readiness score for Hickman County is 76.1% ready, 2019 was 84.6%, 2018 was 69.2%. The Four River Counties Community Early Childhood Councils' goal is to narrow the gap of children not ready by continuing to support school readiness through quality parent engagement programming.  The Hickman County Family and Consumer Sciences program collaborated with the Hickman County Board of Education, Hickman County Family Resource Center, and Murray Headstart to reach parents of children, ages three through five, about school readiness, child development, and nutrition through Future Falcons focused on kindergarten readiness and parent engagement. 

Twenty-five families attend the Future Falcon night which focused on the transition to kindergarten. 92% of participants reported that after attending the event they increased their knowledge of how to help their children be ready for kindergarten, 100% planned to use the materials and resources received to be their child’s first teacher. 96% felt more prepared to help their child be ready for kindergarten.  Parents were able to ask questions of Kindergarten teachers, express their concerns and children toured the facility. Educators modeled school readiness activities and parents/caregivers received a school readiness kit, which included developmentally appropriate learning materials and books.