The Impact

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Testimonials

Please let me begin that I don’t look at it as training, experience, or help that I received last year; it was a partnership like no other I have encountered during my 24 years in education, 11 being in a leadership position.

I have to admit, when I set up my first meeting with Hannah Thompson, I was hesitant and was prepared to meet with an outside source that had great ideas but little practical help for our school. What a mistake that assumption turned out to be. From our first meeting, Hannah came prepared with physical materials to use in our classrooms for our new social emotional curriculum and a slew of online, easily accessible articles for teachers and parents. The amount of work she put into customizing the training and resources we needed is indescribable. You could imagine my disappointment when she told me she was moving to pursue her Ph.D in Child and Family Studies at the University of Nashville.

But… in true Start Well fashion, Hannah hand chose her replacement for me, and Kim Versluis became our new Start Well partner/trainer. She picked up right where Hannah left off and brought even more resources and supplied personal training sessions for our teachers. She also walked me through step-by-step the PTRYC process when working with a child and their family on goals for the child. She set up the entire team, including the parents and in her gentle, encouraging way, got everyone on board. At the end of the process, our staff was well-trained and able to train other staff on what we learned. The parents were willing and informed on what their next steps were for this year to help their son be successful in kindergarten!

Thank you Start Well for the BEST resource there is for our children of the future. With your help, I know this upcoming generation will be emotionally equipped, socially responsible, and educationally prepared for their future.
Leslie Steinhaus
Calvary Chapel Preschool Director
Receiving the experience in developing a “behavior plan” has helped tremendously with our students, parents, teachers, and for our program. The joint effort of everyone involved, our ECMH Consultant, parents, teachers, and myself, had such a positive outcome that we will continue to implement the behavior plan into our program year after year. Although we did not have a long time to work with the ECMH Consultant, we received so much support and insight on how to do a behavior plan and build a team of support in a short time. Thank you (Start Well) for all your expertise and input, you helped us create a bridge to help the most vulnerable in our preschool program!
Rachelle V.
Supervisor OUSD Child Development Center
The support I have received in the past year from Start Well's resources, team and our school consultant has kept our doors open during Covid pandemic! Needs for adults and children increased dramatically. As a director, I was able to offer my staff peace during chaotic times by providing mental health resources that could be implemented immediately. I kept challenging children in our program by working effectively with families on strategies provided by my consultant and resources that truly worked! My consultant gave me the strength to tackle many issues in front of me and gave me the confidence to persevere! I am truly thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Start Well Community! The best decision in my 30 years directing.
Jenny McGuire
Shoreline Preschool
Thank you so much for your time. It is so helpful to have a resource where I can vent my frustrations with the behavioral setbacks, can assess what I am currently doing that is working (and what is not), and can brainstorm ways to intervene in an appropriate way. I appreciate your support of reaching out to parents with the ASQ-SE and am looking forward to implementing some of the other interventions.
Mary Van Such
Teacher, Robert H. Lange Preschool
We couldn’t be happier with our relationship not only with Kim but the entire experience! We are so thankful and truly feel every school needs a “Kim”!!!
Katherine Yeakel
Robert H. Lang Preschool
Start Well is a partner I was especially thankful for in 2021 and moving forward. They align so perfectly around our core values and how we integrate learning. The tools they are providing our teachers will benefit our students for years to come.
We are so, so grateful for Start Well and the amazing work they do for and with the ECE community. Our program has greatly benefited from our ongoing coaching and consultations with Kim. Her dedication, insight and effectiveness has been invaluable to our teaching team’s confidence in creating targeted strategies and goals that support children’s learning and building positive and trusting relationships. Thank you for providing supports and “tools” that our Early Years Educators need to navigate through these unpredictable times.
Vanessa Sener
ENC Nature Preschool Director

Our Reach

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Number of Providers Served Since 2018

Outcomes: Increase in ECE provider knowledge. Increased knowledge of resources.