Blog

Welcome to the Way to Grow blog! Here you’ll find parenting tips, early childhood resources, and stories from home visits across the Twin Cities. We believe parents are their child’s first and most important teacher, and our home visiting model is built around that: bringing tools, activities, and encouragement right into the home. Browse for book recommendations, everyday learning ideas, program updates, and family stories from across our community.

Best in Class 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Best in Class

April of 2013, then four-year-old Davion knew just two colors and the first letter of his name. Recognizing Davion was slightly behind, Tonia, Davion’s Family Educator got right to work. Tonia referred the family to Way to Grow Preschool Pals and began increasing home visits to get Davion caught up before he started school. After…

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ESSA – Three Things to Know 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

ESSA – Three Things to Know

Eight years after No Child Left Behind (NCLB) went into effect, congress has passed a revision to the bill to allow states to reclaim control over much of their education policies. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law on December 10, will take full effect at the start of the 2016-2017 school year.…

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Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Foundation for Children Awards More Than $1.3 Million in Grants

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Foundation for Children Awards More Than $1.3 Million in Grants 150 150 Ivy Marsnik
Emril’s “E” 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Emril’s “E”

Emril is a very energetic three-year-old who came to Way to Grow just seven months ago. Marie, Emril’s Way to Grow Family Educator, noticed he was having trouble sitting still and focusing on tasks.  He wasn’t responding to questions and wasn’t sure how to hold a pencil. In an effort to get Emril ready for preschool this…

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Minnesota Students’ Scores Mixed on Nation’s Report Card

Minnesota Students’ Scores Mixed on Nation’s Report Card 150 150 Ivy Marsnik
Rethinking Pre-K Funding and Quality 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Rethinking Pre-K Funding and Quality

Recently, New America, a non-partisan think tank from Washington, DC hosted a public forum in Minneapolis to discuss the state of our statewide education system. With help from the McKnight Foundation and others, New America conducted a study, outlined in Building Strong Readers in Minnesota report, to find out what supports are needed to foster literacy development…

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The Shine Celebration Live Auction Preview 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

The Shine Celebration Live Auction Preview

The annual Way to Grow Shine Celebration is just weeks away and thanks to our generous donors, we’ve got some great items up for grabs!  There’s only one place you can get them, and that’s live at The Shine Celebration October 23.  So come on out for a night under the stars and toast to creating bright…

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Guest Blog: Books to Grow – My Volunteer Story 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Guest Blog: Books to Grow – My Volunteer Story

It is easy for all of us to talk about how we love children – those cute little faces are irresistible. But it is also easy to forget that so many children do not live the carefree, happy lives they deserve because their parents are stressed or struggling. I support Way to Grow because it…

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Home Language Proficiency as a Resource 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Home Language Proficiency as a Resource

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Way to Grow participants speak a primary language other than English in the home. In Minneapolis Public Schools overall, twenty-five percent (25%) of students are English Learners[1]. Native language skills, though often overlooked as an educational resource, are just as important to foster as ever. Growing evidence supports that strong home…

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Living United – Action Day 2015 provides 500 backpacks for Way to Grow children 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Living United – Action Day 2015 provides 500 backpacks for Way to Grow children

Throughout the Twin Cities, volunteers gathered over lunch hour, taking part in the fifth annual Greater Twin Cities United Way Action Day with the goal of helping students (pre-K to college-bound) get on the right track to school success. Volunteers – including Way to Grow families and staff – joined in the fun, assembling back-to-school kits for children in need.…

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Not to Miss: 5 Children’s Books to Read this Summer 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Not to Miss: 5 Children’s Books to Read this Summer

With the final weeks of summer upon us, these children’s books are sure to keep your child’s interest in reading through to the first day of school and beyond. Our not-to-miss list includes books addressing cultural and linguistic diversity while including social experiences and events of daily life easy for kids to relate to. Featuring…

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Now Recruiting Minnesota Reading Corps Literacy Tutors 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Now Recruiting Minnesota Reading Corps Literacy Tutors

Would you love to help children grow their reading skills, succeed in school and get extra support? If your answer is yes, you can be trained to serve as a tutor with Minnesota Reading Corps at Way to Grow. Whether you want to explore an educational career, reenter the workforce, or give back to your community,…

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