The East Haven Family Resource Center (FRC) was established in 1998 at the D.C. Moore Elementary School. East Haven Public Schools is pleased to announce the grand reopening of the FRC at Momauguin School which began on Nov. 1. The FRC’s fundamental purpose is to promote an integrated and comprehensive support mechanism for all of East Haven’s parents and their children.

Throughout the past 18 years, the East Haven FRC has helped provide an educational foundation for children and helped parents build a nurturing family environment. Starting with just one parent educator working part-time for 19.5 hours each week to a staff of three parent educators working 100 hours weekly, the center has not changed the goals and objectives defined by the its mission statement: to be focused not only on each child’s development in a comprehensive school setting, but to also establish strategies that will help the family support the development of their child through adolescence.

Currently, the FRC is designing supportive programs that offer both in-home visitation, and holding weekly playgroups that begin with the youngest residents (eight weeks) at various locations in town. These are 34 families that regularly attend group connections and playgroups that are not enrolled in our home visitation programs. Additionally, the FRC provides quality childcare and school readiness services to many other local educational contributors. Some of the programs that the FRC works hand-in-hand with to provide extended services, support, and collaboration are advocating for at-risk children to the Birth-to-Three Program;; offering before- and after-school programs; instruction awareness through Families in Training (FIT); sponsoring families to utilize the East Haven Adult Learning Center to obtain English language instruction and high school completion; continued support for our in-town or family-in-home daycare providers with professional development opportunities; Positive Youth Development; and Dial “211” services.

The FRC also sponsors family connection nights (including Pasta and Literacy Night, Winter Wonderland, and Week of the Young Child events) that draw well into the hundreds of active participants all activities that strengthen the bonds between family, schools, and the community at large. On Nov. 9, 156 people attended the Pasta and Literacy Night at the Overbrook Early Learning Center. Together with partner Read to Grow, families were able to come together, have dinner, listen to interactive renditions of Dr. Seuss stories, and also have the opportunity to take home a book of their choice. Additionally, FRC is actively helping 10 families participate in the Raising Readers program to promote family literacy.

Those who reside in the Town of East Haven are welcome to experience the FRC and the many services it can provide. Look for the FRC newsletter and scheduled activities on the East Haven Public Schools District website or visit the new office at Momauguin School, 95 Cosey Beach Road.