POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, a venture by City Mayor Rob Rolison and Poughkeepsie School Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser that was formed in February of 2020, is moving forward and seeking volunteers to participate in working groups.
“The cabinet was launched last year to create a citywide ‘cradle-to-career’ agenda for children, youth, and families,” according to Rosser. The initiative was recently awarded a grant through Rhinebeck Bank to support the established goals.
The cabinet believes that supporting the success of the city’s youth needs to take place both in and out of the classroom. Rosser noted the cabinet is designed to facilitate cooperation and collaboration among schools, local governments, and other public institutions that children interact with in the community. Those interactions include libraries, colleges, health clinics, social workers, and after-school programs.
Over the next three to six months, the Early Childhood and Out-of-School Enrichment and Learning Working Groups of the cabinet will meet bi-weekly to develop the foundation and blueprint for their specific topic areas, including data collection, evaluation of public policy, and assessment of funding allocations.
The groups will also seek new approaches to family and community engagement. Their recommendations will help shape the cabinet’s first-of-its-kind citywide cradle-to-career agenda.
Applications for Working Group membership are due by Wednesday, February 17 at 12 p.m. Additional information about the PCC can be found here.
