The Kaleidoscope by Encompass

Kaleid scope summer 2023

Leading the way Diane Mitchell, Missy Schmeling, Board President Executive Director As the Encompass story develops for 2023, we are excited to share that we are thankful for all of you for supporting our mission and vision to provide high quality education and care for all children. It’s because of you that our 2020-23 Strategic Plan that outlined the vision to expand and build corporate connection is why we are “expanding the circle of care” into Oconto County. The property at 650 E. Jackson, Oconto Falls will provide 140 slots of expanded high quality education and care. This new center has been purchased with a $250,000 grant from Oconto Public Health and the rest from Encompass’ operations. Our renovation design plans with Somerville are in progress and the campaign to raise $3 million for renovations and equipment is under way with the intent to be open in late Spring 2024 (see article on page 3). At a time when early education and care is in crisis with centers closing due to inadequate staff and lack of resources, communities struggling with a lack of child care slots, and limited capacity for growth Encompass is leading the way to be better and do better in the communities in which we serve. Our commitment to investing in staff, expanding the advocate program with grant funds, and providing affordable access to high quality care for families is what encourages us to move forward. Earlier this year, the founder of The Big Event and our biggest champion for children, Carol Bush, passed away. We will always remember her enthusiasm, positive attitude, infectious laugh, and steadfast dedication to improving the quality of life for children and families in NE Wisconsin. We are grateful that Carol’s legacy will carry on between the walls of our early education centers, in the fun at our annual Big Event, and the memories shared by her family. Carol’s story will be remembered as we recall her saying, “It’s for the Children.” Looking forward to the next quarter, we have some exciting adventures ahead as we expand our circle into Oconto County, recognize increased impact of our Advocate Team, begin our new collaboration with Help Me Grow NE Wisconsin, advance professional development for our educators in Conscious Discipline, and grow in our programs. We are proud of our accomplishments and continue to look for opportunities to grow our vision and stay steadfast in our mission in providing high quality education and support for families when they need us now more than ever. Thank you for being part of our Encompass story and our impact! 2020-2023 Strategic Plan Priorities Excellence in Affordability Fostering Staff Expanding Early Education of Care Leadership & Community 2 Development Outreach

expanding the circle An Encompass Campaign for Oconto Falls Encompass is excited to announce a new capital campaign to Pictured above:The site of the eighth Encompass center in renovate a building with ample green space and room to provide Oconto Falls that will provide 140 child care spots 140 new child care slots in the heart of Oconto Falls. in an area referred to as a “child care desert.” Once our capital campaign is complete, the 14,000-square-foot center, poised to open in Spring 2024, will include: • Classrooms for infants, toddlers, 2-year-olds, preschool and school age. • State-of-the-art outdoor play areas to accommodate all ages. • Community collaboration room. • Best-in-class early childhood equipment. • A safe, welcoming environment for children to learn and grow! With your assistance, families throughout the Northeast Wisconsin Region will have access to high-quality early education and care. Above top: Rendering shows a infant room in the new center. Oconto Falls, part of the greater Northeastern WI Region, is considered a Above bottom: A vestibule will be created on the front of the child care desert – an area without an adequate amount of licensed child center with most renovations occurring inside. care. As a result, Encompass is responding to this regional need by opening a location in the heart of the community. Executive Director of the Oconto County Economic Development Corp. Jayme Sellen under- scores the need, “For every one child care slot in Oconto County, there are five children waiting. Encompass coming to Oconto Falls will be a catalyst for generational change for the families, employers and commu- nities in the area.” Without consistent, quality early education and care for their children close to home, families in this part of our community are forced to make tough decisions including leaving the workforce, many of whom commute to greater Green Bay, or driving long distances to find child care. Addressing this crucial child care need is necessary for families and for our regional workforce. To make this center a reality, we are pursuing state and local grants, as well as corporate and individual gifts. With your help, we will raise $3 million to bring much needed care to the northern region of our community. For questions or to inquire about gift opportunities, please reach out to Director of Fund Development Alexa Priddy at 920-785-9715 or [email protected]. 3

Head of the class NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child is celebrated every April across Encompass is recognized as a best-in-class early Encompass centers.The images education child care program for several reasons, above show the themes for including our high-quality care and NAEYC accreditation. each day. Encompass holds the prestigious accreditation from the National Association for the Education ofYoung Children (NAEYC). This accreditation is a rigorous process only 10% of child care centers in the country hold, and it ensures the program meets high standards of quality in areas of curriculum, relationships, teaching, assessment, health, staff competencies, community relationships and family engagement. It signifies Encompass' commitment to providing an exceptional early education experience. NAEYC accredited programs are exceptionally well equipped and meticulously measured for indicators of quality in the classroom and beyond. Congratulations to The Rosebush Center, Ruth Helf Center, and DePere Center, for recently receiving accreditation for five more years! 2023 For the Children dreams with hard work, perseverance, determination and integrity. Tracy led Award Recipient our team to raise an unprecedented $3.7 million for the For The Children Tracy Arndt Campaign in 2020. She is part of our story, a true champion for children and The For the Children Award is given to families, and has made a tremendous honor an individual which promotes the impact in our community. importance of advocating for all children in our community, and this year’s Tracy Arndt, inset recipient is our very own Tracy Arndt. and pictured right Tracy has a long history with Encompass, with Executive and when people describe her, they use Director Missy words like caring, kind, generous, Schmeling, is competitive, determined, teacher, the 2023 For the mentor and leader. She is a role model Children Award and inspiration to all who know her. She recipient honored dreams big and accomplishes those at the Annual Celebration on 4 May 9. 2023.

MDRT Foundation funds a lifeline With a special connection to one of our Encompass Board Members Laura Mossakowski reads to an Encompass classroom of eager learners. Laura Mossakowski, Encompass Board At Encompass, Mossakowski and her campaign, opening an additional center in the neighboring community of Member, was only 2 years old, but she brother quickly began attending child Pulaski, and celebrating the organization’s 100th anniversary. can still picture the first time she care full-time. She recalls the massive Laura‘s love of Encompass coupled walked into Encompass, “A bunch of mental, physical and developmental with her 18-year membership with the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) kids were learning and having fun doing difference that occurred thanks to Foundation led to Encompass receiving one of two $50,000 grants. sensory tables and puzzles, and there receiving care, nourishment (she The money from the MDRT Foundation will fund and expand were more toys than I had ever seen. A discovered she loved beets) and Encompass’ weekend food packs program, which provides healthy, huge Pink Panther stuffed animal resources, like sensory games to learn cost-effective food for kids who eat little to nothing throughout the looked like it went to the ceiling. I how to process emotions. “I was two weekend. The backpacks have a huge impact in helping kids feel healthy and remember curling up with it and not and hadn’t said a word yet,” said energized to learn and have fun when they return to Encompass on Monday. wanting to leave.” Laura continued, Mossakowski, who attended until going Our gratitude goes our to Laura and the MDRT Foundation for creating a BIG “They brought out a spread of food to kindergarten at age five and then impact for Encompass kids. with veggies and fruits I had never some after-school care until she was Adapted from MDRT Foundation story by Matt Pais. experienced or even knew what they eight. “After a month or two, I was 5 were. I remember thinking, How do talking in complete sentences.” they have so much food? The people That enormous impact — including were so warm and welcoming, and all Encompass staff encouraging the food and warmth was not Mossakowski’s mom to go to college something I’d experienced at that point and get a job, two things she’d never in life.” Mossakowski’s mom had done before — are why Mossakowski recently moved Laura, her two older started volunteering when she was 10 sisters (then 4 and 5) and 1-year-old years old. As an adult, she accepted brother from Milwaukee to Green Bay Encompass’ invitation to join our Board to leave an abusive marriage for a more of Directors, where she has been since supportive environment where more 2015 and served as president from 2017 grandparents, aunts and uncles lived. to 2020, helping drive a big fundraising

The heart of Encompass Investing back in our most important asset, our staff Without high-quality team members, Encompass would not be able to do the work we do every single day and children would be left without care. Investing in our staff has been a top priority for the organization. While our aggressive and bold compensation change in 2022 served to wrap our arms around staff, pay is only one piece of our total rewards that we sought to enhance. 2 Staff across our seven centers participate in Encompass Spirit Week. The Encompass AdvocateTeam their paystub any time, see their PTO of their team, improving upon our balances, interact with other staff practices and growing our leadership in New Advocate Team Space members, and engage through kudos. early education and care. In 2022, we renovated the Bellin Center This platform also allows us to be more lower level to make room for our efficient in our roles with automations, Staff Credentialing growing Advocate Team, as they added providing less room for error and Four Encompass leaders successfully a teammate to make three full-time quicker, more efficient processes. This completed their Leadership Credential. Advocate staff led by an Early allows our leaders and our team mem- This credential provides leaders with Education Support Director. These staff bers to be able to spend less time on the tools to grow their leadership members help to support the administrative tasks and more time capacity by focusing on skill develop- classroom environment with focusing on our children and each ment, dispositions, new directions and mentorship and coaching and also help other. visionary change. This program takes families thrive with support for their early-education professionals to the basic needs. By expanding this space, Conferences next level to sustain high caliber they have new office space and a A pivotal part of education is programs for children. Kristin Biely, community collaboration room. continuous learning, which we value in Carissa Franken, Katrina Gitter and Currently, the Advocate Team is the early education field. Recently, four Ashley Gumieny were able to reflect on working with 40 families. educators from Encompass (Stephanie themselves as leaders and have Springer, Kaylie Lambert, Nkau Kong, sustained impact on their programs New HR Software – Paylocity and Ashley Eslinger) attended the long-term. At the beginning of 2023, we had to HighScope Conference in Michigan for make a pivot with our payroll/HR a three-day learning experience. This These initiatives are only the beginning system. As we researched what would conference is held annually where of our investment back into our staff to be best for our needs, employee experts and educators from all over the ensure we are not only the leaders in satisfaction and ease of use was a high world come together to learn about early education, but also the leaders in priority, leading us to chose Paylocity. latest trends, best practice teaching employment. By wrapping our arms Paylocity is designed with the methods and strategies for early around our staff and showing them the employee in mind. It focuses on education classrooms. Our staff who value they bring to Encompass, we are transparency, allowing staff to view went were able to bring back what they creating the best environment for the learned and pass this along to the rest children and families we serve. 6

Expressing our gratitude Encompass extends a very special “thank you” to our friends at the Schneider Foundation for their generous gift towards the purchase of a bus for kids. This investment in a Multifunction School Activity Bus will provide the safest mode of transportation to and from school for Encompass kids as well as safe and reliable transportation that is essential to our operations. We currently transport over 100 children each day in our four school buses. Encompass is a leader in early education and care thanks to community partners like Schneider! Always in our hearts... Jonie Paye Carol “Bicky” Bush The Big Event Founder and Beloved friend of Encompass Encompass’ biggest champion. who was active on our Board of Directors and Foundation. “Mama” Holly Helf Beloved wife of Pete Helf. She and her family have left a lasting legacy at our Ruth Helf Center. 7

MISSION STATEMENT Encompass Early Education & Care Encompass is a not-for-profit organization providing 1823 S. Webster Avenue education and care for children and support for families Green Bay, WI 54301 with a commitment to compassion, excellence and advocacy. We accomplish this by integrating service, social and financial commitments. SERVICE COMMITMENT: To provide the highest quality education, care, and programs for all children, recogniz- ing diversity and the need to strengthen and empower those we serve. SOCIAL COMMITMENT: To operate this agency in a way that improves the quality of life for children and families, our employees, and the community. FINANCIAL COMMITMENT: To build and maintain a sound financial base by the blending of funding sources, continuous agency improvement, and leadership vision. Greetings Encompass UPenCcOoMmIpNaGssEwVi.EoNrgTS Supporters! Bellin Health Center & SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 I am excited to join the Encompass family as your Encompass Administrative Office 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. new Director of Fund Development. Having worked 1823 S. Webster Ave. in fundraising and communications for over a Heritage Hill State Park decade, I am passionate about making a difference Carol & Robert Bush Center Pre-sale tickets $6/$8 day of in my community. I’ve supported organizations 500 Pine St. with a focus on people experiencing homelessness, prevention of sexual violence, and people with The Pulaski Center disabilities not to mention experience in both city 435 Nancy Ln. government and nonprofit sectors. De Pere Center I hope you will connect with me to share your 2000 Lawrence Dr. Encompass story and with any ideas you have: [email protected] or 920-785-9715. The Cornerstone Center 345 N Broadway The Rosebush Center 1275 University Ave. Ruth Helf Center 2787 W. Mason St. Oconto Falls Center 650 E. Jackson St. COMING SPRING 2024! Encompass Administrative Office 1823 S. Webster Avenue Phone: (920) 469-1236 Fax: (920) 469-1730 www.encompasswi.org