On March 27, State Senator Terry Johnson and State Representative Jean Schmidt came to Clermont Northeastern Schools to tour the Preschool and Head Start classrooms. The legislators not only toured portions of the CNE campus, but also met with a group of community agencies to discuss the needs of Clermont County children and families in regard to early education for children 0-6 years of age.
The meeting addressed issues such as:
The lack of grocery stores in the community and the positive impact of the CNE Cares Pantry
Access to medical clinics or pharmacies and the partnership between CNE and Clermont Mercy to open the School-Based Health Clinic at CNE High School
The lack of daycare and full-day preschools within our district
Overall staffing needs throughout CNE Schools
“It was extremely helpful to see CNE’s facilities and hear first-hand about specific needs for our young children,” said Ms. Schmidt. “Mr. Johnson and I appreciated all who came out to share current realities and discuss the potential to address other needs among our youngest citizens.”
This legislative visit was sponsored by the Early Childhood Coordinating Committee (EC3), of which CNE is a participating member. Other agencies in attendance included Groundwork Ohio, Clermont County Family & Children First, Child Focus, Head Start, Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Clermont County Early Intervention, and the CNE Cares Pantry.
Ms. Schmidt and Mr. Johnson will be considering the information as they return to Columbus and share with their colleagues: “Without talking directly to people who are doing the work, it’s hard for us to know what is happening and what is needed,” Ms. Schmidt continued. “The information we gained during this visit will help guide our decisions in the future.”
