Quality Start Los Angeles will present the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Parent Summit at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley in Newhall on Saturday, September 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The focus of this family summit is to provide parents and caregivers with informative workshops, tips, and community resources to enhance their knowledge of positive parenting techniques and healthy habits for the entire family.

The event will include a light breakfast, raffle prizes, a community resource fair, and bilingual workshops for English- and Spanish-speaking families.

The event’s Community Resource and Family Fair will be comprised of numerous community partners that offer direct services to families in the Santa Clarita Valley. They will be providing information, giveaways, and fun games for parents and children to enjoy together.

Quality Start Los Angeles, a Quality Rating and Improvement System for early learning providers in Los Angeles County, has successfully completed its first program year, having enhanced the programs of more than 800 early learning providers across the county to date.

QSLA is led by a consortium of key early childhood education agencies in Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the County of Los Angeles Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, Los Angeles Universal Preschool, the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles and First 5 LA.

QSLA aims to improve the program quality of early learning providers as a part of the statewide movement to standardize quality ratings in early learning classrooms, so that more young children are better prepared to succeed in school and life.

QSLA works directly at the site level, providing hands-on support in the form of coaching, professional development, and family engagement; as well as providing direct support to parents; and working to inform key stakeholders about the benefits of investing in quality programs for children birth to five.

Another important piece of the early learning puzzle involves increasing family engagement in early education. QSLA offers regional family education opportunities throughout Los Angeles County in the form of workshops, family fun days, community forums.

The Santa Clarita Valley is home to four QSLA participating school districts, including Castaic Union, Saugus, Newhall, and Sulfur Springs, and more than a dozen individual participating QSLA sites serving hundreds of children from birth to age 5.

Research shows that high-quality early childhood education can improve a child’s health, social-emotional skills, and academic readiness for school. Children who receive high-quality early childhood education are more likely to graduate high school, pursue higher education or job training, and earn higher incomes.

By assessing and elevating quality of programs offered throughout the county, we are ensuring that our children have the necessary foundation they need to grow, and thrive into academia and beyond,” said Keesha Woods, Los Angeles County Office of Education’s executive director of Head Start and State Early Learning Programs.

QSLA is funded by both state and local dollars serving state and non-state funded Infant/Toddler and Preschool programs, centers and family child cares.

To learn more about QSLA, go to www.QualityStartLA.org or visit QualityStartLosAngeles on Facebook.