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J. GLENN HOPKINS
President/CEO
In our wildest dreams, we
couldn't have hoped for a better start to the New Year than
we have experienced so far in 2010!
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In January,
Northern Virginia Magazine ranked our Helen Day
Preschool Academy among the top two preschools in the
City of Alexandria and ranked our James L. & Juliette
McNeil Preschool Academy in Fairfax County among the top
fifty in Northern Virginia;
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Our Early Childhood
Learning Institute (ECLI) was awarded a major federal
grant to demonstrate the efficacy of a workforce model
that increases the number of college educated early
childhood professionals while also increasing the pay
and benefits of all early childhood professionals in the
region; and,
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Our Helen Day Preschool
Academy earned accreditation by the National Association
for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
But, this is just the beginning
of the year and we are looking forward to more successes to
come.
In 2010 we will be increasing the
enrollment capacity at our Alexandria center so that we can
provide high quality preschool to more children in the City;
and, we will be adding classes in Fairfax County and Arlington Virginia to our ECLI so that
we can reach more teens and adults interested in careers in
the Early Care and Education field. We will also be broadening our base of Childcare Center Partners that commit to paying competitive salaries and benefits commensurate with the educational credentials of our ECLI scholars.
We are blessed to have very active and involved Trustees at Hopkins House. Through their vision we are achieving
successes only imagined just a few years back. Through their efforts, supported by the hard work of our resource development staff, more than $1 million was donated to Hopkins House this year to support our programs and actiivities. This is the highest level of single-year giving to Hopkins House in our 70 year history -- during one of the most precipitous economic downturns in a generation.
Also this year, new leaders
will take the helm of Hopkins House with the election of new
Board officers. Our current officers -- Chairman Bob
Bogan, Vice Chairman Mark Eisenhour, Secretary/Treasurer
Rick Cole, Jr., and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Julie
Jakopic -- are constitutionally required to step down at the
end of their terms in June. These officers have served
the children and families of Hopkins House exceptionally
well over the past three years. During their term
tenure we constructed and opened a new building in Fairfax
County, doubled the enrollment of students and staff at our
two preschool academies, raised nearly $2-million in
donations, grants, and special events proceeds, and approved a Business Plan for our Preschool Academy that outlines a
strategy that will set the standard for high-quality, high-impact Early Care
and Education in the region..
Businessman and philanthropist, James L. McNeil is our incoming Chairman, joined by businesswoman and local activist Julie Jakopic, our incoming Vice Chair, Alexandria City Public School Principal Mark Eisenhour, our incoming Secretary/Treasurer, and businessman Michael Hart, our incoming Assistant Secretary/Treasurer. We look forward to the leadership of this new group of officers.
And, our staff: top-notch, top
talent, and top-shelf. Hopkins House is blessed to
attract highly trained, highly skilled, and strongly
committed professionals in the Early Care and Education
field.
Hopkins House is also working with elected officials, community organizations, and others on a broad range of public policy issues affecting the well-being of children, youths, and families in the community. These public policy issues are summarized in the Hopkins House 2010 Legislative Support Agenda drafted by our Community Outreach & Public Advocacy Committee.
This year marks Hopkins House's
71st year of continuous operation and service to the
community. We are grateful for these many years and
the seven decades of friends and alumni that have supported
this organization. From our heart to your heart, thank you for all you do and continue to do for the children, youths, family, and staff of Hopkins House.
Yes, 2010 is turning out to be
a very good year. Stay tuned, it will only get
better.
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