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Our Vision

That all children have access to high quality early learning experiences and environments to create a solid foundation for lifelong success.

About Early Learner Rapid City

We are the voice of early learners and their caregivers in the Rapid City community. We are a community of Early Learner South Dakota — a community-driven grassroots effort, bringing awareness and support to the importance of how access to a variety of quality early learning environments impact our community’s future.

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Early Learner Rapid City understands that positive early learning environments is vital to its economic development and stability. It is necessary for infants and children to have physical, social, intellectual and emotional development. 

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Our committee-led work promotes quality early learning environments in Rapid City by assessing and vetting alternative learning opportunities such as outside-the-classroom learning and enrichment activities, as well as age-appropriate events using the South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines.

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Committees are guided by the National League of Cities Community Action Guide with the direction of the leadership team and other stakeholders.

Our Committees

The Advisory Committee

  • The Advisory Committee looks not to prescribe goals and objectives, rather to allow those to grow organically from the subcommittee and statewide committee meetings. Collaboration and input from the constituents of early learning will reflect what the community wants, needs and feels is vital and will be the success of this project.

  • The Advisory Committee consists of Early Childhood Connections (ECC), John T. Vucurevich Foundation, the Rapid City Public Library, SDAEYC, and United Way of the Black Hills/Black Hills Reads

  • The Advisory Committee typically convenes the first Monday of the month.

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The Leadership Committee

  • The Leadership group consists of the advisors and the co-leads from each of the ELRC subcommittees.

  • Leadership typically convenes the second Monday of the month to collaborate with other committee co-leads.

Alternative Learning Opportunities Committee

  • The Alternative Learning Opportunities Committee will explore, investigate and vet the accessibility of alternative learning opportunities other than the traditional K-12 system that are available to early learners age 0-5 in the community.

  • The Alternative Learning Opportunities Committee typically convenes once a month.

Awareness and Events Committee

  • The Awareness & Events Committee will leverage existing community events to expand awareness of ELRC mission and vision.

  • The Awareness & Events Committee typically convenes once a month.

ELRC Resource Guide

This resource guide was created by Early Learner Rapid City to help families and providers navigate the many early learning-related resources Rapid City has to offer.

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Have questions?

If you have questions, or would like to get involved, please contact us.

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