Ashley Gould Hutchison
The Director of Readiness
story by ERIN WALLACE photos by JENNY PHILLIPS
Babies are adored in most societies. Their fresh little souls bring radiance to those in close vicinity. Is it that crisp newborn smell, or the squishiness of their recently birthed bodies, or maybe just the overall miraculous nature of their existence? Newborns feel like a rare representation of the good in the world because of the tragedies displayed every day on the news. Even though babies are given much attention, once they start to age, the attention can tend to wane. This is unfortunate since this time is one of the most critical stages of development, and learning is from birth to five years old. Therefore, the first five years of a child’s development are vital to children’s health, well-being, and the total trajectory of their lives.
These first five years of a child’s life are foundational. Beaufort County School District provides opportunities to ensure children receive the tools to meet their developmental needs. One such woman is right here in Beaufort and is educated in early childhood development, parenting, and family literacy. Her name is Ashley Gould Hutchison. Ashley was raised in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and became a Beaufortonian in 2008. She is the mother of a seven-year-old daughter named Weslie, who is attending a local public elementary school as a second grader this year. Weslie is truly Ashley’s pride and joy. Ashley joined the Beaufort County School District as part of the Early Childhood team in 2008 as the Parent Education Coordinator. This specific role involved a grant the District received to support children residing in foster care. Ashley’s work consisted of parent education geared toward foster and biological parents throughout the community.
At the time, she was completing her master’s degree in education while intentionally becoming a part of the community. Simultaneously, she began understanding what the community was missing in this early childhood realm. It is important to note that Ashley’s vision is to ensure a full comprehensive system for the children and families within Beaufort County. This same system wouldn’t be what it is today without Ashley’s mentor, Kay Newsome. Today, both Kay and Ashley still remain very close and talk often. She mentored Ashley for six years before her retirement in 2012. Although Kay and Ashley worked closely together due to Kay’s position as director, the tables would turn as Kay returned to work under Ashley.
Prior to Kay retiring, she wanted someone to take her place as the Director of Readiness who would understand the importance of the position and do it well. With their close work/personal relationship and the depth of such a relationship, Kay felt confident passing the baton.
Concerning the directorship, early childhood development begins prenatally through kindergarten age and beyond. As Ashley started her reign, she quickly began stewarding her vision for early childhood. Thankfully, an award-winning home visitation program (Parents As Teachers) was already in place for teen parents and families needing extra support. In addition, the Beaufort County Traveling Preschool Bus (BCSD TPB), established in 1996, provided a crucial base for Ashley and allowed her to expand the program.
As the vision for expanding the program grew, it finally became a reality when Kay and Ashley wrote a grant together through the Learning Center Fund. This allowed for additional funding to provide developmental screenings for children 3-5 years of age. The best part about this incredible opportunity is that the funding was provided by three local men in the community who generously gave and believed in expanding early childhood opportunities. Additionally, it allowed for Ashley and her team to get a head start on figuring out what the needs were in Beaufort County for our youngest learners. For example, some children need additional support before entering kindergarten. These screenings entail parents voluntarily bringing their children to the District to receive a comprehensive developmental screening, including hearing, vision, and speech as well as assisting with any basic needs for the family. Children are referred to the District early childhood evaluation teams to provide additional interventions for eligible children.
What started as a one-year funding in 2013 turned into a successful five years of funding and additional District support. In 2015, Ashley and her team realized that they needed to reach more children and families in the community. At the same time, the Beaufort County Traveling Preschool Bus was reinvented to increase service capacity to children and families. The bus was retrofitted to become a traveling preschool classroom on wheels with an early childhood teacher and community liaisons, providing children and families with real-life classroom experiences.
Ashley branded the bus herself and stated, “When you see that bus coming into your neighborhood, you know what that bus is coming for and why. It had to be an eye-catcher.” The bus is impossible to miss with its family/child-friendly design and with fun characters related to preschool. You’ll see a giraffe painting a picture and an alligator reading a book, a truly fun and relatable way to draw kids to the bus. The bus can be spotted in local neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and grocery store parking lots like Food Lion and Walmart, where Ashley and her team can set up shop. “Early childhood learning experiences build the foundation for lifelong success.” This is the heartbeat of Ashley and her team. Truly, this is what drives them to keep fighting for the children and families of Beaufort County.
When I asked Ashley what she wished to highlight, it was this: “Parents are their child’s first and most important teacher.” Furthermore, Ashley believes getting involved with your child’s education from the start is imperative. Ashley and her team remind us that exceptional human beings exist, and the work they are accomplishing for our children changes lives. We must invest in this future generation. If you ever get the opportunity to see the exceptional work being performed through this comprehensive early childhood system, please be sure to thank them for their dedication to our community’s youngest learners. Our children and families are lucky to live in Beaufort!
