The OberlinKids Collaborative
We are a collaborative of partners and community supporters powered by the United Way of Greater Lorain County working together focused on developing equitable solutions to ensure all children in the Oberlin School District enter school healthy and ready to learn.
What is OberlinKids?
OberlinKids is one of many community collaboratives of United Way of Greater Lorain County.
In the city of Oberlin, community and educational organizations came together in order to develop solutions to ensure that our children are entering kindergarten prepared and ready to learn. From this collaboration came OberlinKids, designed to impact children in this critical time of development. The collaborative looks to identify each child’s and family’s needs and put them on a track to be prepared for kindergarten.
We support the parents and families of children ages 0-5 and give them the resources necessary to support their child’s development. The goal is to give each child birth to kindergarten who live in Oberlin the opportunity to be successful in school and in life, to support our children and families, and make our community stronger.
Oberlin residents can sign up for OberlinKids right now for free. OberlinKids is open to residents of Oberlin, those families that reside in Oberlin School District, plan to open enroll or attend a partner early childhood center/preschool.
Our Leadership
Jenn Keathley,
Executive Director
With OberlinKids since 2014, Jenn is passionate about early childhood education, family support, and helping every child start school ready to thrive.
Organizations That Make This Possible
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Partners
Partners are organizations that have made a formal commitment to support kindergarten readiness and support the families of Oberlin through OberlinKids.
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Community Supporters
OberlinKids programming would not be possible without additional supporting organizations and advocates.
Our Mission
OberlinKids is a community collaborative working to develop equitable solutions to ensure all children in Oberlin enter school healthy and ready to learn. OberlinKids is a community-focused initiative dedicated to ensuring that every child in Oberlin has the opportunity to thrive from birth through kindergarten. We provide a range of free programs and resources designed to support early childhood development, including educational activities, health screenings, and family engagement events. Our goal is to prepare children for success in school and beyond by fostering a nurturing and supportive environment. We serve families with young children in the Oberlin community, offering them the tools and support they need to help their children reach their full potential.
Our Vision
To ensure all children enter school healthy and ready to learn by offering free, play-based, and culturally responsive resources and educational activities to empower caregivers, nurture the individual needs of children and families, and connect the community through collaboration.
About Us
Our Steering Committee
OberlinKids has a Steering Committee to assist in operations. The Steering Committee is responsible for oversight of the budget, structure of collaborative, Memorandum of Understanding, strategic goals, evaluation, and communication to ensure the work of the collaborative is impacting kindergarten readiness.
The Steering Committee consists of one (1) community partner, one (1) service provider partner, the Oberlin City Schools, the Lead Partner, a parent, and the funder. The school, funder, and Lead Partner have a standing seat on the Steering Committee. The Community and Service Provider organization seat is elected by the Collaborative. The parent seat is also elected.
Over 3,000 Served — and Counting!
We are pleased to share the news that we have worked with over 2,500 parents and children since our collaborative was founded in June of 2014. We are proud to work with the city, school district and community within our collaborative as we work to improve the kindergarten readiness levels of every child who will be entering the Oberlin City School District. Children grow most and are learning at astonishing rates from birth through age five, which is why we have chosen this initiative since we have the greatest opportunity to make an impact on children’s lives.
Free Annual Screenings
OberlinKids offers FREE annual screenings to any child between ages birth to five that resides in the Oberlin City School District as a tool in our On Track for Kindergarten program.
The free developmental and social/emotional, play-based screenings can be completed online by the child’s parent/guardian. The goal of the screenings is to give families an idea of where their child is developmentally and provide them with resources, activities, and materials to ensure their child develops in a healthy and positive manner as well as enters kindergarten ready to learn.
ALL children should have screenings annually; not just those whose parent or guardian has a concern. It is a convenient way to complete the screening forms on your own time. A report is then generated by our coordinator and emailed to the parent/guardian. Our Director is available by phone, email, and by appointment in our Oberlin office to go over any referrals for services or concerns.
How OberlinKids Uses Data to Make Informed Decisions
At OberlinKids, data isn’t just numbers—it’s a tool we use to ensure every child in our community is supported, nurtured, and ready to thrive. We use data to understand needs, improve programs, and measure our impact. Just as important, we are committed to protecting the privacy and trust of every family we serve.
Tracking School Readiness and Development
We collect and analyze data on developmental milestones through tools like the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) Kindergarten readiness indicators, including early literacy and social-emotional skills, and participation in programs such as playgroups, screenings, and family workshops. These insights help us tailor support to each child's unique developmental journey.
Continuous Program Improvement
Data helps us:
Evaluate and enhance our literacy workshops, parenting classes, and community playgroups
Expand programs that are working well—and revise those that need improvement
Stay accountable to families, funders, and partners
Confidentiality and Consent
We take your family’s privacy seriously. Most data we collect is non-identified—we use it in a way that does not reveal any individual child or caregiver. If we ever need to share identified information, such as for a referral to a support service, we will always ask for your consent first. All personal information is kept confidential and securely stored, in line with our strict data protection policies. Your trust matters. We protect it with every decision we make.
Using Community Voice
We also gather feedback through:
Parent surveys and caregiver reflections
Focus groups or informal conversations
Participation and referral trends
This input shapes what we offer and how we connect with families across Oberlin.
Collaborating for Community Impact
We may share aggregate, non-identifying data with:
Oberlin City Schools, early childhood educators, and health partners
Grant funders and community stakeholders
Researchers and policymakers advocating for early childhood equity
By working together—with privacy at the forefront—we can improve outcomes across the whole community.
Promoting Equity Through Data
We use data to ensure fair access to our programs by:
Tracking service reach across ZIP codes, income levels, and racial/ethnic backgrounds
Targeting outreach and scholarships where they are needed most
Removing barriers so every family has the chance to participate and succeed
A Culture of Respect and Care
OberlinKids uses data to listen, to learn, and to lead with compassion. Behind every data point is a story—and we’re honored to be part of yours. If you’d like more information about our data practices or have questions about confidentiality, please contact us.
Click below to see OberlinKids’ Results-Based Accountability Data.