Early Childhood Education Initiative launches new website
Published 1:30 am Sunday, May 3, 2026
Submitted by the Early Childhood Education Initiative.
The Early Childhood Education Initiative is excited to announce the launch of its new website at theecei.org. The redesigned site offers a new look with an easier way for families, donors, educators and the community to learn about the mission, impact and how to get involved.
The Initiative brings together lead educators and board members from Orcas Island’s three licensed preschools, Children’s House, Kaleidoscope and Orcas Montessori School, along with knowledgeable community members and expert advisors. Together, they work to ensure that all children on Orcas Island have access to high-quality early childhood education, regardless of their families’ financial situation. The Initiative focuses on filling funding gaps for working families where state assistance is not adequate. The Initiative also provides funding for certification and other data-guided professional development to ensure educational quality standards in the early learning community.
The impact has been significant. Since 2019, more than 250 preschool students and families in financial need have received access to high-quality pre-K education through the program. The Initiative has provided over $1 million in private funds from hundreds of individuals and several private foundations. Thanks to generous donors, nearly 80,000 hours of early-learning access have been provided.
As one parent and scholarship recipient shared: “This scholarship has expanded our daughter’s world and given our family stability in a challenging time.”
We would like to extend our gratitude to Ed Andrews of Deep Dive for designing the new website and writing the site copy and to Satya Curio for generously donating her photography services. Their contributions helped bring the Early Childhood Education Initiative story to life in a way that reflects the heart of the initiative and the community it serves.
The community is encouraged to visit theecei.org to learn more about the initiative and explore ways to get involved. ECEI can also be found on Facebook at @TheECEI and on Instagram at @ecei.orcas.
Every Child Ready. Every Family Supported. Every Future Bright.
