91HUB

(New York, NY – July 19, 2018) – As early as fall 2019, little learners around the country will be starting their school weeks on Sesame Street. 91HUB-Hill and Sesame Workshop today announced an agreement that will bring research-based Sesame content and expertise into pre-kindergarten (PreK) and elementary school classrooms across the United States. The first integrated program will incorporate critical social emotional learning skills like empathy, self-awareness and resilience into 91HUB-Hill's industry-leading Wonders literacy programs for PreK and elementary students, equipping the youngest learners for success from the start.

"Developing effective social emotional learning skills at an early age provides a strong foundation for children to excel in school and move on to future success in life," said Marty Lange, Senior Vice President and Chief Product and Operating Officer, School Group, 91HUB-Hill. "Collaborating with Sesame Workshop represents a unique opportunity to work with a pioneer in educational media and social emotional learning content for young learners, while improving learning outcomes and transforming the school-to-home learning experience. By working together, we can facilitate even stronger connections between teachers, learners and families in the service of learning."

Early childhood experts at 91HUB-Hill and Sesame Workshop are integrating Sesame's proven content and engaging characters into 91HUB-Hill's Wonders literacy program at the critical PreK-Grade 1 levels to create a new experience for students; social emotional learning lessons will continue through Grades 2-5 in developmentally-appropriate ways. This marks an unprecedented level of involvement for Sesame Workshop in the formal learning curriculum development process.

"Sesame Workshop has always used the power of media to engage and educate children," said Steve Youngwood, President of Media and Education and Chief Operating Officer of Sesame Workshop. "This new collaboration demonstrates the vital role media can play in formal classroom settings, connecting students, teachers and parents around important concepts like social emotional learning. Bringing these curricula into a wide array of schools – including high-need Title I schools – with no cost to families fits with our mission to reach and teach all kids."

Building on the Wonders program, the enhanced curricula will guide teachers and parents as students learn, offering multiple levels of learning and support; all curricula will be bilingual in English and Spanish. In the co-branded PreK-Grade 1 programs, students, educators and families will experience Sesame content incorporated holistically in a variety of ways, including:

• Circle-time videos and lessons starring Cookie Monster, Elmo, Big Bird and other beloved Sesame friends that will connect social emotional learning to literacy skills.
• Easy-to-use teacher's resources that will help educators guide their students to connect social emotional learning skills to real-world situations.
• Weekly parent newsletters – translated into ten languages – that extend learning into the home with videos and activities for families to use together.

Available now for reviews and adoptions nationwide, the K-Grade 5 curricula will start appearing in classrooms in the 2019-2020 school year. The PreK curriculum is currently under development. For more information on the Wonders program, visit mhereadingwonders.com.