Table Of ContentW elcome to Cool Culture!
As a Cultural Liaison, you are the key to success for your center’s
families.
You are the primary link between families at your early
childhood center and NYC’s vibrant arts & cultural
institutions. We look forward to working together in
partnership to engage and inspire families to visit New
York City’s wonderful museums, botanical gardens
and zoos.
With your guidance, families in your early childhood
center can become active explorers of New York
City’s vast cultural life and resources, become
knowledgeable about how to use the Family Pass,
and support their children’s development by
providing experiences that promote creative thinking,
curiosity and a love of learning.
On behalf of the 50,000 families Cool Culture serves and the many Cool Culture
alumni whose cultural adventures transformed their horizons, we thank you!
Candice Anderson
Executive Director
Table of Contents
Snapshot of Cool Culture Program & Resources ................................................................ ….….…...1
Cultural Liaison Checklist ........................................................................................................ ……...……3
2016-2017 Program Timeline ............................................................................................................. ...4
Three Goals for Success ..................................................................................................................... ...6
Cultural Liaison Connection, e-Newsletter for Cultural Liaisons ........................................... ....…8
Cool Culture Family Pass and Registration ………………………………………………………………..…………...10
Family Pass Registration
Family Pass Guidelines
Family Pass FAQs
Cool Culture Resources for Your Center ................................................................................ ….......16
Cool Culture Videos
Cool Culture Family Guide
Events e-Newsletter for Families
Get Out & Go! Special Museum Events
Cool Culture Hunt Cards
Cool Culture Online
Tips to Engage Families & More…………………….……………..………………………….…………………………..….24
Creative strategies and ideas from Cultural Liaisons and Directors
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. …..….…….28
Partnership Agreement Form
Change in Contact Info Form
Cool Culture Pledge in English, Spanish & Chinese
Alignment with Early Learning Standards
Free and Suggested Admission Partners
2016-2017 Cultural Institution Partners
Snapshot of Cool Culture’s
Three Goals for Success (pg. 6)
We ask that all Cultural Liaisons and early childhood center staff join us in promoting
families’ use of their Cool Culture Family Pass. Let’s work together to accomplish the three
goals below for your families:
1. Every family knows how to use the Family Pass
2. 75% of families will use the Pass at least once by February 28
3. 50% of families will use the Pass at least twice by May 31
Family Pass Guidelines (pg. 12)
It is of upmost importance to share Family Pass rules with your center’s families and staff
to prepare them for successful visits and help us sustain strong partnerships with our 90
participating cultural institutions.
Cool Culture Family Guide (pg. 18)
Please distribute Cool Culture Family Guides with each Family Pass. The Family Guide
includes our Family Pass guidelines, important information about our 90 cultural partners,
museum activities and more! Make sure to review the full Family Guide with families.
Cultural Liaison Connection, e-Newsletter for Cultural Liaisons (pg. 8)
The monthly e-mailed newsletter, Cultural Liaison Connection, is your primary source of
important Cool Culture updates. Every month, you will receive program announcements,
upcoming family event information and resources via email.
Events e-Newsletter for Families (pg. 19)
Our monthly events e-newsletter for families includes a calendar that highlights fun, family
programs that are free with the Family Pass. The e-newsletter is sent to families that
provide their e-mail address on their registration form. Families can also sign-up on our
website, http://www.coolculture.org/programs/family-newsletter.
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Program & Resources
Get Out & Go! Special Museum Events (pg. 20)
Get Out & Go! events are special museum events we’ve selected that we know families will
enjoy. These events welcome group trips for Cool Culture families. Spanish and Mandarin-
speaking volunteers will be available to ensure the experience is a memorable one. Check
your e-newsletter each month for event flyers and resources.
SAVE THE DATES:
Lunar New Year Festival at
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Catch the Cool at
The Queens Museum
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Bring the Cool at
The Brooklyn Museum
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Cool Culture Videos (pg. 17)
Show our videos at a parent meeting to introduce the benefits of museum-going to
families and review tips to make museum visits more enjoyable. Check out our videos on
www.youtube.com/user/CoolCultureNYC. They are available with Spanish subtitles.
Cool Culture Online (pg. 22)
Catch us on your favorite social media sites where you and your center’s families can learn
about the latest family-friendly events and connect with Cool Culture and the larger
community. Check out our website for printable Cool Culture Hunt Cards, trips tips and to
sign up families for our events e-newsletter.
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Cultural Liaison Checklist
• Energize and mobilize your center staff and families to meet the three
goals for families this year. For more information, see pg. 6.
1) Every family knows how to use the Family Pass.
2) 75% of families will use the Pass at least once by February 28.
3) 50% of families will use the Pass at least twice by May 31.
• Stay connected and informed.
• Read your monthly e-newsletter, Cultural Liaison Connection (pg. 8), and the
events e-newsletter (pg. 19) for families. Print and post the events e-
newsletter onto your bulletin board.
• Communicate any changes to staff or contact information by submitting the
Change in Contact Info Form. See appendix.
• Coordinate Family Pass registration and distribution.
Ensure that families receive their Family Guide with their Family Pass.
For the final registration round, forms are due in our office by 5:30pm on
Thursday, January 26. For more information, see pg. 11.
• Encourage and prepare families to make museum visits.
Collaborate with staff to host parent orientations, workshops and informal
meetings to talk about Cool Culture and making museum visits.
Keep your Cool Culture bulletin board up-to-date. See pg. 24 for ideas.
Distribute and promote resources such as our Family Guide, events e-
newsletters, and event flyers.
• Work collaboratively with staff at your center.
• Discuss Cool Culture at staff meetings to build excitement and
understanding.
• Establish a team to work towards achieving the three goals.
Communicate to staff that they receive Family Passes to enable them to
build excitement around the program and work collectively on its
implementation.
2016-17 Program Timeline
November December January
•Nov 4: Cool Culture Fair for •
Mid-Dec: 2nd Round Family • Jan 26: Final deadline to
new Cultural Liaisons
Passes will be available submit registration forms
and Family Pass
•Host a Cool Culture parent corrections
orientation and distribute Family •Host a Cool Culture parent
Guides with Family Passes orientation. • Promote the Feb 5th
Lunar New Year
•Assist families in registering for a Festival! Print & post
Family Pass before the final •Assist families in registering event flyers.
for a Family Pass.
deadline: January 26
February March April
•Promote the family festival • Mid-March: 3rd Round •Promote the May 13th
and help families prepare for Family Passes will be Catch the Cool Festival.
the day! available Print & post event flyers.
• Feb 5: Lunar New Year • Host a Cool Culture parent
Festival at The Metropolitan orientation for new Pass users
Museum of Art
May June July
• May 13: Catch the Cool • Apply for the 2017-2018 •Late July: Applications
Festival at Queens Museum Cool Culture QSPHSBNZFBS for UIF 2017-2018 Cool
Culture QSPHSBNZFBS
• Promote the June 10th Bring • June 10th: Bring the Cool are due
the Cool Festival. Print & post Festival at Brooklyn Museum
event flyers.
August September October
•Oct 31, 2017:
Family Pass expires
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
• Check your e-mail and review your monthly e-newsletter, Cultural Liaison Connection, for
important announcements, resources, and professional development dates & locations.
•Work with a team at your center to ensure that families know how to use the Pass and are
encouraged to make museum visits. See pgs. 24-27 for helpful ideas.
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Three Goals for Success
1. Every family knows how to use the Family Pass
2. 75% of families use the Pass at least once by Feb 28
3. 50% of families use the Pass at least twice by May 31
Every family knows how to use the Family Pass
There are over 50,000 Cool Culture families this year; if even one family from your
center arrives at a museum uninformed, it strains our relationship with museum
partners. When families know how to use the Pass, they are prepared for a successful
experience during their visit. Please make sure to distribute a Cool Culture Family Guide
with each Family Pass and discuss the rules of the Pass with families and staff.
7 5% of families use the Pass at least once by February 28
We know that exposing children to new cultural environments helps to establish a
lifelong love of learning that ensures success in school. The holiday break is a perfect
time for families to make use of their Cool Culture Family Pass. Please encourage them
to make their first visit by February 28th!
It’s true that families often wait until the summer to use their Pass but our goal is to get
them going before then!
50% of families use the Pass at least twice by May 31
Continue to encourage families to make visits throughout the year – post our Get Out &
Go! event flyers and event e-newsletters onto your bulletin board and distribute them
directly to parents.
Encourage families that use their Pass to share their experiences with others, or ask
them to organize play dates with another family who hasn’t yet used their Pass.
The Cool Culture Family Pass is only effective at creating educational opportunities
for children and parents when it’s used. Please keep in frequent contact with your
families to ensure the three goals are met!
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