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Welcome to the Winter edition of Milestones!
Dear friends of First 5 San Bernardino,
At First 5 San Bernardino, we started the new year off with a bang. Always focused on improving the health of young children, we're bringing the Winter edition of Milestones straight to your inboxes packed full of a variety of news, most prominently about our pediatric oral health campaign.
In Commission leadership updates, we have newly elected Commission and Advisory Committee officers for 2025, are bidding farewell to another and are excited about the renaming of a post office on E. Date Street in San Bernardino after our beloved past Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hill.
Read on to learn more about our toothiest campaign, Little Teeth, Big Responsibility. You'll want to take some time for light reading, watching and listening to catch up on all the news we have been fortunate to secure that helps our county's parents and caregivers find resources and information pertaining their child's oral health. Don't miss our new video debut perfectly encapsulating our time bringing dental care fun to Hawthorne Elementary School in the City of Ontario.
After that, be sure to catch up with the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC), an integral partner who shares in a similar mission to promote healthy childhood development. With spring approaching, they're sure to have upcoming resource events you'll want to share with your communities.
And finally, it's my pleasure to feature Scott McGrath, a valued member of our executive leadership team who helps us succeed each and every year. If there's any F5SB team member with a unique history, it's Scott.
Wishing you a safe and healthy last few weeks of Winter.
Sincerely,
Karen Scott
First 5 San Bernardino Executive Director
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 Chair, Vice Chair elected to First 5 San Bernardino Commission Leadership Roles
Earlier this month, an election was held to fill the 2025 positions of Chair and Vice Chair for the Children and Families Commission for San Bernardino County.
Elliot Weinstein, MD, was re-elected as Chair of the commission for another term, and Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers, EdD, was elected as Vice Chair of the commission filling the vacancy created with the pending retirement of Commissioner Diana Alexander.
Dr. Dowdy-Rodgers was also re-elected to serve as Chair of the F5SB Advisory Committee.
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 Post Office Renamed to Honor Dr. Margaret Hill
At a ceremony held February 28, the Del Rosa Post Office in San Bernardino was renamed as the Dr. Margaret B. Hill Post Office.
Well known for dedicating her life to making the community stronger through her work as an educator and youth empowerment leader, the late Dr. Hill, a former First 5 San Bernardino Commissioner and San Bernardino City Unified School District board member, was honored by family and community members in attendance to celebrate the ribbon cutting.
All of us at First 5 San Bernardino couldn’t be prouder of Dr. Hill’s legacy.
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“Little Teeth, Big Responsibility” Campaign Promotes Pediatric Oral Health
Say “cheese!” In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month this February, First 5 San Bernardino is back with the “Little Teeth, Big Responsibility” campaign to remind parents of the importance of starting good dental habits early. It’s never too early to start working on your little one’s golden smile!
First 5 San Bernardino and the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health’s oral health program Smile SBC are sharing tips, resources and important reminders to help families prioritize oral health for young children. Messages about the importance of brushing, flossing and regular dental visits are being shared on social media, billboards, websites, and more. Have you seen them?
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Farewell, Diana!
The Children and Families Commission – First 5 San Bernardino (F5SB) bids Diana Alexander a fond farewell as she retires later this month from San Bernardino County as the Assistant Executive Officer for Human Services and the Appointing Authority for F5SB.
Through her leadership with the Commission, Diana has personified her passion for the Countywide Vision, the Cradle to Career Roadmap and the F5SB mission to ensure children are successful in school and in life.
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Touching Video Debuts during National Children’s Dental Health Month
A touching video debuted in February in recognition of the 4th annual Little Teeth, Big Responsibility campaign.
This video shares the heartwarming moments of 48 preschool children from Hawthorne Elementary School in Ontario, Calif., receiving free dental screenings, learning tooth brushing tips, and being in awe by a surprise visit by the Potter the Otter mascot, a theatrical reading of “Potter the Otter Visits the Dentist,” a tooth brushing singalong, dental giveaways and more.
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 First 5 San Bernardino Makes the News by Promoting Oral Health in Young Children
Our annual "Little Teeth, Big Responsibility" campaign with the SBC Department of Public Health’s local oral health program Smile SBC is not only educational, but it’s fun and eye-catching.
At least we think so … and so do our local media partners! Aimed at combating childhood tooth decay in San Bernardino County, this initiative kicked off on January 30 with an engaging event at Hawthorne Elementary School in the City of Ontario.
It was so cute that we were thrilled our local media friends wanted to learn more about how families can help their young children care for their teeth. Here’s a roundup of where you can find us in the news:
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
NBC LA
MSN & Hey SoCal
Inland Empire Community News
KFRG-FM
KFI-AM
iHeart Radio’s Covering Your Health Podcast
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Did you know?
Through F5SB’s funding of Reach Out and Read Inland Empire, 29,059 books were distributed to children in fiscal year 2024. As the slogan goes, “Books build better brains,” and we applaud the pediatric providers who emphasize to parents and caregivers the importance of reading to children early and often.
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Access to quality childcare and early learning resources are essential to building a strong foundation for lifelong success for families in San Bernardino County. That’s where the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) comes in. With a mission to cultivate child, family and community well-being, CCRC provides vital support for parents and caregivers by offering childcare referrals, financial assistance programs, early learning workshops and developmental screenings. Their services ensure that families have access to quality care and educational opportunities that promote healthy childhood development. Sound familiar?
With similar missions, CCRC is a dedicated partner to First 5 San Bernardino and plays a key role in strengthening families by hosting engaging community events such as resource fairs, literacy festivals and backpack giveaways that equip children with school supplies and learning materials.
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Employee Spotlight
Scott McGrath
Deputy Director, Systems & Impact
You may have seen him represent First 5 San Bernardino on TV – it's Scott McGrath! Scott has dedicated his career to building and improving systems that maximize outcomes for children in development, early learning, health and family resilience. With nearly 15 years of experience working with First 5 San Bernardino and more than two decades of experience in the social services sector, Scott brings a unique blend of evaluation expertise, a passion for data and a deep commitment to helping children and families thrive.
With a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State Fullerton, Scott’s educational foundation has been instrumental in shaping his career. We’re grateful for Scott’s leadership and dedication to improving the lives of children and families in San Bernardino County.
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About First 5 San Bernardino
The Children and Families Commission for San Bernardino County (First 5 San Bernardino) was created in December 1998, in order to realize the benefits of Proposition 10 (California Children and Families Act) for the County's youngest residents and their families. The act created a program for the purpose of promoting, supporting and improving the early development of children from the prenatal stage to 5 years of age, under the guidance of the Children and Families Commission for San Bernardino, and in collaboration with the community and agencies providing services to children.
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