Please take our survey!

We would really appreciate your feedback as to how we can make the director's group meet your needs better. Please follow this link to take this quick survey. If you have additional feedback, please email me, Nicole Frethem at nfrethem@resourcesforchildcare.org.

Responses from Licensor

Here are the responses to the questions we asked the licensor last month:

The first was what is the time period in which staff need to have new background studies completed? There was some question of whether it was 45 or 60 days in regards to staff who have a work interruption (i.e. go on maternity or medical leave or are rehired or return after summer break)?  45 or more consecutive days as specified under Minnesota Statutes, section 245C.04, subdivision 1, paragraph (i).  There are proposed amendments to this requirement in the Legislature, so it may change, but the current requirement is to provide the commissioner notice through the commissioner’s online background study system following an absence of 45 or more consecutive days.  This means submission of a new background study through NetStudy after an individual has been absent for 45 or more consecutive days, or after the program resumes operation following discontinuation of services for 45 or more consecutive days.

Also, what are the requirements for volunteers and particularly parent volunteers? If a parent goes on a field trip with a site and then another a few months later would a new study need to be done (assuming the parent has been on site dropping the child off at least weekly between this period)?  Any volunteer who has direct contact with children served by the program, who is not under continuous, direct supervision by a staff person, needs to have a background study completed (Minnesota Statutes, section 245C.03, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (4).  If the volunteer is absent for 45 or more consecutive days and returns to a direct contact position for another field trip, a new background study is required to be submitted. 

What are the requirements for classroom volunteers or visitors that are never left alone with children?  The same requirement applies for all volunteers – if at any time a volunteer is not under continuous, direct supervision by a staff person, a background study needs to be completed (Minnesota Statutes, section 245C.03, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (4).  If the volunteer is always under continuous, direct supervision by a staff person, a background study is not required to be completed.

March Meeting Minutes

Below you will find the minutes from our last meeting.

Director’s Group

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date: March 20, 2011

Made possible through the support of the Deluxe Corporation Foundation

I.                    First Children’s Finance – Starting and Building A Donor Program

a.       Mara O’Neill presented on this topic. Some of the ideas she provided are:

                                                               i.      Building relationships and keeping a database of possible donors (current and past families, vendors and businesses, board members and associates, other organizations)

                                                             ii.      Utilizing Give to the Max day, GiveMN.org, your company’s website, planned drives and events

                                                            iii.      Developing a plan for specific fundraising goals (worksheet provided)

II.                 Child Care Works – Legislative/Budget Updates

a.       Alicia Frosch (community organizer) provided information on Child Care Works(http://www.childcareworks.org/),  MN Budget Project (http://www.mncn.org/bp/), and Minnesota’s Future (not the Tom Emmer supporters but this one – sorry, long url) (flyers attached via .pdf)

b.      Discussed Governor Dayton’s budget proposal and sought information about it’s impact on child care providers. Examples of policy proposals that would impact centers:

                                                               i.      License fees may decrease (estimated average of $25)

                                                             ii.      Child care providers will need to pay for background studies (appx. $20 per study).

                                                            iii.      CCAP reducing number of absent days (from 25 to 10) and capping reimbursements for child care center staff.

                                                           iv.      $5 million cut to basic sliding fee CCAP (one time)

                                                             v.      Expand all-day K for low-income students (free/reduced meals0

                                                           vi.      2 million dollars to continue a QRIS (Parent Aware or other)

c.       Voices for Children day coming up on MARCH 17^th to find info, attend or volunteer visit here: http://www.voicesforchildrenmn.org/ 

d.      If you have questions on how legislation could impact your center or would like to learn more about advocating for young children, you can contact Alicia Frosch at Alicia@childcareworks.org or 612-455-1055.

III.               April Meeting Planning – WOYC/Teacher Appreciation

a.       Our next meeting is April 14^th, 2010 which falls in Week of the Young Child. If you have never participated in WOYC, we will be sharing ideas for what you can do so you can start planning for next year now.

b.      We will also discuss ways of showing appreciation for staff and organizing staff appreciation weeks in anticipation of Teacher Appreciation week which is the first full week in May (2^nd-6^th in 2011) or Teacher Appreciation Day (May 3^rd).

c.       Ideas for resources to share include Guest Visitors and Field Trips (in house and out).

d.      We can also share some summer program planning resources at this time as many of these will overlap.

IV.              May Meeting Planning – Employment Law

a.       In May, Sue Fischer from ENGELMEIER & UMANAH, P.A. will join us to discuss employment law questions that arose during previous meetings. So far on the agenda are:

                                                               i.      Overtime/Training wages and pay requirements

                                                             ii.      Managing and Documenting performance

                                                            iii.      Hire/Discharge Issues

                                                           iv.      Hourly/Salaried differences and regulations

b.      If you have additional ideas or questions, please send them my way so I can help Sue prepare for her visit

V.                 Feedback and Future planning

a.       We are beginning to look ahead to next year at this time and are looking for feedback and ideas for future discussions. I will be preparing a survey that I hope to have attendees (and non-attendees!) fill out to make improvements to the director’s group. If you have ideas now, please feel free to send them my way!

VI.              Licensing Questions

a.       Here are the questions I asked this month, will send responses when I receive them:

·         The first was what is the time period in which staff need to have new background studies completed? There was some question of whether it was 45 or 60 days in regards to staff who have a work interruption (i.e. go on maternity or medical leave or are rehired or return after summer break)?

·         Also, what are the requirements for volunteers and particularly parent volunteers? If a parent goes on a field trip with a site and then another a few months later would a new study need to be done (assuming the parent has been on site dropping the child off at least weekly between this period)?

·         What are the requirements for classroom volunteers or visitors that are never left alone with children?

Next meeting: Thursday, April 14^th from 10am to 12pm at RCC West (2021 East Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55413)

Agenda:

·       No presentation from Mara L

·       Week of the Young Child

·       Staff/Teacher Appreciation

·       Guest Visitors (share your good ones and ideas!)

·       Summer Program Planning