Early Childhood Director's Group

 

Center Directors Quarterly Training and Lunch

Noon - 2:00 pm - THURSDAY- May 8^th

The Kindness Curriculum, with author Judith Rice

Practical strategies for creating “bullying free” 
preschool classrooms

Think Small on 2021 E. Hennepin Ave., Suite 250, Mpls.

Fee of $22 includes LUNCH and 2 hours MNCPD approved training.

Click here for more information.

This training will meet PA area 8- TR3c Social/emotional, language, literacy, mathematical thinking, physical development!

Registration must be made online at least 7 days in advance on www.mnstreams.org

OR call the Training Registration Line: 651-641-3549

Questions? Contact Nancy Johnson 651-233-2260 or njohnson@thinksmall.org.

It’s Almost Here!

One of the Biggest Early Ed Professional Development Events of the Year is Coming
to Minneapolis – June 8 – 11^th

The NAEYC Professional Development Institute will be held this year at the Minneapolis Convention Center, June 8 – 11^th. The theme is Excellence for Every Child: Standards Without Standardization. Gain new skills and knowledge. Learn from hundreds of early education leaders from around the county – and the world.

For conference agenda and registration information visit: www.naeyc.org

Legislative Update

The Minnesota legislature is back from a Spring break on Tuesday, April 22^nd. Now is a key time to let your legislators hear from you.

The legislature started the session with a $1.2 billion budget surplus. The MinneMinds Campaign worked with our legislative champions to put together a bill that would put $20 million of that surplus into scholarships and would raise the current $5,000 cap on scholarships.

Both the House and Senate have passed their versions of a budget bill and will begin the conference committee process this week to work out the differences.

We need you.  That’s right. YOU!

We are moving in to the final stages of the legislative session. Your voice is important for children and families you serve, your staff, and Minnesota’s future. Click this link to send a message to your legislators: http://bit.ly/1p7Ed8z

Please help spread the word and invite others to take action.

Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships:

A New Opportunity to Serve Infants and Toddlers

Many directors have asked about the recently announced funding opportunity for serving infants and toddlers in low income families through the expansion of Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships - EHS-CCP.

Frequently Asked Questions about EHS - CCP in the link below:
http://earlyheadstartchildcare.nhsa.org/?q=node%2F63

Gayle Kelly, director of the Minnesota Head Start Association, advises child care providers who are interested in partnering to call their local EHS grantee to express your interest. Following are the EHS grantees serving the Twin Cities metro area:

Early Head Start serving Ramsey and Washington Counties

Deborah Moses, Community Action Partnership of
Ramsey & Washington Counties

dmoses@caprw.org (651) 603-5977 - (651) 603-5857

Early Head Start serving Hennepin County (all but western border)

Rico Alexander, director, Parents in Community Action (PICA)

Alyce Dillon, executive director, Parents in Community Action

ricoalexander@picaheadstart.org (612) 377-7422 - (612) 374-8311

Early Head Start in Hennepin County (bordering Wright County)

Cindy J. Boman, director, Wright County Community Action, Inc.
(320) 963-6500 - (320) 963-5745

Early Head Start serving Anoka County

Jacqueline Cross, director, Anoka County Community Action Program, Inc.

jcross@accap.org (763) 783-4308 - (763) 783-4333

If you have any problems getting in touch with the Head Start director in your area, contact Gayle Kelly, Minnesota head Start Association, gayle@mnheadstart.org

The following information about EHS – CCP is from the U.S. Office of Child Care, the Head Start Bureau, Zero to Three, and BUILD:

THE BASICS: EARLY HEAD START-CHILD CARE
PARTNERSHIPS (EHS – CCP)

The President’s Initiative calls for an expansion of high quality early learning opportunities for young infants and toddlers in poverty. The 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Act included $500M for EHS-Child Care partnerships to grow the supply of effective and high-quality early learning opportunities for children from birth through 3 years old.

These competitive grants will allow Early Head Start grantees to partner with center-based and family child care providers who agree to meet EHS Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and provide comprehensive, full-day, full-year high-quality services to infants and toddlers from low-income families.

The partnership application, expected to be published in April, will include specific details for partnership proposals. Funds will be awarded through the Early Head Start program, thus all grantees and partners must meet the Head Start Program Performance Standards. All EHS-CCP grants will be considered new five-year grants.

 

The grants will allow local Early Head Start providers and their child care counterparts to use funds directly as well as partner on activities such as training & technical assistance, management, and the delivery of comprehensive services.

Directors - Here’s Your Chance to Meet the Early Education
Leads for Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar

All are invited to the next Policy Hour on TUESDAY -May 6^thfrom Noon – 1pm  at Think Small -2021 East Hennepin Avenue E., Suite 250, Minneapolis.

Dan Solomon from Senator Franken's office and Erick Garcia Luna from Senator Klobuchar'soffice will update the group on the Senators' legislative priorities surrounding early childhood and school age care.

Policy Hour is a monthly opportunity for early childhood and school-age care professionals to connect with each other and learn about current policy issues in an informal setting. No RSVP is required. Feel free to bring your lunch.