and assistant directors
You
are invited to join us for the January
Early
Childhood Directors Group meeting
Program
security – What sensible measures can we
take to keep children, staff and parents safe?
Thursday, January 10th 10:00 am – noon
Think Small, 2021 E. Hennepin Ave.,
Suite 250, Minneapolis, 55413
This
is a FREE networking meeting for directors.
No
in-service training fee for the January 10th meeting.
January 10, 2013 Meeting Agenda
1. Welcome and introductions
2. Meeting Topic
Program Security: What sensible measures can child care programs take to keep children, staff and parents safe?
This is the question
child care center directors are asking in the wake of the tragedy at Sandyhook
Elementary School in Connecticut.
Another mass school shooting
has re-ignited our national conversation about acts of school violence and how
to protect the safety of students, staff and volunteers. Our national debate
rages with calls for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition
clips used in mass murders, resources to
treat mental illness and more aggressive screening for gun ownership, and
advocates for armed guards and staff with guns in every school. Dealing with
the culture of violence, the prevalence of guns and the unique profile of each
perpetrator raises complex problems without simple or inexpensive answers.
Discussion Questions:
·
What can child care centers
do to strengthen security at your programs?
·
Does your program
have secure drop-off-and-pick-up procedures?
·
Do you train staff
on procedures for keeping children safe in the event of a security emergency?
3. MinneMinds Campaign update
4. Child care issues in the 2013 Legislative
Session
5. Early Childhood Forums – brown bag lunch forums February 8th February
15th and March 1st
6. Credential opportunity
for directors
7. Other
announcements and next meeting, February
Adjourn
The EC Directors Group meets on the second Thursday of
the month from 10:00 am – noon at the Think Small offices at 2021 Hennepin Ave.
E. in Minneapolis. Monthly networking meetings are FREE and all are welcome.
Every quarter we have a 2 hour in-service training for
$22.00 and in-service certificates are provided. PLEASE pre-register for
quarterly trainings by contacting Nancy Johnson at njohnson@thinksmall.org or 651-233-2260.
Parent Aware NEWS FLASH
The
Director’s Credential webpage can be found on Eager To Learn’s website or by
following this link: https://www.eagertolearn.org/Content/Directors/DirectorCredential.aspx
Coursework
begins in February and registrations are accepted on a first come, first serve
basis.
Is Parent Aware Right
for Your Program?
Have you heard about Parent Aware
Ratings and wondered whether it’s the right decision for your program? Could
your teachers use one-on-one coaching, reduced fee training, a small grant to
enhance your program, from $2,000 - $4,000 in scholarship funds per eligible 3-4
year old child?
You are invited to come to a FREE Parent
Aware information session to learn more. Contact Carol Stromme to register:
cstromme@thinksmall.org
A list of upcoming 2013 Parent Aware information sessions will also be
available soon. Find them on Think Small’s website www.thinksmall.org and
click on “Providers.” The next Parent
Aware group cohort starts in January, 2013.
For information contact: Nancy Johnson
651-233-2260, njohnson@thinksmall.org
or Carol Stromme 651-641-6664 - cstromme@thinksmall.org.
Introducing
the MinneMinds campaign
MinneMinds is a statewide
campaign to increase public funding for access to high quality early care and
education programs proven to prepare our children for success in school and in
life.
MinneMinds has 1 policy goal:
To address Minnesota’s critical care need for increased access to high
quality early care and education opportunities to ensure all children are
prepared to succeed in school and in life
Who Is MinneMinds?
MinneMinds includes endorsing organizations and thought
leaders from across the state with a common commitment to prioritizing
Minnesota’s youngest in-need children as the most important investment for our
state to make. Supporters vary greatly in specific interest, size, and
geographic reach, representing the education and care community for children
from 0-5 years through K-12, philanthropic organizations, business and local
chapters of national non-profits. Consistent among all is a commitment to
working with the public sector and local communities to align early learning
efforts so that they affect as many low income young children as possible.
Please visit www.minneminds.com for the latest information on the campaign and for the
most up-to-date resources, including:
·
The Statement of
Support (the document that each organization must sign to join the campaign)
·
The MinneMinds
policy agenda
·
A campaign overview
document
·
Action link to send
a message to your state legislators: http://www.capwiz.com/naccrra/mn/issues/alert/?alertid=62248051&type=ST
Did
You Know?
The research results of the four year Parent Aware Pilot found that eligible 3 and 4 year olds who received scholarships to attend Parent Aware rated programs showed significant gains over the year in measures of expressive and receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, print knowledge, pre-math concepts, social competence and approaches to learning. Gains were not seen on one measure of early math skills, and a slight increase was documented on a measure of anger-aggression. The magnitude of positive gains was larger for children from low-income families than it was for the full sample of children.
