Ideas,
Tips and Inspiration for Leadership
Join
your colleagues for
Raising Teachers’ Job Satisfaction
January Early Childhood Directors Group
Thursday, January 9thth 10:00 am - noon
2021 Hennepin Ave. E.,
Minneapolis 55413
Discussion Topics:
Ø Strategies for Raising your Teachers’
Job Satisfaction Quotient
Ø What’s the Child Care Shared Services
Business Model?
Ø The 60 second child care advocate: Are
you ready for 2014?
There
is no fee for this meeting
Don’t Miss the EC Directors FEB TRAINING
More Than
Raffi: Musical Literacy
in the Early
Childhood Setting
Thursday, February 20thth - 10:00 am – noon
2021 Hennepin
Ave. E., Suite 250, Mpls 55413
$22
fee for this 2 hour, MNCPD approved training.
Register at
least 10 days in advance to avoid $5 late fee.
You
Are Invited to Policy Hour
Please
join us for Policy Hour on January 7th when Nan Madden, Director of
the Minnesota Budget Project, will discuss the ins and outs of the state budget
process and how you can get involved.
Policy Hour meets monthly on the second Tuesday from
Noon-1:00 p.m. at Think Small 2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 250,
Minneapolis, MN 55413. No RSVP is required. Feel free to bring your
lunch.
Curious about Parent
Aware Ratings?
You
are invited to a FREE Quality Tune Up
to learn about
specific rating components
FREE
Quality Tune Up
Stop by between 5:30—8:00
p.m.
Monday, March 10th,
2014
Think Small WEST - 2021 Hennepin Ave.
E., Mpls, 55413
Information on:
- Options for Training and Education
- Completing your Learning Record on the MNCPD Registry
- Lesson Plans and Curriculum
- Daily Schedules
- Parent Orientation and Conferences
- Resources to Share with Parents
- Child Observation and Assessment Practices
- Sharing Child Assessments with Parents
- Early Learning Scholarship Information
Center Teachers – APPLY NOW
for R.E.E.T.A.I.N. Bonus Grants
R.E.E.T.A.I.N. (Retaining Early
Educators through Attaining Incentives Now)
If you
work at a center-based child care and have earned a CDA or an Associate Degree,
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, you could qualify for a bonus grant!
REETAIN applications must be submitted
between December 1, 2013, and January 31, 2014.
R.E.E.T.A.I.N. rewards child care
professionals who have:
·
Earned a degree or the CDA (National
Child Development Associate Credential)
·
Demonstrated a commitment to
continuing education and professional development
·
Worked in the same program/center
for at least a year
·
Worked with the same children for a
minimum of 30 hours per week
Depending on your education level,
R.E.E.T.A.I.N. bonuses grants award range from $1,000 - $3,500. The awards are considered a bonus and can be
used for personal or professional purposes.
Please note that this is a highly competitive process.
For more information about
R.E.E.T.A.I.N., including additional eligibility requirements and application
details, visit the Child Care Aware of Minnesota website or contact Valerie
Peterson at valeriep@childcareawaremn.org or call 651-290-9704 (ext. 107).
R.E.E.T.A.I.N.
is a project of Child Care Aware of Minnesota.
NEW Statewide Jan - June, 2014 Training Calendar
You should have received the print version of the Training
Calendar for Jan – June, 2014. The online version, with full descriptions
of classes is available on www.MNStreams.org
You can also go to www.MNStreams.org to register and pay for classes.
Before starting a new account on MNStreams, call Think Small’s
Training Line and ask for your ID and Password:
651-641-3549.
If
you’re having trouble finding or registering for
courses online you can always call Think Small’s Training Line –
651-641-3549. Leave your message and a
training coordinator will get back to you.
Try out the Registry’s NEW Facelift
The new MN Center for Professional Development Registry
at www.mncpd.org includes improved search
functions to find approved training, trainers and the status of applications
and renewal dates. Comprehensive information at MNCPD - FAQ.
You can check
your own Learning Record on the Registry 24/7. The Registry is the first step
in developing a comprehensive data system to link Minnesota’s professional
development for early childhood educators and
program monitoring and quality improvement systems.
| Parent Aware and Scholarships UPDATE Parents looking for child care use Parent Aware Ratings website
39,000
new visitors from April – September, 2013
The end of September was the six-month mark on
the Parent Aware for School Readiness (PASR)-sponsored ad campaign. Since April, PASR radio, online, TV and neighborhood ads drove
the bulk of 39,735 unique visitors to parentawareratings.org. That new traffic generation will likely
continue as the campaign expands to new areas in the future.
While PASR doesn’t know for certain how many of
those site visitors are using Parent Aware to select a provider, a random
sample survey of parents of 0-five-year-olds in the last month found that:
« 61% of parents who recall the ads say the
ads “made them stop and think about the need to have pre-kindergarten
children in stimulating learning environments”
« 72% of parents who can recall the ads
agreed that “all parents should be asking questions about a child care
provider’s Parent Aware Rating”
« 78% of Minnesota parents of young children
who recall the ads say that if all other things are equal, they would choose
a Star Rated provider over an unrated one, while only 4% would choose an
unrated provider.
The website’s search function is now
location-based so that parents can view a map of Parent Aware programs in
their area. Check out the updated site at parentawareratings.org
Do you have Early Learning Scholarship questions? Early Learning
Scholarships now available to qualifying families. More info at: Early Learning Scholarships Frequently Asked Questions.
Check
progress by the numbers
One
important way to look at Parent Aware progress is by the number of early
childhood programs Rated by Parent Aware. As of October 15, 2013 we have
reached 1,193 programs, which is 80% of our goal.
|
What's new?
Higher
rates for quality available March 2014
Family child care providers and child care centers who
achieve a 3- or 4-Star Parent Aware Rating will be eligible for higher Child
Care Assistance Program rates for quality effective March, 2014. Providers who
achieve a 3-Star Parent Aware Rating will be eligible for rates of 15% above
the standard maximum rates. Providers who achieve a 4-Star Parent Aware Rating
will be eligible for rates of 20% above the standard maximum rates.
Child
care health consultants help with health and safety issues
From questions about bugs to biting
to bleach, child care providers frequently experience a variety of child health
and safety issues.
If you are seeking child care health
consultant services or would like more information, contact Diane Smith Etling
by phone at (651) 201-3586 or via email at diane.etling@state.mn.us.
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