Early Childhood Director's Group

Join Your Colleagues at the

 Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, April 10^th  -  10:00 am – noon 

2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis  55413

Ø Discussion Topics:

Ø Having Difficult Conversations With Parents

Ø What’s happening at the Registry?

Ø The Legislature ends soon - what’s the buzz on child care and early ed?

There is no charge for this networking meeting.  RSVP to Nancy Johnson – njohnson@thinksmall.org

THURSDAY - May 8^th  -  Center Directors Quarterly Training  

The Kindness Curriculum, with author Judith Rice

Practical strategies for creating “bullying free” preschool classrooms

NOTE TIME for THIS EVENT: 12 noon – 2:00 pm

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

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

Registration must be made 7 days in advance on www.mnstreams.org -  OR by 

calling 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 38553Birth to Five – Watch Me Thrive Launched

Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! Initiative Launched

ED WEEK  Early Ed blog - April 2, 2014 

Parents, medical professionals, and early-childhood caregivers are being enlisted in a new initiative designed to help identify developmental delays in children as early as possible.

Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! is a set of resources that include developmental screening tools; toolkits with resources and tip sheets; guidance on finding help at the local level; and a "screening passport" that allows families to track a child's screening history and results.

Child care centers in Minnesota can contact Help Me Grow for more information and local resources: 1-866-693-GROW (4769)     www.MNParentsKnow.info  

"With as many as one in four children at risk for a social delay or developmental disability, it's critical to get screening resources in the hands of the adults who love, work and care for young children," said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in a statement during the program's roll-out last week. "This screening initiative will help identify warning signs early so that more children get the support they need as soon as possible."

The initiative was launched the same day that a report from the Centers for Disease Control said that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder has risen sharply since the agency first started monitoring the disorder in 2000. Many children are still be diagnosed after age 4, though screening tools exist to identify autism spectrum disorder as early as age 2.

Here’s Your Chance to Meet the Early Education Leads

for U.S. Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar

Directors, you are invited to the next  Policy Hour on TUESDAY -  May 6^th  from 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's office 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.

 

Suspensions – in Pre-K???  

Last week the early education world was abuzz about startling new figures (US Education Secretary Duncan called them "mind-boggling") from the U.S. Department of Education showing that a disproportionate number of boys and black children had been suspended or expelled before even beginning kindergarten. EdWeek reports on the data that have "researchers and policymakers asking tough questions about pre-K discipline, and highlighting programs that help keep challenging children in preschool."

NEW Contact Information for the Minnesota Center for Professional Development

The Minnesota Center for Professional Development
5900 Monona Drive Suite #200
Madison, WI 53716
Toll free phone: 855-378-3131
Toll free fax: 877-379-2467
Support ticket email: support@mncpd.org