Here’s Your Opportunity

 

Let the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet

and the Departments of Education,

Human Services and Health Know What You Think!

* What early learning experiences are working for

young children and families in your community?

* Where are the gaps in your early childhood system?

* How can we support building the capacity of the early

childhood workforce in your community?

Early in November, staff of the Minnesota Departments of Education, Health, Human Services and the Minnesota Children's Cabinet held seven Early Learning Listening Sessions throughout the state. From Owatonna to Bemidji, over 650 people gathered to discuss the future of early learning in Minnesota. A wide range of ideas and opinions were shared, and this information is already being discussed among state agencies as well as the Governor's Office. 

Now, we are conducting a survey to ensure we have captured the thoughts of every stakeholder in Minnesota who wants to be heard on this important topic. You will find the link to the survey at the end of this email - the questions provided here are the same as the ones that were discussed at the listening sessions. The answer options were crafted based around what was heard throughout the state at the sessions.

Take the survey here. 

Note: This survey will close at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, 2015.

 

The survey is available in English, Spanish, Somali, Hmong and Vietnamese. We want to hear from you. If you attended a listening session, please complete the survey to reinforce your thoughts and share anything you may have thought of after you left. If you weren't able to attend a listening session, please complete the survey to share your thoughts. It should take about five to seven minutes to complete.

 

We also encourage you to share this survey with others whom you believe would like to be heard. Thank you so much for your participation and your engagement in this important discussion. Your advocacy on behalf of Minnesota's children is greatly appreciated!

 

If you have questions, please email mde.els@state.mn.us.

 

Thank you!

 

You are invited to Policy Hour, January 5^th, 2016

 

Join us for Policy Hour on Tuesday, January 5 from Noon-1 p.m. to hear from the Department of Human Services about the Child Care Development Block Grant plan. This plan describes how the state proposes to meet the new federal law governing child care assistance. The new law makes changes to protect the health and safety of children in child care, promote continuity of access to subsidy for low-income families, better inform parents and the general public about child care choices, and improve the overall quality of early care and education.

Bring your lunch. Invite your friends. No RSVP necessary.

Mark your calendars! Policy Hour is held the first Tuesday of each month, October 2015-June 2016, from Noon-1:00 p.m. at Think Small (2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55413).   



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. 

Here’s Your Opportunity

Join the Discussion!

Early Learning in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Education, in partnership with

the Minnesota Initiative Foundations and Minnesota’s Future,

 is holding regional community listening sessions to learn how we can

 be more effective in linking policies, programs and practices to ensure

 every child in Minnesota has a high-quality early education.

•What early learning experiences are working

for young children and families in your community?

 

•Where are the gaps in your early childhood system?

 

•How can we support building the capacity

 of the early childhood workforce in your community?

Information discussed and themes that arise will be documented and shared

 with the Minnesota Departments of Education, Health, Human Services and

 the Children’s Cabinet for consideration while planning effective

 prenatal through 3rd grade policies, programs and practices.

Join the discussion!

Twin Cities Metro Area: Monday, November 2, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Conference Center A, Minnesota Department of Education,

1500 Hwy 36 West, Roseville, MN 55113

 

To register   visit the Minnesota Department of Education website.

 

When registering, please provide your name, email address and optionally your role in your community (parent, provider, school staff, policy maker, etc). See you there!

 

 

You Are Invited to the Next

Early Childhood Directors Group  

Thursday, November 12^th  -  10:00 am – noon

Think Small - 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls  55413

Discussion Topics:

• Finding and Rewarding Good Teachers – Update of the Child Care Staffing  Study
  • Current state of teacher compensation
  • Bring your interview questions for feedback from your colleagues
  • Discuss strategies to find the right “fit”
  • Peer discussion: salary scales, benefits, raises, & bonuses
• Ericca Maas, PASR director: What is Parent Aware for School Readiness and what do they do?   
• Directors Group Topics: What’s on your “To Do” list for 2015  

Early Childhood Directors Group meetings are free and open to all

RSVP to Nancy Johnson – njohnson@thinksmall.org

Visit our blog at: www.ecdirectorsgroup.blogspot.com

Welcome to the Early Childhood Directors Group blog


Our next meeting on Thursday, September 24thwill focus on your ideas and suggestions for staff compensation and benefits and supporting your teachers' growth as professionals and leaders.

Special Marketing Training Opportunity

for Center Directors

On October 7th, join trainer, author, and advocate Tom Copeland, JD, for:

The New Face of Marketing: What You Can Do

To Increase Your Child Care Enrollment

 

Wednesday, October 7th, 10 - Noon 

Think Small at 10 Yorkton Court, Saint Paul, 55117

2 in-service hours   -   Training fee is $22


Tom will discuss the tools that parents use to find quality child care and the many cost-effective ways child care programs can promote your programs online. Learn about marketing on Facebook, Craigslist, child care forums, Google+, Pinterest, and more.


This training will also cover privacy and confidentiality issues on the Internet and how providers can protect themselves from an online negative parent review. 


REGISTER TODAY!  PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.


Call the Think Small Registration Line:  651-641-3549

Policy Hour is back! 

You are invited to attend monthly Policy Hour meetings for early childhood and school-age care professionals to connect with each other and learn about current policy issues in an informal setting, hosted by Minnesota’s Future .
 

Join us on Tuesday, October 6 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at Think Small at 2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55413.  We will hear several early childhood policy experts talk about how far we’ve come in the last decade and look to the future.

Policy Hour is open to all. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month, October 2015-June 2016, from Noon-1:00 p.m. and we meet at Think Small, 2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 250, Mpls, 55413.    

Public Policy Update  

 

On Friday, June 12, the Minnesota legislature convened for a one-day special session to resolve budget differences between Gov. Dayton and Legislative leaders in the areas of education, jobs and energy, and environment and agriculture in order to avoid a partial government shut down.

Good news!

The bipartisan compromised education bill includes the largest increases for 3 and 4 year olds to access high quality pre-k in Minnesota's history and nearly doubles Minnesota's commitment to early learning.

Key numbers for early learning this session:

• $48 million for early learning scholarships
• $30.75 million for school readiness programs in school districts
• $10 million to reduce the Head Start waiting list
• $10 million for child care assistance
• $3.5 million to support Parent Aware quality ratings
• Additional funding for ECFE, the Northside Achievement Zone, the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood, targeted Home Visiting and the Parent Child Home Program

While there will be many things to watch in the coming weeks as the plans for the administration of the new budget are developed and there is more work to do to support our youngest and most vulnerable learners, we are pleased that our early learners continue to be a high priority for our elected officials.

Please take a moment to send a note of thanks to your legislators and Governor Dayton to thank them for their leadership and commitment.

 

If you have more specific questions about what's happening at the State Capitol, feel free to connect with Cisa Keller (ckeller@thinksmall.org) or Todd Otis (totis@thinksmall.org)

Child Care and Early Education Advocates

Could Be Celebrating Soon!

Last Friday, June 5, we learned that, when convened, the special legislative session will include a vote on:

• $90 million in new early learning funding for early learning scholarships and school readiness programs
• $2 million each for the Northside Achievement Zone and St. Paul Promise Neighborhood

 

Also, the legislature passed and the Governor signed a DHS Bill including:

• $10.02 million in additional funding to reduce the CCAP-Basic Sliding Fee waiting list
• New investments in home visiting and nurse-family partnership programs
• Implementing recommendations of the Child Protection Task Force
   

You Are Invited to a Discussion

 

Where Do We Go From Here?

Facilitated by Cisa Keller, Think Small’s director of early childhood

         quality development

 

At the next meeting of

the Early Childhood Directors Group

 

Thursday, June 18^th  -  10:00 am – noon

Think Small - 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls  55413

 

Join other center directors to discuss the status of early childhood policy and funding issues and how to prepare for 2016 and beyond.

 

EC Directors Group meetings are open to all

 

No RSVP necessary. For more info, contact Nancy Johnson:  njohnson@thinksmall.org

Note: my phone has changed to: 651-523-7295

Visit our blog at: www.ecdirectorsgroup.blogspot.com

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MinneMinds Message of the Week

"Early learners and vulnerable families win this year -- tens of thousands of three- and four-year-olds who might have fallen behind will attend high quality early learning programs of all types next year because of bi-partisan investments made by the State Legislature and Governor Mark Dayton."



The following Session Update is from the MinneMinds Coalition:

Special Session Education Budget Revealed: major investments in early learning!!!

Last Friday afternoon (06.05.15) the full budget was released, as agreed to by Governor Dayton and legislative leaders.



The budget includes nearly $90 million in new early learning funding targeted for low-income families, in addition to $2 million each for the Northside Achievement Zone and St. Paul Promise Neighborhood, as well as new investments in the Child Care Assistance Program and Home Visiting from the Health and Human Services budget.



This includes more than $48 million in new funding for early learning scholarships, bringing the total early learning scholarship fund to $104 million. By our calculations, this will provide a scholarship for approximately 20,000 3- and 4-year-olds over the next two years!



While we can never be 100% assured that additional changes won't be made to the bill, this is likely to reflect the final budget. This would be a huge session for early learning, particularly for vulnerable Minnesotans -- coming close to doubling the amount of funding for early learning access for low-income families.



Please make sure to share this message with others as you talk about the end of session and the education budget in the coming days and weeks.



You can see the spreadsheet breakdown of the E12 bill here



Read Frank Forsberg's statement on the E12 budget here

We expect a special session to be called sometime in the upcoming days to actually pass legislation.

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Does Your Center Protect Children From Sun Damage?

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States.  Just a few sunburns can place someone at risk for skin cancer later in life.  During National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Month check out the CDC's website on protecting children from the sun.  Every child care program should have written policies and practices to promote sun safety

Resources:

The Surgeon Generals' Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer

Caring for Our Children Standard 3.1.3.2 Playing Outdoors

Caring for Our Children Standard 3.4.5.1 Sun Safety Including Sunscreen

Caring for Our Children Standard 6.1.0.7 Shading of Play Area

Join Us for the Last Policy Hour Before Summer Break

You are invited to the last Policy Hour of the season on:

TUESDAY, June 2nd  -  12:00-1:00 p.m.

Think Small’s Minneapolis office -  2021 E. Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Come to discuss what passed this session and updates on the special session.

Governor Dayton vetoed the E-12 Education bill passed by both the House and the Senate. Key early learning components in the E-12 Education bill included:

• $30.75 million increase for Early Learning Scholarships
• $30.75 million increase for School Readiness
• $3.5 million in funding for the Parent Aware rating system

The items the Governor wants included in a K-12 Education Bill:

• Universal Pre-K for 4 year olds in public schools
• Funding to eliminate the Head Start wait list
• Funding for the Northside Achievement Zone and St. Paul Promise Neighborhood

Key early learning components in the Health and Human Services bill include:

• $10 million increase for Child Care Assistance to help reduce the wait list

Where do we go from here?

Because the Governor vetoed the E-12 Education bill, there will be a special session. As long as the Governor and legislative leaders can come to an agreement by midnight June 30, they will avoid a partial government shutdown.

Leaders in the Governor’s office and the Legislature are saying they will only call the special session when they have reached agreement on the final bill. It will likely be several days—if not weeks—before the special session is called. 

Thank you for advocating on behalf of children this session! 

June Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, June 18^th  -  10:00 am – noon

Think Small - 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls  55413

 

Where Do We Go From Here?

Cisa Keller, Director of Early Childhood Quality Development at Think Small, will join us for a Q & A with directors about the status of early childhood policy and funding issues and where we go from here.

  

EC Directors Group meetings are open to all

 

No RSVP necessary. For more info, contact Nancy Johnson:  njohnson@thinksmall.org

Note: my phone has changed to: 651-523-7295

Visit our blog at: www.ecdirectorsgroup.blogspot.com

_______________________________________

Does Your Center Protect Children

From Sun Damage?

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States.  Just a few sunburns can place someone at risk for skin cancer later in life.  During National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Month check out the CDC's website on protecting children from the sun.  Every child care program should have written policies and practices to promote sun safety

Resources:

The Surgeon Generals' Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer

Caring for Our Children Standard 3.1.3.2 Playing Outdoors

Caring for Our Children Standard 3.4.5.1 Sun Safety Including Sunscreen

Caring for Our Children Standard 6.1.0.7 Shading of Play Area

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National Mental Health Month

Emotional well-being is important to a child’s overall health.  One in five children, ages 3-17, have a diagnosable mental health disorder which can impact on learning, behavior or the ability to handle emotions.  Symptoms can frequently be observed in very young children.  Early recognition and intervention with age-appropriate services can facilitate a child’s success at home, at school and in the community.   The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundation for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (TACSEI) have rich resources to share with early childhood educators, caregivers and families.  The Pyramid Model for supporting social emotional development and preventing challenging behavior provides an excellent framework for early childhood teachers and families.  The Backpack Connection Series was created to facilitate teachers and families working together on developing social skills and reducing  challenging behaviors.  Handouts are available in four categories including behavior, emotions, routines and schedules and social skills.

Resources

Caring for Our Children Standard 1.6.0.3 Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants

Minnesota Center for Children's Mental Health has mental health fact sheets which can be downloaded for free. 

Children, Youth and Family Consortium, University of Minnesota Extension Service, Circle of Influence Model demonstrates the varying  relationships and environments that contribute to a child's well-being.  View the video on Promoting Children's Mental Health 

Contact Information

Diane Etling, MDH Child Care Health Consultant
651.201.3586   diane.etling@state.mn.us

Join Us for the Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, May 14^th  -  10:00 am – noon

Think Small - 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls  55413 

EC Directors Group meetings are open to all  

Join us on May 14^th to discuss:

*  What are the most successful trainings for staff?

    Come and share with other directors what training for

    your staff made the biggest impact for your center’s
    quality.

 

*  Where does investment and policy for child care and
    early education stand as this legislative session

    approaches (hopefully) wrap up.

No RSVP necessary. For more info, contact Nancy Johnson:  njohnson@thinksmall.org

Note: my phone has changed to: 651-523-7295

Visit our blog at: www.ecdirectorsgroup.blogspot.com

Early Learning in the News

See below for some great coverage of early childhood news.

• MinnPost: A decade of research proves early learning scholarships work
• MinnPost: Dayton's Early Learning Council expresses reservations about his pre-K plan
• Post Bulletin: Tim Penny: Early learning scholarships are part of a larger solution
• New America Ed Central: Minnesotans Wrestle With "How to" Get the Most Out of Early Education

Legislative Session Update

A small group from the House and Senate are meeting to work out the differences between their bills. The Education Conference Committee is meeting to determine the amount of funding that will be allocated for early learning scholarships. 

With just a week and a half left in session, we need to keep up our advocacy for prioritizing investments on targeted and flexible early learning scholarships for low income families to be able to choose proven quality programs.

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Contact your legislator

Your voice has the greatest impact when you talk to your own legislator. This link makes it quick and easy to Send a message to your legislator asking them to tell the Education Conference Committee members to make a large investment in early learning scholarships as part of the education package. 

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Sheltering Arms' Children's Legislative Reception - May 28

On Thursday May 28th from 4:30-6pm at the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, Sheltering Arms will host a reception honoring the hard work and outstanding outcomes from this year's legislative session that will help to close the opportunity gap for Minnesota's children. 

Please RSVP by Friday, May 22 by calling (612) 871-9210 or by emailing dgrossman@shelteringarms.org.

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FREE RESOURCE - Small Group Activity Kits

 Small Group Activity Kits are a new addition to the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library. All of the kits include a book, an activity sheet, and a learning game. Some of the topics covered in the kits include: Match, Numbers, Opposites, Sequence, Sorting, and Vocabulary. Any of the kits can be checked out for three weeks at the St. Paul and Minneapolis sites.

 

For additional information on obtaining a library card or requesting materials, please call Cathy Clair at 651-641-3544, or email her at cclair@thinksmall.org. The library is open 8:30-5:00 Monday through Friday, and on evenings and Saturdays during classes. 

                          Mind in the Making  -  Free Resource
Mind in the Making and First Book have combined forces to compile lists of books and tips that support seven essential life skills. The lists are organized by topic and age group (0 to 2, 3 to 5 years, 6 to 8 years, and 9 to 12 years). For each life skill (e.g., focus and self-control), relevant children’s books are listed that can be used to support/develop that skill. Options for using each book are provided on a downloadable tip sheet; many tip sheets are available in both English and Spanish.
http://mindinthemaking.org/firstbook/