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 18th - 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
_______________________________________
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:
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
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
651.201.3586 diane.etling@state.mn.us
