Welcome ALL center directors and assistant directors

You are invited to join us for the 

February 14^th  networking meeting 

Licensing – What’s Hot  

Also, updates on the 2013 Legislative Session, child care bills  

and the MinneMinds Campaign

This is a FREE networking meeting for directors

 

Coming up on March 14^th

2 Hour Training: Coaching Your Staff  

Vicky Hawley, CEED Coordinator, Professional Development Programs in Early Language and Literacy Development

Preregistration is required for the March 14^th Training

Contact: Nancy Johnson – njohnson@thinksmall.org

Training fee is $22 - Two hours of in-service

            The Early Childhood Directors Group meets on the second Thursday

from 10:00 am – noon at Think Small’s Minneapolis office

2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Suite 250, Mpls, 55413

Monthly networking meetings are FREE.

Quarterly trainings - $22 fee, 2 hours in-service  

To register and pre-pay for trainings contact Nancy Johnson

njohnson@thinksmall.org or 651-233-2260

 

Early Education Forums

              Tackling the Achievement Gap

              Before It Starts                                  

Center directors  - You are invited to a series of free noontime Early Education Forums.  Minnesota’s youngest children will receive high-profile attention this legislative session; Governor Dayton’s budget includes $92 million in new funding for quality early care and education. To inform the upcoming legislative debate, the forums will highlight research and best practices to reduce Minnesota's early education opportunity gap. 

These free forums are from noon - 1:30 pm on 3 Fridays - February 8^th and  15th at the Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, & March 1^st at the Kelly Inn, St. Paul.

The Feb. 8th and Feb 15th forums are at the Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Parkway.  The March 1st Forum is at the Kelly Inn, 161 St. Anthony Ave., St. Paul.

Feb. 8th  forum: Current research on quality, do the benefits of quality for disadvantaged children "fade-out" in elementary school, and quality through the lens of culture.   Speakers: Rob Grunewald, associate economist, Federal Reserve Bank, Kathryn Tout, co-director of early childhood research for Child Trends, and Betty Emarita, founder and president of Development and Training Resources. The forum runs from noon until 1:30 pm at the Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Parkway, St. Paul.

Feb. 15th forum:  What is Minnesota’s plan for increasing access to quality early childhood education, and how is it working in communities of color?   Speakers: Karen Cadigan, director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning, Bao Vang, community outreach and Parent Aware quality coach for Think Small and Barb Fabre, director of child care and early education programs on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Carolyn Smallwood, executive director of Way to Grow, will moderate.  The Feb. 15th forum is from noon - 1:30 pm at the Wilder Foundation, 451 Lexington Parkway, St. Paul. 

March 1st forum:  What needs to happen to bring Quality Early Care and Education to Scale?   Speakers: Ericca Maas, executive director, Parent Aware for School Readiness, Frank Forsberg, senior vice president, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Barbara Milon, executive director, Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, and Nancy Hylden, MinneMinds Campaign. The March 1st forum is from noon - 1:30 pm is at the Kelly Inn, 161 St. Anthony Ave. St. Paul. 

Questions? Call Scott Russell - 612-203-6164, Nancy Johnson - 612-237-1448

Did you know?

The Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network is now Child Care Aware MN.  Check out the information and services on their new website: www.childcareawaremn.org

For example, would you like to know more about Minnesota's TEACH Scholarships for early childhood professionals? Free TEACH Webinar on February 19th. Register at: 

http://childcareawaremn.org/professionals-caregivers/grants-scholarships/teach-scholarships

Parent Aware NEWS FLASH

Parent Aware improvement support dollars can be used toward the cost of the 2013 Eager To Learn Online Director’s Credential.  This Director’s Credential fulfills Parent Aware indicator TT3b for programs seeking 3 or 4 star ratings.

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

Applications are now being accepted by emailing Brian Wray:   (brainw@mnchidlcare.org). 

Coursework begins in February and registrations are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. 

Director's Online Credential
The Eager-to-Learn Online Director’s Credential offers intentional competency-building for participants in the areas of administration, supervision/management and leadership. As the scope of work a director faces continues to evolve, so too should their learning opportunities. In response to feedback straight from the field, new courses have been included in the 2013 Credential to support the development of skills in areas such as building cultural competency, professional ethics and coaching staff for continuous growth.

Applications are now being accepted for entry into Eager-to-Learn’s Director Credential learning community with coursework beginning in February, 2013 and concluding in December, 2013. Flexible payment plan options are available.

An added benefit for Minnesota Directors: An approved Director’s Credential earns an extra point for your Parent Aware Quality Rating.

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 and $2,000 - $4,000 in scholarship funds for eligible 3-4 year olds?                                      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 July, 2013. For information: Nancy Johnson 651-233-2260, njohnson@thinksmall.org or Carol Stromme 651-641-6664 - cstromme@thinksmall.org.

MinneMinds 
It's Time for Minnesota to Increase Investment       
in Quality Early Care and Education

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.

 

Please visit www.minneminds.com for the latest information on the campaign and for the most up-to-date resources.

Action link to send a message to your state legislators: http://www.capwiz.com/naccrra/mn/issues/alert/?alertid=62248051&type=ST

 

CEU One Stop Courses  -  Eager-to-Learn is offering courses for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CEU One Stop courses are self-paced and instructor-led. CEU's can be applied to CDA renewal requirements and meet many other training requirements. All CEU courses begin the first day of each new quarter with open registration. You may enroll up to 2 weeks prior to the end date of the quarter. The current CEU courses will run from January 1 through March 31, 2013.                                                                                          Current CEU One Stop Courses Offered  -      The following courses are being offered as CEU One Stop courses. Each course is $95 and worth 1.2 CEUs.

Children with Sensory Processing Disorder: Challenges and Strategies
Instructor: Kim Woehl

More Alike than Different  -  Instructor: Kim Woehl

Supporting Breastfeeding in Child Care Programs  -                                          Instructor: Holly Prestegaard

The Nurtured Heart Approach- Transforming the Challenging Child  -  Instructor: Kim Woehl

Understanding Autism and the Early Childhood Role  -                                   Instructor: Cindy Croft

Understanding Floor Time  -  Instructor: Nancy Kaczrowski

Spanish for Young Children  -  Instructor: Amy Timm

                       Register Here

If you have any questions about these CEU One Stop courses, or any other courses that Eager-to-Learn offers, please feel free to contact brianw@childcareawaremn.org.
~To view full course descriptions and register, visit http://eagertolearn.org

 

Welcome ALL center directors

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 10^th  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 8^th     February 15^th and March 1^st

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

 

Parent Aware improvement support dollars can be used toward the cost of the upcoming 2013 Eager To Learn Online Director’s Credential.  This Director’s Credential fulfills Parent Aware indicator TT3b for programs seeking 3 or 4 star ratings.

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

Applications are now being accepted by emailing Brian Wray (brainw@mnchidlcare.org). 

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.

 

        It’s a Holiday Party for YOU

Center Directors - You’re invited to join other directors for an Early Childhood Directors Networking Group Holiday Party:

THURSDAY, December 13th, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Think Small - 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis

              Yummy and Healthy Holiday Treats

Ø Discussion Topic: Is Your Program a Learning Community?

Ø Networking and News You Can Use

Ø MinneMinds Campaign and Public Policy Update

Think Small invites all center directors and assistant directors in the metro area to attend this FREE networking meeting.

For information and to RSVP, contact Nancy Johnson: njohnson@thinksmall.org, 651-233-2260

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?

 

The next Parent Aware cohort starts January, 2013. You are invited to attend a FREE Parent Aware information session. Dates/times/locations for upcoming Parent Aware information sessions are available at www.thinksmall.org under “Providers.” You’ll learn the benefits, requirements and how to apply. Contact Brandi Baker to register for an Info Session: bbaker@thinksmall.org

 

For more information contact:

Nancy Johnson 651-233-2260, njohnson@thinksmall.org  or

Carol Stromme 651-641-6664, cstromme@thinksmall.org.

 

   Eager-to-Learn Directors

  Credential

 

The Eager-to-Learn team is excited to offer a new Director Credential Learning Community. A high quality, convenient and affordable training option offered completely online through facilitated courses with peer networking and personalized instructor interaction. Cohort membership is open to childcare directors and assistant directors throughout the U.S.

 

The Directors Credential is offered in collaboration with the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MNAEYC), is recognized by NAEYC and meets all the director training requirements for NAEYC Accreditation as well as many state and national director administrative training requirements.

 

Applications open November, 2012 for entry into Eager-to-Learn’s learning community with coursework beginning in February, 2013.

Interested in learning more about this professional development opportunity? Rozalyn Zuest, Director Credential Coordinator - rozalynz@mnchildcare.org

    Registration Info

If you are interested in participating in the Directors Credential, please fill out the application (word doc, pdf) and email it to Brian Wray, brianw@mnchildcare.org

  ETL Director Credential

   Learning Community Fees

Program Fee (includes Directors Online, coaching and admin) - $150
Eager-to-Learn Course Fees for 9 classes (156+ training hours) - $750
MNAEYC Credential Application Fee and Assessment - $100
Total Cost for Directors Credential Program and MNAEYC Credential - $1000

Center Directors and Assistant Directors

Don't Miss This Expert Training on

"Managing Legal Risks:

Hiring and Supervision Challenges"

Thursday, November 8th   10:00 am – noon    $22 Fee

Think Small, 2021 E. Hennepin Ave., Suite 250, Minneapolis

Books will be available for sale

Contact Nancy Johnson at 651-233-2260 or njohnson@thinksmall.org  to pre-register