Ideas, Tips and Inspiration for Leadership 

Join your colleagues for

Raising Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

January Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, January 9th^th   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

Questions?  Contact Nancy Johnson – njohnson@thinksmall.org

 

 

Don’t Miss the EC Directors FEB TRAINING

More Than Raffi:  Musical Literacy

in the Early Childhood Setting

Thursday, February 20th^th  -  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.   

Call Nancy at 651-233-2260 or email njohnson@thinksmall.org

 

You Are Invited to Policy Hour

Please join us for Policy Hour on January 7^th 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 10^th, 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.

 

Celebrate the holidays with

old friends and new colleagues

 

December Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, December 12th^th  10:00 am - noon

2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis  55413

Ø Discussion Topic: New resources for center directors and staff

Ø Results from the EC Directors Group SURVEY

Ø They’re here! Be among the first Minnesotans to see Redleaf Lane’s children’s books about young children’s experiences in child care

Ø Gearing up for the 2014 Legislative Session             

 

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

The Early Childhood Directors Group meets monthly on the second Thursday, 10:00 am – noon at Think Small 2021 Hennepin Ave. E., Suite 250, Mpls.

It’s here! The NEW Training Calendar for January–June, 2014

You should have received the print version of the Training Calendar for Jan – June, 2014. The online version, with full descriptions of classes, is also  available on www.MNStreams.org  The statewide Training Calendar takes the place of Think Small's Training Catalogue as we move to all online registration for classes in January, 2014.  

You can search for training titles, read class descriptions, and register and pay for training at: www.MNStreams.org 

If you or your staff have ever taken classes from Think Small, you may already have a MNStreams ID and password. Before starting a new account, call the Training Line and ask for your ID and Password:  651-641-3549.

You can also call Think Small’s Training Line – 651-641-3549 – if you’re having trouble finding or registering for courses online. Leave your message and a training coordinator will get back to you.

The Affordable Care Act Webinar: 
What Early Care and Education Providers
Need to Know

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

12:00-1:30 PM CST

More than 1 million home and center-based teachers and caregivers who currently do not have health insurance may be impacted by new health insurance opportunities made possible by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

A healthy individual caring for young children is an important aspect of children’s ability to develop, learn, and thrive.  Health insurance and access to care can provide parents, family members, and early care and education providers with health security and peace of mind that allows better support of child learning and exploration. 

The webinar will discuss tax and employer provisions that may affect providers, information on the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the role that early care and education providers can play in raising awareness about ACA and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Who Should Participate?

·        Child Care Center Directors and Staff

·        Family Child Care Home Providers

·        Head Start Directors, Program Managers, Staff

 

How to Register
To register for the webinar, select the link below and fill out the registration form. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

https://citrix.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1026599

Hosted by: The Healthy Child Care America at the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Family Child Care, National Head Start Association, and Child Care Aware, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Offices of Child Care, Head Start, and the Chief Medical Officer are hosting a 90 minute webinar on the ACA for early care and education providers. 

Presenter Information:   Dr. George L. Askew, Chief Medical Officer, ACF, will conduct the presentation and representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Small Business Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service will be on hand to answer questions including those specific to the tax and employer provisions of the law.

For additional information on early care and education and ACA, please visit The Affordable Care Act: What It Means for Children, Families, and Early Childhood Programs.  Other resources include the following:

Health Care and Small Businesses, Affordable Care Act Tax Provisions, and Health Insurance Marketplace .

The MNCPD Registry, Minnesota’s hub

for early childhood professional development

just got a Facelift!

Thank you to everybody who gave suggestions for The Registry’s “makeover.”  Try out the new and improved website at  www.mncpd.org 

Send your comments and questions to Cory Woosley  -  651-746-4024.

Also, Child Development Associate (CDA) candidates can now renew with hourly training. For more info, contact  Cory Woosley .

With board games, it’s how children count that counts

ScienceDaily:  Teachers and parents like to use board games to teach skills that range from fair play to counting. When it comes to improving early number skills, a new report finds that how children count is what really counts. More

You Are Invited to Public Policy Hour

Center directors are invited to monthly Public Policy Hour, hosted by the Minnesota’s Future Coalition. Public Policy Hour is held the first Tuesday of the month, noon-1:00 p.m. at Think Small in Minneapolis - 2021 East Hennepin Avenue, Suite 250, 55413. These monthly ECE policy discussions carry on the tradition started by Child Care WORKS. No RSVP is required. Feel free to bring your lunch.

Minnesota Is Third Costliest State

 for Child Care

Child Care Aware® of America’s Parents and the High Cost of Care: 2013 Report received a huge reaction from the media – more than 250 references in the news, reaching an estimated 2 million readers and viewers. The report noted that child care is one of the lowest paying professional fields and one of the most labor-intensive.

THEY’RE  HERE!

 Applications for Minnesota’s

Early Learning Scholarships

Programs can help families apply:

Ø Up to $5,000 per year will be awarded to children aged three to five to improve their school readiness. Younger siblings attending the same program can also be awarded scholarships.

Ø Programs must be participating in Parent Aware Ratings to serve scholarship children.

Ø Applications for interested families are available by calling the Think Small Scholarship Information Hotline -  651-641-6604. 

Ø Please share the application with families in your community and help them fill them out and send them in as soon as possible.

        Applications can also be downloaded at Think Small’s website:

Application and instructions for parents

Families eligible for Early Learning Scholarships:

• Must reside in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington county, and
• have a child between the ages of 3 and 5 who is not yet eligible for kindergarten, and
• have annual income of:
•          $28,694 for a family of 2
•          $36,131 for a family of 3
•          $43,568 for a family of 4
•          $51,005 for a family of 5. 

For scholarship information in other languages, call:

Yog nyob hauv ob lub nroog ntxaib: 651-665-0150

En el área metropolitana, Ilame al: 651-665-0150

Magaalada gudahed wac: 651-665-0150

 
Minnesota makes progress (finally!)                           towards closing the K-12 Achievement Gap

Last Thursday, results from the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) were released, showing that Minnesota is making progress in narrowing the achievement gap between white students and students of color. For more information, click the following links:

·         Press Release from Office of Governor Mark Dayton

WCCO - Minnesota Makes Significant Gains in Narrowing Achievement Gap

 

Federal Budget Sequestration’s Consequences for Young Children and Teachers in Minnesota

Sequestration – or across the board budget cuts, resulting from the inability of the U.S. Senate and House to agree on a federal budget - has had devastating consequences for low wage families, their preschoolers and their teachers in Minnesota. 120 classroom teachers lost their jobs in Head Start, over 40 classrooms were shuttered, and almost 1,000  3-5 year olds living in poverty lost their opportunity to attend quality preschool before kindergarten.

Senator Franken Introduces Two Early Childhood Bills

On November 8th, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) introduced two bills aimed to improve the "child care workforce and increase parents' access to critical education programs." The names of the two bills are the Parent Education and Family Engagement in Early Education Act and the Early Childhood Care and Education Workforce Improvement Act.

Read more about Sen. Franken's Parent Education and Family Engagement in Early Education Act here and the Early Childhood Care and Education Workforce Improvement Act here.