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 for a run down of the legislative session – what passed, what didn’t, what lies ahead for child care and families’ access to quality programs, where do we go from here?

 

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

MinneMessage of the Week

Please help us spread this message as widely as possible!

"Lawmakers have the opportunity to make huge strides in closing the achievement gap this session. MinneMinds encourages both parties to continue to recognize not just the importance of prioritizing investments in early learning, but targeting the first dollars in to support the most at-risk children!"

Early Learning at the Legislature Ramps Up

There has been a great deal of media attention on the early learning debate all session long, and this week was particularly heavy with coverage. See below for the full run down, but there are two articles in particular that show broad support for early learning and early learning scholarships as a vital part of the solution to the opportunity and achievement gaps. 

·        In the Bemidji Pioneer Press, leaders from Greater Minnesota called for an investment in a mixed-delivery system for early learning that gives parents and communities the flexibility to meet the needs of their early learners.

·        The Star Tribune Editorial Board endorsed several of the education proposals being debated at the Legislature. On the topic of early learning, they supported an increased investment in early learning scholarships, saying "it’s best to target the neediest students first in this round of budgeting."

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For more information about the MinneMinds Coalition and early learning policy in Minnesota, please visit www.minneminds.org.
Drew Henry
MinneMinds Campaign Manager
952-851-7228

dhenry@tunheim.com        

 

University of Minnesota Hosting Forum on Early Childhood Education Policy - May 5 

On Tuesday May 5th from 4-6pm at the Cowles Center, the University of Minnesota will host a forum on Early Childhood Education Policy entitled: Shared Commitments to School Readiness: Setting Minnesota's Future Direction. 

Panelists will include:

• Brenda Casselius - Commissioner, MN Department of Education
• Timothy Bartik, Ph.D. - Senior Economist, Upjohn Institute
• Rob Johnson - President, Cargill Foundation
• Arthur Reynolds, Ph.D. - Co-Director, Human Capital Research Collaborative
• Art Rolnick, Ph.D. - Co-Director, Human Capital Research Collaborative

To get more information or register, click here! The event is co-sponsored by: Center for Integrative Leadership (CIL), Center for Early Education (CEED), and Human Capital Research Collaborative (HCRC)

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.

Special Training Event

 

The Good, The Bad, The Lovely:

Helping Children Succeed in Play

With Redleaf Press Authors  Sandra Heidemann & Deborah Hewitt

 

Thursday, April 9^th -  10 – noon

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

 

This special Training Event will take the place of the usual Early Childhood Directors Group meeting on Thursday, February 12^th

• Daytime session for directors
• Evening session for FCC and center staff

 

REGISTER AT THE TRAINING! cost is $22

 

Click here for flyer & event details.

 

Sandra Heidemann and Deborah Hewitt, authors of When Play Isn’t Fun, When Play Isn’t Easy, and Play: The Pathway from Theory to Practice.  Explore why children may have difficulty playing with others and ways you can help them. Learn about adult roles and specific techniques to help children join play and solve conflicts.

 

Early Childhood Directors Group meetings are open to all. 

RSVP to Nancy Johnson – njohnson@thinksmall.org

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

Join Us for the Early Childhood Directors Group

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

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

 

Early Childhood Directors Group meetings are open to all

 

Discussion Topics

The 7 minute advocate     

Early childhood education is a BIG TOPIC at the legislature. How you and your staff can be “7 Minute Advocates.”

Knowledge and Personal Renewal for Leadership

 

Leaders are the source of energy that others draw from in their search for inspiration. Without personal renewal, that energy is limited – like water in a bucket. With personal renewal, the bucket becomes a fountain, replenished from a bottomless source.

• How do directors cultivate knowledge for effective leadership?
• Have you taken time to reassess and recommit to your core beliefs?
• What do you do to replenish your energy to lead?

Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership by Maurice Sykes’s is our source for this discussion. You can check out the book from the Debra Fish Library at Think Small or purchase a copy from Redleaf Press: www.redleafpress.org

Questions?  Contact Nancy Johnson at njohnson@thinksmall.org

Or visit our blog at: www.ecdirectorsgroup.blogspot.com

 

 

Join us on Thursday, April 9^th  

Training for Center Directors and Administrators

 

The Good, The Bad, The Lovely: How Staff Can Help Children Succeed in Play

A special training event with authors Sandra Heidemann & Deborah Hewitt

 

When:

Thursday April 9, 10:00am-12:00pm (for Directors and Administrators)

Where:

Think Small West, 2021 Hennepin Ave. E, Minneapolis 55413

 

2 clock hours  -  Cost: $22.00

 

REGISTER TODAY! To register for training and view full training descriptions, visit
www.mnstreams.org
Or call the Think Small training line: 651-641-3549

 

Small Group Activity Kits

 

Small Group Activity Kits are a new addition to the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library! They are designed to facilitate Small Group instruction for a variety of developmental skills. The kits may also be useful to providers meeting Parent Aware requirements at the 3 and 4 star level, where teaching targeted skills based on Assessment results is necessary. Kit titles include:  Match – Number - Opposites – Sequence – Sorting – Vocabulary.

 

The Kits include a book, an activity sheet, and a learning game at two levels of difficulty. Kits can be checked out for three weeks at the St. Paul and Minneapolis sites.

 

The Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library is now a branch of the St. Paul Public Library. To obtain a library card or request materials, please call Cathy Clair at 651-641-3544, or email  cclair@thinksmall.org. The library is open 8:30-5:00 Monday through Friday, and on evenings and Saturdays during scheduled classes. 

Join Us for the Early Childhood Directors Group

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

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

Discussion Topics:

* We’ve dreamed about this!  Now – it’s happening!!! Early childhood education is a BIG CHUNK of the Governor’s budget and a HOT TOPIC at the legislature. Come hear from Cisa Keller what’s happening and how you and your staff can be “players” advocating for children and families.

* What’s new with scholarships for credentials and staff training? Holly Meurs from Child Care Aware will fill us in.

* We’re launching the first Early Childhood Directors Book Club discussion with Maurice Sykes’s Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership. You can check out the book from the Debra Fish Library at Think Small or purchase a copy from Redleaf Press: www.redleafpress.org

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

Check Out Small Group Activity Kits

from think Small’s Debra Fish Library

Small Group Activity Kits are a new addition to the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library! These kits teach a variety of developmental skills. They are designed to facilitate comprehensive Small Group instruction where teaching targeted skills based on child assessment results is necessary.

All of the kits include a book, an activity sheet, and a learning game. There are two levels of difficulty. All of the kits can be checked out for three weeks at Think Small’s St. Paul and Minneapolis sites.

Some of the titles are:

Small group activity kit-Match

Small group activity kit-Numbers

Small group activity kit-Opposites

Small group activity kit-Sequence

Small group activity kit-Sorting

Small group activity kit-Vocabulary

Because the Debra S. Fish Early Childhood Library is now a branch of the St. Paul Public Library, users throughout Minnesota have access to the materials. 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. 

State Legislative Update

It’s week five of the legislative session. March 20^th is the first deadline for bills to be heard in committee to keep moving through the process. This means the next six weeks are a critical time for your advocacy efforts!
Committees are continuing to meet to understand the Governor’s budget recommendations. Bills based on these budget recommendations will be introduced soon with specific details. Stay tuned!  

MinneMinds Update 

The MinneMinds Coalition held a press conference last week and a number of legislators, both Democrat and Republican and Senate and House members, attended to show their support for early learning scholarships. Chairman Sen. Cohen is carrying the Early Learning Scholarships bill in the Senate, SF606 and Rep. Ron Kresha is carrying the bill in the House, HF603.
Current scholarship funding only serves a small fraction of the young children who need access to high quality early learning experiences. We look forward to continuing to talk with legislators about the importance of targeting limited state dollars to flexible, parent driven scholarships.
Below are sample Facebook messages and Tweets to spread the message of the importance of scholarships.

• #ChildCare is an essential part of the #earlylearning solution in Minnesota. #mnleg #MinneMinds
• #EarlylLarning happens every day in #childcare. #KeepitFair #mnleg  
• Value of early learning is emphasized in @GovMarkDayton's budget! #MinneMinds will continue to push for focus on most at-risk kids. #mnleg
• Early learning scholarships have bipartisan backing as solution to #achievementgap. RT to show your support! #mnleg #MinneMinds

To receive email updates with a weekly Bill Tracker and Legislative Update on bills currently moving through the Minnesota Legislature related to early care and education including the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and licensing and program regulations, contact please contact Ann McCully at: AnnM@childcareawaremn.org. 

Roses are red Violets are blue Investing in child care Helps children & families, too! Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and this year, we're asking Congress to have a heart for children and families by investing in child care.  Last fall, Congress reauthorized the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) for the first time in nearly 20 years. Although this vote marks an important step toward building a strong early learning system, we're not done yet: Congress still needs to provide the funding necessary for the program to truly help children and families succeed. With the right funding, here's what CCDBG reauthorization would do: ·      Improve the health and safety of children in child care settings ·      Make it easier for women and families to get and keep the child care assistance they need ·      Enable children to have more stable child care ·      Strengthen the quality of child care High-quality child care is linked to the success of children and their parents. Child care provides early learning opportunities to children and enables women to work so they can support their families. With significantly increased funding, this bill can make a critical difference. Ask your Members of Congress to support young hearts and minds by investing in child care. Thank you for all you do for children and their families. Sincerely, Helen Blank Director of Child Care and Early Learning National Women's Law Center

Happy New Year – 2015

 

Join Us for the Early Childhood Directors Group

Thursday, January 8^th  -  10:00 am – noon

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

Discussion Topics:

• Do you know how to raise your voice for children through social media?  Minnesota’s Legislature started yesterday (January 6^th).  What’s ahead for child care this  session? How you can be an effective advocate for your program, children and families? Kat Kempe, Think Small Policy Advocate, will cover how to connect directly with your state legislators using social media.
• 
  
• BEST Field Trips for 2015
  Share your suggestions for the best field trips and get ideas from other directors
• Directors Group Topics for 2015
  What leadership, management, licensing, or other program issues do you want to discuss with your peers?   

A reminder: At our February 12^th meeting we’ll discuss the first Early Childhood Directors Book Club pick:  Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership  by Maurice Sykes. You can check out the book from our library or purchase a copy from Redleaf Press: www.redleafpress.org

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

 

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Free resources from the CDC

Learn the Signs. Act Early.

Your child’s early years include many developmental milestones for how he or she plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves.  The CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program offers free milestone checklists and other resources to help you learn what to look for along the way!

 

Jeanne VanOrsdal, Manager, Early Education and Child Care Initiatives

jvanorsdal@aap.org   -   847/434-7638   -   Facebook

New Trainings for January - June, 2015

The January-June 2015 professional development trainings for early childhood and school-age providers and staff are available on www.mnstreams.org  Also find information about Eager to Learn online courses and Anytime Learning webinars along with instructions for accessing professional development DEVELOP and MNStreams.org and applying for CDA, MN Child Care Credential, T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships and REETAIN financial awards.  

What's new in Parent Aware?

The new website, parentaware.org, connects parents to an expanded database of more than 12,000 child care and early education programs. Search results feature programs with Parent Aware Ratings.