Southeast VT Building Bright Futures-
Your source for all things early childhood
Spring forward indeed! Hiddy-ho fabulous early childhooderinos. Our council had an active and eventful February and with a blink, we are already well into March. Last week, about a dozen of us met with our Windham County legislative delegation to share stories, encourage support for pending legislation and talk about the complexities of raising our children and supporting our families. In February, BBF hosted a special council meeting dedicated to addressing the gaps in services for families in the Deerfield Valley. Enthusiasm is mounting as we move forward with our
"Making it Work in Windham" summit, connecting the dots between a thriving economy and thriving families. Be looking for a save the date soon. April is right around the corner, and you know what that means?
Month of the Young Child! Details below about the 40 FREE events/activities for young children throughout the month, across Windham County.
Finally (well, finally is a relative term for me...) our council, along with numerous regional partners and other BBF councils are actively engaging the early childhood field and families around
equity. Building the most equitable, just early childhood system possible, from early care & learning programs to access to food and health services. Locally, BBF and
Windham Child Care Association (WCCA) are supporting a series of equity discussions, focusing on race, class and gender in our early learning programs.
Click Here or read below for details. The first discussion starts in March and will continue through April and May. Also, join the
VT Early Childhood Equity Facebook page for stimulating, inspiring articles, stories and opportunities.
Here's the tick-tock for this month's Telegraph for your reading, listening and viewing pleasure:
- April 13 council event: How parents & caregivers access services & supports
- Regional Action Plan in action!
- Equity discussions. Starting March 17!
- April is Month of the Young Child!
- Brattleboro Promise Communities update
- Release of the proposed revisions to child care licensing regulations
- Let's Grow Kids campaign updates including March 24 event in Putney
- Blue Ribbon Commission Updates
- VT Early Childhood Alliance & recap of Early Childhood Day at the Legislature
- Publicly funded PreK now open for registration!
- Early Learning Challenge grant project updates
- United Way Coats for Kids
- Children & food updates from Food Connects
- United Way Coats for Kids
- Upcoming trainings including TS Gold Trainings in April
- Job opportunities
- Interesting reads, watches and listens
Cheers!
Chad
802.451.9345
Who is BBF and what do we do?
Building Bright Futures (BBF) harnesses the power of Vermont communities to improve child and family well-being. BBF serves the dual role as both the Vermont Early Childhood Advisory Council and 501(c)(3) statewide network, aligning local solutions of 12 regional Councils with policy at the state level.
Council Operating Principles, including Steering Committee Roles & Responsibilities.
Click Here
for the approved council operating principles including the steering committee roles and responsibilities.
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April 13th Council Event
How to families access services and supports for their children discussion
Our next council meeting will be a special discussion highlighting stories from area parents and caregivers on how they accessed services and supports for their young children. What resources did they use? Attended a birthing class? Regularly attend family support groups? Joined the
Brattleboro Parents Network Facebook group? Received services from
Children's Integrated Services? We'll have a panel share their stories followed by open discussion.
Join us Wednesday,
April 13th from 4-6pm in Holton Hall Conference Room, 4th Floor, at the Austine Campus, 130 Austine Dr. Brattleboro.
Also on April 13, we will hear from Sharron Harrington,
Vermont Birth to Five (VB5), and have an opportunity to provide feedback on the next stages of their efforts.
Click Here for a listing of VB5 projects and
Click Here for a deeper dive into their plans.
Click Here for our February meeting notes, focusing on gaps in services in Deerfield Valley and how to best meet the needs of children in families.
Below is the schedule for our spring and summer council meetings. All meetings will run from 4-6pm and be at
Winston Prouty Center, 20 Winston Prouty Way, Brattleboro, unless otherwise noted.
- May 11, equity and early childhood
- June 8, summer family engagement
- July 13, annual summer family picnic
- No August council meeting
- September 14, Steering Committee elections
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Regional Action Plan in Action!
Council action plan approved and
After a lengthy and rich process, we are ready to approve our proposed regional action plan!
We made a soft presentation of it during our special December 9th forum, highlighting the two priority areas and seeking feedback. The plan was formally adapted at our January 13th meeting.
Click Here for the 2-page action plan. This will be the document we use and share as we move forward.
For those that want to dig deeper, below you will find the full plan, including our Theory of Change document, indicators, program measurements and collaborating partners. These are all works in progress, so the action planning team will constantly be refining and updating the plan as it moves forward. Want to help with that? Contact me at 802.451.9345 or
[email protected] to learn how.
- Click Here for the draft Theory of Change document (full, includes below full action plan)
- Click Here for the full action plan (only) (includes indicators, program measurements and what part of the state Early Childhood Action Plan it links to)
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Equity In Early Care & Education
Equity discussions start in March
In January 2016 we got a conversation started about Race, Class and Gender in Early Learning. Over 20 people participated!
Let's keep this powerful conversation going. 
Thursdays, March 17, April 14 & May 19
6-8pm
Windham Regional Career Center, Brattleboro
During three follow-up sessions this spring we will establish a common language about race, class, and gender; we will practice evaluating curriculum with an equity-lens; we will support each other in having difficult conversations. Bring your listening ears, a big heart, your experience working with children, and a desire for equitable and bias free programs.
Open to early learning program staff, board members and families. Attached is a flyer. The conversations are Free and light refreshments will be available.
We highly recommend participation in all three sessions.
To RSVP or for questions contact Nancy Witherill at [email protected] or 254.5332 ext 312
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April is Month of the Young Child!
A month long celebration
of our young children
April has been designated as Month of the Young Child, a celebration of our youngest learners and our future leaders. Our celebration consists of a month-long series of free events throughout Windham County offering opportunities for children and their families to play, learn and come together as a community. It's also the perfect chance to discover and sample wonderful spaces and programs designed to support the physical, cognitive and social emotional development of our young children.
Click Here for the our brochure and Click Here for our poster. Or, stop by Windham Child Care Association (WCCA) at 130 Birge St., Brattleboro to pick up a copy.
Finally, be on the lookout for a full spread in the April edition of
Parent Express!
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Brattleboro Promise Community
Green Street neighborhood efforts taking shape
The Green St Promise Community continues to meet monthly as a full group and is actively holding regular "pods" (intimate gatherings). Click Here for the most recent notes.
A retreat is being planned for early April. Stay tuned for more details.
Click Here to follow the Green Street efforts on Facebook.
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Child Care Licensing Regulations Released
Proposed revisions released and in final review process.
The Child Development Division (CDD) released the revised child care licensing regulations for both center based and family child care home programs on March 11th. This revision provides clarification and incorporates new information to update definitions, staff qualifications, effective program operation and changes in both program and regulatory practice.
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Let's Grow Kids Updates
March 24 "Change Through Stories" event; Blue Ribbon Commission; Why Early Childhood Matters to Business
As part of the
Let's Grow Kids Action Team efforts, here is a great opportunity to participate in:
How to Create Change Through Stories
Putney Community Center
10 Christian Square in Putney
March 24th
5:30-7:30pm
Click Here to download the flyer for the March 24th combined training & meeting at the Putney Community Center at 10 Christian Square in Putney.
RSVP is required in order to plan for childcare needs & food restrictions. Carpooling available.
To RSVP, carpool or any questions, contact:
LGK Field Coordinator
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Blue Ribbon Commission
For news, details and updates on the Blue Ribbon Commission on financing high quality, affordable child care,
Click Here.
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Why Early Childhood Matters to Business
Click Here to watch the recently released video with interviews
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Vermont Early Childhood Alliance
Recap of this year's Early Childhood Day at the Legislature
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Signing of Paid Sick Leave legislation |
Click Here to read the 2016 Legislative Agenda, describing the issues VECA is focusing on this legislative session.
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Publicly Funded PreK Now Open
Supervisory Unions open up applications for Public PreK
Below are details on publicly funded PreK for the four Supervisory Unions in our region for the 2016-2017 school year.
Windham Southeast Supervisory Union
Children ages 3-5 living in the WSESU towns of Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, and Vernon qualify for 10 hours per week of publicly funded pre-kindergarten education at 18 community based preschools. Pre-k education is designed to provide children with play-based early learning experiences aligned with Vermont Early Learning Standards to gain social and academic skills that prepare them for school. Applications for the 2016-17 school year are available at area preschools, on the WSESU website, http://www.wssu.k12.vt.us, and by calling Janice Stockman at 254-3755. Click Here to download the application.
Windham Southwest Supervisory Union
Children ages 3-5 living in the WSWSU towns of Wilmington, Whitingham, Searsburg, Halifax, Readsboro, and Stamford qualify for 10 hours per week of publicly funded pre-kindergarten education at any pre-qualified community based preschools. Pre-K education is designed to provide children with play-based early learning experiences aligned with Vermont Early Learning Standards to gain social and academic skills that prepare them for school.
Area
pre-qualified
c
ommunity based preschools in the WSWSU area include:
Stamford School PreK- Stamford- (802) 694-1379
Applications for the 2016-17 school year are available at area preschools, on the WSWSU website (http://www.windhamsw.k12.vt.us), and by calling Kathy Rapp, Essential Early Education Coordinator, WSWSU, 464-1300 x122. Click Here for details and to view the application.
Windham Central Supervisory Union
Windham Northeast Supervisory Union
Click Here to see Vermont's Act 166, public PreK webpage.
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Update on VT's Early Learning Challenge Grant
A detailed update on activities related to VT's ELC grant  For a full overview and monthly updates, Click Here for details on the VT Early Learning Challenge-Race To the Top (ELC-RTT) grant. Click Here to read the latest grant updates, which includes the 2015 Annual Performance Report Update.
The ELC grant is a $36.9 million, federally funded, four-year grant to help build a high-quality and accessible early childhood system in the state so that all young children will be ready to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
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Coats for Kids Windham County
United Way launches fundraising campaign for program
This program continues in the spirit of the Brattleboro Reformer Stocking program, providing winter gear for Windham County Families. Coats for Kids will provide winter gear for Windham County families 0-6th grade.
We need to raise $75,000 to make this happen next year!
Click Here for the donation form. You can also text "toasty" to 41444.
Click Here to listen to an interview on Green Mountain Mornings discussing the program.
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Our Children-Our Food
Food Connects updates on school and child food efforts
For more information:
Katherine Gillespie Jandernoa
CoFounder & Farm to School Program Manager
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VT United Way 2-1-1 Launches Help Me Grow
Statewide service to support children with young children
Click Here to read the launch details of Help Me Grow, which will support existing local early intervention efforts. For more information on the Help Me Grow model, Click Here.
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 What's Happening?
News & events for and from the field.
News & Updates
- Windham County Parent Resource Calendar. Click Here to see all Windham County events, workshops, classes for children and families.
- Tax Prep by United Way of Windham County. Go to www.MyFreeTax.com or contact United Way at 802.257.4011
- Turrell Fund announces 21st Annual S. Whitney Landon Awards. Three unrestricted grants will be awarded, one for $25,000 and two for $2,500 each. Click Here for the application. The deadline is April 8.
- It Takes a Village. Volunteers provide support to families with an infant by visiting their home for two hours a week for 12 weeks. This happens all around Windham County. For more information, contact Jessica Perkins at [email protected].
Trainings
- Windham Child Care Association calendar of Trainings & Workshops. Click Here for the full calendar.
- Poverty, Health Equity and Young Children Webinar. March 24, 1pm. Click Here to register.
- Teaching Standards (TS) Gold Introductory Trainings. These are 12 hour training sessions split into 2 days for your convenience. You are required to attend BOTH days to complete the training. Space is limited to 25 per session. If you wish to register, click on the appropriate. Click Here for Rutland April 2 and 9. Click Here for White River Junction on April 23 and 30.
Events
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Storytellers on a Mission: Benefit for Youth Services. Saturday April 9, 7:30pm. C
lick Here for details and tickets.
Job Announcements
- Windham County job openings in the early childhood field. For the full list, Click Here.
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Part Time Maternal Child Health Nurse with Children Integrated Services. This is a part-time position (20 hours per week) with a flexible schedule. If you are interested, please send a letter of interest, resume and the names of 3 references to:
Alison Wheeler, CIS Coordinator
The Winston Prouty Center
20 Winston Prouty Way
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Interesting Stuff To Read, Watch & Listen:
- Winston Prouty programing, Family Matters. Click Here to watch various programs about early childhood development
- Early & Often: Showing up in Preschool Matters.Click Here for a Toolkit for PreK attendance.
- Healthy Eating & Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards. Click Here to read.
- Poverty and Restoring the American Dream: An Opportunity and Responsibility for Child Advocates. Click Here to read.
- VT Agency of Education must address root causes of poverty, report says. Click Here to read.
- A critique of Building Bridges Out of Poverty. Click Here to read.
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Like & Share Us On The Facebook
You liked us on Facebook and we like you back.
Now that we've surpassed 100, I'm taking 36 days off of bugging you. Be sure to check us out for regular news, articles, tips and interesting posts. Click Here. Thanks!
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