WE EXIST TO GROW HEALTHY
CHILDREN
,
PARENTS
, AND THE
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THEM.
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Dear Providers -
The Coalition is pleased to announce the release of the 2017-18 Child Care Practitioner Survey. We are asking that each contracted provider allow their staff to complete this online survey. As we discussed at the November Face-to-Face meeting, information obtained from the survey will be used to help plan for professional development, training, and college coursework with our community providers.
There is a quick turn-around for this information. We are asking that all responses be completed on or before November 30. If you have any questions be sure to send them through
redline@elcnwf.org.
Thank you for helping provide us with up-to-date information about early learning practitioners at your child care program.
In your service,
Lynne
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NEW RULE: VPK Director Credential for Private Providers
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New
Rule 6M-8.610 took effect on October 15, 2017, regarding the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Director Credential for Private Providers. This rule requires the completion of two additional classes to obtain the VPK Endorsement on the Director Credential. Providers with a valid director who meets the current VPK Director requirements have been “grandfathered in.”
For those obtaining a VPK Endorsement
AFTER November 1, 2017, the following coursework applies:
- DOE: Standards for Four-Year-Olds or Florida Standards for Four-Year-Olds (online)
- Emergent Literacy for VPK Instructors (online)
- VPK Director Credential course (online)
- Director Credential issued in accordance with paragraph 65C-22.003(8)(a), F.A.C.
- Mathematical Thinking for Early Learners (online)
- Language and Vocabulary in the VPK Classroom (online)
The Coalition encourages all VPK Directors to sign up for the online training courses to stay current with information and requirements in the VPK Program. An overview of all courses listed above as well as a link to the
DCF Child Care Training site is included below.
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November is Family Engagement Month
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Attached please find the flier from OEL's Child Care Resource and Referral Team regarding Family Engagement Month (November). Included are tips for engaging families in your center as well as suggestions for promoting your programs through social media. Anytime you engage families and share photos on social media (including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter), use #EngagedFamiliesFL. Just like with #1stDayVPK, OEL will feature programs throughout the state that are going above and beyond to engage families.
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Understanding Child Development
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As educators, we understand the importance of knowing the developmental status of our children. In a classroom full of different personalities and behaviors, it can be difficult to consistently monitor growth and progress. There are helpful tools and strategies that can be used to manage the classroom’s environment so that your class (including teachers) can get the most out of the day. Attached is an article that highlights behavioral expectations of a preschooler. This article may help aid a teacher in planning and managing classroom activities in an age-appropriate manner.
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November is American Diabetes Month
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Diabetes is a disease the occurs when your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) is too high. It is unfortunate that diabetes symptoms are NOT quickly identified in infants and toddlers because children that young are unable to speak. Please refer to the following link for Symptoms of Pediatric Diabetes in Babies and Toddlers.
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Early Learning Scholastic Book Fair
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There is only 1 day left to visit the on-site book fair - on Thursday, November 9. You are welcome to visit during the day or join us for Family Night during the evening from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. If you are in Panama City, encourage your families to attend. We will have family engagement craft activities, snacks, and opportunities to shop.
Scholastic Dollars will be earned by providers, groups, or organizations who purchase over $100 at the fair. (This includes families who visit the online or on-site fair from your center.) After the on-site and online fairs conclude, we will send you an email with your total earned Scholastic Dollars. You will be able to make purchases through the Scholastic Dollars Catalog online.
Below, please find links to the Scholastic Information Letter (with helpful links), the Scholastic Early Learning Flier, and the Early Learning Scholastic Book Fair link (to our online fair).
We are at nearly 50 percent of our fair goal, so thank you to everyone who has supported the book fair! We appreciate you.
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Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! 2018
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Attached please find updated information about Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! 2018. The books have been selected, so make plans to share these stories in your program.
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Children's Week "Hanging of the Hands"
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It's ALMOST that time of year again!
Children's Week will be January 21-26, 2018, and will share the week with
Celebrate Literacy Week Florida. (Look above for updated information about Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! 2018.) You can begin creating hand artwork as soon as you would like. This year, we are asking that each program string together their hand art into 8- to 10-foot strands, and attach a name card including the program name, program city, class name, and class age group. We want our legislators to spot hand art from their hometown.
Strands of hand art will be collected at the January Face-to-Face Meeting on January 5, or you can drop off your strands at any Early Learning Coalition office (Chipley, Marianna, or Panama City). For more information on the locations of our Coalition offices,
visit our website.
If you have any questions or need additional information about Children's Week, please email
redline@elcnwf.org
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Above: Northwest Florida Hand Art Hanging in the Florida Capitol Rotunda, March 2017
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OEL: "Early Learning Parents' Pages" for November 2017
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Attached please find a link to OEL's November 2017 edition of "Early Learning Parents' Pages." If you would like to view past editions of Early Learning Parents' Pages,"
click here.
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Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida | Phone: 850.747.5400 | Fax: 850.747.5450 |
www.elcnwf.org
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Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the State of Florida, Office of Early Learning
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