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a monthly e-newsletter for Delaware's early childhood and school age programs
 
 



   February  2018
 
 
You're here for Delaware's children and families. 
We're here for YOU! 
Supporting Relationships in Mixed Age Environment Workshop
Working with children of various preschool ages can provide children many opportunities for growth. However, it can be challenging especially when teaching emotional and social skills to varying ages.

Designed with Family Child Care Centers in mind, this workshop will teach providers how to explore and plan activities and experiences that will develop social/emotional and relationship building skills while building on the strengths of their mixed-age program


Workshop participants will walk away with strategies to implement immediately that will provide children with the tools they need to relate to others, often helping to prevent behavior problems.


This  article provides additional information on what providers can do to help toddlers build this important skill set.

Check out this workshop and others by clicking here.

 
DIEEC Instructor Lends Expertise

As you know, DIEEC's Professional Development is quality assured. What you might not be aware of are the qualifications of our instructors. In many cases, our instructors hold advance degrees and are recognized as leaders in the field of early child hood education.  

A case in point is Christine Skrobot, one of our instructors, recently contributed to an article on infant equipment in child care centers.  

Her research looked at the growing use of confinement devices such as high chairs, cribs, etc.  This increased use has raised concern that too much confinement can contribute to a range of developmental and motor issues.

The article is available here.

"Making a Difference" Conference
April 13th & 14th

Mark you calendar now for the "Making a Difference" Conference" to be held on April 13th and 14th.  The annual conference for early childhood professionals will be at the DTCC Terry Campus in Dover.

Registration opens Thursday, February 9, 2018.
Credential Updates - Important News
Please read this flyer for important details related to managing your credentials for 2018. 



Readers Corner

Does Preschool Pay Off?

The answer is a resounding yes!  In a new report researchers were able to show that Tulsa's prekindergarten program has significant, positive effects on students' outcomes and well-being through middle school.  This is the first long-term study of a universal prekindergarten programs that shows how children benefit.  

Check out the complete  article  from NPR that overviews this study done in Oklahoma.   

Not all Books are Created Equal

Research in this article underscores the importance of reading to children; however, points to the increased benefit of reading different books to different ages , especially for infants.

The research found that for infants, finding books that name different characters can lead to higher-quality shared book reading experiences and result in learning and brain development benefits.

Winter Survival Tips

We know Winter days can be long 
especially when the weather is bad. This article provides ideas for indoor activities for toddlers.

And for your soul, check out this inspiring video.

Keep up with our Quality Assured training sessions by following us on Facebook.


Provider Spotlight: Back 2 Basics
Family Child Care Center Offers Specialized Care


When Michelle Campbell's two-year-old son, Joseph, was diagnosed with autism, Joseph's doctor recommended that he be placed in a child care with a small group of other children.  This setting would help him acquire social skills and learn to interact with his surroundings. Finding no such care in spite of an exhaustive search, Campbell made a career change and opened a specialized care center of her own.
 
Campbell opened Back 2 Basics Daycare in 2013 in her Newark home.   To ensure she was well prepared, Campbell received certifications in CPR/AED first aid, and medication administration.  Additionally, she partnered with Stars to create child-specific learning curriculums to ensure children are reaching their developmental goals.
 
Fully armed with these tools, Campbell accepts children diagnosed with ADHD and with other special needs.  Although Back 2 Basics primarily serves children with special needs, it also accepts children with no known conditions. On average, the day care serves up to six children daily and offers meals and snacks.  In fact, Campbell grows her own fruits and vegetables in her home garden, which she uses as part of the children's meals from June to November.

According to Campbell, the rewards of providing a special needs-specific day care outweigh the challenges. One of the best rewards is that she's able to spend time with Joseph each morning before he leaves to catch the bus to middle school and meet him each afternoon when he returns.
 
Campbell is also grateful to provide families of special needs children the comfort and services her day care offers. "I'm glad to take the frustration of my journey and turn it into a positive outcome for others," she said.
Stars News
 
Celebrating Ten Years of Delaware Stars

At the Family Council Meeting on January 25th, the Office of Early Learning along with Secretary of Education Susan Bunting and Governor John Carney recognized the first programs to join  Stars. This celebration is the kick off of activities in honor of the tenth anniversary of Stars.

This celebration comes on the heels of Governor Carney including the funding of Stars in his "State of the State" address - a strong endorsement for the state's continued commitment to early childhood education. 

OEL Launches New Website

The Office of Early Learning just unveiled its new, user-friendly  website.   The new website features new and expanded program information. 

Frequently used links such as child care locator, kindergarten registration information, and resources are readily available on the new website's homepage.   Early learning educators can learn how to qualify to teach in a childcare setting, learn about Delaware Stars or about early intervention services for children with special education needs. Likewise, families and community groups can find information about Early Head Start and Head Start Programs, and Parents As Teachers among other programs.





Social Media - Follow Stars on Twitter and Instagram

W e are excited to announce we are now on Twitter and Instagram.   Follow us on:


Our expanded presence in social media allow us to showcase what you're doing as well as provide you with valuable information through different platforms.



February is Black History Month and Stars will use social media to recognize our fellow citizens who have changed the course of history through their contributions and courageous actions.  Additionally, we will keep you apprised of activities where you can share in the celebration of this important month.

Don't Forget to follow us on Social Media!

    Follow us on Twitter     View on Instagram   Like us on Facebook                          
Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood
Delaware Stars for Early Success
Professional Development Department
Main (302) 831-3239 | Fax (302) 831-4223
Visit PD at www.dieecpd.org
Visit DE Stars  at: www.delawarestars.udel.edu