WEEKLY COALITION BLAST | DECEMBER 20, 2017
WE EXIST TO GROW HEALTHY CHILDREN , PARENTS , AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM.

Lynne's Message 
Dear Friends,

On behalf of the board and staff of the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida, I would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. I hope that you can spend time with those you love in a meaningful and mindful way. Thank you for all you do, for children and families. Merry Christmas.
In your service,

Lynne
Office Closures
Coalition offices will be closed on Monday, December 25, and Tuesday, December 26, for the Christmas holidays. The offices will close again on Monday, January 1, for New Year's Day.
Gulf Coast State College - Spring 2018 Flier + Registration Information
The Spring 2018 semester for Gulf Coast State College's Early Childhood Education Program is approaching. Attached you will find a flier with course schedule information as well as a registration form for the program. It is important that teachers wanting to take classes go ahead and register as soon as possible.  If you have any questions, reach out to the Gulf Coast Early Childhood Education Program representative or email redline@elcnwf.org.
Child Absence Reporting
For us to promptly remove children from the roster who are no longer attending school, and to comply with state rules and guidelines, we ask that providers please report absences on Survey Monkey (Child Absence Reporting Form) for either the situations below:

  • When a child is absent for 5 consecutive days with no contact from the customer
  • When a child is absent for 10 unexplained days within a calendar month of attendance with no contact from the customer (NOTE: The 10 days do not have to be consecutive.)

If absences do not meet either of the criteria above, you are not required to report absences on Survey Monkey. We will make three attempts to contact the customer to determine if School Readiness services are still needed. If we are unable to reach the parent or it has been determined that services are no longer needed, a notice of termination will be sent to the provider and the customer at least 2 weeks prior to being terminated.
Performance Funding Project Update
The first benchmark timeline started on November 1, 2017, and it ends on January 31, 2018. It is important to submit your benchmark deliverables prior to the deadline (January 31, 2018). By submitting your deliverables prior to the deadline, you leave room for deliverable correction if a deliverable is denied and you are required to resubmit. If you submit after the deadline, you will receive a delinquent notice from OEL. Below are the days and times for Making the Most of Classroom Interactions (MMCI) cohorts for the 2017/2018 Performance Funding Project program year.

  • COHORT 1: Mondays in Panama City from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. (Infant/Toddler)
  • COHORT 2: Tuesdays in Chipley from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Infant/Toddler)
  • COHORT 3: Thursdays in Panama City from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Infant/Toddler)
  • COHORT 4: Saturdays in Panama City from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (Infant/Toddler)
  • COHORT 5: Mondays in Panama City from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Preschool)
  • COHORT 6: Tuesdays in Marianna from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. (Preschool)
  • COHORT 7: Thursdays in Marianna from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Infant/Toddler)

It is important that your instructors/directors understand that completion of the Preschool MMCI requires all 20 hours of training, and the Infant/Toddler MMCI requires all 24 hours. Additionally, remember that all instructor/directors must complete the online “Introduction to the CLASS” training tool prior to the start of their MMCI classes; each instructor/director must also have their own MMCI kit. If you have any questions about the MMCI trainings, please send them to the redline@elcnwf.org.
SR Contract Monitoring Follow Up
Providers are beginning to receive results from the School Readiness Contract Monitoring appointments completed through November 2017. The goal for this year is to monitor 100 percent of the School Readiness providers.

As you receive results, please sign the School Readiness Monitoring Tool (Form OEL-SR 20M, Page 14) acknowledging the SRCM results. Return the form via the Coalition Document Exchange in the SRCM Results 2017-18 folder. If you have a Corrective Action Plan, please see if evidence is required for submission as proof that non-compliance issues have been resolved.  

If you have questions, please send them through the Redline at redline@elcnwf.org.
MyTeachingStrategies: Checkpoint Guide
January 31 is the deadline for the Winter Checkpoint TSGs. Here are some tools and resources from MyTeachingStrategies for completing your checkpoint.
Holiday Food Drive
From December 12 through December 21, Coalition offices in Marianna and Panama City will be collecting non-perishable food items. These items will be distributed to local food banks throughout Northwest Florida. If you would like to donate to our food drive, please feel free to drop off donations at either location. Food banks recommend canned items and easy-prep meals (i.e., soup, noodles).

If you need more information, email redline@elcnwf.org.
December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month!
December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. As the holiday season approaches, it is important to purchase toys that are safe and age appropriate for young children. Please use the links below to learn more about toy safety and choosing age-appropriate toys. 
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! 2018
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.
Children's Week "Hanging of the Hands"
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.

Attached is a flier that you can post in your center, and it provides specific instructions for artwork and deadlines. Please visit https://childrensweek.org/event/hanging-of-the-hands/ for statewide information or www.elcnwf.org/childrens-week/ for information about our local efforts.

If you have any questions or need additional information about Children's Week, please email redline@elcnwf.org .
Above: Northwest Florida Hand Art Hanging in the Florida Capitol Rotunda, March 2017
Where to Find Archived Coalition Resources
If you are looking for a past edition of the Coalition's weekly blast, click here.

if you are looking for the PowerPoint presentation from a past Face-to-Face Provider Meeting, click here and scroll to the bottom.
Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida | Phone: 850.747.5400 | Fax: 850.747.5450 | WWW.ELCNWF.ORG
Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the State of Florida, Office of Early Learning