The next three classes in the four-part VPK Math Training series are registered on the DCF Child Care Training site, so please sign up today if you are interested. Suzanne Adinolfi recommends these courses be taken in order, but that is not mandatory. Below please find the course name, identification number for the DCF Child Care Training site, training date and time. This class is designed for preschool teachers and is not developmentally appropriate for your infant and toddler teachers. Please make sure only preschool teachers sign up for these trainings.

• "Early Mathematics for Early Learners: Counting and Operating with Numbers"
   Tuesday, May 2, 2017, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST (Chipley Coalition Office)
  
• "Early Mathematics for Early Learners: Shapes and Spacial Relationships"
   Thursday, May 18, 2017, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST (Panama City Coalition Office)
• "Early Mathematics for Early Learners: Patterns, Measurement and Data"
   Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST (Chipley Coalition Office)

If you have questions or have trouble signing up for these courses, please send an email to redline@elcnwf.org.

Attendance Documentation: Please create a new folder each month in which to upload your attendance documentation. Please do not upload your documentation on the first page. Documentation such as a doctor’s note or Rilya Wilson related material must be submitted at the same time as the attendance rosters (before the third business day and before 5 p.m.). If not, an adjustment must be submitted through Survey Monkey and the provider portal.

Good Friday: If you closed your center for Good Friday, please mark your attendance rosters with an “N" as this is not one of the board-approved holidays.

Remember to always check what you upload to the portal to ensure that all the appropriate documentation is uploaded to the billing groups. We had several providers not get reimbursed due to uploading errors. If you have any questions, please send a request to redline@elcnwf.org.

In support of Child Abuse Prevention Month, we are holding a Pinwheels for Prevention Art Contest. Create a unique pinwheel with your staff, families, and children at your site to win a gift basket full of prizes. You can use any materials you wish, and your pinwheel should be at least 2 feet tall. 

Remember that shades of blue are the iconic color for Child Abuse Prevention Month, so be creative as you decorate your masterpieces. Once you have completed your artwork, email a picture of your pinwheel to Sallie Brosnan at sallie.brosnan@elcnwf.org. She will load your picture on Facebook starting Wednesday, April 26, for friends and family to vote. Voting will end one week later on Wednesday, May 3, at noon. The center with the most votes will win, and the winner will be announced at May's Face-to-Face Meeting on Thursday, May 4.

Feel free to print out THIS FLIER to share with staff and families. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Sallie or call her at 850-747-5400 Ext. 114. 

The 2016/2017 VPK Program year is getting close to having only 10 percent remaining. If you provide the VPK Program at your site, make sure there is still at least 10 percent (54 hours) or more left in the VPK Program before taking any new COEs from parents. If you have questions or concerns, please email redline@elcnwf.org.

The Coalition is requesting Written Confirmation of Intent to Contract for the 2017  Summer VPK Program. The public school districts are required to provide the 2017 Summer VPK Program. Please submit via fax or e-mail a simple summary which provides the following information:  

• Written Notification of Intent to participate in the 2017 Summer VPK Program
  
• Information regarding the Point of Contact which includes the Phone Number, E-Mail Address information, and a Fax Number
  
• For school districts, please identify the location currently anticipated for the 2017 Summer VPK Program.

This information will be used to create the 2017 Summer VPK Provider Profile which will be available to parents as they obtain their Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) online through the OEL Parent Portal. A response is required prior to April 13, 2017.

Please submit your Notice of Intent to Contract for the 2017 Summer VPK Program to:
 
Michelle Shadoan, Provider Support Specialist
Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida, Inc.
703 W. 15th Street, Suite A
Panama City, Florida 32401
Phone: 850-747-5400  Ext 139
E-Mail: michelle.shadoan@elcnwf.org

A snapshot “Calendar” of which days/hours your program will run, including the potential start and end dates, would be appreciated by April 13 so that we may begin distributing information to parents who come to our offices to inquire.

A deadline for submission of the applications and required documents has not been established at this time. We will still require paperwork to register the program until the electronic system can be tested. You will complete the OEL-VPK 10 to register the classroom, the OEL-VPK 11A to set the classroom instructors, and the OEL-VPK-11B to set the class schedule. Additional documents include the VPK Prepayment Option Form and Classroom Capacity Form. All required forms and supporting documentation are required to be submitted prior to contract approval. (Copies of previously submitted paperwork will not be made.)

Now that spring is here and the weather is warming up, children want to go outside more often to play. There are many benefits of outdoor play time such as physical exercise, exploration of environment, and opportunities to make new friendships with peers. By teaching our children their name, address, and phone number, we can better equip them if they get lost or need help. Below is a link to a few tips on how to teach your child their name and address and who to go to in case of an emergency. 

The City of Panama City will be holding their Kids Fishing Workshop on Saturday, May 6,  on the Life Management Center main campus at Peace Pond. Attached is the official flier which contains details about this event. Please print the flier and share with anyone who is interested. If someone has further questions, please have them call Panama City Leisure Services at 872-3199.

Encourage your families to attend Healthy Start's "World's Greatest Come-'n-Go Baby Shower" on Thursday, May 4, at First United Methodist Church. This FREE event will start at 4:30 p.m. and conclude at 7:00 p.m., and will include games, door prizes, refreshments, and entertainment. If you know someone who is pregnant or who has delivered a baby within the last 6 months, they are welcome to attend.  Please click on the button below a printable version, or come by our office in Panama City to pick up printed fliers.

In April, we will provide three of the required VPK courses for programs on probation. All the courses will be held at the Marianna Coalition office (4636 Hwy 90, Suite P., Marianna, Florida 32446). To register for the courses listed below, visit the DCF Child Care Training Website and enter the appropriate course number. 

• “How to Administer the VPK Assessment” (Course ID: 7338)

            April 17, 2017 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. --COURSE CLOSED

• “VPK Assessment Instructional Implications” (Course ID: 7339)

           April 24, 2017 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

• “Integrating the Standards: Phonological Implications” (Course ID: 7340)

           April 27, 2017 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.