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Dear Providers,
Coalition staff are sending out email reminders to providers who have not created their OEL provider portal account or who have incomplete OEL provider portal accounts. It is critical that ALL provider accounts are ready for School Readiness and VPK contracting this year. If you received an email about your account, please ensure you read and complete any requested information.
As a reminder, the May Coalition Connection Face-to-Face meeting will be Thursday, May 4, 2017 at Trinity Pentecostal Church on Hwy 77 in Sunny Hills. The meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. We look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you for all you do for children each day,
Lynne
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School Readiness Provider Monitoring Tool, Form OEL-SR 20M (2016-2017)
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The School Readiness Provider Contract Monitoring (SCRM) for Fiscal Year 2016/2017 will continue through June 2017. For your reference, when completing the monitoring tool, Coalition staff will be using SR Provider Monitoring Tool, Form OEL-SR 20M.
SRCM Notification letters will be emailed and uploaded to your Coalition Document Exchange to inform you of the date we will be visiting your program. The letter will specify which documents you need to upload to your Coalition Document Exchange for a desktop review before we visit your program. The letter will also identify requirements for the 5-year-records check as well as information we will review when on site.
SRCM Results Letters will be uploaded to your Coalition Document Exchange. Providers will be notified via e-mail that their results are ready for review. Providers will need to sign Page 15 of the Form OEL-SR 20M for acknowledgment of results.
If you have any questions regarding SRCM, please submit it to the redline using redline@elcnwf.org.
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MyTeachingStrategies Update
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On Monday, April 3, Teaching Strategies GOLD (TSG) became MyTeachingStrategies. Use the same website at www.TeachingStrategies.com to access your information using the same GOLD® user name and password. The website has a new look with a different navigation bar including links to the five main areas of MyTeachingStrategies: Teach, Assess, Develop, Report, and Family. MyTeachingStrategies believes these changes will provide a more user-friendly environment.
In the next 10 weeks, you will receive emails regarding all updates to MyTeachingStrategies. PLEASE make sure you check your email account for these updates. Occasionally, these mass emails get delivered to junk mail, so verify no updates have been delivered to the incorrect folder.
With all changes come some challenges and glitches. Spring assessments are due on May 31. Do not wait until the last minute to visit this site. Get familiar by viewing the tutorials, attending the webinars, and accessing the Sandbox feature which is in the "Settings" and "Profile" area. Click on the circle in the top right-hand corner where you see your initials displayed.
If you are not receiving email updates from MyTeachingStrategies or you have questions about the upgraded site, please contact MyTeachingStrategies at 1-866-736-5913 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
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Next Classes for VPK Math Available
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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 2-5 p.m. CST (Chipley Coalition Office), ID: 7386
- "Early Mathematics for Early Learners: Patterns, Measurement and Data"
Thursday, May 18, 2017, from 2-5 p.m. CST (PC Coalition Office), ID: 7387
- "Early Mathematics for Early Learners: Shapes and Spacial Relationships"
Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 2 - 5 p.m. CST (Chipley Coalition Office), ID: 7388
If you have questions or have trouble signing up for these courses, please send an email to redline@elcnwf.org.
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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.
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Pinwheels for Prevention Art Contest
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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.
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Important 2016/2017 VPK Program Information
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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.
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2017 Summer VPK Information
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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.)
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Teaching Children Important Safety Information
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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.
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2017 Kids Fishing Workshop
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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.
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Prevent Child Abuse America launched the national Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign in April 2008. The campaign symbol, a blue and silver pinwheel, is a reminder of the happy childhoods and bright futures that all children deserve, as well as the important role we each play in ensuring every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development.
Prevent Child Abuse Florida adopted the Pinwheels for Prevention campaign in an effort to change the way our state thinks about preventing child abuse and neglect. Pinwheels for Prevention is Florida’s statewide coordinated effort to highlight programs and activities that promote healthy child development and preventing child abuse. The campaign, coordinated by Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Florida, the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the Florida Department of Children and Families, creates awareness of the proven ideas that child abuse can be prevented.
To learn more about Child Abuse and Neglect Month and Pinwheels for Prevention, or to order materials and resources for families, visit the
Ounce of Prevention website.
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April is Autism Awareness Month
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The first National Autism Awareness Month was declaired by the Autism Society in April 1970. The aim of this month is to educate the public about autism and the importance of early diagnosis. Autism is a complex mental condition and developmental disability, characterized by difficulties in the way a person communicates and interacts with others.
In the United States, autism affects approximately 1 in every 110 children. Chances are you know someone with this challenging disability. A better informed public will be more empathetic and supportive toward people with autism.
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Healthy Start's World's Greatest Baby Shower - May 4, 2017
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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.
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April VPK Courses Offered for POPs
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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.
- “Integrating the Standards: Phonological Implications” (Course ID: 7340)
April 27, 2017 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
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Questions about child development or behavior? Ask the Warm Line.
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