WEEKLY COALITION BLAST | JULY 5, 2017
WE EXIST TO GROW HEALTHY CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM.

Lynne's Message 
Dear Providers - 

Monthly Coalition Connection Face-to-Face Meetings are scheduled for the fourth business day of each month at Trinity Pentecostal Tabernacle church on Hwy 77 in Sunny Hills, Florida. Our July meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. this Friday, July 7th. This month, we will go over School Readiness contract requirements, VPK contract requirements, Performance Funding Project, Coalition updates, and new quality initiatives for the 2017/2018 program year. I hope you will make plans to join us. Please bring your favorite summer dish to share with each other. 


In your service, 


Lynne

Hearing Loss in Children

Most children with hearing loss are born to parents with normal hearing. That means that the entire family may have a lot to learn about living with the condition. You may find out that your child has hearing loss when he is born, or she might be diagnosed later in childhood. Either way, the most important thing to do is to get the right treatment as early as possible. If you understand more about the condition, you can get your child the help needed so he or she can learn, play, and keep up with other kids his age. Here’s what you need to know.


Causes
The causes of hearing loss in children include:


  • Otitis media. This middle ear infection happens often in young children because the tubes that connect the middle ear to the nose, called Eustachian tubes, aren’t fully formed. Fluid builds up behind the eardrum and can get infected. Even if there’s no pain or infection, the fluid can affect hearing if it stays there, at least for a short time. In severe and long-lasting cases, otitis media can lead to permanent hearing loss.


  • Problems at birth. Some children are born with hearing problems. Most of the time, they are tied to a child’s genes. Other times, it happens during pregnancy or from prenatal care. Hearing loss can also happen when a pregnant woman has a medical condition like diabetes or preeclampsia. A baby born prematurely is at higher risk, too.


Resource: WebMD, "Help for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss" (June 2016)

2017/2018 PFP Invitation + Webinar Opportunity

The Performance Funding Project will be offered again this year! All School Readiness providers are invited to apply for the 2017/2018 fiscal year. Participating providers have an opportunity to take advantage of one or more quality activities related to professional early childhood practice.

  • Making the Most of Classroom Interactions (MMCI)
  • Implementing assessment tools
  • Technical assistance/coaching
  • Professional development plans

If selected, providers receive payment based on their composite CLASS scores and participation during the length of the project. Interested providers can apply online from July 10-21. If you are interested and would like to find out more about the Performance Funding Project opportunity, click here or on the red button below to attend a free informational webinar on Thursday, July 6, at 6:00 p.m. EDT (5:00 CDT). 

Yearly Provider Updates for CCR&R

It is time for all providers to submit provider updates! If you have had any changes to your program or contact information, now is the time to let us know. Please sign into the OEL Provider Portal. Review all of the tabs in the dashboard, and check/change your information. Next, please sign and resubmit. This should all be completed by July 30th. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Samantha Stump at samantha.stump@elcnwf.org or call her at 850-747-5400 Ext. 124.   

FREE Social-Emotional Activities @ Gryphonhouse.com

There are many different ways a child can learn new information or grasp a new concept. The social-emotional development of a child happens at an early age and should be nurtured with the help of the child’s parents, caregiver, or teacher. Learning how to form and appreciate relationships refers to a child’s social development and is sometimes a difficult task for a child. How a child feels about himself, the people in his life and his surroundings is known as emotional development. It can be difficult at times to develop new and exciting activities that focus on developing a child’s social-emotional development. Gryphonhouse.com has provided a list of free social-emotional activities for children of all ages, so use the button below to access their website.

Events in Holmes & Washington Counties

Below you will find links to meeting dates for the "Bosom Buddies" Breastfeeding Support Groups in both Holmes and Washington Counties. Please share these fliers with your staff and families.


Bosom Buddies, Holmes County 

Bosom Buddies, Washington County


If you are interested in taking the HealthierUS School Challenge, use the attached flier to learn more about the requirements and incentives (including cash up to $2,000 and state/national recognition). If you are promoting nutritious meals, physical activity, and nutrition education in your center, this is a terrific opportunity. 

2017/2018 VPK Contract Renewal Information

VPK contract renewal time is here. Below you will find links to the forms for VPK. Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) are due June 19 to be guaranteed for prepayment. Providers who would like a roster on the first day of school should ensure COEs are submitted prior to July 10.
Instructions for Forms OEL-VPK 10, 11A, & 11B 04-30-10

VPK Classroom Capacity Form(s)
Form OEL-VPK 10 Statewide Provider Application 04-30-10 
Form OEL-VPK11A, Class Registration Application – Instructors 04-30-10
Form OEL-VPK11B, Class Registration Application – Calendars 04-30-10


New VPK Provider Contracts for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20 (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20PP (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
Form OEL-VPK 20PS (October 2016) -- New for Fall 2017
We are in the middle of the conversion to the new OEL Provider Portal. Several features will become available on June 30. These new features will require providers to build the VPK Application in the new OEL Provider Portal prior to start of the VPK Program.


Because providers must have an approved contract prior to school start, please submit the paper forms and contract as soon as possible. This will allow you to begin submitting COEs and enrolling children in your program. All paper forms should be submitted through the Coalition Document Exchange (formerly "provider portal"). Please name documents as in previous years so that required documents can be easily identified. Naming documents appropriately will be helpful when you upload in the new OEL Provider Portal.


Once the online VPK Application features are open, providers will have to compete the VPK Application process in the OEL Provider Portal and submit required documents prior to July 21.


Once you have submitted your contract, do not forget to log in to the Bright Beginnings website to order Replacement VPK Assessment Kit materials.


**Remember: Programs must have four children enrolled on the first day of school in order to be a valid VPK Program.**

Reimbursement Reminders
The Reimbursement Team needs your adjustments sent as soon as possible to ensure you receive payment. Remember to submit your supporting document to the  Coalition Document Exchange (formerly "provider portal") and all payment adjustments to the  Child Care Payment Adjustment Form. Remember that the Reimbursement Team can only adjust 60 days back.

If you have questions or concerns, please email  redline@elcnwf.org.
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