Alaska Department of Education & Early Development
Early Learning


Get to know the 
Alaska Early Childhood Coordinating Council!

If you haven't heard about the AECCC, they are doing great work! The AECCC is made up of several cross-sector members who gather four times a year to promote positive development, improved health outcomes, and school readiness for children prenatal through age eight. 

The council is dedicated to creating a culturally responsive, comprehensive, and accessible service delivery system that links service providers, empowers families, and engages communities. 

The AECCC is formed by five subcommittees. One of those committees, the High Quality Early Care and Learning Subcommittee recently gathered to meet and define early learning systems in Alaska. Also created during the meeting was a great graphic that outlines how early learning works in our state. 

For more information about the AECCC click here.
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Learning Through Play

The Department of Education and Early Development recently released WebEx training on the Teaching Strategies GOLD® authentic observation-based assessments. Learn how, where, and when to observe children  and  assess them  with this tool. 

Upcoming TSG WebEx Training

December 7, 2017 
2:00 - 3:00 pm  
" Sharing These Observations with Families"  

By phone: 1-855-244-8681 /  Access Code: 280-938-387
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities from thread

thread is offering the following professional learning opportunities centered on the CLASS tool:
  • Introduction to CLASS training: half-day session taking place during the Anchorage AEYC Conference January 2018
  • Introduction to CLASS training: full-day in south central, northern/interior, and southeast Alaska (TBD)
  • CLASS Reliability Training: two days, offered for teachers who want to become reliable in CLASS (TBD)
For additional information on any of these classes please contact Donna Wade via email or (907) 265-3107.
Best  Beginnings Early Language and Literacy Survey for Parents

Best Beginnings is currently conducting a parent survey on kindergarten readiness in the topic area of early language and literacy skills. Data gathered will assist in further development within those topic areas. Those parents completing the survey will have the opportunity to win a $50 gift card. 

The survey may be accessed via SurveyMonkey   or FaceBook . Best Beginnings encourages sharing the survey with any parent of a child birth through 5 years of age. Questions pertaining to this survey may be directed at Laura Cisneros via email or (907) 297-3311.
New Guidelines Released for Childhood Wellness

With approximately 1 out of 3 Alaskan children being overweight or obese, it is important to prevent unhealthy weight gain, and help foster healthy eating habits at a young age. Families, childcare providers, and early childhood education professionals play an important role in helping Alaska's children grow up healthy.


Recently released by the State of Alaska, Department of Health & Social Services, the Wellness Guidelines for Alaska's Young Children is designed to help providers and families development environments that support healthy eating, active play, and reduced screen time.
Early Learning Website Updated!

Our Early Learning Webpage has received an update! 

We now include links to our Parents as Teachers grantee pages, updated Training & Resources links, and updated program descriptions.

Check out our page here  along with the Department of Education and Early Development's new page!

 

Are We Undermining our Own Parenting?

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Technology can be a strong ally in our day to day life; helping us keep track of our busy family calendar, getting home work completed on time, or paying our bills in a more efficient manner. However recent studies have shown that technology may also hinder us when we allow it.  

The Greater Good Magazine published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley shares suggestions on specific times to put your phone to the side as well as additional studies on how child development, and performance are impacted by parent screen time during important moments from dinner time to extra curricular activities.
Meanwhile, in Alaska... 
  • With much gratitude to Operation Warm, a Title I school in East Anchorage receives a new winter coat for each of their 441 students. Read as reported by the Alaska Dispatch News.
  • A blended learning assignment by a kindergarten teacher in Marshall, Alaska intertwines art, math, and reading. Read about the class's amazing assignment in the Delta Discovery
  • Alaska State Troopers connect with the community of Sutton via the classroom. Read about it as reported in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.
Elsewhere
Correction!

Last issue we incorrectly captioned a photo as being the Anchorage AEYC conference. The photo should have been captioned as the Northern Interior Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children (NIAAEYC). We apologize for this error.